Local

Sunshot from file - The crowd at the Pre-Fourth celebration in downtown Hartwell enjoys the festival last June. The Hartwell Main Street Program has been named the Main Street Program of the Month for January 2020.

Sunshot from file - The crowd at the Pre-Fourth celebration in downtown Hartwell enjoys the festival last June. The Hartwell Main Street Program has been named the Main Street Program of the Month for January 2020.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Hartwell Main Street honored

Drew Dotson
Monday, December 23, 2019
Hartwell’s Main Street Program is getting state-wide notoriety by being named the Georgia Main Street Program of the Month in January 2020. Of the 118 Main Street Communities, Hartwell will be featured on the Georgia Main Street website for the month.
Sunshot by Michael Hall - The shoreline of Hart State Park, which has operated as Hart State Recreation Area since 2009, is shown. The park is set to become Hartwell Lakeside after the city of Hartwell ended a nearly 10-year effort to get a lease for the park from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Sunshot by Michael Hall - The shoreline of Hart State Park, which has operated as Hart State Recreation Area since 2009, is shown. The park is set to become Hartwell Lakeside after the city of Hartwell ended a nearly 10-year effort to get a lease for the park from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

2019 saw major step in Hart State Park saga

Drew Dotson
Monday, December 23, 2019
The first steps forward in a long time in the transformation of Hart State Park into Hartwell Lakeside, a potential tourist attraction for the city of Hartwell, began taking shape in 2019.
Sunshot from file — Hart County Sheriff Mike Cleveland, to the left of the table, and District Attorney Parks White, to the right of the table, pose for a photo earlier this year with deputies and a large amount of methamphetamine that had been formed in the shape of candles.

Sunshot from file — Hart County Sheriff Mike Cleveland, to the left of the table, and District Attorney Parks White, to the right of the table, pose for a photo earlier this year with deputies and a large amount of methamphetamine that had been formed in the shape of candles.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Meth was target of deputies in 2019

Grayson Williams
Monday, December 23, 2019
Law enforcement is still cracking down on methamphetamine in Hart County. That much is evident from the recent arrest of a local alleged methamphetamine dealer and the number of trafficking arrests made in Hart County this year that took more than 60 pounds of the toxic drug off the streets.
Sunshot by Michael Hall — Hart College and Career Academy students Zack Hart, left, and Austin Brown, right, pose for a photo in the welding lab at the school recently. The pair were hired recently to work at Fabritex in Hartwell.

Sunshot by Michael Hall — Hart College and Career Academy students Zack Hart, left, and Austin Brown, right, pose for a photo in the welding lab at the school recently. The pair were hired recently to work at Fabritex in Hartwell.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

New class at HCCA sparks careers

Michael Hall
Monday, December 23, 2019
It’s not unusual for a high school junior and senior to have jobs, but some jobs are more typical than others. Austin Brown, a junior at Hart County High School, and Zack Hart, a senior, fall into the atypical category.
The blotter

The blotter

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

The Blotter

News Staff
Monday, December 23, 2019
The Hart County Sheriff’s Office reported the following arrests: Dec. 17 • Ladun Cale Brock, 18, 20 Reggie Ingram Road, Commerce, was arrested and charged with probation violation. Dec.
Winners of the Anti-Drug and Alcohol poster winners are front row from left to right, Kadyn Cromer, Cara Cook, Chloe Hendrix , Peyton McCollum and Ashley Brown. Back Row from left to right are Deanna Howell, Kalee Bond, Leah Fleeman, Ka’lis Blackwell, Mckenzie Teasley, Mickinzie Clark and Jacee Adams.

Winners of the Anti-Drug and Alcohol poster winners are front row from left to right, Kadyn Cromer, Cara Cook, Chloe Hendrix , Peyton McCollum and Ashley Brown. Back Row from left to right are Deanna Howell, Kalee Bond, Leah Fleeman, Ka’lis Blackwell, Mckenzie Teasley, Mickinzie Clark and Jacee Adams.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

CHAMPS program wraps up

News Staff
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
South Hart students were recently recognized for completing the CHAMPS program under the guidance of Hart County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Chris Carroll. CHAMPS is a 12-week program that focuses on the dangers of drugs and alcohol and how to stay safe.
Police around the state say they will be on the hunt for DUI violators this holiday season.

Police around the state say they will be on the hunt for DUI violators this holiday season.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Cops will not take DUI lightly this holiday season

News Staff
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is joining state and local law enforcement in warning drivers to avoid the risk of going to jail during the holidays by making the right decision to not drink and drive.
Sunshot by Michael Hall — James Edward Thornton, or “Mr. Ed” as he is known at the Hart County Senior Center, poses for a photo in the community room at the center recently. Thornton is 98 years old.

Sunshot by Michael Hall — James Edward Thornton, or “Mr. Ed” as he is known at the Hart County Senior Center, poses for a photo in the community room at the center recently. Thornton is 98 years old.

James Edward Thornton is loving life

Michael Hall
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
James Edward Thornton wears the philosophy he developed over his 98 years of life plainly for all to see on his hat.
Sunshots by Grayson Williams — Briamah Edmond runs under an arch of hands made by basketball players and cheerleaders at Buddy Basketball on Dec. 16 at Hart County High School.

Sunshots by Grayson Williams — Briamah Edmond runs under an arch of hands made by basketball players and cheerleaders at Buddy Basketball on Dec. 16 at Hart County High School.

Buddy Basketball brings bright smiles to faces

Grayson Williams
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
A crowd of athletes storms through a Hart County Bulldog banner, taking Ensley-McCurley Court in style. But this isn’t the Hart County boys’ or girls’ basketball teams preparing to warm up.
Photo submitted — Hart County Animal Rescue, which seeks to aid homeless pets like this festive pooch, is taking donations to help them build a fence at a property on which it has future plans to build a shelter kennel.

Photo submitted — Hart County Animal Rescue, which seeks to aid homeless pets like this festive pooch, is taking donations to help them build a fence at a property on which it has future plans to build a shelter kennel.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Animal rescue seeks help to build fence

Michael Hall
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Hart County Animal Rescue is seeking the community’s help to build a secure fence on the property the nonprofit recently purchased for its new shelter.  The rescue is preparing to renovate buildings on the property it bought across from the Max Saver on U.S.