🌱 Progress At Inland Port + Skate The City Happening Today

Hey, friends! It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here's all the community news you need to know right now.

But first, today's weather:

A shower and thunderstorm. High: 69 Low: 47.

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Here are the top four stories in Gainesville today:

1. Grading could begin as early as July for the 104-acre Northeast Georgia Inland Port that will be located at the Gateway Industrial Center off White Sulphur Road. The facility is expected to provide a direct shipping corridor for Savannah's harbor with a freight rail service spanning 324 miles. The Georgia Port Authority estimates that 60,000 containers will move through the electric-powered terminal during its first year, although the yearly capacity will be 200,000 containers. Some local residents are concerned about an increase in traffic, and the Georgia DOT is conducting a traffic study of Ga. 365 around the area of the inland port. (Yahoo! News)
2. Phase Two of the Hall County Sherriff's Office training center is moving forward. County commissioners recently approved a $425,000 contract with an engineering firm to design a plan for the new training facility. The 20,000-square-foot facility will include classrooms, a physical assessment testing course, and additional storage space. Phase One of this project included a new firing range that was completed in 2019. (Hall County Sheriff's Office via Facebook)
3. A Hall County kindergartener was hit by a school bus on Wednesday and was determined to be uninjured. The incident occurred after the student missed the bus at their usual stop. Their parent was driving them to a different bus stop when the child got out of the car to run and catch the bus. The bus driver did not see the student, and the child was hit by the back end of the bus as it made a turn. The bus driver returned to the scene of the accident and Georgia State Patrol officers determined that the bus driver did not need to be cited. (WSB-TV)
4. Today, Downtown Gainesville is hosting Skate the City at the Midland Greenway! This family-friendly event is a chance to grab your skateboard, roller blade, scooter, or stroller (as long as it isn't motorized) to enjoy a day filled with food trucks, games, and activities. Attendees can also visit the newly installed Inclusive Playground, dog park, and fitness court. Visit this link to learn more. (Downtown Gainesville via Facebook)

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Today and tomorrow in Gainesville:

April 30, 2023

• Bluegrass & BBQ 2023 At Montgomery Memorial Baptist Church (10:30 AM)

May 1, 2023

• Cinco De Mayo Craft Week At INK: Interactive Neighborhood For Kids (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• A new study by Bumper.com found that electric vehicle 'charging deserts' – places where charging stations and ports are in short supply – stretch across states, largely divided by economic and racial lines. On average in Georgia, there are 2.22 charge ports per 10,000 people. Learn more about EV charging rates in Georgia and nationwide at the link. (Bumper.com)
• Downtown Gainesville is gearing up for its First Friday Concert Series! Ziavino Salsa Band is kicking off this free concert series on May 5. The concert will begin at 7:00 p.m. with an hour of salsa dancing lessons followed by two hours of non-stop music and dancing. (Downtown Gainesville via Facebook)
• The Friends of the Hall County Library System are hosting a book sale today at the Gainesville Library from 1:00-5:00 p.m. They're offering hardback books for $1 and paperback books for 50 cents. (Hall County Library System via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Sunday! I'll see you around.

— 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.