College basketball for both men and women is coming to Georgia Gwinnett College. The University System of Georgia recently approved the addition of men’s and women’s basketball teams intercollegiate sports programs, starting with the 2025-26 academic year.
This will add to the college’s highly successful athletics offerings in baseball, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, and men’s and women’s tennis that have competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) since the 2012-13 sports season.
The basketball teams are expected to compete and practice in the college’s new Convocation Center, a 72,280 square foot all-purpose building set to open this fall on the north end of the Lawrenceville campus. The $45-million center features a multipurpose arena for commencement, convocation and sporting events with seating capacity for up to 3,200 people. The center also includes locker rooms and fitness/wellness areas – all for use by students, faculty and staff. The facility will also host several community events annually.
GGC Executive Athletics Director Dr. Ian Potter says: “Basketball will bring new excitement to our campus and community, and increase opportunities for student engagement, school spirit and school pride. It also will enhance the GGC brand and bring further national attention to the college as our teams continue embracing our successful footprint within the NAIA.”
Searches for head coaches of the men’s and women’s basketball programs will commence this summer, with recruitment of student-athletes for teams during the 2024-25 academic year. Georgia Gwinnett College athletic teams have captured 18 NAIA national championships and 27 conference tournament titles during the past 12 athletic seasons.
Preservation Board seeks nominees for recognition
The Gwinnett County Historical Restoration and Preservation Board is seeking nominations for individuals or organizations that have contributed greatly to preserving and protecting Gwinnett’s history. Deadline is August 15, 2024.
The Board seeks a person or organization that has contributed greatly to the historic restoration and preservation of Gwinnett County sites, artifacts, oral history, written historic documentation or care of such items. Those nominating should read the criteria to make sure that the nomination is complete before submission.
Email or mail completed nominations forms to: HRPB@GwinnettCounty.com or send by mail to the Department of Community Services 466 West Crogan Street, Suite 100, Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046, ATTN: Cammie Mansfield .
A person or organization that has contributed greatly to the historic restoration and preservation of Gwinnett County sites, artifacts, oral history, written historic documentation or care of such items. Incomplete submissions may result in our inability to review and accept your nomination.
When submitting the nomination, the nominator should summarize the reasons succinctly. The nominator may include five to ten images. These images need to provide an accurate impression of the individual or organization accomplishments and/or associated projects being submitted. If awarded, these will be used during the award ceremony and in other publications. Submission of images by nominator constitutes a release-agreement allowing Gwinnett County to use images for all publicity and educational purposes. These images should be submitted as .jpeg and at least 300 dpi. Please provide a list of images with short captions and credits (if applicable) for each image submitted.Nominations may be sent by email to Amelia.Lewis@GwinnettCounty.com.
Jackson EMC linemen train on energized power lines
This photo shows the Timpson Trainer (gray box), which energizes the lines for linemen to train safely.
Jackson EMC’s newest linemen are getting hands-on experience with a state-of-the-art live line simulator, which allows linemen to train using real, energized power lines. The system keeps the electric current to a safe, non-lethal level, similar to an electric fence. Using controlled, live lines allows linemen to train in a more realistic setting, with more realistic consequences.
Jackson EMC Safety and Training Specialist Jeremy Gee says: “There is an immediate change in attitude and work practice when the guys go from working on de-energized lines to when I turn on the simulator and the lines go hot. All of a sudden, especially with the newer linemen, when the lines become energized, it puts the training they’re doing into a different perspective. It becomes more real to them.”
Jackson EMC added the Timpson Trainer to its safety and training program in late 2023. This type of live line simulator is often found at linemen training schools, but Jackson EMC is the first EMC in the country to own one, proving its ongoing commitment to safety.
This tool is valuable for training newer linemen and is also beneficial to more seasoned linemen. Jackson EMC’s safety team can build and set up special pole structures that allow linemen to work through troubleshooting certain situations. With energized lines, training will be more realistic and linemen can see actual results as they work through the issues.
According to Gee, the live line simulator has been a great response to the addition to the lineman training program. “They’re linemen – they signed up to work on live, energized lines and this trainer lets them do that in a safe environment. When they can hear and feel the energy – that’s the real deal, and they love it,” he adds.
Green to represent local DAR chapter at national level
Caitlen Green has been selected to compete at the national level during the 133rd Daughters of the American Revolution Continental Congress in June. She and her husband live in Buford She was nominated by the Philadelphia Winn DAR chapter of Lawrenceville and recognized at the 126th DAR state conference.
Caitlen has performed DAR service at the national, state and local level since becoming a member five years ago. Caitlen is currently the second vice regent of the Philadelphia Winn Chapter and has been recently elected to serve as first vice regent during the 2024-2026 term.
She has been a chapter and state chair on many committees and has completed numerous DAR genealogy and leadership courses, as well as being a GCPS special education teacher for 14 years. The DAR Outstanding Junior Award recognizes young women from ages 18-35 who have promoted the aims and purposes of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as participating in community activities and projects.
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