🌱 Former Police Officer May Face Murder Charges + Mystery Rock Mounds

Hello again, everybody! It's me, your host of the Patch newsletter. Let's get this Wednesday started off right, with a quick glance at what's going on in town. In this issue, you'll find...

• Join Hands of Hope to raise funds for Walton County's future all-inclusive playground
• Gwinnett Police make arrest for concealing the death of 16-year-old Susana Morales
• Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful is voted Best of Gwinnett for fifth year in a row

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But first, today's weather: We can expect some early rain showers, and a cloudy day with scattered showers with a high of 67 and a low of 55.

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Here are the top stories in Loganville-Grayson today:

1. Details emerge after the arrest of former Doraville Police Officer, Miles Bryant, in the death of 16-year-old Susana Morales. Morales had been missing since July 26 of last year, and her remains were found last week by a creek bed in Dacula. The former officer is charged with concealing her death, however, the warrant stated that "police suspect Bryant of rape, murder, and other felonies," although he has only been charged with concealing the death of another and false reporting of a crime to date. A preliminary hearing will be held in two to four weeks, and the investigation will continue. Please call Gwinnett County Police, at 770-513-5300, if you have any information about this case. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
2. Monday afternoon traffic was at a standstill after a car hauler burst into flames on the I-285 ramp leading onto I-85 near Pleasantdale Road. The burning car hauler was fully involved when multiple fire trucks arrived on scene, and the road was shut down for an extensive period of time while firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze. Officials report that multiple cars on the truck were on fire, but it is not clear what caused the fire. (Newsbreak)
3. Mysterious rock mounds may be the reason that a development doesn't move forward in Gwinnett County in the Poole Mountain area. In the early 1990's, a similar discovery of rocks halted a development after protestors protected the Native American heritage that the rock mounds represented. The area eventually became the Little Mulberry Park. Currently, work has been stopped on the Poole Mountain area development, until the hearing, that is scheduled for today, can be conducted to determine the historical significance of the rock mounds and whether they need to be protected. Local residents are pushing for protection of the land and the structures citing their historical significance. (Fox 5 Atlanta)

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Today in Loganville-Grayson:

• Explore the Science of Snowflakes with this week's STEAM-Y Wednesday at Lawrenceville's Mindplay Studio. (1:30 pm - 2:30 pm)
• Don't miss The Great Pages Circus family show at Gwinnett County Fairgrounds. Reserve your tickets online now! (4:30 pm - 6:00 pm)
• Catch up with friends at Cosmo's Pizza & Social for their weekly wine tour and charcuterie boards. (6:00 pm)

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From my notebook:

• Multiple positions are open at Gwinnett County Schools, from teacher vacancies to IT and grounds maintenance. A job fair will be held on March 4, at the Gas South Convention Center, to fill the numerous positions. Candidates should complete an application at gcpsjobs.org prior to attending the employment fair. (The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
• Hands of Hope, a Walton County organization that supports Families with Children with Special Needs, is taking the first step in raising around $800,000 for an all-inclusive playground for the children in Walton County and the surrounding areas. Hands of Hope has been serving Walton County since 2016 by helping to provide adaptive services to the community. This Saturday, Feb. 18, they will host a disc golf tournament at Matthews Park in Monroe. The money will go directly into the fund to bring the all-inclusive playground to Walton County. You can sign up in the link provided. (Monroe Local)
• Since 1980, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful has worked to not only encourage Gwinnettians to 'reduce, reuse, and recycle,' but also has provided many programs throughout the years to help them do just that... protect the environment while keeping the county clean. For the fifth year in a row, Gwinnet Clean & Beautiful was voted, by members of the community, as the "Best of Gwinnett in the Charitable Organization category." As the only environmentally focused nonprofit on the list, the impact they have made is reflected in the voting. They continue to protect Gwinnett's watersheds, educate homeowners on sustainable practices, and keep a focus beautifying Gwinnett County. To learn more about Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful or to volunteer, visit www.GwinnettCB.org. (Access WDUN)

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Featured events:

• Pancake Supper (February 21)
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• BJ's Wholesale Club Pre-opening Limited time Offer (February 23)
• TEDx in Gwinnett (February 25)
• Add your event

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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow with another local update!