6A Midweek Edition-December 2-3, 2020
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
LOCAL
JEFF GILL I The Times
A Dunkin’ doughnut shop is coming to this site in Flowery Branch next to the McDonald’s restaurant off Spout Springs Road.
Dunkin’ coming to Flowery Branch
BY JEFF GILL
jgill@gainesvilletimes.com
A Dunkin’ doughnut shop is coming
to Flowery Branch next to the McDon
ald’s restaurant off Spout Springs Road.
Grading has begun at the site at 5915
Spout Springs Road, which is between
Interstate 985’s Exit 12 and Hog Moun
tain Road.
Other details about the project
weren’t immediately available on Mon
day, Nov. 30.
Rich Atkinson, Flowery Branch plan
ning director, said Dunkin’ plans are
being reviewed by Donald Bowers, the
city’s building inspector.
“I recall that it did have some mini
mal seating on the inside,” Atkinson
said.
A sign on the property depicting a
site development permit shows Donuts
Holdings LLC as the owner. Com
pany officials couldn’t be reached for
comment.
The Dunkin’ and McDonald’s will
be on a site once occupied by Rite Aid
pharmacy. The Rite Aid building was
torn down as construction began in
early 2020 on the McDonald’s.
$5K in medical devices, other items taken in burglary
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
Authorities say roughly $5,000 in
defibrillators and other items were
taken during a burglary reported Fri
day, Nov. 27, at a Gainesville business.
Hall County Sheriff’s Office spokes
man Derreck Booth said an employee
of Delta Ambulance, on Centennial
Drive, discovered the burglary when
arriving to work around 8:30 a.m.
Friday.
Booth said items taken included
automated external defibrillators, fuel
cards, a computer, vehicle keys and
other items.
Operations manager Sherrie
Cavarretta told the Times on Tues
day, Dec. 1 that “the offices were
destroyed,” with papers and boxes
strewn everywhere.
“Honestly, we have no clue,” she
said, adding she was unsure how some
one might resell some of these stolen
items. “We have no idea. We haven’t
let go of anybody in close to two years. ”
The Sheriff’s Office has no known
suspects as investigators continue
working the case.
Anyone with information on the
case can call the investigator at
770-533-7729.
South Hall smoothie shop gets initial approval Nov. 30
A proposed South Hall
smoothie shop was rec
ommended for approval
Monday, Nov. 30, by
the Braselton Planning
Commission.
The development now
goes before the Braselton
Town Council for a public
hearing at 4 p.m. Thursday,
Dec. 10, at the Braselton
Police & Municipal Court at
5040 Highway 53.
Braselton documents say
the developer is “targeting
a national smoothie chain”
as part of a 5,000-square-
foot building at 1217 Friend
ship Road, next to BGW
Dental Group and at the
corner of Friendship Road/
Ga. 347 and Old Winder
Highway/Ga. 211.
The name of the chain
still isn’t known, planning
director Kevin Keller said
Tuesday, Dec. 1.
Riverstone Braselton
LLC is seeking a conditional
use permit from Braselton
to allow for a drive-thru at
the building on the .72-acre
site.
John Stell, a lawyer asso
ciated with the project, has
said that if the permit is
approved, construction of
the building could start soon
afterward.
Jeff Gill
hit by car dies
A Gainesville woman
died days after being
hit by a car Friday, Nov.
28, on Thompson Bridge
Road, police said.
Sherri Anderson, 59,
allegedly stepped into
the path of a GMC Yukon
after 7 p.m. Friday near
Etta Vista Circle, Gaines
ville Police Lt. Kevin Hol
brook said.
“It’s believed that she
was attempting to cross
the road to go to the Chev
ron store there,” Hol
brook said.
Holbrook said Ander
son was transported to
Northeast Georgia Medi
cal Center, where she suc
cumbed to her injuries.
The lieutenant said
the driver stopped and
cooperated with the
investigators.
“At this time, no
charges are expected to
be filed,” Holbrook said.
Nick Watson
Riverside Academy receives
$1 million for scholarships
BY DANIELA CARRASCO
dcarrasco@gainesvilletimes.com
Riverside Military Academy is getting an early Christ
mas present this year with a $1 million donation from
alumnus John Phelps.
Phelps is the second person to donate $1 million to Riv
erside in the past 18 months.
“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of this
gift as well as the timing,” Col. Stas Preczewski, presi
dent of Riverside, said in a press release.
Phelps donated the money to create The John F. and
Ann L. Phelps Endowment to fund student scholarships.
He decided to give the money earlier because of the
“financial hardships” brought on to many because of
the pandemic. Phelps entered Riverside his junior year
after the death of his father. He graduated in 1956, just 18
months after joining and went on to run an office supply
and printing store in Pensacola, Florida.
“John Phelps’ story is an excellent example of what
RMA does for young men,” Ellen DeFoor, Riverside’s
vice president for advancement, said in the release.
Crash involving Gainesville
city truck sends 5 to hospital
Five people, including two boys, were transported to
Northeast Georgia Medical Center after a three-vehicle
wreck Saturday, Nov. 28, authorities said.
Georgia State Patrol Cpl. Major Patterson said Tara
McDowell, 31, of Dawsonville, was heading southbound
around 1:33 p.m. Saturday on Thompson Bridge Road in
the center turn lane.
Jesus Medrano, 51, of Gainesville, was driving a Kia
Cadenza northbound in the right lane, and John Staton,
50, of Gainesville, was stopped at a stop sign on Oak Tree
Drive in a Ford F250 owned by the city of Gainesville.
Patterson said McDowell turned into the path of Medra
no’s car and struck the car head-on. Medrano’s car then
struck Staton’s truck in the front with Medrano’s passenger
side, authorities said.
Both drivers and their passengers were taken to North
east Georgia Medical Center with non-life-threatening inju
ries. Staton was uninjured.
Patterson said McDowell was cited for failure to yield
while turning left.
Nick Watson
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