The following reports were filed by the Gwinnett County Police Department between June 1, 2019 and June 13, 2019.
• Police responded to incidents of forced entry residential burglaries in the 5700 block of River Ridge Lane in Sugar Hill, 1400 block of Jimmy Dodd Road in Buford, 5400 block of Shadburn Ferry Road in Buford, 4300 block of Trestle Way in Buford, and 500 Ruth Court in Buford.
• A forced entry non-residential burglary took place in the 5800 block of Cumming Highway in Sugar Hill.
• Reports of non-forced residential burglaries were filed for the 2100 block of Millgate Lane in Buford, 100 block of South Street in Buford, and 4200 block of Greenside Court in Dacula.
• A robbery with a gun happened at a business in the 5800 block of Cumming Highway in Sugar Hill.
• A robbery also occurred in the 5000 block of Hidden Branch Drive in Sugar Hill.
• Rape and sexual battery were reported in the 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford. Rape was also reported in the 2400 block of Woodford Lane in Buford.
• Police had to respond to disorderly conduct calls in the 4400 block of Nelson Brogdon Boulevard in Sugar Hill and at Heritage Crest Place at Hannahberry Place in Buford.
• Arrests were made for DUI at Buford Highway and Sudderth Road in Sugar Hill and in the 2400 block of Hamilton Mill Parkway in Dacula.
• Motor vehicle theft took place in the 3300 block of Rosecliff Trace in Buford, 3300 block of Millash Trail in Buford, and at Hog
Mountain Road at Mineral Springs Road in Hoschton.
• Reports for vehicle break-ins were filed in the 300 block of Buford Highway in Suwanee, 6100 block of Austin Garner Road in Sugar Hill, 200 block of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Sugar Hill (2 incidents), 1300 block of Buford Dam Road in Buford, 2300 block of Buford Dam Road in Buford, 1900 block of Satellite Boulevard in Buford (2 incidents), 4000 block of Buford Drive in Buford, 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford, 1500 block of Mall of Georgia Boulevard in Buford (2 incidents), 1400 block of Mall of Georgia Boulevard in Buford, 2600 block of Ambria Drive in Buford, 2600 block of Gold Rust Drive in Buford, 2600 block of Silver Dust Drive in Buford, 3200 block of Earhart Way in Buford, 3300 block of Woodash Court in Buford, 3800 block of Plantation Mill Drive in Buford, 3400 block of Cascade Ive Drive in Buford, and 2200 block of Hamilton Creek Parkway in Dacula.
• Theft by taking was reported in the 400 block of Bellingham Drive in Sugar Hill, 6600 block of Grand Magnolia Drive in Sugar Hill, 1100 block of Crescent Ridge Drive in Buford, 1000 block of Buford Dam Road in Buford, 4200 block of Buford Drive in Buford, 3700 block of Buford Drive in Buford, 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford, and 2500 block of Sable Ridge Court in Buford.
• Police reports were filed for theft by deception in the 6000 block of Cumming Highway and in the 4500 block of Cheeley Drive. Sugar Hill addresses.
• Tag theft was reported in the 5300 block of Palmero Court in Buford.
• Police received a call about theft by extortion in the 1800 block of Satellite Boulevard in Buford.
• Shoplifting took place in the 1900 block of Buford Mill Drive, 3300 block of Buford Drive, 3200 block of Woodward Crossing Boulevard, and 3200 block of Sardis Church Road. Buford addresses.
• Reports were filed for criminal damage/ vandalism in the second-degree in the 3500 block of Morning Creek Court in Suwanee (2 incidents), 5700 block of Suwanee Dam Road in Sugar Hill, 3900 block of Copper Creek Way in Buford, and 3200 block of Sardis Church Road in Buford.
• First-degree criminal damage/vandalism occurred in the 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford.
• Police responded to calls for battery in the 5900 block of April Drive and in the 5100 block of Sugar Crest Drive. Sugar Hill addresses.
• Simple battery incidents took place in the 1000 block of Level Creek Road in Sugar Hill, 5100 block of Allison Way in Sugar Hill, 4500 block of Old Suwanee Road in Sugar Hill, 2200 block of Buford Highway in Buford, 2700 block of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Buford, 2700 block of North Bogan Road in Buford, 3100 block of Spring Lake Drive in Buford, 3800 block of Morgans Ridge Drive in Buford, 3500 block of Hanover Drive in Buford, 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford, and 3200 block of Buford Drive in Buford.
• Reports for simple assault were filed in the 6500 block of Garrett Road in Buford and in the 1800 block of Tulip Petal Road in Auburn.
The following reports were filed by the City of Suwanee Police Department between June 1, 2019 and June 13, 2019. All incidents occurred in the 30024 (Suwanee) zip code.
• The following reports were filed by the City of Suwanee Police Department between June 1, 2019 and June 13, 2019. All incidents occurred in the 30024 (Suwanee) zip code.
• Police responded to a first-degree burglary call in the 4000 block of McGinnis Ferry Road.
• Second-degree burglary occurred in the 3700 block of Davis Street.
• Police responded to calls about vehicle break-ins that happened in the 900 block of Mill Creek Run, 2900 block of Lawrenceville Suwanee Road, 400 block of Northolt Parkway (2 incidents), and 4000 block of McGinnis Ferry Road.
• Reports for theft by deception were filed for the 3900 block of Savannah Square Street, 3900 block of Magnolia Leaf Lane, and 300 block of Satellite Boulevard.
• Police responded to incidents of battery on McGinnis Ferry Road and in the 1 block of Celebration Drive.
• Simple battery incidents occurred in the 3600 block of George Pierce Court, 3100 block of Lawrenceville Suwanee Road, 2800 block of Lawrenceville Suwanee Road, and 1000 block of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
• In the 300 block of Wynstone Way, police responded to a call about a simple assault/ battery situation.
• A report for criminal damage to property was filed for a location in the 200 block of Saint Devon Crossing.
Burglaries and car break-ins on the rise off Buford Dam Road
Nicole Burns
(Buford/Sugar Hill, Ga.) — A spike in the number of burglaries, entering auto thefts, and theft by taking have been reported recently in the areas in and around Buford Dam Road.
The first residential burglary took place in the 1400 block of Jimmy Dodd Road in Buford on June 5 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. The burglarized property is currently listed for sale and contained very few items. When the officer arrived, the female victim took the officer to the rear basement door where the glass had been shattered near the door handle. She then
took the officer to the garage where she stated that the suspect(s) took an air compressor valued at $300 and a battery charge worth about $60.
The victim stated that she was at the residence before 8 a.m. and had witnessed an older white truck pulling a trailer ride past the home approximately three times. That was all the details she was able to provide the officer.
On June 8, police were dispatched to a home in the 2300 block of Buford Dam Road in Buford about a vehicle break-in. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the female victim who had her wallet stolen from her car. The victim told the officer that her security camera footage showed that at 3:44 a.m. an unknown white male with short or no hair wearing a black and white t-shirt with blue jeans and white shoes walked up to the driver side of her vehicle and opens the driver door. He then reached into the driver side of her vehicle and took her wallet which she had left in the cup holder in the center console. Once he had the wallet he ran off.
The victim found out that someone tried to use her debit card at the Quik Trip off of Friendship Road but was denied due to the PIN being incorrect. Her American Express credit card and her Capital One credit card were both used at a Kroger located at
650 Singleton Rd. in Norcross.
In the 5400 block of Shadburn Ferry Road in Buford, a burglary was committed on June 8 at approximately 5:45 a.m. An elderly woman told the officer that she was asleep in her bedroom and that she was woken up by a loud noise coming from her kitchen. The woman who lives alone got up and grabbed her flashlight. After hearing another loud noise from her kitchen, she turned on her flashlight and went into her living room. She shined her flashlight on the suspect and upon noticing the elderly woman, the suspected exclaimed, “Oh My God.” The male, who the victim described as being a white male in his early 20’s wearing a dark colored t-shirt and blue jeans, fled back out of the kitchen door empty-handed.
Other incidents have occurred at Gary Pirkle Park in Sugar Hill, in the 5700 block of River Ridge Lane in Sugar Hill, in the 6600 block of Grand Magnolia Drive in Sugar Hill, in the 1100 block of Crescent Ridge Drive in Buford, and at a park located in the 1000 block of Buford Dam Road in Buford.
If anyone has information about any of these incidents, please contact the Gwinnett County Police Department’s North Precinct at (678) 442-5002.
Hall County Sheriff’s Office warns residents of new telephone scam
Staff Reports
(Hall County, Ga) — Investigators with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office have recently received several telephone calls from residents regarding a new telephone scam. The scammers claim to be from the Hall County Sheriff Office and are asking citizens to donate/send money over the telephone to raise money for “food baskets”. This is not legitimate and is a scam.
If you receive a call such as this, do not give out any sensitive information such as a credit card number or personal identifiers such as a social security number.
Anyone who has received calls such as this is encouraged to report the information to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division @ 770-531-6879.
Man hallucinating arrested for disorderly conduct
Nicole Burns
(Buford, Ga.) — On the morning of June 5, 2019, Gwinnett County 911 received multiple calls about a black male screaming for help and trying to stop cars in the vicinity of Heritage Crest Parkway and Hannahberry Place in Buford, Ga. Callers reported that the male was wearing grey shorts and a blanket. His irate behavior was so extreme that he had scared many of the callers back into their homes.
Upon arrival, officers were flagged down by two gentlemen who work for the City of Buford Gas Department. The men told the officers that they witnessed a male screaming in the middle of the road and trying to stop cars. The two men decided to call the police because they felt like the safety of nearby residents was in jeopardy.
Police locate the male identified as Hamilton Josephs, age 23 of Buford shoeless and shirtless
wearing only shorts and a blanket. Josephs told police that he had been run out of his friend’s house and had two people chasing him. He then went on to say that his girlfriend was in the house and being held hostage by his former youth pastor. When the officer questioning Josephs asked him where they were, he pointed to a hedgerow and said, “In there.”
The officer proceeded to check the hedgerow that Josephs had pointed to and found no one inside. Josephs then said that they had moved in and were in a different hedgerow. He said that he could hear them “plain as day.” The officer checked the second hedgerow and found only a cat.
Due to the subject’s behavior, the officer then asked him if he would like to be seen by a paramedic. Josephs assured police that he was not crazy. He then told the officer that he was clean from drugs but had taken Molly three days earlier. Molly is the street name for Methylenedioxymethamphetamine which is often referred to as MDMA or ecstasy.
Based off of their observations and those of witnesses, the police determined that they had enough probable cause to arrest Josephs for disorderly conduct and for loitering and prowling. An officer escorted Josephs to the Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville where he was admitted on an involuntary committal for mental health. Two other officers went to the home of Joseph’s girlfriend and verified that she was fine.
Juveniles arrested for trespassing
Nicole Burns
(Buford, Ga.) — Gwinnett County Police officers responded to a suspicious activity call in the 300 block of South St. in Buford.
A female homeowner told officers that two young males knocked on her front door, and because she did not know them, she did not answer. The homeowner overheard the youngest male say, “It looks like they are loaded.” The older male responded, “It does not look like anyone is home.” The two then went to the back of the house and began looking through the windows.
The homeowner told her husband about the suspicious activity and he went downstairs to the back of the house. He observed the two suspects at a back window and said they were looking inside as if they were about to try to open the window. The husband then opened the door and confronted them. The suspects then ran back around the front of the house towards the road. The husband did not give chase. He went inside and advised his wife to call 911.
The homeowner described the first suspect as being “a taller black male around 18 years old” with short black hair, and the second suspect estimated around nine years
old and carrying a black backpack. She could not recall what they were wearing. She also observed two black females, also juveniles, standing across the street, and when the two male suspects ran, the females followed. Officers located the four juveniles at South St. and Smokey Rd. near Tannery Row. When an officer asked why the oldest male was at the residence off of South St., he told the officer that he thought a friend of his lived there. The younger male suspect told the officer that the other suspect was his cousin and that he had told him that a friend lived at the house. When questioned, the two females told officers that the two males were their cousins.
Three neighborhood residents told the Voice that they witnessed suspects matching those in the South St. incident knocking on the front door of a house in the 400 block of West Park St. just before the South St. incident. The suspects, one of whom was reportedly carrying a baseball bat, then went to the back of the West Park St. home and proceeded through the woods to South St. One of the juveniles matched the description of a suspect wanted in connection with a nearby burglary. Detectives requested that two of the juveniles be escorted to the North Precinct for questioning in relation to the burglary. The two males were arrested, handcuffed, and charged with criminal trespassing while the two females were free to go.
With their legal guardians present, the two male suspects were questioned by detectives and were then released into the care of the guardians. All four juveniles were determined to be under the age of 18.
Restaurant Inspections
The following restaurant health inspection scores were pulled from the Georgia Department of Health from June 2, 2019 to June 13, 2019.
• 5 Brothers Pizza and Pasta; 39 East Main Street, Buford; 87
• All That Korean BBQ; 2850 Lawrenceville Suwanee Road, Suite G1, Suwanee; 82
• American Deli; 4060 Buford Drive, Suite D-E, Buford; .................................................................................100
• Aqua Terra; 55 E. Main Street, Buford; .................................................................................................................93
• Barberitos - Hamilton Crossroads; 2725 Hamilton Mill Road, Suite 2200, Buford; ................................85
• Bare Bones Steakhouse; 115 East Main Street, Suite C 12, Buford; .............................................................100
• Brown Bag Deli & Cafe; 340 Towne Center Avenue, Suite A-2, Suwanee; 91
• Wasabi and Sushi; 1291 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee; ..................................................................................
• Kirin Asian; 6323 Grand Hickory Drive, Suite 300A, Braselton; 86
• Krystal Restaurant; 1595 Highway 23, Buford; 95
• La Madeleine Country French Cafe; 1795 Mall of Georgia Boulevard, Buford; 63; re-inspection 95
Georgia officials combat drug crisis with a new initiative
Nida Merchant
On June 5th, 2019 the State of Georgia held a press conference announcing a brand new initiative: Georgia Recovers.
Governor Brian Kemp alongside DBHDD Commissioner Judy Fitzgerald has worked together in raising funds for the Georgia Council of Substance Abuse in promoting recovery for all Georgians who may need help. In doing so, the state of Georgia is proving strives in its effort to combat the growing epidemic.
New Buford school resource officers officially sworn into duty
Alicia Couch Payne
(Buford, Ga.) — The Buford City School System announced to the North Gwinnett Voice this past January that they had formed the Buford City Schools Department of School Safety and Security. This created a small police force of the Chief plus three additional school resource officers (SROs) that works solely for the school system for the purpose of making sure that children and staff of BCSS stay safe. The new school police or school resource office is led by Chief Mindy Bayreuther. Bayreuther is a former Assistant Chief with the Gwinnett County Police Department. In 1988, she began her career in law enforcement as a 9-1-1 radio operator and later graduated from the Gwinnett County Police Department in 1991. Bayreuther served the community in numerous roles within the Gwinnett County Police Department including being in command of
This problem affects the lives of millions of people including Tori Holcomb who is currently in long term recovery from an Opioid addiction lasting over twelve years. When she finally allowed herself to accept that she had a problem, she was able to begin her journey of recovery.
Today, she serves as a Lead Lifeline Recovery Coach for Navigate Recovery Gwinnett and shares her story to countless individuals to inform the struggles of addiction. She recently was able to share her struggles at
an Opioid Crisis Symposium in Sugar Hill a few months back. She emphasized, “As long as there is air in their lungs there is hope!”
The fuel to the drug crisis in the state comes from the stigmatized barrier that comes along with it. The Georgia Council of Substance Abuse (GCSA) has begun a new message in promoting the recovery for all Georgians.
“Georgia Recovers highlights 18 recovery champions who have survived the disease of addiction and are excited and proud to
share the message that ‘Recovery is Real.’” Commissioner Fitzgerald told WTVM. ‘Recovery is Real’ is the motto that all GCSA and State officials preached in their press conference announcing their support to the program. The marketing campaign will highlight the lives of 18 individuals that are currently in the process of long term recovery. Similar to Tori Holcomb, these individuals will be sharing their experiences firsthand by showing that recovery truly is real and that there is hope for a better and more sustainable way of life.
Georgia officials and the Georgia Council of Substance Abuse hope that this marketing technique will increase conversation on this issue.
In a recent conversation with Major Greg Adams, the North Gwinnett Police Precinct Commander stated a quote that still resonates with Georgians today, “We cannot arrest our way out of the [crisis], we have to inform our way out.”
#GArecovers #RecoveryIsReal
the South Precinct, North Precinct, and the Special Investigations Section. In 2014, she was promoted to the rank of Assistant Chief where she was in command of the Support Operations Division until her retirement in March of 2018.
Chief Bayreuther comes with an extensive education and training background that includes her being a graduate of Command College. She is also a graduate of the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) program where she was a student of the 24th Delegation to Israel.
Chief Bayreuther earned a masters degree for Public Administration from Columbus State University. With over 3,600 hours of specialized training under her belt during her career, its not surprising that the Georgia Peace Officers Standard and Training Council have awarded Chief Bayreuther with several certifications, including, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervision, Management, and Senior POST Instructor.
Chief Bayreuther officially swore the new officers into duty on June 5 in a small ceremony at Buford City Schools Central
Office. Officers Dieffenbacher, Garcia, and McKinley have already been on duty and present at recent school functions. They each come with ample experience from the Gwinnett County Police Department. No doubt the campuses of the Buford City School System will be all the better for having this force of school resource officers watching over it.
Welcome Officers Dieffenbacher, Garcia, and McKinley!
** Full bios are available on each school resource officer at www.NorthGwinnettVoice.com. **
On June 5, Chief Mindy Bayreuther swore Officers Dieffenbacher, Garcia, and McKinley into duty as the three school resource officers. Photo courtesy Buford City Schools
Be smart about fireworks this 4th of July
Alicia Couch Payne
The fourth of July is right around the corner along with the day's long fireworks, including the injuries stemming from the public’s use of fireworks.
Independence Day holiday keeps our nation’s first responders busy. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2017 at least eight people died and approximately 12,900 were injured to the point of having to seek medical treatment following fireworksrelated incidents.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, fireworks on Independence Day caused 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires, and nearly 17,000 other fires which resulted in thousands of injuries last year
The National Safety Council among other organizations strongly urge people to forego using fireworks themselves and leave that up to the professionals. They encourage people to go see the numerous public fireworks displays that are put on by professionals.
The use of less powerful fireworks like sparklers, bottle rockets, firecrackers, and roman candles are also discouraged. Sparklers have been known to ignite clothing and can cause severe burns if dropped onto a child’s foot. Most parents are unaware that sparklers burn at a temperature of about 2,000 degrees. This is hot enough to melt certain metals. Bottlerockets have been used by teens and others in horseplay for years. Throughout the year's dozens of reports have been made about people sustaining serious chest, head, and eye injuries as a result of
being fired at during this horseplay. Incidents involving roman candles have caused children to lose fingers, suffer severe burns, and other injuries. Firecrackers though mostly nothing more than a noise maker have been known to cause severe burns and other injuries as well. M-class explosives like M 80s and M 100s are illegally produced explosives that are not regulated by the government and are highly unpredictable making the chance for injury increase substantially.
If you insist on using fireworks this Independence Day, please keep the following safety tips* in mind.
• Never use fireworks wrapped in plain brown paper. These are for professionals only.
• Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol
• Never allow young children to handle fireworks
• Older children should use them only under close adult supervision
• Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear
• Never light them indoors
• Only use them away from people, houses and flammable material
• Only light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance after lighting
• Never ignite devices in a container
• Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks
• Soak unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding
• Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don't go off or in case of fire
• Keep pets locked safely inside.
Be smart and follow these tips to keep you and your loved ones safe during your 4th of July celebration.
Fourth of July Preview
Want to do something for the 4th of July but not quite sure what yet? Here’s a quick glance at some of the best events the area has to offer. All ages are welcomed.
July 3, 2019
Sparks in the Park - City of Sugar Hill, E.E. Robinson Park, 850 Level Creek Road, Sugar Hill GA - 6 to 11:30 p.m. - The City of Sugar Hill hosts the annual Sparks in the Park event that features food concessions, inflatables, live music, and a fireworks display. Prelude Fireworks Spectacular - City of Lawrenceville, 70 S. Clayton Street, Lawrenceville GA (Lawrenceville Lawn) - 5 to 9 p.m. - There will be food trucks, beer and wine from McCray’s Tavern, live music, and fireworks will begin at dusk. Rain or shine event.
July 4, 2019
17th Annual Star Spangled FourthMall of Georgia, 3333 Buford Drive, Buford GA - 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. - Beginning at 3 p.m. near Barnes & Noble, enjoy food concessions, Kid Zone, and more. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. live music will be available at the Village Amphitheatre. The national anthem will be at 9:30 p.m. followed shortly thereafter by the fireworks display. Following fireworks, the movie “The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part” will be played. *Some activities will require the purchase of wristbands.* 4th of July Music, Parade, & Fireworks in Downtown BraseltonDowntown Braselton, Highway 53 & Town Green, Braselton GA - 5 to 10 p.m. - Starting at 5 p.m. food trucks will be available. Line up along Highway 53 to watch the parade that will begin at 6 p.m. Then at 6:30 p.m., live music will begin at the Town Lawn Gazebo and end just before the
fireworks begin at approximately 9:30 p.m. For a map and more information visit www.DowntownBraselton.com. Rain or shine event.
Red, White, & Rock Music Festival w/ Fireworks Show - 37 Main - A Rock Cafe @ The Cumming Fairgrounds, 235 Castleberry Road, Cumming GA - 1 to 11 p.m. - Enjoy over 6 different musical acts along with food vendors, a Kids Zone, hot dog eating contest, beer & wine, and a post-concert fireworks display. Tickets are $5 and only available at the gates on the day of the event.
Independence Day FIREWORKS! Stripers vs. Bulls - Coolray Field, 2500 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville GA - 7 p.m. - The Gwinnett Stripers baseball team will host the Durham Bulls. The team will wear special patriotic jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game. An all-you-can-eat BBQ experience is available. Fireworks will follow the game. Tickets available at the gate or online at ticketmaster.com. 4th of July Celebration & FireworksMargaritaville at Lake Lanier Islands, 7650 Lake Lanier Islands Parkway, Buford GA - 7 to 10 p.m. - Starting at 7 p.m. at the LandShark Landing Stage inside Margaritaville, Johnny Hayes and the Loveseats Band will perform. Fireworks begin at 10 p.m.
July 6, 2019
Independence Day Cookout & Fireworks - American Legion Post 127, 2640 Sawnee Avenue, Buford GA - Cookout from 2 to 4 p.m. and Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. - The American Legion Post 127 welcomes to the public to celebrate Independence Day with them. The public is welcome to attend their cookout from 2 to 4 p.m. and then view their fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. Several bands will be providing live music all day.
*Safety tips were compiled from the Public Safety Council’s website and the National Fire Protection Association.
Sugar Hill Council Meeting Minutes-
June 2019
Nida Merchant
Sugar Hill Mayor Steve Edwards called the June Sugar Hill Council Meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. at the Sugar Hill City Hall.
No Awards or Proclamations were given at the meeting but held a theme for appreciation as Council members continued to recognize the hard work and dedication the staff of Sugar Hill consistently exhibit.
Mayor Steve Edwards started by thanking all the city employees for being incredibly patient in working with residents and making the city just a little sweeter!
Brandon Hembree congratulated all the graduates from the class of 2019, especially two of the Youth Council members he saw graduate at Lanier High School: Camryn Flores and Laura Ann Acker.
Marc Cohen noted that there will be an Arts Commission meeting on June 18th and announced the annual
Sugar Hill seeking artists for annual Sugar Rush festivities
Staff Reports
(Sugar Hill, Ga.) — The City of Sugar Hill announced opportunities in which local artists can be involved in their annual Sugar Rush festival that will take place this fall. Sugar Hill prides itself on being a community that not only appreciates the arts but comes up with ways to showcase local talent. The
Arts Commission Poster Competition. This project would allow for high schoolers to submit their best artwork announcing the annual Sugar Rush event in a way that exhibits city pride and community. He was also able to attend over 24 graduations all around Gwinnett County! He mentioned that he was particularly saddened at the fact that one of his dear friends Lieutenant Danny Holmes had unexpectedly passed away and has asked for residents to keep a check on the Miles family as their son, Chris Miles, is battling a brain tumor.
Susie Walker notes that the Central City Tavern Ribbon Cutting ceremony will be taking place on Monday, June 17th.
Curtis Northrop acknowledged the fantastic turnout at the Groundbreaking Memorial ceremony and noticed that a dear World War II veteran had also attended the event.
Taylor Anderson was able to attend a Georgia Municipal Association meeting at the Police Headquarters for training for any injurious activities alongside Major Greg Adams.
City Manager Paul Radford continued on the remarks of the Mayor and thanked the staff for their continued hard work. He mentioned that the E Center and Eagle have gained popularity with over 5400 residents visiting the E Center and having nearly 20 of the 30 days booked for the Eagle Theatre in the month of May. He chuckled and acknowledged that the city barely has time to host their
City has three ways to become involved. They are accepting applications for the Juried Art Show, Artists Vendors, and the Poster Contest.
The third annual Juried Art Show is an opportunity for all artists, amateurs and professionals alike, to participate in a friendly competition while displaying their artwork for festival attendees to enjoy. The jury will award a Grand Prize of $1000, as well as Second Prize and Third Prize ($500 and $250, respectively). Festival attendees will vote for the People’s Choice award ($100). Interested artists must apply by July 9, 2019, to be considered for the show—more application and contest information, as well as the application form, can be found at www. sugarhillarts.com/events-projects.
Sugar Hill is also seeking Artist Vendors for the 2019 festival. Vendors
own events with the popularity of the theatre!
Assistant City Manager Troy Besseche recognized the Public Works team in making our city a clean and beautiful area and had held a small breakfast thanking them alongside Paul Radford. He then mentioned a variety of new projects the city is in the midst of working on including a gas metering system and continued development for the Greenway. More information to come in July.
Economic Development Director Mercy Montgomery noted that there are two new interns working alongside her in economic development. Central City Tavern is in the process of opening its doors and Indio Brewing Company will be having their soft opening sometime this month. Sugar Hill is planning on hosting an Apollo launch celebration event which will be taking place in July.
No Citizen and guest comments and no consent agenda or old business.
The public hearing for New Business started with a budget amendment 2018 Reconciliation to document the unbudgeted purposes in the city. The proposal was approved.
The 2018 Sugar Hill Audit was presented by Wayne Tuck in which all financial reports cleared with a Gold Standard. He thanked Finance Director Cindy Pugh in providing all the information for the city.
A Public hearing was needed for Peachtree Industrial Blvd and
provide a unique enrichment to the festival, as attendees can both admire and purchase their work. The Artist Vendor application is available at https://www.eventeny.com/events/ vendor/?id=416 and must be completed by September 19, 2019.
The annual Sugar Rush Poster Contest is open to all middle school and high school students in the Sugar Hill area. The winning poster will represent the festival for the year and will be screen printed live at the festival for a commemorative giveaway. The artist with the winning design will receive a $150 cash grand prize. Artists must apply by September 13, 2019. Further information
requested a proposed zoning approval by the city. The Planning Commission and staff recommended approval in that the area provided for a speculative building area with heavy manufacturing areas. The motion was approved.
A streetlight Acceptance in Riverside Manor Subdivision was approved by the Council.
An Appeal of Condemnation hearing took place in which the Appellant requested a postponing of 30 days. The request was denied and the public hearing took place.
There are a variety of health and property violations at the Nelson Brogdon Blvd property with building deficiencies as well as illegal activity records.
The Appellant noted that the buyer purchased the property in February and within two months received a notice of condemnation. He noted that the owner did not have nearly enough time to address and fix the issues on the property.
The Council motioned to postpone the item until the next meeting giving the appellant and client time to bring a structure interior/exterior list of requirements.
The Arts Commission requested to increase the board member count from 7 to 11 members and appointed Tiffany Cole as a new member This concluded the regular meeting. The Council and Staff went into executive session.
and application forms can be found at www.sugarhillarts.com/postercontest.
The annual Sugar Rush festival is a day filled with lots of things to do for all ages. It is Sugar Hill’s largest event of the year featuring interactive art, live music and performances, food and craft vendors, inflatables and more. Fans of the festival even voted the Sugar Rush festival as the Best Festival of Gwinnett.
Great people with excellent service. Highly recommend. They wereattentive from the 1st phone call, 1st visit and when driving offwithmynew car.Even did afollow up call to see if Imade it home from my 4.5 hrs drive home. Well worth the drive. -Donald Lee
My dad and Ibrought acar from the Auto Gallery at Mall of Georgia last weekend. From the moment we walked in till the moment we left, it was a great experience! No annoying, pushing, sales associates that areusually found at dealerships. The sales associates and managers arewilling to work with you, and they truly want you to be happy with your purchase! Everyone who works thereisnice and helpful. Iwould recommend this dealership to anyone shopping for ausedcar! -Madison Givens
