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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.

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.

Gold Rush royalty ready to lead 70th anniversary fest

Keith Murden
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Kerri Johnson, Executive Director of local transitional housing community Jeremiah’s Place, has been selected as the Grand Marshal of the 2024 Gold Rush Days Festival, while local residents Jimmy and Cheryl Berry have been chosen as King and Queen.
Consolidated Gold Mine employees (from left) Mike Clark, Dathan Harbert and Jamie Shedd are all set for the 70th Gold Rush Days Festival.

Consolidated Gold Mine employees (from left) Mike Clark, Dathan Harbert and Jamie Shedd are all set for the 70th Gold Rush Days Festival.

Consolidated Mine to send gold to Capitol Dome

Keith Murden
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Another cornerstone of the local gold-mining tourism industry has joined in on the effort to re-gild the State Capitol Dome in Atlanta this year.
Lumpkin County High School’s Class of 2024 scored an average cumulative score of 1076 on the SAT exam this year, with a Reading & Writing average of 557 and a Math average of 519.

Lumpkin County High School’s Class of 2024 scored an average cumulative score of 1076 on the SAT exam this year, with a Reading & Writing average of 557 and a Math average of 519.

Local high school students achieve strong SAT results

News Staff
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
By Keith Murden & Dave Williams / The Nugget & Capitol Beat  -------------------------The results are in, and the Lumpkin County School System has placed second in SAT scores out of the 14 counties in the Pioneer RESA region.
Pictured, from left, Animal Control Technicians Jeannie Knight and Tony Ashe, Animal Shelter Manager Wayne Marshall and River Flow Drive resident Melissa Bouchez are all in a more relaxed mood after rescuing a puppy from a nearby drainage pipe.

Pictured, from left, Animal Control Technicians Jeannie Knight and Tony Ashe, Animal Shelter Manager Wayne Marshall and River Flow Drive resident Melissa Bouchez are all in a more relaxed mood after rescuing a puppy from a nearby drainage pipe.

It’s a wild life for Lumpkin animal control department

Keith Murden
Thursday, September 26, 2024
A chance meeting between Nugget Office Manager Chauna Utterback and another concerned citizen on River Flow Drive led to the rescue of five adorable puppies by Lumpkin County Animal Control last week.
Tenants are reacting to what they feel are sudden and crippling increases in rent for retail spaces doled out by new property owners at the Goldmine Village shopping center.

Tenants are reacting to what they feel are sudden and crippling increases in rent for retail spaces doled out by new property owners at the Goldmine Village shopping center.

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Rent hikes threaten local merchants

News Staff
Thursday, September 19, 2024
By Hunter Mauldin & Keith Murden / The Nugget  ------------------  Frequent visitors of the Goldmine Village shopping center, home to Walmart, may encounter changes to the strip in the future on account of reported rent increases for commercial tenants.
Workers with Hasbun Construction lay bricks on the plaza in front of the Visitors Center in downtown Dahlonega. The project is on schedule to be completed ahead of the busy Gold Rush festival in October.

Workers with Hasbun Construction lay bricks on the plaza in front of the Visitors Center in downtown Dahlonega. The project is on schedule to be completed ahead of the busy Gold Rush festival in October.

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Sewer fixes underway in downtown area

Keith Murden
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Two major infrastructure projects totaling $4.8 million are simultaneously taking place in downtown Dahlonega, and at last week’s City Council meeting Mayor JoAnne Taylor asked City Manager Allison Martin for a brief update on the disruptive but necessary improvements.
After receiving word of online rumors, the Lumpkin County School System upped the law enforcement presence at local schools on Friday.

After receiving word of online rumors, the Lumpkin County School System upped the law enforcement presence at local schools on Friday.

BREAKING NEWS: Social media threats involving school ‘not credible,’ say officials

Matt Aiken
Friday, September 6, 2024
“No credible threat” was the phrase repeated by school and law enforcement officials Friday morning after a jittery night on social media left many parents concerned and anxious over rumors that Lumpkin County High School had been targeted for a potential attack. Just before 7:15 a.m.
Herman McDonald stands on the front porch of the home that he used to reside in. The future location of the historic house is the subject of discussion by the County, Parks & Rec and the Historical Society.

Herman McDonald stands on the front porch of the home that he used to reside in. The future location of the historic house is the subject of discussion by the County, Parks & Rec and the Historical Society.

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Moving historic McDonald House the subject of much discussion

Keith Murden
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
“I love to come down here and look at the old house,” said Herman McDonald as he approached the aging structure sitting on the outskirts of what is now Yahoola Creek Park.
Breaking ground at the site of the new Cane Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant last Wednesday were (left to right) Commissioner Tucker Greene, Senator Steve Gooch, Chairman Chris Dockery, Water & Sewerage Authority Director Sean Phipps, Water & Sewerage Authority Chair Murl Jones, Commissioner Dr. Bobby Mayfield, Commissioner Rhett Stringer and Georgia Environmental Finance Authority Senior Project Manager Amanda Carroll.

Breaking ground at the site of the new Cane Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant last Wednesday were (left to right) Commissioner Tucker Greene, Senator Steve Gooch, Chairman Chris Dockery, Water & Sewerage Authority Director Sean Phipps, Water & Sewerage Authority Chair Murl Jones, Commissioner Dr. Bobby Mayfield, Commissioner Rhett Stringer and Georgia Environmental Finance Authority Senior Project Manager Amanda Carroll.

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County breaks ground on new water plant

Keith Murden
Thursday, August 29, 2024
Last Wednesday the Lumpkin County Water & Sewerage Authority hosted a special ground breaking ceremony at the site of the new $19.5 million Cane Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant on Arbor Drive, just off of Lumpkin County Parkway.
Crisson Gold Mine co-owner Tammy Ray displays local gold to be used on the Capitol Dome in Atlanta.

Crisson Gold Mine co-owner Tammy Ray displays local gold to be used on the Capitol Dome in Atlanta.

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Capitol Dome to receive gold from Dahlonega mine

Keith Murden
Thursday, August 22, 2024
The Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta is gearing up for the third facelift of its iconic dome, and Dahlonega will once again be providing some of its own gold to assist in the renovation effort.