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👮 Norcross celebrates milestone
Friday, Sept. 4 — Hey, it’s Hayden with my weekly Norcross newsletter.
Summer doesn’t seem to want to leave us. AccuWeather is predicting “feels-like” afternoon temperatures above 100 degrees over the Labor Day weekend.
This Friday’s email blast touches on a few things around Norcross, from the city’s new police and municipal court complex to historic preservation drama and the library’s tech offerings.
As the initiated are well aware, the Georgia Bulldogs play their first game at Sanford Stadium tomorrow at 3 p.m. against the Tennessee State Tigers. If you’re going, drink water. If not, the Baylor Bears and Auburn Tigers play in Atlanta at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which might be a better watch.
I’ll be glued to the TV at 7:30 p.m. for the Clemson vs. LSU game. Who’s going to win? Dabo Swinney or Lane Kiffin?
⬇️ Quick round-up of things to know:
🏖️ Norcross City Hall is closed on Monday for Labor Day, which became a federal holiday in 1894 when President Grover Cleveland signed legislation honoring American workers.
♻️ On Labor Day, there will be no sanitation or recycling service, and all collection services are delayed by one day for the rest of the week.
⛹🏽♀️ The city is holding a Day of Play, in partnership with Live Healthy Gwinnett, at Lillian Webb Park from 4-5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
🇺🇸 Before next week’s Friday newsletter is sent out, the city will hold the 25th annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at Betty Mauldin Park at 8:15 a.m., featuring a full program and keynote speaker.
🏛️ After Labor Day weekend, the Norcross City Council will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 6:30 p.m. for its regular meeting. An agenda will be posted to the city’s online meetings portal.
Now on to some stories,
🖖 Hayden
🌱 Come spend a day on the farm! Love is Love’s Fall Plant Sale & Family Day is Sept. 12 in Mansfield. Shop certified organic plants, enjoy FREE gardening and foraging workshops, farm tours, local food, artisans, kids’ activities, and more. Pre-order plants by Sept. 6! Details here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Norcross cuts ribbon on $27 million public safety complex
🏛️ Norcross leaders and officials from around Gwinnett County officially cut the ribbon on Sept. 1 at the new Norcross Public Safety Building on Buford Highway, celebrating the most expensive project in city history.
The roughly $27 million project finished on time and under budget, according to City Manager Eric Johnson, who is retiring next week and handing things over to Cheri Hobson-Matthews.
“We have offices supersized,” Johnson said. “We have space upstairs that has the capacity to handle programs that no one’s even dreamed up … Chief of Police Bill Grogan put his heart and soul into the project from day one.”
🚔 Read more about the state-of-the-art public safety facility here.
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Norcross City Council weighs funding for historic window restoration
🪟 One of Norcross’ longest-serving council members wants the city to cover the cost of restoring historic windows, about $30,000, at a publicly owned residence in the city’s famously well-preserved downtown district.
Because the city’s downtown development authority had previously voted to replace the windows with modern, more energy-efficient ones, there were differing opinions during the Norcross City Council’s Aug. 24 policy work session.
Council Member Josh Bare, who introduced the item to sponsor the window restoration, said he wants to see whether the DDA will allow the city to cover the preservation costs at 94 Wingo Street.
🏠 Read more about the publicly owned downtown property here.
🌱 Come spend a day on the farm! Love is Love’s Fall Plant Sale & Family Day is Sept. 12 in Mansfield. Shop certified organic plants, enjoy FREE gardening and foraging workshops, farm tours, local food, artisans, kids’ activities, and more. Pre-order plants by Sept. 6! Details here. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Norcross branch to celebrate fifth anniversary with October carnival festival
📖 Norcross Branch Manager Joshua Beasley, leading one of 15 Gwinnett County Public Library locations, shared updates on the city’s centrally located media center at an Aug. 26 PDC community forum.
Beasley said the Norcross Branch will celebrate its fifth anniversary in late October with a carnival-style festival at 5735 Buford Highway, next to Lillian Webb Park.
“We’re one of the busier access locations,” Beasley said. “Some days when I get there at 8:45 a.m., the building’s been open to people, and there are 30 to 40 people in it. We’ve had a lot of success … we check out about 100,000 books a year.”
📚 Read more about the county library system’s free programs here.
Family-owned manufacturer opens showroom in Norcross
🎉 Last month, Norcross Economic Development Director David Versel, pictured center, cut the ribbon on Pella Window & Doors of Georgia’s new showroom and warehouse.
“They consolidated to this location from two other locations in Gwinnett County,” Versel said. “They were looking to be under one roof in a highly visible location, and this site is visible from I-85.”
Longtime UGA football fans will recognize former head coach Mark Richt, pictured right, who is a personal friend of one of the company’s partners.
📈 Watch a city-produced video about its recruitment, featuring Pella.
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