Restaurant Inspections
The following restaurant health inspection scores were pulled from the Georgia Department of Health from October 23, 2019 to November 1, 2019.
• Alcova Elementary School; 770 Ewing Chapel Rd, Dacula; 93
• Asian Chao; 3333 Buford Dr, Suite 1075, Buford; 92
• Bourbon Street Cafe; 3333 Buford Dr, Buford; ......................................................................... 97
• Brookdale South Lee Buford; 4355 S Lee St, Buford; .............................................................. 100
• Buffalos; 991 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Suite 104, Suwanee; ................................................ 100
• Buford Elementary School; 2500 Sawnee Ave, Buford; 100
• Chick-fil-a; 545 Dacula Rd, Dacula; 100
• Collins Hill High School; 50 Taylor Rd, Suwanee; 97
• Danji; 3350 Buford Dr, Suite A-160, Buford; 90
• Edees Place Bar B Que; 2300 Liam Ave NE, Suite 105, Dacula; .............................................. 88
• Einstein Bros. Bagels; 3410 Buford Dr, Suite G400, Buford; .................................................... 90
• El Molcajete Cantina Grill; 360 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Suite 101 B, Suwanee; .............. 83
• El Picante Bar and Grill LLC; 4195 S Lee St, Suite E-F, Buford; 87
• El Taco Veloz; 4372 Buford Dr, Buford; 94
• Friends Buford Grill; 33 Buford Village Way, Suite 317, Buford; 97
• Friends Sports Bar and Grill; 752 Dacula Rd, Dacula; ............................................................. 96
• Golden Seven; 320 Town Center Ave, Suite C-8, Suwanee; ..................................................... 99
• Green Tea #3; 1152 Auburn Rd, Suite 210, Dacula; .................................................................. 83
• Gwinnett County Senior Services - Buford; 2755 Sawnee Ave, Buford; 100
• Hanna Sushi; 315 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Suite 100, Suwanee; 99
• Italian Pizza Pie; 802 Dacula Rd, Suite 106, Dacula; 82
• K and S Jerk Shop; 2300 Liam Ave NE, Suite 206, Dacula; ...................................................... 98
• Koi Hibachi Sushi; 1175 Buford Hwy, Suite 130, Suwanee; ..................................................... 41
• La Perla del Ulua; 4955 Alton Tucker Blvd NE, Suite 400, Sugar Hill; ................................. 100
• Marias Tex Mex; 831 Auburn Rd, Suite 700, Dacula; 99
• Moe’s Southwest Grill; 1825 Mall of Georgia Blvd, Suite D, Buford; 94
• Movie Tavern; 2855 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd, Suwanee; 100
• Northbrook Middle School; 1221 Northbrook Pkwy, Suwanee; 100
• Peachtree Ridge High School; 1555 Old Peachtree Rd NW, Suwanee; ................................ 100
• Pizza Hut #4803; 2850 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd, Suite 11, Suwanee; ................................ 97
• Samba Steakhouse; 5690 Cumming Hwy NE, Suite A, Sugar Hill; 91
• SK Cafe; 1155 Buford Hwy NE, Suite B, Sugar Hill; 96
• Sopranos Grill Hamilton Mill; 3421 Ridge Rd, Buford; 96
• Sugar Hill Bakery & Cafe; 4969 W Broad St NE, Sugar Hill; 89
• Taco Bell #27858; 2583 Hamilton Mill Rd, Buford; .................................................................. 94
• The Tavern House; 5915 Suwanee Dam Rd, Buford; ................................................................ 88
• Vice Bar and Bistro; 45 Satellite Blvd, Suite G, Suwanee; ......................................................... 91
• Waffle House #1915; 4115 Buford Dr, Buford; 100
• Wendys #119; 4365 Buford Dr, Buford; 94
www.NorthGwinnettVoice.com
The following reports were filed by the Gwinnett County Police Department between October 18, 2019 and October 31, 2019.
• Police responded to calls for forced entry residential burglaries in the 800 block of Sentry Ridge Crossing in Suwanee and in the 4300 block of Chatham View Drive in Buford.
• Attempted burglary occurred in the 900 block of Lansfaire Crossing in Suwanee and in the 4700 block of South Lee Street in Buford.
• Reports were filed for forced entry non residential burglaries in the 2900 block of Buford Drive and in the 4200 block of Old Suwanee Road. Buford addresses.
• Motor vehicle theft took place in the 4500 block of Atwater Court in Buford, 1500 block of Laurel Crossing Parkway in Buford, and 4700 block of Trilogy Park Trail in Hoschton.
• Vehicle break-ins/entering auto thefts were reported in the 4100 block of Buford Drive in Buford, 1900 block of Satellite Boulevard in Buford, 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford, 2600 block of Mall of Georgia Boulevard in Buford, 3100 block of Sentinel Parkway in Buford, 2900 block of Buford Drive in Buford, 3500 block of Braselton Highway in Buford, and 2000 block of Southern Walk Terrace in Dacula.
• Officers responded to theft by taking incidents in the 6000 block of Cumming Highway in Sugar Hill, 5800 block of Cumming Highway in Sugar Hill, 400 block of Whitehead Road in Sugar Hill, 400 block of Thunder Road in Buford, 2300 block of Satellite Boulevard in Buford, 1900 block of Satellite Boulevard in Buford, 3400 block of Buford Drive in Buford, 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford, 2700 block of Mall of Georgia Boulevard in Buford, 3300 block of Lindenridge Drive in Buford, 3300 block of
Staff Writers: Jim Simpson
Lyndsey Britt
Nicole Burns
Hamilton Mill Road in Buford, 2700 block of Hamilton Mill Road in Buford, and 2400 block of Hamilton Mill Parkway in Dacula.
• Reports for larceny of services were filed for locations in the 600 block of Austin Creek Drive in Sugar Hill and in the 3200 block of Woodward Crossing Boulevard in Buford.
• Theft by deception occurred in the 4300 block of Old Hamilton Mill Road and in the 4100 block of Spring Lake Circle. Buford addresses.
• Police responded to a theft by extortion call in the 2700 block of Thompson Mill Road in Buford.
• Shoplifting reports were filed for the 3700 block of Buford Drive, 3300 block of Buford Drive, 1700 block of Mall of Georgia Boulevard, and 3300 block of Hamilton Mill Road. Buford addresses.
• Officers responded to a disorderly conduct call in the 4400 block of Nelson Brogdon Boulevard in Sugar Hill.
• Police had to deal with public drunkenness calls in the 3300 block of Buford Drive in Buford.
• Second-degree criminal damage to property happened in the 5500 block of Cumming Highway in Sugar Hill, 4300 block of Sudderth Road in Buford, Tuggle Road at West Rock Quarry Road in Buford, and 3600 block of Braselton Highway in Dacula.
• People were arrested for DUI at Old Atlanta Highway at Cheeley Drive in Sugar Hill, Buford Drive at Buford Highway in Buford, 1600 block of Buford Highway in Buford, I-985 SB on-ramp at Buford Drive in Buford, 400 block of I-985 N in Buford, and Buford Drive at I-85 S on-ramp in Buford.
• Officers filed reports for simple assault in the 5300 block of Settles Bridge Road in Suwanee, 5100 block of Wellisford Court in Suwanee, 100 block of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Sugar Hill, and 2100 block of Millgate Lane in Buford.
Staff Photographers: Jennifer Johnson
Nicole Seitz
David Hanks
Buford City Hall and Sugar Hill City Hall. Photos by Alicia Couch Payne with the exception of Suwanee City Hall (Special Photo) www.northgwinnettvoice.com • info@northgwinnettvoice.com
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Your Town. Your Paper. Your Voice. @northgwinnettvoice | @ gwinnettvoice
Joseph Parks
Nida Merchant
Contributing Writers:
Lynn Bowman
Brandon Hembree
Cathy Manning Moore
William Curtis Interns: Regan SaundersBuford High School
Anoshka RamkumarNorth Gwinnett High School
On the cover
• Simple battery occurred in the 5000 block of Bathgate Court in Sugar Hill, 100 block of Level Creek Road in Sugar Hill, 0 block of East Main Street in Buford, 2800 block of Mall of Georgia Boulevard in Buford, 4700 block of Moon Chase Drive in Buford, and 5200 block of Catrina Way in Buford.
• Reports of battery were filed for locations in the 5200 block of Sugar Crest Drive in Sugar Hill, Peachtree Industrial Boulevard at Little Mill Road in Buford, 200 block of South Hill Street in Buford, and 4100 block of Sturgeon Circle in Buford.
• Police responded to a call for aggravated assault-other weapon in the 3600 block of Buford Drive in Buford.
Home burglarized in Suwanee
Staff Reports
SUWANEE - Officers with the Gwinnett County Police Department responded to a residential burglary call shortly after 6 p.m. in the 800 block of Sentry Ridge Crossing in unincorporated Suwanee.
The victim, Sanh Luu told officers that he and his wife left their home around 3 p.m. on October 25 and returned home at 6 p.m. Mr. Luu found that someone had forced their way into his home and stole several items.
Upon investigation, officers found that unknown suspect(s) gained entry into
the home by smashing out the bathroom window. The suspect(s) searched the bathroom and master bedroom but did not rifle through any other part of the home.
The unknown suspect(s) took a safe from the bathroom closet and with an unknown tool forced open the safe removing items from it. Over $400 in cash and jewelry items valued at $3,260 were stolen.
Once the suspect(s) were done, they exited the residence back through the bathroom window.
If anyone has any information to share in this case, please contact GCPD detectives at 770-513-5300. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrimeATL.com. Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case. Case number: 19-098571
City of Buford Commission Meeting Minutes Notice
The November 4, 2019 meeting minutes of the City of Buford Commission can be found at www.NorthGwinnettVoice.com in their entirety.
North Gwinnett Election Results 2019
Nida Merchant
Buford, Sugar Hill, and Suwanee ended their local election cycle yesterday and saw some of its highest voter turnouts yet. North Gwinnett totaled 2,403 municipal votes between the three cities.
City of Buford
Buford had three positions open this election: City Commission, Board of Education Post 1 and 2. This is the first election that the city has held since 2015 after the cancellation of the previous (2017) election. In 2017, four positions were up for election; two Commission seats and two Board of Education seats. One Commission seat, that of longtime Commissioner Chris Burge had a challenger but after investigation, the challenger was disqualified. That left all seats unchallenged.
City Commission (Unopposed)
• Phillip Beard (Incumbent)
Board of Education Post 1
• R. Daren Perkins (Incumbent) 565
• Melissa Ferris-Ozkan ............................... 174
Board of Education Post 2
• Matt Peevy 523
• Lien Diaz................................................ 224
Total Voters: 747
City of Sugar Hill
Sugar Hill had three positions open this election: City Council Post 1, 2 and 3. The city saw some of its highest voting numbers with an almost 300 person increase from the last city election in 2017.
City Council Post 1
• Brandon Hembree (Incumbent) 586
• Marjorie Prophete .................... 196
City Council Post 2
• Marc Cohen (Incumbent) 537
• Amber Chambers 254
City Council Post 3 (Unopposed)
• Susie Gajewski-Walker (Incumbent)
Total Voters: 791
City of Suwanee
Suwanee had three positions open this election: Mayor, City Council Post 1 and 2. The city also gave a referendum vote to its citizens known as the “Brunch Bill” which is filtered through the Georgia Legislature in 2018 to allow the authorization of alcohol sales from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Mayor (Unopposed)
• James M. Burnette
City Council Post 1
• Heather J. Hall ............................... 490
• Doug Ireland (Incumbent) 375
City Council Post 2
• Laurence “Larry” Pettiford 493
• Dick Goodman (Incumbent) 369
Brunch Bill: Passed
Total voters: 865
brought to you by The City of Buford
STUDENT WEEK OF THE 12TH GRADE
Jonathan Ingram
Meet Katelyn Klein, asenior at Buford HighSchool. Katelynisthe daughter of Michaeland Ronda Klein andsister to Tyler Klein,a Buford alumni from the class of 2016. After moving from Sacramento, California at the age of three,Katelynhas lived in the state of Georgia for14years and attended Buford CitySchools since her 8thgradeyear
Katelyn is trulyamulti-faceted individual; herskills andaccomplishmentsinacademics, extracurriculars, andathletics are impressiveand indicate howwellroundedshe is. As one of the highestacademically achieving students at Buford HighSchool,her grades andclass rigorare proofofher hardwork and dedication. Throughout highschool,her straight Arecord has never wavered,even after takinga total of 10 AP classes. Because of her impressivegrades, Katelynisa returning memberofNHS andBeta Club, both of whichare intended to honorhigh achieving students
team.Whenasked abouther team’s success,Kateyln responded humbly,saying,“Winning three state championships is truly ablessing. Thecredit for our accomplishments, however,should be giventoour hard work as ateam,the high standards we hold ourselves to, and the culture withinour program.” Through thisexperience,Katelyn believes shehas grownasanathlete,but also as an individual.
“Winning three state championships is truly ablessing.”
Whenasked about her favoriteschool subject, Katelyn claims thatmath is the best, handsdown “Math is my favorite because Ilike for there to be one specificanswer to any question,”Katelyn says.“I lovepatterns, and I finditsatisfying. Also, thesubject just comesnaturallytome.” It makes perfectsense that herfavorite teacherwould beMrs. MacAdam, Katelyn’s 9th and 11th grade mathteacher.Katelyn explains whyMrs.MacAdamisher favorite, saying, “Mrs. MacAdamismorethanateacher to me; she’s amentor. After havingher for 2yearsinhigh school, Ifeelthat Iknow herand recognize herasnot just a “one year” teacher, but rather as someonewho has taught me my entire high school careerinmultiple ways. ”
In addition to outstandingperformance within the classroom,Katelynalsostands out as athree time statechampion for the Buford Girls Varsity Basketball
In the past couple of weeks, Katelynhas also been awardedwith the title of NationalHispanicMerit Scholar due to her high PSATscore.AsaHispanic MeritScholar, Katelyn had to meetthe requirements of being¼Hispanic, achievingthe acceptable PSATscore, andhaving acumulative GPAof 3.5 or higher her junior yearofhigh school. Katelynreflects on herachievement with pride, saying, “Being awardedthishonor is honestly amazing.Itisopening alot of opportunities for colleges and scholarshipsthat Iamaimingfor ”
Outside of hercrazy busy school life, Katelyn can be found at home, eatingher favoritefood,watermelon, and watchingmovieswith herbest friends. She also enjoys playing with her pet dog, apug named Bumper.Onthe weekends, Katelyn is mostlikely cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs or,surprisingly, UGA’s main opponent,Alabama. Because the two teamsdon’tplay against one another often, she claims thatshe hasnotrouble being fans of both Allaround, Katelyn is truly anexemplarystudent, athlete,and active memberofthe Buford community Her dedication inevery areaofher lifeprovesthat she will go far; whenshe aims for agoal, she will undoubtedlyachieve it.Katelyn is aBuford Wolf through and through,her involvementinsidethe school and within her community,provingthe Buford tradition of excellence.
Teaching more than just football
Alicia Couch Payne
Five years ago, a tradition to honor our nation’s military men and women was born. Coach Michael Favors coaches a group of Buford’s finest young boys in all things football as a part of the Gwinnett Football League or GFL. Favors received an email from the father of one of his players five years ago saying that he wouldn’t be able to make his son’s games, that he worked overseas. The father as it turned out was in the military.
That year, Favors’ football team sent a care package to that father’s military unit overseas. That care package would have a big impact on the father’s unit. They went on to present Coach Favors with an American flag at their banquet. The father explained just how much that package meant to the guys in his unit, the cards in particular.
Coach Favors decided to make it a tradition and each year in conjunction with Veterans Day, the boys on his team gather up items to send to the soldiers like calling cards, batteries, personal care items and more. The most coveted items in the care packages are
Doosan plant expands operations in Buford
Staff Reports
BUFORD — Doosan Industrial Vehicle, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea is a global leader in material handling equipment with their North American headquarters in the City of Buford. Partnership Gwinnett was on hand at Doosan’s South Korea headquarters as they announced an expansion to their North American headquarters in Buford.
The expansion “represents an 85% growth in employee headcount and an additional 50,000-square-feet,” said Haley Tolbert of Partnership Gwinnett. This will make room for an additional 25 jobs that will benefit the
the cards and letters that each player creates for the soldiers. The players look forward to this project each year.
Something so seemingly simple like gathering items for a care package for our troops can teach a valuable lesson to our youth. It teaches the boys about caring for others, how to organize/plan projects, and more. Coach Favors and his coaching staff consisting of assistant coaches Terrence Chandler, Chad
Cole, J. J. Chatmon, Brian Boozer, and Brian McGraw, as well as, trainer Anthony Richey take their job of helping to shape our youth into productive, caring members of society.
The Buford 9-year-old National North team was second in their conference with a record of 8-1. They beat the Duluth National North team in the first round of playoffs on October 26 but were not able to beat Archer this past Saturday to continue in postseason play.
The 2019 Buford 9-year-old National North team members are #3 Armani Osorio, #4 Tripp Chatmon, #8 Hudson Favors, #12 Barnes McGraw, #15 Maddox Litt, #18 Bryce Carey, #25 Stone Thompson, #27 Ethan Collie, #28 Joel Busby, #32 Liam Cole, #34 Irvin Balenger, #36 Jackson Blankenship, #40 Cayden Holman, #46 Brennan Ford, #72 Cade Richey, #89 Boden Boozer, and #99 Kaan Azaklioglu.
area surrounding their Buford location.
Doosan is located off of Mill Center Parkway in Buford. It will house sales, marketing, and warehouse departments at this facility. According to Partnership Gwinnett, this location also houses a stateof-the-art parts operation that supplies over 50,000 online items that support its affiliate groups.
“Doosan is constantly seeking new
product innovations. This expansion reinforces our position as a leader in the materials handling industry,” said Doosan CEO Tony Jones. “This expansion will also bring further investment and job opportunities to the local area, contributing to the economy here in Gwinnett County.”
“Doosan’s expansion is great news for the City,” said Buford City Manager Bryan Kerlin. “Their ability to deliver innovation
to the marketplace is a win for our community and we are pleased with the company’s continued success."
To learn more about Doosan Industrial Vehicle America Corporation, please visit www.doosanlift.com.
For more information, or to learn how to get involved in local economic development efforts, please visit www.partnershipgwinnett.com.
The 9-year-old Buford National North football team gathered items and made cards to put in care packages that they sent to our troops overseas. Photo - Coach Favors
L-R: Partnership Gwinnett Vice President Andrew Carnes, Jackson EMC Business Development Manager Jennifer Fennell, State of Georgia Korea Office Director Ji-Yeon Kim, Doosan Industrial Vehicle Vice President Kyu Kim, Golden Stella Founder & Owner Jay Eun, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce CEO Nick Masino, United Community Bank Senior Vice President Jill Edwards, Narae Natalie Cho with Natural Collection, Georgia Gwinnett College Associate Director International Student Services Cheryl Park, Partnership Gwinnett Director of Economic Development Deven Cason. Special Photo
Ross Womack
Meet AvaRoss Womack ,a first- grade studentinMrs.Wells’class at BufordAcademy. Ava Ross has been selec tedasBA’sReader of the Week .M rs.Lana Nix, media specialist at BufordAcademysays,“She lovestohelp others whether finding books or just needing to find their wayaround the school.You can’t help but smile when yousee AvaRoss.She has such an energetic personality.”
AvaRoss is the eldest child of Ryan and Katie Womack .She is thebest big sister to her four-year- old brother William and helps take careofthe family ’s rescue dog, Allie.Sof tball is her spor tofchoice. AvaRoss plays the positions of circle and rightwing.She also really enjoys gymnastics,loves to draw creative stuff,and her favorite colorbyfar is pink .Ava Ross says thatthe one thing thatmost people do not know about her is just howver y strong she is
AvaRoss loveslifeand brings joytoall those who know her. She workshardand smiles even harder.Ava Ross is awonder ful example of ayoung BufordWolf! Keep up the good work!
Themedia specialists at the BufordSenior Academyand BufordAcademyselectthe BufordCitySchools Reader of the Week Bufordstudents grades first through fifthhaveachanceatbeing named the Reader of the Week.Inaddition to appearing online and in print, the Reader of the Week receives avoucher to Stars and Strikes for all of their hardwork. “El
Another top honor for Buford High’s fine arts program
Regan Saunders
BUFORD — On Saturday, November 2, several talented actors and crew members of the Buford Musical Theatre Program attended and won the State AAAAA One Act competition after being crowned as Region Champions the previous week.
Performing “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”, the Wolf Pack Players presented a fascinating story filled with humor, unrequited love, and indeed, a fair number of murders. After months of intense rehearsals and hard work, their efforts paid off, and Buford once again beat out the competition to win the title of State Champions.
Mrs. Kimberly Staples, Theatre Director at Buford High School, shared her reaction to the incredible honor, saying, “We are very blessed with talented, hard-working students at Buford. They always rise to the challenge, and in doing so, manage to raise the bar! And that’s what they did on Saturday.”
Indeed, the cast and crew showed up and showed out. Among them, Jonathan Ingram and Quinn Conrath were named to the All-Star Cast, and Jesse Hanks, playing the lead role, was awarded Best Actor at State. This tremendous assembly of individuals gathered together to create something bigger than themselves, and all of Buford cheers them on in their endeavors.
Sweater Weather
The largest realice rink in thesoutheast will open on November 1stfor parties or aquick skatearounddowntown. www.haidrink.com
A “whodunit ” murder mystery likenoother. Follow William Gillette, an actorwell-knownfor his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, as he puts his expertise(or actingskills?) to useinthe midstofavery realmurder. Tickets at www.eagleatsugarhill.com
Joinusfor holiday funincluding photoswith Santaand acommunity tree lightinginour downtown. Dec19th Tim Shelton’s Very VintagEChristmas concert at the EagleTheatre
Celebratethe season in style at this concert featuringclassiccrooner stylings of carols andChristmas tunes.Tickets at www.eagleatsugarhill.com city ofs ug arhill. com
BHS Theatre Director, Mrs. Kimberly Staples (front-center) was overjoyed at her students’ compelling performance that won another State One Act Championship for Buford. Photo - David Hanks
Sycamore PTA hosts annual Fall Festival
Alicia Couch Payne
SUGAR HILL — Children and adults alike could be seen having a good time at Sycamore Elementary School in Sugar Hill, Ga. during their annual Fall Festival. "The Sycamore PTA hosted their Fall Festival which was their yearly signature event where they invite students, staff and community members to celebrate fall with them every year on campus," says Dr. Crystal Cooper, Principal of Sycamore Elementary School. The festival-goers were treated to performances by Sycamore's chorus and dance team. The chorus which is comprised of third, fourth, and fifth graders sang three songs much to the delight of a packed house while the dance team performed a lively routine to "Ghostbusters." Local students from Lanier Middle, Riverside Elementary, White Oak Elementary, and Sycamore Elementary who are also students of Tae Kwon Do demonstrated their amazing skills of kicks and twists to close out the performances.
There were a variety of activities for
Buford City Schools 2019
everyone to participate in that included local vendors selling their goods, a Red Barn Petting Zoo, face painting, bouncy houses, games, and the always popular dunk tank. The Sycamore teachers a.k.a. good sports up for dunking were Ms. Willingham, Ms. Chase, and Mr. Snow. The petting zoo was a particular favorite where children were able to pet little lambs, rabbits, and adorable white fluffy chickens. The neighboring landfill operated by Republic Services contributed to the success of the Fall Festival by providing and cooking hotdogs, hamburgers, and veggie burgers for the event.
The most creative part of the Fall Festival was the Pumpkin contest hands down. To encourage reading, students were asked to turn a pumpkin into their favorite book character. Dozens of pumpkins were turned into fictional book characters ranging from Harry Potter to Pokemon. Students voted on their favorite pumpkins during the festival. Two winners were chosen from the entries. Abigail Laugherty, a fourth-grader in Mrs. Carlan's class won for her piece based on "Charlotte's Web" by Garth William. Also winning was Gerardo G Rodriguez, a second-grader in Mrs. Sessom's class. His pumpkin was based on "A Friend Like Pikachu (Pokémon)" by Rachel Chlebowski. Abigail and Gerardo each won movie tickets and an ice cream voucher for winning.
Hundreds of people showed up to the
(CCRPI), based on data from the 2018-19 school year, that show Buford City Schools’ well-above the state average. Our district earned an overall CCRPI district score of 88.6 for 2019, which is 12.7 points above the state’s score of 75.9. These scores represent a comprehensive look at school improvement and accountability by utilizing indicators from the 2018-2019 school year.
Staff Reports
October 25, 2019 – Today, the Georgia Department of Education released the College and Career Ready Performance Index
Buford City Schools’ scores exceeded the state at all levels, with the 2019 Buford Middle School score of 94.8 showing the largest difference of nearly 23 points above the state’s score of 72.1. The Buford Elementary School and Buford High School scores were 83.8 and 91.2, respectively, compared to scores for the state of 77.1 and 77.0. These successes are a direct reflection
festival which could not have been possible without the generosity and hard work of many. Some of those who deserve a bit of thanks for a job well done were members
of our school system’s cohesive efforts to examine and monitor the continuous improvement process. Our amazing teachers and staff have worked each day to establish a positive culture that is conducive to learning. Our students have worked incredibly hard and have risen to the expectations set forth by the teachers. Our parents, community, and school board have supported this school system throughout our efforts. All of these components together have led to a positive shift for the entire school system.
“CCRPI is one of many important measures used to assess school performance,”
Buford City Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Downs said. “Though this is lagging data we take it very seriously as we look at how we can address the needs of each
of the PTA, additional parents, and Sycamore teachers. The Fall Festival is an event that students and staff will remember with fondness for some time to come.
student. The granular data that CCRPI provides allows our staff to be laser-focused on areas of improvement.”
Under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) – the replacement for No Child Left Behind (NCLB) passed in 2015 – states are required to have a “statewide accountability system” that provides information on how well schools are performing. The Georgia Department of Education created CCRPI scores to reflect the opportunities schools offer students – from fine arts to career education – rather than a focus strictly on standardized test scores. You can review all the scores at http:// ccrpi.gadoe.org/2018.
Students from Sycamore Elementary School in Sugar Hill enjoy the petting zoo that was part of the school’s Fall Festival. Photo - Alicia Couch Payne
BHS Fall Choral Concert held special significance
Regan Saunders
On October 28, the Buford High School
Choral Music Department put on the very first production on the new and advanced Performing Arts Building stage. Approximately 150 students took the stage and sang their hearts out for the many members of the community in attendance. Three different choral groups performed last night; the Advanced Freshman Chorus kicked off the concert with a beautiful Renaissance piece. Next, the Bel Canto Chorale, a 45-year tradition at Buford High School, sang expertly, directed by Mr. Taylor Greer. Chamber Chorus, an auditioned group of singers directed by Dr. Chris Fowler, was the third group to perform and took on intense collegiate level pieces with immense proficiency. This concert holds particular significance within the Buford community, as it will be Dr. Fowler’s last Fall Concert and ultimately last school year as Buford High School’s Choral Music Director. Dr. Fowler announced he will be retiring from
North Gwinnett Players puts on theatre production of “Curtains”
Anoshka Ramkumar
North Gwinnett High School has been strong in academics, athletics, and the arts. NG Players has been putting on productions for several years. On October 18-19, NG Players’ One Act Competition class performed “Curtains,” a murder mystery musical comedy directed by Ms. Angie Owens.
teaching in May of 2020 as his daughter, Hope Fowler, graduates from BHS. He will, however, remain active in the school system as the district-wide Director of Fine Arts. After teaching at Buford City Schools for almost 30 years, Dr. Fowler
The show took the audience through the complicated murder of Jessica Crenshaw (played by junior Bitsy Bergwall), a rather terrible broadway actress in the 1950s in Boston, MA. As a result of this, the theatre is quarantined when it is realized that the killer is among the cast. Detective Cioffi (played by sophomore Greg Chalmers), is on the case at once, finding romance, musicality, comedy, and thrill every step of the way. With this production, the cast also performed at the 7A Regional One Act Competition at Duluth High School, where the group was awarded “Best Ensemble”. One of the best parts of this show as most attendees of the performance had said, was the choreography and the members of the Ensemble. Rachel Spooner, a sophomore in the Ensemble of “Curtains”, states that she had a wonderful time and that it was a very fun experience
has indeed left his mark on generations of students and staff members alike.
In fact, to commemorate Dr. Fowler’s time at Buford High School, his wife, Mrs. Joy Fowler, called Buford alumni from the crowd to take the stage and help sing the
being in the background, as she and her fellow ensemble members could showcase not only the elaborate choreography but help to build the scenes of the story.
Main cast members including Susanne Watson (Grade 10), Greg Chalmers (Grade 10), and Ryan Cruz (Grade 11), state that their characters allowed them to explore a new kind of person and it was enjoyable to get to put their own unique traits to add to the performance value. North Gwinnett’s One Act Competition class is one of four advanced performance classes which include Advanced Musical Theatre (AMT), Musical Showcase, and Advanced Acting, all of which put on performances during the course of the school year.
The cast would like to thank everyone for their support of this production and the troupe as a whole invites you to their performances in the future.
final song of the concert, Like an Eagle, by Carl Strommen. In past years, this song was performed by the Bel Canto Chorale at every Buford High graduation; each alumnus regards the song with deep significance and sang in honor of Dr. Fowler.
NG Players perform a scene from “Curtains”. Photo - Anoshka Ramkumar
Dr. Chris Fowler, BHS Choral Director introduces the next performers in what is to be his last Fall Concert as a teacher at Buford. Photo - Regan Saunders
Buford and North cruise to easy wins
Alicia Couch Payne
Buford 49
Walnut Grove 0
LOGANVILLE — All Region 8-AAAAA teams had a bye week last week leaving them fresh for Friday night’s on-field battles. Buford (90, 4-0) traveled to take on region opponent Walnut Grove (0-9, 0-4) where they wasted no time in putting points on the board.
In the first half, Elijah Turner, Gabe Ervin Jr., Tommy Beuglas, and quarterback Jarvis Evans Jr. would all run the ball in for touchdowns. Julien Lewis would have the only passing touchdown of the half while
Treyton Rank would score on a punt return. At half-time, Buford was up 42-0 over Walnut Grove.
Buford slowed down a bit in the second half adding only one additional touchdown by Eli Parks making the final score 49 to 0.
Senior Hayden Olsen would get all 6 extra points he attempted while backup kicker Jacob Price-Williams got a chance to add a point on the board.
Buford’s defense was on fire and it was led by senior Jackson Powell who had five tackles, two tackles for loss, one QB pressure, and two sacks.
Buford will play their last regularseason game on the road at Clarke Central this Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
Peachtree Ridge 10
North Gwinnett 48
SUWANEE — In their last game of the regular season, North Gwinnett showed playoff form in their win over
Peachtree Ridge at home. Region 6-AAAAAAA Champion North (91, 6-0) had a huge first half to help them on the road to their 48-10 rout of Peachtree Ridge (2-7, 1-4).
North would put 35 points on the board in the first half thanks to touchdowns by Devin Crosby, D.J. Hart, J.R. Martin, and two touchdowns from Josh Downs. Peachtree Ridge’s only points would come in the first half by way of a field goal by Albert Jang and a touchdown by Isaiah Kyle. Going into the second half, North led Peachtree Ridge 35-10. In the second half, Martin and Seth Anderson would each add a touchdown. On Anderson’s touchdown, North tried for a twopoint conversion but failed to make it successfully. Andrew Lim would go 6-for-6 on PATs.
Downs would wrap up the game with five catches for 143 yards for North while Crosby rushed 12 times for 90 yards. Martin had an exceptional
game scoring two touchdowns from 143 passing yards and adding an additional two touchdowns from rushing three times for 28 yards. North Gwinnett will be able to go into playoffs in a few weeks fresh with having a bye week this Friday night.
Senior RB Devin Crosby leaves Peachtree Ridge defenders in his dust. Photo - William Curtis
BMS Competition Cheer wins first-ever state title for the young program
Alicia Couch Payne
JEFFERSON — The Buford Middle School competition cheer squad has had a remarkable season and they were able to end their season with the highest award in the land, that of State Champion. The team traveled to compete in the State Middle School Competition Cheerleading Championships held at Jefferson High School on November 2.
BMS has had a competition cheer team in the past but did not have one for a while until it was brought back last year. In only their second year, this team which could be described as the “dream team” consistently beat out their competition all season long. The 27-member strong squad coached by
Dacula proves too much for region rival Lanier
Alicia Couch Payne
SUGAR HILL — Touted as the “must-see” game of the week, Class AAAAAA heavyweights went head to head at Lanier High School. No. 1 Dacula traveled to take on No. 4 Lanier on Friday night. Both teams went into the game undefeated this season but after a big second quarter boost, Dacula would give Lanier their first loss with a 3410.
Lanier (8-1, 3-1) would score first when they opted for a field goal and Jason Mancilla would deliver with the 20-yard field goal in the first quarter. Lanier’s defense
Caroline Parker began practicing in May and competed in their first competition in early September at North Gwinnett High School where they earned the top spot. Two weeks later, the team took first at Mill Creek. The very next week the girls made it a three-peat when they took top honors at their home meet at Buford High School. Their last regular-season competition was in mid-October at South Forsyth High School where the BMS Comp Cheer team placed second.
At the State Middle School Championships, Buford Middle competed in the large category (teams with more than 16 members on the mat) against a lot of talented teams from all over Georgia. The team came into the competition with a clear goal in mind.
“Our team goal, beginning in May, was to place at state (meaning top-three). The girls competed in the Middle School State Competition last year and placed fourth, so they had their eyes set on placing top three,” Coach Caroline Parker said. “That was our motivation this year, and with the leadership of the eighth-graders, the team worked extremely hard all season long and was able to take the top spot at the state competition.”
The BMS team knew they performed well during the competition on Saturday but due to the high level of talented teams, they were unsure of where they would place. They anxiously waited to hear their name
BMS Competition Cheer won the 2019 State Championship. The champions are (Back Row, L-R): Caroline Humphrey, Sydney Harvell, Gracie Carter, Kristen Mercer, Jessie Perkins, Ja’Nia Jackson, Ellie Kate Norris, Kendall Hudgens, Kai Walker, Gretta Gaspard, Lexie Gentry, Daniela Ortiz, Kinsley Compton, Ashlyn Moreland, and Coach Caroline Parker. (Front Row, L-R): Holly Madsen, Peyton Williams, Sydney Hardy, Kaylee Rettenmeyer, Jailey Sadler, Lily Price, Keira Kingsley, Joscelyn Mandall, Olivia Johnson, Kendall Kirksey, and Emily Price-Williams. (Not pictured: Lila James and Audrey Getz) Photo - Caroline Parker
called. Buford had beat out all the other squads including second-place Creekview and third-place Savannah Christian. It was through hard work and an unbreakable bond that made them the “dream team” of 2019. Coach Parker reflected on the season saying, “Though we were
absolutely thrilled to have earned first place at the state competition, the girls had created such a tight bond and were so upset that the season came to an end! Overall, it was a truly remarkable season and first-place in the state competition was the icing on the cake!”
held firm and Dacula (9-0, 4-0) was not able to answer back that quarter. Lanier also took a huge hit to their offensive game when wide receiver Cole Thornton got injured and did not return to play for the duration of the game.
The second quarter was huge for Dacula as they put three touchdowns on the board. The first came in the form of a 14-yard pass from Jarrett Jenkins to receiver Konata Mumpfield. Lanier’s defense had Jenkins backed up and he was facing a sack. Instead of going down, Jenkins found a wideopen Chris Scott who would run in for a school-record 99-yard pass touchdown. With 55 seconds left in the first half, sophomore Kyle Efford would run the ball in for a 2-yard touchdown. Kicker Zach Gerks would hit all three PATs putting Dacula up 21-3 going into half-time.
Dacula would go on to add 13 more points in the third quarter and their defense kept Lanier from putting any points up. Jenkins would once again connect with Mumpfield to give Dacula a 27-yard touchdown pass.
Gerks nailed the PAT but the kick would fail on Dacula’s second touchdown of the quarter. That touchdown would come in the form of a 16-yard rushing touchdown from Efford.
Taj Barnes would score Lanier’s lone touchdown at the 5:20 mark in the fourth quarter when he ran the ball in from the
1-yard line. Mancilla’s kick would be good. Dacula would clinch their fourth straight region title and remain the lone undefeated team in their region with their 34-10 rout of Lanier.
Next week Dacula will travel to Winder-Barrow while Lanier will also be on the road when they head to take on Gainesville.
Flanigan
Kathy Hazel Hakes (Griffith), age 63, of Lavonia, GA, formerly of Buford, GA passed away on November 5, 2019.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Mary Frances Hill and William Hoyt Griffeth, daughter, Cecilia Dawn Day, grandson, Staff Sergeant Adam Nabor, USAF. Sisters, Shelby Sims, Nell Harvey, and Hilda Brewer and brother, Markerson Aaron Griffeth.
She is survived by her husband of 26 years, Duane Edmund Hakes of Lavonia; daughter, Jillena Maria Smith of Buford, stepchildren Aaron and Sandi Nabor of Green Bay, Wi; grandchildren, Erik Matthew Day and Olivia Grace Smith of Buford and Phillip Nabor of Green Bay,
OBITS & SERVICES
WI; sisters Pam Bradshaw (Dave) of Bogart, Sue Chancey (Walter) of Nicholson; brother, Andy Griffeth (Harriet) of Covington; several brother and sister in laws and numerous aunts, uncles nieces and nephews.
Ms. Hakes was born on July 10, 1956, in High Shoals, GA. She was previously an employee of the Sugar Hill Post Office and owner of The Woodshed furniture store in the Buford Mall in the 90’s. She moved to the Stephen/Franklin County area in 1997 and was a bus driver for Franklin County Schools for 14 years before she retired. She will be remembered by the genuine friendships she was a part of and the laughter that she carried with her.
In lieu of flowers or food the family requests donations be made to St Jude Children’s Hospital in memory of Kathy Hakes.
Betty Davis Pruitt, age 88, of Buford, GA passed away on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. Arrangements are pending.
Margaret "Tina" Hutchins Kemp, age 72, of Buford, GA passed away on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. Arrangements are pending.
Eugene "Gene" Talmadge Stewart, age 84, of Buford, GA passed away on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. Arrangements are pending.
Agnes Bennett, age 89, of Buford, passed away November 2, 2019. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Fletcher Bennett; and grandchildren, Katie Bennett and Joshua Bennett. She is survived by her daughter, Faye Bennett Garrett, Loganville, GA; sons and daughters-in-law, Kenneth and Decie Bennett, Oakwood, GA; Jerry and Connie Bennett, Buford, GA; grandchildren, Chad Garrett, Buford, GA, Craig and Silvia Garrett, Cleveland, GA, Gabe and Anna Bennett, Sautee, GA, Damon and Shawna Bennett, Flowery Branch, GA, Dylan and Lindsey Bennett, Oakwood,
GA, Chesley and Hannah Pye, Buford, GA, Ashley and Chris Thrasher, Buford, GA, Jared and Brooke Bennett, Auburn, GA; ten great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Mrs. Bennett was born on June 24, 1930 in Buford, GA and attended Buford High School. She was a retired cafeteria worker from Gwinnett Public School System. She was a longtime member of Harmony Baptist Church in Buford. A funeral service was held on November 5, in the Chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home with Rev. Brian Satterfield and Rev. Farrell Presley officiating.
