White squirrels of Norcross
May 8 — The first batch of white squirrel statues went on display this week at five locations around downtown Norcross. The Norcross Public Arts Commission has replica marble squirrels and acorns available for community members who donate to the public art project.
🐿️ For the past few months, I’ve been traveling to Norcross for my regular coverage. Disappointingly, I have yet to see one of the famous white squirrels. Where do I find one? Tell me at hayden@roughdraftatlanta.com.
Here are a few newsy items before we get into this week’s stories.
👩🍼 The Historic Norcross Business Association and the city will host a Mother’s Day pop-up from noon to 5 p.m. tomorrow with downtown activities and business specials.
🎥 Next week’s Movie Monday showings of “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” are at 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. at the Norcross Cultural Arts & Community Center.
🤾🏽♀️ On May 12, the city has another Day of Play from 5 to 6 p.m. at Lillian Webb Park in partnership with Live Healthy Gwinnett.
🃏 Finally, the Gwinnett County Police Department (GCPD) arrested a suspect in the theft of $10,000 worth of Pokémon trading cards, thanks to tips from a tight network of card shops from around metro Atlanta. According to WSB-TV, GCPD charged Oscar Reyes Montero Stewart of Acworth with break-ins at trading card shops near Duluth and Norcross.
Now on to this week’s Norcross news,
🖖 Hayden
Norcross unveils bronze statues of white squirrels to unite community
🐿️ The Norcross Public Arts Commission installed five bronze statues at Norcross parks on May 5, celebrating the city’s unique white squirrel population.
Commission Chair Liz Simpson said the city’s creation of a public arts master plan a few years ago prioritized the White Squirrels of Norcross as a way to bring the community together.
Simpson said the idea for the art hunt project comes from the Mice on Main in Greenville, SC. While the project gained some traction in the community, the city and commission didn’t have the funding until now.
🎨 Read more about fundraising and the interactive art hunt here.
Gonna be a homebody… Gonna have a house party
SPONSORED BY ATLANTA HOMES & LIFESTYLES
🏠 The Southeastern Designer Showhouse benefiting Solidarity Sandy Springs is open to the public for tours now through May 10 (Mother’s Day!).
💐 Located near Chastain Park, the newly constructed private residence features the work of Suzanne Kasler and 20 other celebrated interior designers. From a pool with sunken firepit to a wellness “hub” with sauna, steam, cold plunge and gym to an F1-inspired game room, the 10,000-plus-square-foot house delights at every turn.
Norcross approves extension for RedSpeed school-zone cameras
📸 The Norcross City Council approved a five-and-a-half-year extension with RedSpeed Georgia for its school-zone speed cameras, amending its contract and shifting legal and financial risk away from the city.
Council members voted 3-2 to approve the amended contract and renewal at the May 4 meeting, mirroring the controversy surrounding speeding enforcement in communities across the state.
The approved amendment extends the city’s contract term until the end of 2031. It also requires RedSpeed to comply with state law and cover the city’s legal expenses in the case of a claim.
🏎️ Read more about the contract and potential legal changes here.
State Rep. Scott Hilton shares thoughts on Georgia’s legislative session
🍑 With the legislative session behind him, state Rep. Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners) stopped by 45 South Cafe in downtown Norcross to share what state leaders did under the Gold Dome this year.
Hilton represents District 48 constituents in Peachtree Corners and North Fulton County. However, he was first elected to the District 95 seat in 2016, which included about half of the city of Norcross before statewide redistricting in 2020.
“We passed several meaningful education-related bills this year,” Hilton said. “The first of which was the literacy bill … a major piece of legislation modeled after what Mississippi did.”
🗳️ Read about the 2026 session and Hilton’s endorsements here.
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