SUWANEE NEWS WEEK: Restaurant Changes, SculpTour Gets Longer, and ...

The weather turned chilly, but the news was hot in Suwanee and Gwinnett as we entered Christmas week 2012. Here are some highlights:

OLDE TOWNE RESTAURANT CLOSES: A popular restaurant in Suwanee Town Center abruptly closed its doors on Thursday. The landlord went through bankruptcy court to force the shutdown, which left the employees out of work at Christmas. The owner, who took over in 2011, said the restaurant had been struggling, but he had hoped to bring it out of bankruptcy.

ANOTHER NEW RESTAURANT PLANNED: Even as Olde Towne Tavern & Grille went belly up, another eatery made plans to open. Senor Quintin Mex Grill plans a January 2013 opening in a shopping plaza near I-85 Exit 111.

SCULPTOUR LENGTHENED FOR 2013 RUN: The popular outdoor art exhibit is gearing up for its third run in Suwanee. And city officials plan to leave it in place for 22 months this time after it rolls out in May.

GRINCH STRIKES IN SUWANEE AREA SUBDIVISION: Crime knows no boundaries, and it struck in a subdivision very near Suwanee. Thieves made off with some entryway decor at River Plantation, which is on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

GWINNETT UPGRADES TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: The daily grind that is traffic in Gwinnett got some help, as commissioners approved $341,000 for upgrades, including online streaming of some key intersections.

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