Today’s Focus

Duluth's Ascension Art Project.

FOCUS: Duluth public art to be a tool for city’s economic development

By Alisa Williams | The City of Duluth began a journey to define its unique character and translate it into public art throughout the city in October of 2014. Workshops were held to allow citizens to help fill Duluth’s canvas with art that tells the one-of-a-kind story. The Duluth Public Art Master Plan knits the diverse community together by defining and implementing the city’s expression—its signature — to the world.

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by · May 22, 2015 · Today's Focus
Gagnon

FOCUS: GGC professor makes exploring family history a little easier

By Edward Foster | Michael Gagnon, an associate professor of history at Georgia Gwinnett College who lives in Sugar Hill, has produced a series of web pages that should interest anyone who wants to explore their own family history, the local history of Gwinnett County, the history of Georgia, or the history of the US in the 1800s.

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by · May 19, 2015 · Today's Focus
Szabo

FOCUS: There is help to stop domestic violence

By Rosanna Szabo | LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., May 12, 2015 — A few days before Christmas, George was arrested for simple battery and criminal trespass. He refused to leave Anna’s Lilburn apartment and pushed past her, causing her to fall to the ground. He wanted to see their baby and would not leave until he hac.

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by · May 12, 2015 · Today's Focus
FOCUS: Truckers should have “crash avoidance” technology on big rigs

FOCUS: Truckers should have “crash avoidance” technology on big rigs

By John Suthers | The tragic deaths of five young women on Interstate 16 recently is a stark reminder of the dangers that tractor-trailers pose to all drivers on Georgia highways.

Five Georgia Southern University nursing students, riding in two cars, died when a tractor-trailer failed to stop for traffic slowed by a prior accident on I-16 in Bryan County during the early morning hours of April 22. Two other students were injured.

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by · May 8, 2015 · Today's Focus
Scene at Eagle Ranch

FOCUS: Eagle Ranch has served many children from Gwinnett County

By Stefanie Long | Just a few miles north of the Gwinnett line, there’s a place uniquely designed to help make life better for children and families going through a crisis. It’s called Eagle Ranch.

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by · May 5, 2015 · Today's Focus
Sheals

FOCUS: Hopewell Baptists to honor Sheals in is 35th year as pastor

By Izetta Sims | Marking his 35th anniversary as pastor, Hopewell Baptist Church of Norcross will honor Bishop Williams Sheals at a “black and gold” black-tie banquet on May 15 at the Gwinnett Arena Grand Ballroom. More than 400 people are expected for the fete. Tickets are $100.

It was a partly cloudy and cool Easter Sunday morning on April 6, 1980, when Hopewell Missionary Baptist welcomed Bill Sheals as its new pastor. The church, which dates back to 1865, at that time had about 200 members. After the morning service, as the children presented speeches, the sound system malfunctioned. Pastor Sheals, then working with an Atlanta housing agency, brought from his car a personal sound system, so that the parents could hear the children. From that moment on, he had the title “Papa Sheals,” by which many church members still address him.

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by · May 1, 2015 · Today's Focus
FOCUS: A key to protecting your computer is to know thine enemies

FOCUS: A key to protecting your computer is to know thine enemies

By Robert Covington | Security breaches are big news these days. It seems like the major media outlets discovered cybersecurity immediately following the Sony data theft, and it has been big news ever since.

The problem of information security threats is not a new one however. When I was a student in college years ago, I worked in the University of Miami data center. One of my jobs was tracking down students who broke security rules. In those days, hackers were usually bright college students breaking into systems just to prove that they could. My prime suspect began his hacking career as a high school student, bringing his skills with him to college. Invariably, I would track those types of perpetrators down, and given the low concerns about computer crimes in those days, they would get off with a wrist slap, and I would be after them again a few months later.

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by · April 28, 2015 · Today's Focus
FOCUS: Why do Interstate truckers not buy gas in Georgia?

FOCUS: Why do Interstate truckers not buy gas in Georgia?

By Tom Payne in Wayside, Ga. | The $300,000,000 question in Georgia is why 85 percent of interstate trucking companies do not buy fuel in Georgia.

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by · April 24, 2015 · Today's Focus
FOCUS: Sugar Hill preparing facilities to become Gwinnett’s sweet spot

FOCUS: Sugar Hill preparing facilities to become Gwinnett’s sweet spot

By Megan Carnell | Over the last ten years, Sugar Hill hasbeen quietly and effectively managing its many assets and preparing for the future. Well, the future is now and the city is more than ready to take on the challenge! As the fourth largest city in Gwinnett County, and as the population continues to grow, city leaders are boldly moving forward with plans to build a 21st Century downtown destination for residents and visitors alike.

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by · April 21, 2015 · Today's Focus
Lazarus

FOCUS: Court’s access to translators is key to justice

By Rachel M. Lazarus | Gwinnett has more primary languages spoken than any other county in Georgia, and that has a huge impact on access to justice. According to the last census, 33 percent of Gwinnett households speak more than 100 different languages other than English as their primary language. Without the ability to speak and be understood, Limited English Proficiency (LEP) is one of the biggest barriers people face when accessing the justice system.

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by · April 17, 2015 · Today's Focus