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Gwinnett Daily Post WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019
www.gwinnettdailypost.com
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Vol. 49, No. 4
Police: Man shot ex-wife, turned gun on himself BY ISABEL HUGHES isabel.hughes@gwinnettdailypost.com
Breaking barriers
On Monday, Gwinnett County swore in its first-ever Korean-Hispanic judge, Ramon Alvarado, to Gwinnett County Recorder’s Court. (Photo: Gwinnett County Communications Office)
Gwinnett’s first Hispanic-Korean judge takes oath BY ISABEL HUGHES
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which stems from a December 2016 U.S. Census Bureau designation in which the federal government said Gwinnett’s Gwinnett County has seen a Spanish-speaking population — Ramon Alvarado, Gwinnett County Recorder’s Court judge lot of firsts in the last year and was now large enough that a half. elections have to be done in In November 2017, LoganEnglish and Spanish — it’s fitville and Norcross residents a new solicitor general — the am the first Hispanic (person) ting that Gwinnett’s courts are elected the county’s first county’s first black person to to be on the bench and also beginning to look more like its non-white mayors, and in May hold the office — and made the first Korean on the bench,” residents, Alvarado said. 2018, county residents elected history by electing the first Alvarado said. “It’s interesting, “Having folks be able to Gwinnett’s first black judge. non-white person to Gwinnett because if you look at people relate to the person sitting up Also in May, voters chose a County Public Schools’ board who are in court, there’s a lot there on the bench is (imporBangladeshi immigrant as their of education. of diversity in the crowd. So I tant),” he said. “Overall, I think District 5 state senator, makOn Monday, the county think it’s important in Gwinnett Gwinnett has done a great job ing him the state’s first Muslim continued in the same vein, that there is more diversity on with trying to be diverse on the lawmaker, and in November swearing in its first-ever the bench.” bench, and frankly, I just don’t 2018, residents voted into ofKorean-Hispanic judge, Ramon Given that Gwinnett is the know that there’s been many fice the county’s first non-white Alvarado, to Gwinnett County state’s most diverse county — candidates who have been commissioners. Recorder’s Court. it’s the only county in Georgia Korean or Hispanic who have During the November elec“My dad’s Puerto Rican that is required to have SpanSee JUDGE, Page 7A tion, Gwinnett voters also chose and my mom’s Korean, so I ish-language election ballots, isabel.hughes @gwinnettdailypost.com
(I)f you look at people who are in the court, there’s a lot of diversity in the crowd. So I think it’s important in Gwinnett that there is more diversity on the bench.”
The two people killed in a “sad, horrific” murder-suicide at a Duluth hair salon Monday morning were recently divorced, police said Tuesday. Shortly before 10 a.m., Duluth Police Department officers responded to the Edge Total Hair salon on Pleasant Hill Road after receiving reports of a shooting, according to Officer Ted Sadowski, spokesman for the department. There, they found 48-year-old Myyoung Lee, the salon’s owner, dead in the parking lot, having been shot by her ex-husband, 62-year-old Namyoon Cha, Sadowski said. “When secondary officers arrived, it was determined that the suspect in the shooting was still inside the business suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,” he said. “Paramedics arrived on-scene once it was secured and transported the male from inside. The female outside was deceased.” According to police, Cha evacuated the salon before opening fire on his ex-wife, who was shot twice “as she tried to flee from the front door of the hair salon.” Lee’s daughter was inside the salon during the shooting. After killing Lee, Cha ran back into the salon, where he shot himself, Sadowski said. He was transported to Gwinnett Medical Center, where he later died. “No other parties were injured during this sad, horrific incident,” Sadowski said, though a daughter is now without her parents. Detectives are still investigating the murder-suicide and what led up to the crime. Additional information will likely be released pending the outcome of the investigation.
Duluth Police are on the scene of a hair salon off Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth after a woman was shot and killed on Monday. (Photo: FOX 5 Atlanta)
LAWRENCEVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Performing arts center plans approved at meeting Monday
A proposed plan to package a Hilton Tapestry boutique hotel with the city of Lawrenceville’s planned new downtown parking deck can be seen in this rough concept illustration. (Special Photo)
BY CURT YEOMANS curt.yeomans@gwinnettdailypost.com
Lawrenceville leaders saw a sea of red Monday night as they considered the final orientation and interior plans for the city’s $31.1 million downtown performing arts center. That’s because officials at the Aurora Theatre, which will manage the center for the city, encouraged supporters to show up and wear red as a visible sign to the City Council that there is community backing for the facility. An overflow crowd of red-clad supporters showed up. They filled up just about every chair in the audience, lined the back and walls of the meeting chambers and sat on the floor when there was nowhere else left to sit or stand. Some supporters had to stand in the hallway outside the chambers because there was no space left in the room.
City seeks partnership for Hilton hotel, deck
project would also include retail spaces and a limited amount of conference center space. Downtown Lawrenceville may If approved and ultimately be getting a Hilton hotel — and a built, it would give visitors a new parking deck. place to stay at a location that The City Council voted is adjacent to the Lawrenceville Monday to give the LawrencevLawn and a short walk away from the Lawrenceville Square in ille Downtown Development Authority permission to proceed the heart of the city. “This public-private partnerwith final contract negotiations with Hilton on a project to pack- ship gives us an opportunity to age the city’s planned 380-space take what would be standalone parking deck on Chestnut Street single parking deck and turn it with a full-service Hilton Tapes- into a vibrant activity center and try boutique hotel. See HILTON, Page 7A The public-private partnership
BY CURT YEOMANS
curt.yeomans@gwinnettdailypost.com
Supporters of the Aurora Theatre, who showed up clad in red to show their support, applaud the Lawrenceville City Council after it unanimously voted to approve plans for the city’s performing arts center Monday. (Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans)
“In a world that can seem sometimes super bleak, the Aurora Theatre is something that really (sends) out happiness and joy into the community,” Aurora supporter
Matt Perry told the council. “Other than being an economic draw into the community, I can See ARTS, Page 7A
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