Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Suwanee Patch will have a special anniversary soon, so help us commemorate it with your thoughts.
Suwanee Patch now has been a community information hub for some time, and it will celebrate an important anniversary soon. Since users are crucial to Suwanee Patch and other Patch sites, we can't commemorate any milestone without your help. So now, let us know: What were the top news stories, announcements, blog posts or even other comments that you think were the most important in 2012? We can offer some reminders of a vibrant year. For instance: And Suwanee Patch is about much more. Were there any blog posts, comments or announcements that you found interesting or compelling? Let 'er rip with comments, our links (which can be found through searching the site in the menu bar), photo uploads and anything else that might work. -- Again, …
Monday, November 12, 2012
The move, which is gathering steam, is being done in the wake of President Obama's re-election.
Residents of Georgia and more than a dozen other states have filed petitions to secede from the United States, according to media reports. Residents of Alabama, New York, Michigan, Texas and other states have filed the petitions under the "We The People" program, featured on the White House website, according to the Huffington Post. The Georgia petition, which already has more than 4,000 signatures, reads in part: "...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and institute new Government..." The petitions come in the wake of President Obama winning a second …
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Wilbanks' statement on Charter School Amendment cites 'efforts by some to ... dismantle public education.'
Updated November 9, 2012 Gwinnett Schools Superintendent Alvin Wilbanks has issued a statement expressing disappointment that Georgia voters passed the Charter Schools Amendment on Tuesday (November 6). The state's voters, by a strong majority, approved Amendment One, which allows for state officials to approve publicly funded charter schools, without the permission of local school boards. Wilbanks' statement said the amendment "is not in the best interest of students and public education in this state." -- How do you feel about the Charter Schools Amendment passing? Do you feel the Gwinnett system should remain the sole authority for charter schools in this county? Share your thoughts in the comments below. "We are disappointed that with …
A look at Suwanee and Gwinnett voting results for president.
Courtesy of Gwinnett County and state elections officials, we bring you a precinct by precinct breakdown of Tuesday's voting for president. The city was in line with Gwinnett County as a whole -- it backed GOP nominee Mitt Romney over President Obama. Overall in Gwinnett, Romney received 53.9 percent of votes -- 159,536 of 295,560 ballots cast. Obama received 44.6 percent (131,879 votes), and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson received 1.3 percent (4,118 votes). But some areas of the county were quite different. As reported by Norcross Patch, one precinct in Norcross solidly backed Obama -- with 79.11 percent of the votes. Suwanee results: Suwanee A Barack Obama: 356 Mitt Romney: 528 Gary Johnson: 17 --- Suwanee B Barack Obama: 756 Mitt …
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Charter school amendment appears headed for win.
UPATE 5:50 pm If you are in line to vote at 7 pm, you will get to vote even though the polls close then. Tens of thousands of Fulton County voters have already cast ballots today. Turnout is especially high for today’s General Election, as it is in most Presidential election years. It's too early to know how this year compares to 2008. In the evening after traditional work hours, peak turnout is anticipated, and tens of thousands of additional voters could exercise their right to vote. Fulton County elections officials released a statement advising that voters who are in line at 7 pm will be allowed to vote under Georgia law. As provided by Georgia law, voters who are over age 75 or who have a disability are eligible to ask to move ahead …
Republican-heavy Gwinnett County came out in large numbers
- ELECTIONS
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Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Results Updated 2 a.m., Wednesday Gwinnett County voters provided few surprises on Election Day. They came out in large numbers, voted mostly Republican and provided several lopsided outcomes. Nearly 75 percent of the county's registered voters casted their ballots, more than five percentage points better than the 2008 turnout. Gwinnettians voted for Gov. Mitt Romney for president, for incumbents in 11 races, including three Board of Education candidates, and in favor of the controversial Public Charter School Amendment (by a 63% to 37% margin), which drew similar margins elsewhere in the state. U.S. Representatives Rob Woodall (R, District 7) and Hank Johnson (D, District 4) had sizable leads among their Gwinnett constituents as they …
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Tuesday's ballot includes a Georgia constitutional amendment to re-establish a state commission to approve charter schools. Your job is to decide if that's a good idea.
There aren't a lot of statewide issues on the ballot Nov. 6, but one has the potential to affect school districts, parents and children throughout Georgia. It's Amendment 1, and the ballot will say it "Provides for improving student achievement and parental involvement through more public charter school options." The question voters will answer yes or no to is, "Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities?" So what does a yes vote mean? If the amendment passes, the state will create a commission that can approve charter schools in local communities, even if local school boards oppose them. Supporters of the amendment believe this is necessary …
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Gwinnett County has just added a feature on its website that lets you know how long the wait is at each early polling station.
Are you thinking of voting early but not sure about how long the lines are? Gwinnett County has just added a feature on its website that lets you know just how long you'll wait in line to cast your vote. The wait times are updated four times a day: 10:30 am.; 12:30 pm; 2:30 pm; and 4:30 pm. Early voting ends on Friday, Nov. 2, in Suwanee and other locations. Click HERE for up-to-date wait times. Registered voters may cast a ballot in person through Friday, November 2 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm at the Elections Office or between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm at one of the following satellite polling locations: Suwanee Patch readers already know that the line was long in Suwanee on Saturday, the first day of early voting. -- Have you voted yet? What …
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Murphy now has almost $14,000 in cash contributions. She is being challenged by Jen Falk of Berkeley Lake.
Dr. Mary Kay Murphy, the Gwinnett school board District III member who is seeking re-election, has pulled in more campaign contributions. As of the September 30 reporting period, Murphy, a Peachtree Corners resident, has about $13,900 in cash contributions, according to state records. The latest reports show some major contributions to Murphy's campaign: $2,500 by GCAE Fund for Public Education of Snellville; and $1,000 by Ty and Stephanie Hanna of Duluth. Their business is listed as Galaxy Capital. Loretta Christoper, a Peachtree Corners City Council member, contributed $300 to Murphy. District III includes North Gwinnett, Peachtree Ridge, Duluth and Norcross high schools. Murphy, a Republican, is being challenged by Democrat Jen Falk of …
Friday, October 26, 2012
George Pierce Park will be the location for early voting, which continues next week.
- ELECTIONS
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Friday, October 26, 2012
Beginning Saturday, October 27, residents can cast their 2012 election ballots early in Suwanee. George Pierce Park will be the site of advance satellite voting from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the Gwinnett County website. -- Do you plan to vote in Suwanee? Have you already voted, and how did you vote? Tell us in the comments below. The early voting will continue in Suwanee on Monday (October 29) through Friday (November 2) at Pierce Park. Hours then will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The same routine will be in effect at other satellite locations: Centerville Community Center in Snellville, Dacula Park Activity Building in Dacula, and Lucky Shoals Park Community Recreation Center in Norcross. Also, Saturday voting will be available at the …
Toni Shrewsbury
5:28 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
I've never been so embarrassed to be a resident of Georgia. This, "I didn't get my way, I'm taking my toys and leaving the sandbox" mentality needs to stop! more ›