🌱 Recent Spike In County Homicides + Absentee Ballot Drop Box

Hello, neighbors! It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Daily. Let's get this Wednesday started off right with a quick guide to the most important things happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

A stray afternoon t-storm. High: 71 Low: 62.

🏡 Attention, real estate pros in Dacula! We're now offering an exclusive sponsorship opportunity for an agent interested in attracting local clients and standing apart from the competition. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories today in Dacula:

1. Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gaston reports that there have been 32 homicide investigations in the county this year. Two of those 32 occurred within just the last week. Gaston believes that the causes of the recent spike in homicides are the number of guns on the street and a lack of education among youth on how to resolve arguments. (11 Alive)
2. There will be an absentee ballot drop box in Dacula. The drop box will be located at the Dacula Park Activity Building at 2735 Old Auburn Avenue. The drop box will be available for use between Oct. 17 and Nov. 4 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Residents can use this link to request an absentee ballot. (11Alive.com WXIA)
3. The two suspects in the shooting of Elijah DeWitt will be extradited to Gwinnett County. Kemare Bryan, 18 years old, and Chandler Zion Richardson, 19 years old, were arrested last week in South Carolina. The two have been charged with felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, and possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. (NBC News)

Today in Dacula:

• Toddler Time At Dacula Public Library (10:30 AM)
• Trivia Night At Sliced Oakwood Pizza And Bar, Flowery Branch (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Is the current housing market making you feel a little overwhelmed? Consider this list of the latest properties in the Dacula area to hit the market. Click to view the full list of properties that includes prices, photos, and property dimensions. (Dacula Patch)
• Dacula City Council's next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7:00 p.m. Mark your calendar. (City of Dacula)
• Gwinnett County Public Library's Student Film Fest will begin accepting submissions on Tuesday, Nov. 1. The deadline for submission is Sunday, Jan. 22. Click to learn more. (Gwinnett County Public Library)

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Events:

• Play Day for a Cause at Kiddie Academy of Dacula (October 15)
• Add your event

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! See you all tomorrow morning for another update.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a senior writer with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.