🌱 Local Man Arrested For Kidnapping + New Housing Units Approved

Hello all. It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Gainesville Patch newsletter — here to explain all the most important things happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Thursday: Mostly sunny. High: 83 Low: 56.
• Friday: Turning out cloudy. High: 77 Low: 56.

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Here are the top three stories in Gainesville today:

1. Police reported that they arrested Gainesville man Adam Blake Harvey, 33, on Apr. 14 for an incident that began on Apr. 13. Harvey is facing charges of kidnapping, terrorist threats, battery, reckless conduct, and theft by taking after he allegedly held an adult woman against her will and drove with her across counties at speeds higher than 100 miles per hour, refusing to stop or slow down and threatening to kill both her and a juvenile who was not present in the car. He is currently being held in the Hall County Jail with no bond. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
2. This past Tuesday, the Gainesville City Council unanimously approved the construction of 285 total units to be built across 220 acres of land. The units will be split on 2242 Gaines Mill Road and 2581 Gillsville Highway with the condition of a traffic light being built by the developers if the Georgia Department of Transportation does not provide one within five years. During the meeting, the only note provided by the public was from the Mize couple who insisted on the installation of a traffic light now to combat traffic and accidents rather than make this a future problem. The council clarified for the public that the access point to the development would be on Gillsville Highway and not Gaines Mill Road so that traffic will not be influenced by the new units. (Yahoo News)
3. Habersham County emergency services responded to Panther Creek Trail on Saturday afternoon to rescue a hiker who was injured. Emergency services were contacted just before 6:00 p.m. by a bystander who reportedly witnessed a woman fall about 30 feet down a slope near trail marker 19. Responders and emergency crews arrived at the scene just after 6:00 p.m. and took about 25 minutes to locate the woman. Habersham officials give credit to the newly installed mile markers for being able to locate the victim so efficiently. The injured hiker was taken to Gainesville's Northeast Georgia Medical Center for treatment. (WGAU)

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Today and tomorrow in Gainesville:

Thursday, April 20

• Garden Grooves — Atlanta Botanical Garden (10:00 AM)
• Solo Exhibition By Claudia Wilburn — Brenau University Renaissance Building (6:00 PM)
• Gainesville Theatre Alliance Presents: 1984 — Ed Cabell Theatre (7:30 PM)

Friday, April 21

• 20th Annual Spring Regional Car Show — Auto Metal Direct (8:00 AM)
• Food Truck Fridays — Lake Lanier Olympic Park (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Despite a statewide trend of increasing housing starts and permits, the number of residential construction permits issued in Gainesville decreased by 8.09 percent between 2021-2022. Visit the link for more insights on year-over-year changes in residential construction in Georgia and across the country. (Point2)
• The Friends of the Library Used Book Sale at Gainesville Library is just around the corner! The sales will include hardback books at just $1 on Saturday, Apr. 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Apr. 30, 1-5 p.m. (Hall County Library System via Facebook)
• On Friday, Apr. 28, as part of Georgia Cities Week, the City of Gainesville will be hosting a car seat safety check from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. The city will be partnering with Safe Kids Northeast Georgia and the Gainesville Police Department for the event. The drive-thru check will take place in the Gainesville Public Safety Complex Parking Lot. (City of Gainesville, Georgia via Facebook)

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you back in your inbox soon with another update!

— 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.