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In this month’s edition
JEWELRY BY SELIN
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How to make a time capsule of books | Surviving the
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Inside
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Page 6A
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS
Weekend Edition-November 25-26, 2022 FORSYTHNEWS.COM fjforsythcountynews Q @ForsythNews (®) @ForsythNews $2.00
LAWRENCEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Gwinnett city tabs Forsyth man for chief
By Kelly Whitmire
kwhitmire@forsythnews.com
Forsyth County’s director of code com
pliance and animal services has been
named as the sole finalist to be the
Lawrenceville Police Department’s next
chief.
In a news release, the department
announced John Mullin was the sole final
ist for the position after a national search
led by the Georgia Association of Chiefs
of Police brought in dozens of applica
tions. His expected start date is Friday,
Dec. 16.
“We looked for a combination of
law enforcement experience, lead
ership, and strong morale, as well
as the energy to stay within our
community for many years.
Having just received State
Certification for our police depart
ment in early 2022, we were seek
ing a candidate who could take an
already strong department to the next
level,” Lawrenceville City Manager Chuck
Warbington said in the release.
Mullin was hired by Forsyth County in
June and has more than 20 years
of law enforcement experience.
Mullin began his law enforce
ment career in 1997 as a member
of the Fulton County Police
Department. He joined the Sandy
Springs Police Department in
2006 as one of its original 86 offi
cers.
“Once his hiring is confirmed,
Mullin plans to focus his first several
months on the job listening to the commu
nity, as well as rank and file officers and
department command structure, sharing
their thoughts on improving the agency
and further strengthening the
Lawrenceville Police Department’s reputa
tion for customer and public service,” the
release said.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in
Criminal Justice from the John Jay College
of Criminal Justice and a master’s degree
in Public Administration from Columbus
State University.
Mullin also graduated from the Southern
Police Institute at the University of
Louisville and the Senior Management
Institute for Police.
Mullin
Esports 'a common language'
Sabrina Kerns Forsyth County News
Students on Forsyth Virtual Academy's competitive esports team talk about their experi
ence in both their esports classes and their after school esports organization.
Japanese delegation visits Forsyth Virtual Academy
Planners debate
options for old
equestrian center
ByAshlyn Yule
ayule@forsythnews.com
Commissioners raced
against time to purchase
the Polo Fields and
approve a lease agreement
for United Futbol
Academy, hurrying as soc
cer season was approach
ing in August.
While the fields were
able to continue hosting
soccer games, a portion of
the land was left without a
tenant: about nine acres
with stables and a riding
area for equestrian activi
ties.
On that side of the prop
erty sits a building that is
over 35 years old, accord
ing to parks and recreation
director Jim Pryor, that
would have continued to
dilapidate if not for com
missioners approving the
procurement process to
remove the structure.
At a work session on
Tuesday, Nov. 22, com
missioners discussed three
different options for the
stable following a presen
tation from Pryor.
According to Pryor,
after advertising a request
for a lease agreement with
equestrian-related compa
nies, the county received
See Polo 14A
Planners approve
housing, changes to
district boundaries
By Sabrina Kerns
skerns@forsythnews.com
A delegation of leaders from
Japan recently visited the
Forsyth Virtual Academy to see
how scholastic esports is helping
local students learn important
skills in the classroom.
The crowd visiting FVA was
made up of government leaders
from Ibaraki-ken and Gunma-
ken, prefectures near Tokyo,
along with educational leaders
from Nara Women’s University
and the North American
Scholastic Esports Federation,
or NASEF. The group is inter
ested in bringing scholastic
esports back to their own stu
dents in Japan.
Forsyth County Schools
Superintendent Dr. Jeff Bearden
welcomed the delegation to the
school, noting how excited the
district is to help support the
growth of esports.
“One thing we have found
with esports is it’s a way for stu
dents to connect because they’re
engaged, they’re involved in
See Esports 14A
Holiday office and e-edition schedule
Forsyth County News offices will be closed
Friday, Nov. 26.
The Weekend edition of the paper will be deliv
ered as normal and post to the website Friday.
There will be no new epaper over the weekend,
but any breaking news will be posted to the
website.
We will resume our normal schedule next week.
ByAshlyn Yule
ayule@forsythnews.com
Change will be coming to 143 acres off Concord Road
and the planning commission following recent decisions
from the Board of Commissioners work session on
Tuesday, Nov. 22.
Commissioners approved a large residential develop
ment between Concord Road and Dahlonega Highway,
close to Pirkle Place and Thomas Lane.
Previously, applicant Beazer Homes LLC requested to
rezone about 143 acres from agricultural district to a resi
dential one for 164 single-family homes.
A public hearing for this item was held before the plan
ning commission in November, and board members
voted to recommend approval of the project.
Commissioners approved the rezoning request at their
SeeB0C|8A
60/51
Forecast! 2A
High school
seniors in
Forsyth can
apply for $2.5K
scholarships.
6A
Forsyth County News app
available for download
Find the app at
forsythnews.com/apps
for local news at your
fingertips.
□
7
Volume 113, Number 90
© 2022, Forsyth County News
Cumming, Georgia
| \^^Your family and Friends are cordially
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Sunday, December 4th
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