🌱 Hall County Go Green Initiative + Annual 5K Postponed To May

Hello, Gainesville! I'm here in your inbox today to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: A morning thunderstorm. High: 79 Low: 52.
• Sunday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 77 Low: 56.

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Here are the top three stories today in Gainesville:

1. Hall County is considering transitioning its transit service, WeGo, to zero-carbon emission vehicles as part of a nationwide initiative to go green. The proposal involves paying Planning Communities $50,639 in grant money to develop a zero-emission vehicle transition plan for Hall Area Transit. The plan is expected to be completed by the end of June, allowing Hall Area Transit to apply for funds in the fiscal year 2024 to gradually replace its fleet of buses with emission-free vehicles. (The Times)
2. The King's Hawaiian/Lanier Technical College Foundation annual 5K and one-mile fun run scheduled for today, Mar. 25, has been postponed until May 6 due to the risk of severe weather. The fun run and 5K start times are 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., respectively. The event will be located at the college's Hall Campus; you can contact ltcfoundation@laniertech.edu for further information. (Lanier Technical College Foundation)
3. Hall County's Board of Commissioners has approved the proposed 91-acre commercial and industrial business park off Cagle and Lula roads on Ga. 365. The plan was approved despite concerns raised by nearby residents about the North Oconee Watershed District and campaign contributions made to Commissioner Gregg Poole. Poole acknowledged the issue but declined to go into further detail about the steps taken to address it. Poole said that traffic concerns held by officials from the city of Lula were settled in talks with the municipality, with planned road improvements on Ga. 52 to account for additional traffic that could come from the development. (The Times)

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Today and tomorrow in Gainesville:

Saturday, March 25

• "What's in Bloom?" Walking Tour At Atlanta Botanical Gardens – Gainesville (10:00 AM)
• Tap It Growlers Freedom Beer Fest At American Legion Post 7 (2:00 PM)

Sunday, March 26

• Open Mic Night At Downtown Drafts (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Gainesville area at the link! (Gainesville Patch)
• On Mar. 22, Downtown Gainesville welcomed the new Creative Global Entertainment office space during a ribbon-cutting ceremony! The business is now located inside THRIVE Coworking on Historic Gainesville Square. (Downtown Gainesville via Facebook)
• The City of Gainesville is celebrating Georgia Cities Week (Apr. 23-29) by holding its first-ever coloring contest for children aged 5-12, with the first-place winner receiving a City of Gainesville T-shirt, a certificate of achievement, and a $25 voucher to Bruster’s Ice Cream! Participants are required to use the coloring page provided, but may color it using whatever materials they wish; submissions are due by Apr. 12. (City of Gainesville, Georgia via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• Beginner Digital Art Class at the Cumming Arts Center (April 15)
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Alrighty, you're all good 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.