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Gwinnett Daily Post WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
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Vol. 49, No. 34 WORD ON THE STREET
“I wasn’t for it … I thought that it was too much money for that short of a distance (for rail).” — Marsha McCutchen, Lawrenceville
“I work in Sandy Springs, so the commute, in the evenings, is just a nightmare. I did (vote) yes.” — Chantelle Norman, Lawrenceville Voters cast ballots in Gwinnett’s MARTA referendum at the First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville polling precinct on Tuesday. The referendum was defeated by a margin of 54 percent to 46 percent. (Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans)
DERAILED Voters reject county’s proposed MARTA contract BY CURT YEOMANS
“I said ‘No’ because I don’t want to pay the extra money (in sales taxes).” — Tee Nash, Lawrenceville
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curt.yeomans @gwinnettdailypost.com
More Gwinnett city special election results ........................................6A
Opponents of a proposal to expand MARTA into Gwinnett County prevailed over pro-MARTA forces in the county’s transit referendum on Tuesday. With all of the precincts counted as of 11 p.m., the “No” votes made up 54.32 percent of the votes in unofficial results. Gwinnettians had been asked to approve a contract between the county and MARTA for the provision of transit services, effectively bringing the regional transit agency northeast along Interstate 85.
Approval of the contract would have meant the levying of a 1 percent sales tax to pay for Gwinnett’s participation in the MARTA system. “Frankly I thought the victory margin would be wider than it was, based on the demographic results from early voting that we’d seen so far,” leading opponent Joe Newton said. “Had we had enough time to organize this thing, I thought it would have been bigger.” The vote was seen as a major decision for Gwinnett County, with eyes across metro Atlanta focused on what the county’s voters would do. This marks the third time in nearly half a century that the county’s voters have reSee MARTA, Page 6A
“(My wife and I) both voted ‘yes’ … because we’re tired of sitting in traffic.” — Terry Baker, Duluth
“I don’t want that extra tax. I have a small business down here, and it’s just extra stuff we don’t need, I say. So I said ‘no.’” — Joel Stewart, Lawrenceville
Men found shot dead in Lawrenceville storage unit Pair was reported missing in December; two suspects charged in connection BY ISABEL HUGHES
unincorporated Lawrenceville. The men, What began as a missing perwho were close sons case several months ago in friends, were Athens-Clarke County has now reported missevolved into a double homicide ing on Dec. 18, Lesley investigation in Gwinnett, folsaid AthensChappel Green lowing the discovery of two men Clarke County shot dead inside a Lawrenceville Police Departstorage unit. ment Capt. Jerry On Sunday, after months of inSaulters. vestigation by the Athens-Clarke “At that County Police Department, the time, we had FBI and the Gwinnett County information Police Department, detectives, that they were Robert with the help of cadaver dogs, last seen headMaurice found the bodies of Derrick Ruff ing to Gwinnett Carlisle and Joshua Jackson, both 25, in County,” Saulters a unit at the Extra Space Storage said. “We have had an extensive on Lawrenceville Highway in investigation over the last three isabel.hughes@gwinnettdailypost.com
Victims Derrick Ruff, left, and Joshua Jackson, missing since December, were found Sunday.
months, and in that investigation, we learned that both men were seen in (the Gwinnett) area — that was the last place they were seen.” At the time of their disappearance, Ruff and Jackson were See HOMICIDES, Page 6A
Athens-Clarke County Police Department Capt. Jerry Saulters, left, and Gwinnett County Police Department Cpl. Michele Pihera, right, speak at a joint news conference Tuesday morning. (Staff Photo: Isabel Hughes)
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