Latest news with #LakeLanier
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why this Georgia town was named one of 30 up-and-coming small town in U.S. by HGTV
Gainesville, Georgia, sits in a prime spot in north Georgia, well north of the hustle-and-bustle of Atlanta in the foothills of the Appalachians and along the northern banks of Lake Lanier. For those reasons, and a growth in jobs and wages, HGTV lists the town as one of its 30 up-and-coming small cities in America. Located about 50 miles north of Atlanta, 40 miles west of Athens and just 20 miles north of Cumming and Buford, Gainesville has a lot to offer for Georgians looking for a family-friendly area to move. HGTV highlights the poultry industry as being a major reason for the city's growth in economy. "This town of 45,000 may be a suburb of Atlanta — just 55 miles northeast of downtown — but Gainesville is more like a weekend escape thanks to its proximity to Lake Lanier," HGTV says. "This haven for outdoor enthusiasts draws in visitors for boating, fishing and paddling. Lake Lanier is also the largest lake in Georgia with nearly 700 miles of shoreline. Off the lake, you'll find boutiques, galleries and restaurants in downtown Gainesville, making it easy to stay and settle in to local life." One of the more unique things about the city is the nickname of Gainesville High School. The school calls its teams the Red Elephants and was the home of NFL QB Deshaun Watson. Population (2020): 42,296 Location: Hall County Economy: Poultry farming remains one of the city's biggest economic forces, with six of its top 10 employers being in the industry. Downtown Gainesville: The city's website calls downtown a 'vibrant area filled with history, culture and community spirit.' It offers restaurants, boutiques, greenspaces and also calls itself the 'Hospitality Capitol of the World.' A few of the other small up-and-coming cities on the list include: Georgetown, Texas Queen Creek, Arizona Buckeye, Arizona New Braunfels, Texas Fort Meyers, Florida Meridian, Idaho St. George, Utah Redding, California Bend, Oregon HGTV compared US Census Bureau data for top growth cities to include healthcare, jobs, income, outdoor activities and affordable housing. It also collaborated with the Milken Institute which put together its list of top-performing cities by looking at US cities driving economic growth, tracking qualities like jobs, wages, housing affordability and access to broadband. Ryne Dennis is the Deep South Connect Team Editor for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X @RyneDennis and email at rdennis@ This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: HGTV up-and-coming small cities: Why this Georgia town made the list
Fox News
20-05-2025
- Fox News
Body of missing father of five found in Georgia lake after kayaking trip
The body of a father of five who vanished last week while kayaking on a Georgia lake has been discovered underwater, police said. Dustin Valencia, 43, was reported missing Wednesday by his wife after he did not show up to pick up his children from school, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said. A search ensued and authorities tracked his last location to Lake Lanier in Georgia, where they found Valencia's car parked nearby, along with his flip-flops and the bag used to store his inflatable kayak. On Friday, the department announced that game wardens with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, using sonar equipment, located a body in the lake. Divers from the Forsyth County Fire Department recovered the remains from about 51 feet of water near the center of a cove. On Monday, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office confirmed the body was that of Valencia. In the days following his disappearance, Valencia's kayak and paddle were found floating near the outer edge of the cove. Friends say he was training for a triathlon and had likely gone kayaking for exercise. Authorities said the 43-year-old kayaker was not wearing a life vest at the time of his drowning. "My understanding is that he was not wearing a life vest," an official said, according to Fox News affiliate WAGA-TV. "Even strong swimmers can have a medical emergency or cramp. If that happens, and you're not wearing a life jacket, you're at serious risk." An official cause of death has not been released. The case remains under investigation by the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit. The sheriff's office referred Fox News Digital to the department's press release. "Please continue to share [and] pray," a GoFundMe for the family said. "The Valencia family feels your love and strength, and they are deeply grateful for the community that surrounds them." Lake Lanier, where Valencia disappeared, is home to a popular local legend. The ghost story of the Lady of the Lake involves a woman in a blue dress who is said to haunt the lake after dying in a car accident there in the 1950s. The man-made lake has a maximum depth of about 160 feet and was created in the 1950s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Grim discovery in search for missing dad who disappeared on Lake Lanier
A man's body has been pulled from a Georgia lake amid a desperate search for a father-of-five who disappeared on Wednesday. Dustin Valencia, 43, was reported missing by his wife after he ventured out on Lake Lanier on a kayak, resulting in a massive search for the father-of-five. The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office announced two days later that the fire department and Department of Natural Resources recovered a body from the lake, but are yet to make a formal identification. There have been more than 200 fatalities on Lake Lanier over the last 20 years. The body of water has been was named as one of the most dangerous lakes in the United States. The search and rescue mission for Valencia was initiated on Wednesday evening after his wife reported him missing when he didn't pick their children up from school. Valencia was last seen having his car serviced at 1pm. His wife grew concerned when he didn't pick their children up two hours later and tracked his phone to an address near the lake. She went to the address, but Valencia was nowhere to be found. Authorities then started to search the area to find the missing dad. The sheriff's department found Valencia's black Honda Accord parked near the lake and discovered he had gone for a kayak ride. Later that day, his inflatable kayak and paddles were discovered and reported to the sheriff's office. Deputies told local ABC affiliate, WALB-TV, that the seats in the kayak were not inflated or installed. The kayak was found floating in the lake, and an individual reported it to the sheriff's office. Deputies added that Valencia hadn't been wearing a life vest. Authorities scaled Lake Lanier on Wednesday night and Thursday morning but came up with nothing. The sheriff's department followed up on a lead Friday morning and located an unidentified man's body in 51 feet of water. Community members have set up a Meal Train to support the Valencia family with food and financial support. The description described Valencia as a 'devoted husband and father-of-five.' One of Valencia's friends, Dillon Taylor, told WALB-TV, during the search, that if the situation were reversed, the family 'would be on the front lines.' Although the body recovered by the sheriff's department hasn't yet been identified, it marks another tragedy on Lake Lanier. Last May, a man named Matthew Mayo, 73, drowned while fishing on a bass boat with his wife. The shocking death made national news and prompted an article in Time magazine speculating whether the lake was 'haunted.' In 2023, there were 13 recorded fatal drownings, which was the highest amount in comparison to other Georgia lakes, according to the Department of Natural Resources. The second highest number of drownings was at Lake Allatoona, with only three recorded instances. In the last 20 years, there have been over 200 fatalities on Lake Lanier. It was named as one of the most dangerous US lakes by alongside Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Erie, and Lake Piru. reached out to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office for an update on Valencia's case but didn't immediately hear back.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Body Found in Search for Dad of 5 Who Went Missing While Kayaking in Georgia's Infamous Lake Lanier
A body was discovered in Lake Lanier while authorities searched for Dustin Valencia, a missing kayaker Valencia was reported missing on May 14 after he failed to pick up his children from school Lake Lanier has a high death toll, leading local folklore to allege that it is "haunted"Officials discovered a body in Lake Lanier in Georgia while searching for Dustin Valencia, a kayaker who was reported missing on Wednesday, May 14. The body was discovered 51 feet deep into the water in a cove near where Valencia, 43, was last seen, per 11Alive. The identification process is underway, but the body has not been confirmed as Valencia, Forsyth County Public Information Officer Stacie A. Miller told PEOPLE. 'It's one of the worst things first responders have to deal with," Mark McKinnon of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources told WSB-TV, adding that the search for the father of five has ended. Valencia was reported missing after he failed to pick up his kids from school, according to 11Alive and WSB-TV. Police found his Honda Accord in the Lakeside Park parking lot near the reservoir. The husband and father is a graduate of the University of Georgia, a close family friend told 11Alive. Valencia's wife first attempted to locate him through Find My iPhone. On the morning of Friday, May 16, a dock worker discovered Valencia's kayak and paddle, and reported the discovery to the authorities. Foul play is not suspected at this time, and a source told WSB-TV that Valencia was training for a triathlon. A vigil was held for Valencia at 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, at a local church, they added. 'A group of us met at his church for a vigil, prayed, and then we left to come find him," Cait Fritts, a friend of Valencia's, told WSB-TV. "We have been searching by foot and connected with other friends who have boats, looking for any signs of the kayak he was on. He's got five kids. I can't imagine what his family is going through. I think they would want everyone to know and go look for him and spread the word." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. More than 200 people have died in Lake Lanier since 1994, per CNN. In 2023, there were at least 12 deaths, including two Georgia men who both died in unrelated incidents months apart, PEOPLE previously reported. The reservoir broke ground in 1950 and was built for flood control, displacing nearly 700 families. More than 1,000 people were forced out of the prosperous Black community known as Oscarville by white individuals from Forsyth County, Teen Vogue reported. Many now consider the body of water to be 'haunted,' per the outlets. Read the original article on People
