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🌱 Patch AM: Will Gwinnett parents lose the choice to delay kindergarten?

Coming up on the Gwinnett County Patch calendar: Scrooge! A musical

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Tuesday December 16th Patch AM
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Hi Gwinnett County! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Will Gwinnett parents lose the choice to delay kindergarten?
  • What does an FBI Academy grad mean for Gwinnett policing?
  • Have you spotted Gwinnett’s massive new murals under I-85 yet?

Also on today's calendar: Scrooge! A musical and 5 more events.

Find out what's happening in Gwinnettfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Gwinnett County? Post it to Gwinnett County photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Find out what's happening in Gwinnettfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Weather forecast:

  • Tuesday: Sunny to partly cloudy, with a high of 55 and low of 30 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Partly sunny, temps: high: 54, low: 39.
  • Thursday: A shower in the p.m.; breezy, with a high of 61 and low of 42 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. How old is too old? Policy enforcement sparks debate over kindergarten ages in Gwinnett County (11alive.com) — Gwinnett County Public Schools is tightening enrollment rules so 5-year-olds enter kindergarten and 6-year-olds move to first grade, limiting parents’ ability to delay starting school. Some Gwinnett parents say they carefully planned to “redshirt” their children and feel blindsided, while a local state representative now plans legislation to restore that option statewide.
   

2. Gwinnett County Assistant Chief Graduates from Prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico (hoodline.com) — Gwinnett County residents can now count an FBI National Academy graduate among local police leadership, as Assistant Chief Chris Smith completed the elite 11‑week program in Quantico. His graduation highlights the Gwinnett County Police Department’s emphasis on advanced training and leadership development, joining a small fraction of officers nationwide who earn this credential and connect to a global law enforcement alumni network.
   

3. Mural surge in Gwinnett County hopes to be uniting force (11alive.com) — Drivers in Gwinnett County now pass major new murals along Sugarloaf Parkway and Jimmy Carter Boulevard, part of a push to brighten busy corridors and boost civic pride. The Sugarloaf and Gateway85 Community Improvement Districts say these large-scale artworks, funded with grants and local business dollars, aim to reflect the area’s diversity and make concrete-heavy spaces more welcoming.
   

4. Driver speeding to get friend home kills passengers in crash, police say (wsbtv.com) — Two passengers were killed early Friday when a car crashed on Ronald Reagan Parkway in Gwinnett County, and police say the driver was intoxicated and speeding. Officers report the 23-year-old driver showed multiple signs of impairment and now faces DUI, reckless driving, and vehicular homicide charges while being held without bond at the Gwinnett County Jail.
   

5. DPS Receives Funding from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety to Continue Traffic Enforcement Efforts (laniercountynewsonline.com) — Drivers in Gwinnett County will see continued DUI and traffic enforcement thanks to a $4.6 million grant funding Georgia’s Nighthawks DUI Task Force and related programs through September 2026. The North Unit, which covers Gwinnett along with several metro counties, will focus on catching impaired drivers, enforcing seatbelt and speed laws, and supporting troopers in license suspension hearings.
   

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Ok Gwinnett County! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don't know, but April May!
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