The following reports were filed by the Gwinnett County Police Department between May 21, 2019 and May 31, 2019.
• Police responded to calls for forced entry residential burglary in the 3600 block of Dunbar Lane in Suwanee, 3500 block of Hickory Branch Trail in Suwanee, 2200 block of Satellite Boulevard in Buford, and 600 block of South Church Street in Buford.
• An attempted residential burglary was reported in the 3100 block of Seneca Farm Lane in Buford.
• Motor vehicle theft occurred in the 2900 block of Buford Drive in Buford.
• Rape was reported in the 5300 block of Blue Grass Lane in Sugar Hill.
• Police responded to an indecent exposure incident in the 3300 block of Westbrook Road in Suwanee.
• Reports for theft by taking were filed for locations in the 5300 block of Pass Court in Sugar Hill, 1200 block of Hartford Run in Buford, 2800 block of North Bogan Road in Buford, 1400 block of Mall of Georgia Boulevard in Buford, 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford, 3200 block of Woodward Crossing Boulevard in Buford, 2200 block of Hamilton Creek Parkway in Dacula, and 4700 block of Haven Lane in Auburn.
• Theft by deception was reported in the 2500 block of Stone Manor Drive in Buford.
• Police responded to theft by shoplifting calls in the 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford and 2200 block of Hamilton Creek Parkway in Dacula.
• A person was arrested for disorderly conduct in the 4400 block of South Lee Street in Buford.
• Reports for criminal property damage in the second degree were filed for locations in the 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford and 3400 block of Braselton Highway in Dacula.
• Arrests for DUI were made at Thompson Mill Road and North Bogan Road, Gravel Springs Road at Mall of Georgia Boulevard, and Gravel Springs Road at Ivy Creek Road. Buford addresses.
• Police responded to incidents of simple battery in the 1200 block of Buford Dam Road in Buford, 1700 block of Buford Dam Road in Buford, 6000 block of Trail Hikes Drive in Sugar Hill, 5300 block of Blossom Brook Drive in Sugar Hill, 1600 Marakanda Trail in Buford, 4900 block of Nelson Brogdon Boulevard in Sugar Hill, 500 Copper Street in Buford, 2800 block of Pebblebrook Drive in Buford, and 1800 block of Appaloosa Lane in Buford (2 incidents).
• Simple assault occurred in the 1000 block of Level Creek Road in Sugar Hill, 1500 block of Marakanda Trail in Buford, and 2400 block of Shadburn Ferry Road in Buford.
• Police received reports of battery in the 600 block of I-985 N, 4000 block of Buford Drive, 4100 block of Chatham Ridge Drive, and 1300 block of Horizon Parkway. Buford addresses.
Restaurant Inspections
The following restaurant health inspection scores were pulled from the Georgia Department of Public Health from May 22, 2019 to June 1, 2019.
• Antoneta’s Italian Restaurant; 2700 Braselton Highway, #8, Dacula; 82
• Austin’s Gourmet Burritos; 2463 Hamilton Mill Parkway, Suite 205, Dacula; ....................... 85
• Brooklyn Pie Pizza; 315 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Suite 106, Suwanee; ...................... 90
• Buford Grill; 4865 South Lee Street, Buford; .............................................................................. 90
• Sushi Nami Suwanee; 4369 Suwanee Dam Road, Unit 101, Suwanee; 71
• Vice Bar and Bistro; 45 Satellite Boulevard, Suite G, Suwanee; 93
• Waraku Japanese Restaurant; 3131 Lawrenceville Suwanee, #C-10, Suwanee;...................... 91
Staff
Contributing
Cindy
Staff
Nicole
David
Cathy
Sugar Hill introduces new SHINE district
Staff Reports
Sugar Hill, Ga – The City of Sugar Hill released details about its new SHINE district. The city is “affectionately calling [their] downtown entertainment area ‘Sugar Hill’s Intersection of Neighborhoods and Entertainment,’ the SHINE District”
Sugar Hill has a history of moonshine and this is the city’s fun play on that history. The nod to moonshining on the Chattahoochee is their way “to honor our history as we look forward to the future.” City Council Member, Brandon Hembree wrote about the area’s moonshining history which can be read here.
The SHINE District is an area around the E Center that includes the Splash Park and the Bowl where a patron may “purchase alcohol from an establishment or vendor within the SHINE District in a non-glass SHINE marked to-go cup and carry the open container anywhere within the SHINE District.” This is particularly
convenient if one wishes to buy a drink from a restaurant inside the E Center but has yet to finish their drink before they wish to leave to go see their show at the Bowl. The SHINE District was designed to make patrons experience in downtown Sugar Hill more enjoyable and emphasize the city’s arts and entertainment offerings.
The SHINE District boundaries are marked in the map and include the entire E Center, The Bowl, and the Splash Park.
Man who broke into Buford motel and stayed the night is arrested
Staff Reports
(Buford, Ga.) - Just after noon on May 28, Gwinnett County Police responded to a burglary in progress at the Americas Best Value Inn in the 4000 block of Buford Dr. The inn’s owner and manager, Deval Patel, said a white male broke the door down to room 117 and stayed the night without permission. Video footage showed the suspect carrying a large gray duffle bag and then throwing it into the woods next to the business, and continuing down the road toward car dealerships. Room 117 had indeed been broken into and was damaged throughout. A number of the suspect’s possessions were also left in the room. Deval said he recognized the suspect because
he had stayed at the inn a few nights earlier that month.
Deval added that a female tenant, Sarah Thomas, who had been staying for a few days in room 217, had been seen with the suspect.
Dylan Lee Kaufman was arrested after a brief police search following an incident at a nearby motel. Special Photo
Thomas told officers that she knew the suspect as Dylan Kaufman, the father to her son.
Officers then spotted Kaufman running into the woods behind the business. An officer retrieved the duffel bag that was tossed into the woods. Inside the discarded duffel bag, officers found what they believed to be methamphetamine rolled up inside a sock. A K-9 unit was then dispatched and an hour later located Kaufman in the woods near Buford Dr. and French Blvd., less than a quarter mile from the original incident.
Kaufman was arrested and taken to the Gwinnett County jail, charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor. Those charges are felony burglary, felony criminal damage to property in the 2nd degree, felony possession of a schedule II controlled substance, and misdemeanor obstruction against an officer.
Man and woman dead in apparent murder/suicide in Buford
Staff Reports
(Buford, Ga) — Officers with the Gwinnett County Police Department responded to the Preston Hills Apartment Complex located at 2910 Buford Drive in Buford to perform a welfare check. The caller asked the police to check on their female relative with whom they had not heard from in two days. Officers arrived shortly after 3 p.m. on June 3, 2019.
A representative for the apartment complex was able to let the officers into the unit to check on the female after the officers were unable to get anyone to come to the unit in question. Upon entry, the officers discovered a male and a female in the unit deceased. The officers could tell that the male died of an apparent gunshot wound. The cause of death of the female was not initially known. Crime scene investigators were called to the scene.
Details recently released said that the male, identified as Jamaya Morris (40) was lying on top of the female. The female was identified as Lachica Ringwood (39).
Officers could see the gunshot wound on Morris but because he was lying on Ringwood, they could not immediately tell how she died. After CSI arrived and removed
Man killed in collision on I-85 near Buford
Staff Reports
(Buford, Ga.) — Gwinnett County Police responded to an incident on June 2, 2019, on I-85S near Mile Marker 125 in Buford. The caller to 9-1-1 said it appeared that a motorcycle, an SUV, and a tractor-trailer were involved in an accident. When cops and medical personnel arrived on the scene, they found that
his body, they discovered a gunshot wound to Ringwood.
The family of Ringwood stated that her boyfriend, Morris had openly fought with her in front of her family and made comments that caused her family to be concerned for her safety. Those comments and the fact that family usually heard from Ringwood daily prompted the call to check on her welfare.
Investigators found no signs of forced entry. In a statement issued by police, they said, “The evidence and scene examination has led detectives to believe this case is a murder/suicide with Lachica Ringwood being the victim.”
Notification has been made to their next of kin.
the driver of the motorcycle had been ejected from his bike and died from his injuries. The deceased driver has been identified as Eduard Onufriychuk, age 25 of Maysville, Ga.
Upon investigation, police discovered that the motorcyclist was traveling north on the southbound shoulder of the interstate. On the southbound shoulder sat an unoccupied gray Nissan Altima. Onufriychuk tried to swerve to avoid the Nissan but was unable to clear the car in time. The passenger on the motorcycle was able to jump off of the back of it before it impacted the Nissan Altima. They sustained only minor injuries. Upon impact, Onufriychuk was ejected from his motorcycle. He landed in the right travel lane of I-85S. He was struck by a tractor-trailer truck which resulted in his death. No other injuries were reported.
Lachica Ringwood was murdered by her boyfriend Jamaya Morris on Monday at their apartment in Buford, Ga. Special Photo
Man robbed while exiting local grocery store
Nicole Burns
(Dacula, Ga.) — Gwinnett County Police officers responded to a robbery at the Publix in the 2000 block of Hamilton Mill Road in Dacula. While en route to the Publix, officers were re-directed by dispatchers to the Walmart on Sardis Church Road in Buford.
When officers arrived, they spoke with the male victim who said he was robbed while exiting the Publix nearby. The victim stated that he was approached by a middle-eastern man between 5’ 6” and 5’ 8” tall, weighing about 220 lbs. and wearing a black shirt. Accompanying the male suspect was a woman about 5’ 5”, weighing about 180 lbs. and wearing a black dress and a colorful head-wrap.
The couple asked the victim for money and the victim told them he did not have any money. The couple continued to ask him and even said that they could trade jewelry in exchange for U.S. currency. The victim told the couple that he was not interested in the jewelry.
The female suspect then reached out and placed a necklace around the victim’s neck even though he was already wearing one. He once again told her he was not interested. As she removed the necklace that she had just presented to the victim for “trade,” she apparently removed the victim’s necklace as well. She then ran to a nearby black SUV, either a Honda CRV or Toyota RAV-4, and entered the passenger side.
Upon realizing that his necklace had been taken, the victim approached the diver’s side of the SUV when the male suspect then tossed a gold necklace, a bracelet, and a ring at him. The suspects then sped away from the scene. The victim stated that the jewelry tossed at him was not his.
The victim followed the suspects, stopping and checking every black SUV he saw on Hamilton Mill Parkway. He drove south on I-85, exiting at Buford Dr. He then got back on I-85 heading north, exited at Hamilton Mill and proceeded to the Walmart off of Sardis Church Road hoping to find the suspects there. It was at that point that the victim called police. This case is still under investigation. If anyone has any information, please call the Gwinnett County Police Department’s north precinct at (678) 442-5002. Reference case #190045610.
Buford man arrested after multiple reports of erratic behavior
Chad Corbin, 42 of Buford Georgia was arrested May 27, for disorderly conduct. Officers with the Gwinnett County Police Department received at least 5 calls, regarding suspicious activity that day at several locations in Buford.
One of the calls received came from the owner of the property that Corbin was currently renting located on Puckett Road in Buford. The property owner along with several family members identified the suspect and stated that his behavior had been extremely erratic the days prior. The property owner stated that Corbin had recently trespassed onto the neighboring property to place postit notes containing religious scripture on the front door.
Another incident was reported to police by a neighbor who stated hearing a man screaming from a nearby church. The witness reported to police that shortly after hearing the screams, Corbin approached his home. The homeowner reported that the suspect seemed agitated and demanded a trash bag, stating that “sinners were dropping trash in the woods.”
Police also responded to the Marathon gas station located on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Shadburn Ferry approximately 30 mins before Corbin’s arrest at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet in Buford. The report stated a male was blocking the exit of the store preventing people from leaving while screaming religious references. The description given by witnesses matched those of Chad Corbin.
Based on the ongoing reports throughout the day, Corbin was arrested and booked into Gwinnett County Jail for disorderly conduct.
YOUTH FOOTBALL CAMP
JULY8-11,
2019
ELIGIBILITY
This camp is designed for students who are rising 1st graders through 8th graders. Camp capacity t is limited, and campers will be accepted on a 1st come, 1st ser ved basis.
DATE, TIME, &COST
•July 8th -11thfrom 9:00am -12noon each day
•The fee for each camper is $70. This covers four days of camp instruction and aNIKE t-shir t. Pay online when you register at www.bufordspor tscamps.weebly.com.
FACILITIES
The camp is held at the NEW Buford HS and we will use all of the Buford HS facilities. Campers will work in our weight rooms, team meeting rooms, and use our practice facilities. Please repor ttothe athletic building at the NEW school on July 8th.
City of Buford Commission Meeting
Minutes
Staff Reports
June 3, 2019 - Commission Chairman Phillip Beard started the June meeting at 7 p.m. inside the Commission Chambers at City Hall. After the pledge, the minutes and the modified agenda were approved. They voted to change the July meeting to July 15, 2019, at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The first special permit request was by Gear Diesel Truck & Trailer at 4952 Austin Park Avenue, Suite B. Their request to get a special use permit to repair trucks and trailers and perform routine maintenance was denied. The applicant had requested withdrawal of the request. C G Marine, Inc. at 1065 Parkway Industrial Park Drive, Suite A requested a special use permit to allow for boat repair. The request was approved with the conditions that outdoor storage of parts, junk vehicles, or equipment is prohibited and that all repairs must be done inside the building. Bhalvani Ent. Inc. at 4780 Lanier Islands Parkway requested a special use permit to allow an automatic carwash. Due to the history with unsightly debris and the applicant not being at the meeting, the Commission voted to table this request until the applicant can be present. A zoning modification was requested by Michael Henderson for Wendy’s at Holland Point at the corner of Hamilton Mill Road and South Bogan Road. The amendment
Buford teen set to compete in Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen pageant
Alicia Couch Payne
Those who know the Buford teen competing for the Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen crown know just what a special girl
was approved to allow the use of the out parcel per the prior zoning conditions. The request included a drive-thru window and flat roof, subject to the approval of City staff. Two nearby residents spoke up with concerns about the hours of the drive-thru. Representatives for Wendy’s said that the drive-thru will close at 1 a.m. The Commission added a special condition to the permit that allows them to revisit the hours of operation if noise becomes a problem.
An amendment was presented that would amend the City of Buford Zoning Ordinance Section 702 Substandard Lots of Record. This amendment would allow staff to approve exemption plats with lots not meeting minimum lot size requirements so long as certain conditions were met. This amendment would only apply to the area covered by the Downtown Development Authority (Downtown and the surrounding “Old Town” areas). The Commission instructed staff to review the approved district and expand as necessary to include the remainder of any redevelopment areas. This would be accomplished through an additional advertising and public hearing process.
The final plat for the Reserve at Bogan Lakes Phase 3-A was approved. The combination plat for Seefried Industrial Properties on Faith Industrial Drive was approved. The wastewater allocation appeal for the new Frazer Road subdivision was approved. Terry Marlette and Randall Wansley were reappointed to the City Zoning Board of Appeals.
The Commission voted to have the City readopt and recertify as a certified City of Ethics and be recognized by the Georgia Municipal Association. Stacy Rolin with Bryan Kerlin as the alternate was
she is. Hope Fowler, a rising senior at Buford High School, is the daughter of Joy Fowler and Dr. Chris Fowler who is the Buford City School System’s Fine Arts Coordinator and the Buford High School Chorus Director. Hope is an active student at BHS and has graced numerous stages for the Fine Arts department.
Hope was named Miss Capitol City’s Outstanding Teen last September and will travel to Columbus, GA, to compete in the Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen pageant, which is part of the Miss America organization, taking place June 12-15.
Members of the Miss Capitol City pageant board hosted a send-off party on Sunday, June 2 at a board member’s home in Buckhead. Hope and her pageant sister, Miss
approved to be the City’s voting delegate for the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG) Power annual election of the board. The Commission approved for Mike Balliet of MBC to audit Republic Services (operators of the landfill). This includes Republic’s invoicing and associated agreements with the City and their reporting and fee payments made to the City. The audit is to ensure that Republic Services is paying the City the right agreed upon fees.
A speed hump and a speed limit of 15 MPH was approved for the Stonecrest Subdivision. An ordinance of procedures and requirements for requests for speed moderation humps in the City limits in Hall County was approved, subject to the city attorney’s approval. The natural gas base charge rate was approved to increase a dollar per month, $12 per year. This increase will take place on July 1 for each of the next three (3)years to help balance out the operating costs. This is the first rate increase since October 2012 and even with the increase, the City’s gas fees are still one of the lowest in the area.
The 2019 Community Development Block Grant Subrecipient Agreements were approved which awards $330k for the improvement of stormwater drainage on Church Street and $550k for waterline replacement on Moreno Street. The Commission voted to authorize the City Manager to proceed with the renovation of the legion ballfields. Charles Black Construction Company will act as construction manager. The renovation will be done in phases to allow the fall season to take place. A bid by Charles Black Construction Company was approved for the Bona Road to New Street streetscape and sidewalk project. The low bid was approved for the water plant pump 5 emergency generator and ATS equipment
Capitol City Victoria Hill, were honored at the party. North Gwinnett Voice publisher Jessica Wilson and I were honored to have attended Hope’s send-off party.
At the party, the girls modeled their gorgeous wardrobes for the pageant including outfits for the opening number, interview, talent, and fitness rounds, as well as their evening gowns, finale gowns, and dresses they will wear to the press event, Meet the Crowns. The thought, care, and attention to detail put into the ladies’ wardrobes is mind-boggling. I was awestruck by each outfit. Although I cannot divulge what Hope’s wardrobe looks like until after she competes, trust me when I say that she was stunning in every outfit.
In addition to clothing, the two showed
installation. Payments for the Espy Street intersection improvements, the Southside Trunk Sewer improvements, and the Buford parking deck were approved.
Todd Cleveland from the Community Center said that May was a busy month with the theatre rentals, weddings, and the Memorial Day antique festival. The next big event with be on June 22nd and it will be a free outdoor concert featuring The Gregg Allman Laid Legacy band. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
City Manager Bryan Kerlin said the parking deck structure will be delivered in July instead of June as he had stated in May’s meeting. Foundation work is ongoing. Kerlin met with the architects designing the pedestrian bridge on a few issues. The final data sets from the waterworks filter testing were sent to the EPD. Upon approval, the City will continue with the final design of a new water plant. The City is currently accepting bids to repave South Richland Creek Road. The Parks and Recreation Department is busy with various tournaments and programs happening within tennis and lacrosse. Beard went around the room asking the meeting attendees if they had any further business. One gentleman who moved to a home off of Main Street a year and a half ago spoke up about the large increase in traffic and speed of the vehicles traveling down the street. He said that it got better for a little while when the police would patrol but since they have scaled back the speeding has gotten out of control again. He asked the Commission to help develop a solution to the problem. He suggested a 4-way stop sign but traffic backing up was a concern. The Commission said they would look into it and decide on the best course of action. This concluded the June 2019 meeting of the Buford Board of Commissioners.
us their mental agility during the presentation of a mock interview round. Hope’s platform centers around Becca’s Closet, an organization that collects prom dresses to give to girls who otherwise could not attend a prom. Hope explained that a prom dress is more than just a dress -- it’s a confidence booster for girls in need. Next came the talent preview as Hope treated us to a moving contemporary vocal performance. Hope and Victoria have an amazing support system in their families and friends as well as the board from the Capitol City pageant: Amy Haney (Executive Director), Darrett Amyx, Kellie Appel, and Erin Haney. Please join us in wishing Hope the best as she competes for the Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen crown. Good luck, Hope!
TROUBLE HEARING?
My Connection to a Past Life
By Mary Deaton
Today I sold my truck. It is a 1962 half-ton, short-bed, step-side Chevrolet pickup. I’ve never really thought of it as my truck. It was my grandfather’s truck, my daddy’s truck, my mother’s truck, but I owned it for 18 years so in its 57-year history, I’m its longest owner.
My grandfather bought it in May 1962 from Andean Motor Company in Cumming for $2,157. He died 10 months after he bought it and several years later, after my grandmother died and her estate was settled, it became my father’s truck and our family truck.
My father worked at the General Motors factory in Doraville and we had a 65 acre beef farm a few miles east of Buford. The truck was used on the farm and was occasionally driven on the road to go to the farm stores in Lawrenceville or Gainesville, to take cattle to the auction in Cumming, and to haul hay from a field my aunt owned about a mile from our house.
When I was a child and teenager, every Saturday was about doing some sort of farm work and the truck was the workhorse for everything: hauling hay to feed the cows, hauling fertilizer, hauling tools and supplies to repair a fence, or driving to get someone who was bush hogging to tell them it was lunchtime. It has been a part of my life longer than any other material thing in my life. I was five years old when my grandfather bought it and I can’t think of a time when it wasn’t around. The truck did venture out on trips on the
GROWING up BUFORD
Cindy Wiggins Tapia
Mama loved telling stories about Buford’s bygone days—murders, boating accidents, cars vs. train collisions, plane crashes, car wrecks, and, in particular, the fires that haunted historic downtown, which may have inspired her to set a little flame of her own that became Cindy lore.
“Fire!” She screamed as I walked out of her door on Garner Street that day in 2004. I hit the ceiling, and when I came back down, she shouted, “April fool!”
So, the next April first, I walked in and sat down heavily in the chair at the opposite end
interstate occasionally. Just before Christmas in 1971 or 1972 my father called my brother from work with a mysterious mission. He wanted Jimmy to drive to Doraville and pick him up after work and someone else was going to drive his car home. The big mystery was that there had been a raffle at the UAW union hall. The grand prize was a color TV and my father was the winner. It was our first color TV and in 1971 a color TV was a huge big deal. A few years later we bought a ping-pong table and drove the truck to the Sears warehouse in Tucker to pick it up. The truck had a wood frame that fit on the bed to form an enclosure for hauling livestock. When we were children, my brother and I would stand at each front corner of the bed on the bottom slat of the frame so the top slat was about at our chests as my father drove in the pasture. For a seven-year-old standing on this wood frame on the back of the truck, riding and bumping across the pasture was like Leonardo DiCaprio riding on the bow of the Titanic: “I’m the king of the world!” When I was about 15 my father taught me to drive it. It’s the only straight-shift vehicle I’ve ever driven. It still had the pencil marks on the steering wheel where he made an H-looking
symbol and labeled the gear positions. My father used to cultivate hay on some land my aunt owned at the end of a dirt road about a mile from our house. After I learned to drive the truck I would drive there and hang out while he was working. In the world before cell phones I was there to drive and get help in case he had an emergency. Now with the world so different than it was 40-50 years ago, it is hard to believe I ever lived in a world where every Saturday was about doing some sort of farm work; a world that was so dependent on the weather, hoping it would be rainy so the hay and
garden would grow, and when it was time to harvest the hay hoping we got the bales in the barn before the thunderstorm came; a world where my family raised a large portion of what we ate; a world where my father planted our garden with a mule he borrowed from a neighbor, and the garden was almost as big as the lot where my current house is located. That truck has always been a reminder of that former life. As I’ve met people since and told them I grew up on a farm near Buford, they can’t believe there were ever farms in Gwinnett County, but the truck was proof there were and it was my connection to a past life.
of the table and lowered my head to my hands.
“What’s wrong, Cindy hunny?”
I lifted my eyes and said “I’m pregnant.”
Everybody in the house swarmed into the kitchen. Renay jumped up and down so hard I thought she was going to punch a hole in the floor and join the wharf rats in the crawl space. Aunt Pam goes “OhMyGawd! Do you know how old you are? You’re forty-eight years old, and you know it!”
Naw!
I had em by the short hairs, baby, and with great hilarity let the fool hammer fall.
“April fools!”
Renay stopped abusing the floor and hung her head. Mama screamed with rare laughter. Aunt Pam’s grin wouldn’t quit, and she hit me upside the arm for alarming her like that.
That should have been the end of it, but it wasn’t, no, uh uh, twern’t.
Aunt Flo didn’t show that month. Or
the next. Every time I walked through Mama’s door, everyone snickered. So, off to the doctor I went for a blood test. One long week later I got the results. The good news was couched in disquiet. The test was negative, but I was in menopause.
So began my two long years between nuclear heat and high tears, with Nabo rolling his eyes right alongside me. I was bad-tempered and hot. I chewed him out for suggesting we have spaghetti for supper and cried all the way to Kroger’s to get the ingredients, so hot I wanted to hang out the window and let my tongue flap in the wind. We didn’t have heat, yet in the dead of winter, I threw off the blankets, and Nabo would throw them back on me.
“Stop it!”
“You’ll freeze, you!”
“How can I freeze when I’m burning up?”
Mama died in the spring of 2006. We gathered at Tapp’s. I had been out on the
porch, smoking and came back in, heading back into the viewing room when my teenage niece, Brittany, pulled me aside.
“Cindy,” she whispered. “Do you have a tampon Alannah can borrow?”
“No. I don’t have periods these days.”
“Lucky!”
Really? Was I? I stood there with eggless ovaries and wondered what had been so important in all my pre-thirty childbearing years that I hadn’t taken the time to have a baby.
“I waited too long,” I expressed to my gynecologist one day.
“No,” he said. “Things happen when they’re supposed to. It just wasn’t in the stars for you to have children.”
And so, I left his office to begin what I thought was the rest of my life with a man who desired the child I could never give him.
Lanier High students get a final “24-Carat Magic Longhorn Day”
Camryn Flores
On Saturday, May 25 at 2 p.m., Lanier High School’s Class of 2019 celebrated the completion of their high school journey in the Infinite Energy Area. The significance of the moment was clear at the beginning of the ceremony; as the students marched into the arena, they were met with deaf ening cheers from their families and the echoing sound of “Pomp & Circumstance.”
The afternoon included acknowledgement and reflection from the superintendent’s office by Ste ven B. Knudsen as well as an inspirational speech from Valyn Turner, the salutatory address from Britley Jones, and the valedictory address from Michael Kim.
Valyn Turner was also awarded the AJC Cup for her many contributions to Lanier High School. Following these impactful and insightful speech es, students were presented their diplomas.
“The amount of love and appreciation in the room,” said Salutatorian Britley Jones, “from both the graduates and their families, was unreal. It hit you in that moment that this was it; all your hard work brought you to that moment in the stadium.”
At the end of the ceremony, Nairobi Huff, the 2019 Lanier High School Senior Class President, presented her fellow graduating class. She instructed her classmates to move their tassels from right to left, symbolizing both the end of their high-school career and the beginning of their transition into a new era of their lives.
As the students recessed from the arena following the ceremony, questions fired around in their heads. “What comes next?” “What is my next step?” “Who do I want to become?” While graduation could not provide answers for everybody, speakers such as Dr. Christopher Martin, the school’s principal, did try to provide comfort and advice. Dr. Martin ended his speech with a joke that every student at LHS could relate to: “This is Dr. Martin, coming to you live from the Infinite Energy Center. I’m just here to wish you all a 24-Carat Magic Longhorn Day one last time.”
Buford honors graduates before a packed arena
Alicia Couch Payne
Buford, Ga. — Before a full house at the Buford City Arena on Friday night, May 24, the Senior Class of 2019 was honored for their accomplishments. Buford High School’s faculty and staff along with the Board of Education and Central Office staff were on hand to celebrate the graduation of 336 of the city’s finest young adults. Hannah Barnard, the third honor graduate, kicked off the ceremony with an inspirational reading. The BHS Trio and Quartet performed “I Am Still Your Dreamer” before a standing room only crowd. The salutatorian, Mitchell Allan Whalen and
the Valedictorian Harrison “Harry” Schilb Miller, each gave thoughtful speeches. They were followed by the Buford City Schools Superintendent, Dr. Robert Downs, who gave a short speech about the graduates and the Buford community. He recognized Joy Davis for stepping up and taking the helm as the Interim Superintendent for the majority of the school year. Dr. Downs recognized the accomplishments of the Class of 2019 which included the class raking in a combined $6.9 million in scholarship money.
One by one the graduates walked across the stage to accept their diplomas and shook hands with Phillip Beard (Board of Education Chairman), Dr. Robert Downs (BCSS Superintendent), Lindsey Allen (BHS Principal), and Joy Davis (BCSS Interim Superintendent). Davis confirmed the graduates, and after the school’s Alma Mater the graduates’ caps went flying into the air with much fanfare. The Buford High School Class of 2019 was unleashed onto the world. Congratulations and good luck BHS Class of 2019!
2019 BHS Valedictorian Graduation Speech
Harrison Miller
I would first like to express how grateful I am to be in the position that God has placed me in. John 17:1 says, “Father, the hour is come; Glorify thy son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.” In this spirit, I would like to give thanks to FCA. I have been supported, and my mind has been nourished through FCA and by the coaches, teachers, and fellow students who are so essential to its weekly discipline. Thank you for your support.
I would also like to thank the City Commissioners, Board of Education, and the Administration and Staff of Buford City Schools and Buford High School for their work throughout these four years.
And, very importantly, thank you to my mother, Kristina, my father, Sean, and my brother, Jack- not so much Jack, but definitely the other two for graciously putting up with my growing sarcasm and our ever growing food bill.
In looking back at these four years and talking with my fellow classmates, I have noticed a common theme of diverted expectations. I remember a stout, some might say chubby, some might say even worse, freshman entering with a million ambitions. I expected to brandish a handful of rings. Others I know expected perfect scores, countless victories, and success that seemed so obvious- a path that seemed so obvious.
However, that was not the case. It was a journey, filled with detours and characterized by change. Yet, now when I think about it, I realize that what we strive for is never really what we aim to receive. This year, we read State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett, and in the novel she says, “Never be so focused
on what you’re looking for that you overlook the thing you actually find.” I have lost in two state championships, yet in those moments, I have learned how to laugh, commiserate, and sacrifice with my friends, and for my friends. Some have been turned away from their dream schools, yet in the process have learned to discard disappointment and proudly display determination. We have all been forced to embrace change, and as a result lead one another.
It was never about the grades in the classroom or what the points were between the yard lines; It was about what grew in our hearts and what flourished between one other. In an interval of unprecedented change, we all witnessed unparalleled leadership, servitude, and solidarity. We all witnessed Darrien Brown overcome something that can not be properly conveyed in words. It was sudden. It was unexpected. But Darrien was not. He was the same Derrian that I saw fight and claw in every game, the same Derrian that inspires young men throughout this community. It was never the points, never the yards, but the discipline, the character, the tenacity that made Derrian the man that overcame - It was an embodiment of what this class had to experience: confusion, contention, change. To
this class, it was never the classroom, but the lessons, the failures, the things we never expected that made these years what they were. I realize how fruitful these years were, not in shiny metal on a shelf, but in shining characters that illuminated a building. So as we take these experiences with us into new rooms, new fields, and new hallways, I ask to remember one thing: Do not forsake the Present. I think about a quote from C.S. Lewis where he says, “Biological necessity makes it so that all passions point towards the Future already, so that thought about the Future inflames hope and fear... In a word, the Future is, of all things, the least like eternity... For the Past is frozen and no longer flows, and the Present is all lit up with eternal rays.”
Perhaps one could say, “Carpe Diem.”
However, I will not because it is so overused that it would cause some eye-rolling, and to those of us who had to read John Donne, it just doesn’t have quite the same meaning anymore. But I will say this. Do not preoccupy yourself so much with what might happen, that you forget what is happening. Do not worry so much about the infinite possibility of tomorrow, that you miss the endless potential of today. The greatest of people are all around us, and the greatest of moments lie right in front of us to be captured in their truest colors and to grow even richer in our memories. Focus on- cherishwhat you find because expectations are a fool’s guess towards desire while the Present contains everything we could ever hope for.
Thank you, Buford, for these years. More importantly, thank you, Buford, for these memories, these experiences, and for these people I never did expect, who are now friends I can never forget. Thank you, and congratulations Buford Class of 2019.
2019 BHS Salutatorian Graduation Speech
Mitchell Whalen
To begin, I’d be remiss if I did not thank God for all He has blessed us with as well as each and every one of our teachers, administrators, coaches, family, and friends. Without all of you investing in us the way you have for the past four years, this celebration wouldn’t be what it is. So on behalf of the Buford High School Class of 2019, may I extend our deepest appreciation and thank you to everyone who has supported us up to this momentous occasion.
And if I may make the most important digression of the night, I would like to honor my fellow Class of 2019 graduate: my friend, Derrian Brown. Derrian, I speak for everyone in this Arena when I say that we are all so grateful that you will walk across this stage tonight. Your strength is inspiring and we all cannot wait to see God’s story play itself out in your life. Hook ‘Em!
For all of us, tonight signals the beginning of a new adventure in our lives. Some call this new adventure becoming a grown up. Others call it the end of freeloading... No matter what graduation means to you, one thing is certain about our next chapter: we will make mistakes. Many of us are about to learn how to live on Ramen noodles and cold pizza. Some of us will choose the wrong major and have to pay thousands extra in student loans, which means that, unless a very generous billionaire speaks at our college commencement— or one would like to volunteer tonight... — we could be in debt before we even get a job. But all of these things will make us grow and change. Our failures will become as important as our successes because they will redirect and mold us.
For me personally, the past few months of my senior year have served as a preview of sorts for what’s to come. When most of my classmates were getting ready to celebrate spring break — in a very parent-approved way, I might add... — I, on the other hand, was waiting to hear back from one last college. It’s just what us geeks do. I opened up my last college decision: a waitlist offer from the University of Michigan. That made for essentially a clean sweep in denials from the most prestigious schools I applied to.
I can not lie or pretend that I wasn’t extremely frustrated, because I was. I had worked so hard in high school in order to have a shot at attending certain esteemed universities, yet that last decision made me feel as though my dream had just been snatched away from me once and for all.
But as I mulled over my potential options, as frustrated as I was, I could not be mad. First, I had options, a privilege that I embarrassingly take for granted far too often. In fact, All I should be and could be was appreciative. And I began to realize that graduation is far more than a liberation from high school — ... — it’s rather the beginning of the rest of our lives. I nor anyone else in this room should dwell on where we have fallen short.
Because at least we have dared to enter the arena.
The 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, famously asserted, “It is not the critic who counts...The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again...who knows great enthusiasms...who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Any one of us who enters the arena will undoubtedly stumble, get knocked down, and fall short, but any one of us can also get back up and see the process through. And that’s exactly what
high school is: a process... A process designed to teach us much more than “the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell”. It is a process that teaches us how to think critically, to develop good habits, to work together, and to support each other.
The support in this community is special. I witnessed it first hand at our playoff lacrosse games this past season. So many of you packed the stands without even knowing what a crease, face-off, or ride even was - Heck you still may not know the meaning of those lacrosse terms. Nonetheless, you all showed out, and my teammates and I never felt so loved, appreciated, and empowered. There is a lesson in a stadium full of Wolves fans cheering: Each and every one of us has the capacity to care for someone the way the real Wolfgang and so many others cared for us. I promise... it makes a difference.
So to the underclassmen here tonight — those of you fortunate enough to have a little more time here — may I encourage you to buy in, support your friends, support your classmates, leave your comfort zone and make the most of your time here. Comfort zones are beautiful things but noth ing ever grows there... You are never too cool to care.
This is what I firmly be lieve: high school was not a waste of time no matter how mad I was when I got denied, how frustrated you were when you got dress coded for having an orange polo horse, or how annoyed you were when you got caught taking a 2-second nap. Perhaps we will better understand its value when we proceed to excel on our next ad venture, whether that be furthering our education, entering the workforce, joining the armed forces, or pursuing any other avenue. Regardless of what path you
take remember that our legacy goes far beyond any award, scholarship, or diploma; legacy is about leaving others with hope. The Wisdom writer once said that “hope deferred makes the heart grow sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” The same way the classes of 2018, 2017, and 2016 inspired me, you can and you will inspire someone. Our legacy does not end here. So if I may: Class of 2019, find a worthy cause and get in the arena... Fight for what’s right. Do what you love, and do it to the best of your ability. Getting in the arena does not mean we won’t fall short, but regardless — if we strive valiantly — we will at the very least plant the seeds of trees of life in a garden we may never get to see. And that is our legacy.
Tonight, under this sea of green robes and caps are the scars of those of who dared greatly. Weary minds. Weary muscles. And Broken hearts. So many of us have been brave enough often enough, and we have failed. But we celebrate for we have failed forward. Forward Forever.
North Gwinnett High School 2019 graduation, only the beginning
Nida Merchant
Each member of the class of 2019 received a handshake and a diploma that sealed the end to their high school career as of May 25. With over 740 graduates, 376 of them with honors, the graduating seniors of North Gwinnett High School left the Infinite Energy Arena with great joy and excitement. The graduating class in total had exceeded over $22 million in scholarship money (not including HOPE) and just the seniors at North compiled more than 42,000 community service hours, appointed one United
States Air Force Academy student, and five students to be awarded ROTC scholarships, among many other accomplishments.
When the day finally arrived that some of North’s finest said their goodbyes to the school, Valedictorian Hyosang Kim delivered his departing message in a quite unique way.
“Today, I want to deliver a graduation speech that you all will remember for a while,” Kim stated before remaining silent for over a minute. Parents and students alike were confused as the Kim stood there without uttering a word.
After a painfully long minute, Kim finally broke the silence by stating, “Imagine if I stood here my entire speech without saying anything at all. Wouldn’t many of you feel like I wasted your time?“ He then asked us how much of our own day we spend in its full potential. In hindsight, that minute seemed quite small.
As the graduating class of 2019 joyfully threw their caps in the air after the last name was called, they all recounted one line the seniors at North Gwinnett High School have heard since day one: “This is only the Begin1n9”.
Recap: Buford’s 2018-19 year in sports a mixed bag of results
Stanley Bowen
Buford is expected to do well in athletics and this year saw a mixed bag of results for the 2018-2019 school year. Although some sports where expectations were high did not achieve what they set out to, other sports went farther than predicted. This year was the first in 20 years that Buford High School has seen a new person at the helm of the Athletic Department after Dexter Wood scaled back his duties to the Assistant Athletic Director. Last year’s Assistant Athletic Director Tony Wolfe took over the Head Athletic Director role.
Buford finished second in the Georgia Athletic Directors Association’s Directors Cup in class AAAAA just behind Starr’s Mill. The Directors Cup is a yearlong competition in which high school athletic programs are rewarded points for their finishes for each sport. At the end of the year, points are tallied up
to determine the top program in each class.
The Wolves’ year got off to a slow start with fall sports not quite living up to expectations. The talented field of senior football players saw their season end at the state quarterfinals. Softball, which would normally be region champions at the very least, had to settle for region runner-up but rallied to a solid fourthplace finish at state. Volleyball was the area champions and made it to the final four at state.
Winter sports saw two teams crowned state champions and two legendary coaches reach an incredible milestone that few coaches ever see.
The boys’ basketball team achieved redemption after failing to reach the finals last year by winning this year’s state championship. After losing ten talented seniors last year, this year’s girls’ basketball team was not expected to reach the state finals, let alone win them. The competition learned never to count out a team coached by longtime head coach Gene Durden. In the end, they came away with their third straight state championship. During the season, both of the basketball head coaches, Eddie Martin and Gene Durden each achieved their 800th career wins.
The spring sports season was full of achievements. The biggest one coming from the girls’ track and field team who brought home the state championship title for the third straight year. Seven teams brought home their area/region titles. One of the biggest sports stories from this year was the boys’ lacrosse team. They made it to the state final four which is the furthest the lacrosse program has ever gone in the state playoffs.
Although some sports where expectations were high did not achieve what they set out to, other sports went farther than predicted.
After the year was said and done, numerous coaching changes were made. The Wolves hired Peachtree Ridge’s Megan Hill as head coach of the girls’ soccer team. Two new cheer coaches were hired: Caroline McNeal from Dacula will be the new sideline cheer coach, and the new competition cheer coach is Stacey Schmuhl from Ola. Promoted to head coaching positions were Bryant Appling (football), Hadli Daniels (volleyball), Laura Graves (swim/dive), Brooke Heindel (swim/dive), Matt Johnson (cross country), and Victor Lane (boys’ soccer). Various assistant coaching staff changes were also made.
Recap: Lanier’s historymaking year in athletics
Stanley Bowen
Lanier is still a relatively new high school compared to neighboring schools, and its athletic department is an emerging threat. This past year saw several school records shattered as Lanier continues to establish competitive sports programs.
The Longhorns football program had a banner year under Coach Korey Mobbs, going further into the playoffs than ever before. They made it to the State AAAAAA
championship titles, and the coaching staff won titles for region coaches of the year as well. The tennis team’s season ended after a defeat in the sweet sixteen state playoffs. On the downside for the athletics program, Lanier’s baseball team did not have the greatest year, finishing 11-17. As for the track and field teams, the boys tied for their region title while the girls were region runners-up. Kalen Surles had solid performances at state as did Mya Williams, but the girls only managed to place 24th out of 39 teams.
After the most successful year in school history, the Longhorn Nation can reflect on the year with pride
Semifinals facing powerhouse Lee County, and although Lanier lost on the field their spirit couldn’t be beat. The football program also saw nine players sign college commitments.
The winter season brought Lanier’s first-ever state championship title when the girls basketball team, led by first-year head coach Tim Slater, defied the odds and beat the defending state champions Lovejoy. Coach Slater’s mentors included Buford’s Coach Gene Durden. The six senior players had seen three different coaches in their four years in the program, but this year’s coaching/ player combination clicked well, resulting in a winning season. The Longhorns wrestling team also had a fairly successful season winning their region title and putting seven wrestlers in the state tournament.
Lanier boys and girls tennis both won their region
The boys saw a one-two finish from Zachary Charles and Nahil Perkins in the 300m hurdles at the state meet. Lanier’s boys placed fourth in the 4 x 400 relay race, and the boys track and field team landed in third place after some great finishes by Lanier competitors. The girls golf team had a good finish to their season placing sixth overall at the state championship tournament. After the most successful year in school history, the Longhorn Nation can reflect back on their year with pride. If all goes well, Lanier athletics will keep their winning momentum going next year.
Recap: North Gwinnett had a strong 20182019 year
Stanley Bowen
North Gwinnett High School has a rich history in which sports have played a fairly large role. Expectations were high this year after the football team won the state championship in 2017. A decent number of starters returned and the team wanted a repeat. This ti me it was not meant to be as Colquitt County, the Bulldogs’ opponent in the 2017 championship game, defeated the them in the elite eight of the Class AAAAAAA playoffs.
The Atlanta Falcons partnered with Gwinnett County Schools to open the first girls flag football league. North Gwinnett had a team in the inaugural seas on and made it to the finals but lost to Peachtree Ridge. Despite this, the team was excited and proud of their accomplishments as the first-ever girls flag football team at North.
Winter sports were as dull and dreary as the weather during the long winter months. Both the boys and girls basketball teams were upside down on their season win/loss ratio. North Gwinnett saw a sophomore become a pioneer in the inaugural all-girls classification in wrestling. Dianna Holmes won the state championship in her weight class, and later went on to win a title at USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle Nationals in
Oklahoma City.
North Gwinnett’s air riflery team knocked off numerous opponents this past year, winning their area championship title after being undefeated going into the state competition at Fort Benning. North sent athletes to the Junior Olympics for air riflery and placed sixth at their first appearance at state in school history.
North Gwinnett came alive during spring sports this year. Once again the baseball team had a successful year with an overall record of 31-8. They were knocked out of the playoffs in the final four by eventual state champions Parkview. Track and field saw Kelsey Worthington repeat as girls state pole vault champion. Eugene Kim brought home the state title in boys shot put. North’s tennis teams had another strong year winning their region titles. The boys tennis team was knocked out of the state playoffs in the second round by South Forsyth. The girls tennis team was also knocked out of the state playoffs in the second round, falling to Milton.
The girls golf team was not able to repeat as state champions but still had a solid third place finish at state. The boys golf team had a decent third place finish at their state tournament. Boys lacrosse finished their season in the quarterfinals after being defeated by Lambert. Girls lacrosse was knocked out of the state playoffs by Roswell in the sweet sixteen. The biggest story from the spring season was when the girls soccer team defeated the number two team in the nation to win the state championship title. North defeated previously unbeaten Lambert in extra rounds with penalty kicks.
North Gwinnett finished the year with two state championship titles, a thirdplace finish in the GADA Directors Cup, four final four appearances, 10 region/ area titles, and had 51 college signees.
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June 6, 2019
Sharon Nelson Jones, age, 71 of Buford, GA passed away on Tuesday, June 4, 2019. She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilburn Taylor; parents, Tommy Nelson and Irene Brock Hardman. She is survived by her children, F. Scott Jones, Flowery Branch, GA, Marcia (Robert) Steinbuch, Buford, GA; grandchildren, Rosangela Anjos, Shayna Steinbuch, Victoria Steinbuch, Jimmy Jones, Judson (Megan) Jones. Mrs. Jones was born November 26, 1947, in Rome, GA. A 1963 graduate of Avondale High School. She was of the Baptist faith. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 7, 2019, in the Chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home, Buford, GA with Dr. Jim Ferguson officiating. Interment to follow at Hillcrest Cemetery, Buford, GA.
Gene Treadwell, age, 90 of Buford, GA passed away June 3, 2019. He is preceded in death by his parents, Marvin and Nobie Treadwell; brothers, Loyce Treadwell, Mercer Treadwell, Bowdin Treadwell; sister, Marvene Haynie; daughter, Phyllis Flanagan. He is survived by his wife of Sixty-five years, Joyce Dunahoo Treadwell, Buford, GA; son, Henry Morgan “Butch” Treadwell, Hartwell, GA; grandchildren, Denise Flanagan,
OBITS & SERVICES
Statham, GA, Donna Flanagan, Statham, GA, Tonya Flanagan, Athens, GA, Raif (Carrie) Treadwell, Dacula, GA, Josh (Rachel) Treadwell, Hartwell, GA; nine great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Doris Watkins, Statham, GA; brother-in-law, Ricky (Sharee) Dunahoo, Winder, GA, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Mr. Treadwell was born August 12, 1928, in Statham, GA. He was a veteran of the United States Army. He was a 1946 graduate of Statham High School, Statham, GA and attended Massey Junior College. Funeral services were held on June 5, 2019, in the chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home, Buford, GA with Pastor Jeff Coleman officiating.
Anna Blanche Crompton Geraci, age, 80 of Buford, GA passed away Saturday, June 1, 2019. She is survived by her husband of twenty-five years, Louis Geraci of Buford, GA; children, James and Eunice Walker, Buford, GA, Robert Walker, Titusville, FL, Lisa and Tom Ringo, Dahlonega, GA, JoAnne and Jason Fadely, Buford, GA; grandchildren, Dylan Walker, Heather Walker; step grandchildren, Madison Fadely, Austin Fadely, Samantha Fadely, Jennifer Milikin; brothers, Jim (Pam) Crompton,Pawtuck, Connecticut, John and Lorrie Crompton, Clarion, PA; sisters, Eleanor Lewis, Mouroville, PA, Judy and Chuck Kasza, Ormond Beach, FL, Kathy Wallace, Butler, PA, Joan Johnson, Butler, PA, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Mrs. Geraci was born July 24, 1938 in Pittsburg, PA. 1956 graduate of Hampton High School, Hampton, PA. She was a member of Sugar Hill United Methodist Church. No formal services will be held.
Robert “Bob” Saine, age 84 of Sugar Hill, GA passed away Wednesday, May 29, 2019, after an extended illness. He was preceded in death by first wife, Jean Cooper Saine; daughter, Donna Saine; son, Darrel Saine; parents, Francis “Mooney” and Alene Childers Saine; and sister, Brenda Saine Corley. Mr. Saine is survived by his wife of forty-seven years, Virginia Fleming Bruce Saine, Sugar Hill; children, Renee Saine Patton, Buford, GA, Lisa Saine Horah and husband Mike, Buford, GA, Amy Bruce Phillips and husband Russell, Gainesville, GA; grandchildren, Scott Lynn, Blake Patton, Alex Patton, Austin Patton, Keelan Horah, Evan Horah, Eric Horah, Sydney Phillips; twelve great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law, Bob Corley, Middleburg, PA, Emory (Linda) Fleming, Buford, GA, Lamar Fleming, Gainesville, GA, and Glen Cooper, Cumming, GA. Bob was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 20, 1935. He attended Liberty Gwen and Dunwoody Elementary Schools and graduated in 1953 from North Fulton High. Bob was happily married to Jean Cooper Saine for nineteen years before she lost her life to cancer. On May 28, 1972, he was blessed with his second wife, Virginia Fleming Bruce Saine. Funeral services were held on Sunday, June 2, 2019, at Sugar Hill United Methodist Church Chapel with Rev. Jeff Coleman officiating.
Dr. Richard D. Huey, Sr, DMD, age 70,
of Buford, GA passed away Tuesday, May 28, 2019. He was preceded in death by mother, Eloise Dean Baggett; and brothers, Sam Huey and Paul Baggett III. Dr. Huey is survived by his wife of thirty-four years, Wendy Woodward Huey, Buford; children, Allison and Chris Bell, Buford, Richard D. Huey, Jr and wife Melinda, Buford; Mauri and Joey Berry, Hoschton, GA, Jan and Jimmy Jones, Atlanta, GA; six grandchildren, Luke Berry, Caroline Berry, Grant Jones, Blake Jones, Jack Huey, Andrew Huey; sister and brother-in-law, Susan and Steve Cole, Norcross, GA; and stepfather, Paul Baggett, Social Circle, GA. Dr. Huey was born on November 6, 1948 in Atlanta, GA. He was a 1966 graduate of Gordon High School in Atlanta, and he was a graduate of Medical College of Georgia. The family will have a Celebration of Life service this summer.
Kay Houser Kesseler, age 78, of Buford, GA passed away Tuesday, May 28, 2019. She was preceded in death by her husband of forty-six years, Lawrence Kesseler, Jr; parents, Dan Houser, II and Elizabeth Kay Houser; brothers, Dan Houser, III, James Houser, and Johnny Houser. Mrs. Kesseler is survived by children, Mark and Melaine Kesseler, Wyandotte, MI, Anne and Bob Belanger, Buford, GA, Eric and Nisa Kesseler, Petoskey, MI; four grandchildren, Sarah Kesseler, Brian Kesseler, Daniel Kesseler, Lilli Kesseler; sisters and brothers-in-law, Winnie and Tom Kerwin, Mary Houser and husband Chuck Barsy, Michele and Charles Rochon, Karen and Chris Hilty; and brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Laura Houser. Mrs. Kesseler was born on August 3, 1940 in Boyne City, Michigan. She graduated from the Providence Hospital School of Nursing in Detroit, Michigan. Her Funeral Mass was held on Thursday, June 6, 2019.
Maileya Noelle Jones, age 25, of Lawrenceville, GA passed away Wednesday, May 29, 2019. She is survived by her mother, Sharon Denise Bartley, Buford, GA; sisters, Samaria Blow, Buford, Mahogany Jones, Lawrenceville, Deja Bartley, Buford; brother, Steven Singleton, Buford; and grandmother, Carolyn Blow, Buford. Ms. Jones was born on April 4, 1994. She was a 2010 graduate of Central Gwinnett High School and attended Gwinnett College. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2019, at 4:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home with Rev. Christopher Meeks officiating.
