About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2023)
Lakeview Academy makes splashy hire of Benjie Wood to guide boys basketball program. SPORTS, 1B Midweek Edition - MARCH 15-16,2023 | $2.00 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com Honestly Local Corps pauses plan to rename Lanier Change comes hours after docs saying Corps would submit new names for lake, Buford Dam BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com Will they or won’t they? Within hours of releasing docu ments saying the Army Corps of Engineers would move forward with recommending new names for Lake Lanier and Buford Dam, the Corps appeared to backtrack on its plans. “The U.S. Army Corps of Engi neers is pausing any actions related to project renaming pend ing further guidance from the Department of the Army,” the agency said in a statement sent to The Times Friday afternoon. When asked why it was paus ing actions, the Corps said in an email Monday, March 13, “All we are able to offer at this time is the statement we provided Friday.” Correspondence early Friday indicated another direction by the Corps. The Corps’ Mobile District “will develop and submit a new name for Lake Lanier/Buford Dam for consideration by the Department of the Army,” District Commander Jeremy J. Chapman said in a letter Friday, March 10, to Lake Lanier Association executive director Amy McGuire. The actions are being taken in accordance with the fiscal 2021 William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act, the letter says. “Our goal is to be fully open and transparent during the renaming process, and we will solicit public and stakeholder feedback on the recommended names,” Chapman said. The agency has been “directed to provide potential name changes to Lake Sidney Lanier and Buford ■ Please see LANIER, 3A Times file photo Within hours of releasing documents saying the Army Corps of Engineers would move forward with recommending new names for Lake Lanier and Buford Dam, the Corps appeared to backtrack on its plans. ‘She changed the blankets with Leroy’s corpse sitting right there’ SCOn ROGERS I The Times Tabitha Wood sits in Hall County Superior Court March 14, during the first day of her murder trial. Wood is accused of killing her 82-year-old fiance Leroy Franklin Kramer Jr. then living with the body for months. Trial of woman accused of killing fiance underway BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com Walking through the Can dler Road trailer, Craig Hannula was hit with the unmistakable, unbearable odor of rotting flesh. After pulling aside a sheet, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputy stepped into the bedroom and saw the body of 82-year-old Leroy Franklin Kramer Jr., who had been dead for an estimated two months. His body had turned black like coal, falling between the bed and the nightstand. Blood spatter was found on the walls and near the head- board but not on the bed. At the time of Kramer’s death, Assistant District Attorney Harold Buckler said Kramer was getting undressed. The elderly man’s pants were down, and he had already kicked off one shoe. “The evidence is going to be that she changed the blankets with Leroy’s corpse sitting right there by the bed,” Buck ler said. Hannula was one of the first witnesses in the murder trial of Tabitha Zeldia Wood, 46, of Gainesville, who the Sheriff’s Office said killed her fiance Kramer and lived with the body for two months. Wood was indicted Feb. 15 on charges of malice murder, felony murder, exploitation of an elder person, concealing the death of another, finan cial transaction card theft and aggravated assault against a person 65 years of age and older. The indictment alleges Kramer was killed in early April, though his body was dis covered when deputies went ■ Please see WOOD, 7A Timberline to open glamping site near Lula BY BRIAN WELLMEIER bwellmeier@gainesvilletimes.com Timberline Glamping Company, after receiv ing approval to lease seven campsites at River Forks Park, is planning to launch another glamp ing location on 125 acres near Lula. Glamping is a form of camping that offers luxury amenities to those who wish to avoid tra ditional outdoor camping in the elements. Franchisees Corbin McDaniel and his business partner Kieron Clemons will pay to lease the land from North Georgia Canopy Tours - a local attraction known for its disc golf, according to its owner Kirk Watkins. Watkins and his wife Leah own the property at 5290 Harris Road in Lula. ■ Please see TIMBERLINE, 3A EAST HALL HIGH Teacher kicked, two students arrested in fight BY BEN ANDERSON banderson@gainesvilletimes.com The mother of a student accused of kicking a teacher in the face during a fight at East Hall High School says her son didn’t do it. Jhonny David Mendez, 18, was charged with felony battery and affray last week after a fight on March 8 with another student. He was arrested two days later and released on a $3,500 bond later that day. Mendez is accused of kicking East Hall teacher Heather Hawkins in the face while she was trying to break up the fight. Hall County Schools spokesman Stan Lewis said last week that Mendez was on his back and accidentally kicked Hawkins in the face when he tried to kick the other student off him. “It was just a scramble,” Lewis said. “He was trying to kick the other kid.” ■ Please see FIGHT, 5A ONLINE INSIDE gainesvilletimes.com/newsletters: Sign up to receive email newsletters from The Times gainesvilletimes.com/apps: Download The Times’ app for a user-friendly online experience and app notifications for big stories Calendar 2A Life 1B Classified 3C Opinion 6A Comics 5B Sports 3B Fun+Games 4B Weather 2A 25 9 A COMMUNITY OF HEART EXPERTS CLOSE TO HOME N0RTHSIDE.COM/EXCELLENCE NORTHSIDE > EXCELLENCE HOSPITAL AT HEART HEART INSTITUTE
