Top Stories for November 1st Publish Date: November 1st From the BG AD Group Studio Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. Today is Saturday, November 1st and Happy Birthday to Lyle Lovett I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by Gwinnett KIA Mall of Georgia. More than 300 apartments OKed near Gas South District Peachtree Corners to hold dedication ceremony for historic Jones Bridge marker Atlanta area schools win $85,000 in great band challenge All of this and more is coming up on the Gwinnett Daily Post podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen daily and subscribe! Break 1: KIA Mall of Georgia STORY 1: More than 300 apartments OKed near Gas South District Big changes are coming near the Gas South District—more than 300 new apartments, to be exact. Last week, Gwinnett County commissioners gave Hanover Company the green light to build a 306-unit complex at 1855 Satellite Boulevard, right across from Cross Pointe Church. The site? It’s currently home to two aging office buildings, one of which will be torn down to make room. The new apartments will include four five-story buildings, with 190 one-bedroom units and 116 two-bedrooms. Plans also feature a pool, fire pits, outdoor gathering spaces, and even resort-style patios. Access will be from Satellite Boulevard and the Kroger shopping center nearby. Brick and fiber cement exteriors, plus detached garages and carports, round out the design. Change is definitely on the horizon. STORY 2: Peachtree Corners to hold dedication ceremony for historic Jones Bridge marker Peachtree Corners is honoring a piece of its past with a new historical marker dedicated to the original Jones Bridge—the inspiration behind the city’s iconic pedestrian bridge. In partnership with PTC Arts, a nonprofit focused on bringing the community together through the arts, the city will unveil the marker on Friday, Nov. 7, at 11 a.m., right at the pedestrian bridge by Town Center. The original Jones Bridge, built in 1904, was more than just steel and wood—it was a lifeline, connecting farmers, merchants, and travelers across the Chattahoochee River. But time wasn’t kind. By the Great Depression, it was falling apart, and in 1945, most of the structure was dismantled and sold off under shady circumstances. The final piece collapsed into the river in 2018, ending its story—or so we thought. The pedestrian bridge, opened in 2020, keeps that legacy alive with its design, and now, the marker will ensure future generations know the history. Funded by PTC Arts, it tells the story of connection, resilience, and a bridge that once brought two counties together. The public’s welcome to join the ceremony. Details? Check out peachtreecornersga.gov. STORY 3: Atlanta area schools win $85,000 in great band challenge Ten Atlanta-area high school bands just walked away with a total of $85,000 in prizes, thanks to the fifth annual Great Atlanta Band Challenge. Sponsored by 1-800TruckWreck and Witherite Law Group, alongside Hot 107.9 and Majic 107.5/97.5, the competition celebrated the grit and talent of student musicians. South Gwinnett High snagged first place—and $20,000. Griffin High and Douglas County High followed, earning $15,000 each. The other seven finalists? They didn’t leave empty-handed, each taking home $5,000. Winners were announced on Oct. 24 with pep rally check presentations, complete with Hot 107.9’s Partyboi Deuce hyping up the crowd. This challenge, now in its fifth year, has become a lifeline for local music programs, helping fund instruments, uniforms, and more. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info. We’ll be right back Break 2: Ingles Markets STORY 4: Carr joins other attorneys general in call for crackdown on intoxicating hemp products Georgia lawmakers are weighing tighter rules on intoxicating hemp products, but Attorney General Chris Carr? He’s going bigger—joining 38 other Attorney General’s in calling for a federal crackdown to pull these products off shelves entirely. Here’s the issue: gas stations and convenience stores are selling gummies, vapes, and drinks made from hemp that can get you just as high as marijuana. Why? A loophole in the 2018 federal law that legalized industrial hemp. Carr and his peers say bad actors are exploiting this “inadvertent ambiguity” to flood the market with unregulated, high-THC products. Carr’s office sounded the alarm Wednesday, citing a rise in kids accidentally ingesting these substances. But not everyone’s on board. Christopher Lackner, CEO of the Hemp Beverage Alliance, called the Attorney Generals’ letter “concerning.” He agrees dangerous, kid-targeted products need to go but argues that banning all intoxicating hemp products could crush a thriving industry. Meanwhile, Georgia lawmakers are trying to balance public safety with supporting the state’s growing hemp industry. It’s a messy debate. STORY 5: Housing Matters: Data says few housing options for Gwinnett’s poorest Skyrocketing housing costs are pushing Gwinnett residents into impossible situations—cramped hotels, couch-surfing, even homelessness. A new report from Builders Patch Housing Count shows just how bad it is: for every 100 renters in Gwinnett’s lowest income bracket (earning less than 30% of the area’s median income, or about $89,000), there are only 9 affordable units. Nine. And it doesn’t get much better as incomes rise—12 units for very-low income renters, 5 for low-income, and just 1 for middle-income families. The county needs 100,000 affordable units to close the gap. Meanwhile, rents are down 13% this year, but still average $1,900 for a two-bedroom. Median home prices? $412,000. STORY 6: Political shutdown fight over food stamps comes to Georgia The federal shutdown is about to hit hard. Starting today, over a million Georgians, many of them kids, could lose access to food stamps. No federal funding, no groceries. Governor Brian Kemp? He’s not budging. Despite $14 billion in state reserves, he’s refused to step in, calling it a “Schumer shutdown” and blaming Democrats in Congress. Meanwhile, families are bracing for empty plates. Food pantries like Feeding GA Families are already overwhelmed, with demand up 50%. Thanksgiving? It’s looking grim. And the blame game? It’s in full swing. Republicans point fingers at Democrats for blocking a funding resolution, while Democrats say Republicans are holding SNAP hostage over tax credits. STORY 7: Gwinnett SWAT team captures Marietta murder suspect A man accused of killing his stepfather in a Marietta apartment shooting is now in custody after a SWAT team arrested him in Gwinnett County. Pharron Carlos Banks, 26, had been on the run since Monday night, when police say he shot and killed 58-year-old Michael Jackson during a domestic dispute at the Briggs at Power Park apartments on Franklin Gateway. Officers arrived to find Jackson with multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital but didn’t make it. Banks had already fled. His car turned up in Atlanta near the university center, but Banks wasn’t with it. By Wednesday, Marietta police tracked him to a home in Gwinnett. After securing a warrant, Gwinnett’s SWAT team moved in, ordering Banks to surrender. He came out just after 5 p.m. and was taken into custody without incident. We’ll have closing comments after this Break 4: Ingles Markets Signoff – Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.gwinnettdailypost.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. 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