GwinnettForum | Number 25.80 | Oct. 14, 2025
SELFIES WIN: The City of Duluth has earned national recognition for creative excellence, taking home a Silver Circle Award in the Graphic Design category at the 2025 Savvy Awards, presented by the City-County Communications and Marketing Association. The award ceremony took place recently in Las Vegas, Nevada. Duluth’s winning entry, Downtown Selfie Stations, was celebrated as an innovative way to encourage community connection and highlight the city’s most scenic and social spots. The colorful, interactive signs that are strategically placed throughout downtown Duluth invite residents and visitors to snap photos, share their experiences on social media, and showcase the city’s vibrant identity. Judges praised the project as a “fun and creative way to highlight noteworthy spots in your community,” adding that the “design is intuitive, invites passersby to interact, and is memorable as well.”
TODAY’S FOCUS: Volunteers needed on GDOS to clean up Gwinnett area
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Fascinating stories of Johnson flow in new book
SPOTLIGHT: Peachtree Campus
ANOTHER VIEW: Peaceful understanding must be our next step
FEEDBACK: Another will vote NO who wants accountability
UPCOMING: Paint Gwinnett Pink returns for 10th year
NOTABLE: GBI agents address GGC criminal justice class
RECOMMENDED: Angels and Apparitions, by Barbara Duffey
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Foundations funnel help to people and charities
MYSTERY PHOTO: Two figures in this story tell their own story
CALENDAR: Delta President Bastian speaks here on Oct. 14
Volunteers needed on GDOS to clean up Gwinnett area
By Kasey Bolling
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | As part of one of the Southeast’s largest volunteer days of service, Metro Atlanta-based Keep America Beautiful affiliate, Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful (GC&B) aims its focus on local waterways. Great Days of Service mobilizes individuals, corporations, churches, schools, civic organizations, and communities to engage in meaningful volunteer service to address the county’s most crucial needs.
For its Gwinnett Great Days of Service initiative, the Lawrenceville-based, eco-focused nonprofit is inviting local citizens to become part of the Stormwater Protectors program for the weekend of October 17-19, 2025. Managed by GC&B and Gwinnett Water Resources, the program helps stop pollution – such as oil, fertilizers, insecticides, pet waste, toxic chemicals, and litter – from entering area rivers and streams.
Garret Dufty, Environmental Outreach Coordinator for GC&B, says: “Storm drains are designed to prevent flooding by carrying rainwater from our streets to streams and rivers. Storm drains can get clogged with leaves, grass, and other landscaping debris, causing potential flooding. Other types of litter can also make their way into storm drains, such as car washing soap, plastics, pet waste, and motor oil. These pollutants will eventually end up in our streams and rivers, damaging our local ecosystem. Search your neighborhood and community for storm drains that need to be marked and submit a form for project approval.”
Participation in the program involves placement of special medallions on storm drains that read “No Dumping – Only Rain in the Drain.” Volunteers will also hand out educational flyers to inform community members what does and does not belong in local drains and why. Equipment, materials, and waivers will be available for pickup at GC&B’s office – located at 446 W. Crogan Street, Suite 430 in Lawrenceville – in the days leading up to October 17.
Schelly Marlatt, executive director of GC&B, emphasizes: “This three-day event offers a great way for companies, churches, civic groups, municipalities, and neighborhoods to protect our waterways for future generations. By dedicating just a few hours of your time, you’ll help raise awareness, educate your neighbors, and take meaningful action to make our community a cleaner and more beautiful place. As an added bonus, for households that provide at least four hours of volunteer time to the Storm Drain Medallion Marking Program, they will be eligible to receive a credit of up to five percent on their stormwater service fees.”
To register a site for the Stormwater Protectors/Great Days of Service event, participants are asked to visit this web link visit and complete the form. All Gwinnett County volunteers are required to complete a waiver release form. They can then send the form to the Project/Event Organizer via email or turn in their signed waiver at the volunteer event.
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Fascinating stories about Johnson erupt in book
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
OCT. 14, 2025 | Finally, Tom Johnson of Atlanta has written a book about his remarkable career. We’re glad he did, for the book is fascinating, and he tells stories no one else can tell about his days from growing up in Macon, to the White House, and to the top of the news world. He became a recognized world news leader when heading CNN.
Yet it wasn’t always peaches and cream, as Tom discloses some of his most difficult personal trials that allows you to understand the title, Driven.
Tommy Johnson and I both started out working for The Macon Telegraph, six years later than me. His first boss was Sam Glassman, the sports editor, who taught him something valuable in journalism: “Get (the facts) it right!”
Working full weekends at the Telegraph while at the University of Georgia, he was encouraged to go to Harvard Business School, then landed in the first class of the White House Fellows. President Lyndon Johnson saw something in him, and soon he was a “special assistant” to the president, taking copious notes when sitting in on secret meetings, having gained the president’s trust.
As Tom anticipated returning to the private world, LBJ wanted him in Austin, Texas, to help run the many family businesses. That soon led to a major position, him becoming publisher of the Dallas Times-Herald, owned by the Los Angeles Times, and later becoming its publisher. After 13 exceptionally profitable years guided by Johnson, he was abruptly fired by the conservative family holdings. That’s when Ted Turner tapped him to lead CNN (after Jane Fonda OK’d him!).
What great personal stories and photos there are in this book!
- When young reporter Doris Kearns (Goodwin) wrote critically of LBJ, Tom told the president, who said: “Tom, I want her assigned to me.” She later wrote a history of the LBJ days.
- Through a friend in Texas, he was introduced to Ted Turner of CNN, who fascinated Tom. When Tom asked Ted what he expected of him in the job, Ted said: “Make CNN the absolute best news network on the planet.” “What else?” “That’s it, pal.” And Turner continually backed that idea with the dollars to make CNN the first truly global network it became, led by Johnson.
- As Michael Gorbachev was ready to sign resignation papers, to transfer power in Russia and basically end the Cold War, his pen didn’t work. Johnson pulled out his Mont Blanc pen for Gorbachev to use. Johnson later donated that pen to the Newseum in Washington, D.C.
Fascinating stories like those above pop up regularly throughout the book.
Very openly in this accounting, Johnson reveals sides of him that people did not see. Most associates never recognized this part of his life. He was often troubled by depression, plus addiction, and he tells of his struggles. It wasn’t easy, but he found new ways to help others in these areas. His wife, long his cornerstone, was hit by cancer, and they found new strength in her recovery. And he learned more about Alzheimer’s Disease, when it hit his daughter. He took all these topics as his new path to public services, using his Rolodex to contact key people.
If it’s one element that Johnson seems to regret, it was that he didn’t spend enough time with his wife, son and daughter. Johnson is now working on this.
You’ll be pleased that Tom Johnson, now 84, penned this fascinating and easily read book. It is published by the University of Georgia Press.
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Peachtree Campus
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today we welcome a new underwriting sponsor. Peachtree Campus is North Atlanta’s campus for education, production, and events. Located in historic Norcross, with abundant parking and easy access to Peachtree Boulevard, Peachtree Campus should be on the short list when looking for a workspace with creative vision. It’s the home of Brenau University’s North Atlanta Campus and to Boswell Edward Academy, a Georgia Pre-K School and Daycare. The Veranda on Reps Miller provides flexible space for small events and larger community events. It annually hosts the annual Neighborhood Christmas Train Experience. Now available is 3159 Campus Drive, which has 27 classrooms and a large multi-purpose space, which can be the perfect location for a growing school, event facility, film/video production studio, or faith community. Learn leasing opportunities by contacting Jonathan Galucki, email jg@optimaproperties.net or text 678-612-3385.
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Peaceful understanding must be our next step
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | Politically motivated killing is inexcusable. It is murder.
In the last decade, it has become common for people on both the right and left to excuse violence committed against leaders who represent the other side. In a democracy, political violence is wrong, period. Under the First Amendment of the Constitution, Americans have the right to free speech. However, people excusing such violence must be called out.
Here are just a few of the numerous violent incidents against both Democratic and Republican figures over the last 15 years:
- Rep. Gabby Giffords shooting, 2011: Jared Loughner shot and killed six innocent people and injured numerous others at a Tucsoncampaign rally for US Representative Gabby Giffords, who survived but remains severely impaired. According to friends, Loughner disliked women in politics and stated women should not hold positions of power. Although not a member of any formal group, his paranoid views on government parroted many of the right-wing conspiracies prevalent today.
- Congressional baseball team shooting: On June 14, 2017, there was an Alexandria, Virginia baseball game between Republicans and Democrats, an example of how opposing political views should not impede comradery. JamesHodgkinson, 66, of Illinois fired on the GOP group, severely wounding House Majority Whip, Louisiana Rep.Steve Scalise, who still carries the scars of that day. Hodgkinson, who had expressed left wing views, was shot to death at the scene by police.
- Pipe bombs mailed, 2018: Cesar Sayoc, a Florida based Trump supporter, mailed pipe bombs (explosives and timers) to prominent people around the nation who he believed were political opponents of Trump. Among those targeted were former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Kamala Harri, Robert DeNiro, and liberal billionaire George Soros. Because of law enforcement efforts, no one was injured.
- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnap plot, 2020: The Wolverine Watchmen, an anti-government militia group attempted to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat. Whitmer stringently called out then President Trump over the federal government’s lack of preparedness and response during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump responded back strongly, saying the governor was “failing.” The group was a backlash against perceived authoritarian control (i.e. containment of Covid measures) from Democratic leaders like Whitmer. The Wolverine Watchmen eventually stormed the Michigan Capitol, but the plot failed after FBI intervention.
- U.S. Capitol Riot/Insurrection, 2021: TheCapitol insurrection, a violent attack by right-wing extremists on the federal government, resulted in nearly 140 police officers injured, some severely. Four officers later committed suicide, and another died of a stroke the day after the riot. Because of the bravery of these officers, Washington political figures (Democrats and Republicans) who refused to overthrow the 2020 election were not hurt.
- Hammer attack on Paul Pelosi, 2022: David DePape is a rightwing conspiracy theorist. He invaded former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s California home and beat Paul (her elderly husband) with a hammer, demanding to know his wife’s whereabouts. DePape was arrested at the scene by police, but not before severely injuring Paul.
These six incidents are representative of what has been happening in our nation recently. Republicans and Democrats, from the president on down, must condemn all such violence without regard to politics. Selective condemnation will only fuel the fire.
Our nation is better than this. We must all condemn it, and find a way to bring us together more peacefully.
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Another to vote NO, who wants accountability
Editor, the Forum:
I plan on voting NO on the E-SPLOST renewal question on November 4, and I encourage all reasonable minded citizens in Gwinnett to do the same. The wasteful and abusive spending in GCPS is out of control and must stop. ISC heads come to the school board time after time, with one spending request after another and the board, more often than not, signs off on the spending requests. Well, no more! We have had enough of the reckless spending! There is so much waste in GCPS that many citizens probably don’t know the half of it. What we need in GCPS is a third party forensic audit to account for EVERY dollar spent. Where is every dollar going and why?
I have previously voted for E-SPLOST enthusiastically but I will never vote for E-SPLOST ever again! I do not reward poor stewards of public dollars with more of my taxpayer dollars. Enrollment is flat in Gwinnett school and has remained relatively flat over the past couple of years but the GCPS budget has increased by 1 billion dollars since 2021. In 2021, the GCPS operating budget was 2.3 billion dollars; it is now 3.43 billion dollars. GCPS wastes money on failing initiatives like SEL, Restorative Justice, PBIS and EL curriculum. Where is the evidence to show that spending money on these initiatives is working? It does not exist.
We need transparency and accountability in GCPS and voting NO is one way that Gwinnett citizens can begin to hold GCPS officials accountable. I encourage all Gwinnett citizens to inform themselves — probe inside gaps — happenings and vote NO on the E-SPLOST renewal question on November 4, 2025!
– Maria Popovici, Lawrenceville
But consider how long the recovery will take!
Editor, the Forum:
Yes, we will survive Donald Trump. But given the destruction he and his administration are causing in a whole host of areas, the question is how long will the recovery take?
– John Titus, Peachtree Corners
- Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: ebrack2@gmail.com.
Paint Gwinnett Pink returns Oct. 18 for 10th year
Paint Gwinnett Pink is back for its 10th year. This 5K Walk/Run and Survivor Celebration is happening on Saturday, October 18, from 8 until 11 a.m. at the Gas South Theater Parking Lot, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, in Duluth.
As the largest breast cancer 5K event in Gwinnett County, Paint Gwinnett Pink brings together survivors, families, physicians, caregivers, and the Gwinnett community for a morning of support, strength, and hope. Last year, there were over 2,200 participants as the community shows up strong each year.
Proceeds from the event benefit program and equipment needs supporting the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute in Gwinnett. Every contribution helps improve access to care and offers hope to those battling breast cancer.
Boo Fest returns to Lawrenceville Lawn on Oct. 24
Visit Lawrenceville on Friday, October 24, for Boo Fest, from 6 to 9 p.m. on the Lawrenceville Lawn. It’s a free, family-friendly Halloween celebration filled with costumes, candy, and fun for all ages! Put on your best Halloween costume and get ready to explore the many attractions that await you.
Visit our treat trail to fill your candy pail full of Halloween goodies and enjoy other spooky surprises to keep you on your toes all night. With plenty of food vendors on site, you can indulge in all your favorite Halloween treats while you take in the sights and sounds of the season. BOO Fest is the perfect place to bring the whole family for an unforgettable night of fun.
Norcross Shapes exhibit continues at Norcross Gallery
The long-anticipated exhibit, silent auction and fundraiser is now on display at Norcross Gallery and Studios. The affair, Norcross Shapes, is to raise funds for exhibits, community events, classes, and support for art, artists and culture throughout the area.
A month-long silent auction is a part of this annual show; come and bid on the art you love and check back frequently to make sure it will end up hanging on your walls! Final bidding will be at 2 p.m. at the closing festivities on Sunday, November 2, from 1 to 4 p.m. Most of the Gallerys’ exhibits are approximately every six weeks with receptions free and open to the public and opportunities to meet the outstanding artists, appreciate and purchase their work. For more information or to register for a class go to www.norcrossgalleryandstudios.org.
GBI agents address GGC criminal justice class
For Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) students studying criminal justice, a recent event on campus was a chance to talk with Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agents about career opportunities and what they could expect.
Caliyah Jefferson, a McDonough resident and junior studying criminal justice, is interested in crime scene investigation and forensics. She says: “I want to be in a position to contribute by helping bring justice for people and not be afraid of the criminal justice system.”
GBI has four major divisions: forensic science, Georgia Crime Information Center, the investigative division and the medical examiner’s office.
Special Agent Turner, who works in Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes, says: “One thing that many people don’t know is that GBI is a request-only agency. We are here to help all Georgia law enforcement agencies, district attorneys, police departments and by directive, the Governor of Georgia.” Turner emphasizes to students that a great way to get in the door with GBI is to apply for an internship. “That’s what I did and I couldn’t recommend it more,” she says. “You really get hands-on experience.”
For Dr. Susan Quinn, an associate professor of criminal justice and criminology at GGC, bringing in professionals in the field opens eyes and doors for her students. “I want students to have the chance to see there are a lot of different pathways for careers and jobs in the criminal justice system,” she says. “A great way to do that is bringing in professionals and meeting them outside the classroom.”
That’s exactly what Connor Salmon, a Lawrenceville native and senior studying criminal justice, gained from the experience. “I want to start as a law enforcement officer and learn more about the day-to-day operations and how they are different from other divisions,” he says.
GBI does see its share of GGC alumni in various roles. One of those is Special Agent Beyer, who has been with the agency since 2020. “The campus has really grown since I was a student here,” he says. “I had a very positive experience here and that helped me in my career path.” Before joining Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes, Beyer handled cases that included public corruption and homicide.
Norfolk Southern gives grant for underpass mural
Norfolk Southern has awarded Create Gwinnett a $10,000 Thriving Communities Grant to support the south wall of the Synchronicity Mural Project in partnership with the Sugarloaf Community Improvement District!
Their Thriving Communities Grant Program supports sustainability and community resiliency efforts across Norfolk Southern’s 22-state network. With this investment, Create Gwinnett and the Sugarloaf Community Improvement District (CID) are advancing a shared vision to grow Gwinnett’s creative economy through public art and support local placemaking projects that strengthen community connection and identity.
Watch for progress on the South Wall of the Synchronicity Mural, now underway at the I-85 underpass at Sugarloaf Parkway.
Angels and Apparitions, by Barbara Duffey
From Susan J. Harris, Stone Mountain: This book will take the reader on a journey through the past, with much focus upon the times leading up to and through the Civil War. There are stories from Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. There is also a chapter that focuses on the supernatural including mysterious happenings at New York City’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The largest number of stories are from Georgia from Midway, Milledgeville, and Cumberland Island. Most of the ghosts or spirits are friendly, though some are mournful and others sometimes just appear and fade away or save the lives of those living in the homes in modern times. This is a wonderfully readable collection that has a wistful quality that will appeal to romantics, history lovers and those interested in the supernatural. Filled with engaging photographs, this is a collection that will be enjoyed if it is picked up. The full title is Angels and Apparitions: True Ghost Stories from the South.
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Foundations funnel help to charities and people
A foundation is a nonprofit corporation or charitable trust, established under state law, with the principal purpose of making grants to unrelated organizations or institutions or to individuals for scientific, educational, cultural, religious, or other charitable purposes. This definition includes both private foundations and public foundations.
The differences between private and public foundations are established by the Internal Revenue Code. Once a nonprofit organization such as a foundation has been legally established in Georgia, it must obtain recognition as a charitable organization from the Internal Revenue Service in order for contributions to it to be tax deductible.
The most prevalent characteristic of a private foundation is that its funds come from one source, such as an individual, a family, or a corporation. “Public foundation” is used to describe public charities with the primary purpose of making grants.
Most early foundations in the United States were established for the benefit of a particular institution, such as a hospital or school, or to meet a specific social need, such as relief for the poor. The oldest foundation in Georgia still in existence is the Savannah Widows Society, an operating foundation established in 1822 to assist elderly or disabled women of extremely limited income in Chatham County.
Independent foundations are sometimes called family foundations. There is no legal definition of a family foundation. The philanthropic community usually calls an independent foundation a family foundation if the donor or family members of the donor continue to have significant involvement in the running of the foundation. The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, the Goizueta Foundation, and the Turner Foundation are independent foundations that could also be called family foundations.
Corporate foundations, also called company-sponsored foundations, are usually established as private foundations, receiving their assets from a company rather than an individual or family. A company-sponsored foundation and the company that established it.
In 2002 there were 50 company-sponsored foundations in Georgia, with assets of nearly $362 million and giving of nearly $100 million. About 40 percent give in the $100,000 to $1 million range annually. Another 20 percent of the corporate foundations give between $1 million and $6 million annually. Examples of Georgia’s corporate foundations include the BellSouth Foundation (later AT&T Foundation), Coca-Cola Foundation, the Georgia Power Foundation, and the UPS Foundation.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Two figures in this statue tell their own story
Check out this statue in front of a train station. See if you can identify this Mystery Photo, send your ideas to ebrack2@gmail.com, and tell us which is your hometown.
David Will, Lilburn, was first in with the identification of the recent mystery: “Today’s mystery photo is the Concord covered bridge in Cobb County. As you may recall from news reports, it is frequently the target for oversized vehicles who ignore warnings and crash into it. While some have assumed it is from inattentive drivers who ignore the warning signs, there is a growing number of folks who believe that it has mysterious magnetic powers that simply pull the vehicles into trouble.” The photo came from Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill.
Matt Willis, Lawrenceville, wrote: “That looks like the old covered bridge in Smyrna. I grew up in Mableton so I drove over it many times.”
And Allen Peel of San Antonio, Texas, gave more: “The bridge is approximately 130 feet long and 16 feet wide and carries traffic along Concord Road across the Nickajack Creek. It is the only remaining covered bridge in Cobb County that is ‘usually’ open to cars and trucks. Built in 1872 by Martin L. Ruff (1807–1876) and his business partner, Robert Daniell (1813–1881), it replaced a smaller, 1842 bridge that had been significantly damaged during the Civil War, at the Battle of Ruff’s Mill on July 4, 1864.
“The Concord Covered Bridge is frequently closed to traffic to allow for repairs to be made after it is damaged by vehicles that are too large. This, despite the fact that there is a clearly marked and visible beam across the bridge that lists the height clearance as 7′-0″. The latest such mishap and closure occurred on July 23, 2025.
“There is one more story about today’s mystery photo. Local lore tells of a number of ghost stories surrounding the Concord Covered Bridge. My favorite is that if you park your car on the bridge at night, turn off your headlights, and leave a Snickers bar on the roof, you might hear ‘scurried feet’ grab it. Is it true or is it legendary lore? You decide. For the record, it is not me … even though Snickers bars are my favorite!”
Also recognizing this mystery were Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Kay Bradford, Hiram; Mark Smith, Eatonton; Wes Vollrath, Howard Sanders, Spooner, Wis. (formerly Douglasville.; Annette Moody, Newnan; Cheryl Gray, Mableton; Dana Goodman, Acworth; Magan Gentry-Starr, Mableton; Charles O’Donnell, Smyrna; Tom Vaughan, Rabun Gap; Valerie Hargrove, Sparta; Tim Kanouff, Carlton; and several more who did not list their home towns!
Lots of people—more than 20!—guessed incorrectly, locating this photo all over Georgia!
- SHARE A MYSTERY PHOTO: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Click here to send an email and please mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Delta’s president to speak here Oct. 14
Delta Air Lines President Ed Bastian will be the speaker at the October 14 Gas South District Speaker’s Series. He will share his vision for the future of aviation. The main portion of the event will start at 11 a.m. with Atlanta journalist Monica Kaufman Pearson leading the conversation. Doors open at 10:00 a.m. on the day of the event with a continental breakfast and networking opportunity. This is a great opportunity for any aviation enthusiasts who want to get the inside scoop on where this industry is headed. There’s still time to get your tickets for this event by heading over to the Gas South District’s website.
The Norcross PDC (people drinking coffee) meets each Wednesday at 8:15 a.m. at the 45 South Café in downtown Norcross. Speaker for the October 15 meeting will be Dr. Jon Valentine, who coordinates Gwinnett County Schools/Dual Languages program. The event is free and visitors are welcomed.
Homestead Exemption program: Join the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner’s Office to learn about property taxes and how to apply for property tax exemptions to save money. This program will be in English and Spanish at the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on October 16 at 7 p.m. With Norcross residents voting on a homestead exemption possibility in November, this is particularly timely.
The annual Gwinnett Great Days of Service volunteer weekend returns October 17-19, bringing together thousands of individuals, corporations, schools, civic organizations, and communities to lend a hand with critical needs around the county. Register today at VolunteerGwinnett.net. Don’t miss this opportunity to make a meaningful change in our community!
Pedal Norcross: It’s time to “gear up” for this annual event. Attendees of all ages and skills levels get to explore Norcross on a 4.1 mile group ride, all while promoting safe and sustainable biking practices! This year the event will take place on Saturday, October 18 from 3-6 p.m. starting from Norcross City Hall, 65 Lawrenceville St. There will be free bike and helmet rentals, as well as free bike tune ups, if attendees bring their own bike. Check out their site for (free) tickets, volunteer, and donation opportunities!
Gwinnett Master Gardeners will meet October 20 at 7 p.m. at the Bethesda Senior Center, 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville. Speaker will be Eric Marlow, an UGA Extension Agent who has recently returned from Morocco, speaking of his time there as it relates to agriculture.
Police meeting: Ever wanted to learn about Gwinnett County police services? This is your chance to get the answers you’ve been looking for directly from the county. Join Chief J.D. McClure and other members of his force for a community meeting in Peachtree Corners on Thursday, October 23, at 6:30 p.m. at Peachtree Corners Baptist Church, 4480 Peachtree Corners Circle. County Police will be there to talk about the wide range of services and units within its department. Visit the event page and let us know you’re coming: GCGA.us/CommunityMeeting.
Deutsche Klassic German car show will be in downtown Norcross from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on October 25. There will be over 250 classic German automobiles on display, including BMWs, Audis, Porsches, Mercedes Benzes, Volkswagens, and Opels, car enthusiasts will enjoy a polka band and traditional German cuisine.
Braselton’s Antique and Artisan Festival will be October 25 and 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The largest antique festival in the series takes over downtown for two days of shopping! Explore 300+ vendors featuring handcrafted goods, repurposed items, home décor, boutique, and local art. Enjoy tasty food, live music, and a pet-friendly scene!
The Gwinnett Stripers are partnering with Dippin’ Dots to host Boo! at the Ballpark, a community Halloween event at Coolray Field on Saturday, October 25. It will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Parking and entry are free, but fans must secure their tickets online in advance. The all-ages event, running from 1-5 p.m., includes trick-or-treating on the main concourse; costume wiffle ball, hay rides, tie dying; and more holiday fun, plus lots of food and drink. For local businesses or organizations that would like to get involved in trick-or-treating, call 678-277-0321.
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