🌱 School District COVID Report + Dogfighting Maximum Sentence

Happy Thursday, neighbors! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town today.

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First, today's weather:

Cloudy, a little rain; cooler. High: 50 Low: 32.

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Here are the top stories in Duluth today:

1. The Gwinnett County Public Schools' latest COVID-19 report shows that last week the district reached its highest weekly case total. The state's largest school district reported 2,528 cases: 2,176 students and 352 staff. The new data comes after the first full week of classes after winter break. ( The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
2. A Gwinnett County man who plead guilty to dogfighting charges forfeits more than $115,000 and will spend five years in prison, the maximum sentence. Vernon Vegas, 49 years-of-age, was found guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture. The case was part of a broader investigation into a significant multistate dogfighting and drug trafficking ring. ( The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
3. Duluth area hospital capacity rates have been released as the number of COVID infections rise. Georgia health officials reported that approximately 88 percent of inpatient beds and 90 percent of intensive care unit beds in hospitals were occupied while around 30 percent of inpatient beds and 41 percent of ICU beds were filled with COVID-19 patients. Click to find the latest figures for hospitals in Gwinnett County. (Duluth Patch)

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Today in Duluth:

• Eddie Owen Presents: Wynn Varble and Gary Hannan At The Red Clay Music Foundry (8:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services reminds us to keep our pets safe and warm during falling temperatures. (Facebook)
• Duluth Police Department wishes K9 Warden a Happy Birthday! (Facebook)
• The City of Duluth shares their excitement to partner with i9 Sports for 2022. Click to take a look at what i9 Sports offers for our community. (Facebook)

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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! I'll see you around.

— Kayla Harrison

About me: Kayla Harrison is a Writing Arts professor, as well as a freelance writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. In her free time, you can find her listening to podcasts, writing poetry, and visiting local coffee shops.