🌱 Feds Pause Plan To Rename Lake Lanier + 'Mutts on Main' Returns

Hello, neighbors. Lauren Kubiak here with your fresh copy of the Gainesville Patch newsletter, full of all the community news you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Sunny; breezy in the p.m.. High: 51 Low: 30.
• Wednesday: Warmer; frost in the morning. High: 59 Low: 34.

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Here are the top three stories today in Gainesville:

1. Federal officials put a pause on renaming Georgia's Lake Lanier and Buford Dam due to opposition from locals who do not want to change the landmarks named after Confederate soldiers. The pause was announced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pending further guidance from the Department of the Army. The proposed change follows a 2021 federal law that governs renaming military bases christened for Confederates, including Fort Gordon and Fort Benning. Advocacy group Lake Lanier Association's board member Clyde Morris said the links between the Confederacy, Lanier, and Buford were "too remote" to justify changing the names. (WTVC)
2. Last month, the Hall County Sheriff's Office arrested Gainesville residents Leandro Morales, 41, and Amelia Villa, 41, after seizing 340 grams of methamphetamine during a search at their home. The couple faces charges of trafficking methamphetamine, and investigators seized around $25,725 worth of the substance from their home and car. As of Thursday, they were still in Hall County Jail without bond. (WSB Atlanta)
3. Mutts on Main, an annual pet expo, is returning to downtown Gainesville on Mar. 25, featuring dog adoptions and fostering at the Hall County Animal Shelter, K-9 unit demonstrations, pet contests, fashion shows, live music, and pet-related vendors and artisans. Attendees and their furry friends can enjoy the pet-friendly environment, shop for their pets, and participate in dog entertainment throughout the day. The event is also supporting pet food and donation drives for pets belonging to Gainesville-Hall County Meals on Wheels clients. (City of Gainesville, Georgia via Facebook)

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Today and tomorrow in and around Gainesville:

Tuesday, March 14

• Live Music: Chad Bowmar At Tino's Tex Mex Cantina (6:00 PM)
• Alston Lecture - Writing Wild: Women Poets, Ramblers, And Mavericks Who Shape How We See The Natural World At Atlanta Botanical Garden (7:00 PM)

Wednesday, March 15

• Ferdinand Rosa: Excerpts In Paint At Presidents Gallery At Simmons Visual Arts Center (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• New homes have been listed for sale in the Gainesville area! Get all the property details at the link. (Gainesville Patch)
• The Hall County Library System is hosting Ghost Hunting 101, where participants will ghost hunt at downtown Gainesville's most haunted locations! Registration closes on Mar. 15 for the Mar. 17 event. (Hall County Library System via Facebook)
• Downtown Gainesville is holding its first annual Art Walk on Thursday, Apr. 20 from 4-8 p.m. Visitors can explore local galleries, pop-up art shows, and meet featured artists while enjoying live music, refreshments, and specials at various businesses in the historic districts of Gainesville. (Downtown Gainesville via Facebook)

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That's it for today. I'll see you soon!

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is an Editor for Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s in journalism. She was previously a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.