Gwinnett Daily Post — Aug. 18, 2014

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Gwinnett Daily Post SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2014

www.gwinnettdailypost.com $2.00 ©2014 SCNI

Vol. 44, No. 212

Testimony unsealed in land deal case By Tyler Estep

tyler.estep @gwinnettdailypost.com

Kevin Kenerly and David Jenkins — the old friends and gambling buddies at the center of a lengthy investigation into questionable Gwinnett County land deals — lead very different lives these days. Kenerly, the four-term Gwinnett County commissioner accused of taking bribes, entered a plea deal last week and will spend the

next decade on probation. Once a prominent figure in the real estate world, the 51-year-old is a favorite punching bag, and venomtongued punchline, for many — guilty in the court of public opinion, the tanned and well-groomed face of a corrupt era in Gwinnett politics. He is bankrupt and no longer owns a nine-bedroom mansion in swanky Chateau Elan. His property in Myrtle Beach, S.C., is gone too. When he goes home,

he goes to a rental house and hugs his wife, who has been diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer and is dying. Jenkins, on the other hand, lives in a $5 million, Kevin harbor-side Kenerly home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The developer’s grand jury testimony — in which he refuted the allegation that a series

‘Milestone’

By Kristi Reed

MORE INSIDE

What’s changed in the county’s land acquisition policies........3A

of 20 $50,000 payments to Kenerly were connected to a land deal that ultimately netted Jenkins $8 million — granted him immunity from potential prosecution. In the past three weeks, posts on the website for Jenkins’ company, Rocklyn Homes, have touted grand openings, “buyer bonuses” and fast-moving properties at developments in Law-

Who In Residential Real Estate.” For excerpts from the testiThese days, the primary mony of David Jenkins and thing that ties Kenerly and the grand jury’s full report, visit gwinnettdailypost.com. Jenkins together is the fact that they’re not going to renceville, Buford and Snell- prison — and the heartburn ville. Last September, the that Gwinnett County Dissame company was awarded trict Attorney Danny Porter the controversial rezoning has over the decisions that necessary to build a 334allowed that to happen. home subdivision off Cruse “I still am not sure,” PorRoad in Lawrenceville. ter said of the deals given to Four days after Kenerly’s both men. “But I made the fate was sealed, the Atlanta decision and I’ll live with it Business Chronicle included See TESTIMONY, Page 3A Jenkins in its list of “Who’s MORE ONLINE

After 15 years, Mall of Georgia going strong

kristi.reed@gwinnettdailypost.com

By Keith Farner

Despite a long and deep recession that has negatively affected businesses nationwide, the Mall of Georgia in Buford is still going strong as it celebrates 15 years of operation. “We were fortunate here at the Mall of Georgia. Our market is really coming into its own, it’s still growing,” said Joe Piccolo, Mall of Georgia General Manager. While sales dropped slightly during the recession, the Mall of Georgia — billed as the largest mall in the Southeast — did not experience the decline other comparable centers did according to Piccolo. Instead, he said, the mall has experienced a constant, steady growth with a “very, very healthy” occupancy rate. Currently, the Mall of Georgia has 225 stores occupying 1.8 million square feet of retail space. More tenants — including Haagen-Dazs, Tilly’s and, in The Village, Marlow’s Tavern — are coming soon to the mall, which celebrated 15 years of business on Aug. 13. “What we’re looking at is just sustained growth — sustained growth in the sense of bringing in the newest, the most unique stores to the market, one-ofa-kind, and we continue to do that,” Piccolo said. Though stores have come and gone during the past few years, much of the turnover has been “prefabricated” in order to create new shopping options. An example, Piccolo said, is Forever 21, which is currently under construction.

keith.farner@gwinnettdailypost.com

NORCROSS — A taxi driver was found dead early Saturday morning at a Norcross apartment complex after Norcross Police were called by a resident of Spring Lake Apartments. Norcross Police Capt. Bill Grogan said a man, 36-year-old Afolabi Andrew Odifa, working Afolabi for ATL Taxi was found Andrew Odifa slumped over in a car at 800 Chase Common Drive when police were called just before 3 a.m. The caller added that the car had been in the parking lot for a couple of hours. Paramedics called to the scene said the man had been shot at least once, Grogan

See NORCROSS, Page 9A

Everclear rocks 10th annual Suwanee concert By Keith Farner keith.farner@gwinnettdailypost.com

See MALL, Page 9A MORE ONLINE Visit gwinnettdailypost.com for video.

Police: Taxi driver killed in Norcross

More than 2,500 people are employed by mall retailers, and that number is even higher during the Christmas holiday season. (Special Photo)

SUWANEE — As high schoolers, Mark and Melissa Bowman remember listening to Everclear on the radio. So when they heard that the band would perform just miles from their Sugar Hill home, they couldn’t pass it up — especially when it’s free. In what is becoming a sort of tradition for them, they made their fourth straight visit to Suwanee for the annual August concert. And on Saturday evening, before a sun-splashed crowd of several thousand sitting on blankets and lawn chairs, the city celebrated the 10th anniversary of August concerts. “We still listen to those songs on a regular basis,” Mark said. “I personally think the ’90s was the best music ever made.” Added Melissa, “It makes us feel

See SUWANEE, Page 9A

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INSIDE Classified........6B

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Comics............8A

Horoscope......4A

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Obituaries..... 10A

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