*Hall County deputy sheriff Collette Sprague was named Domestic Violence Officer of the Year last week by the Hall County Domestic Violence Task Force. Sprague, who serves as a deputy in the Uniform Patrol Division, was nominated by Sgt., James Brown.
*In response to the deepening drought and the rising risk of wildfire, a special team has been dispatched to north Georgia by the U.S. Forest Service and Georgia Forestry Commission. This fire prevention and education team will be canvassing counties throughout north Georgia, where the drought index is at critical levels and where the wildfire hazard is particularly dangerous.
*The Georgia Department of Transportation and Forsyth County will collaborate on upcoming intersection improvements on State Route 371/Post Road at Bentley Road, where the size of an existing concrete island will be enlarged, and at Pittman Road, where a traffic signal will be installed.
*The Georgia Fraternal Order of Police recently donated four ballistic vests to the Young Harris College Police Department.
*Thirteen graduating students were recently installed as new members of the Barrow County Community Emergency Response Team. The CERT program teaches citizens how to prepare and respond to possible disasters. Students learn about disaster preparedness, search and rescue, medical operations and other emergency response subjects.
*Northside Hospital Forsyth in Cumming has upgraded its radiation therapy services with the addition of a Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator - the fifth TrueBeam machine in the Northside system and the only one within 25 miles of Cumming.
*The Habersham County Canning Plant season will soon be coming to an end. The plant will be closed on Mondays starting Oct. 14, but will be open Tuesdays from 4:00 pm-8:00 pm and Thursdays from 7:00 am-12:00 pm. The last day of operation is Thursday, Oct. 24.
