As the final days of the summer break dwindle and Barrow County students begin eyeing the calendar for the first day of school, organizers at the Braselton campus of the Brenau University Learning & Leisure Institute are making plans for the return of students for the second term of this exciting new program. After a successful inaugural term of BULLI in Braselton, fall term classes have already been announced and the registration dates have been set. Boasting a wide variety of subjects ranging from “Introduction to Digital Photography” and “Come on In! The Watercolor’s Fine” to “Home Repair …

Last month, Barrow Patch reported a request for proposals was issued bycity of Winder as the municipality sought qualified architects and engineers for the renovation design of an existing 23,500-square-foot building in the downtown area. Located at 25 E. Midland Ave., the building once served as a People’s Bank Operations Center. Following the end of the RFP submission period June 15, the city recently announced that the contract has been awarded to Winder-based Bramlett Associates Architecture. With their base-of-operations situated at 122 N. Broad St. — right around the corner from the …

In a city that strives to make its Barrow County municipality “home sweet home” for all its residents through terrific local events and amenity offerings, the mayor and council of Statham are acutely aware the economy and job market may have taken a toll on area homeowners. Featured in the city’s July newsletter released earlier this month, a large segment was devoted to educating readers about the HomeSafe Georgia Program through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. HomeSafe Georgia is a mortgage assistance program that provides up to 18 months of mortgage payment help for Georgia …

One of the most beloved holidays worldwide, Christmas is particularly near and dear to the hearts of residents of the North Georgia town of Bethlehem. Not only does the small Southern municipality share the same moniker as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, many of the streets in the heart of town bear holiday-themed names, such as Angel Street, Manger Avenue, East Shepherd Street, Holly Lane and West Star Street. Moreover, each year, Bethlehem First United Methodist Church presents a live nativity pageant at the town square. With less than five months to go before many Barrow County residents …

With its co-ed summer basketball season drawing to a close, the dedicated folks at i9 Sports are already looking ahead to the winter season. Talk about team spirit and a love of the game! That’s why they’ve already opened registration for the December 2012/February 2013 schedule to pint-sized players ages 5 to 11 as of Dec. 1, in the Auburn area through their easy-to-navigate, online sign-up system. i9 Sports, a self-professed “exciting alternative to traditional leagues,” boasts features such as: Unsurpassed organization and communication Emphasis on fun that places kids' needs first Focus …

Click any of the links below to view the original post in Barrow Patch's City Spotlights, which offer news and information on the cities of Auburn, Bethlehem, Carl, Statham, Winder and Braselton.  City of Auburn Promotes Water Conservation Travel to Madagascar without Ever Leaving Bethlehem Statham to Increase Enforcement of Quality of Life Ordinances Winder’s Recent Request for Proposals Now Closed "Mirror Mirror" Premieres at Braselton's Movie in the Park Subscribe to Barrow Patch’s newsletters, follow us on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook. 

This Saturday, July 21 under a sea of stars, the Town of Braselton raises the curtain on a modern retelling of the classic fairytale, Snow White. Starring movie veterans Julia Roberts (Evil Queen) and Nathan Lane (Brighton, the Queen’s henchman), relative newcomers Lily Collins (Snow White) and Armie Hammer (Prince Alcott), and an exceedingly talented band of dwarves, Mirror Mirror provides a fresh take on a story that first hit the scene in Germany when published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. In this latest version created for the big screen, director Tarsem Singh uses breathtaking scenery …

In June, Barrow Patch reported that the City of Winder was requesting proposals from companies interested in assuming responsibility for Utility Bill Printing and Mailing Services. This is no small task, as Winder currently provides water, sewer, garbage, natural gas and other miscellaneous services for a population of approximately 35,000 citizens. By the time the RFP period closed at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 13, proposals had been received from 21 companies as close as Atlanta and Duluth, and as far away as Anaheim, California and Spokane, Washington. The price sheets from each of the …

The city of Statham takes great pride in being a beautiful and friendly historic municipality of Barrow County. Needless to say, maintenance of that image requires the hard work and dedication of all of its residents and local business owners. To that end, earlier this month the Statham Police Department announced that its officers will be partnering with the city's code enforcement office to enhance the enforcement of quality of life ordinances within city limits. Items of particular interest for which officers will be on the lookout include: Missing street numbers or numbers not visible …

If buttered popcorn and an ice-cold soda are your idea of a great breakfast treat, you’ll definitely want to keep reading! As part of its Summer Kids Movie Series, Carmike’s Gateway Cinemas 12 in Bethlehem will be showing DreamWorks Animation’s "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" at 10 a.m. this Thursday, July 19. For just $2 per person, theater-goers will be treated to a sublime combination of movie admission, a drink and popcorn. In this sequel to the original family-friendly film, "Madagascar" — featuring the vocal talents of Ben Stiller as Alex the Lion, Chris Rock as Marty the Zebra, Jada …

Regardless of the time of year or threat of drought, the city of Auburn Utilities Water Conservation Program strives to promote a culture of conservation within the community by: Protecting Auburn’s water quality Actively engaging its residents through school visits, neighborhood events and community projects Partnering with state, federal and regional water conservation organizations for effective best practices Educating and providing water conservation materials and methods While a fair amount of rain has fallen over North Georgia in recent days, the Barrow County Water Authority's Level …

Click any of the links below to view the original post in Barrow Patch's City Spotlights, which offer news and information on the cities of Auburn, Bethlehem, Carl, Statham, Winder and Braselton.  New to Auburn? Get Your Newcomer’s Packet Online First Bethlehem Craft Market a Lesson in Shopping Locally Registration Deadline Nearing for Statham Spartans Youth League Getting Lazy Just Got Crazier, Winder! Braselton Seeks Downtown Director Subscribe to Barrow Patch’s newsletters, follow us on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook.

The town of Braselton is actively seeking an exciting new addition to its team to tackle the dual role of downtown economic development director and Main Street program executive director. The downtown director will be responsible for coordinating economic development activities within historic downtown Braselton. He or she will also be expected to head up the development, execution and documentation of the Main Street program — an initiative developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation designed to incorporate a preservation-based revitalization of the “Main Street” downtown area…

As school supplies and backpacks begin filling up store shelves, foretelling the impending “back to school” season — the city of Winder wants its residents to know the lazy days of summer are far from over. Before Barrow County students return to the hallowed halls of their schools Aug. 13, residents and visitors of Winder will be treated to an all-day last hoorah with the return of the city’s popular Lazy Daze Festival on Saturday, July 28. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. that day, the field next to the Winder Community Center will be filled with craft and gift vendors, food stands, kids’ activities…

The city of Statham is pleased to offer competitive youth tackle football and competitive cheerleading for local youth aged 4 through 13 thanks to the new Barrow County association, Statham Spartans Sports. Spaces still remain for the upcoming season, but those who are interested will need to hurry — registration closes this Friday, July 13. Registration can be completed securely online at the Statham Spartans website with a credit card or a Paypal account. Regular registration costs are $80 for football and $130 for cheerleading. Costs include game day uniforms. Discounts are available for …

Lindsey Brown and Jason Blair — owners of The Judson House in the heart of downtown Bethlehem — didn’t set out to teach shoppers a lesson in shopping locally. Their goal in hosting the first Bethlehem Craft Market was to simply gather local talent and show them off to the community. Hosted Saturday, July 7, the craft market represented more than 30 vendors with a great variety of hand-made products. Artists sold locally made jewelry, accessories, Native American items, BBQ sauce, home decor, baby clothes, pottery and more. “The shoppers were impressed with the variety and quality of the items…

With dozens of terrific homes available for purchase in the city of Auburn, there will soon be a number of new residents in the Barrow County municipality that touts “old Southern charm with a vision for the future.” Thanks to a comprehensive, 19-page Newcomer Packet that’s jam-packed with helpful information and available for download from the city of Auburn website, even the newest Auburnites will feel right at home in no time. This valuable resource for new residents is loaded with page after page of facts and phone numbers, including: A greeting from Mayor Linda Blechinger A directory …

Click any of the links below to view the original post in Barrow Patch's City Spotlights, which offer news and information on the cities of Auburn, Bethlehem, Carl, Statham, Winder and Braselton.  Auburn is Proactive About Remaining Residents' 'Home Sweet Home' Bethlehem City Hall Will be Closed in Observance of Independence Day A History Lesson in Patriotism from the City of Statham Application Deadline Nearing for Two Jobs with City of Winder Braselton Paves the Way to Smoother Traffic Subscribe to Barrow Patch’s newsletters, follow us on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook.

The Georgia Department of Transportation has been busy working with the town of Braselton on improvements to roads and highways in the town. Most recently, Mayor Bill Orr and the Braselton Town Council cut the ceremonial ribbon to open Davis Street in the historic downtown area. “We are pleased this street is complete,” said Mayor Orr in a recent statement, “as Davis Street, the prime local artery connecting GA 53 and 124, serves as the gateway to the town’s library.”  Just last month, Barrow Patch reported about the opening of the Broadway Avenue and Lewis Braselton Boulevard portions of the…

The city of Winder is seeking ideal candidates to fill two open full-time positions — accountant and utility billing technician. Friday, July 6 marks the application deadline for both positions. The qualified candidate for the role of accountant for the city of Winder should possess: A bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance Five years of accounting, auditing, accounts payable, purchasing or other related experience — A CPA or master’s degree in accounting or finance may substitute for two years of experience The availability to work evenings, weekends and/or holidays as required The …