About The Braselton news. (Jefferson, Ga) 2006-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2023)
Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy Wednesday, March 1, 2023 Vol. 16 No. 12 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages Hospital recognized as Level-1 trauma center Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville recently gained status as a Level-1 trauma center PAGE 3A Reward offered to help catch vandals Contractors are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of vandals and thieves at Braselton- Hoschton-area construction sites PAGE 5A Special election Persinger wins State House District 119 has its new representative. With 100% of precincts reporting, Republican Holt Persinger won Tuesday's (Feb. 28) special runoff for the seat over fellow Repub lican Charlie Chase, gar nering 59.25% of the vote to Chase's 40.75%. House District 119 covers portions of Jackson County (in the Braselton-Hoschton area) and Barrow County. State House District 119 runoff Persinger will fill the seat vacated by Danny Rampey, who was elect ed to the House last year but resigned from the post following his arrest on bur glary charges in Barrow County. Persinger and Chase emerged from a seven-can- didate special election for Rampey's seat on Jan. 31 after no one earned at least 50% of the vote. PERSINGER RUNOFF RESULTS State House District 119 Holt Persinger (R) 59.25% Charlie Chase (R) 40.75% South Hall Woman injured, man killed in Buford domestic shooting A woman suffered a mi nor injury and a man shot and killed himself during a domestic altercation be hind a Buford warehouse Wednesday (Feb. 22), ac cording to a press release from the Hall County Sher iff's Office (HCSO) The HCSO was called to the 900 block of Sherwin Parkway just after 5:30 p.m. to investigate reports of an injured woman running into a warehouse in the industri al park. The initial investi gation showed the woman and the suspected shooter, who were involved in a personal relationship and also worked together, left work at the same time and got into his vehicle. The See Shooting, page 12A South Hall ‘Trail of Terror’ relocation request in South Hall withdrawn By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews. com The owner of s South Hall “haunted trail” has withdrawn a request to relocate the attrac tion. Applicant Matthew Miller sought to move the “Trail of Terror” to a 12.99-acre site at 3515 Friendship Rd from its nearby 3760 Friendship Rd. location. But Miller pulled the request from the Feb. 23 agenda of the Hall County Board of Commissioners (BOC), which was schedule See Trail, page 12A INDEX News ... 1-3A Opinion ... 4A Public safety .. 5A Social... 6A School... 7A Obituaries ... 8A-9A Sports ... 10A Classifieds... x11A FOUNDED 1881 The Hoschton DDA is looking at mural options PAGE 2A MAILING LABEL o Sunday festival sounds Photo by Ben Munro The musical duo, “Brooke and Mike,” performs on stage Sunday (Feb. 26) during the third day of the Art-Tiques Winter Market in Braselton. Hoschton Hoschton awarded $1M grant for new water tank By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews. com The City of Hoschton re ceived official confirmation on Feb. 21 of a $1 million grant award from the Appa lachian Regional Commis sion toward a water tank on the south side of town. City leaders initially an ticipated $750,000 in fund ing before learning they were eligible for more. “So. we were excited to get this $1 million.” City Manager Jennifer Kidd-Har- rison said, noting an increase in construction-material costs. The city will construct the $3.8 million tank on Jopena Blvd. across Hwy. 53 from the Twin Lakes and Cress- wind subdivisions. City officials expect completion of the one-million-gallon tank by fall 2025. They initially hoped to have the tank in place by 2024, but Kidd-Harrison said the new water tower was “put on the back burner” because the to tal cost nearly tripled due to steel prices. “We’re not in terrible need of it right this sec ond.” Kidd-Harrison told the Hoschton City Council at its Feb. 20 meeting. “But we will be in a couple of years.” The city has a March meeting with the Northeast See Grant, page 12A Hoschton Survey says Hoschton residents want restaurants By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com An economic develop ment survey conducted by Hoschton Councilmember Debbie Martin indicat ed that city residents are hungry for more dining options. “By far. the citizens want food,” she told the council at its most recent work session. “And that goes from restaurants to See Survey, page 12A Hoschton residents say they want more restaurnts in town, according to a poll. South Hall Hall BOC approves speculative building on Old Winder Hwy. By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews. com A proposed 8,000-square- foot speculative building in South Hall received the green light from Hall County lead ers. The Hall County Board of Commissioners (BOC) vot ed unanimously on Feb. 23 See Building, page 12A Town of Braselton The Town of Braselton plans to upgrade a portion of the Mulberry Riverwalk with a crush-and-run surface. Braselton What’s next for the Mulberry Riverwalk? By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews. com Trail goers of the Mulberry Riverwalk can look forward to walking on a new surface as the Braselton park contin ues to receive upgrades. The Braselton Town Council recently agreed to improve a sec tion of the trail with a crush-and-run surface, a project for which state funding is avail able. Braselton Town See Riverwalk, page 12A o
