January 15, 2019 — Gwinnett Daily Post

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1/3/20 8:57 AM

GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY Annual report released on top 10 issues in Georgia education

By Taylor Denman taylor.denman@ gwinnettdailypost.com

The 2020 General Assembly session began Monday in Georgia, and education experts are speculating how tax and budget cutting will affect Georgia’s schools.

Each January for the previous 16 years, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education releases a report called “Top 10 Issues to Watch” related to what issues will be prevalent as the General Assembly begins its legislative session.

GPEE states its mission is to inform and influence Georgia leaders for the improvement of student achievement with research and non-partisan advocacy to impact education policies and practices.

In what is shaping up to be a frugal legislative session, GPEE Vice President Dana Rickman said the indirect effects of cutting state mental health and public health programs could have second- and third-order effects on education.

“If they’re efficiency cuts — that’s great, I’m all for efficiency,” Rickman said during a Jan. 10 presentation in Atlanta. “But let’s think long and hard about what these cuts are actually going to entail in terms of support for students and families.”

Shifting Demographics and preparing for the future The first issue in the report asserts Georgia must the challenge of preparing enough skilled workers to fill future jobs.

The GPEE report cites a study from the Southern Regional Education Board in saying, “If state and business leaders do not act, 1.5 million workers and their children could be unemployable or struck in low-wage jobs: an endless cycle of poverty.”

Shifting demographics change the composition of the state’s future workforce, the report states. As Georgia population becomes more diverse — and if more public school students are living in poverty — Georgia must adapt to prepare future workers with stronger basic proficiency in math and sills such as problem solving and communication.

The report challenges state and local leaders to provide opportunities to increase educational attainment and skills training and invest in initiatives to help low-skill adults return the school for diplomas.

Challenges in Early Learning

“

If top-performing educa-

tional institutions have clear there are standards and a system of reasons larger accountability, a potential to Milestones percentages of replacement must continue to set high low-income stu- educational standards and dents don’t read expectations, the report says. on grade-level. Non-academic barriers a lot of it has to to learning do with poverty What happens at home and access and does not stay at home, GeorSchools Superintendent services and gia Richard Woods said during things of that the GPEE symposium.

The Georgia Department nature.” of Education’s System of

Dana Rickman, vice president of Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education

dition, children whose parents have low literacy levels have a 72% chance of being at the lowest reading level.

GPEE’s report states that by aligning resources and enacting campaigns that increase awareness and emphasize the importance of literacy programs, students facing income inequality can begin to close the gaps in literacy.

One thing the report found across all demographics is that students who earned higher scores on third-grade, end-ofcourse reading tests graduated at higher rates.

“If we are able to provide them what we needed for them to reach that benchmark, we’re halfway home — or more so,” Rickman said.

Ripple effects of budget cuts

Continuous Improvement provides a framework for sustained improvement in student outcomes that goes beyond what happens in a school.

More than 60% of Georgia’s public school students receive free and reduced lunch.

GPEE’s report states as the percentage of economically disadvantaged Georgia K-12 students grows, so does the importance of identifying and rooting out non-academic barriers to learning.

Those support systems are possibly on the budgeting chopping block this year.

Rural poverty could endanger opportunity The most rural parts of Gwinnett County aren’t as ostracized as some areas of Georgia, but economic development could lead to educational barriers in areas outside of the metro-Atlanta area. GPEE reports the number of rural students in Georgia is the third highest of any state in the U.S. GPEE’s report claims there is little coordination or overlap between the economic revitalizations of rural communities and strengthening education. If economic development and educational policy in rural Georgia are considered in tandem, access to transportation, health care and broadband access could lead to a strong workforce in the future.

Rickman said a low number of rural students attend post-secondary schools, and an even lower number complete their degrees.

“A lot of it, I think, has to do with transportation and funding,” Rickman said.

Gov. Brian Kemp has instructed state government offices to submit budget requests that trim 4% from fiscal year 2020 budgets and 6% for fiscal year 2021 budgets.

The Quality Basic Education funding formula, Medicaid and transportation are excluded from proposed cuts, but reductions in adult mental health services, child welfare services and public health departments could affect the support in areas that encourage stronger educational achievement.

The report calls for Georgia lawmakers to consider the effects of cutting these programs on student achievement.

“What concerns us are the things that are subject to cuts — the Department of BehavMaintaining schools as ioral Health, community health a pathway to and public health — all of these departments that proemployment vide goods and services to children and families,” RickThe path to middle-skill man said. “That could have jobs requires linkages bea huge impact on schools’ tween K-12 public schools and abilities to serve students.” post-secondary institutions such as technical colleges.

GPEE’s report states GeorContinuity in leadership gia’s Career, Technical, and GPEE’s report states that Agricultural Education pro49% of principals in 2014 are gram must keep pace with still employed as principals changes and expectations in 2019. in the workforce and indusPrincipal turnover can af- tries. As apposed to a system fect student achievement and of learning fragmented by teacher support. The report viewing diplomas as termisays state leaders can insu- nals, students and working late the teacher pipeline by adults must view education as backing legislation that helps continuous, the report states. keep strong leaders in place at schools, from the district levSuccess beyond the el down to individual schools diploma themselves.

Georgia’s state lottery and $51.7 million in federal grants have shown Georgia prioritizes early learning, but there are still literary and mathematics deficiencies between students starting kindergarten.

The Race to the Top: Early Learning Challenge Grant period officially ended in 2018, and GPEE’s report calls for political, business and community leaders to pick up where the grant money left off in improving the quality of early learning in Georgia.

“There are reasons larger percentages of low-income Assessing state students don’t read on gradeassessments level,” Rickman said. “A lot of it has to do with poverty and School districts in Georgia access and services and things are piloting new assessments of that nature.” that could replace state Milestones assessments.

Literacy: The Great New English and mathematics standards were imEqualizer plemented during the 2015To go hand-in-hand with 16 school year by the State the report’s second key is- Board of Education and the sue, GPEE said a late start to Georgia Milestones tests were learning can leave a student enacted to measure student achievement. In 2019, two behind their whole life.

The report said, in Georgia, consortia of local school dis58% of third-graders are not tricts began piloting potential reading with proficiency. In ad- replacements for the tests.

GPEE’s final issues details challenges Georgia is facing in meeting the needs of its industries. While Georgia may be a top state for doing business, it’s still facing an inordinate portion of unqualified workers.

In 2018, House Bill 787 called for the creation of a needs-based aid program for higher education students, but GPEE’s report states the funding stream has not been identified.

“Georgia is one of two states that does not have a statewide needs-based aid program,” Rickman said.

A4 ♦ Wednesday, January 15, 2020 ♦ gWinnettdailypost.com COLUMNIST I KEITH ROACH

How can an EKG show evidence of an old heart attack?

D

EAR DR. ROACH: When I went to my new doctor, whom I like very much, I found that they do a lot of things in their office for which I would normally be sent elsewhere. The nurse drew Roach four vials of blood and gave me an EKG. The EKG showed I had a heart attack sometime in the past. After thinking about it, I decided it was in 2010.

My friend and I were driving home and I thought I had heartburn. I had terrible pain in my chest, but I managed to drop my friend off at her house and get myself home. I could have passed out and killed us both. What a scary thought!

Could you explain how EKGs show past history? I always thought it was a determination of your present condition.

— S.B. ANSWER: The electrocardiogram looks at the electrical impulses in the heart.

It is a critical tool for evaluating rhythm disturbances.

Despite its limitations, it is a useful tool for looking at problems with blood flow to the heart. The EKG can show changes consistent with poor blood flow to a specific area of the heart (called ischemia, the cause of angina). These are different from the EKG changes of injury, when the heart cells are dying — which is what happens with a myocardial infarction, or heart attack.

Over time, the injured cells die completely and form a scar. The scar may have yet another type of EKG finding.

The EKG you had with your new doctor was likely this last one, consistent with a scar.

So, the EKG can show both your present condition and your past, but it isn’t terribly good at determining how long ago the damage might have occurred.

I say “consistent with” because the EKG is not perfect. In a recent study, about 5% of routine EKGs showed changes that the computer algorithm read as an inferior myocardial infarction — “inferior” being from the lower part of the heart. Comparing the EKG with more sophisticated testing of the heart, it was found that about half of the people actually had had a heart attack, while the other half had not. A skilled cardiologist was better than the computer at determining old heart attack from a false positive test, but even in the ideal situation, the EKG is not a perfect test for diagnosing old heart attack.

I can’t say whether your 2010 episode was a heart attack or if it really was heartburn, but there are at least two lessons. The first is that unexpected chest discomfort should prompt an evaluation.

It’s far better to be reassured everything is OK than take the chance of having a catastrophic event, especially when driving. The second is that the EKG isn’t perfect, and your doctor may want to do further testing to examine whether you are at risk for a heart attack now.

The more risk factors you have for heart disease, the more likely the EKG was correct. If you are at higher risk, you should be on treatment, including diet, other lifestyle choices and usually medication to prevent another event.

Expert groups, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, recommend against EKGs for people at low risk, as it isn’t clear that the benefits outweigh the harms.

HOROSCOPES

WEATHER WATCH TODAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

10%

0%

90%

10%

0%

0%

51 37

61 38

40%

68 56

54 38

49 30

42 23

46 25

SOLUNAR TABLES

the gwinnett daily post (upsp 921-980, issn 1086-0096) is published Wednesday, Friday and sunday by scni, 725 old norcross road, lawrenceville, ga 30045. periodical postage paid at lawrenceville, ga 30044. postmaster: send address changes to gwinnett daily post, p.o. Box 603, lawrenceville, ga 30046-0603.

the solunar tables for lakes are based on studies that show fish and game are more active at certain times during the lunar period.

MAJOR 4:55-6:55 a.m............. 5:21-7:21 p.m.

MINOR 11:18 a.m.-12:18 p.m.

11:29 p.m.-12:29 p.m.

POLLEN COUNTS trees: low Weeds: low grass: low

LOTTERY Tuesday cash 3 midday: 7-8-5 cash 4 midday: 7-8-8-5 ga. 5 midday: 6-7-9-7-0 Monday cash 3 midday: 8-1-7 cash 3 evening: 9-2-0 cash 3 night: 2-6-7 cash 4 midday: 7-5-5-7 cash 4 evening: 1-4-0-3 cash 4 night: 2-3-0-2 ga. 5 midday: 2-0-2-0-8 ga. 5 evening: 1-9-5-0-1 Fantasy 5: 2-26-35-41-42

LAKE LEVELS

Lake Full Yesterday allatoona ............(840.0) .... 826.53 Blackshear ......... (237.0) .... 236.97 Blue ridge........(1690.0) .. 1668.92 Burton..............(1865.0) .. 1858.58 carters.............(1072.0) ...1071.94 chatuge ........... (1927.0) ...1919.68 Harding .............. (521.0) .....520.51 Hartwell .............(660.0) .... 659.95 Jackson..............(530.0) .....529.91

Lake Full Yesterday lanier............... (1071.0) .....1070.6 nottely..............(1779.0) ...1764.01 oconee ..............(435.0) .... 434.97 seminole...............(77.5) .......77.92 sinclair ...............(339.8) .....339.31 thurmond ..........(330.0) .........28.5 tugalo ................ (891.5) .....888.15 Walter F. george.(188.0) .......189.3 West point..........(635.0) .....743.47

TODAY IN HISTORY TODAY’S HISTORY: in 1759, the British museum opened to the public. in 1844, the university of notre dame received its official charter from the state of indiana. in 1892, dr. James naismith published his original 13 rules of “basket ball” in the springfield college school newspaper. in 1943, the pentagon was dedicated in arlington, Virginia. in 2009, a us airways flight made an emergency landing in the Hudson river shortly after takeoff from laguardia airport in new york.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: edward teller (1908-2003), physicist; gene Krupa (1909-1973), jazz drummer; lloyd Bridges (1913-1998), actor; gamal abdel nasser (1918-1970), egyptian president; martin luther King Jr. (1929-1968), civil

rights leader; ronnie Van Zant (19481977), singer-songwriter; mario Van peebles (1957- ), actor/director; Bernard Hopkins (1965- ), boxer; regina King (1971- ), actress; drew Brees (1979- ), football player; matt Holliday (1980- ), baseball player; pitbull (1981- ), rapper; skrillex (1988- ), musician.

TODAY’S FACT: the pentagon is the world’s largest office building by floor area, with 3.7 million square feet of dedicated office space.

TODAY’S SPORTS: in 1967, the green Bay packers defeated the Kansas city chiefs 35-10 in the first super Bowl.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.” -- martin luther King Jr.

READER’S GUIDE

Gwinnett Daily Post editor – todd cline main office – 770-963-9205

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To Report a News Item: Hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., mon.-sat. call 770-339-5850. editor todd cline is at 770-9639205, ext. 1300; sports editor Will Hammock is at 770-9639205, ext. 1310. to request a photo, call 770-963-9205, ext.

1327.

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Honored as a newspaper of General Excellence

2018

COLUMNIST I AMY DICKINSON

Enjoy the lunch, but hold the private details

D

EAR AMY: I will be turning 60 this year and have noticed a sort of trend among many of my friends, acquaintances, and co-workers.

It seems like every time we get together, someone starts to talk about a loved one who is very ill, dying, or has died.

This often sets off a morbid competition of who can come up with the most heartbreaking — and graphic — details.

Obviously, we’re all at an age where we’ve experienced this type of loss. Both my parents and three of my siblings have passed on, but I would never reveal details of their deaths in a casual, mixedcompany setting.

If we’re out having drinks before a concert, at a baby shower, or in the lunchroom at work, I’d rather not hear about a beloved aunt’s courageous but losing battle with cancer.

I’m not an unsympathetic person — quite the opposite.

But there is a time and place to reveal this sort of personal information.

My question is: How would you handle this tricky social situation without coming across as a callous jerk?

My next question: Am I being a callous jerk?

— Buzz-killed in Boston DEAR BUZZ-KILLED: I don’t know if I would call you a callous jerk, mainly

because you got there If someone is enbefore me. I exaggergaged in a topic that ate, but I do believe you makes you genuinesound ... intolerant. ly uncomfortable, Perhaps you reyou can gently try member your own life to change the subabout three decades ject by saying, “I’m ago, when your peers so sorry to hear all (and possibly you, also) Dickinson of this. I seem to rewere all talking about member that you are pregnancy, childbirth, the planning a long trip this sumterrible twos, or your ter- mer. Will you still be able rible bosses. to do that?” Or, you could Yes, back in those days pull the person off of sharthere were probably peo- ing medical details by asking ple who laid on too much pointed questions about the graphic detail in recounting subject’s life, such as where their childbirth stories. I’d (and how) they lived, versus venture that these might be how they are dying. the same people who offer DEAR AMY: My sisterup too much detail (for you) in-law had minor surgery. regarding their loved-ones’ I made a few frozen casillness or death stories. serole “comfort food” dishes However, what your co- for her and my brother-inhorts are doing is not mind- law to consume during her less, tactless talk. They are recovery. narrating their lives. What Generally, it is acknowlyou describe as a “morbid edged that I am a good cook. competition” might otherWhen I next saw them, wise be seen as “relating.” they returned one of the You may declare that re- casseroles, saying that it is porting on, recounting and a dish that they don’t care remembering your loved for. I know that it is someones is bad form, but (in thing they eat. my view) this is a matter of Am I wrong to think it opinion. I agree that going would have been kinder to on and on in a larger social simply regift the dish, or setting and describing (pri- simply dispose of it, rathvate) medical details about er than returning it to me? a perfect stranger is not po— Casserolled lite or pro-social behavior.

DEAR CASSEROLLED: But — anyone who wants Because a casserole is a word to talk about and/or remem- describing both a baked ber a loved-one is welcome dish and also the dish it is to sit by me (and that in- baked in, I take it that this cludes you). dish was returned to you,

food intact.

I agree with you that this is strange, and rude. This was a kind and generous gesture on your part. When receiving gifts of food, there is no rule that this food must be consumed and enjoyed, but the dish (sans food) should be returned, clean, and the giver should be thanked.

DEAR AMY: This is for “Disappointed,” your reader who thinks that a man grabbing a woman’s crotch is a minor infraction.

Any form of sexual misconduct should be called out.

Public cases show how long an abuser gets away with this behavior when not reported.

Reporting an event can help to prevent this conduct from being forced onto others.

— Upset DEAR UPSET: Many readers have reacted to the question similarly. If this sort of behavior goes unchallenged, then it continues. In a worst-case scenario, this sort of drunken groping could escalate into a more serious assault.

You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: ASKAMY@amydickinson. com. Readers may send postal mail to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068.

You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or “like” her on Facebook.

prepare to fight hard if you want to get ahead. deal with obstacles head-on. sort out your differences with anyone who could put a damper on your success. positive change is within reach, but you are the one who will have to instigate it. your goals can be reached!

CAPRICORN (dec. 22Jan. 19) — less fuss will help you get things done. put one foot in front of the other until you reach your destination. Financial gain is heading your way.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) — personal change will boost your morale and confidence.

Fitness, health and a proper diet will help you improve your quality of life.

PISCES (Feb. 20-march 20) — take on responsibility and show everyone what you are capable of doing. dealing with other people’s jobs or problems will give you leverage when you need a favor.

ARIES (march 21-april 19) — don’t jump to conclusions or make assumptions that will get you into trouble. nothing will be as it appears. it’s time to sit back and let others come to you.

TAURUS (april 20may 20) — push the boundaries, set big goals and exceed your expectations. today is about discipline, hard work and proving what you can do. a personal change will prompt romance.

GEMINI (may 21-June 20) — refuse to let the words or actions of others stand in your way. Handle an emotional matter very delicately. you will be amazed by how much you can learn if you listen.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — do your own thing and enjoy what transpires. take a unique approach to how you handle money, your health and contractual negotiations. romance is in the stars.

LEO (July 23-aug. 22) —take the responses you get from others to heart. defend your principles, but be open-minded enough to allow others to follow their own beliefs. getting along will require work and compromise.

VIRGO (aug. 23-sept.

22) —take control and do whatever is necessary to improve your life. a change will lead to new opportunities. don’t fear letting go of something that is no longer working for you.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct.

23) — outside pressure shouldn’t daunt you or make you conform to someone else’s dream. if you don’t like what you see or hear, remove yourself from the situation that is causing you grief.

SCORPIO (oct. 24nov. 22) — Handle money matters like an expert. invest in your skills, talents and ideas. if you keep your feet planted firmly on the ground, you will make the right decisions. romance is encouraged.

SAGITTARIUS (nov.

23-dec. 21) — refuse to let restlessness lead to unnecessary changes. initiate reform and look for a solution. remain calm and discuss your options with people who share your concerns.

Sign up to get Gwinnett Daily Post breaking news alerts and daily newsletters at www.gwinnettdailypost.com/newsletters.

gwinnettdailypost.com ♦ wednesday, January 15, 2020 ♦ A5

WORLD

Iran announces arrests over plane crash Several people have been arrested in Iran over the downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned that those responsible would be punished.

Gholamhossein Esmaili, the spokesman for Iran’s judiciary, was quoted by the semi-official FARS news agency Tuesday as saying that an investigation into the crash had started and several arrests had been made.

He did not provide details on how many people had been arrested or what their roles in the incident may have been.

Among the arrests is the person who filmed “the scene of the missile hitting the Ukraine airplane” for further investigation, according to Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim News Agency.

There was no mention of the person’s name or what charges, if any, they are facing.

Speaking in Tehran on Tuesday, Rouhani called for the punishment of those behind the downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight 752.

He said a special court with “a high-ranking judge and dozens of experts” should be established in order to investigate the incident.

WORLD & NATION House to vote to name impeachment managers, send articles to the Senate

By Jeremy Herb and Manu Raju CNN

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the House will vote Wednesday on a resolution to name the impeachment managers for the Senate trial of President Donald Trump and transmit the articles to the chamber.

The vote will kick off the process to officially start the trial in the Senate, which will include ceremonial elements this week and the beginning of the trial likely next Tuesday, according to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Pelosi told her Democratic colleagues Tuesday morning at a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill that she wasn’t yet announcing the managers who would prosecute the impeachment case against President Donald Trump, according to lawmakers leaving the meeting. She later said in a statement that the resolution naming the managers and transmitting the articles, a step that’s needed before the Senate trial can begin, would occur on Wednesday.

“The American people will Philippines volcano fully understand the Senate’s continues to spew ash, move to begin the trial without residents urged not to witnesses and documents as a pure political cover-up,” Pereturn home losi said. “Leader McConnell Philippine officials are ap- and the president are afraid pealing to residents not to of more facts coming to light. return to their homes in the The American people deserve danger zone of an erupting volcano as it continues to spew NATION plumes of ash and lava fountains, with earthquakes regTrump considers ularly shaking the ground.

The Taal Volcano, about 37 diverting billions more in miles south of the capital Ma- Pentagon funds to build nila on the island of Luzon, border wall began erupting on Sunday, sending ash up to nine miles The Trump administrainto the air and prompting tion is considering diverting warnings of a possible “exaround $7.2 billion in addiplosive eruption” and largetional Pentagon funding for scale evacuations.

As of Tuesday, almost border wall construction, five 20,000 people from Batan- times what Congress authogas and Cavite provinces have rized, sources told CNN. The additional funds would sought shelter in 118 temporary evacuation centers set up allow the government enough by authorities. The total num- money to complete approxiber of evacuees is likely to be mately 885 miles of new fenchigher, with some choosing ing by the spring of 2022, to stay with family members according to an administraand relatives in other parts of tion official.

The Washington Post first the country. reported on the administration plans to divert additionClimate crisis, al funds. epidemics and drug Citing internal planning resistance among next figures obtained by the Post, the Trump administration will decade’s health pull $3.7 billion in funding challenges from military construction projects and $3.5 billion from Climate change, infectious counterdrug program funding diseases, anti-vaxxers and for the southern border wall, antimicrobial resistance all which Trump hopes to tout made their way onto the in his reelection campaign.

World Health Organization’s “The Department of Delist of health challenges fac- fense has no new announceing the next decade. ments with regard to border The list, published on Mon- wall construction,” said Penday, was developed with in- tagon spokesman Lt. Col. put from experts around Chris Mitchell. the world and presented “urgent, global health chal17 children injured after lenges,” according to WHO, the United Nations’ public a plane dumped jet fuel health agency. over their playground “The list reflects a deep concern that leaders are not More than a dozen elemeninvesting enough resources in tary school children are being core health priorities & sys- treated after a plane dumped tems, putting lives & econ- jet fuel over a school playomies in jeopardy,” WHO ground near Los Angeles.

Director-General Dr. Tedros The incident happened at Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote Park Avenue Elementary in in a Tweet on Monday.

Cudahy, California, just af“We need to realize that ter noon on Tuesday, Sean health is an investment in Ferguson of the Los Angethe future,” he wrote. les County Fire Department —From wire reports told CNN. A total of 17 chil-

J. scott applewhite/ap

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to name the lawmakers who will prosecute the case against President Donald Trump, according to several House Democrats, as the venue for impeachment on Capitol Hill shifts over to the Senate for the impeachment trial in the coming days. Pictured here, Pelosi arrives on Capitol Hill to meet with reporters on Jan. 9. the truth, and the Constitution demands a trial.”

McConnell on Tuesday once again slammed the House and Pelosi for the delay on sending the articles, accusing the House of wanting the Senate to try to help its case against the president.

“A House majority, fueled by political animus, may have started this with frivolity. But it will fall to the Senate to end it with seriousness and sobriety,” McConnell said.

“It will fall to us to do what

the founders intended — to take the long view, move beyond partisan passions and do what the long-term good of our institutions and our nation demands.”

Wednesday’s vote will officially move the impeachment case out of the House and into the Senate, after the House voted to impeach Trump on counts of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress last month over his dealings with Ukraine.

Before the Senate trial be-

Jason Kravarik/cnn

President Donald Trump plans to divert an additional $7.2 billion in Pentagon funding for border wall construction in 2020, five times what Congress authorized, The Washington Post reports. dren received minor injuries from the dump, and six adults were also injured.

The department confirmed the substance was in fact jet fuel in a tweet.

While the children were playing, a plane approaching Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) dumped the fuel, which fell over the group. The victims were treated by dozens of firefighters and paramedics at the school, which is located about 19 miles east of the airport.

Video posted on YouTube shows the plane flying overhead. Alan De Leon, who shot the video, told CNN he heard a loud whistle, smelled jet fuel and felt irritation in his eyes.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that Delta Flight 89 bound for Shanghai, China, declared an emergency shortly after takeoff and returned to LAX. The agency could not immediately confirm the reports that fuel was dumped from the jet.

essary to pass a war powers resolution limiting President Donald Trump’s ability to take military action against Iran without congressional approval.

“The Senate will soon consider Senator (Tim) Kaine’s war power resolution, which would prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran,” the New York Democrat told reporters after Senate policy lunches.

“Senator Kaine sat down with Senators Paul and Lee and they came up with a resolution, which ripens Sunday, and we believe will get 51 votes that is needed to pass,” Schumer said, referring to Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah as well as Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia.

Schumer said the timing for a vote on the resolution still needs to be worked out and that they will have to figure out “how it intersects with impeachment.”

gins, the Senate will have to pass the resolution dictating the rules of the trial that McConnell is preparing to approve with only Republican votes. McConnell has said he plans to follow the Senate’s procedure in the 1999 impeachment trial of thenPresident Bill Clinton, while Democrats have pushed for an agreement to hear from witnesses, arguing that Senate Republicans are helping the president cover up his misdeeds. a part of the Navy SEALs must not have been enough accomplishments for Jonny Kim. The 35-year-old is now the first Korean-American to become a NASA astronaut.

Kim, along with 12 others, graduated last week from NASA’s Artemis program, allowing the astronauts to be eligible to participate in missions to the International Space Station, to the moon and even Mars.

Two of the candidates were from the Canadian Space Agency, but the 11 others, including Kim, were selected from an initial pool of more than 18,000 applicants, NASA said.

Former VP of drug company sentenced to 33 months for pushing opioid prescriptions

PEOPLE

Rupert Murdoch’s son lashes out against his father’s news outlets for climate change coverage Rupert Murdoch’s son and his wife are lashing out against his father’s sprawling media empire for how it covers the climate crisis, especially in light of the fires raging in the family’s native Australia.

In the past year James Murdoch has stepped away from the family’s business — and its politics. He and his wife Kathryn have made statements that set them apart from the Murdochs’ conservative bent.

In comments first made to the Daily Beast, a spokesperson for the couple said “Kathryn and James’ views on climate are well established and their frustration with some of the News Corp and Fox coverage of the topic is also well known.”

“They are particularly disappointed with the ongoing denial among the news outlets in Australia given obvious evidence to the contrary.”

Murdoch’s News Corp owns a large chunk of Australia’s media, and has been criticized for coverage that suggested the fires are no worse than they were in the past, or that they are caused by arsonists, not climate change.

Mark Hamill says he quit Facebook because of its political ad policy Mark Hamill announced he’d quit Facebook after the company said it wouldn’t factcheck political ads before running them on the platform.

“So disappointed that #MarkZuckerberg values profit more than truthfulness that I’ve decided to delete my @ Facebook account,” the actor tweeted. “I know this is a big ‘Who cares?’ for the world at large, but I’ll sleep better at night. #PatriotismOverProfits” The “Star Wars” star, who’s quite active on Twitter and Instagram (the photo platform is owned by Facebook), appeared to delete his verified Facebook page since then.

In the tweet, he linked a New York Times story about Facebook’s decision to continue running targeted political ads and its refusal to factcheck them. Democrats have widely criticized the platform for its role in the 2016 election and President Donald Trump’s win.

Akon created his own city in Senegal called ‘Akon City’

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday that he believes Democrats have the 51 votes nec-

The former vice president of Insys Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company, was sentenced to almost three years for pushing doctors to prescribe unnecessary opioids on patients, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Michael Gurry, 56, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced to 33 months plus three years of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to bribe medical practitioners to prescribe Subsys, a powerful fentanyl-based medication, the release said.

Gurry is one of five employees of Insys Therapeutics convicted of racketeering conspiracy in the scheme.

“The drug was expensive, and while bribes paid to preEx-Navy SEAL and succeeded in generatHarvard doc is the first scribers ing new prescriptions, insurKorean-American ers were reluctant to approve payment when Subsys was headed to space prescribed for patients withGraduating from Harvard out cancer,” the release said.

—From wire reports Medical School and being

of New South Wales alone, more than 3,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged.

State and federal authorities are struggling to contain the massive blazes.

All this has been exacerbated by persistent heat and drought, and many point to climate change as a factor making natural disasters go from bad to worse.

By Jan. 8, the smoke had traveled “halfway around Earth,” NASA said, cross-

ing South America to cause hazy skies and creating colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Smoke from Australia’s fires is also causing “severe air quality issues” in New Zealand, and is darkening snow on the country’s mountains, NASA added.

CNN reported earlier this month that the Fox and Franz nasa Josef glaciers in New ZeaSmoke from bushfires blankets the southeast coastline of land had turned brown as Australia on Jan. 4 as the International Space Station orbits a result of Australian bush269 miles above the Tasman Sea. fire smoke.

Schumer believes Iran war powers resolution will pass Senate

It’s official, Akon has his own city in Senegal.

Known as “Akon City,” the rapper and entrepreneur tweeted Monday that he had finalized the agreement for the new city.

“Looking forward to hosting you there in the future,” his tweet read.

Akon, who is of Senegalese descent, originally announced plans for the futuristic “Crypto city” in 2018 saying that the city would be built on a 2,000-acre land gifted to him by the President of Senegal, Macky Sall. The new city would also trade exclusively in his own digital cash currency called AKoin, he said.

The official website for the city said at the time it would be a five-minute drive from the West African state’s new international airport.

—From wire reports

Smoke from Australia’s fires will make ‘full circuit’ around the world

By Amy Woodyatt CNN

Smoke from fires in Australia is expected to make at least one “full circuit” around the globe and return to the skies over the country, scientists from NASA have warned.

Using a fleet of satellites, the space agency has been analyzing the smoke and aerosols coming from the fires blazing in Australia.

Studying smoke plumes

MUST READ

from late December, the space agency said that the smoke had traveled “halfway across Earth” and affected air quality in other countries.

Australia is being ravaged by the worst wildfires seen in decades, with large swaths of the country devastated since the fire season began in late July.

At least 28 people have died nationwide, and in the state

A6 ♦ Wednesday, January 15, 2020 ♦ gWinnettdailypost.com

PERSPECTIVES

Gwinnett Daily Post www.gwinnettdailypost.com

Todd Cline,

Editor and SCNI Vice President of Content todd.cline@gwinnettdailypost.com

COLUMNIST|CAL THOMAS

George Washington’s ignored example

COLUMNIST|DAVID CARROLL

H

ave I benefited from nepothe tone for future presidents. tism and cronyism? Sure. But “He marked out a firm line while at least I feel guilty about it. still president-elect in the spring of Nepotism, says Dictionary.com, is 1789,” the magazine says. “He would “patronage bestowed or favoritism ‘discharge the duties of the office shown on the basis of family relawith that impartiality and zeal for tionship, as in business and politics.” the public good, which ought nevThe concept is alive and well in er to suffer connections of blood or Purcell Washington, D.C. friendship to intermingle,’ he told The Hill reports Chelsea Clinton a friend.” reaped a $9 million stock gain since 2011 Washington told another friend that he by sitting on a corporate board controlled “would not be in the remotest degree influby her mother’s rich friend, Barry Diller. enced, in making nominations, by motives Corporate board members are supposed arising from the ties of amity or blood.” to be chosen for experience and skills. Since Washington’s concern makes me feel the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley corporate reform guilty about gains I’ve enjoyed that directly law, they must meet stringent requirements. resulted from my parents’ nepotism.

Perhaps Chelsea’s academic achievement They didn’t hold political office, but weren’t and Wall Street work experience meet those without influence and power. requirements. But it’s also true that her My father worked for “the phone compamother, who was secretary of State when ny” — now Verizon — and for many years Chelsea was appointed, is good friends with sometimes “borrowed” its black electrical the media mogul who runs the company tape. We came to call it “Purcell duct tape.” that made Chelsea rich.

We used it for everything: bicycle repairs, That’s how things work in Washington, sticking fliers on the refrigerator, makeshift where children of the rich and powerful be- bandages, etc. come rich and powerful because their parI benefited personally from more than $100 ents have influence — and it has nothing to worth of “free” tape — tape that my family do with political party. never had to pay for — over two decades.

The Trump White House is full of famMy mother had influence. Her friendily members holding positions of power. ship with one of the St. Germaine Catholic No small number of children of Trump School lunch ladies got me an extra slice, free friends and supporters, reports The Daily of charge, on more than one Pizza Friday.

Beast, have found their way into cushy govAnother good friend of hers approved ernment jobs and appointments. my VFW Post 6664 membership without If only President Trump and other politi- the usual, proper vetting process. To make cal leaders followed the example set by our amends, I’ll donate $100 to a local charity first president. and admit what happened to the VFW board.

George Washington was rightly concerned I’ll do that because I feel guilty about about appointing people to positions of pow- benefiting from nepotism. But our politier based on merit, not family connections. cal leaders, increasingly unfamiliar with “When American colonists revolted against the concept of shame, will happily continue Great Britain, they were rebelling against a their nepotism — so long as we let them. system of government fueled by inherited power and nepotism,” reports SmithsonTom Purcell is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ian Magazine. humor columnist. Send comments to Tom at Washington knew his actions would set Tom@TomPurcell.com.

GUEST COLUMNIST|BRENDA LOPEZ ROMERO

Permanent solution for DACA must be ’20 priority

T

here are a slew of issues facing as will our economy, communities the 2020 presidential candiand families. dates — impeachment, healthDreamers have lived in the U.S. for care, climate change, among many an average of 20 years and came to others. Of critical and equal importhe U.S. at the average age of six. They tance is the need for immigration are parents to nearly 256,000 U.S. reform in our country. citizen children. They are teachers As the first Latina elected to the to our children and students alongLopez Georgia State Assembly and an imside them. They are helping improve Romero migrant myself, I know firsthand the Georgia’s rural healthcare crisis as importance of immigrants to our nadoctors and nurses. They’re entretion. I came to the United States when I was preneurs starting their own businesses and five years old and became a citizen in 2008. valuable employees in a range of industries.

I am like many Georgians. I attended Ninety-four percent of Georgia’s more Cross Keys High School and received my than 25,000 DACA recipients are emundergraduate degree from Georgia State ployed. They pay more than $120.6 milUniversity. I went on to attend Syracuse lion in federal, state, and local taxes anLaw school and started my own removal nually. Nationwide, DACA recipients and and family-based immigration law firm their households pay $8.8 billion in taxes right here in Georgia. annually.

During the course of my more than 15Dreamers are crucial to our state, yet they year legal and policy career, I’ve seen how continue to face uncertainty and are unable broken our immigration system is and the to plan for a future. Without a pathway to importance for all Georgians and Ameri- citizenship, Dreamers could be subject to cans that it be reformed. I’m grateful and deportation back to countries they barely honored to have been able to obtain U.S. know or hardly even remember. citizenship, but many are not as fortunate.

Our Georgian Dreamers, our state and our This includes our nation’s Deferred Ac- nation need a permanent legislative solution, tion for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipi- as do the 11 million undocumented people ents, young immigrants who came to this in our country. Broad immigration reform country at the average age of six. Since 2012, benefits our economy and communities.

DACA recipients have been granted the opI look to my fellow elected officials at the portunity to apply for temporary legal sta- state and federal levels, including Sens. tus and the ability to legally live, work and Loeffler and Perdue, to work in a bipartistudy in the U.S. san manner to protect these immigrants However, in another attempt by the Trump and do what is best for Georgia by providadministration to advance its inhumane and ing permanent legislative solutions for the cruel family separation agenda, they ter- vulnerable immigrant populations within minated the DACA program in September our community.

2017. The program has remained tempoI also look to the Democratic presidential rarily in place due to court injunctions, but candidates to make immigration reform a these are, as I said, temporary and could be top priority. This issue and how each canterminated at any time. didate chooses to address it is of utmost On Nov. 12, the U.S. Supreme Court heard importance to the prosperity of our state oral arguments on the constitutionality of and nation. the Trump administration’s rescission of the program. Should the court wrongfully Brenda Lopez Romero, D-Norcross, is a state decide to terminate the program (a decision representative who has represented District that could come early this year), Dream99 in the Georgia House of Representatives ers’ lives will be tossed further into chaos, since January 2017.

E

My brushes with greatness

very now and then, someone will ing you, you’d better make this quick! She treat me like I’m a big deal. Now, hustled into a nearby room. you and I both know I am not a big We set up as in a hurry, putting up the deal. But, because I’m on TV in my town, lights, leveling the tripod, attaching the it’s not unusual for someone to make a fuss. camera, and testing the microphone. Five I always thank them, because I appreciate minutes later, B.J. strolled in, all alone, the kind words. just as cheery as a big star could be. I imEven though my celebrity is limmediately launched into a medley ited to a local level, I do not take it of apologies about any problems we lightly. When I was growing up, may have created, and told him we seeing anyone who was on TV was would make this interview super-fast. a heart-stopping moment. That was What’s the problem? he asked. back when being on TV actually I caught my breath and told him meant something. There were no that his assistant had warned us tawdry reality shows, and we had to make it snappy, because of his about 500 less than 503 channels. tight schedule.

Carroll Whether it was John Wayne or a He laughed, and said, Take your screaming car dealer, everyone on time. No hurry. She just likes being TV was famous to me. in charge. We did the interview at a leisurely I remember the first time I saw a local pace, and talked as if we were old friends.

TV celebrity in person. I was about 10, and I was a fan already, and have been a bighe was on my TV every night. I saw him in ger fan ever since. a supermarket, and mustered up the courThere were two other stars who must age to say hello. He looked at me as if to remain nameless, because I don’t enjoy say, Yeah, I get that all the time. Now, if going to court. Both had a reputation for you’ll excuse me, I have to find the hem- drinking too much, and saying inappropriorrhoid medicine. ate things. Both more than lived up to their Now that I’m on local TV, I can’t possi- billing. I interviewed both just before they bly do that to anyone. If anything, I over- performed, and they weren’t any better on compensate. I smile and speak to total stage. The audience noticed too. They are strangers, just in case they know who I not stars any more. am. If they do, they surely walk away sayI’ve met and/or interviewed all three ing, Well, that guy isn’t stuck up at all, is Mandrell sisters, Alex Trebek, Bob Hope, he? If they don’t know me, I’m sure they Geraldo Rivera (in his boxers), Richard wonder, Why is that strange man smiling Simmons (in his short shorts), Lester Holt, and waving at me? Are there any uniformed Bob Barker, Ted Turner, Tom Jones and officers nearby? I always err on the side of Minnie Pearl, among others. In most cases, friendliness. our encounters were before the age of selfIt got me thinking about my own encoun- ies. In a way I regret that, but in another ters with famous people. Over the years, way I don’t. I’m glad I could just live in the I’ve written about interrupting President moment, without posing for a silly picture.

Carter’s vacation, to his mild annoyance, Unfortunately, I have never met Wiland the time Kenny Rogers reduced my lie Nelson, but I know someone who did, wife to a stammering puddle with his over- and he shared this story. He was setting up powering Kenny Rogers-ness. the stage for Willie at a show in 2001. He But there are a few stories I have not pulled out a 1977 magazine with Willie on yet told. Remember singer B.J. Thomas the cover, and asked him to sign it. Willie of “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head said he’d like to look at it first, and took fame?” In the 1980s, I had gotten permis- the magazine out to his bus. He returned sion to interview him in his dressing room about an hour later, signed the magazine before a concert. At the assigned time, I and said, Thank you for letting me read knocked on his door. A young woman an- that. I don’t remember anything from the swered, not particularly happy to see me ’70s, and I just learned a lot about myself. and my photographer.

What are you doing here? she asked. I David Carroll, a Chattanooga news anchor, told her that B.J’s road manager had set up is the author of “Volunteer Bama Dawg,” an interview. She rolled her eyes and said, available on his website, ChattanoogaRadioTV. Mr. Thomas is on a tight schedule, and I com. You may contact him at radiotv2020@ didn’t know anything about this. Go ahead yahoo.com, or 900 Whitehall Road, and set up while I get him, but I’m warnChattanooga, TN 37405.

GUEST COLUMNIST|BRETT HARRELL

Policymakers should get rail policies right

A

tlanta is one of Ameriincrease in rail intermodal at the ca’s fastest growing cities Port of Savannah in 2019. A new with its population slatmega rail terminal in Mason is ed to reach 8.6 million by 2050 expected to double the port’s (up from about 4.6 million curon-dock rail capacity next year. rently). This growth has many While railroads are a success implications for the region, esstory for the region, current repecially our transportation netregulation proposals at the fedHarrell works. More people mean more eral level could undermine this congestion and more roadway picture. Georgia’s lawmakers in deterioration.

Congress should oppose such shortIt’s in this context that I write to high- sighted proposals, including rate caps light our region’s freight railroads, like and compelling railroads to turn over Norfolk Southern and CSX, which play their traffic to competitors. Today’s an often unseen but key role in getting rail regulations already work, allowing Georgia goods made and to market. rail companies to earn what it takes to In contrast to public infrastructure, maintain world-class infrastructure. Effreight railroads like CSX and NS are ficient railways support healthy Georgia privately owned and built by private businesses and cut costs for consumers. dollars. So, while current highway inAs Atlanta plans for a bright economfrastructure funding formulas effec- ic future, transportation leaders at all tively subsidize heavy truck operations, levels of government should recognize freight railroads pay their own way at the advantages of rail, opposing policies little cost to taxpayers. This in addition that would contract and undermine the to rail’s other advantages, for example rail network when we need it the most. traffic and pollution reduction.

Freight rail is also an economic powBrett Harrell represents the 106th District erhouse for Atlanta and the state. The in the Georgia House of Representatives. He Georgia Ports Authority reports a 30% resides in Snellville.

gwinnettdailypost.com ♦ wednesday, January 15, 2020 ♦ A7

Home of the Braves renamed from SunTrust to Truist Park From staff reports SunTrust Park, the short-lived name of the Atlanta Braves’ home ballpark, got its replacement name Tuesday morning.

The three-year-old stadium in Cobb County was introduced as Truist Park during a joint press conference between the Major League Baseball club and Truist, the bank which owns sponsorship rights on the venue. The name change was necessitated by Atlanta-based SunTrust’s merger with North Carolina-based BB&T to create a new bank Truist. The

bank inherited a naming rights deal, negotiated by SunTrust, with 22 years remaining.

SunTrust Park debuted in 2017 after moving from the organization’s longtime home in the City of Atlanta.

“SunTrust has been a valued partner, and we look forward to beginning this next chapter with them as Truist,” said Derek Schiller, president and CEO of the Atlanta Braves. “We’re confident that players and fans alike will continue to enjoy and love Truist Park as the home of their Atlanta Braves.”

Truist released new branding

Monday that features what it calls Truist Purple, a combination of BB&T burgundy and SunTrust blue. Its new logo features two letter Ts turned on their sides.

Over the next 10 years, Truist will refurbish one youth baseball field a year and name each after the Braves’ home run king Hank Aaron. To celebrate the name change, the Atlanta Braves and Truist are offering all kids (ages 14 and under) a free ticket to attend a Braves game in April (excluding Opening Day).

“As Truist, we stand for better, and that starts with how we ap-

proach our partnerships,” said Dontá Wilson, chief digital and client experience officer for Truist. “In working closely with the Braves, we look forward to creating meaningful change in the communities we serve — from cultivating connections in the Atlanta community to creating an engaging fan experience at Truist Park.”

The Braves’ home opener at Truist Park is April 3 against the Marlins, but fans can get a look at adam Hagy the rebranded park Jan. 24 and 25 for the annual Chop Fest event. The new name for the former SunTrust Park The park also is slated to host the was announced Tuesday during a press 2021 MLB All-Star Game. conference.

OBITUARIES Dacula

Felix J. Cosme, Jr. Retired Gwinnett County Sheriff Deputy Felix J. Cosme, Jr., age 63, of Dacula, Georgia, died a hero’s death as he attempted to protect himself and a female co-worker from a violent criminal with no regard for human life on January 8, 2020.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2020, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. A funeral service will be held Sunday, January 12, 2020, at 3:00 pm at the Buford Chapel of Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes & Crematory. Burial will follow at Alta Vista Cemetery.

Felix is preceded in death by his parents Felix J. Cosme, Sr. and Juanita Cruz Cosme. He will be greatly missed by his sisters Linda Cosme, Guissette Watkins (Jeff); nephews Ian Watkins, James Watkins, and Mateo Kielsmeier-Cosme, and his close friends.

Felix began serving law enforcement in 1979. He worked for Macon Police Department, Charleston Police Department, Newburg New York Police Department, and most recently the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department, from which he worked as a Sergeant from April 2006 until November 2015. He served in jail administration until his retirement. He will be remembered for his love of motorcycles, dogs, and horses. He always had a smile for everyone; he was very very respected and loved by everyone who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Society of Humane Friends of Georgia at http://www.sohfga.com/support-us.html in memory of Felix.

On-line condolences may be expressed at www. crowellbrothers.com. Arrangements entrusted to Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes & Crematory, 201 Morningside Drive, Buford, Georgia 30518.

770-945-9999.

Buford, GA

Eugene Delaney Eugene Delaney, age 85, of Buford, GA passed away on Thursday, January 9, 2020. He was preceded in death by his wife, Walstine Waters Delaney; parents, James Delaney and Lucille Thornton Cantrell; brother, Bobby Cantrell. Mr. Delaney is survived by his son, Darryl A. Delaney, Atlanta, GA; sister, Sherry Wansley Maddox and husband Vernon Maddox, Buford, GA; grandchildren, Deante’ Delaney, Montavious Harsaw, Amanda Harsaw, Nicholas Harsaw; three great grandchildren; and a host of relatives and friends. Mr. Delaney was born on September 17,

1934 in Buford, GA. He received his education in Buford City Schools. He was a material handler from Foote Davies Co. and a member of Union Baptist Church in Buford, GA. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 16, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Old Union Baptist Church Cemetery in Buford, GA. The wake will be held Wednesday, January 15, 2020 from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

vice. With no surprise to those who knew her, Mary Sue Friedell, requested a donation to the American Heart Association instead of flowers. Should you choose to donate, please send email receipts to lightbears@bellsouth.net.

Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel 770-945-6924 Share memories of Mary Sue at hamiltonmillchapel. com

Carrollton

James Knight Mr. James Dewey Knight, age 90 of Carrollton, Georgia died on Sunday, January 12, 2020.

Buford, GA Mr. Knight was born on January 24, 1929 in the Harbins Community of Gwinnett County to the late Dewey E. and Pearlie G. Knight.

He is survived by his wife, Winky Knight and Mary Sue Friedell children, Kathy Kenimer (Poruben) (Robert), Karen Steele Mary Sue Poruben Frie- (Terry), and Steven J. dell went home to be in Knight. He is also surthe loving care of the Lord vived by four granddaughFriday, January 10th. Her ters; 7 great grandchildren; unforeseen passing ocsisters-in-laws, Blanche curred peacefully with her Knight and Martha Martin. family gathered around Visitation will be Tuesher. day, January 14 from 3 Mary Sue was born on p.m. until 7 p.m. at Almon December 14, 1947 in Ma- Funeral Home. con, Georgia to Ben and Funeral service will be Edith Poruben. The famWednesday, January 15 at ily later moved to Mont11 am at the First Baptist gomery, Alabama, where Church, Carrollton. at an early age Mary Sue Almon Funeral Home of studied violin and was Carrollton has charge of selected to perform with arrangements. the All-State High School Lawrenceville, GA Orchestra and Montgomery Symphony Orchestra.

For several summers she served as a counselor at Lutheridge, a Lutheran camp in Arden, North Carolina. In 1970 she graduated from Huntingdon College with a degree Jabez McCorkle III in Elementary Education.

Jabez McCorkle III That same year she mar(1934-2020) Was called ried the love of her life, Home on January 9, 2020.

Earl Julius Friedell. Mary Jay was a father, an avid Sue worked as an elemen- fisherman, an entrepretary teacher in Georgia at neur, and a rabid UGA several Gwinnett County football fan.Born Januschools for over 25 years. ary 21, 1934 in Tazewell Mary Sue was a loving Georgia, Jay led a full and dedicated daughter, life of adventure, accomwife, mother, grandplishment, joy, tragedy mother, sister and friend. & triumph. Jay was the Family was very imporsecond of five children tant to her and nothing born to Jabez McCorkle made Mary Sue happier II and Elizabeth Halley. than having all her family He is survived by his together. Her kind and three sisters, Adrienne, caring life extended not Juanita & Gloria and was only to her family, but to preceded in death by his her many friends. She has father Jabez II, his mother been a blessing to many, Elizabeth and older and the valuable lessons brother Charles. In his she has taught through her early years, Jay excelled in life are precious gifts. school where he was the Mary Sue is survived by leader of the Future Farmher loving husband of 50 ers of America, a member years, Earl; her children, of the Marion County Kathleen Pawson and hus- High School basketball band Jim; P.J. Friedell and team, worked on the high wife Nola; grandchildren, school paper, and was Alex and Abby Pawson, president of the Beta club.

Rich and Coleman FrieUpon graduating from dell; sister, Patsy Poruben high school, he left home Scott and husband Mark. to attend Abraham BaldA memorial service will win Agricultural College. be held Thursday, January During winter break that 16, 2020 at 1 PM at Trinyear Jay was badly burned ity Lutheran Church, Lilin an accident and spent burn. Pastor Katie Christie over a year in recovery. will officiate. The Family After healing from his will receive friends Thurs- accident, Jay attended day, January 16, 2020 The University of Georgia from 12 PM - 1 PM at the where he quickly rose church prior to the service. to prominence. Known There will be light hors as a leader on campus, d’oeuvres served at the Jay’s accolades included church following the serPresident of the Gridiron v

Club, member of the Key Club and President of his graduating class. During Summers Jay loved to travel and work in other areas of the country. He worked one summer as a logger in Washington State. Another break was spent on a ship carrying coke for steel manufacturing on the Great Lakes.

Jay graduated with a bachelor’s degree in forestry.

While at UGA Jay met Martha Summerall Smith.

The two fell in love and were married on December 22, 1956. The couple brought five children into this world. The surviving children are Kevin McCorkle, Brian McCorkle, Brenda Dedels (McCorkle), Randy McCorkle.

Lisa McCorkle whom Jay affectionately called “Dootz” born December 12, 1966, preceded Jay in death on July 01, 1988.

After college, Jay joined The Navy. He attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade.

He visited much of the world during this time and pretty much got the traveling bug out of his system.

Post Navy, Jay worked for various companies in the paper and plastics industries as a sales rep.

In 1973 he decided to start his own business.

After a year with partners, he bought them out and decided to go it alone.

His business acumen and hard work paid off and his fledgling company, Atlanta Foam Fabricators started to grow. Growing a business and the demands of a family were challenging and Jay and Martha divorced in 1978. At age 48, in 1982, Jay moved to a country home complete with a lake for fishing in Griffin Georgia. He made the daily commute to work in Lawrenceville Georgia until the age of 82. Upon retiring, Jay moved to Lawrenceville Georgia. In addition to his sisters and children, Jay is survived by his ex-wife Martha McCorkle, ten grandchildren; Patrick, Christina, Kelsey, Drew, Alex, Olivia, Jack, Georgia, Jake & Sean and two great-grandchildren; Kiersten & Faith. He will be greatly missed by all.

Funeral services will be held January 18, 11 AM, at the Chapel of Byrd & Flanigan Crematory and Funerals, 288 Hurricane Shoals Rd NE, Lawrenceville, GA 30046 with Pastor Tim Taffar Officiating. Interment will follow at White Chapel Memorial Gardens Duluth GA. The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 18, 2019 form 10:00 am until service time. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Jay’s life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, 1133 15th Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005. Arrangements by Byrd & Flanigan Funeral Service Lawrenceville GA (770)962-2200ByrdandFlanigan.com

BRASELTON

Hector Moran Hector Rolando Moran, age 77, of Braselton passed away Sunday, January 12, 2020.

Winder, GA

Timothy R. Palmer, Sr. Palmer - Timothy R. Palmer, Sr., age 70 of Winder, passed away on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, January 18, 2020 in the Lawrenceville Chapel of Tim Stewart Funeral Home, with Military Honors, Rev. Harold Towler will officiate.

His urn will be placed at Georgia National Cemetery, on a later date. Mr. Palmer was a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam, veteran.

He was the former owner of Suwanee Welding. Mr. Palmer was preceded in death by his son, Justin Palmer; daughter, Infant Baby Girl Palmer; parents, Lloyd Russell & Barbara Hale Palmer; brother, Robert Palmer; and sister, Sherry Palmer. He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Teresia Palmer, Winder, GA; son & daughter-in-law, Tim & Misty Palmer, Jr., Winder, GA; daughters & son-inlaw, Cassie Palmer, Winder, GA; Laura & Hank Watson, Sturgis, MS; sister & brother-in-law, Kathy & Doug Moore, SC; and 6 grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org. Arrangements

by Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 300 Simonton Road, SW, Lawrenceville, GA 30046. 770-9623100. Please leave online condolences at http:// www.stewartfh.com.

Snellville

James Bernard (J.B.) Traylor James Bernard (J.B.) Traylor, age 95 of Snellville, GA, passed away on Saturday, January 11, 2020. He is survived by his wife of 76 years, Helen Lanell Traylor; sons, Jim Traylor and wife Rebecca, Steve Traylor and wife Patty, and Alan Traylor and wife Cheryl; grandsons, Brian Traylor and wife Dawn, Mark Traylor and wife Christy, Eric Traylor and wife Kelsey, and Stephen Traylor and wife Taylor; granddaughters, Krista Britt and husband Chris, Tracy Traylor, and Rachel Ramos; 16 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great-grandchild.

J.B. worked as one of the first independent automobile insurance appraisers in the Atlanta area with W.R. Ramy, before managing the Callaway Oldsmobile body shop in Decatur, GA, which later became Royal Oldsmobile in Stone Mountain, GA. After retirement, he m

moved to Snellville, GA, in 1980 and he has been a member of First Baptist Church Snellville since that time. J.B. worked part-time at Ace Hardware, Snellville Hardware, and Gwinnett Mower. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Tom M. Wages Snellville Chapel. The Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at 12:00 PM at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Eternal Hills Memory Gardens, Snellville, GA. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church Snellville Building Fund, P.O. Box 647, Snellville, GA 30078. Condolences may be sent or viewed at www. wagesfuneralhome.com.

Dacula, GA

Kenneth Ray Tullis Tullis - Kenneth Ray Tullis age 69 of Dacula, passed away on Monday, January 13, 2020. A funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM, Saturday, January 18, 2020 in the Lawrenceville Chapel of Tim Stewart Funeral Home.

The burial will follow at Gwinnett Memorial Park, Lawrenceville. The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM before the service. Mr. Tullis was preceded in death by his parents, Homer Ray & Flonia Frances Tullis, and brother, Keith W. Tullis.

He is survived by his wife, Sheila Tullis, Dacula; children, Rodney & Jenni McKinney, Cumming; Kelley & Chris Holcombe, Auburn; Jason Tullis, Dacula; Abigail Tullis & Bailey Bishop, Dacula; Chloe Tullis, Dacula; sisters, Betty Cryder, Carnesville; Vickie Bookout, Lawrenceville; Donna Smith, Lawrenceville; brothers & sisters-in-law, Scott & Melissa Tullis, Venice, FL; Sanford & Lori Tullis, Auburn; 5 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren; and several nieces & nephews. Arrangements

by Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 300 Simonton Road, SW, Lawrenceville, GA 30046. 770-9623100. Please leave online condolences at http:// www.stewartfh.com.

BRASELTON

Gladstone Wilson Gladstone Lloyd Wilson, age 90, of Braselton passed away Wednesday, January 8, 2020.

15 photos are available with all Obituaries and Death Notices $

Call for details

770.963.9205 Ext. 1161 or Ext. 1162

GDP-1/15/2020

A8 ♦ Wednesday, January 15, 2020 ♦ gWinnettdailypost.com

Victim injured in ID sought in inappropriate touching Grayson wreck dies of girl, 13, at Burlington Coat Factory

By Taylor Denman taylor.denman@ gwinnettdailypost.com

Gwinnett Police said a driver injured in a Jan. 3 accident in Grayson died on Sunday.

Police said 32-year-old Norcross man Jaafar Bilal was transported to the hospital with serious injuries after the accident. Investigators with Gwinnett County police were notified he died on Sunday.

According to the initial accident report, the driver of a white Toyota Tundra was traveling south on Hillside Drive, maneuvering around a curve. Bilal, driving a blue Mazda Protege, was moving in the opposite direction.

Bilal’s Mazda was trailed by a blue Ford Explorer.

According to the preliminary investigation, the driv-

er of the Toyota crossed the center line and struck the Mazda head-on. The Mazda spun around and came to rest facing the opposite direction.

The driver of the Ford attempted to maneuver around the collision but struck the rear of the Mazda in the process.

The Ford eventually left the roadway on the right shoulder and came to rest against a tree, according to the accident report.

The accident report said the driver of the Toyota did not know what caused the collision and contested leaving their lane. The driver of the Ford told police the Toyota was moving quickly around the curve when it wobbled and struck the Mazda.

Police said additional details are being investigated in this case.

chamian.cruz@ gwinnettdailypost.com

special photo

Gwinnett County police seek help identifying a man accused of inappropriately touching a 13-year-old girl at Burlington Coat Factory in Lawrenceville on New Year’s Day.

A 13-year-old girl reported being inappropriately touched by a man at Burlington Coat Factory at Sugarloaf Mills on New Year’s Day. The Gwinnett County Police Department Special Victims Unit is asking for the public’s help identifying the suspect.

According to Gwinnett County police, the incident occurred Jan. 1 around 6 p.m. at the store in unincorporated Lawrenceville. The girl’s mother reported the incident to the store manager.

The girl told the responding officer that the

VFW From A1

staff photo: curt yeomans

above left: Former Lawrenceville Mayor Judy Jordan Johnson addresses members of Lawrenceville-based Army National Guard Alpha Company at the guard’s armory during a “Welcome Home” lunch Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5255 provided the servicemen on Sunday. above right: Members of the Army National Guard’s Alpha Company listen to Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5255 adjutant Mike Brown at the guard’s armory in Lawrenceville on Sunday.

“I think it’s incredible,” Rivera said. “While we were over there, the city of Lawrenceville sent us care packages. It’s the small things over there that mean a lot.

Getting those care packages from the city was very im-

TOWN HALL From A1 a critical issue that hits home in the Junior League of Gwinnett and North Fulton counties’ backyard and beyond,” the release stated.

Rodgers, who is the CEO and president of Gwinnett-based Street Grace, said there are about 3,600 kids sold for sex each year in Georgia. Most victims last year were between ages 12 and 18.

However, Ervin said it’s a myth that anyone is at risk of getting snatched and put into sex trafficking. That’s not how human trafficking works, he said.

“So if you are concerned that you are at risk of human trafficking, are you a child between, say, 10 and 15?” he said. “If you are, you are somewhat at risk.

Are you Latin American or Asian trying to figure your way into this country? Now you’re at risk.

“That’s the real face of human trafficking. Or if you are a child who’s starting to experiment with drugs, you get into

From A1 it and get away.

Balogh was shot in the left elbow, but the bullet ricocheted and punctured his heart and liver, leading to his death, according to the 2013 Daily Post report.

The Georgia Supreme Court was asked at least three times to rule on the death sentence levied against Nance. It upheld his conviction but tossed the original death sentence in 2000 citing a problem with a juror that the high court ruled should not have been on the jury.

Another death sentence was handed down in 2002, but that sentence was also challenged by Nance. It was thrown out by a Butts County court, but re-instated by the Georgia Supreme Court in 2013, according to the Daily Post report from that time.

Nance attempted to appeal the Georgia Supreme Court’s 2013 decision by taking it to the federal courts,

the wrong friends, you’re having problems at home and need an outlet and you’re starting to run away.”

He said Gwinnett County has a large at-risk population due to its large immigrant population and with it having the largest school system in the state. The police department also lacks bilingual undercover police officers who can help in certain cases of sex trafficking or human trafficking, he said.

However, Shared Hope International awarded Georgia an “A” last month on the strength of its laws to combat sex trafficking, showing that some progress has been made.

Tarver also listed several resources for those experiencing or saved from abuse and human trafficking such as Mosaic Georgia Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center, Mosaic Counseling Group, Crossroads at Sugarloaf, MARR Women’s Recovery, Right Side Up Recovery Center, Wellspring Living and many more.

For more information on JLGNF, visit jlgnf.org.

but it was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals last year, according to court documents.

A firing squad is not a traditional method of executing people in the U.S., with CNN reporting it is only used in three states: Mississippi, Oklahoma and Utah. No inmate in a U.S. prison has been executed by firing squad since 2010, with the last one taking place in Utah, according to CNN. Nance’s attorneys cited issues with his veins as part of the reason why the request was being made to use a firing squad instead of lethal injection.

“Mr. Nance’s veins are

they reached out. ... It just shows us that the community cares.”

There are 102 members of Alpha Company, although only about 53 were at the armory this weekend. Others were elsewhere training, or

CRIST From A1 to back out of the race.

“I had just been re-elected (as mayor), and I was so focused on just leading the city for another four year and then when Clay decided not to run, I started getting calls,” Crist said. “There was enough affirmation that my wife and I began to take it seriously, and we said ‘We better pray through this and think about it and come to a decision,’ which took us awhile and said ‘Yes, we’ll do it.’

“So it was not my prompting.

I was clearly on another path to just lead our lovely city and life happened.”

Crist’s resignation has, in turn, created a domino effect, leading to Councilman Tim Dunn, who has been the mayor pro tem, stepping down from his council seat so he can run for mayor.

Dunn’s and Crist’s resignations will be effective March 1.

The special election to fill the

extremely difficult to locate through visual examination, and those veins that are visible are severely compromised and unsuitable for sustained intravenous access,” Hutchins wrote. “If defendants attempt to execute Mr. Nance by lethal injection, there is a substantial risk that Mr. Nance’s veins will lose their structural integrity and ‘blow,’ leading to the leakage of the lethal injection drug into the surrounding tissue.

“The leakage of the lethal injection drug causes intense pain and burning in the surrounding tissue, and also results in inadequate or inconsistent drug

were at school, Rivera said.

Most of the company went to Afghanistan a year ago, although Rivera said some members of the company headed to the Middle East in December 2018.

The guardsmen spent nine

mayor’s seat and Dunn’s Post 4 council seat will be held May 19.

“I commend Mayor Crist for his leadership and vision during his tenure. We wish him well with future plans,” Dunn said. “I will take this opportunity to seek election as Lilburn’s mayor, to continue the realization of dreams we have formed together with Lilburn staff over the last decade.”

Councilman S. Scott Batterton was picked to be the council’s new mayor pro tem for 2020 earlier this week.

Crist has been Lilburn’s mayor in 2012 and the city has undertaken several projects since then, including: the joint City HallLibrary building in partnership with Gwinnett County; renovations at Lilburn’s city park; the promotion of arts in the city; and the approval of new downtown housing.

The city is also preparing to move its police headquarters and municipal court to a new location and long-term plans are in place to eventually add storefront space along Main Street.

delivery, leading to a prolonged execution that will produce excruciating pain.”

In addition to raising concerns about Nance’s veins, his attorneys also argued that a prescription medication he has been taking, gabapentin, may make it impossible to block an agent administered to prevent him from feeling pain during the lethal injection execution. Nance has been taking the medication to deal with chronic back pain.

The attorney argued that, due to the potential effects of the medication as well as the issues with his veins, executing him by lethal injection would violate his rights

months on a “train, advise, assist” mission.

“We worked closely with the military, advising them on their operations,” Rivera said. “We also conducted base defense operations and other missions around the base to keep people on the base safe.”

Zellers said he and his fellow guardsmen appreciated the VFW members — who understand what the guardsmen have been through from their own experiences in military — for serving the meal this weekend and recognizing their service in Afghanistan.

“You (serve) for the love of your country,” Zellers said. “I love what I do. I like being in the National Guard. I like being around the other guys. It’s a different brotherhood.”

City officials said Crist played a key role in the Lilburn Arts Alliance’s formation and “helped bring the award-winning Lilburn Tunnel Bridge Mural to downtown Lilburn.”

Crist said there are several issues that will be close to him as a legislator, if he’s elected, including supporting pro-life and pro-second amendment measures and tackling the issues of human trafficking and transportation issues.

He also said he would bring a background in city government and an understanding of what cities need to the General Assembly.

“A lot of the decisions that are made downtown, they are not reflective of the people who have real intimate details on how cities run, and the needs of cities,” Crist said. “Eightyfive percent of all Georgians live in a city. We’re really attached to our cities and so I bring that perspective.”

Crist has already launched a campaign website, www.johnnycristforgeorgia.com.

under the eighth and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

“Mr. Nance’s continuous exposure to gabapentin has altered his brain chemistry in such a way that pentobarbital will no longer reliably

render him unconscious and insensate, further creating and exacerbating the substantial risk that Mr. Nance will consciously suffer a prolonged and painful execution,” Hutchins said in the petition.

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629321-1

MAN

portant to us ...

“And with the VFW, they have all of these veterans that are very familiar with being deployed to different countries, so they’re familiar with what you’re going through, so I’m very thankful

629320-1

there, we provide a meal for them too ... This is a ‘Thank You to them for their service and the time they took away from home. We wanted to provide a good meal to them.”

It was a bit of a delayed “welcome home” from the VFW since this past weekend was the first opportunity to have most of the company together at one time since the unit came home in September.

Since the company was coming back from a deployment, its members were not obligated to drill for three months after their return, Alpha Company Capt. Santos Rivera III said.

man had rubbed his private area against her as she was kneeling down looking at some clothing. The man also tried to engage her in conversation by asking her age.

Using her phone, the girl captured a picture of the man, which shows him wearing a dark blue windbreaker jacket with three white stripes and gray lining.

He is believed to be about 5 feet 6 inches tall with dark hair.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Gwinnett County Police Department at 770-5135300. Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 404577-8477 or by visiting www.stopcrimeATL.com.

By Chamian Cruz

Hebron Weekday Preschool admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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sports

gwinnettdailypost.com

SECTION B ♦ WEdNESday, JaNuary 15, 2020

Gladiators coach leans on stalwart Joel Messner

By Christine Troyke christine.troyke@gwinnettdailypost.com

Atlanta Gladiators head coach Jeff Pyle is not often effusive in his praise of an individual player. There are usually caveats.

Pyle only had one about Joel Messner, and even that comes from a good place. For the most part, it was as glowing a review as anyone will get from the veteran coach who sticks to the unvarnished truth.

Asked what he likes about the second-year defenseman, Pyle summed it up quickly.

“Everything,” he said. “Just a great kid. Tons of energy.

Tons of passion. He cares so much about everybody and everything. He’s easy to coach.

“He deserves to be successful. And he will be. He’ll have a long career if he wants to, but I think he’s also smart enough that at some point, he’ll go, ‘I’ve got a degree and I’m going to do the right thing for the right reasons.’

That’s the type of kid he is. He gets it.”

An earnest love for the game is where the caveat comes in.

“He has fun and I think at this level, these kids have got to have fun and enjoy the game,” Pyle said. “The only thing is he tries to do too much because he cares so much. He runs around a little bit and he can get himself in trouble because of it.”

Pyle plays Messner in every situation. He’s eating a ton of minutes in his second season with the Gladiators. As a rookie, he split the season between AHL Providence, where he’s signed, and Atlanta. Messner learned Pyle’s system last year and has his full confidence.

“If it’s late in a period, he’s going to be in the defensive zone,” Pyle said. “I’ll die with him on the ice and overplay him rather than take chances. I know he’s tired. I talked to him about it the other day. He goes, ‘Don’t worry, I’m in great shape.’ And I know he is.

Special Photo: Dale Zanine/Atlanta Gladiators

Atlanta Gladiators defenseman Joel Messner (51) takes a shot during a game Friday against Jacksonville at Infinite See MESSNER, B6 Energy Arena in Duluth.

Seedings key for teams at wrestling championships

By David Friedlander david.friedlander@ gwinnettdailypost.com

Will Hammock

Buford’s Evan DiMaggio, top, tries to pin Discovery’s Gary Dever in the 220-pound final in the Gwinnett County Wrestling Championships earlier this month at Mill Creek. A simple, straight-forward approach has helped the senior rebound from an ankle injury that cost him half his senior season in football and helped the Wolves to a state title, and make an impact on the mat for the wrestling team.

FOrGING aHEad

Simplicity, perseverance help Buford’s DiMaggio through adversity

By David Friedlander david.friedlander@gwinnettdailypost.com

There’s not a lot that is complicated about Evan DiMaggio. What you see of the Buford two-sport standout is pretty much what you get.

In a lot of ways, that kind of simplicity comes in handy as he competes in the Wolves’ varsity football and wrestling programs, and it has definitely come in handy during what has been a senior season filled with obstacles to overcome.

But overcome them DiMaggio has, rebounding from a fractured ankle in the opening game of the football season in August that cost him the rest of the regular season before returning in the playoffs to have a major impact on Buford’s run to the Class AAAAA state championship.

And after returning to the wresting mat only just over a week ago at the 2020 Gwinnett County Championships,

he’s had an immediately impact by rolling to a county title, capped by a pin of Discovery’s Gary Dever in the finals.

It’s not that surprising that DiMaggio has the competitive spirit to work past such adversity.

After all, with his great uncle being late Hall of Fame baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, competitiveness seems to run in his family.

And Buford wrestling coach Tom Beuglas sees the same kind of determination in the younger DiMaggio.

“He’s a tough kid,” Beuglas said.

“When he broke (his ankle), he’d roll around in his scooter every day and he did therapy every day, He doesn’t complain. You ask him, ‘How’s the ankle?’

He says, ‘Fine.’

“The minute he was cleared to play, he played every game and didn’t say a word about it. Then once the season was over, he came out to wrestling, and he still goes to therapy every day with our trainers before practice. But

he never says a word about it bothering him, That’s just not the kind of kid he is. He’s real quiet, He’s tough.”

That toughness was definitely on display during the football playoffs, as DiMaggio admits he wasn’t quite 100 percent until a few weeks after his return.

He also admits the athletic rust caused by sitting out the injury made his transition to wrestling a little slower than in past years, but thought it all, he has persevered kept pushing on through.

“The game (the ankle) started to feel better was the (state semifinals) against Jones County,” said DiMaggio, who signed a National Letter of Intent to play college football at Furman University in December. “From then on out, it’s been getting better form there. The first few (wrestling) practices, it took a little getting used to. But once I started getting into it, it felt good.”

The simple straight-forward approach See DIMAGGIO, B2

Like every other Georgia High School Association sport, the luck of the draw is a very important factor in wrestling when it comes to the postseason.

Unlike most sports, however, the luck on the draw doesn’t rely on a region vs. region format when it comes to the brackets for each classification at the state dual meet championship tournament.

So there was plenty of interest in Sunday’s seeding meeting that determined the draw in the classifications’ brackets for this year’s tournament, which gets underway Thursday at the Macon Centreplex, including from Gwinnett County’s seven qualifying teams over three different classes.

For five of those local teams competing in the Class AAAAAAA bracket, a lot of their attention was directed towards where they are situated in relation to Camden County, which has won five straight state duals titles over two different classes, including the last

three at the state’s highest classification.

“Anytime you’re opposite Camden (in the bracket), it’s where you want to be,” said Collins Hill coach Nate Ehtridge, whose Eagles rode their first Region 6-AAAAAAA duals championship since 2014 this past weekend to a No. 2 overall seed in the state duals. “But we’ve got a tough first-round matchup.

I’m not sure how Colquitt (County, the runner-up to Camden County in the Region 1-AAAAAAA duals) didn’t get a higher seed.

But we thought we’d be at the (No.) 2 seed.”

The Eagles, who have been ranked as high as No. 1 in Class AAAAAAA at times this season by different criteria, certainly don’t fear Camden, or any other team.

Neither does Mountain View, which fell to Collins Hill in the 6-AAAAAAA duals finals.

The Bears could meet up with the Wildcats a lot sooner, in the second round, should they get past their first-round dual against Cherokee.

See WRESTLING, B6

Will Hammock

Buford’s Charlie Darracott, left, wrestles Collins Hill’s Lucas DeSilva in the 160-pound final earlier this month in the Gwinnett County Wrestling Championships at Mill Creek. Both wrestlers will be in action with their respective teams at the Georgia High School Association’s state duals beginning Thursday at the Macon Centreplex.

Getting to Know ... Derrick Heberling

By David Friedlander david.friedlander@gwinnettdailypost.com

David Friedlander

Derrick Heberling enjoyed his 15 years coaching basketball in Pennsylvania and Gwinnett County. But he is also enjoying his new venture as Director for the NG3 program, a faithbased character development and community service program, at Brookwood High School.

By his own admission, Derrick Heberling wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to do when he stepped down as Hebron Christian’s head boys basketball coach a little less than a year ago.

All he knew is that he was looking for a new challenge, and it didn’t take him long for him to find it as the area director and Brookwood school director for NG3, a program designed in partnership with local churches to facilitate character development and small group mentoring in local schools.

The Lebanon, Pa., native and 15year coaching veteran, including 11 years in Gwinnett County, recently spoke with staff writer David Friedlander about the NG3 program, how

he came to be involved with it and whether he misses coaching, among other subjects DF: When you stepped down at Hebron last February, you mentioned that one of the reasons you were doing so was to spend more time with your wife and your two kids. Has the new job afforded you the chance to do so compared to coaching?

DH: It did. Yes. This is a full-time job, and what’s really cool is that it allows me more time with my family, and it also allows me to take my work home with me. My wife (Brooke) teaches here (at Brookwood). She’s a language arts teacher and has been here for seven years. My kids go to Brookwood Elementary right across the street, so they can walk to school.

The kids then also — because what we do is we do the character development — we parlay that into community service.

DF: So take us through the timeline of the past year. Is this the job you had in mind when you left Hebron or was this just a case of serendipitous timing?

DH: So I resigned (last) January and we were in the middle of the first (round) of the (state) playoffs. I tell the guys after we lose out to Greenforest (Christian) in the Sweet 16, and I had no idea what I was going to do. So I just thought, ‘Hey, I’m going to just step down. I’m going to go to an assistant coach role.’ I talked to Geoffrey Pierce over at Grayson about possibly coming See HEBERLING, B2

0115_GDP_WED_CLASS_Classifieds 1/13/2020 4:24 PM Page B4

B4 ♦ Wednesday, January 15, 2020 ♦ gWinnettdailypost.com B4 ♦ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 ♦ GWINNETTDAILYPOST.COM GWINNETT DAILY POST ADVERTISING DEADLINES LINERS: Pub. Date: Wednesday Deadline: Monday 3 pm Friday Thursday 3 pm Sunday Friday 11:30 am DISPLAY AD: Pub. Date: Wednesday Deadline: Friday 3 pm Friday Tuesday 3 pm Sunday Wednesday 3 pm

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 FULL TIME

FULL TIME SYSTEMS ENGINEER Sys Engr-Backup Admin, Prime Care Technologies, Inc., Duluth, GA -req Bach in info sys, comp sci, comp eng or equiv exp; 4 yrs exp in 1 of these: Citrix XenServer/XenApp/NetScaler, Exch 2007/2010/2013, VMWare ESX, SQL Srvr 2008/2012; & 2 yrs exp in 1 of these: Backup topol (to incl Symantec Backup Exec, EMC Avamar, and EMC DataDomain), SAN topol (to incl EMC, NexSan, and Brocade sw fab). Exp may be gained conc.

Resumes to: careers2@ primecaretech.com

TRAINING/ SCHOOLS

FULL TIME

ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE, PARTS CONTROL (Peachtree Corners, GA): Provide customer service by assisting customers and institutional clients with obtaining replacement parts for the company’s Plastic Injection Molding Machine (PIMM) products.

Reqmts incl: Bachelor’s deg or equiv in any field & 2 yrs exp in the job offrd or rltd role. Must have 2 years experience with: plastic injection molding machine. Fluency in Korean (read, write, speak and type) required. Requires 40% U.S. and international travel. For complete job details or apply w/ LS Tractor USA, LLC, send your resume to dave. masters@lstractorusa. com; ref code: HC-19.

ROLLER COMPANY in Lawrenceville needs a TRUCK DRIVER Very few overnight trips. Must pass background check and drug test.

Send resume to tim@foresterroller.com (770) 822-9299

VEHICLES

AIRLINE CAREER AVIATION Grads work with Delta, United, Boeing, and others.

Get hands on training for FAA certification.

Financial aid if qualified.

Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance (866) 564-9634 www.FixJets.com

APPLIANCES

APPLIANCES

DRYER/WASHER $125 ea.; Super Capacity $175 ea.

Front Loader Set $450 & up; Regular Refrig. & Ranges $175 & up; SXS Refrig. $300 & up.

Dishwasher $100 & up. Different colors.

Del/1 yr warr.

Tim 404-205-2222

FARMS, LOTS & ACREAGE FOR SALE HALL GAINESVILLE FOR SALE BY OWNER 7.74 gently sloping acres. Fronts Hwy. 60N Adjoins Lake Lanier Corps of Engineers.

Beautiful building site.

Commercial potential.

Natural gas and city water on property.

Near schools and shopping.

WINDOWS

706-658-6881 REAL ESTATE FOR RENT

FITNESS/HEALTH/ SPORTING GOODS

PRECOR S3.21

VACATION RENTALS

strength multi-station Great condition.

Must pick up. $250 (404) 640-7278

PICKENS/BIG CANOE

VACATION TIME SHARE WEEK

*/%6453*"- ."*/5&/"/$& ASSOCIATE ISONOVA TECHNOLOGIES in Social Circle, GA has an opening for an Industrial Maintenance Associate.

12 hour rotating shifts / One wk M-T-S-SU next wk W-Th-F Qualified candidates must have initiative, be a selfstarter, a minimum of 2 years’ experience, in industrial mechanical, electrical, maintenance, welding, and PLC. Must be willing to work days or nights.

PICKENS/BIG CANOE Vacation Weeks in Big Canoe -- Special Sale at Petit Crest Villas -Contact Jamie Kemp, Professional Realty Associates, Georgia Licensed Real Estate Broker, 706-268-3600

CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars!

Junk, high-end, totaled—It doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash!

NEWER MODELS too!

833-882-3437.

Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protectin. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off and 0% financing for those who qualify. PLUS Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-877-735-0477

629482-1

GWINNETT BERKELEY LAKE

Interested individuals should apply on our Web site. http://www.isonovatech.com/careers EOE

LAWN & GARDEN

MISCELLANEOUS

COMMERCIAL RENTALS

$0.1&/4"5*0/ #&/&'*54 t $PNQFUJUJWF XBHFT t BO IPVS TIJGU EJGGFSFOUJBM t 1BJE WBDBUJPO t 2VBSUFSMZ #POVT t %FGFSSFE 1SPÃ¥U 4IBSJOH t 1BJE 7BDBUJPOT t .FEJDBM %FOUBM BOE -JGF *OTVSBODF PGGFSFE

770-676-9931

BUILDING MATERIALS ENERGY SAVING NEW WINDOWS! Beautify Your Home!

Save On Monthly Energy Bills With New Windows From 1800Remodel! Up To 18 Months No Interest.

Restrictions Apply 844-214-5488.

MARCH 27-APRIL 3 @ Petit Crest Villas in Big Canoe, GA for Gwinnett County Schools Spring Break Call (770) 715-2507

CARS FOR SALE! 2009 Chevy AVEO, 4 cylinder, gas saver 107,000 mi., blue, good condition!

2006 Volvo Stationwagon 190,000 miles, like new (inside and outside, REALLY), white.

Either car $3,000 firm.

COMMERCIAL WAREHOUSE FOR LEASE

5,000 sq. ft. with two small offices. Call Mike (770) 826-7970 GWINNETT SNELLVILLE

VEHICLES

Heart of Snellville Cobblestone Office Park Exec. Sts. Off. & 3 medium offices--perfect for ins., lawyers or counselors.

770-978-0310

CADILLAC DTS, 2007 One owner, fully loaded, mileage 83,500, excellent condition!

Reduced to $6,500 Call (770) 985-0911

FOR LEASE

HOME REPAIR/ REMODELING

FOREST

REMODELING, INC. •Finished Basements •Bathroom Remodeling •Kitchen Remodeling •Custom Cabinets •Garages/Carports •Screened Porches •Custom Decks •Siding All Types Call John

JOIN OUR LEADING SENIOR CARE TEAM

770-962-2071

Credit Cards Accepted!

The Sheridan at Eastside 2020 HIRING EVENT

Thursday, January 23, 2020 1pm-6pm Friday, January 24, 2020 1pm - 6pm Positions Available $FSUJÃ¥FE .FEJDBUJPO "JEF t $FSUJÃ¥FE /VSTJOH "TTJTUBOU t 3FTJEFOU 1SPHSBNT $PPSEJOBUPS $FSUJÃ¥FE .FEJDBUJPO "JEF t $FSUJÃ¥FE /VSTJOH "TTJTUBOU t 3FTJEFOU 1SPHSBNT $PPSEJOBUPS -JDFOTFE 1SBDUJDBM /VSTF t 4FDVSJUZ (VBSE t 6UJMJUZ 8PSLFS t $BSF "TTPDJBUF 8FMMOFTT -JDFOTFE 1SBDUJDBM /VSTF t 4FDVSJUZ (VBSE t 6UJMJUZ 8PSLFS t $BSF "TTPDJBUF 8FMMOFTT 4FSWFST t -FBE $PPL t )PVTFLFFQJOH t 3FTJEFOU 1SPHSBN "TTJTUBOU t -JOF $PPL 4FSWFST t -FBE $PPL t )PVTFLFFQJOH t 3FTJEFOU 1SPHSBN "TTJTUBOU t -JOF $PPL

Things to Bring: 33FTVNF FTVNF 55XP GPSNT PG *EFOUJÃ¥DBUJPO %SJWFST -JDFOTF PS 1BTTQPSU 4PDJBM 4FDVSJUZ $BSE

XP GPSNT PG *EFOUJÃ¥DBUJPO %SJWFST -JDFOTF PS 1BTTQPSU 4PDJBM 4FDVSJUZ $BSE

$FSUJÃ¥DBUJPOT JF $13 'JSTU "JE -1/ $/" $." DFSUJÃ¥DBUJPOT

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*Note* Please complete the online application prior to the event at https://seniorlifestyle.com/careers

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RSVP Today at http://bit.ly/39YbddB

1900 Tree Lane | Snellville, Georgia Call: 770-818-6190

628072-3

629410-1

See You There!

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