Extended search A new bridge is in the works for Highway 60 Correction: The front page and inside photos accompanying this story in the print edition are of the wrong Highway 60 bridge This web story includes a photo of the correct bridge We apologize for any confusion this may have caused Read The Dahlonega Nugget, Dahlonega, GA © 2025 The Dahlonega Nugget The University of North Georgia has issued a statement after a man was arrested for allegedly bringing guns to the university's Dahlonega campus and making verbal threats last week with school officials saying it started in the Military Leadership Center on S UNG Public Safety dispatch received a report from a third party indicating that an individual was seen near the Military Leadership Center carrying what appeared to be a rifle case," the university's statement said "UNG officers arrived within minutes and began searching for the person of interest." officers said they were told by a witness that the man had placed a rifle case in a vehicle in the parking lot of the nearby library Library staff then alerted UNG Public Safety officials that a man had made a threatening statement to workers at the front desk there "UNG Police officers responded immediately," the statement said "The individual was located and detained inside the library by 11:15 a.m and the individual was taken into custody without incident." Officials also reportedly found a concealed handgun on the suspect's waistband and later recovered an "AR-15-style rifle" in his vehicle The man was identified as Gabriel Jose Hernandez He was booked into the Lumpkin County Jail on charges including trespassing terroristic threats and carrying a weapon in a school safety zone the UNG Office of the President sent an email to students addressing the incident That email stated that there was no ongoing threat to the campus but declined to offer further details regarding the incident citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act The full email sent to students is included below: Councilman Dan Brown and Lumpkin County Commissioner Rhett Stringer celebrate the groundbreaking of the new pedestrian bridge project Challenge accepted. https://t.co/4FEIlJjTxm Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth could be visiting the University of North Georgia’s campus soon The reason? He was challenged by Rep. Rich McCormick from Georgia’s 7th District to do some physical training in a post on X by the university on Tuesday UNG President Michael Shannon was featured with McCormick in the video with the representative calling the district the most lethal in the nation UNG is designated as the military college of Georgia by the state legislature and is one of only six federally designated senior military colleges In response, Hegseth posted “challenge accepted” on Wednesday.  Hegseth’s office did not have a timeline or a statement in regards to the potential visit when reached out to by AccessWDUN UNG offered a statement on the challenge to AccessWDUN.  “Our Corps of Cadets are the heart of America’s Corps — disciplined We’re proud that their commitment and spirit are inspiring national leaders to take notice and step up,” Shannon said “We welcome the opportunity to showcase what UNG is all about.” The university said that no specific date has been scheduled and there has not been direct contact with Hegseth as of yet but are “excited to continue the conversation and make this happen.” After a Dahlonega Vietnam veteran’s family sued the United States over what they claimed to be the wrongful death of Jesse James Anderson District Court Judge Amy Totenberg came on March 31 over three-and-a-half years after the original filing in August of 2021 The family claimed negligent medical care and treatment by health care providers within the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Decatur led to Anderson’s death in November of 2016 who was Jesse’s son and Donna Anderson the administrator of Jesse’s estate and Webb’s wife a Gainesville-based personal injury attorney Developed significant health problems from his exposure to Agent Orange and his service there to the country,” Cook said But he was very active and a big supporter of the VA himself helped many other veterans obtain services at the VA The original filing claimed that Jesse was admitted to Atlanta VAMC on Nov 2016 for an elective right carotid endarterectomy which is a surgical procedure to remove plaque buildup from the right carotid artery.  which affected his ability to eat by mouth and required a tube for feedings other than the “minor inconvenience” of having to have the tube reinserted his post-surgical recovery was progressing “very well.”  and the nurses expressed a great deal of concern about trying to do that procedure .. a fairly heated argument that went back and forth for five between the young resident who was a bully and the nurses about who would place the tube,” Cook said while the nurses relented and attempted it and that caused the vocal cord spasm.” The complaint then said that in the afternoon of Nov the tube was reinserted by a staff member of the Atlanta VAMC Jesse stopped breathing shortly after at around 3:30 p.m During a conference with the VAMC Director as part of the notification to Jesse’s family it was noted that “...the tube was misguided into the Veterans trachea.” Cook added that the resident suggested the nurses give Anderson Ativan after he began to thrash back and forth just give him some Ativan.’ Ativan is a respiratory depressant and they gave him a shot of that,” Cook said “He went unconscious and subsequently suffered a massive brain injury from the inability to breathe and he had a massive brain injury and passed a few days later.” Jesse was on mechanical ventilation until the family agreed to have him extubated on Nov 25 of that year that attributed his cause of death to “hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy due to cardiac arrest due to probable vocal cord spasm due to probable inadvertent placement of feeding tube into larynx.” The original complaint claimed professional negligence “These providers’ conduct fell below the standard of care since these individual care providers failed to recognize that the Dobhoff tube was in Mr Anderson’s trachea rather than his esophagus; failed to withdraw the tube and failed to recognize that his life was at immediate risk,” a filing read the government commenced an independent investigation and concluded internally that they were at fault when we started to deal with the Department of Justice they wouldn't accept responsibility,” Cook said so it put the family through a prolonged period of unnecessary litigation.” Webb originally sought $3-million from a failed administrative claim in 2018 and Donna sought $1-million After discovery and witness testimonies from doctors the court determined Jesse’s life expectancy pre-surgery would have been in the range of eight to 14 years.  There was also a sanctions hearing in December of 2023 focused on misconduct in the discovery process as well as by “some Government representatives.” That is when Webb increased the claimed damages from $3-million to $6-million and Donna increased her estate claim from $1-million to $19-million The court ultimately ruled that Webb’s damages totaled to be $6-million while Donna’s claims totaled $2.7-million plus $1,440 for the expenses in handling Jesse’s cremation Along with the $430,000 in sanctions against the U.S you're entitled to all of the records and an internal investigation that was done because that should have been part of the public record the Department of Justice lawyers chose not to turn that over and that put us through years of litigation," Cook said Cook said that in his years as an attorney "They concealed multiple transcribed and handwritten statements from eyewitnesses that were there They concealed the identity of the witnesses They issued a secret subpoena to a witness and obtained about 90 changes to the witness's sworn testimony," Cook said. "So these things were shocking who's handled complicated cases for 25 years." A pedestrian was killed after a pickup truck struck him while crossing a crosswalk in Lumpkin County Friday night.  The Georgia State Patrol reported the accident occurred just after 6 p.m 60 in Dahlonega.  An initial investigation revealed that a 1999 Ford pickup truck was traveling southbound on Ga crossed into the truck’s path.  While the pedestrian was crossing at a crosswalk GSP said the walk had a ‘do not cross’ signal and that Rocha was wearing dark clothing at the time of the accident.  No other details have been released as of the last report.  Sharon Hall passed away in her sleep Sunday night The popular and longtime Nugget staff writer had a reputation for using her reporting talents to promote local non-profits (We know there are probably plenty more friends and admirers of Sharon Hall who would like to share stories of her If you have something to add feel free to send a special Letter to the Editor to Publisher John Bynum at jbynum@thedahloneganugget.com Check back in with The Nugget for updates on the time and date of her funeral service The Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) reports that two of the three teens previously reported missing have been found Maddix Waterbeck is still missing according to the agency His last reported location was near Home Depot off of Ga Christopher “CJ” Brooke and Riley Swinsord have been located safely after it was believed the trio was headed toward the Athens or Augusta areas Anyone with any information is asked to contact Investigator Kupper at [email protected] or call (706) 482-2663 The Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office is asking for help in locating three teenagers who apparently ran away from a care facility on Sunday night and Riley Swinsord left the Eagle Overlook Facility near the Hall County/Lumpkin County border on foot late Sunday night The trio is believed to possibly be headed toward Athens or the Augusta areas Swinsord is a Type 1 diabetic has not had his insulin shot since Sunday.  Anyone with any information is asked to contact Investigator Kupper at [email protected] or call (706) 482-2663 Eventual race winner Matt Bird (left) leads the pack away from the starting line of the Wimpy Mile on Saturday morning participants showed up in impressive numbers for the fourth-annual charity event UNG student Vaughan Duncan assisted Dahlonega City Engineer Mark Buchanan and City Manager Allison Martin by creating a rendering of a pedestrian bridge that will be built soon Netflix is set to film its new limited series “His and Hers,” in several areas in North Georgia,  including Dahlonega and Lumpkin County.  Discover Dahlonega posted to Facebook on Sept 4 that filming will take place at locations in Atlanta The series will be a psychological thriller based on the novel by Alice Feeney’s 2020 novel with the same title.   Hylton Casting is currently searching for local background actors of all ages ethnicities and genders to be a part of the series.  A link to apply can be found here.  Netflix has not yet announced a release date for the series.  Sam McDuffy Executive Director for the Dahlonega and Lumpkin County Visitors Bureau told AccessWDUN that the final filming locations in the area have not yet been decided upon.   “No trespassing” signs delineate private property near the Etowah River bridge on Ga a popular put-in spot for local floaters and paddlers The Etowah is not technically considered navigable so its waters could be restricted if the property on both sides is marked private A final ruling was issued April 8 by Senior Superior Court Judge G Grant Brantley in the case of City of Dahlonega v Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription Visit this town fit for a Hallmark movie—literally A Dahlonega man was arrested on a theft of trade secrets charge on Tuesday According to the Gainesville Police Department 60-year-old Benjamin Clayton Toombs allegedly stole “proprietary and intellectual property” that included exclusive use of trade secrets from America's Home Place worth more than $14-million Toombs ended his employment at the Gainesville business and electronic data alerted authorities to the theft Toombs was arrested and held at the Hall County Jail where he has since been released on bond The 2024 edition of the Best Of Lumpkin is in this week’s newspaper Former Lumpkin County officials Rhonda and Jim Sheppard showed up at the courthouse last Wednesday where they pleaded guilty to their involvement in a series of thefts that deprived St Jude Children’s Research Hospital of donated funds LEFT: Dahlonega couple Jimmy and Cheryl Berry have been chosen as King and Queen of the 70th annual Gold Rush Days Festival RIGHT: Jeremiah’s Place Executive Director Kerri Johnson is all smiles following her selection as the 2024 Gold Rush Grand Marshal Local officials assembled in the bottom level of the downtown fire station last Thursday as they planned and prepared for the wind and rains of Hurricane Helene Kim Pyron said they create a place for folks to “come and relax Sign up now for NowHab's weekday newsletter Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Downtown Dahlonega could be the site of filming for a Netflix mini-series this fall Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library The door knocker that originally graced the front door of the Dahlonega Mint in Georgia was presented March 13 by a descendant of the facility’s first superintendent to the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library Harwell II from Hancock and Harwell Rare Coins and Precious Metals in Atlanta Accompanying the door knocker was a period newspaper and the oldest known gold receipt from the Dahlonega Mint Harwell donated the gold receipt and newspaper clipping The door knocker was donated to the library by Susan King originator for placing a Branch Mint of the United States in Georgia and first superintendent and treasurer of the Dahlonega Mint The door knocker and other artifacts will join an exhibit containing a complete set of gold coins from the Dahlonega Mint struck from 1838 through 1861 The door knocker is believed to be among the few surviving relics from the catastrophic fire of Dec that leveled the former gold coin production facility the door knocker was saved among other items and made its way to the superintendent of the New Orleans Mint The artifact was eventually given to Singleton’s daughter in Mobile its was given to his granddaughter in Columbus The door knocker was finally given to his great-great-great-granddaughter Susan Singleton King.  An in-depth article on the artifact and how it returned to the public eye was published in July 2024 by Coin World on the publication’s website and can be accessed at https://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/artifact-from-dahlonega-mint-ready-for-new-home Connect with Coin World:  Sign up for our free eNewsletterAccess our Dealer Directory  Like us on Facebook  Follow us on X (Twitter) Whether you’re a current subscriber or new, you can take advantage of the best offers on magazine subscriptions available in digital, print or both! Whether you want your issue every week or every month, there’s a subscription to meet your needs US Coins Precious Metals "The Wall That Heals," is making a stop in Northeast Georgia this weekend The wall is in Dahlonega from Halloween through Sunday being displayed on the University of North Georgia's campus "The Wall that Heals is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that travels throughout the United States to honor and remember the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S Armed Forces in the Vietnam War," the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's website says The wall is open to the public on Halloween with special ceremonies being scheduled for Friday and Sunday The wall will close to the public at 2:00 p.m Sunday before leaving for its next stop in Liberty The wall is located on UNG's Promenade Field in front of Memorial Hall with parking available in the lot behind Memorial Hall A Night at the Movies will return January 24 to The Holly Theater with a new lineup of independent short films Senator Steve Gooch (left) answers audience questions during the Q&A portion of the State of the State luncheon Representative Will Wade also participated in the annual event which summarized legislative action from this year’s General Assembly session The folks from New UMC Dahlonega have been making frequent appearances in The Nugget's Sunday Snapshot lately I’ve been using Page 10A of this newspaper for free promotional purposes I get plenty of space in The Nugget each week From front page stories to this column to my mug shot in the staff line-up There you will find me alongside some of my fellow church-goers of New United Methodist Church of Dahlonega And we need to spread the word of our existence any way we can It was invented a few years ago with the idea that we would set aside a weekly spot for submitted pics from local churches doing church-related things It was mostly pastors taking pics of their congregations from the pulpit But eventually the submissions dried up and the Sunday Snapshot became a steady rotation of pleasant but kind of boring photos of local church buildings That’s where we at New United Methodist Church of Dahlonega saw an opening We just keep sending in the pics and The Nugget just keeps running them It’s all part of my plan for Nugget domination that won’t stop until I’m on each and every page of the paper If you’re interested in getting your church in on this page for the past year we have been a church without an actual church After Dahlonega Methodist voted to leave the United Methodist Church some of us wanted to keep the UMC tradition going locally Over the last year we’ve met everywhere around town from Hancock Park to Yahoola Creek Park to Camp Glisson to the city playground to 52 West Brewery (That last one was just for official business meetings.) Now the nice folks at Pleasant Grove have graciously opened up their sanctuary to us for services That picture you see this week on Page 10A is after the first service we’ve had in a real church We have a rotation of guest pastors and really good acoustic music It turns out some of my fellow church-goers are handy with the guitar and piano Their singalong mashup of Amazing Grace and Peaceful Easy Feeling by The Eagles should really be on Spotify At a recent “visioning” session we talked about what we wanted from this new church “We need to be a space for people who don’t know where they fit in,” said Ellen “We are a community of people who are just people You don’t have to check anything at the door,” said Stephen “I wanted to be a part of a church where anybody can be a part of that church and not feel like an outsider,” said Audrey These people didn’t know they were being quoted at the time but really they should have since I’m a reporter and can’t help it I’m also using this column for free promotional purposes You probably already figured that out by now please feel free to stop by at Pleasant Grove UMC By Atlanta News First staffPublished: Feb 2025 at 3:47 PM ESTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInDAHLONEGA (Atlanta News First) - A woman from Dahlonega was arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is accused of trafficking methamphetamine and possession of fentanyl The suspected drugs were found at her home during a search Wednesday Officers found more than 200 grams of suspected meth and fentanyl Roman was booked in the Lumpkin County Detention Center Filming is taking place in downtown Dahlonega and along Damascus Church Road in Lumpkin County this week for the upcoming Netflix mini-series His & Hers Article By: Clark Leonard The University of North Georgia (UNG) and the Lumpkin County Veterans Affairs Committee are partnering to bring "The Wall That Heals," a traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the Promenade at UNG's Dahlonega Campus from Oct The replica will arrive with an escort led by Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard and followed by veterans Oct and UNG cadets and other volunteers will help put up the replica Oct An opening ceremony is set for 5 p.m. Oct. 30, followed by volunteer training. UNG's Corps of Cadets and the Blue Ridge Rifles specialty unit are helping lead the opening ceremony, which will be in conjunction with the daily Retreat at the Memorial Wall. UNG President Michael Shannon will also speak at the opening ceremony The Wall That Heals opens to the public 24 hours a day following the opening ceremony It will include the names of the 29 UNG alumni and students killed in action in Vietnam, who are listed on the Memorial Wall at the Dahlonega Campus The Wall That Heals has been displayed in nearly 700 communities throughout the nation which is responsible for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington selects the locations for The Wall That Heals to visit each year Dahlonega is one of only two stops in Georgia in 2024 "We are pleased and proud that Dahlonega and UNG have been selected to host The Wall That Heals in October We hope that this will be an opportunity for our community to learn about and honor the sacrifices that our veterans and their families experienced during the Vietnam War,” Bill Poole chairman of the Lumpkin County Veterans Affairs Committee the principal sponsor for the application to host The Wall That Heals During its time in Dahlonega, volunteers will need to be present at The Wall That Heals 24 hours a day to answer questions and assist visitors. Sign-ups are available for these four-hour volunteer time slots on The Wall That Heals Dahlonega-Lumpkin County webpage a 1977 alumnus and Dahlonega City Council member is vice chairman of the committee bringing the traveling memorial to UNG He sees it as a great opportunity to encourage alumni to come back to campus and connect with classmates adding that it will offer people the chance to invest their time in helping others learn about the history The UNG Class of 1969 will be having a reunion the week that The Wall That Heals is here and a special tour has been arranged for the group executive director of the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Visitors Bureau said it's important to have the Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica back in Dahlonega for the first time since the early 1990s He said multiple events are in the works to help highlight the memorial's presence in the city McDuffie added that there will be an option for community members to add the names of Vietnam veterans who have died since returning from the war to the Memory Wall UNG's Corps of Cadets and so many veterans living in our community it is important to bring this memorial to Dahlonega," McDuffie said © 2025 The University System of Georgia and the University of North Georgia UNG follows the section 508 Standards and WCAG 2.1 for web accessibility. If you require this content in another format, please send an email to the ADA Coordinator. Use of military-themed imagery does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Department of Defense. At the University of North Georgia, we deeply value and uphold the cherished right of every American to freely express themselves. It is a hallmark of our history, our tradition, and permeates our culture. As a distinguished Senior Military College, with a legacy spanning over 150 years, we take great pride in our role of cultivating leaders who tirelessly defend these fundamental freedoms for all citizens.  The legacy of our graduates in this regard is second to none. Together, let's uphold the principles of respect, understanding, and civility as we equip our students to walk toward their purpose. Dahlonega’s claim to fame is that it was the site of the country’s first major gold rush a young Georgian named Benjamin Parks took a stroll on a brisk October day in 1828 when he stumbled upon a “curious yellow-colored rock.” Nearly two decades before California got in on the action Parks’ discovery sparked a gold rush that drew hordes of would-be miners and continued until the start of World War II when the mining equipment was dismantled and repurposed for scrap metal youthful town—it also hosts a University of North Georgia campus—providing a perfect escape for history buffs 1 hour and 45 minutes from Atlanta4 hours and 25 minutes from Nashville so be sure to go in off-peak times to avoid crowds especially if you’re looking for an easier hike More adventurous hikers can brave Blood Mountain reportedly the most-hiked section of Georgia’s Appalachian Trail gaining over 1,400 feet in about two miles the breathtaking view from the summit and the dense forest cover—idyllic for leaf peeping—make it worth your while I recommend the “Picture to Burn,” a cozy fall speciality drink flavored with maple and brown sugar If you swing through Bear Book Market next door, you can pick out a new or used book that beats Amazon prices. There’s a chance you’ll run into Clay Anderson who works in the shop on weekdays and is more than happy to brag about his son For a comprehensive overview of the country’s first major gold rush, visit the old county courthouse-turned-Gold Museum in the center of the town square see gold coins made at the federal mint in Dahlonega and learn what it means to have a “dynamite headache.” Superfans of Benjamin Parks (Parkies?) also can line up to view memorabilia from his life In mid-October, stick around for the Gold Rush Days Festival It commemorates Parks’ discovery and the subsequent golden frenzy and watch the town crown a local King and Queen of Gold Rush Days If you don’t happen to be in town for Gold Rush Days, you can still pan for gold at Consolidated Gold Mine or Crisson Gold Mine So grab a chai latte and watch out for ghosts Burgers: Locals love Spirits Tavern which offers farm-to-table burgers and house-made speciality drinks B&B: A popular choice is Long Mountain Lodge a bed and breakfast with stunning mountain views Downtown digs: The Dahlonega Square Hotel & Villas is walking distance to downtown and it offers wine tasting from the local Kaya Vineyard and Winery Consolidated Gold Mine employees (from left) Mike Clark Dathan Harbert and Jamie Shedd are all set for the 70th Gold Rush Days Festival Manager Phil Sarnowski oversees last minute Monday afternoon preparations at the long-awaited Publix on Maxwell Lane Jonathan Wright was honored as the LCHS STAR student at a recent school board meeting LCHS Principal Brian Matthews and a virtual STAR teacher Don Brock (on the laptop) Cadets at the University of North Georgia (UNG) were part of the group of volunteers who helped assemble "The Wall That Heals" at UNG's Dahlonega Campus on Oct The traveling Vietnam War memorial will open to the public after the ceremony and is available 24 hours a day until it comes down the afternoon of Nov Volunteers are on hand to help visitors make the most of the experience Edgardo Milan-Delgado, a freshman from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, pursuing a degree in international affairs said one of the things that struck him most is that the wall is arranged in chronological order of when soldiers lost their lives in Vietnam I feel very honored to take part in this," Milan-Delgado said It demonstrates how they made the ultimate sacrifice It's a massive sacrifice that we should recognize more." Natalie Wortham, a junior from Jefferson, Georgia, pursuing a degree in finance also was grateful for the chance to take part in putting up the traveling memorial It's amazing to see all the names," Wortham said "I've never been able to see the permanent memorial in Washington so to have it in Dahlonega is just very touching." The Wall That Heals includes the names of the 29 UNG alumni and students killed in action in Vietnam, who are listed on the Memorial Wall at the Dahlonega Campus "We are pleased and proud that Dahlonega and UNG have been selected to host The Wall That Heals More information is available on The Wall That Heals Dahlonega-Lumpkin County webpage Use of military-themed imagery does not constitute endorsement by the U.S we deeply value and uphold the cherished right of every American to freely express themselves As a distinguished Senior Military College we take great pride in our role of cultivating leaders who tirelessly defend these fundamental freedoms for all citizens.  The legacy of our graduates in this regard is second to none our primary responsibility is to cultivate an academic environment that ensures this exchange of ideas and the safety of our community we are committed to fostering a welcoming atmosphere where individuals feel empowered to freely express themselves and engage in exploration and learning it is essential that these rights are exercised in a manner that upholds our academic mission and is in accordance with our institutional policies and other criminal acts will not be tolerated at the University of North Georgia and civility as we equip our students to walk toward their purpose A 27-year veteran of the Georgia Forestry Commission has been named to the agency’s leadership team will assume the role of Deputy Director on January 1 Kris has consistently guided his colleagues forward with distinction,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo “We’re excited he’ll be filling this critical role that enhances our agency and our services to forest landowners in Georgia.” Butler studied at Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College before joining the GFC as a Lumpkin County ranger in 1997 He has served in a wide range of progressive leadership positions Butler will oversee the agency’s daily operations and customer services provide insight and guidance to GFC managers and identify opportunities for process improvements Butler has notable experience in fire protection and emergency management He is nationally certified by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group and the Incident Command System and has served on numerous fires and a number of hurricanes throughout the US “I’m excited to be building on the strong legacy of forestry in Georgia,” said Butler “My commitment is to deliver honest leadership and education that serves both our agency and the citizens of Georgia.” Butler is highly regarded for his calm demeanor and exceptional people skills He holds a doctorate in theology and serves as pastor in his church Butler raises cattle and is skilled at roping horses He enjoys hunting and spending time with his wife and website in this browser for the next time I comment