Falcons drop out of playoff
picture with 31 -17 loss to Saints.
SPORTS, 1B
(The ®tmes
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23,2018 | $1.00 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com
Local dragon boat coach given
vessel from world championship.
LIFE, 6B
Honestly Local
Police have eyes open for Black Friday
Law enforcement using creative approach" with
drones, plain-clothes officers to keep shoppers safe
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
Police have eyes in the skies and
in the stores this holiday season to
stop would-be shoplifters and car
thieves prowling the local shopping
centers.
Between flying drones, putting
officers in plain clothes and using
unmarked cars, Sgt. Kevin Holbrook
said the department is continuing
its “creative approach” to curb
ing crime during the holiday shop
ping season in its “Spot the Cop”
campaign.
“It’s thinking-outside-of-the-box
type techniques to prevent crimes
No. 1, but by chance there is a crime
(being) able to handle it quickly, ” he
said.
Some officers will be in
unmarked cars while supported by
the ATV and bicycle units.
Others have flown the drones
above the shops to learn the parking
lot capacity and see where to best
allocate resources.
“It also allows us to get a sky-
view ... looking for those suspicious
activities. So if there’s an individual
walking around, looking in windows
and pulling on door handles, then it
allows us to be able to zone in on that
individual,” Holbrook said.
Moving inside, the department
will also focus on curbing shoplifting
in the retail stores.
“The plain-clothes officers will
be in the shopping areas and malls,
walking through, assisting with our
local loss prevention officers,” Hol
brook said.
The department will also have a
heavy patrol presence along Daw-
sonville Highway and other heavily
traveled corridors to enforce traffic
laws.
MARIO SANCHEZ I The Times
A law enforcement officer stands outside the Best Buy on Dawsonville
Highway in Gainesville on Thursday, Nov. 22, as shoppers wait to enter
the store to begin holiday shopping. Local police are employing a number
of methods to watch for thieves and keep shoppers safe.
A community coming together
Photos by SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
Mario Flores smiles over conversation during dinner service at the Good News at Noon annual Thanksgiving Day meal Thursday, Nov. 22.
Good News at Noon volunteers serve up traditional Thanksgiving meals
BY MEGAN REED
mreed@gainesvilletimes.com
Good News at Noon, a shelter and ministry
in Gainesville, serves homemade meals every
day of the year, and on Thursday, its Davis
Street dining room welcomed the commu
nity for a traditional Thanksgiving lunch and
dinner.
The usual Thanksgiving staples were served
by more than 50 volunteers, including turkey,
ham, dressing, potatoes, green beans and
gravy. And after people finished their meals,
they were able to pick up groceries, clothing
and to-go boxes with leftovers to take with
them.
Shelter manager Antoine Harris said he
enjoyed seeing the community come together
■ Please see TOGETHER, 8A
Julie, right, and Jordan Battle get food bowls filled Thursday, Nov. 22, joining a host of volunteers
preparing the Thanksgiving Day meal.
Man, his
mother in
custody
following
SWAT
standoff
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
A man and his mother were
arrested Wednesday night after
a standoff at a Buford home.
Gwinnett County Police acti
vated its SWAT team around 7
p.m. after reports that a man had
fired shots in the air on Maple
Wood Trail, police said.
“Officers responded to reports
that a known family member
was armed and firing gunshots
into the air. Responding offi
cers arrived and the suspect
barricaded himself inside of his
home,” Gwinnett County Police
public information officer J.D.
Albright wrote in an email.
The suspect, Peter Scrocca, 30,
and his mother, Arlene Scrocca,
60, remained inside the home,
while other family members ran
after the gunfire.
Arlene Scrocca had stayed
willingly, and was “not believed
to be in any danger from her
son,” Albright wrote in an
updated release.
Arlene Scrocca was later
“removed from the situation
after walking outside of the resi
dence,” according to police.
Just before midnight, Peter
Scrocca surrendered to mem
bers of the SWAT team without
incident and was taken into
custody.
Peter Scrocca is facing mul
tiple warrants from the initial
gunfire, police said.
Arlene Scrocca was charged
with one count of obstruction.
INSIDE
0 40901 06835
Advice 7B
Bridge 7B
Business 7A
Calendar 2A
Classified 9B
8 Comics 8B
Life 6B
Lottery 2A
Opinion 6A
Our Region 8A
Sports 1B
TV/puzzles 7B
WEATHER 2A
High Low
M 47 38
Lake Lanier level: 1,070.52 feet
Full pool 1,071. Down 0.03 feet in 24 hours
DEATHS 9A
Thomas Paris, 79
Roy Gabrels, 77
Eliseo Gonzalez, 81
Annie Gravitt, 91
Betty Harbin, 75
Dell Huey, 89
Dannie Kidd, 52
Dean Stephens, 91
HasftM!
CHEVROLET BUICK CMC I CADILLAC
HAYES0FBALDWIN.COM
2018 SPECIAL
CLOSEOUT!
OVER
200 TRUCKS
AVAILABLE!
DURING OUR BIGGEST
SALE OF THE YEAR!
ONLY AT
HAYES OF BALDWIN
3656 HIGHWAY 365 ■ ALTO, GA 30510
706-405-2730
