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North Georgia Community Foundation President Michelle Prater (pictured, from left) presents a grant check in the amount of $60,000 to Community Helping Place to establish a new Mobile Service Unit. Also pictured are CHP Executive Director Melissa Line, Abigail Carter, Paula Payne, Debi Holloway, CHP Board Chair Brian Hinkel and Barbara Williams.

North Georgia Community Foundation President Michelle Prater (pictured, from left) presents a grant check in the amount of $60,000 to Community Helping Place to establish a new Mobile Service Unit. Also pictured are CHP Executive Director Melissa Line, Abigail Carter, Paula Payne, Debi Holloway, CHP Board Chair Brian Hinkel and Barbara Williams.

CHP awarded grant for Mobile Service Unit

Community Helping Place is on a roll. Literally. The local non-profit was recently selected as one of four regional recipients of the Gainesville-based North Georgia Community Foundation’s 2023 Opportunity Grant.
Thousands of visitors and locals filled the downtown area for the lighting of the square on Friday.  Local musicians Radford Windham and Chuck Bell filled the night air with holiday music before and after.  On hand to perform the ceremonial lighting of the square were UNG President Michael Shannon, Dahlonega Mayor JoAnne Taylor and Lumpkin County Chairman Chris Dockery. (Photo by John Bynum)

Thousands of visitors and locals filled the downtown area for the lighting of the square on Friday. Local musicians Radford Windham and Chuck Bell filled the night air with holiday music before and after. On hand to perform the ceremonial lighting of the square were UNG President Michael Shannon, Dahlonega Mayor JoAnne Taylor and Lumpkin County Chairman Chris Dockery. (Photo by John Bynum)

Huge crowd comes to town for lighting of the square

The Christmas spirit was on full display Friday as thousands of visitors packed the downtown area to celebrate the lighting of the square. Director of Tourism Sam McDuffie estimated at least a 25 percent increase in attendance from last year.  Attendance may have been at least 14,000 he said.
The much anticipated Community Helping Place fundraising ornament was unveiled at the Dahlonega City Council meeting earlier this month. This year's ornament features the golden facade of the Meaders Building. (Photo by Matt Aiken)

The much anticipated Community Helping Place fundraising ornament was unveiled at the Dahlonega City Council meeting earlier this month. This year's ornament features the golden facade of the Meaders Building. (Photo by Matt Aiken)

CHP Christmas ornament is the gift that keeps on giving

Community Helping Place (CHP) revealed its 2023 official Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Christmas Ornament at last week’s City Council meeting just in time for holiday gifting. The Meaders Bros. Building graces this year’s ornament.
The Lumpkin County High School JROTC displays the flags during the Veterans Day Parade in Dahlonega.

The Lumpkin County High School JROTC displays the flags during the Veterans Day Parade in Dahlonega.

Dahlonega cheers its veterans

Dahlonega’s patriotic spirit was on display last week.  The Veterans Day Parade made its way through downtown on Saturday as community organizations, local clubs, and students joined in.  This week The Nugget is also saluting veterans in our 16-page special section!
Candidates, from left, Dan Brown, Lance Bagley and Johnny Ariemma were the big Election Night winners in Dahlonega on Tuesday evening.

Candidates, from left, Dan Brown, Lance Bagley and Johnny Ariemma were the big Election Night winners in Dahlonega on Tuesday evening.

ELECTION UPDATE: Bagley, Brown win contested City posts

Note: the following article has been revised to include corrected voter participation numbers. Lance Bagley and Dan Brown were the big winners Tuesday night after City residents went to the polls on Election Day with two contested Council seats up for grabs.
Candidates for Dahlonega City Council participate in a public forum at the local library. Pictured are (from left) current Council members Johnny Ariemma and Lance Bagley, James T. Guy, Tom Gordineer, Dan Brown and appearing via Zoom video, Melanie Dunlap.

Candidates for Dahlonega City Council participate in a public forum at the local library. Pictured are (from left) current Council members Johnny Ariemma and Lance Bagley, James T. Guy, Tom Gordineer, Dan Brown and appearing via Zoom video, Melanie Dunlap.

Candidates debate City vs. County lawsuit

The ongoing City-vs-County lawsuit was a hot topic that was discussed and debated at the Lumpkin County Library last Tuesday, as six Dahlonega City Council hopefuls met for a non-partisan candidate forum.
Check out all the winners in the 2023 Best of Lumpkin print edition!

Check out all the winners in the 2023 Best of Lumpkin print edition!

Reader’s Choice votes are in!

The wait is over. Dahlonega has spoken and The Nugget has listened.   Readers made their selections and the votes have been counted in the newest edition of the Best of Lumpkin County contest.   It’s time to reveal the selections in our triple-size special section this week.
Summit Forum moderator Mary Lasris holds up a time card showing 30 seconds remaining. Seated at the table (from left) are Dahlonega City Council candidates Tom Gordineer, Lance Bagley, James Guy, Melanie Dunlap, Dan Brown and Johnny Ariemma.

Summit Forum moderator Mary Lasris holds up a time card showing 30 seconds remaining. Seated at the table (from left) are Dahlonega City Council candidates Tom Gordineer, Lance Bagley, James Guy, Melanie Dunlap, Dan Brown and Johnny Ariemma.

City candidates debate traffic troubles

The Dahlonega City Council candidates gathered at the clubhouse of The Summit subdivision last Tuesday to participate in a public forum before early voting in the November 7 Muncipal General Election kicked off this week.
Challenger Tom Gordineer and council member Lance Bagley are running for Post 6.

Challenger Tom Gordineer and council member Lance Bagley are running for Post 6.

City’s future up for debate in candidate Q&As

With the race for Dahlonega City Council well underway and early voting fast approaching, The Nugget recently posed several questions to Post 6 contenders for the first in our series of candidate Q&A's.
Many dignitaries and supporters gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking for the future Military Science Center on the Dahlonega campus including, from left, UNG President Michael Shannon, University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue, State Sen. Steve Gooch, State Rep. Will Wade, University System of Georgia Regent Jim Syfan, retired Col. Wayne Dill, and UNG alumnus Maj. Gen. Dwayne Wilson—commanding officer of Georgia Army National Guard. (Photo by Alyssa Annis/UNG)

Many dignitaries and supporters gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking for the future Military Science Center on the Dahlonega campus including, from left, UNG President Michael Shannon, University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue, State Sen. Steve Gooch, State Rep. Will Wade, University System of Georgia Regent Jim Syfan, retired Col. Wayne Dill, and UNG alumnus Maj. Gen. Dwayne Wilson—commanding officer of Georgia Army National Guard. (Photo by Alyssa Annis/UNG)

New Military Science Center coming to UNG

Symbolic ground was broken Saturday on a new $13.3 million Military Science Center for the University of North Georgia’s Corps of Cadets program.