🌱 Vehicle Fire Shuts Down I-85 N Ramp + Bulldogs Hire Dacula Native

Morning, everybody! I'm back with your fresh copy of the Dacula Patch newsletter. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening these days in town.

But first, today's weather:

Intervals of clouds and sun. High: 67 Low: 48.

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Here are the top three stories today in Dacula:

1. On Monday (Feb. 13) afternoon, a vehicle fire on the ramp from I-285 to I-85 North at Spaghetti Junction in Gwinnett County resulted in the closure of the ramp. The fire started around 2:01 PM and involved a fully loaded car carrier. The Georgia Department of Transportation reported that by 3:45 PM, one lane of the ramp had reopened after charred vehicles were removed with tow trucks. (Gwinnett Daily Post)
2. Markell Clark has joined the University of Georgia football program as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. He previously worked at Mississippi State and Arkansas State as a graduate assistant and intern, respectively. Clark, a Dacula native, played defensive line for Appalachian State and is excited to be back home in Georgia. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity via his personal Twitter account. (Dawgs 24/7)
3. TEDx Alexander Park will host a day-long event on Feb. 25 in nearby Sugar Hill. The event, held at the Eagle Theater, will feature 10 speakers and two entertainers discussing a range of topics, including technology, education, pet adoption, mindfulness, and consciousness. The event organizers say attendees will get" a unique opportunity to network and engage with speakers and other like-minded individuals," as it will be limited to only 100 attendees. This year's theme is "Back to the Basics." (Dacula Patch)

Today in Dacula:

• Preschool Storytime At Hamilton Mill Branch Library (11:00 AM)
• ACES Charity Poker At Del Rio Dacula (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for a new local job? Plenty of Dacula-area employers are hiring for full- and part-time positions across multiple job functions, including customer service, sales, warehousing, and more. Get the full details and learn how to apply at the link. (Dacula Patch)
• Dacula High School students and staff celebrated Black History Month by participating in Black History Spirit Week. Check out some photo highlights from the school's daily events in a recent Facebook post. (Dacula High School via Facebook)
• If you missed last night's public input meeting on the Piedmont Pathway Study in Dacula, there's one more scheduled for this Thursday, Feb. 16, at Best Friend Park Gym in nearby Norcross from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Share your opinion on how the county will develop this 28-mile cross-county trail! (City of Dacula)

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Featured events:

• BJ's Wholesale Club Pre-opening Limited-time Offer (February 23)
• TEDx in Gwinnett (February 25)
• Add your event

You're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager 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.