City pushes for solution to collapsing building
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Sugar Hill - A City Almost Dissolved • Page 5 Rockin’ 100 Days in an Old School Way • Page 14
Your Town. Your Paper. Your Voice. Wednesday January 16, 2019 Vol. 3, No. 1 • 16 Pages • FREE
North Gwinnett Voice
Wednesday January 16, 2019
City of Buford Commission Meeting Minutes Staff Reports January 7, 2019 - Commission Chairman Philipp Beard called the first meeting of 2019 to order right at 7 p.m in the Commission Chambers at Buford City Hall. After the Pledge of Allegiance was said, the agenda and December 2018 meeting minutes were approved. At this point, the Commission Chairman and Vice Chair for 2019 were elected, as well as, make various appointments. Phillip Beard said he would step back and not be elected as Commission Chairman but neither Chris Burge nor Brad Weeks chose to be nominated for the position. Commissioner Weeks nominated Beard for Chairman and Vice Chairman Burge seconded the nomination which passed unanimously. Chris Burge was elected unanimously as Vice Chairman. The list of Department Heads, with the addition of a City Engineering Consultant, were appointed for 2019 as presented by staff. Harley Bennett was reappointed to the City Planning and Zoning Board. A revised exemption plat that adjusted the property lines for three lots on Charles and Saint James was approved. A qualifying fee of $35.00 was approved for the November 5, 2019 election. The developers of the Lanier Harbor development will be spending a considerable sum of money to upgrade the pump at the nearby pump station. Taking that into consideration, wastewater allocation and a
credit for the pump station improvements were approved. Wastewater allocation was approved by Burge and Weeks for the North Gwinnett Street Townhome Development. Beard abstained from the vote. The Commission authorized the City Manager and Finance Director to sign a resolution with BB&T Securities, LLC, appointing them as Designated Individuals for Debt Service Payments for General Obligation Bonds utilizing ESPLOST funds. The Chairman was authorized to sign a letter of intent to participate in Hall County’s Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Georgia Municipal Association’s membership fee was approved in the amount of $5,185.91 for the year 2019. Other various items were brought before the Commission and all passed. Payments were authorized for the parking deck project, Hamilton Mill Road gas relocations project, South Lee Street project, and Jackson Street Stormwater project. Todd Cleveland from the BCC said that the BCC had a successful holiday season and recent concerts were also a success. He said they are getting extremely busy with wedding season coming up. City Manager, Bryan Kerlin, gave his report. The parking deck project is making progress despite the weather and is slated to open mid-summer 2019. Final warranty items were still being addressed at the city gym. Various final punch out list items are being handled on South Lee Street. The City is still working with the GA DOT on issues with the Moreno Street project. Plans for the expansion of Buford Waterworks was progressing with data reports on filter testing being reviewed with selection pending for use in the expansion. The plant continues with general maintenance and repairs. At the new BHS, bleachers at the fields are being installed, exterior lighting was installed, sidewalks as well as final planning for landscaping and guardrails.
The interior is farther along than the exterior but everything is still progressing on schedule. Various gas and electric projects are being worked on. Parks and Recreation Department is busy with youth rec league basketball. Tennis just recently held a tournament and it was a success. This ended
For the full version of the January 2019 City of Buford Commission Meeting Minutes, please visit www.NorthGwinnettVoice.com.
The following reports were filed by the Gwinnett County Police Department between November 29, 2018 and December 14, 2018.
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Four reports were filed for entering auto thefts on December 19th from 5:55 p.m. to 7:12 p.m. in the 2700 block of North Bogan Road in Buford. Reports were also filed in the 3300 block of Mall of Georgia Boulevard in Buford, 3800 block of Braselton Highway in Buford, and the 4600 block of Trilogy Park Trail in Hoschton. Police responded to calls for non residential forced entry burglaries in the 6000 block of Cumming Highway in Sugar Hill, 4900 block of Austin Park Avenue in Buford, and 4100 block of Buford Drive in Buford. In the 200 block of Murphy Street in Buford, police were called about a forced entry residential burglary. An attempted residential burglary was reported in the 600 block of Sentry Ridge Crossing in Suwanee. Non forced residential burglaries occurred in the 3400 block of Rosecliff Trace in Buford and in the 3200 block of Thompson Mill Road in Buford.
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A person was arrested for disorderly conduct in the 4900 block of Nelson Brogdon Boulevard in Sugar Hill. Police arrested a person for public drunkenness in the 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford. A DUI arrest was made at the intersection of Buford Drive and Buford Mill Drive. Two motor vehicle thefts were reported in the 2900 block of Buford Drive in Buford. Second degree criminal damage happened in the 300 block of South Garnett Street in Buford. Police arrested a person at South Lee Street and Buford Highway in Buford for pointing their gun at another person. Simple assault calls were reported in the 400 block of Whitehead Road in Sugar Hill and in the 4800 block of Brandon Acres Lane in Buford. Police responded to incidents of battery in the 1000 block of Level Creek Road in Sugar Hill, 3300 block of Hamilton Mill Road in Buford, and 1100 Ballpark Lane in Buford. Incidents of simple battery happened in the 2100 block of Stancil Point Drive in Dacula/Hamilton Mill, 2700 block of Mall of Georgia Boulevard in Buford, and 3100 block of Sentinel Parkway in Buford.
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GROWING up
OPINION
BUFORD
Cindy Wiggins Tapia
My Heart Will Go On It was a time of tragedy and of magic in the season of silver bells and candy canes, when a child went out and collided with death, but the hand of God swept down and caught him before he hit the ground… December 20, 1999, was a typical chaotic day at Mama’s flophouse. I lit out up Shadburn Avenue to get away from it all. A train was paused on the tracks below the crossing in front of Silas King Street. I crossed and hastened up Main to the old Bona Allen Harness Shop and turned and headed back. Fetched up on a wrought-iron bench in Grace Harris Park across from where Buice’s used to be. I had no more than smoked a half pack of Marlboro Red shorts when I looked up and saw a helicopter hovering near the old Bona Allen Shoe Shop. I figured the cops were after a bailer which for some reason made me uneasy enough to haul my hot-pink spikes homeward. At Bell Street, I noticed an inordinate amount of walkers, people whispering in their yards, and cars crawling
Photo courtesy Cindy and Angelo Fanelli Nico Angelo Fanelli.
up Shadburn Avenue. At North Lee, Mama came hurtling toward me. "Cindy Honey! I thought it was you!" “What’s happened?” She told me, and I fell against the trunk of a giant oak tree. Nico Antonio Fanelli had run across the tracks in front of his house on Shadburn to get a Pokémon card at Burton's Jeans and purchased a Dragon Ball Z and ran toward home and around the paused train and collided with the locomotive coming up the other side.
www.northgwinnettvoice.com • info@northgwinnettvoice.com Jessica Wilson Publisher
706 633-0334 jessica@northgwinnettvoice.com
Alicia Couch Payne Managing Editor
404 453-5261 alicia@northgwinnettvoice.com
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chris@northgwinnettvoice.com @ gwinnettvoice
Wednesday January 16, 2019
Friends and neighbors, the media, and police threw their arms around the Fanelli family and would not let go. There was a front-page article about Nico in the Gwinnett Daily Post every day for the rest of the week. People brought food until the dining room table groaned. Someone hired a maid service. Downtown shopkeepers sent expensive Christmas gifts for the surviving children. Tapp's Funeral Home refused payment for services rendered, because "No child should die at Christmas." The funeral was on Thursday, December 23rd. The chapel was packed. The media was present. His mom, Cindy, sang Nico’s favorite song, “My Heart Will Go On” from The Titanic. Angelo’s work crew sat in the left-hand pews—proud, little brown men, bawling their eyes out. Reverend McHoyt Moore preached the funeral.
Afterward, I told Cindy how much I admired her. "Why?" "For singing that song for your little boy when your heart is breaking.” A candlelight vigil was held on Christmas Eve Night near where Nico died, across West Main from the former Lord’s Muffler Shop. The whole town came out to pay their respects… Downtown Buford boasted an art colony with galleries, studios, and art lessons to be had. One particular artist had been painting a series of angels. At the very moment (4:01 pm) that Nico died the artist completed the last one—amazed at the magic tragedy had wrought. The artist broke the series and gave that special painting to Cindy and Angelo. It hangs on their wall to this day. I have seen it. It is of an angel welcoming a little boy into Heaven. It is without a doubt Nico Antonio Fanelli.
Weekly Affirmations
someone who needs to hear it’s positive message.
As adults, we experience an insane amount of stress at times. We sometimes have selfdoubt and more. At times we may struggle with loving ourselves and others. And if we don’t experience these things personally, chances are we all know someone who is. Each edition, we will be bringing you a quote or weekly affirmation for each week. We challenge you to repeat these affirmations to yourself daily or pass it along to
When thinking about life remember this: no amount of guilt can solve the past and no amount of anxiety can change the future.
Staff Writers: Ginger Ashworth Beth Habacker Emily Pruitt Nemec Katiee McKinstry Lyndsey Britt Nicole Burns Jennifer Elskamp Mark Blumen Windy Locke Intern Nida Merchant: NGHS Contributing Writers: Judy Born Brackett On the cover
Week One:
Week Two:
It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.
Lynn Bowman Joy Fowler Allie Webb Heidi Pickens Cindy Wiggins Tapia Jillena Smith Brandon Hembree Taylor Anderson Staff Photographers: Jennifer Johnson Nicole Seitz David Griffin
Wee Willy’s in Buford. Photo courtesy David Griffin
Wednesday January 16, 2019
Sugar Hill – A City Almost Dissolved Brandon Hembree
There is an old saying that “the more things change, the more they stay the same”. This is certainly the case for Sugar Hill since its creation as a city in 1939. Like any community, the city has changed, as well as experienced both good times and bad times. The one consistency has been the many men and women that have stepped forward to move Sugar Hill in the right direction. In 1966, on the eve of Sugar Hill’s 30th anniversary, The Atlanta Journal published a great article about Sugar Hill. Like any respected and fact focused media, the article captures a moment in time that paints an amazing picture of Sugar Hill during a very turbulent time in American history. Perhaps even better, the article compares the 1960s community to the Sugar Hill of the late 1930s and gives us an idea of how quickly it evolved in just three decades. Comparing those decades to the Sugar Hill of today is an even more fascinating perspective on the nearly 80-year journey of our community into modern times. “It is said that the town began its existence under favorable circumstances as there was a strong church in the town”, or so the Atlanta Journal article states about the founding of Sugar Hill in 1939. Sugar Hill was a small, sleepy community and most often affiliated with Buford. The city, at the time, was the tenth incorporated community in Gwinnett County. Today, there are sixteen cities in Gwinnett County and Sugar Hill is the fourth largest in population. In 1939 there were no paved roads in the city, and today there are no unpaved roads. Despite the fact that there was only a junior high school in Sugar Hill in those early years, education was Continued on page 9
HISTORY
Page 5
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ties, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. It is the policy of the Bank to provide equal employment and advancement against any qualified employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disabled or veteran status.
Peoples Bank & Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. It is the policy of the Bank to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified individuals. The Bank does not discriminate against any qualified employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disabled or veteran status.
Wednesday January 16, 2019
North Gwinnett Voice
Continued from page 8
very important. In 2019, Sugar Hill is serviced by two entire clusters – the North Gwinnett Cluster and the Lanier Cluster – with multiple middle and elementary schools and two high schools. By 1966 according to the article, there were 14 paved streets, 350 homeowners, five grocery stores, four service stations, one auto dealer, two furniture stores, a barber shop, six beauty shops, and many more amenities to serve a growing population. That population had grown to around 1,700 residents, compared to 23,000 in 2019. There were two Baptist churches and one Methodist church – Sugar Hill had become even more favorable by 1966. Things had changed a lot since 1939, but many things remained the same. By 2001, Sugar Hill had continued growing but something went wrong along the way. Residents began to question whether Sugar Hill should continue as a city, and in March of 2001 the Gwinnett Daily Post did a special report titled “Dissolving Sugar Hill”. A group of over 1,600 residents, close to the population in 1966, were unhappy and formed a group called “The Committee to Dissolve Sugar Hill”. They were upset over natural gas bills and convinced Senator Billy Ray to introduce legislation revoking the city’s charter, effectively dissolving Sugar Hill. The legislation ultimately failed to receive final passage in the House of Representatives. Cooler heads prevailed and people stepped forward to save a city and community in jeopardy. The years since have been years of hard work, and in 2019 Sugar Hill is doing very well. Things have changed a lot since 1939 and 1966, but many things have remained the same. There are two quotes in the 1966 Atlanta Journal article that are timeless, perfectly bridge those early years to 2019, and describe the seeds for a community’s success: “Sugar Hill is growing mighty fast. The way it looks now, I think
it has grown more this year than it has in the past. Forty new homes were built here last year. It is a town where all the people work together and everybody cooperates.” “The citizens here take great pride in the city. There is a spirit of cooperation in all facets of human relations in Sugar Hill. I think the city is unique in many ways.” Both former Mayor E.E. Camp and former Principal T.C. Buice stated it well. Their quotes could have just as easily been used to describe our time. Even though things have changed in Sugar Hill over the last nearly 80 years, the character of its people has stayed the same. Men and women of character started our city in 1939, and men and women of character saved our city in 2001. In 2019, men and women of character are moving our city forward and there is a major renewal of the very pride and cooperation Mayor Camp and Principal Buice were so familiar with during their time.
FEBRUARY 2, 2019
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North Gwinnett Voice
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Wednesday January 16, 2019
Buford Convenience Store Being Swallowed By Sinkhole Alicia Couch Payne Since 1988, Wee Willy’s convenience store in Buford, Georgia, has been the home of countless memories of Buford residents. As rain continues to fall, the store located at the corner of Little Mill Road has begun to collapse into Richland Creek. Over the years, the infrastructure holding up Wee Willy’s started eroding. Sources tell The North Gwinnett Voice that the owners of the store knew of the compromised infrastructure and knew that they would need to make repairs or risk it crumbling completely. Unfortunately for them, it happened before they could make these repairs. In late May 2018, after a series of thunderstorms that produced extremely heavy rains, a huge hole opened up. Wee Willy’s was teetering on the edge of the large hole. The store was immediately abandoned. The store sat vacant as it was in early June 2018 leaving locals to wonder what was to become of it. Months went by and nothing happened. The store just kept hanging on, until recently. With December and now January having a tremendous amount of rain, the infrastructure holding up Wee Willy’s has been compromised to a dangerous degree. On December 30th, firefighters responded to Wee Willy’s after the hole got bigger claiming a portion of the building. The wall that was behind the cash register area succumbed to the massive hole. The contents of the store starting falling into the creek. Several residents took to social media to express their concerns about why the City of Buford has not remedied the situation. Since the property is privately held, the City is limited on what they can do. The City must follow proper legal procedures to take care of the situation. After reaching out to the city concerning this issue, Buford’s City Manager, Bryan Kerlin stated that on December 31, 2018, the City contacted the attorney representing the owner and requested an immediate meeting to rectify the issue. The attorney contacted the owner and instructed them ‘to get someone out there and clean it up.’ On January 2, 2019, the City contacted the property owner’s attorney again to find out the owner’s plans to rectify the situation. According to an update sent out by Public
Photo courtesy: David Griffin The situation at Wee Willy’s convenience store in Buford continues to deteriorate as the sinkhole that opened up in late May 2018 continues to grow
Safety Director, Dan Branch on January 9, 2019, a meeting took place on Friday evening, January 4th between Branch, Chief Code Enforcement Officer R.C. Davis, Storm Water/ENS Coordinator Mark West, and Mr. Irfanali M. Momin, the owner of Wee Willy’s. At the meeting, Mr. Momin was issued two citations, as well as, an ultimatum to provide the City of Buford with a site plan on how they were going to clean up the property and bring it up to city code. The citations they received were 1. “Abatement of Unfit Buildings or Structures” in violation of the City Code. 2. “Prohibition of Illicit Discharge” in violation of the City’s Illicit Discharge and Illegal Connection Ordinance for the debris and other discharge into the nearby stream. Mr. Momin will have to respond to these citations in city court on January 18, 2019, at city hall. Mr. Momin was supposed to provide the site plan to Public Safety Director, Dan Branch by
the close of business on Tuesday, January 8, 2019. Branch stated in his update that the owner has failed to provide that plan to him. Where does the City go from here? In an email from City Manager, Bryan Kerlin, he told The North Gwinnett Voice, “The City is contacting the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for assistance with environmental concerns and will continue its clean-up efforts.” On January 16th the City of Buford released another update on the situation stating that the lawyer representing the owner of Wee Willy’s will be unable to make the January 18th court date. The two charges are still pending according to the release and “the matter will be reset in the near term.” The release also goes on to state that before the City can issue the owner of Wee Willy’s a demolition permit for the structure, that an asbestos inspection consistent with State law must be
obtained by the owner. Kerlin stressed that the responsibility for the clean up is not the City of Buford’s. He said that the City is doing everything in their power to rectify the situation with the owner. He states that the clean up should not have to come at the expense of the taxpayers in the City of Buford. Public Safety Director Branch assures the public that there is no threat to Little Mill Road or Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. The City has been monitoring the situation and has been working to resolve this long before it reached the point it is at currently. The sinkhole and any issues resulting from the sinkhole are the sole responsibility of the property owner, Mr. Momin and as such is his to clean up. The Voice will stay in contact with the City of Buford to provide our readers with the latest information available on the situation.
Wednesday January 16, 2019
Father-Daughter Dance: A Memory Making Tradition Alicia Couch Payne For the past eleven years, the Kiwanis Club of North Gwinnett has held their annual Valentine’s Day Father-Daughter Dance. It’s become a tradition for fathers and their daughters. The first dance took place in February 2009 at the Legacy Lodge and Convention Center at Lake Lanier Islands resort. In 2015, the dance was moved to the Buford Community Center when the facility first opened. The dance came to fruition when the seeds were planted back in Valdosta, Georgia. Kiwanis member, David Williams, a local commercial real estate agent and veteran was invited to attend a father daughter dance there, by a long time friend of his. When David’s daughter Tatum was in the 1st grade,
North Gwinnett Voice
David and his wife Brenda began making the four hour journey to Valdosta with their family to attend the dance. The Valdosta Dance is now in their 22nd year and is one of the largest, if not the largest, father daughter valentine dance in the country. Hosting +/- 5000 attendees over 4 dances and two evenings each year, the Valdosta Dance raises monies for his friend’s local church. David was impressed with the Valdosta Dance and approached his friend about mentoring him in the creation of a father daughter dance back in the Buford area. It was 2008, when his daughter Tatum had outgrown the elementary school father daughter dances that David pitched his vision of a Kiwanis sponsored father daughter dance to the members of the North Gwinnett
Kiwanis Club. He took his lessons learned from his friend’s mentoring and modeled the successful Kiwanis dance after the one he had attended in Valdosta. The profits earned after the dance expenses would go to fund the club’s scholarship program. David believes that father daughter dances are important because he feels that they “allow fathers to teach their daughters how to be properly treated on a date.” The dance is a formal affair along the lines of a high school prom. Attendees show up dressed to the nines. The ballroom at the Buford Community Center is elaborately decorated and delicious light hors d'oeuvres are served by a fully staffed catered serving line like at a wedding reception. A DJ plays family friendly music for the guests to dance the night away to and guests can even make requests. It has become a tradition for the final song to be “Cinderella” and as the song is played, each girl is presented with a long stem rose. The dance has become a huge success. Attendance has gone from 188 attendees in 2009 to approximately
Page 9 850 attendees in 2018. Thanks to the generosity of his fellow Kiwanis members and local businesses an excess of $7,000 in corporate sponsorships have been raised for the scholarship fund. Kiwanis members and local high school students volunteer their time to make the dance the magical event that it is. The club has raised over $60,000 for their scholarship fund. Area high school seniors can apply to receive a $1,000 scholarship so this translates to sixty students that have benefited from the scholarship fund. “Nothing is more exciting than seeing young ladies with their fathers or significant father figures enjoy an evening together,” states Williams. Young ladies ranging from infants to young adults and their fathers or father figures make memories to last a lifetime. This year’s father daughter dance will be held in three separate dances with the first one on Friday, February 1st and the other two dances are on Saturday, February 2nd at the Buford Community Center in Buford, Georgia. For tickets and more information, please visit www.northgwinnettkiwanis.com.
North Gwinnett Voice
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White Van the Common Thread in Area Crimes
Deputies Looking for Person Responsible for South Hall Hit-and-Run
Nicole Burns
Nicole Burns The Hall County Sheriff ’s Department is seeking information on an incident that occurred in the early morning on January 13, 2019, in southern Hall County that injured two victims. At approximately 1:20 a.m., two adult females were struck in the vicinity of Ga. 13/Atlanta Highway just south of Ga. 347/Friendship Road. Investigators say that in their preliminary investigation that a van heading northbound on Ga. 13/Atlanta Highway had pulled over into the gore area just south of Friendship Road to change a flat tire. Two female passengers got out to assist the driver. The two female passengers were then struck by a vehicle who was also traveling northbound on Ga. 13/Atlanta Highway. The
driver who struck the two females did not stop at the scene. The two female victims were rushed to Northeast Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment. Their conditions are not known at this time. Investigators learned that following the hitand-run, a black woman and a white man were seen leaving the Quiktrip that is nearby to render aid to the two victims. Investigators would like to speak to the good samaritans. If anyone has any information about this incident including the suspect vehicle or driver, as well as, the two individuals who stopped to render aid, please contact Sgt. John Morgan at the Hall County Sheriff ’s Office at (770) 718-2383.
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Gwinnett County police officers received a call about a residential burglary on December 15, 2018, in the 200 block of Murphy Street in Buford. The victim stated that at around 8:50 a.m. on the 15th, he left his residence to go watch his nephew’s basketball game. When he returned home at around 10 a.m., he went to go work in his garage and noticed the hatch lock had been pried open and the door to the garage was opened slightly. Upon investigating, the victim realized his shop vac, three power tools saws, three drill bit kits, three screwdriver kits, tool carrier, and tool belt were all missing. The victim told officers that his neighbor noticed a “white panel van with ladders on top” parked across from the victim’s residence earlier in the morning. According to the report, an unnamed male approached officers and gave them a possible suspect and their address. The officers drove by the possible suspect’s home and did not notice the van or anyone in the driveway. The report ended there with no further action or possible suspects.
Concrete Slab Replacement Create Lane Closures on I-985 Staff Reports The Georgia Department of Transportation has begun replacing concrete slabs on I-985. The project that began December 28th
On December 31, 2018, Gwinnett County Police Department responded to a call in the 5600 block of Cole Road in Buford about a stolen trailer. Police spoke with a resident who said his business partner’s construction trailer was stolen out of the yard of a house they were building a few doors down from his residence. The business partner was out of town at the time of the crime. The resident said that he had video footage showing the suspect vehicle captured by his Ring doorbell. Police reviewed footage of the van but due to the graininess of the video, police were only able to confirm that it was a white van. No other discernible features could be identified. The trailer is a black 2018 COTC - Carry-On Trailer Corp. model # 6X12DUMP, VIN 4YMBD1227JG078363. The trailer had a Georgia license plate # TS64S77. Residents should be vigilant and be aware of who belongs in your neighborhood and who doesn’t. Make a mental note of any suspicious vehicles or people. Watch out for your neighbor’s property and if you see a crime take place, call 9-1-1. If you have any information about either of the crimes mentioned in this article, please contact GCPD detectives at 770513-5300. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestoppersatlanta.org. The case number for the December 15th incident is 18-116229 and for the December 31st trailer theft, it is 18-121068. created lane closures on both I-985 and I-85 near Buford in the northbound lanes. The project is estimated to last approximately five weeks as thirty-nine damaged sections of concrete will be removed and replaced. Traffic will be reduced to one lane approximately half a mile before the I-985/I-85 interchange. Traffic will be reduced on both I-85 and I-985 northbound during continuous lane closures throughout January.
Wednesday January 16, 2019
SPORTS
Buford Hires New Head Football Coach Alicia Couch Payne In a press release sent out on January 7th from the Athletic Department at Buford High School, a new Head Football Coach has been selected. Speculation has been high as to who might snag the position left vacant after John Ford resigned as the head coach. Ford had been the head coach for the past two seasons. Buford decided to promote from within instead of hiring a candidate from another school. Defensive coordinator, Bryant Appling has been promoted to the new Head Football Coach position at BHS. He brings 17 years of coaching experience with the last 15 of those years within the BHS football program. Coach Appling was originally hired at Buford by Dexter Wood. Coach Appling grew up in Decatur, Georgia and played football at Lehigh University. He earned his undergraduate degree at Lehigh and later earned a M.A.T from the University of Georgia and an Ed.S. from Kennesaw State University. Coach Appling and his wife LaSauna have three children, Bryauna (9), Brendon (7), and Landry (4). What Coach Appling brings to the table, no other could do so. Having coached under the likes of Jess Simpson and Dexter Wood, as well as, having spent the last 15 years at Buford, Coach Appling knows the community. He is fully immersed in all that is Buford and what makes Buford such a successful program. Appling held a meeting on Tuesday with
Page 11
Round Ball Round Up Stanley Bowen Buford Boys’ Basketball Loganville caused an upset beating fellow Region 8-AAAAA rival Buford 59-54. Buford ranked #2 in the state was expected to beat Loganville who is only ranked #256 in the state without any problems. Buford (15-2, 3-1) lost momentum as the game wore on. In the first quarter, they scored 17, 13 in the second quarter, and 12 in both the third and fourth quarters. Loganville on the other hand gained momentum starting out with 13 points in the first quarter, improving to 14 points scored in the second, and adding 17 in the third and 15 in the fourth quarter.
his staff to not really introduce himself so much as everyone getting on the same page. Much of the football program staff will remain in tact. Appling will have a few vacancies he will need to fill though. After the North Gwinnett Voice and other media outlets broke the news about Coach Appling being promoted to the position, I have been watching the feedback from the community. I have seen nothing but praise for this decision that the school system made. Residents posted that no better man could have received the job and were excited to have him get back to playing the “Buford way”. It will be interesting to watch how things play out on the turf at Tom Riden in the fall.
The Wolves were on the road for a region game against Clarke Central in Athens on Tueday night. Buford rebounded from their upset loss to Loganville beating Clarke Central 67-43. This puts their region record at 4-1. Buford will once again be on the road for another region game against Walnut Grove on Friday night. Lanier Boys’ Basketball
Buford Girls’ Basketball The Buford Lady Wolves hosted Region 8-AAAAA rival Loganville at the Buford Arena on Friday night. Buford (15-1, 4-0) remains undefeated in region play after their 69-31 win over Loganville. Coach Gene Durden believes in giving most of his team the chance to play in a game. He prefers to play like that to wear down his opponents and give his girls experience on the court. As a result, 13 different Buford players scored during the game against Loganville. Leading the Lady Wolves was Tate Walters scoring 13 points. Senior Casey Jones has stepped up and become one of the leaders of the team on and off the court. She had a good performance Friday night when she scored 12 points by hitting four three-pointers. The Lady Wolves won on the road 8044 against region foe Clarke Central on Tuesday. Once again, Buford (16-4,5-0) had the number of players who scored into the double digits. Leading the scoring for Buford was Tate Walters with 18 points, Preston Reid added 14 points, and Casey Jones scored 11 points. In another region match up, Buford will travel to Walnut Grove on Friday night. Lanier Girls’ Basketball
Lanier traveled to Winder to take on region opponent Apalachee on Friday, January 11, 2019. The Longhorns (11-6, 3-0) outlasted Apalachee to win 65-53 to continue undefeated in Region 8-AAAAAA.
On Friday, January 11, 2019, the Lanier Lady Longhorns traveled to play Region 8-AAAAAA rival Apalachee in Winder. Lanier (15-3, 3-0) gave a solid performance to remain undefeated in their region with a 64-44 win over Apalachee.
Lanier’s Sion James was the workhorse for Lanier scoring a respectable 27 points. Also scoring for the Longhorns was Sean Foster with 14 points and Jehloni Jones with nine points.
The top three Lady Longhorns in this win were Nala Lawrence with 14 points, Mekala Fuller scoring 13 points, and Christabel Ezumah rounds out this top three with 11 points scored.
On Tuesday night at the Ranch in Sugar Hill, Lanier handed Gainesville their first regular season loss since 2015. Lanier’s Jehloni Jones was able to score off of a missed free throw just as the clock expired to give Lanier a 78-77 win. Sean Foster led the Longhorns scoring 20 points while James contributed 18 points. Sion James and Ryan Johnson each scored 12 points.
The Lady Longhorns hosted a very strong Gainesville team and outlasted them winning 65-60. Both teams are part of the 8-AAAAAA region. Mekala Fuller scored 18 points for the Longhorns. Christabel Ezumah contributed 14, Kalen Surrells had 11 points, and Lizzy Campbell had 10 points.
Lanier will host fellow Region 8-AAAAAA team Winder-Barrow on Friday night.
Winder-Barrow will be the guest of the Lady Longhorns on Friday night in a region game in Sugar Hill.
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Three Buford High School musicians make All-State band Alicia Couch Payne Every year, band students all over the state audition to make the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band. The process to make the band is a lengthy one which challenges the young musicians. The GMEA All-State Band auditions are known as the third most difficult in the entire country. Students can audition for the band starting in middle school. Each grade level has two bands.
SCHOOL
memorize it and then play the piece. Students with the highest scores at the end of round one advanced to round two. In this blind audition, students had to perform two prepared etudes and once again had to do sight reading. Out of a couple hundred students that auditioned in the second round for each instrument in each grade level, roughly 15-20% would make the GMEA All-State Band. The students who have the honor of making the All-State Band will travel to Athens, Georgia to participate in the band February 28 - March 2, 2019. Three Buford High School band members made this year’s GMEA All-State Band. Senior Dylan Wiggins who plays the alto saxophone will participate in the 11th/12th-grade band. Only 14 students who play the alto saxophone out of 200+ in round two were selected for the final band per grade level. Junior Jayden Skelton was selected for the 11th/12th-grade
Wednesday January 16, 2019
Buford City Schools Forming School Resource Department Alicia Couch Payne In a statement released to The North Gwinnett Voice, the Buford City School System has created the Buford City Schools Department of School Safety and Security. This is the direct result of years of careful planning come to fruition. The formation of this department means that the schools will have their own School Resource Department established through the State of Georgia. Buford City Schools Interim Superintendent, Joy Davis, said that the department will house three resource officers by the
She is a BCSS parent and has often worked event security for the school system in the past. Interim Superintendent Davis stresses that the formation of the new department is not as a result of a “specific threat or any perceived threat”. The formation of the department has been in the works for a number of years and is necessary as the school system continues to grow. Currently the school system relies on public safety staff from the City of Buford and hires event security from local law enforcement entities such as the Gwinnett County Police Department and the Hall County Sheriff ’s Department. Through the support from the City of Buford, the school system made the decision to form the BCSS Department of School Safety and Security as the safety of the children and staff of Buford is of the utmost importance. A day after the decision to form the new department was made, the National Panel on School Security released their report stating that the number one thing a school system could do to protect their students is to
Interim Superintendent Davis stresses that the formation of the new department is not as a result of a “specific threat or any perceived threat”.
Photo courtesy Alicia Couch Payne L-R: Senior Dylan Wiggins, junior Jayden Skelton, and freshman Paul Kwok were selected to participate in the GMEA All-State Band in Athens, Georgia.
The students must go through two rounds of auditions. Both auditions are live auditions in which the student cannot see the judges. It’s essentially a blind audition where the judges are behind a screen. Over 1,000 students for each instrument in each grade level audition in the first round. The first round, students must play music that is selected by the GMEA which consists of scales from memory, chromatic scales, and an etude or a short musical composition plus sight reading. Sight reading is where a student is provided a short musical selection in which the student has 30 seconds to
band playing the clarinet. Out of over 200 clarinet players, only 51 were selected for the All-State Band. Paul Kwok, a freshman trumpet player was one of 32 trumpet players selected out of over 200 to play in the 9th/10th-grade band. Congratulations to these talented young musicians, their parents, and their band director, Matt Young. This is a high honor and will no doubt represent Buford well in Athens. The staff at the North Gwinnett Voice would like to say a special thank you to Eli Wiggins for going above and beyond to arrange a photo op on a student holiday.
start of the 2019-2020 school year. Chief Mindy Bayreuther, who is a retired Gwinnett County Police Department Assistant Chief will head the new department. The new Chief will be responsible for hiring and training the new resource officers that will serve and protect the children of the Buford City School System. She will make her office at the Central Office for the school system. Chief Bayreuther comes with extensive experience that includes twenty-four years of uniform patrol, administration, investigations, and other leadership roles. One might have seen Chief Bayreuther around the schools before now as she is no stranger to the Buford City School System.
have school resource officers stationed on campus. They also recommended secure entry points with video monitoring which is already in place thanks to the generous support of the City of Buford. The Buford City School System will continue to be proactive when it comes to the safety of it’s students and staff. Being a parent of children who attend Buford Middle School, I can say that this announcement eases my mind in regards to campus security. Especially, in light of the sheer size of the new Buford High School campus. I for one would like to welcome Chief Bayreuther and congratulate her on being the inaugural Chief of the BCSS Department of School Safety and Security.
Wednesday January 16, 2019
Buford City Schools Fine Arts Department Staff Reports The Buford Choral Music Department is pleased to announce the selection of Buford High School junior, Quinn Conrath, to the 2019 Georgia All State Sight Reading Chorus. Quinn is the first student in the history of Buford High School to be selected for this prestigious group. The stringent audition process requires high school students to sing difficult passages of printed music at first sight. Having successfully passed the
Road Closure at Spout Springs Bridge to Begin Later This Month Staff Reports The Georgia Department of Transportation will be replacing the bridge on Spout Springs Road that crosses over
North Gwinnett Voice audition, Quinn will join 100 other singers from high schools across Georgia at the Georgia Music Educators Association yearly conference in Athens. The group will sing through approximately 80 pieces of choral music over the three-day conference at The Classic Center under the baton of Dr. Deanna Joseph, Director of Choral Activities at Georgia State University. The group will be accompanied by Dr. Chris Fowler, Fine Arts Coordinator for Buford City Schools, who has served as accompanist to this group for 8 of the last 10 years. The Sight Reading Chorus will perform a concert for conference attendees, Georgia’s music educators, on Saturday, January 26 at 11:15 A.M. at First Baptist Church of Athens. “Quinn is a skilled musician. His evident mastery of reading notated music will serve him well in his future musical endeavors and we are extremely proud to have him represent Buford,” said Dr. Fowler. According to Dr. Fowler, one of the highlights of the event is a perennial Interstate 85 beginning January 21st. The project will require Spout Springs Road to be closed at the bridge location to through traffic for 180 days. The total length of the project is 0.04 miles and the new bridge will be replaced within the limits of the existing bridge. An offsite detour will be provided and has been coordinated with local government. The Georgia Department of Transportation stated in a legal advisory that the project is necessary to establish safer traffic conditions. Site plans for the proposed bridge replacement can be viewed at the PMC Design Build Field Office Trailer located at 899 GA-124, Braselton, GA 30517. For more information you can contact the GA DOT at 85widening@dot.ga.gov.
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Photo courtesy BHS Fine Arts Dept Quinn Conrath
treat for the audiences and singers alike. The conductor will choose one song from the collection which the singers will not see until the concert.
!
TES A IM
T
ES E E FR
The choir will perform that one song – at sight – in front of their audience. It is sure to be an exciting time! Congratulations to Quinn!
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North Gwinnett Voice
On January 16, 2019, students from Buford Elementary School and Buford Academy celebrated the 100th day of school in style. Buford Elementary School students dressed up as rockstars while students at Buford Academy were decked out as elderly people. It was a fun way to mark 100 days of learning thus far this year.
Wednesday January 16, 2019
DEATH AND FUNERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wednesday January 16, 2019
Maletha Jane Terry Griffith, age 50, of Buford, GA passed away on January 11, 2019. She was preceded in death by her sister Shannon Terry. She is survived by her husband of thirty five years, Tony Ray Griffith, Flowery Branch, GA; Children, Felicia and Lonnie Bates, Flowery Branch, Ga, Melissa Flanagan, Oakwood, GA, Tony Griffith, Buford, GA; grandchildren, Makayla Flanagan, connor Flanagan, Christian Flanagan, Naveh Griffith; parents, James and Renee Bradford Terry, Buford, GA; Maternal grandmother, Modine Anglin of Buford, GA; several aunts, uncles and cousins. Mrs. Griffith was born January 7, 1969, in Duluth, GA. She received her education at Buford High school. She was a member of First Pentecostal Church of Buford. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 1 pm in the Chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home, Buford, GA. The family request in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Flanigan Funeral Home to help with funeral expenses in memory of Maletha Griffith. The family received friends on Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at the funeral home. Flanigan Funeral Home, 4400 S. Lee St., Buford GA 30518 Phillip Adam Dean of Buford, GA, a loving father and devoted son and brother passed away at the age of 35 on Monday, January 7, 2019. He is survived by his daughter, Grace Elizabeth Dean; former wife, Lauren Baylor Dean; parents, Steven and Marilyn Dean; sister and brother-in-law, Tara and Jason Blanchard; nephews, William and Matthew Blanchard; and aunts, uncles, and cousins. Phillip was born on July 26, 1983, in Atlanta, GA to Steven and Marilyn Fowler Dean. He attended Buford High School and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary where he obtained an Associate’s Degree in Religious Studies. He was married to Lauren Baylor
with whom he shares a beautiful daughter, Grace Elizabeth Dean. Mr. Dean was passionate about his hometown sports team, the Buford Wolves, and the Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Falcons, and Atlanta Braves. He never knew a stranger and had an immeasurably compassionate spirit. He was known for his quick wit and infectious smile. Mr. Dean was loved by all he knew. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, P. O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607, or to Advance Ministry Gospel International, 6815 Shallowford Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37421 in memory of Phillip Dean. The funeral service will be held on Sunday, January 13, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home with Rev. Jason Britt officiating. The family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 12, and again on Sunday from 12:00 noon until time for the service. Flanigan Funeral Home, 4400 S. Lee St., Buford GA 30518
Larry Daniel Kennedy, age 73, of Braselton, GA passed away on Monday, January 7, 2019. He was preceded in death by his parents, Idus and Eloise Morgan Kennedy; sister, Patti Kennedy Payne; sister-in-law, Eurlene Kennedy; and brother-in-law, Harry
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Simpson. He is survived by his wife of six years, Leslie D. Adams Kennedy, Braselton, GA; children, Andy and Tammie Kennedy, Buford, GA and Isaac Kennedy, Florence, KY; granddaughter, Morgan Kennedy Mahedy and husband Paul, Loganville, GA; great grandsons, Camden Mahedy and Brooks Mahedy, Loganville, GA; sister, Nell Kennedy Simpson, Dacula, GA; brothers and sisters-in-law, Joe Kennedy, Braselton, GA, Steve and Diane Kennedy, Buford, GA and Stanley and Pat Kennedy, Lawrenceville, GA; uncles, Dr. Harold Morgan, Atlanta, GA and Carl Puckett, Buford, GA; aunt, Claudean Garrett, Buford, GA; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Mr. Kennedy was born September 11, 1945, in Buford, GA. He was a graduate of North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, GA. He was a U. S. veteran of the Air Force. He was the owner of Larry Kennedy and Associates. Mr. Kennedy was a member of Buford American Legion Post 127. He was of the Methodist Faith. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, January 13, 2019, at 3:30 p.m. in the Chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home with Rev. Steve Snow officiating. Interment will follow at New Prospect United Methodist Church Cemetery in Buford, GA
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with military honors. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Saturday, January 12, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, 950 W. Farsi Road, Greenville, SC 29605 or The American Legion Auxiliary Post 127, P. O. Box 377, Buford, GA 30515 in memory of Larry Kennedy. Flanigan Funeral Home, 4400 S. Lee St., Buford GA 30518 Frank McAllister Huthnance, age 80, of Suwanee, Georgia, passed away on Saturday, January 5, 2018. A memorial service was held on Thursday, January 10, 2019, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church. He is preceded in death by his parents Frank Andrew and Helen (Johnson) Huthnance. He will be greatly missed by his wife Ximena (Espinosa) Huthnance; daughters Catherine Huthnance, Elizabeth Diaz, Helen Pezzola (Anthony), Maria Clara Huthnance, Michelle Moody (Jeff), Ximena Huthnance; sister Anne Huthnance; and fifteen grandchildren. On-line condolences may be expressed at www.crowellbrothers. com. Arrangements entrusted to Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes & Crematory, 201 Morningside Drive, Buford, Georgia 30518.
The Crowell family has serviced the community for sixty years in their time of need. We hope the community knows more than anything else that we care about our neighbors and friends. Our priority is to serve our families with love, dignity, and care
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