After moving some 22,000 yards of dirt, grading is complete at the site of the new Hall County Correctional Institution, leaving a level construction site on which to build. Within the last two weeks, footings have been poured and block walls are starting to emerge from the ground.  Construction is scheduled to be completed in July 2015.

State inmate mobile construction crews, which are comprised of inmates with the construction skills necessary to build the facility, are providing all of the labor for the grading, block walls, plumbing and electrical rough-in, as well as interior finishing, including drywall, painting, and flooring.

"We are pleased that the state has partnered with us and are providing these inmate crews," Hall County C.I. Warden Walt Davis said.  "It is estimated that we will save the taxpayers of Hall County over $1 million in construction costs by using inmate labor."

The new facility will replace the current 52-year-old prison and will house 200 state inmates. It will also provide a space for the new REACT program, which provides state inmates from Hall and Dawson counties the opportunity to participate in a demanding two-year re-entry program, which includes intensive substance abuse counseling, educational classes at Lanier Technical College and employment opportunities in a chosen trade.

The budget for the project is roughly $2.8 million.  Approximately $212,000 has been spent on construction so far.

  

  

Hall County Government will be holding a groundbreaking ceremony for Cherokee Bluffs Park on Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 10 a.m.  The public is invited to attend.

  

The 100-acre, passive-use park is located along Blackjack Road in Flowery Branch near the Sterling on the Lake subdivision.  Construction at the park will be paid for by impact fees and SPLOST VI funds.  The total budget for the park is $2.8 million. 

  

Cherokee Bluffs Park is rich in cultural and geological history with an abundance of rock outcroppings.   In 2014, Hall County and Vulcan Materials (an adjacent property owner) entered into a license agreement for the County to build trails and provide for a sewer easement on this property.

 

The first phase of the park is planned to include trails, disc golf, pavilions, playground, a 2,500-square-foot community building, 3-D Archery Range and a 300-400 seat amphitheater.  The access drive and associated parking are also included in phase one.

  

  

Chief Jeff Hood

Hall County Administrator Randy Knighton has announced the appointment of Jeff Hood to Acting Chief of Hall County Fire Services and David Kimbrell to Director of Hall County Emergency Management.

The appointment is part of a larger effort to streamline Hall County's public safety departments. Kimbrell is now assuming the role of Emergency Management Director full time, a position he previously split with his duties as fire chief. Hood previously served as deputy fire chief.

Hall County Administrator Randy Knighton said placing one person over each department/agency also allows each employee to focus more fully on their specific area of expertise, thereby increasing the safety of and service to Hall County citizens.  Read more here.
  

  

September is National Recovery Month, and two new accountability programs in Hall County have already made huge strides in helping in the recovery of veterans. 

 

The Hall County H.E.L.P. Program (Mental Health Court) began a veterans' track in January 2014. This track specifically targets those individuals who have served in the armed services and whose legal involvement is directly related to mental health issues. Participants are linked to the Atlanta and Oakwood VA clinics or outside agencies to receive necessary mental health and/or substance use treatment while participating in the program. The H.E.L.P. Veterans' Track Program targets felony offenders in Hall County. The Mental Health Court began in 2004 under the direction of Superior Court Judge Kathlene F. Gosselin, who continues to preside. Currently, there are 10 participants in the Veterans' track.

 

The Hall County State Court Veterans' Court is the newest accountability court program in Hall County. Formed in July 2014 under the guidance of State Court Judge B.E. Roberts, II, this program targets misdemeanant offenders who have served in the armed services. Participants will be linked to the Atlanta and Oakwood VA clinics or outside agencies to receive necessary substance use and/or mental health services. While still in the formative stages, enrollments in the program should begin within the next few weeks.

 

Both programs, along with all accountability court programs, strive to offer rehabilitative and therapeutic interventions while maintaining judicial oversight. Participation in these programs drastically reduces the rate of recidivism and has had a positive impact on our community as a whole. The H.E.L.P. Veterans' Track and State Court Veterans' Court are funded through state grants. 

  

Hall County 911 Dispatch received a call just before 11 a.m. on Aug. 3 from a woman who said her sister had collapsed and needed an ambulance.  Dispatchers were later advised that the patient was not breathing and was turning blue.  Within nine minutes of the initial call to 911, first responders were on the scene, resuscitating Cochran.

 

"The timely manner in which this call was handled,  played a huge role in the successful outcome," Hall County 911 Director Gail Lane said.  "This is one of many emergency calls we receive on a daily basis that due to the training and teamwork of the shift, we have a good outcome."

 

More on Cochran's story and the fast response of Hall County personnel can be found here.

Woodard named 'Solicitor General of the Year for 2014' 

NASRO is made up of over 3,000 members across the nation of both law enforcement and school administrators, with the availability to assist schools with training and awareness on what officials have described as a rise in school violence and student victimization.  NASRO reaches communities globally in their efforts to protect and educate youth while providing a safe environment inside schools.

  

Carter, commander of Hall County's School Resource Officers, has been an active member of the NASRO program for 14 years.

  

"It is important to ensure the quality of life for our young adolescents in that they feel comfortable in their school environment," Carter said.   "We want to foster a positive relationship with the students so that they can focus on school curriculum and not worry with threats of violence."

Parks & Leisure extends community centers' hours

North Hall Community Center

 

Hall County Parks and Leisure Services is pleased to announce that beginning Sunday, Aug. 24, each of its three community centers will begin extending operating hours to better serve the general public.

The new community center hours will be as follows:

Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Hall County Parks and Leisure Services operates the North Hall Community Center on Nopone Road in Gainesville, the Mulberry Creek Community Center on J.M. Turk Road in Flowery Branch and the East Hall Community Center on P. Davison Road in Gainesville.

  

  

Do you love your pet?  Do you want to honor or memorialize them and help out the Hall County Animal Shelter?  This is a unique opportunity to show off your best friend and help raise funds for the shelter's animals and adoption programs.  For a fee, a local artist will paint your pet(s) on the wall of the Hall County Animal Shelter.  For more information, call 678-450-1587.