Gwinnett Daily Post | News for Saturday, March 27, 2010

Palin leads rally against Reid

SEARCHLIGHT, Nev. -- Sarah Palin told thousands of tea party activists assembled in the dusty Nevada desert Saturday that Sen. Harry Reid will have to explain his votes when he comes back to his hometown to campaign.

WORLD IN BRIEF: Following Iraq upset, Allawi turns focus to negotiations

BAGHDAD -- The secular challenger who stunned Iraq with his razor-thin parliamentary election win turned his attention to negotiations over a future government Saturday even as supporters of the prime minister vowed to fight the results.

NATION IN BRIEF: Detectives probing 1978 NY arson that killed eight

NEW YORK -- A woman who lost seven children and her husband in a 1978 arson at their home near Albany was questioned again this week as investigators put renewed effort into solving the case.

Families turn out to hunt Easter eggs

Children encircled the rainbow sea of plastic eggs, anxiously awaiting the three-second countdown for the hunt to begin. Their quest was to find the golden egg. And to grab as many eggs -- and, therefore, as much candy -- as possible.

PEOPLE IN BRIEF: '24' to conclude this season

LOS ANGELES -- The drama ''24'' won't be ticking much longer on TV.Fox announced Friday that its action-packed real-time show starring Kiefer Sutherland as anti-terrorism agent Jack Bauer will wind down at the end of its current eighth season May 24.

Will you be counted? Census participation can make impact

The last time people were counted in Gwinnett County, the population was just over 588,000. But with traffic backing up farther and new subdivisions erupting in the beginning of the decade, everyone knows that there are more people here than in the year 2000.

Landmarks, cities across the world unplug for Earth Hour

LONDON -- Europe's best known landmarks -- including the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben and Rome's Colosseum -- fell dark Saturday, following Sydney's Opera House and Beijing's Forbidden City in joining a global climate change protest, as lights were switched off across the world to mark the Earth Hour event.

Man, 18, dies after hit by car

An 18-year-old man was killed late Friday night after he was struck by two vehicles while running across Peachtree Industrial Boulevard near Winters Chapel Road, police said. Hunter Collins was fighting on the side of the road with two other men he had been drinking with, Gwinnett County police spokesman Detective J. Smith said. A bystander broke up the fight and told everyone to get on the ground while he called the police.

Girl Scouts send treats to soldiers

Girl Scouts from all over metro Atlanta gathered at Lilburn City Hall on Saturday to give deployed troops a taste from home. More than 200 troops participated in the project, dubbed "A Taste from Home," which will send boxes of Girl Scout cookies decorated with inspirational notes, drawings and stickers to troops stationed in the Middle East. Roxanne Lau, the leader of one of the troops that organized the cookie collection, said she believed they would exceed this year's goal of sending 10,000 boxes of cookies.

Prep Roundup: Cole makes most of call-up from JV

DACULA -- After being called up from junior varsity Saturday, Matt Cole had a pinch-hit triple with two RBIs to score the game-winning run for the Falcons, as Dacula (6-5) beat Johns Creek 4-2.

POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Beaudreau picks role in congressional race

Mike Beaudreau won't run for Congress. In fact, the county commissioner has cast his support in the race he once considered for himself to Rep. Clay Cox.

Barrow bus driver fired after being accused of inappropriate conduct

Barrow County Schools has terminated the employment of a bus driver accused of inappropriate conduct with students. The 30-year-old male school bus driver's employment was terminated Tuesday, following allegations made by the father of a 16-year-old female student at Winder-Barrow High School, officials said. The bus driver's name was not released.

Stone Mountain Park to be featured in tonight's episode of 'Undercover Boss'

Stone Mountain Park will be featured in tonight's episode of the reality TV series "Undercover Boss." The show follows company executives as they leave the comforts of their offices for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their companies.

Double threat

HOSCHTON -- After the first day of competition at the 2010 Gwinnett County Track and Field Championships, one team championship streak seemed to be safe, while the other was very much in jeopardy.And Parkview was at the heart of both team scenarios, with the boys looking in good position for its third straight team title and the Panther girls poised to end Collins Hill's domination after Saturday's action at Mill Creek Community Stadium.

SWAN: Tobacco tax increase will improve state's health, bottom line

There is no question that tobacco is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in this country. Each year, tobacco claims the lives of 10,500 Georgians from lung and other cancers and cardiovascular disease. Every year, more than 11,300 Georgia youngsters become daily smokers, and nearly a third of them will die a premature death because of it.

Wolves outlast Ridge

NORCROSS -- Amid weather so perfectly spring, it seemed even Mother Nature was welcoming Saturday's beginning of a lacrosse tradition in Gwinnett County.Enthusiasm was palpable throughout Wesleyan's 8-6 win over Peachtree Ridge in the final of the inaugural Gwinnett County Tournament at Greater Atlanta Christian, an event both coaches expect will foster county rivalries and grow the sport's popularity annually.

Francoeur ready to 'enjoy' NYC

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Jeff Francoeur is now officially a New Yorker.After his trade from the Braves to the Mets last July, the Parkview graduate chose Long Island over Manhattan. Not this year.Francoeur, wife Catie and their three dogs will be living near Central Park this season at 59th Street and Third Avenue.

Road Closures

• Alcovy Road from Alcovy Springs Drive to Sweetgum Road will require intermittent lane closures between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. through December 2011 for roadway improvements associated with Sugarloaf Parkway extension.

Stone Mountain Park to be featured in tonight's episode of 'Undercover Boss'

STONE MOUNTAIN — Stone Mountain Park will be featured in tonight's episode of the reality TV series "Undercover Boss."

SWAN: Tobacco tax increase will improve state's health, bottom line

There is no question that tobacco is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in this country. Each year, tobacco claims the lives of 10,500 Georgians from lung and other cancers and cardiovascular disease. Every year, more than 11,300 Georgia youngsters become daily smokers, and nearly a third of them will die a premature death because of it.

LETTERS: If mandates are illegal, then trash plan should be nixed

I can't help but notice that all of the members of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners are Republicans. I wonder how they view the "mandate" in the health care reform bill that has just become the law of our land.

LETTERS: Medicare's deterioration is change you can believe in

Those people who call me lucky because I am on Medicare really don't have a clue. First, we Medicare recipients really don't have a choice because all group medical plans will dump you in Medicare the minute you turn 65. Yes, we oldsters may receive medical care, but to dispel contrary thoughts, it ain't free and it doesn't cover all Medicare procedures you may actually need. Having supplemental health insurance is irrelevant because Medicare determines total reimbursements. You can be sure doctors do not normally discuss all possible medical options not covered by Medicare. I am glad for you seniors who are happy with your primary care doctors but understand that you likely cannot change doctors because many have shuttered the door against new senior patients.

LETTERS: Opinion page lacks any alternative to conservatives

Aside from reporting the news, a newspaper should challenge its readers to think. Currently in all media, people with extreme conservative opinions monopolize what we hear, and maybe you are told what to do. Talk radio, talk shows on TV, and newspapers like yours are so far right that there's no need to read what Cal Thomas and Bill O'Reilly have to say because they say the same thing all the time. Your lesser known columnist are baby Thomases and O'Reillys, so there's no need to read what they're saying either.

BRODER: Education now moves into spotlight

After more than a year when the spotlight remained fixed on the doctor's office and the hospital room, attention switches this week to the classrooms of America. On Monday, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will announce the first-round winners of the Race to the Top, the $4 billion competition he set up to reward the states with the most ambitious plans for improving their public schools.

News for Saturday, March 27, 2010

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Buckhead Theatre

Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center

Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center

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Children's Museum of Atlanta

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