Vol 5 No 7 3/26/21

Vol. 5, No. 7 • 16 Pages • FREE Your Town. Your Paper. Your Voice.

Friday, March 26, 2021

BUFORDtakes

center stage

From filming for a TV series to a high school theater production, all the world’s a stage and this north Gwinnett city is no exception — Pages 8 and 9 —

Reader of the Week Cris Gomez-Ramos

A fan of reading about history and adventure, Cris GomezRamos, a fifth grade student at Buford Senior Academy, has been named Reader of the Week.

Cris’ teachers are Mrs. Currie and Mrs. Gulisano and his favorite genre is historical fiction, while his favorite books are part of the Big Nate book series, a daily comic strip by Lincoln Peirce that began publication in 1991. The comic strip follows an 11-year-old boy and his friends in sixth grade, and Cris said he enjoys the comedy.

“Cris enjoys reading graphic novels with lots of adventure,” said Sara Blankenship, media specialist at Buford Senior Academy. “He’s a well rounded reader who enjoys a good adventure book, but also a bit about history.”

Cris has three siblings and is a fan of the game of soccer.

— Deanna Allen

The following reports were filed by the Gwinnett County Police Department between March 1-16, 2021.

• Gwinnett police responded to reports of simple assault in the 5000 block of W Broad Street NE in Sugar Hill, 3200 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford and 2900 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford.

• Sexual battery was reported in the 5200 block of Moore Road NW in Suwanee and 3400 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford.

• A criminal attempt at other sexual offense was reported in the 3200 block of Woodward Crossing Boulevard NE in Buford.

• Reports of battery were made in the 2400 block of Buford Dam Road NE, 2400 block of Center Parkway NE, 2600 block of Buford Dam Road NE, 200 block of New Street NE, 2700 block of Crestworth Lane NE, 3300 block of Buford Drive NE and 2900 block of Buford Drive NE. Buford addresses.

• Reports of simple battery were made in the 3300 block of Westbrook Road NE in Suwanee, 5000 block of Hidden Branch Drive NE

CRIME LOG

in Buford, 4200 block of S Lee Street NE in Buford and 3200 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford.

• A report of illegal discharging of firearms was filed in the 4500 block of Gold Creek Trail in Sugar Hill.

• DUI arrests for alcohol were made in the Nelson Brogdon Boulevard NE/Hillcrest Drive NE area, Plunketts Road NE/Buford Drive NE area, Buford Drive NE/Mall Grand Lane NE area, Plunketts Road NE/ Ontario Court NE area, Buford Drive NE/I-85 on-ramp/Buford Drive ramp NE area, Buford Drive NE/Sudderth Road NE area, Woodward Crossing Boulevard NE/Mall Of Georgia Boulevard NE area and Buford Drive NE/Brandsmart Way NE area. Buford locations.

• Street robberies with a gun were reported in the 3300 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford (two incidents).

• A forced-entry, residential burglary was reported in the 2500 block of Hidden Falls Drive NE in Buford.

• Forced-entry, non-residential burglaries were reported in the 1400 block of Buford Highway NE and 4200 block of Old Suwanee Road NE. Buford addresses.

Restaurant inspections

The following restaurant health inspection scores were pulled from the Georgia Department of Health between March 1-16, 2021.

• Bally Bidaejjigae — 1291 Old Peachtree Rd NW suite 201 Suwanee; 84

• Barberitos-Hamilton Crossroads — 2725 Hamilton Mill Rd Suite 2200 Buford; 86

• BBQ “Olive” Chicken — 2850 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd Suite E Suwanee; 98

• Biba’s Italian Restaurant — 7338 Spout Springs Road, Ste 18 and 19, Flowery Branch; 96

• Burger King #13887 — 1045 Peachtree Industrial Blvd Suwanee; 88

• Café Amico — 320 Town Center Ave Suite 9A Suwanee; 97

• Cheeky Taqueria — 1039 Peachtree Industrial

Blvd Suite A122 Suwanee; 88

• Disorderly conduct was reported in the 2600 block of Buford Highway NE in Buford.

• Reports of criminal damage in the second degree were filed in the 5000 block of Hidden Branch Drive NE and 500 block of Richland Street NE. Buford addresses.

• Reports of larceny — theft by taking were filed in the 400 block of Brogdon Road NE in Suwanee, 700 block of N Price Road NE in Sugar Hill, 1100 block of W Shadburn Avenue NE in Buford, 2600 block of Buford Highway NE in Buford, 3700 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford (two incidents) and 3300 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford.

• A motor vehicle theft was reported in the 100 block of Maddox Road NE in Buford.

• Reports of entering auto/larceny of articles from vehicle were filed in the 1400 block of Railroad Avenue NE in Sugar Hill, 4900 block of Alton Tucker Boulevard NE in Sugar Hill, 1400 block of Pine Acre Drive NE in Sugar Hill, 4900 block of Glencliff Drive NE in Buford, 4200 block of Sturgeon Circle NE in Buford, 1500 block of Laurel Crossing

• Chuanyu Fusion Inc. — 1300 Peachtree Industrial Blvd Suite 3101 Suwanee; 85

• Delizio — 5458 McEver Road, C-4, Flowery Branch; 84

• Del Taco — 3385 Buford Dr Buford; 95

• Domino’s Pizza — 4841 Hog Mountain Road, Flowery Branch; 95

• Eastern China Taste — 1000 Peachtree Industrial Blvd SUITE 3 Suwanee; 97

• Houndstooth Grill and Tavern — 6323 Grand Hickory Dr Braselton; 70

• J Buffalo Wings — 3350 Buford Drive, B 210, Buford; 88

• Marcos Pizza — 291 Old Peachtree Road NE, Suite C, Suwanee; 100

• Menchies Frozen Yogurt — 2463 Hamilton

Parkway NE in Buford, 3400 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford and 4000 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford.

• Gwinnett police responded to a report of larceny from a residential mailbox in the 5800 block of Dolvin Lane NE in Buford.

• Forgery in the third degree was reported in the 100 block of E Main Street NE in Buford.

• Reports of theft by shoplifting were made in the 3700 block of Buford Drive NE (seven incidents), 3300 block of Buford Drive NE (six incidents) and 3200 block of Woodward Crossing Boulevard NE. Buford addresses.

The following reports were filed by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office between March 1-16, 2021.

• A death investigation was conducted in the 5700 block of Falls View Drive in Buford.

• Battery under the Family Violence Act was reported in the 6800 block of Lights Ferry Road in Flowery Branch and 6600 block of Crestwood Peninsula in Flowery Branch (second offense).

Mill Pkwy Suite 200 Dacula; 98

• Nichols Diner — 3603 Southland Drive, Flowery Branch; 93

• Paddock Grill/Proof of the Pudding at Road Atlanta — 5300 Winder Highway, Braselton; 100

• Philly Bistro — 2680 Hamilton Mill Rd Suite 101A Buford; 80

• Quesitos Venezuelan Food and Grill — 1300 Peachtree Industrial Blvd #3117 Suwanee; 81

• Rico’s World Kitchen Downtown — 306 W Main St Buford; 100

• Riverside Pizza — 991 Peachtree Industrial Blvd Suite 132 Suwanee; 94

• Roman Oven — 6750 Highway 53, Braselton; 87

• Shabuga — 1291 Old Peachtree Rd NW Suite

• Reports of battery were filed in the 6700 block of Lanier Islands Parkway and 3400 block of N Waterworks Road. Buford addresses.

• Deputies responded to a report of simple battery in the 7500 block of Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford.

• Simple battery under the Family Violence Act was reported in the 6800 block of Lights Ferry Road in Flowery Branch.

• A report of criminal trespass was made in the 6900 block of Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford.

• Reports of theft by taking — less than $1,500 were made in the 4800 block of Stone Summit Way in Buford, 4800 block of Golden Parkway in Buford, 4900 block of Bristol Industrial Way in Buford, 4800 block of Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford and 6600 block of McEver Road in Flowery Branch,

• A report of theft by receiving a stolen vehicle was filed in the 6000 block of Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford.

• Forgery in the first degree was reported in the 5000 block of Bristol Industrial Way in Buford.

401 Suwanee; 61

• Starbucks Store 11488 — 1041 Peachtree Industrial Blvd Suwanee; 100

• Starbucks #416 — 7380 Spout Springs Road, Flowery Branch; 93

• Stars and Strikes — 1601 Horizon Pkwy Buford; 97

• Teppan Poke & Hibachi — 2725 Hamilton Mill Rd Suite 600 Buford; 97

• Waraku Japanese Restaurant — 3131 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd Suite C-10 Suwanee; 82

• Wunderbar Bierhaus and Euro Bistro — 1166 Church St Sugar Hill; 96

• Zaxby’s — 3545 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd Suwanee; 97

• Zoom Coffee Roasters — 960 Scales Rd Ste #110 Suwanee; 97

Two reported armed robberies take place days apart at mall

Staff Reports

Gwinnett police recently responded to two separate incidents involving reported armed robberies outside the Mall of Georgia.

On March, 10, a shopper reported that upon exiting the mall through the lower Belk entrance, he and a friend were accosted by six to seven black males who pulled up in two vehicles and brandished handguns before demanding the victim hand over his bags. The victim told police his friend ran away, possibly back into the Belk store, but the victim was unable to flee

before the suspects knocked him to the ground and began beating him and kicking him. One suspect even smashed a beer bottle over his head. The police officer who responded to the call noted scrapes on the victim’s arms and legs, as well as a small laceration on his head.

The victim said the suspects took a $300 Gucci bag containing $1,304 in cash, a $1,200 MacBook and $45 worth of gold chains purchased from the mall that day.

While speaking with the responding officer, the victim attempted to call the friend who fled, but the call went to voicemail. The victim also

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Staff Writers:

Joy W. Fowler

Nida Merchant

Anoshka Ramkumar

Hayden Wiggs

Emily Hammond

Torin Smith

Jordan Askew

Greyson Watkins

Staff Photographers:

William Curtis

Cathy Moore

Jenny Johnson

David Griffin

Contributing Writers:

Lynn Bowman

Brandon Hembree

Allen — Printed by the Gainesville Times —

called another friend, who gave the officer a description of what the suspects were wearing. After reviewing body camera footage the officer realized the victim had told him the second friend who provided the descriptions had left before the incident occurred.

The responding officer asked Belk employees to submit any security footage of the incident.

In a separate incident, on March 13, a man reported he was the victim of an armed robbery.

The victim said he was shopping for shoes

in Dillard’s when a Latino/Dominican male suspect approached him. After speaking for a few minutes, the suspect asked the victim to hang out and go for a ride in his car, a plan to which the victim agreed. After getting into a vehicle, the suspect became suspicious and asked to be taken back to the mall. Instead, the suspect drove to the lower parking deck at JCPenney, where he pulled a handgun. The victim gave the suspect about $160 in cash before exiting the vehicle unharmed.

Mall security was asked to review any possible video footage of the encounter.

Victim thinks thief followed him from bank to break into vehicle

Staff Reports

A man whose vehicle was broken into while he was having lunch at a Sugar Hill restaurant thinks the thief followed him from a nearby bank.

A Gwinnett County police officer responded March 6 to the Latin Flavor Café at 4955 Alton Tucker Boulevard in Sugar Hill, where a victim reported his passenger side window had been smashed and more than $10,000 had been stolen from the center console.

The victim told police a clerk at a convenience store next to the restaurant had obtained video surveillance of the incident, which showed the suspect following the victim in his vehicle. When the victim parked

and entered the café, the suspect backed into a parking space next to the victim’s vehicle, smashed in the passenger side window, jumped up and leaned into the window and took envelopes of cash before quickly making a getaway. The suspect, described as approximately 5-feet-11-inches and 155 pounds, was wearing a dark red or burgundy hoodie with gray or white pants and black shoes. A tag number could not be obtained from the surveillance video.

The victim told the responding officer he thinks the suspect followed him from the Bank of America at 1500 Buford Highway, where he had cashed some checks.

The officer attempted to retrieve video surveillance from the bank, but the location was closed for the day.

Federal government aid could fund Buford’s water plant expansion

Staff Reports

Funding for the expansion of the city of Buford’s water plant may come from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that was signed into law on March 11.

According to information released by the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, funding from the act can be used by local governments to make investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure. The funding amount provided to the city of Buford is $4,890,435. The money will be dis-

persed in two equal payments in May of this year and in May 2022. The city has until Dec. 31, 2024 to use the funds.

Detailed guidance from the U.S. Treasury will be forthcoming.

The Buford Waterworks was built in 1934 on Lake Sidney Lanier to filter 500,000 gallons of drinking water per day, and in 1965, it was increased to 1 million gallons per day. In 1994, the plant began filtering 2 million gallons per day.

The city is currently in the bidding phase for the expansion.

History: From humble start to professor, Grace Hadaway defies odds

Handsel Morgan

As one looks back for unsung heroes among natives whom Buford should acknowledge and identify, the name of Grace Hadaway stands tall. From humble beginnings and early struggle at the depth of the Great Depression of the 1930s to Ph.D. and college professor, she triumphed over difficulty and achieved goals considered beyond the reach in such circumstances. With her brilliant mind, resolute determination and pure work ethic, she beat the odds.

Hadaway earned a two-year associate degree from Reinhardt College, A.B. degree from LaGrange College, M.A. degree from the University of Georgia and Ph.D. from UGA. She taught at Reinhardt College, the University of Georgia, Mississippi State University and Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. Her name is listed on LaGrange College’s Wall of Outstanding Alumni.

Grace was born in Buford on Dec, 19, 1925, the fourth of five children of Beulah Bennett Hadaway and Elton Olive Hadaway. Grace’s father died when she was 5 years old, just three months before she was to enter first grade in Buford Public Schools.

Grace’s mother supported the family by working at the Bona Allen horse collar factory. Her older sister, Ruth, who had just graduated from high school, helped by working at the Bona Allen shoe factory.

Grace began first grade in 1931 and was a consistent honor roll student through elementary and junior high. She graduated from junior high (seventh grade) as first honor graduate. After the eighth grade, she was forced to drop out of school for two years to care for her sister Ruth Brackett’s baby daughter Jean. The shoe factory, where her sister worked, closed in October 1941 and Grace was able to go back to school.

For a while, she had a part-time job at school under the federal program the National Youth Administration. Recognized as an outstanding, mature high school student, she was assigned to work with advanced

reading pupils of Miss Daisy Shadburn’s first grade and Miss Mozelle Fletcher’s second grade. From this experience, she became interested in teaching as a career.

During her sophomore year, Grace worked after school hours at a small store and lunchroom owned by Mr. Guy Bennett. The lunchroom served suppers to night shift workers employed at the nearby shoe factory, which was then being operated by the U.S. Army repairing army shoes. The following summer she worked a night shift job at the army shoe factory. When school started she continued to work at night and attend school full time. She graduated from Buford High School in 1945 as valedictorian of her class.

Grace has said she owes her determination to go to college to Buford school superintendent A. L. Clark, who recognized her potential and offered counsel and encouragement. He also recommended her for special college scholarships. She was then able to attend Reinhardt College in Waleska, Georgia, a two-year college, where she graduated in 1947 as valedictorian.

While a student at Reinhardt College, Grace worked part time in

the office of President J. R. Burgess Jr. When she was ready to graduate, Burgess helped her secure a scholarship that allowed her to attend LaGrange College for her final two undergraduate years. She received her A.B. degree there in 1949. She then returned to Reinhardt to teach and was a faculty member there, teaching English and French, for four years. She spent her summers at the University of Georgia in Athens working toward an M.A. degree in English. She completed this degree in 1952.

Also in 1952, she married Dean Boswell, a math professor at Reinhardt. Both she and Dean taught at Reinhardt for one year and then moved to Athens to pursue doctoral degrees at the University of Georgia.

During a four-year stay there, Grace taught in the English department for a time and then studied full time for a year on an Alumni Foundation Fellowship. Her husband received his Ph.D. in mathematics in 1957, and they moved from Athens to Mississippi State University, where both taught for the next five years. Grace received her Ph.D. in English at the University of Georgia in 1960.

In 1962, the Boswells moved to Monmouth, Illinois, to teach at

Monmouth College where Dean also served as head of the department of mathematics. In 1965, the family added a son, James Elton, and in 1968 a daughter, Deanna Grace.

Monmouth College awarded both Grace and Dean sabbatical leaves for the academic year 19691970 to study in England. They spent that year at the University of Warwick in Coventry. Grace attended seminars and lectures of her choice. She also had an opportunity to experience the English university system when she was invited to serve as tutor for a group of six students. After a delightful year in England, the Boswells returned to Monmouth.

In 1977, Grace’s husband became vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, and the family moved west. Grace was a full-time mother except for answering occasional requests to teach.

Her husband later filled positions at Upper Iowa University and at Jacksonville State necessitating moves to Fayette, Iowa, and Jacksonville, Alabama, before retirement.

Grace and Dean were living in retirement in Colorado in 2010.

Hall County Sheriff’s Office reopens cold case: ‘No new detail too small’

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office is reopening a 2014 cold case.

Investigators plan to reexamine the case of Holly Fox Strickland, a 32-year-old mother of two who was shot seven years ago behind

her home in the 5500 block of Raintree Trace in the Oakwood area. Feb. 8, 2021 marked the anniversary of Strickland’s homicide.

New DNA testing is one avenue investigators hope they might use to solve the case.

held accountable,” Hall County Sheriff’s Office

Investigator Michael Alford said. “I hope our ongoing efforts and renewed public awareness will accomplish that.”

Strickland was last seen by family in her home on Feb. 3, 2014.

Anyone with information is asked to call Alford at 770-533-7690 or email malford@ hallcounty.org. To report information anonymously, call 770-503-3232. Staff Reports

“Holly’s family deserves closure, and whoever is responsible for her death should be

“We’re asking that anyone who has infor-

mation about Holly’s death or events leading up to it to please contact us,” Alford said. “No new detail is too small.”

Sugar Hill celebrates 82nd birthday in thriving downtown district

Alicia Couch Payne

City leaders hosted a birthday party in honor of Sugar Hill’s 82nd birthday on Wednesday, March 24, at Cornerstone Park at the Broadstone development.

Seeing how far Sugar Hill has come from being a city that many considered an afterthought of Buford to the thriving city it is today is worthy of a celebration. So city leaders decided to host an informal birthday party to celebrate the Sweet City turning 82.

Mayor Steve Edwards, council members Brandon Hembree, Taylor Anderson and Nic Greene, as well as City Manager Paul Radford greeted residents old and young. Residents who stopped by were treated to cupcakes and cookies.

Young children with faces covered in icing were happily chasing each other around while their parents were able to get a bit of much needed adult interaction. Friends caught up on each other’s lives. Residents were able to get to know their city leaders and vice versa.

The city of Sugar Hill was officially incorporated on March 24, 1939, with a population of 599 residents. The city founders would not recognize current-day Sugar Hill with its numerous neighborhoods, apartments, businesses and especially its thriving downtown district. Sugar Hill has increased its population by an estimated 24,400 residents since

its formation.

West Broad Street was once a sleepy little street, but today, it is a busy thoroughfare lined with businesses, apartments, city hall, the Bowl, the Eagle Theatre and the E Center. Everywhere one goes there are people actively enjoying all it has to offer. Diners can be seen seated on a patio enjoying a delicious meal at one of the restaurants located within the E Center. One can even see and participate in cornhole courtesy of Indio Brewing’s cornhole league.

Residents can be seen all around the downtown district getting their exercise in by walking around the downtown area and the E Center. At the Broadstone apartments, residents are busy coming and going or sitting on their patios taking in the view of the city alive at night.

Signs in windows of the E Center and Broadstone development prove that businesses are continuing to invest their futures in Sugar Hill. Two new restaurants are set to join Sugar Hill Bakery, Central City

Tavern, Rushing Trading Company, Indio Brewing, Knuckies Hoagies and Sugar Hill Distillery & Tavern in the downtown district. The E Center is gaining an ice cream shop called Scoops, while the Broadstone development will be adding a taqueria and margarita bar called Cantina Loca. Broad Street can be difficult to navigate during certain times of the day, but city officials are working on ways to help address the traffic. Improvements to the current roundabout at Whitehead Road are being

discussed with talks of making it a double-lane roundabout, as well as cutting down the height of the island in the center to improve visibility. Improvements to the intersections of Temple Drive and Hillcrest Drive, along with plans to expand Level Creek Road all the way to connect with Ga. Highway 20, will also help with traffic issues.

If you have not visited the bustling downtown area of Sugar Hill in a while, go check it out. It is worth the excursion.

Advocacy group: Stormwater runoff affecting Lake Lanier pollution

Staff Reports

An environmental advocacy organization has announced that stormwater runoff has caused concerns over nutrient pollution in Lake Lanier for the second consecutive year.

Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, which works to protect and restore the Chattahoochee River Basin, said data collected in 2020 shows that Lake Lanier continued to receive excess nutrient levels, which

are an indication of improper stormwater management. The lake contained its highest recorded levels in 2019, and 2020 wasn’t much better, the advocacy organization said.

“Chlorophyll is the main indicator used to detect algae that blooms as (a) result of excess nutrients flowing into the lake,” a statement from Chattahoochee Riverkeeper reads. “Too much algae in the water can negatively affect water quality, impact taste and

smell of drinking water even after treatment, raise the cost of treating water to meet drinking water standards, and cause decreased oxygen levels that fish and other aquatic life need to survive.”

According to Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division sets chlorophyll limits at five monitoring locations on the lake, and in the past two years, chlorophyll levels at all five sites exceeded state standards.

“We are working with several local governments, utilities, and other stakeholders to address this problem, but individuals who reside in the watershed have a critical role to play as well,“ Dale Caldwell, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper headwaters director, said in the statement. “Cumulative and seemingly small impacts can multiply and lead to a positive impact on this very valuable water source.”

Much of the pollution is caused by stormwater runoff from fertiliz-

ers used on lawns and farms and also include treated sewage discharges, failing septic systems and clogged sewer pipes from improper household disposal of fats, oils and grease.

How can residents living in Lake Lanier’s watershed help? Chattahoochee Riverkeeper said by limiting the amount of fertilizers put on their lawns, routinely maintaining septic systems and not pouring fats, oils and greases down the drain.

Buford youth knocks it out of park with baseball-themed book

Alicia Couch Payne

One local third grader is already a published author, having written a children’s book about the power of hard work and dedication.

Mark Sanders is a 9-year-old who attends Ivy Creek Elementary School in Buford. Mark is an honor roll student in the school’s Dual Language Immersion program. He spends half of his day learning in English and the other half of his day learning in Spanish. Mark loves math, science, reading and, of course, writing.

When Mark is not immersed in school or has his nose in a book, he can be found spending time with his father, mother and a younger brother who will start kindergarten this fall. Mark loves playing baseball and that love of baseball inspired his book, which he began writing in the second grade.

“Knocking Greatness Out of the Park” is a children’s easy reader intended for children ages 6 to 10 years old to enjoy. The book uses baseball “to motivate and inspire young readers to set goals, dream big and make it happen. ‘Knocking Greatness Out of the Park’ illustrates love, dedication and persistence,” Mark’s mother, Patrice Sanders, said.

“Knocking Greatness Out of the Park” features a young boy, Ace, who is discovering his love of playing baseball with the help of his dad. In the beginning, Ace wasn’t focused and needed to be redirected by his father. His father urged Ace to focus and began to tell Ace the importance of having dedication and working hard to achieve his goals.

Ace and his father began to practice more, and little by little, Ace’s confidence in his abilities grew. The day of his game arrived

and the hard work Ace had put in with his father paid off. Ace played his best during the game and proved that with dedication and hard work, he could achieve great things.

The book features illustrations that immerse the reader in the storyline, and the characters’ expressions effectively show the emotions the author wanted to convey in his story.

“Knocking Greatness Out of the Park” was released on Amazon on Jan. 11 and is available in both English and Spanish languages. It has already reached No. 1 on the New Release Children’s Baseball Books category on Amazon and it has also been inducted into the Library of Congress.

“Knocking Greatness Out of the Park” is available for purchase in both digital and paperback versions online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Books-a-Million.

Buford Middle School now accepting registrations for car show fundraiser

Staff Reports

Beautiful weather and warmer temperatures make the spring season the perfect time for an outdoor car show!

Buford Middle School will host a fundraiser car show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 15 at the Buford City Arena. Any vehicle can enter the car show for a $20 pre-registration fee or $25 to register on the day of the event.

All car show participants will be eligible to win door prizes, as well as trophies for Top 20 People’s Choice, Administration’s Choice, and a special award for Best High Schooler’s Vehicle for those 18 and younger.

There will also be vendors on hand, several food trucks, silent auction items and music to enjoy. Bring your whole family and enjoy the fun!

To register a vehicle or become a vendor, email Lauren Larson at lauren.larson@bufordcityschools.org.

Buford becomes Boone, North Carolina, for ‘Ozark’ shoot

Street in Historic Downtown Buford.

Buford is no stranger to television and movie productions using the city’s picturesque downtown and the surrounding area to provide a perfect backdrop. Even before Georgia became the new Hollywood, movies were being filmed in the state and even in Buford. Now that the film industry in Georgia has surpassed California for the most feature films produced overall, production companies have scoured the state and Buford has been tapped for filming locations on numerous projects.

On Wednesday, March 17, the Emmy award-winning Netflix series, “Ozark” filmed scenes along Main

“Ozark” is a crime drama starring Jason Bateman and it is centered around a Chicago family that had to relocate to the Ozarks due to money laundering. The series has been filmed primarily at locations on Lake Allatoona and Lake Lanier, however, a few scenes have been filmed specifically in Buford.

In December 2019, the show filmed along Buford Dam Road and Shadburn Ferry Road, and on Dec. 6, 2017, the Buford Grill was used as another filming location.

The recent production along Main Street caused quite a flurry of activity in downtown Buford and has been one of the most exciting

events to hit town since the pandemic started. The production company started moving in its equipment on Tuesday, March 16, using the Tannery Row parking lot, as well as the square in between Garnett and Scott streets. Actual filming took place on Wednesday only. By the end of Thursday, “Ozark” had packed up and left the downtown area.

In front of the former West Main Trade coffee shop, a large sign proclaimed that Buford had temporarily become Boone, N.C. Storefronts along Main Street were transformed into businesses in the town of Boone.

One business owner along Main Street said it was fascinating to watch the hours of staging work that took

place all for a few minutes of filming.

“They brought in their own cars to stage along the street and a lady from the film crew went up and down the street making sure every vehicle had a North Carolina license plate,” the business owner said.

The scenes filmed along Main Street are set to appear in the fourth and final season of “Ozark.” Season four is expected to begin airing in late 2021, although no official date has been announced by Netflix.

“Ozark” is not the only major television or movie production to use areas around Buford as a backdrop. Other television shows that have filmed in Buford are “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings” (2018), “Kim

of Queens” (2013) and “My Amazing Renovation” (one episode — HGTV). Full-length movies filmed in Buford include “Six Pack” (1982), “A Simple Twist of Fate” (1994), “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005), “Blended” (2014), “A Walk in the Woods” (2015) and “All Girls Weekend” (2016). The documentary “Danger Lake” (2018) was filmed in Buford and Lake Lanier. Buford has also been the setting for numerous short films over the years.

With the movie industry in Georgia expected to continue to overshadow other film production hubs like California, there is a good chance this will not be the last Buford residents will see of film crews.

Lanier theater program presents Addams Family musical comedy

The Lanier High Theater Company brings to life its version of the classic Jack Sharkey novel, “The Addams Family,” as its second semester show.

It is a story of a creepy family concerned over Wednesday Addams’ sudden relationship with her new “normal” boyfriend, Lucas Beinke. Her family — including her father, Gomez Addams, who keeps the boy a secret from her mother, Morticia Addams — worries Wednesday may be changing her ways. In protest, Uncle Fester enlists the help of the Addams ancestors to call an end to the romance. As Wednesday’s and Lucas’ two

families join together for dinner, chaos ensues as the families begin to admit deep secrets and come together in ways they would’ve never imagined.

The main cast includes Gomez Addams played by Brayden Gailey, Morticia Addams played by Ally Copeland, Fester Addams played by James Scott, Wednesday Addams played by Maia Rowland, Lucas Beinke played by Josh Napier, Alice Beinke played by Molly Van Buren and Mal Beinke played by Viraj Ramgopal.

The theater program began working on the production in early December with dance camps and music rehearsals, while the creative team brainstormed the

design concepts to kick it off — the musical will also be performed at the 2021 Shuler Awards in May.

“Over the past four months the cast and crew has worked together and produced what I believe is an outstanding show,” Ally Copeland said, adding becoming Morticia was a new experience for her. “I have never played a character like Morticia before. It was a challenge, but also fun to develop such a complex and unique character.”

Evelynn Coen, a Lanier High student who viewed the show on opening night, said “I had a very hard time choosing what my favorite part was,” before mentioning “Just Around the Corner,” Morti-

cia’s song. “... at the end the entire theater went dark and then red (lights) came up and it was just so pretty. There are so many beautiful parts of the show.”

Coen said the musical is her favorite show the theater has produced.

“The choreography was amazing, the lighting was amazing, the actors sang beautifully, the set was phenomenal,” she said. “It was just an amazing show.”

Coen also enjoyed the show’s comedy elements.

“Fester is in love with the moon,” she said. “He has a whole song about him and the moon and during the song he is pretty much chasing the moon around and it was so funny!”

Student of the Week

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE CITY OF BUFORD

Catherine Wysocki

12TH GRADE

Meet Catherine Wysocki, a senior at Buford High School. Catherine was born in Atlanta to Pam and Brian Wysocki and was raised in Braselton and Flowery Branch her whole life. Catherine first started attending the Buford City Schools system in kindergarten and she is now considered a Buford “lifetimer.” Catherine has one older brother, Steven Wysocki, 24, who was in Buford’s graduating class of 2015.

Catherine has excelled academically and upheld a competitive course load during her years at Buford High School. She has taken a total of five AP college level courses, with her favorite being her AP environmental science class. Catherine currently has a weighted GPA of 4.0 which places her in the top 13 percent of her class; she is arguably one of the best students at Buford High School.

When asked what her favorite class was at BHS, Catherine confidently declared that it was marketing.

“Marketing isn’t a core class that is required for graduation, but during my three years of it I was able to learn and have fun,” she said. “The class also helped me to understand what my passion for life would be. I learned that I love business and want to pursue a higher education in it through college.”

Catherine’s favorite teacher is her marketing teacher, Mrs. Simmons.

“She cares a lot about how her students are doing and she is an enthusiastic teacher,” Catherine said. “She is also willing to help you with anything you need and always brings a positive attitude to

class every day.”

In addition to her studies, Catherine has been involved in athletics and extracurricular programs at Buford. She is heavily involved in DECA, a BHS program that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Catherine has been a part of DECA for the past two years, and she takes on the role as VP of competition.

“DECA helps a lot with public speaking and communication skills, and it also teaches students how to analyze various business problems,” she said. “As the vice president of competition, I teach and encourage fellow students in the club to compete and broaden their businesses and presentation knowledge.”

Additionally, Catherine plays on Buford’s varsity women’s golf team, a program she has been involved in for the last two years.

“Being a part of the golf team has taught me how to stay positive through hours of hard work and tough conditions,” Catherine said. “Even when you aren’t playing your best you have to keep a positive attitude. Golf is a single person sport that lasts for hours, so there’s no one there to keep your mood up but yourself.”

In her free time, Catherine enjoys working. She has an online jewelry business on Etsy, and she also works as an Instacart shopper. Catherine said she enjoys both roles equally and wishes she had more time to devote to them.

After high school, Catherine plans to attend Georgia Southern University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She hopes to start her own company or work in the area of business management after she completes her degree.

“I chose Georgia Southern because I know that it can give me a quality business education that I can draw on forever,” she said. “I have already committed to Georgia Southern and cannot wait to be there for the next four years!”

Catherine Wysocki is unquestionably a Buford Wolf. She is a committed, intelligent and determined young woman who will undoubtedly change the business world. Catherine, we congratulate you and are so proud of you!

— Emily Hammond

22 Gwinnett County schools make Georgia AP Honors list

Jordan Askew

The Georgia Department of Education has released its list of Advanced Placement Honor Schools for 2020, with 22 Gwinnett County schools making the grade.

Since 2008, the department has recognized AP Honors Schools with only three categories, but since then has gained five more. The categories (which can be found here 2020 Honor Schools Definitions of Categories. pdf) include AP Access and Support Schools, AP Challenge Schools, AP Schools of Distinction, AP Expansion Schools, AP Humanities

Schools, AP Humanities Achievement Schools, AP STEM schools and AP Stem Achievement Schools. The Gwinnett County schools included in these lists are Archer High School, Berkmar High School, Brookwood High School, Central Gwinnett High School, Collins Hill High School, Dacula High School, Discovery High School, Duluth High School, Grayson High School, Gwinnett School of Mathematics Science and Technology, Lanier High School, McClure Health Science High School, Meadowcreek High School, Mill Creek High School, Mountain View High

School, Norcross High School, North Gwinnett High School, Parkview High School, Paul Duke STEM High School, Peachtree Ridge High School, Shiloh High School and South Gwinnett High School. (Buford High School is excluded from the list as the school is part of the Buford City School District as opposed to the Gwinnett County Public Schools District). Five of these schools — Archer, Collins Hill, Duluth, Grayson, and Mountain View high schools — made six out of the seven categories listed.

State Superintendent Richard Wood released a statement about the

work the Georgia students and staff have done for the 2020 year, saying “I’m proud of Georgia’s students, who continue to record strong performance on advanced placement exams and outperform their peers in other Southern states. I’m also pleased to see the gains made by economically disadvantaged students in Georgia, as we work to ensure all students receive an excellent education.”

Dr. Clay Hunter, GCPS associate superintendent for curriculum and instructional support, said that despite challenges presented by the pandemic, this recognition from the

Georgia Department of Education shows how the district’s hard work has paid off.

“In March of last year, our school system faced the challenge of finding new and innovative ways to make sure that our students were able to continue their learning in the midst of a pandemic,” he said. “The fact that 22 of our high schools were recognized by the Georgia Department of Education as Advanced Placement Honor Schools is proof positive that the efforts our teachers, school administrators and district-level support staff were not in vain.”

Advanced placement results positive for Buford, surrounding schools

Staff Reports

Each year, high school students who are enrolled in advanced placement classes are eligible to take advanced placement tests administered by the College Board to earn college credit(s). Schools in and around the Buford area typically perform much higher than the national and state averages and even in the midst of a pandemic, this remains true.

The College Board has decided to offer the traditional in-person advanced placement test or a test that can be done at home virtually this year.

Buford High School principal Teresa Hagelthorn discussed the upcoming advanced placement tests at a recent Buford Board of Education meeting.

“We have 559 students who will be taking a total of 1076 AP exams beginning on May 3,” she said. “The College Board did provide a digital option for this year’s exams, however, 91 percent of our students opted to take the in-person/traditional version of the exam. Only 9 percent opted for the at-home/digital version of the exam.”

Below are the 2020 advanced placement results from schools in the area.

AP Access and Support Schools —

At least 30 percent of AP exams taken by students who identify themselves as African-American and/or Hispanic and 30 percent of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

• Lanier High School

• Mountain View

AP Schools of Distinction — At least 20

percent of school’s population taking AP exams and at least 50 percent of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

• Buford High School

• Flowery Branch High School

• Lanier High School

• Mill Creek High School

• Mountain View High School

• North Gwinnett High School

AP Humanities Schools — A minimum of five students testing in each of the following AP categories: one ELA course, two history/social science courses, one fine arts course and one world language course.

• Buford High School

• Flowery Branch High School

• Mill Creek High School

• Mountain View High School

• North Gwinnett High School

AP Humanities Achievement Schools —

AP Humanities schools (see above definition) with at least 50 percent of all AP Humanities exams earning scores of three or higher.

• Buford High School

• Flowery Branch High School

• Mill Creek High School

• Mountain View High School

• North Gwinnett High School

AP STEM Schools — A minimum of five students testing in at least four AP STEM courses.

• Buford High School

• Flowery Branch High School

• Lanier High School

• Mill Creek High School

• Mountain View High School

• North Gwinnett High School

AP STEM Achievement Schools — AP

STEM schools (see above definition) with at least 50 percent of all AP STEM exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

• Buford High School

• Flowery Branch High School

• Lanier High School

• Mill Creek High School

• Mountain View High School

• North Gwinnett High School

Buford Board of Education meeting minutes — March 2021

Staff Reports

March 22, 2021 — The Buford Board of Education’s monthly meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. at the Buford City Arena by Chairman Phillip Beard. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the board approved the agenda and the meeting minutes from Feb. 22, 2021.

The first item of business was the need to surplus 169 Lenovo Chromebooks that will be used for parts to keep other Chromebooks in working order.

The board approved the purchase of a new two-and-a-half ton HVAC unit at the cost of $5,737 for Buford Academy. Science classrooms on the third floor at Buford High School need to be finished out to be usable. Other classroom improvements are needed for the science labs at BHS, as well as at Buford Middle School. The board approved the expenditure of $169,500 to do the work needed. During special events at the Buford City Arena, the school district will rent a large blue curtain at the cost of $1,000 per use. The school district asked the board to be able to purchase its own curtain and truss for events like graduation at a cost of $3,505. The purchase was approved.

One field trip request for FCCLA and four fundraising requests were approved by the board. The fundraisers include a car show at BMS, BHS wrestling selling senior yard signs, a fundraiser for Buford Senior Academy and for the BHS band to sell concessions during an event the band will be host at the Buford City Arena.

The principals gave their reports starting with Mark Graves from BES. BES celebrated Read Across America Week with several fun activities

including character dress-up day, as did Buford Academy and Buford Senior Academy. Teachers recently held virtual parent conferences. On March 31, BES will hold its annual fundraiser, Wolfie Games. The games will be live-streamed.

Jenny Poole said Buford Academy’s Saturday School was helping on average 100 students and they recently started after-school help where approximately 30 students are getting additional instruction to try to bridge the gap in their education. BA is holding its book fair this week. Virtual parent-teacher conferences were a success. The Wolf-a-thon, BA’s annual fundraiser was scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 25, weather permitting. The new principal for BA, Elena Hernandez-Vo, will take over her full duties on April 1, and Mrs. Poole will go back into retirement. The board thanked Mrs. Poole for temporarily coming out of retirement to lead BA until a new principal had been hired.

Kaleen Pulley said Read Across America Week was a big success at Buford Senior Academy. BSA’s cho-

rus will hold its spring chorus concert Tuesday, March 30, at the Fine Arts Center.

Laura Beth Short announced that the Buford Middle School FCCLA placed first at their state competition. BMS held a virtual career day last week and despite challenges with COVID, the event was successful. BMS was set to hold a family involvement night on Thursday, March 25. Students and their families were expected to play a game of BINGO. Each student/family would receive a BINGO card and they would have to visit the local businesses on their card, find their teachers at the locations, turn in their cards after the last stop and be eligible for a chance to win prizes. The BMS band had 10 students named to All-State. More than 30 students participated in the art show at BHS. Fourteen school records were broken by the BMS track team this season. The girls soccer team is undefeated at 6-0.

Teresa Hagelthorn updated the board on numerous events and news from BHS. The JV Quiz Bowl team placed second at the state competi-

tion, while the varsity team placed fourth. The state competition was held virtually this year. The BHS FCCLA Club had eight students place either first or second at national competition. The BHS chapter of FCCLA won the Financial Fitness Award and was recognized as an Honor Roll School with Distinction chapter. BHS received its AP results from last year and BHS was named an AP Honor School for 2021 and the school qualified for every category in which it was eligible.

In athletics, the baseball team was undefeated and was the No. 1 ranked team in the nation by MaxPreps and Collegiate Baseball. The boys and girls track teams had broken nearly 20 school records so far this season and were set to compete at the Gwinnett County Championships this weekend. The boys’ tennis team won the Grainger Invitational, while the girls finished third. The girls’ soccer team is ranked No. 2 in the state, while the boys are currently 5-5-1. The girls’ lacrosse team is ranked No. 9 in the state. The boys’ lacrosse team’s overall record so far is 6-5.

The boys’ golf team won the Gwinnett Open over the weekend. On Sunday, March 21, JT Whitt and Matthew Stone won the GHSA State Qualifying Tournament on Lake Lanier catching a total of 18.68 pounds. Riflery placed third at the area championship and was expected to host the first round of state playoffs on Friday, March 26. In late April, the BHS gymnastics team will host the GHSA State Championships at the Arena. The gymnastics team is ranked third in the state.

The BHS Athletic Program has now moved into first place in the Georgia Athletic Directors Associa-

tion Director’s Cup standings with a total of 706 points. Richmond Hill is not far behind with 706 points, followed by Pope with 621 points.

The board voted to approve new rates for the State Health Benefit Plans for spouses that are employed with the school district. This offers incentives for couples where both spouses are employed at the school district to choose a family plan instead of individual plans. The new rates will save employees and the school district money. A surplus of 67 art textbooks was authorized. The board voted to accept funds from the Bonds for Buses (round two) and combine it with additional funds from the school district to purchase four new badly needed buses for the next school year.

Dr. Robert Downs informed the board and attendees that the school district will receive $3.6 million in the American Rescue Plan Act Allocation (formerly known as the CARES Act) and will have until 2024 to spend it. Dr. Amy Chafin, assistant superintendent for student achievement, relayed the results from the Advanced Placement testing from last year. Buford High School earned the highest awards in every category for which it qualified for.

The superintendent’s administrative assistant, Amy Reed, was recognized for her dedication to the school system as she retires after being on the job for more than 30 years. Congratulations, Mrs. Amy Reed. We hope you have a wonderful retirement. Thank you for your service to the school system and community.

This concluded the March 2021 meeting of the Buford Board of Education. The next meeting will take place at 7 p.m. April 19.

Tyler Burge, Class of 2012 WHERE NOW? are they

Tyler Burge is a BHS alumnus from the class of 2012. Tyler was born in Buford and raised by his parents, Ken and Kelli Burge. He has an older sister, Kayla McBryant, 29. Tyler started at Buford kindergarten in 1999, and he attended Buford City Schools all the way through his senior year.

During his time at BHS, Tyler was on the basketball team as a freshman, and he was on the baseball team as a senior. He played on the football team all four years of high school, and he was in the BHS chorus for all four years, as well. In his senior year, he sang “Chicken Fried” by the Zac Brown Band in the annual chorus variety show. In football, Tyler was a two-year starter at the center position, and he competed in four state championships, winning three of them.

In addition to his busy athletic schedule, Tyler was also an excellent student, earning a GPA of 3.5-plus. His favorite subject while in high school was math because he loves anything to do with numbers.

When asked which teacher had the biggest influence on him, Tyler struggled to name just one.

“The teachers I had genuinely loved their students and put their all in every day,” he said.

Tyler remembers Ryan Daniel having a major influence on him at BHS. Daniel was an assistant football coach and special education teacher. Tyler said he remembers when they would have practices in the summer, and he felt like he had nothing left to give, RD would always be there to encourage him and pick him up. Off the field, Tyler said he could always tell how much Daniel loved his students and how much he gave to them every day. He always treated every student and player with the utmost respect and love.

Tyler was honored to receive

the first RD scholarship that was created to remember Coach Daniel after his tragic passing just weeks after the football season had ended.

Tyler also remembers coach Christian Honeycutt, who would always spend the early mornings working with Tyler to help him earn his spot on the field on Friday nights. Honeycutt taught him that success does not fall into your lap — it comes with hard work, discipline and execution. That work ethic is one of the most important things Tyler learned during his time at Buford. Another lesson he learned is the importance of family after Coach Daniel’s passing. The entire Buford community came together to honor the life and legacy of one of the most influential coaches and teachers in Buford, and that always stuck with Tyler as he continued on past BHS.

After graduating from BHS, Tyler attended University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky, for two years, and then he attended Kennesaw State University, where he graduated with a sports management degree in 2017. At University of the Cumberlands, Tyler was a national champion runner-up in football and a member of

the academic all conference. At KSU, he graduated magna cum laude.

Tyler lives in Flowery Branch with his wife, his highschool sweetheart Danielle Durden Burge. The couple has two beautiful children, Beau, 2, and Genevieve, 5 months.

Tyler works as an insurance agent at Alfa Insurance in downtown Buford. He previously volunteered coaching eighth grade football at Buford Middle School, but since Beau was born, he has focused his extra time on his family.

Tyler is very grateful to have been brought up in Buford in such a special community.

“There are so many special people in my hometown that have influenced me and I wouldn’t be where I am without those people,” he said. “Buford is a special place and it’s hard to put into words unless you experience it for yourself.”

Tyler Burge is an excellent member of the Buford community, and we are proud to call him a BHS alumnus. Once a Wolf, always a Wolf! — Torin Smith

This week in high school sports

Staff Reports

BASEBALL

Buford 12, Dacula 0

DACULA — In region 8-AAAAAA play, Buford baseball blanked Dacula 12-0 on Tuesday, March 23. The Wolves are currently ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps, Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game USA.

Buford remains undefeated this season with an overall record of 19-0 and 11-0 in region play.

Winder-Barrow 9, Lanier 5

WINDER — Winder-Barrow defeated Lanier 9-5 on Tuesday, March 23, at Winder-Barrow High School in a region match-up.

Lanier’s overall season record falls to 5-14 and 3-5 in Region 8-AAAAAA.

Mountain View 6, North Gwinnett 1

LAWRENCEVILLE — On Wednesday, March 24, at Mountain View High School, Mountain View defeated region opponent North Gwinnett 6-1.

North Gwinnett falls to 6-12 overall and 3-2 in the region.

BOYS SOCCER

Mill Creek 4, North Gwinnett 1

SUWANEE — Mill Creek defeated North Gwinnett 4-1 in a tough game on Tuesday, March 23, at North Gwinnett High School.

North Gwinnett’s overall season record is now 6-5-1 and 4-1 in the region.

Habersham 2, Buford 0

MOUNT AIRY — The Buford Wolves boys

soccer team fell to Habersham Central 2-0 at Habersham on Tuesday, March 23, in Region 8-AAAAAA play.

Buford’s overall season record is now 6-6 and 3-6 in the region.

Lanier 2, Denmark 1

BUFORD — The Lanier boys soccer team picked up a win on Tuesday, March 23, at the Ranch when they beat Denmark 2-1 in a non-region game.

The Longhorns are 4-3-1 overall this season while they are 3-1 in Region 8-AAAAAA.

GIRLS SOCCER

Mill Creek 2, North Gwinnett 1

SUWANEE — The North Gwinnett girls soccer team lost a region game to Mill Creek at home on Tuesday, March 23. Mill Creek won 2-1.

The Lady Bulldogs’ overall season record is now 5-7-2 and they are 2-3 in the region.

Buford 9, Habersham 0

MOUNT AIRY — The No. 2 ranked Buford girls soccer team cruised past Habersham Central on Tuesday, MArch 23, defeating them 9-0.

Contributing offensively for the Lady Wolves were Emma Danley (two goals), Alli Treadwell (two goals), Abby Kilman (one goal), Carolyn Calzada (one goal), Victoria Bahr (one goal), Shea Owings (one goal) and Addison Attaway (one goal).

Buford improves to 10-0 in the region.

Denmark 3, Lanier 0

BUFORD — The Lanier girls soccer team lost a non-region game to Denmark 3-0 on

Tuesday, March 23, at Lanier High School.

The Lady Longhorns have an overall season record of 7-4 and they are 7-2 in their region.

BOYS LACROSSE

Johns Creek 10, Buford 7

JOHNS CREEK — Johns Creek defeated Buford boys lacrosse on Tuesday, March 23, 10-7 at Johns Creek High School.

Leading Buford’s offense were Evan Leonardo (two goals, two assists), Ashton Daniels (one goal, one assist), Jackson Rhodes (two goals), Zack Salo (one goal) and Korbin Clack (one goal). On the defensive end, Clack and Davis Peek led for the Wolves. Dawson Andrew was 13 of 17 for faceoffs.

Buford’s record falls to 6-5 and 1-1 in area play.

BOYS TENNIS

Buford 5, Habersham Central 0

BUFORD — On Monday, March 22, at the Buford City Park, the Wolves defeated another Region 8-AAAAAA opponent Habersham Central 5-0 to close out their regular season.

Buford got wins from Dean Kinglsey (No. 1 singles), James Troutt (No. 2 singles), Nic Keller (No. 3 singles), Leyton Grothe and Brent Sherman (No. 1 doubles) and Luke Clark and Eugene Oh (No. 2 doubles)

The Wolves end their regular season with an overall record of 11-4 and 5-0 in the region.

North Gwinnett 5, North View 0

JOHNS CREEK — North Gwinnett boys tennis shut out North View 5-0 on Tuesday, March 23.

North Gwinnett improves to 11-1 on the season.

GIRLS TENNIS

Buford 5, Habersham Central 0 BUFORD — The Buford girls tennis team swept the matches as they claimed victory over region opponent Habersham Central 5-0 on Monday, March 22, at Buford City Park.

Earning wins for the Lady Wolves were Taylor Aycock (No. 1 singles), Callie Perkins (No. 2 singles), Izzy Brewer (No. 3 singles), Taylor Ryczek and Kennedy Deloach (No. 1 doubles) and Sophie Brewer and Marigrace Crossett (No. 2 doubles).

Buford ends its regular season with an overall record of 11-4 and 5-0 in Region 8-AAAAAA.

Northview 4, North Gwinnett 1 JOHNS CREEK — Northview dominated the North Gwinnett girls tennis team with a 4-1 victory. North Gwinnett scored its only point at No. 1 doubles.

North Gwinnett’s overall season record falls to 7-5.

GOLF

Buford wins first-ever regular season tournament

The Buford boys golf team won its first-ever regular season tournament, the 2021 Gwinnett Open, hosted by Dacula High School on Saturday, March 20.

Buford senior golfer Jackson Buchanan won his second straight tournament at the Gwinnett Open, which is also a first for BHS.

Opinion: BCS extends appreciation for support during pandemic

Katie Strickland/Buford City Schools

Our athletes thought they were only leaving their uniforms in lockers for two weeks last March when Gov. Kemp ordered school closures.

When the order was extended through the end of the 20192020 school year, baseball fields, tennis courts, track facilities and all school buildings were empty.

The mandate put an end to the entire spring season of sporting events and all end-of-the-year events for Buford City Schools.

Buford’s Athletic Director Tony Wolfe wrote an email on March 12, 2021, reflecting back to last spring: “One year ago tomorrow, we shut down school and athletics due to the

COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, we assumed it would be a temporary two-week delay, and we would head right back to normal very soon. But as we all know now, we never returned and our kids lost their spring season.”

On the anniversary of the shutdown, Superintendent Dr. Robert Downs sent a video message to staff, students and the community. Downs said, “It’s hard not to look back and think about how we might have done things a little differently if we had known. Teachers would have given that one last hug. Coaches would have said that one last ‘great job’, principals would have looked each student in the eye and said, ‘you know what, you’re amazing,’ but we were robbed of that opportunity.”

Assistant Athletic Director Dexter Wood works part-time at the high school and said the support the school has re-

ceived from the school board and the city of Buford during the COVID-19 pandemic has been unparalleled.

“I’ve always viewed the city of Buford and our board of education as one unified voice in loving and supporting our kids and coaches in Buford. Our student-athletes have been fortunate to participate in fall, winter and spring sports during the 20-21 school year because of the unwavering support of our board and city leaders. There is no other place like Buford!” Buford City Schools began in-person and digital learning in August. Downs said the school district is incredibly grateful for the support of the city, school board and community at large. Downs said, “It’s important that we say thank you to our community and the parents of all our students, in-person and digital, for working with us during this unique school year.”

Buford athletes heat up track as they continue to break records

Alicia Couch Payne

Buford’s track teams were on track to win big last year when the COVID-19 pandemic derailed their plans and ended their season prematurely. Head coach Fyrone Davis felt that his team left a lot on the track last year and waited in anticipation for this season to roll around. He believes he has some special athletes capable of competing with the best and beating previous records.

In fact, members of the Buford track and field team have already broken records this season. Many have broken their own personal best records, but Buford school records, as well as meet records have already been broken this year.

At their last major meet, Parkview’s Need for Speed Invitational, the Wolves had 10 first-place

finishes to propel them to a second-place finish.

Victor Venn and Malik Williams, half of the Buford boys 4 x 800 relay team, challenge each other during a practice session at Tom Riden stadium.

finishes for Buford. One of their top finishes was on the 800-meter sprint medley team along with Tobi Olawole. Venn took the top spot in the 60-meter dash, breaking the Parkview record. Bond won the 100-meter dash. Malik Williams finished first in the long jump. Victor Payne (60-meter hurdles) and Ryland Gandy (300-meter dash) had one first-place finish each.

school record broken at the Parkview meet was in the 100-meter dash by Bond, who had a time of 10.60

The track team went one step further when Harris shattered Parkview’s meet record in the 200-meter that was previously held by Buford’s Trinity Price. Harris broke the record with a time of 24.52

The Buford girls 800-meter sprint medley team of Tavye Borders, Hayley Iverson, Sydney Harris and McKenzie Smith. The Lady Wolves also saw first-place finishes by Harris in the 200-meter dash, Iverson in the long jump and Jenevieve Talaber in the high jump. Isaiah Bond, Victor Venn and Malik Williams had two first-place

During that meet, four school records were broken. The boys 800-meter sprint medley team of Bond, Olawole, Venn and Williams broke the school record with a time of 1:33.24. In the 60-meter dash, Olawole broke the school record with a time of 6.99, however Venn was able to surpass him with a time of 6.95 to make the new school record in that event. The school record for the 60-meter hurdles was broken with a time of 8.57 by Payne. The last

The Buford track and field teams will compete at the Gwinnett County Varsity Championships March 27 and 29 at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee. Look for Buford to do well at the county meet, especially in the shorter distance races and the sprint medleys.

After the county meet, Buford track and field will look ahead to the region and sectional meets before heading to the state championships May 13 through 15 in Carrollton.

Lesko has been named the player of the week for the second time this season for his performance on the mound against Marist. He pitched five innings, striking out 10 while only giving up two hits. Head coach Stuart Chester also cited Lesko’s offensive performance over the past four games in which Lesko was 7-for-13 with one home run and six RBIs. His batting average over the course of those four games was an impressive .538.

Congratulations, Dylan Lesko! Keep up the good work! Go Wolves! The BHS Baseball Player of the Week is selected by the