All Stories
Apartments damaged by fallen trees
LAWRENCEVILLE - More than two dozen people were displaced late Monday when lightning strikes sent trees crashing into several buildings at Magnolia Pointe Apartments.
Yellow Jackets may play other state rival
ATLANTA - Georgia Tech's new director of athletics, Dan Radakovich, said Tuesday that Tech may agree to play state rival Georgia Southern in football for the first time.
King transfer impacts AA, AAAAA football teams
The impact of Caleb King's transfer from Parkview to Greater Atlanta Christian is undeniable at both schools, but the general consensus among local coaches is that it will be felt more at his new school than his former one.
Million-dollar chance would inspire voting
Arizona may be onto something here. Like other states, Arizona is having trouble getting people who have gone to the trouble of registering to vote to go to the further trouble of actually casting their votes.
King officially enrolled at GAC
NORCROSS - On Tuesday afternoon, Greater Atlanta Christian head coach Jimmy Chupp got the news that almost every college football coach in the country would love to hear: Caleb King was going to be his running back.
Barrow adds citizen comments to BOC agenda
WINDER - County residents will now have a chance to comment on agenda items at commission meetings before a vote, a right many have been arguing for for several months.
Sports calendar
Baseball
Through Aug. 11: Renz baseball and softball camps are running weekly through Aug. 11. For camp prices, times and registration forms, go online to www.renzbaseball.com or call 770-271-4554.Delta wants to outsource computer maintenance to IBM
ATLANTA (AP) - Delta Air Lines Inc. asked a bankruptcy court judge Tuesday to allow the nation's third-largest carrier to use IBM rather than its own employees to maintain its computer systems.
Former superintendent, councilman elected to boards
WINDER - A former superintendent won a spot on the county's Board of Education in a Tuesday runoff, and an incumbent county commissioner was ousted from his post by a challenger.
Letters to the Editor
GGC doesn't deserve one-sided attack I was thoroughly insulted by the blatant attack on Georgia Gwinnett College by Rob Jenkins ("Forget the mascot, GGC needs a slogan," Life & Leisure, Aug. 6).
Mifsud re-signs with Gladiators
Scott Mifsud, who came on strong in the second half of the season and was absolutely clutch in the playoffs for Gwinnett, has agreed to come back for 2006-07, the Gladiators announced on Tuesday.
Brookwood grad Smith leaves junior college
Former Brookwood running back Cameron Smith has left Butler County Community College for what his coach says were personal issues.
Challengers beat Dyer, McKinney
LAWRENCEVILLE - One incumbent commissioner escaped a tight runoff in Gwinnett, but a Barrow one got bombed in Tuesday's runoff elections. And controversial U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney was dealt a second congressional loss, two years after she regained her seat.
Police Reports
Homestead
Suites robbed•NORCROSS - Two unidentified men on Friday bound employees with duct tape and robbed Homestead Studio Suites at 7049 Jimmy Carter Blvd.Buford sets up scholarship fund through nonprofit
BUFORD - Buford High School seniors will have access to a number of scholarships, thanks to a nonprofit entity set up by City Commissioners on Monday.
The entity will act as a nominal owner of the new building under construction at 2211 Beaver Ruin Road. It will house the Department of Human Resources and the Department of Family and Children's Services. According to Phillip Beard, commission chairman, government entities can only sign a one-year contract to rent building space. However, the best rental rates are usually given on long-term agreements, putting DHR and DFCS at a financial disadvantage. Agency officials and the developer found a solution that eventually benefits Buford High School students. Rather than using conventional financing, the developer is issuing certificates of participation, which are similar to bonds, to finance construction. The nonprofit entity Buford created will act as the nominal owner of the building. Buford will receive an accommodation fee of $150,000 for creating the nonprofit.Amid controversy, Norcross passes preservation ordinance
NORCROSS - Monday night's City Council meeting agenda had an item on it that, some said, misled both the public and a few council members.
It was a motion to approve or deny the development of a historic preservation ordinance. But as discussion progressed on the topic, it was clear that some council members thought they were voting on getting the ball rolling on developing an ordinance, while others intended to pass an ordinance already written months earlier. The end result is that, by a vote of 3-2, Norcross did indeed pass a historic preservation ordinance. The enabling portion of the ordinance calls for a committee of five city residents to define the boundaries of the historic district and notify affected property owners. City Council members have the final say, following a public hearing, in boundary ratification. Still, Councilman David McLeroy voiced his opposition to the way the matter was handled. "I think we misled the public with the way the agenda item was worded," McLeroy said. Councilman Charlie Riehm went further, after the ordinance was passed, to try to name the five appointees. Mayor Lillian Webb said that, as a matter of courtesy, Riehm should have at least let her and the other council members know who the people were. With that remark, Riehm agreed to wait until the September council meeting to name the committee appointees. Rezonings approved on Autry and Nesbit Streets Developer Miller Lowry requested and received rezonings for properties fronting both Nesbit and Autry streets. Lowry plans to build five houses on the lots but had to get R-75 zoning in order to make his project work. The five lots are about 12,000 square feet each, but they do not all have the required 75 ft. width required for the low-density R-75 designation. Council members voted unanimously to grant the rezoning.Coutu making great strides
Three years ago when Brandon Coutu arrived in Athens there was no guarantee he would ever see any action for the Bulldogs, but the opportunity was there.
Incumbent wins contentious commission race
BUFORD - Kevin Kenerly on Tuesday became one of the first incumbent county commissioners to survive a runoff in recent Gwinnett history.
15-year-olds charged in mother's death
LAWRENCEVILLE - Two 15-year-old girls will face criminal charges in connection with their mother's slaying at a Buford home over the weekend.
Star running back King switches to GAC
NORCROSS - Ending months of speculation and rumor, star running back Caleb King made his transfer official Tuesday afternoon when he withdrew from Parkview High School and enrolled at Greater Atlanta Christian.
OBITUARIES
FLOWERY BRANCH
HOLMAN, DOUGLAS Douglas E. Holman, age 75 of Flowery Branch, formerly of Buford, GA, passed away on August 8, 2006. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Odell Henry Holman and brother, Roy Lee Holman, In-laws, Wilbur F. and Nellie Wofford Harrison. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Patricia Harrison Holman of Flowery Branch, GA; Sons and Daughter In-law, Dennis E. Holman of Buford, GA, Tracy D. and Jane Holman of Buford, GA; Daughter and Son In-law, Patti H. and Britt Bramblett of Sugar Hill, GA; Grandchildren: Lea Holman, Kevin Holman, Dylan Holman, Tara Bramblett, Tyler Bramblett, Trevor Bramblett; Brothers and Sister In-laws; Jerry and Barbara Holman of Tellico Plains, TN, Barry Holman of Jefferson, GA, Fay Holman of Buford, GA; Brother In-law and wife, Hiram E. and Lorene Harrison of Cumming, GA; Several Nieces, Nephews and Cousins. Mr. Holman was born in Gwinnett County, GA on February 19, 1931. He served in the U.S. Marine Corp during the Korean War. He was retired from Scientific Atlanta and Boeing Company. He was a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church, Buford, GA. He loved car racing and antique cars. Funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 10 at 2:00 p.m. at Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel with Rev. Danny Newbern ad Rev. Paul Wade officiating. Interment will follow in Zion Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, Buford. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, August 9, 2006 from 2 - 4 and 6 - 9 p.m. at the funeral home. Flowers accepted or donations may be made to Zion Hill Baptist Church Building Fund in Memory of Douglas E. Holman. Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel, 770-945-6924, www.hamiltonmillchapel.com. LOGANVILLE MCCULLERS, RUTH Ruth Garner McCullers, age 86 of Loganville died Monday, August 7, 2006. Funeral Services will be held 11:00 AM, Thursday, August 10, 2006 in the Snellville Chapel of Tim Stewart Funeral Home. Chaplain Frank Holmes will officiate. Burial Corinth Cemetery, Stone Mountain. A member of Mountain Park First Baptist Church and retired from J.C. Penney with 25 years of service in customer service, Mrs. McCullers was preceded in death by her husband, Lester Garner in 1972, her husband, Melvin McCullers in 2002 and her son, Dwight Garner in 1990. She is survived by: Children: Nick & Brenda Garner, Grayson, Richie & Beverly Garner, Monroe; Grandchildren: Tami & Jackie Burdette, Deann & Mike Polimeni, Cassie Drake, Tony & Kim Garner, Tim & Nikki Garner; Great Grandchildren: Amberly, Ashlyn, Annsleigh, Jordan, April, Jonathan, Brynn, Anthony, Alex & Alyssa; Brother-in-law & Sisters-in-law: Arthur & Norma Garner, Snellville, Virginia Newell, Stone Mountain; Several Nieces & Nephews. Family will receive friends from 2-4 PM & 6-9 PM, Wednesday, August 9, 2006 at the Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 2246 Wisteria Drive, Snellville, Georgia 30078, 770-979-5010. Please sign online guest registry at www.stewartfh.com. MONROE EDWARDS, CECIL Cecil "Ed" Edwards, age 75 of Monroe, died Sunday, August 6, 2006. Arrangements by Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 670 Tom Brewer Road, Loganville, Georgia 30052, 770-466-1544. Please sign online guest registry at www.stewartfh.com .* SUGAR HILL WINKLER, THOMAS Thomas Q. Winkler, III, age 50, of Sugar Hill, Georgia, passed away Monday, August 7, 2006. Service and Arrangements will be announced later by Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory of Buford, GA, 770-932-1133, www.flaniganfuneralhome.com.*Regents put library for new college at top of projects list
ATLANTA - What's a college without a library?
Fortunately, students at the new Georgia Gwinnett College may not have to grapple with that question for long. The state university system Board of Regents approved a $285 million capital projects request Tuesday that includes $28.3 million to build a library at GGC, which opens next week on the campus of the former Gwinnett University Center in Lawrenceville. If Gov. Sonny Perdue includes the project in his fiscal 2008 budget and the Legislature approves it, the library could be built in two to three years, depending on how long it takes to sell bonds to finance the work, said Linda Daniels, the system's vice chancellor for facilities. "We'll fast track them,'' she said of the library and two other high-priority projects approved by the board Tuesday. "These are large projects, but we would expedite them in more of a private sector schedule.'' System Chancellor Erroll Davis said the GGC library and the other two projects - a health sciences building for Kennesaw State University and planning money for a dental school at the Medical College of Georgia - were moved to the top of the capital projects list above other projects that have been on the list longer because they would meet special needs. He said the Kennesaw State and MCG projects both relate to health sciences, a field the university system is emphasizing because of Georgia's work force needs. Davis said the new library needs to be in place as soon as possible to meet accreditation requirements for Gwinnett's new stand-alone college. The three projects are beneficiaries of a new process begun by Davis that stresses fulfilling emerging priorities over funding building projects simply because they were already on a multiyear list. "Right now, the goal is to get on the list,'' the chancellor said after Tuesday's board vote. "In a system where allocations are driven by priorities, it will be easier to introduce new projects.'' As a way to transition into Davis' new system, the board also requested funds for the four projects that were at the top of the existing list. Those items include academic buildings at Savannah State University and Fort Valley State University, a professional sciences center at Macon State College and a pharmacy school for the University of Georgia. For the first time, the board also is asking for more than $2 billion in operating funds for fiscal 2008, which begins next July 1. The number crept over that figure due to an $80 million increase in formula funding. Vice Chancellor for Finances Bill Bowes said Perdue has told university system officials he will fully fund the formula next year but has instructed them not to ask for more money in other areas of the budget. Here are the seven University System of Georgia building projects included in the Board of Regents' capital projects request for fiscal 2008, which starts next July 1: College Item Amount Savannah State University academic building $12.7 million Macon State College professional sciences and convention center $22.2 million Fort Valley State University academic building $16.8 million University of Georgia College of Pharmacy $37.2 million Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry $5 million* Kennesaw State University health sciences building $42.5 million Georgia Gwinnett College Library $28.3 million *design only Source: University System of Georgia Board of RegentsComebacks possible in politics
The end of the primary season is like the first cut in football practice. You wonder which players will disappear, never to return to the field again.
Johnson sweeps McKinney out of office, wins nomination for4th district
ATLANTA - U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney lost her bid for re-election to Congress Tuesday for the second time in four years.
Unexpectedly forced into a runoff last month, McKinney lost the Democratic nomination in the 4th Congressional District to former DeKalb County Commissioner Hank Johnson. With 89 percent of the precincts reporting shortly after 11 p.m., Johnson led McKinney with 58.9 percent of the vote to her 41.1 percent. He will face Republican Catherine Davis for the right to represent the 4th district, which includes most of DeKalb County, a large part of Rockdale and part of western Gwinnett. Despite Johnson's winning margin, the race was uncertain for much of the night because the DeKalb votes were the last to come in. South DeKalb long had been McKinney's base of support. That wasn't the case statewide, as none of the four runoff contests - two on the Democratic side and two on the Republican - were close. Former state Rep. Jim Martin of Atlanta easily captured the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. Democratic Rep. Gail Buckner of Jonesboro was well ahead in the Democratic runoff for secretary of state, apparently headed for a fall showdown with Fulton County Commission Chairman Karen Handel of Roswell, who won the Republican nod. And in the only other statewide runoff, Gary Black, former head of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, sailed to the GOP nomination for commissioner of agriculture. With 91 percent of precincts reporting in all of the statewide contests, Martin led former state Sen. Greg Hecht of Jonesboro 61 percent to 39 percent. Martin will face the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, Gainesville-area state Sen. Casey Cagle, in November. "We went to areas where we hadn't been as successful during the primary election,'' Martin said as the runoff votes came pouring in. "It looks like it paid off.'' In the secretary of state runoffs, Democrat Buckner led retired business executive Darryl Hicks of Fayetteville, 54.7 percent to 45.3 percent. His only hope, an extremely slim one, was to sweep the still uncounted DeKalb precincts. On the Republican side, Handel defeated state Sen. Bill Stephens of Canton, 55.8 percent to 44.2 percent. Black, of Commerce, captured the Republican nomination for agriculture commissioner by a large margin over state Sen. Brian Kemp of Athens, with 59.8 percent of the vote to 40.2 percent. Johnson hadn't been expected to push McKinney into a runoff. She only began to campaign actively after he posted a strong 44 percent of the vote in the July 18 primary to her 47 percent. In the days that followed, McKinney hit the streets with her T-shirt wearing supporters, appeared with Johnson in several radio and TV debates and launched a wave of ads on metro-Atlanta cable TV outlets. During the three weeks between the primary and Tuesday's runoff, McKinney portrayed herself as one of the few Democrats in Congress willing to confront President Bush over his handling of the war in Iraq and his administration's slow response in aiding neighborhoods and communities hit by Hurricane Katrina, many populated predominantly by blacks. Johnson argued that McKinney's controversial statements had alienated her congressional colleagues, including some Democrats, to the point that she could not be an effective advocate for the 4th District. He also called on her to more fully explain the scuffle she got into last March with a Capitol police officer, who didn't recognize her at a checkpoint and tried to stop her. She was accused of striking the officer, but a grand jury declined to indict her. For her part, McKinney hammered Johnson over his checkered financial past, which included failing to pay his taxes on time and filing for bankruptcy. She accused him of taking campaign contributions from a landfill operator who had business before the county commission and charged that his campaign against her was being underwritten by Republican donors. Johnson denied receiving money from the landfill operator and said the vast majority of his campaign funds came from Democrats. Johnson had more of that money to work with down the stretch. Between the primary and Aug. 5, he raised $183,500 in contributions of $1,000 or more, compared to just $64,100 brought in by McKinney during the same period, according to reports the two filed with the Federal Election Commission. Despite the divisive nature of the campaign, Johnson called for unity in his victory speech late Tuesday night. "This has not been an easy race,'' he said. "(But) now, it's time to heal the wounds and for everyone to come together.'' McKinney served a decade in the House before losing the seat in the 2002 primary. However, she won it back two years ago, when then-Rep. Denise Majette left Congress in an unsuccessful bid for the Senate. Like the McKinney-Johnson race, the contests between Martin and Hecht and Stephens and Handel were filled with charges and countercharges. Two Georgia newspapers, the Macon Telegraph and Atlanta-based Creative Loafing, even withdrew their endorsements of Hecht and supported Martin, citing negative campaigning by Hecht. During a TV debate a week before the runoff, Hecht apologized for taking out of context a 12-year-old statement from Martin declaring that some rape victims "should have known better.'' But Hecht insisted that it was Martin who had begun the negative campaigning by putting out a mailer that said Hecht didn't support women's rights. Stephens questioned Handel's conservative credentials, always a key consideration in a Republican primary. He accused her of supporting domestic-partner benefits for gay couples as a member of the Fulton commission and of voting to fund Planned Parenthood - a group that provides abortion services. Handel countered by highlighting a stiff $14,000 fine meted out to Stephens two years ago by the State Ethics Commission for misusing campaign funds. Stephens and Handel also argued about whether Stephens' experience in the General Assembly or Handel's as a former head of the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce was better preparation for the duties of a secretary of state. Hicks and Buckner engaged in a similar public-versus-private-sector debate in their much more tepid race for the Democratic nomination. Bucker touted her 16 years in the Georgia House, and Hicks who held up his 20 years in the corporate world as an executive with Atlanta Gas Light. For Black and Kemp, the contest shaped up as a dispute over which would have a better chance of unseating longtime Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin. Black emphasized his years of experience as an advocate for farmers and farm businesses at the state and federal levels of government. Kemp stressed his mix of experience as a member of legislative committees with jurisdiction over agriculture and a business owner who understood the daily concerns of agri-businesses.Stocks lower after Fed leaves rates unchanged
NEW YORK (AP) - The Federal Reserve's long-awaited pause in interest rate hikes sent stocks modestly lower Tuesday as Wall Street welcomed the move but worried that more increases might still be ahead.
Alcohol responsibility task force wants to reform advertising
LAWRENCEVILLE - The task force Gwinnett Educating about alcohol responsibility discussed ways to combat underage drinking Tuesday at its first meeting of the fiscal year.
Cecil Edwards
Cecil “Ed” Edwards, age 75 of Monroe, died Sunday, August 6, 2006. Arrangements by Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 670 Tom Brewer Road, Loganville, Georgia 30052, 770-466-1544. Please sign ...
Douglas Holman
Douglas E. Holman, age 75 of Flowery Branch, formerly of Buford, GA, passed away on August 8, 2006. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Odell Henry ...
Ruth Mccullers
Ruth Garner McCullers, age 86 of Loganville died Monday, August 7, 2006. Funeral Services will be held 11:00 AM, Thursday, August 10, 2006 in the Snellville Chapel of Tim Stewart ...
Thomas Winkler, Iii
Thomas Q. Winkler, III, age 50, of Sugar Hill, Georgia, passed away Monday, August 7, 2006. Service and Arrangements will be announced later by Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral ...
