The Fourth of July time will be a festive one in nine of the Gwinnett cities, marked by patriotic activity followed by fireworks at sundown. Seven cities have no official celebration.
Auburn, and Loganville start the celebratory weekend with activities on Saturday, while Lawrenceville, Norcross and Sugar Hill have activities on July 3.
The list of city activities upcoming include:
- Auburn: Festivities kick off on Saturday, June 29, at City Hall beginning at 6 p.m. with fireworks at sundown.
- Berkeley Lake: Fireworks are scheduled around the lake Thursday at sundown.
- Braselton: Activities will be held downtown, starting at 5 p.m., July 4, with fireworks at dark.
- Buford: no fireworks.
- Dacula: no fireworks.
- Duluth: no fireworks.
- Grayson: no fireworks.
- Lawrenceville: Prelude to the Fourth will be on Wednesday, July 3 at the Lawrenceville Lawn at 6 p.m., with fireworks at sundown. `
- Lilburn: Sparkles in City Park, 76 Main Street, begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday with fireworks about 9:30, as it gets dark.
- Loganville: This city’s independence celebration kicks off the July 4 celebration on Saturday, June 29, at 6 p.m. at West Walton Park (behind police station), with fireworks at sundown.
- Norcross: Red White and Boom in Norcross will be held on July 3, starting at 5 p.m. with a celebration in Lillian Webb Park, followed by fireworks at dark.
- Peachtree Corners: no fireworks.
- Rest Haven: no fireworks.
- Snellville: Stars Spangled Snellville Celebration is on the Town Green, 2342 Oak Road, Thursday from 4-10 p. m, followed by fireworks.
- Sugar Hill: The holiday celebration begins at 6:30 on July 3 at E. E. Robinson Park, followed by fireworks at sundown.
- Suwanee: no fireworks.
As reported earlier, the Gwinnett Stripers will be playing an “away” game on July 4, but on July 4 Coolray Field will host the county’s largest fireworks show. It will be called “Fourth on the Field,” starting at 5 p.m. Activities include a movie, live music, food, and kids’ activities. Tickets are $10 per adult and $5 for kids (12 and under) in advance. Day-of-event tickets will be $15 per adult and $10 for kids. Parking is free until 7 p.m. that night.
Libertarian Party qualifies candidate for president
The year 2024 is a historical moment as the Libertarian Party of Georgia’s access to the ballot is exclusively dependent on the votes earned for president this election because of a pending elections lawsuit challenging the system Georgia uses to elect Public Service Commissioners. This is unprecedented in the history of the Libertarian Party of Georgia.
The Secretary of State issued a statement on March 6, 2024, canceling the Public Service Commission (PSC) races for the 2024 election cycle, leaving only the presidential ticket to secure ballot access. A federal court decision on August 5, 2022, halted Georgia’s PSC election following a lawsuit that alleged Georgia’s election methods unfairly disadvantaged black voters under the Voting Rights Act.
However, this was later overruled by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. The plaintiffs in the case appealed the decision by the Appellate Court, sending the case to the Supreme Court who declined to hear the case on June 24. The Libertarian Party of Georgia nominated Victoria Salvia of Atlanta for PSC 3, Tom Blooming of Smyrna for PSC 4, and Colin McKinney of Athens for PSC 2 at their annual convention earlier this year, to appear on the ballot alongside the party’s presidential nominee.
The Libertarian Party of Georgia qualifies its electors for the 2024 presidential nominee as Chase Oliver, of Atlanta, secured ballot access for 2024. Oliver became the party’s presidential nominee last month at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington D.C. Oliver in a race for the U.S. Senate seat in Georgia, got 2.07 percent of the vote.
- Learn more about the candidate at www.votechaseoliver.com. More information about ballot access for third parties in Georgia can be found at www.bedrockballotaccess.com.
Lawrenceville approves 2025 budget at $189 million
The city of Lawrenceville has approved a $189 million budget for fiscal year 2025, which calls for a slight ad valorem tax increase. This planned increase will result in a millage rate of 3.26 mills, an increase of 1.206 mills (above the roll-back rate). Even with this increase, Lawrenceville’s millage rate remains the lowest among all Gwinnett County cities with city police departments. The new budget came after input from the Financial Review Citizen’s Committee, two budget work sessions, and two public hearings.
The FY2025 budget focuses on four key areas: Community Engagement, Capital Improvements, Revenue Adjustments and Restructuring, and Staff Retention and Recruitment. Lawrenceville is committed to fostering a thriving community by allocating funds to these critical sectors, addressing pressing needs, and ensuring continued growth.
The approved budget provides additional funding for transitional housing, offering essential assistance to individuals facing homelessness. It also includes significant investments for a new Greenway Trail system and doubling the funding for street resurfacing in the coming year. The city is committing to a five percent salary increase for eligible staff.
Citizens may visit the agendas and minutes section of the city website for additional details and to view the full budget presentation.
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