FINDING HER VOICE, 1C
Teacher back to work after battling larynx cancer
AWESOME ARCHER Tigers upset No. 1 Grayson, take lead in region race • Sports, 1B
Gwinnett Daily Post SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017
www.gwinnettdailypost.com
$2.00 ©2017 SCNI
Vol. 48, No. 14
NTSB says helicopter spun before it crashed BY CURT YEOMANS
Cream crop
curt.yeomans@gwinnettdailypost.com
of the
From top, clockwise, Amy Crisp, Doug Doblar, Cheri Nations, Michelle Jones, Ebony Flott and John Chvatal are the finalists for the 2018 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year. (Special Photos)
GCPS announces Teacher of the Year finalists FROM STAFF REPORTS
The school administrators, central office support Gwinnett County Public staff and former teachers of Schools announced its six fi- the year who make up the nalists for the 2018 Gwinnett selection committee are now County Teacher of the Year tasked with choosing this honor Friday. year’s Teacher of the Year. These six teachers have That announcement will be been chosen from a field of made at a banquet Nov. 9 at 25 semifinalists by a selec6:30 p.m. at the Infinite Ention committee comprised of ergy Center, located at 6400 GCPS officials. Those semifi- Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth. nalists were selected from the All 138 local school Teach138 local school Teachers of ers of the Year will be recogthe Year. nized during the banquet.
The following are the sary in place to help students six finalists for Gwinnett meet or exceed my high County’s 2018 Teacher of the expectations,” Flott said. Year: Flott began teaching in 2003, when she worked as Ebony Flott a fourth-grade teacher and Ebony Flott is a fourthlater as a literacy coach at grade teacher at Camp Creek Stripling Elementary School. Elementary School who She transferred to Lilburn believes that her job as a Elementary School in 2007, teacher is to help her stuwhere she taught third and dents understand their full fourth grades before transferpotentials. ring to Camp Creek in 2013. “I make an effort to put See TEACHERS, Page 7A whatever supports are neces-
INFINITE ENERGY CENTER
Development plan expected to be unveiled this week BY CURT YEOMANS
curt.yeomans @gwinnettdailypost.com
A proposed layout for the development of the land surrounding the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth is expected to be released this week, according to an official with the development firm working on the project. North American Properties’ Vice-President of Marketing Liz Gillespie spoke briefly about the project
Friday during a presentation at the Metro Atlanta Redevelopment Summit held at Studio Movie Grill in Duluth. After the presentation, she told the Daily Post a site plan for the development is expected to come out soon. “We’re actually making good progress,” Gillespie said. “It’s an evolution and we’ve spent time really looking at the community, what’s going to work in the See CENTER, Page 7A
Crossword......15A
Lottery ............. 4A
Perspectives ..14A
Comics ...........15A
Horoscope .......4A
Nation.............. 5A
Sports...............1B
Community ..... 1C
Local................ 2A
Obituaries.........6A
Weather ...........4A
MORTGAGE LOANS FOR THE PLACE YOU CALL (OR WILL CALL ) HOME
510254-2
See HELICOPTER, Page 7A
A Gwinnett police helicopter crashed near Briscoe Field on Sept. 1. A National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report shows pilots told investigators there was a strong wind gust before the helicopter crashed. (Special Photo)
SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT For the opinion page, comics, crossword puzzles and more, see the expanded A section.
gwinnettdailypost.com
INSIDE Classified .......16A
ACUONLINE.ORG/MORTGAGE
North American Properties Partner and Vice-President of Marketing Liz Gillespie talks about the firm’s work on the Infinite Energy Center development project during the Metro Atlanta Redevelopment Summit in Duluth on Friday. (Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans)
The pilot of a Gwinnett County police helicopter that crashed Sept. 1 told federal investigators that the helicopter began spinning after it was hit by a wind gust as it approached the landing zone at Briscoe Field, according to a preliminary report. The National Transportation Safety Board’s brief report offers insight into what happened immediately before the crash, including what factor weather conditions may have played. Because it is a preliminary report, the NTSB said information is subject to change once the final report is issued. Officers on the helicopter were returning to the airport because of approaching bad weather. Both officers were hospitalized after the crash, but one of them, Cpl. Michael Duncan, was paralyzed from the waist down. “While approaching the landing zone, the pilot noted a ‘strong wind gust’ followed by a ‘sudden, uncommanded, violent, right yaw’ and ‘what seemed to be an uncommanded climb,’” the report states. “He applied cyclic and pedal inputs, however the helicopter continued in a right spin for at least two full rotations until it impacted the ground.” The NTSB report largely focuses on what officers told inspectors after the crash. It shows the officers said nothing appeared to be wrong during a pre-flight inspection of the MD 369 FF helicopter
Stay connected with the Daily Post online, where you can submit news tips, browse photo galleries and sign up to receive headlines digitally at gwinnettdailypost.com/newsletter. Send us engagements, wedding, births or anniversaries under “Submit your news” on the home page.
BETTER THAN A BANK. ANYONE CAN JOIN. ACUONLINE.ORG Offer available in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. MLS #401922.