Month: May 2022

The Gwinnett Police Department is accepting applications for its summer Youth Police Academy now through Monday, May 16. The Youth Police Academy is designed to enrich Gwinnett middle and high school students on how police officers serve the community and enforce local and state laws.
The YPA is free of charge and is open to students who will be enrolled in a middle or high school in Gwinnett County as of August 2022. Each student must successfully pass the application process to attend the summer program.
Each YPA is a one-week session, Monday through Friday, from 9:00am to 4:00pm.  

Current or upcoming middle school students can participate from June 27 through July 1.
Current or upcoming high school students can participate from July 18through July 22.

 
The curriculum includes both classroom and practical applications. Some of the activities include:

CPR/AED
Emergency Vehicle Driving
Taser Demonstration
Crime Scene Investigations
Accident Investigations
Internet Safety
Criminal Investigations
Defensive Tactics
Firearm Safety and Run/Hide/Fight
Gang Awareness
Jail Tour
K-9 Demonstration
Aviation
Motorcycle Demonstration
DUI Investigations
SWAT/EOD

 
Applications for the summer YPA are being accepted through May 16. If you are selected to participate, you will receive a letter from the Community Affairs Section sent to the address on your application. You may also contact Sergeant Eric Rooks for additional information at 770.513.5119 or William.Rooks@GwinnettCounty.com.

Gwinnett County is home to Georgia’s largest Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Every year during May, we celebrate AAPI residents who enrich our dynamic community and contribute their time, talent, heritage, and culture to the vibrant fabric of Gwinnett.
This year’s national theme, Advancing Leaders Through Collaboration, is relevant to Gwinnett as we highlight elected and appointed officials and community leaders whose hearts for service address the needs of both the AAPI community and Gwinnett County at large.
Experience this year’s theme by touring a self-guided exhibit in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, located at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. The exhibit will also feature a Great Little Minds book exchange that showcases AAPI books for kids under 8. Families can grab a book or donate their favorite book written by AAPI authors or covering topics relevant to the AAPI cultural experience.
Also, join us for our annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration on Tuesday, May 17 at 6:00pm at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center Plaza. The celebration will include free food, performances by a K-Pop band, a traditional Lion dance and a Hula dance, along with remarks from the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners and members of the AAPI community. Register to attend the celebration at GCGA.us/AAPICelebration. The event will also stream live on Facebook @GwinnettGov.
Additionally, Gwinnett County, in partnership with ViewPoint Health, GUIDE, and the Georgia Asian Times, will host a mental health community conversation, Saturday, May 21 from 10:00am to noon at The Water Tower, located at 2500 Clean Water Court in Buford. May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. Suicide is the leading cause of death among AAPI adolescents and is on the rise across age groups. The COVID-19 pandemic and increased violence against Asian Americans have underscored the need to address mental health in the AAPI community. Join community mental health leaders for this important conversation; details on how to register for the event will be provided soon.
Lastly, the Gwinnett County Public Library presents the Atlanta Chinese Dance Company on Saturday, May 21 from 11:00am to noon at the new Duluth Branch, located at 3180 Main Street in Duluth. Learn about the beauty and splendor of Chinese dance, see the beautiful traditional costumes and props, and participate in the performance. This program is free and open to all ages.

Gwinnett County and the Georgia Department of Transportation are jointly funding a contract to resurface county roads.
Every year Gwinnett Transportation employees document roads in need of resurfacing. With nearly 2,700 centerline miles of roadway, it takes close to 30 months for staff members to assess pavement conditions on all the County-maintained roads. Gwinnett will resurface just over 108 centerline miles of roadway this year.
Resurfacing studies show that maintaining roadway pavement reduces costs over time. Funds spent on resurfacing cut down on spending to patch or completely rebuild a roadway.
The $28.1 million contract is funded 75 percent by the County’s 2017 SPLOST program and 25 percent by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services would like to remind residents that an annual ban on outdoor open burning is in place through September 30. 
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division imposes restrictions on outdoor open burning to comply with Federal Clean Air Regulations. During the summer months in Georgia, the ozone in the air we breathe can reach unhealthy levels. The EPD has identified outdoor open burning as a significant contributor of the pollutants that form ozone. Consequently, outdoor open burning in metro Atlanta and larger counties is restricted during the warm-weather season. 
As always, residents should exercise extreme caution when using grills or campfires. The use of charcoal, wood, and gas grills on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction is prohibited year-round for commercial buildings and apartments under the Gwinnett County Fire Ordinance.
The following types of outdoor open burning are banned:

The outdoor open burning ban prohibits the burning of yard and land clearing debris during the months of May through September. This includes a ban on the use of air curtain destructors for land clearing. 

The following types of outdoor open burning are still allowed, provided the proper permits are obtained:

Fires for agricultural practices in areas zoned RA-200/residential agricultural or a Forestry Service prescribed burn.
Fires for the purpose of training of firefighting personnel.

For additional information concerning the summer open burning ban, please visit the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s website. For additional information on outdoor burning in Gwinnett County, visit GwinnettFireMarshal.com or contact the Community Risk Reduction Division at 678.518.4980.