Fall mazes are corny, yes — but also fun

Corn mazes now are competing with fall festivals, leaf watching and pumpkin shopping as major attractions for Northeast Georgia tourists.

Soldier returning from Iraq

Wendy Sfier describes her oldest son, Joshua, as someone who would give up the shirt off his back.

Layman pleas to manslaughter

The Forsyth County man who was set to stand trial at the end of the month for a 2003 fatal stabbing pleaded guilty this morning to reduced charges.

Man identified in deadly shooting

Authorities are now saying the shooting death of a 44-year-old man in Big Canoe Tuesday morning is being investigated as self-defense.

Dawson County remembers 9/11

Area communities are gathering today to honor the more than 3,000 men, women and children who lost their lives seven years ago today in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Dawsonville man killed in early morning crash

A Dawsonville man was killed early Wednesday morning in a one-vehicle crash at the intersection of Hwy. 53 and Hugh Stowers Rd. in Dawson County.

Drug court helps one man smile

Until just a few weeks ago James Raines didn't smile.

Local 9/11 ceremony planned

Tim Satterfield remembers his exact whereabouts Sept. 11, 2001, when he learned terrorists had crashed two planes into the World Trade Center in New York and one in Pennsylvania.

Schools take part in study

Dawson County Schools will participate in a statewide field study to test new methods of teacher evaluation.

Commission chairman is named to executive board

Dawson County's representation at the state level increased last week with Mike Berg's executive appointment to the governor's Public Defender Standards Council.

Community picnic set for Tuesday

The time has come for the Dawson County annual community picnic, one of the largest community events for the past 12 years.

State mandated budget cuts include retired judges

John Girardeau officially retired from his job as chief judge of Hall County Superior Court in 2005, but in truth it was only a semi-retirement.

Local farmers upgrade poultry houses, receive USDA energy grants

Two area farmers learned last month they will receive a portion of $1.3 million in grants from the United States Department of Agriculture for energy efficiency on their farms.

War Hill Boat Ramp re-opens

The War Hill Boat Ramp reopened last week, after being closed down for a month because of the lake's low water level.

C.E.R.T. receives $1,000 donation

CERT, Community Emergency Response Team, received a $1,000 donation Monday from Wal-Mart to publicly support the organization's mission in Dawson County.

Annual fundraiser aids cancer research

Dozens of volunteer teams are spending the week putting the finishing touches on cartoon-inspired festivities for Friday night's event.

Egg-themed show on display at Bowen Center

April marked the opening of an egg-themed show at the Bowen Center for the Arts. New Beginnings: the Art of the Faberge Egg and Spring Beauty Fine Art Exhibition, which will be on display at the Bowen Center for the Arts through April 27, showcases the art of the members of the International Egg Art Guild.

Jail lobby is drop-off for unused medications

Law enforcement officials are hoping a new service will play a role in keeping prescription and over the counter drugs out of the hands of children. Dawson County Sheriff Billy Carlisle recently announced the lobby of the detention center as a permanent drop-off location for the disposal of prescription and over the counter medications that are out of date or no longer needed.

Moon Shine run is Saturday

Grab your sneakers for the inaugural Moon Shine Run at Atlanta Motorsports Park on Saturday. Proceeds from the moonlit 5K and 10K run will benefit United Way for Dawson County, which provides monetary support to 14 area service agencies.

Church to screen film about crime on children

First Baptist Church of Dawsonville will be screening the new film "Finding Faith" Saturday with hopes that parents will take a new look at the dangers of Internet crimes against children. "As grandparents, it's a grave concern of ours," said Debbie Gaines, whose husband Jim pastors the church. "We were interested in alerting the community on this important message for teens and their parents."

Relay for Life holds dinner and more

Cancer survivors, their families and supporters will gather Thursday at Dawson County High School to celebrate survival. Relay for Life of Dawson County will be holding its annual Survivor Dinner Celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. at the high school. According to Andrea Shoemaker, community manager for Dawson County Relay for Life, the 12-year strong event is held to "bring cancer survivors together in celebration of their success in beating cancer."

Dance supports literacy

A fundraiser Saturday night had couples twisting the night away for literacy. The annual golden oldies trivia dinner dance collected more than $5,000 for Reading Education Association of Dawson County's mission to improve lives through literacy in the community.

DCSO offers women’s self-defense course

A free course designed to teach women basic self-defense tips will be taught at Robinson Elementary School. Dawson County Sheriff's Capt. Ray Goodie said the three-hour course, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon April 20, will give women hands-on experience to fight off attackers.

Rabies clinic this weekend

While cases are on the decline, rabies is still a threat to both man and animal. To help fight this threat, the county's annual rabies clinic, sponsored by 4-H, will be held Saturday morning. Veterinarians will offer the low-cost vaccinations at various locations throughout the county beginning at 8:30 a.m.

R.E.A.D. dancing for donations

R.E.A.D. will host its "Oldies but Goodies" trivia and dancing night Saturday and the community is invited to join in for food, fun and trivia. "It is a really fun evening," said R.E.A.D. Executive Director Sandy Lipkowitz. "All of the trivia will be about the oldies goldies music."

Annual golf tournament supports local veterans

There's still time to register a team in Rotary Club of Dawson County's annual golf tournament April 29 at Crystal Falls Golf Club. Early entries for the Ft. Lauderdale scramble run through April 22. Entry fees are $125 for individuals or $500 for a four-player team.

Perren named new president of Lanier Tech

Church continues tradition

Despite having been with New Bethel Baptist Church for only four years, Pastor Bobby Whitmire is continuing a tradition that has spanned more than 30. Whitmire and two church members, Michael Densmore, a deacon, and Yancy Savage, stood on platforms affixed to wooden crosses in front of the church March 29, off of Hwy. 136 East.

Elliott truck series debut Saturday at Martinsville

Dawsonville's Chase Elliott will make his national debut Saturday in NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. The 1:30 p.m. race will be televised on Fox Sports and shown on the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame's 24-foot projection screen.

Eggs, food & fun

The football field at Veterans Memorial Park looked like it had been the victim of an Easter shower this weekend as Dawson County residents brought their children to gather chocolate prizes. Sponsored by Dawson County Parks and Recreation, K.A.R.E. for Kids and the church @ War Hill, the 27th annual Easter egg hunt at the park drew a large crowd to hunt eggs, take train rides and get their faces painted. There also was a burger-eating contest.