About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 2023)
2A Weekend Edition-December 29-30, 2023 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia I gainesvilletimes.com WEATHER EVENTS Gainesville 5-Day Forecast #AccuWeather VisitAccuWeather.com TODAY TONIGHT SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY Cooler Partly cloudy HIGH: 43° LOW: 32° Clouds and sun 46733° Mostly sunny; milder 53738° Afternoon rain 49732° Clouds and sun 51731° RFT: 40729 ° 1 RFT: 52736 ° 1 RFT: 50729 ° 1 RFT: 49729 Precip chance: Precip chance: Precip chance: Precip chance: Precip chance: Precip chance: 15% 25% 0% 5% 75% 20% RFT: The patented AccuWeather.com RealFeel Temperature® is an exclusive index of effective temperature based on eight weather factors. Regional Weather Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. airsville El:-; 38/30T o Morganton 38/30 iis>: Turners 41/30 ./ Talking Rock 40/32 Dahlonega O 41/30 , n Cleveland 43/30 @ 47 ' Clermont O 43/31 O Cornelia .. ■„ O 43/30 Murrayville .... O 42/31 . .—, 2, Nelson O Dawsonville O (129) 44/32 41/32 41/31 Gainesville oHomer « 43/32 . P 2' . 42/32 Oakwood A. 43/32" ° 43/32 ' m Buford Roswell 43/32 «/34 O Du|uth0 43/34 Winder wrenceville 45/32 (29) Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather. Inc. ©2023 SB Almanac Statistics for Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport Wednesday Temperature High/low 56 46 Normal high/low 52733° Record high 75° in 2015 Record low Precipitation (in inches) 12° in 1935 Wednesday 0.00 Month to date 6.65 Normal month to date 4.44 Year to date 56.59 Normal year to date 54.84 Record for date 1.46 in 1938 Air Quality Today ▼ Good Moderate sen^fthf'e Unl,ealth V Unhealthy Hazardll,,s 50 100 150 200 300 Main Offender: Ozone Source: Environmental Protection Agency I Pollen Yesterday Trees 0 „0 0 0 Grass I I I absent Weeds I I i o . 0 “ 0 0 Low Mod. High Very high Main Offender: Ragweed, Juniper Source: National Allergy Bureau City Today Hi Lo W Tomorrow Hi Lo W Albany 53 34 pc 55 32 pc Atlanta 46 35 pc 46 35 pc Augusta 52 34 pc 53 32 s Brunswick 55 40 s 55 37 s Chattanooga 43 36 c 46 29 c City Today Hi Lo W Tomorrow Hi Lo W Columbus 49 32 pc 51 31 pc Dalton 43 34 c 45 27 c Greenville 49 30 pc 50 28 s Macon 53 34 pc 53 26 pc Savannah 55 36 pc 54 34 pc UV Index 1 Lake Levels 1 Sun and Moon 1 2 0 0 9 a.m. Noon 3 p.m. 6 p.m. The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. Lake data in feet as of 7 a.m. yesterday Lake Full Pool Present Level 24 hr Change Lake Lanier 1071.0 1064.32 +0.20 Allatoona Lake 840.0 828.87 +0.72 Burton Lake 1865.0 1857.15 -0.09 Clark’s Hill Lake 330.0 321.83 +0.40 Hartwell Lake 660.0 653.55 +0.27 Russell Lake 480.0 475.18 -0.45 West Point Lake 635.0 628.74 +1.18 Sunrise today 7:41 a.m. Sunset tonight 5:34 p.m. Moonrise today 8:06 p.m. Moonset today 9:56 a.m. Last New First Full 0*00 Jan 3 Jan 11 Jan 17 Jan 25 Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, r-rain, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice THANKYOU FOR READING FULL ACCESS WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION Our local news team, the largest in Northeast Georgia, works each day to bring you honestly local news delivered in several different platforms. Subscribers can tailor their preferences for reading the day’s news, whether that’s the traditional print edition or a combination of online formats. Print Traditional print editions are currently published Wednesday and Friday for delivery by mail. EPaper This platform offers the traditional look of a newspaper page but available on your tablet or other device. Editions are published Tuesday through Saturday, with two of those being replicas of the print edition. Access at gainesvilletimes.com/ epaper. Website Always stay up to date with us at gainesvilletimes.com. Newsletters Sign upatgainesvilletimes.com/ newsletters to receive email newsletters. Daybreak: A daily morning roundup of the same local news you get in the paper Refresh: An afternoon update of news happening each weekday Flight: A weekly guide to fun, food and family in Northeast Georgia Branch Out: A weekly update curating news out of South Hall County Extra Points: Latest local sports news, delivered twice weekly App A sleek experience on your cellphone that also offers notifications so you learn the biggest news quickly. Learn more at gainesvilletimes.com/app. Social media [j/gainesvilletimes @gtimes fSj @gtimesnews ABOUT US AND OUR VALUES The public has a right to know, and The Times is dedicated to that principle and the “continued enlightenment and freedom of the people of North Georgia,” as engraved outside our building. The pursuit of truth is a fundamental principle of journalism. But the truth is not always apparent or known immediately. A professional journalist’s role is to report as completely and impartially as possible verifiable facts so readers can, based on their own knowledge and experience, determine what they believe to be the truth. That is often an ongoing pursuit as journalists work to uncover stories and follow those stories wherever they lead, regardless of preconceived ideas. The news they report is separate from the opinions shared in the pages of The Times, which include those by its editorial board, columnists, political cartoonists and readers who submit letters to the editor. The presentation of both news and opinions is designed to educate, entertain and foster community conversation. Readers are encouraged to challenge and sharpen their perceptions based on that presentation. And we encourage readers to do the same for us, offering news tips, criticisms and questions. As your honestly local news source, we serve our readers first. Find us on these platforms or reach out to our newsroom at news@gainesvilletimes. com or 770-718-3435. Bill Bailey’s New Year’s Spectacular. 7 p.m. Dec 29. Buford Church of God, 4800 S. Lee St., Buford. Caffeine and Octane Lanier Raceway. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec 29. Caffeine and Octane's Lanier Raceway, 5301 Winder Highway, Bra- selton. Noon Year’s Eve Dance Party. 11 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. Dec 30. Gainesville Branch Library, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770- 532-3311. HolidayTreeTrail. Dec31. Atlanta Botanical Garden Gainesville, 1911 Sweetbay Drive, Gainesville. First Day Guided Hike. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan 1. Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-1976. Free. First Day Hike 2024: Dog Creek Trail. 2 to 3 p.m. Jan 1. Don Carter State Park, 5000 North Browning Bridge Road, Gainesville. 678-450-7726. ONGOING Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group. 5:30- 6:30 p.m. first Tuesdays of the month. Grace Episcopal Church, 422 Brenau Ave. NE, Gainesville. 727-409-6608, charlenebestde- witt@gmail.com. Free. Card workshop. 10a.m. to 1 p.m.first Sat urdays of the month. Hall County Library System, Gainesville branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311 ext. 4011, gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.org. Discovery Saturdays. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. sec ond Saturdays of the month. Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gaines ville. 770-535-1976. $3 - $5. Ekphrasisforthe Masses. Noon to 1 p.m. second Tuesdays of the month. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. 770-536-2575, info@qvac.org. Free. Gainesville Lacers. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. third Saturdays of the month. Hall County Library System, Gainesville branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311, gkoecher@hall- countylibrary.org. Gentle Yoga. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.second, third and fourth Wednesdays. Blackshear Place Branch Library, 2927 At lanta Highway, Gainesville. 770-337-1572, dl9345@bellsouth.net. Free. Georgia Cross Stitchers. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. second Saturdays of the month. Hall County Library System, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311 ext. 4011; gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.org. Free. Publish your event Don’t see your event here? Organizers can go to gainesvilletimes.com/ calendar and submit their events for publication online and in print. Click the “+Add event” button at the top right and follow the prompts to add information and a photo. Events publish at the editors’ discretion. See more Go to gainesvilletimes.com/calendar for the full interactive calendar of events throughout the region. Gold Rush Quilting Guild. 10 a.m. to noon first Wednesdays of the month. Friendship Baptist Church, 3513 Westmoreland Road, Cleve land. alenekempton@gmail.com. Hip Hop Class Wednesdays. 4-5 p.m. (3rd to 5th Graders) through May 15. Gainesville Ballet Company, 971 Riverside Drive, Gaines ville. 770-866-5353, info@gbcdance.com. $88. Homeschool Day. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. third Thursdays of the month. Elachee Nature Sci ence Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-1976. $15. Ice Skating at Sugar Hill. Through Feb. 17. The Ice Rink at Sugar Hill, 5039 W Broad St, Sugar Hill. Music Bingo. 7 to 9 p.m. every Thursday. NoFo Brew Co. Gainesville, 434 High St. SW, Gainesville, topher@nofobrew.co. Free. Northeast Georgia Writers. 1-3 p.m. first Wednesdays of the month. Gainesville Down town Library, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. talltaleswriter@gmail.com. Free. Tea with Jane Austen: A Reading Group. 3-4 p.m. fourth Fridays of the month through November. Hall County Library System, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gaines ville. 770-532-3311 ext. 4011, gkoecher@ hallcountylibrary.org. Free. Trivia Night. 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays. NoFo Brew Co Gainesville, 434 High St. SW, Gainesville, topher@nofobrew.co. Free. Turning Leaves BookClub. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. first Wednesdays of the month. Linwood Nature Preserve Ecology Center, 415 Lin wood Drive, Gainesville. karin.hicks@uga. edu. War Stories Book Club. 4-5 p.m. second Fridays of the month. Murrayville Branch Li brary, 4796 Thompson Bridge Road, Gaines ville. 770-532-3311 ext. 171. Free. TODAY IN HISTORY Bassim Daham Associated Press Iraqis stand beside the burial site of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein in Ouja, Iraq, 80 milesnorth of Baghdad, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006. Saddam was buried shortly before dawn Sunday inside a compound for religious ceremonies in the center of Ouja, the town of his birth. Hussein was executed on Dec. 29, 2006. On this date: In 1170, Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was slain in Canterbury Cathedral by knights loyal to King Henry II. In 1812, the American frigate USS Constitu tion engaged and severely damaged the British frigate HMS Java off Brazil during the Warof 1812. In 1845, Texas was admitted as the 28th state. In 1890, the Wounded Knee massacre took place in South Dakota as an estimated 300 Sioux Indians were killed by U.S. troops sent to disarm them. In 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, a Lock heed L-1011 Tristar, crashed into the Florida Everglades near Miami International Airport, killing 101 ofthe 176 peopleaboard. In 1989, dissident and playwright Vaclav Havel assumed the presidency of Czechoslovakia. In 1992, the United States and Russia an nounced agreement on a nuclear arms reduc tion treaty. In 2006, word reached the United States ofthe execution of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hus sein (because ofthe time difference, it was the morning of Dec. 30 in Iraq when the hanging took place). In a statement, President George W. Bush called the execution an important milestone on Iraq’s road to democracy. In 2016, the United States struck back at Rus sia for hacking the U.S. presidential campaign with a sweeping set of punishments targeting Russia’s spy agencies and diplomats. In 2021, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in New York of helpinglure teen age girls to be sexually abused by the late Jef frey Epstein; the verdict capped a monthlong trial featuring accounts of the sexual exploita tion of girls as young as 14. (Maxwell would be sentenced to 20 years in prison.) In 2022, Brazilian soccer legend Pele, winner of a record three World Cups and standard- bearer for “the beautiful game," died at age 82. She Stines gainesvilletimes.com A Metro Market Media Publication © 2023, Vol. 76, No. 258 Weekend Edition-December 29-30,2023 HOW TO REACH US 345 Green St. N.W., Gainesville, GA 30501 P.0. Box 838, Gainesville, GA 30503 (770) 532-1234 Hours: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri. Drive thru open: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri. 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Periodical p paid: USPS 212-860 Delivery problems call (770) 532-2222 SINGLE COPY The Times is available at retail stores, newspaper racks and at The Times for $2.00 Midweek Edition and $2.00 Weekend Edition For our digital subscription offerings, go to gainesvillebmes.com/subscribe ENTERTAINMENT Masterson sent to state prison to serve sentence for rape DELANO, Calif. — “That ‘70s Show” actor Danny Masterson has been sent to a California state prison to serve his sentence for two rape convictions. Authorities said Wednesday that the 47-year-old Masterson has been admit ted to North Kern State Prison, and they released his first prison mug shot. The photo shows him wearing orange prison attire, with long hair and a beard. In June, Masterson was convicted of rap ing two women in his Los Angeles home in 2003. In September, a judge sentenced him to 30 years to life in prison. His wife, actor Bijou Phillips, filed for divorce in the weeks that followed after a marriage of nearly 12 years. Celebrity birthdays Retired ABC newscaster Tom Jarriel is 89. Ac tor Barbara Steele is 86. Actor Jon Voight is 85. Singer Marianne Faithfull is 77. ActorTed Dan- son is 76. Singer-actor Yvonne Elliman is 72. The president ofthe International Olympic Commit tee, Thomas Bach, is 70. Actor Patricia Clarkson is 64. Comedian Paula Poundstone is64. Rock singer-musician Jim Reid (The Jesus and Mary Chain) is 62. Actor Michael Cudlitz is 59. Rock singer Dexter Holland (The Offspring) is 58. News anchor Ashleigh Banfield is 56. Movie director Lilly Wachowski is 56. Actor Jennifer Ehle is 54. Rock singer-musician Glen Phillips is 53. Actor Kevin Weisman is 53. Actor Jude Law is 51. Actor Mekhi Phifer is 49. Actor Diego Luna is 44. Actor Alison Brie is 41. Country singer Jes sica Andrews is 40. Actor Jane Levy is 34. He had been held in Los Angeles County jail in the months since while post-sentenc ing hearings were held and issues resolved, including the turnover of all the guns Mas terson owned, some of which had to be located. Associated Press
