🌱 Man Carjacks Roommate's Car + Jan. Village Shoppes Suspect Arrested

Hello all. It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Gainesville Patch newsletter. Follow along for the most important things happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Clouds breaking, a shower. High: 69 Low: 58.
• Sunday: Warmer; an afternoon t-storm. High: 76 Low: 62.

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Here are the top three stories in Gainesville today:

1. Cody Wilkie, a Gainesville man, has been arrested on charges of hijacking his roommate's car and threatening him with a gun. The victim reported that Wilkie struck him on the head and later pointed a gun at him, causing him to flee. Forsyth County deputies found Wilkie hiding in a bedroom closet and charged him with felony hijacking of a motor vehicle and aggravated assault with a gun. (Appen Media)
2. A 43-year-old man was arrested on May 4 by U.S. Marshals in Houston after being identified as the prime suspect in a shooting at the Village Shoppes of Gainesville that critically injured two men in January. The suspect was extradited back to Georgia to face charges including aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and criminal attempt to commit murder, and is being held in Hall County. The reason behind the shooting is yet unknown, however, police believe the two men were targeted by the suspect. (11Alive.com WXIA)
3. Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon has proclaimed May 7-13, 2023 as Drinking Water Week, a yearly event sponsored by the American Water Works Association to acknowledge the importance of drinking water in our everyday lives. The proclamation was made at the latest meeting of the Gainesville City Council held at the Gainesville Public Safety Complex on May 2. Gainesville Water Resources Director Linda MacGregor accepted the proclamation on behalf of the city and its dedicated team. (City of Gainesville, Georgia via Facebook)

From our sponsor:

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Today and tomorrow in Gainesville:

Saturday, May 6

• Discovery Saturday At Elachee Nature Science Center (9:00 AM - 3:00 PM)
• Mother Daughter Tea At Chick-fil-A (2:30 PM)
• Live Music - John Amoroso At Pelican Pete's Tiki Bar & Grill (6:00 PM)

Sunday, May 7

• Left Nut $10 Regular Blind Draw At Liquid Nation Brewing (1:30 PM)
• Open Mic Night At Downtown Drafts (2:00 PM)
• Live Music - Jake Douglas At Pig Tales On Lake Lanier (4:00 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)
• Trolleys are returning to Gainesville on May 18. More information like time schedules, turn-by-turn directions, and additional details will be available on Gainesville.org ahead of the scheduled return. (City of Gainesville, Georgia via Facebook)
• Do you want to send a bit of Gainesville history to someone who may be missing it? Check out the 2023 postcard series here. (Explore Gainesville via Facebook)

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll catch up with you soon with a new 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.