Hometown: Clinton, Iowa
Birthday: August 24.
John Barker returns to Patch after nearly a three-year absence. He was the founder of Douglasville Patch in 2010 and will now be covering a much wider area, including Douglasville, Dallas-Hiram, Logansville-Grayson, Dacula and Cumming, among other Georgia areas.
During his absence, John spent time as a public affairs specialist for both the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
He grew up in a small town in Iowa and served as a photojournalist in the Army for eight years. John served in Germany, West Point and Korea. He earned several military photojournalism awards including the Keith L. Ware Award and the Thomas Jefferson Award for a first-place entry for stories supported by photos. While a military photojournalist, John covered thousands of stories, including the Presidents of the United States Ronald Reagan and George H. Bush. He attended several military journalism and editor programs at the Defense Information School and was accepted, through portfolio, to attend the Army Advanced Photojournalism Course, held at the University of South Carolina. After serving in the Army, he worked as a writer and photographer for major daily newspapers like the San Antonio Express-News. He's also been an editor of several weekly newspapers in Texas and Georgia, including in Paulding and Douglas Counties. Owner of River City Images Portrait Studio for many years, John has used his photojournalism skills to photograph hundreds of weddings. He is married to Marina, his German-Italian wife.
Politics: I am not registered with any political party and strive to vote for the most qualified candidate.
Local Hot-Button Issues: I believe strongly in the arts and their importance in the community.
Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement is offering 500 free rabies vaccines at the inaugural South Gwinnett Pet Fest on Saturday.
The estimated street value of the marijuana plants and processed marijuana is more than $1.3 million. This is the 17th arrest in a week.
Beginning Saturday, moviegoers can experience ‘Brunch and a Movie’ at the brand-new, luxurious dinner-and-a-movie theater.
A Buford man was last seen leaving his house on March 18. His body was found half a mile away from his home.
A Gwinnett Chinese restaurant failed this week, with a 58 score, when the inspector found false claims of no MSG use and other violations.
Shian Alexander Martin, a guy who had rap sheets in Douglas and Paulding Counties, has been sentenced to life without parole In Cobb County.
The two men who were found dead in a Peachtree Corners apartment complex Thursday have been identified but the motive is still unknown.
Artist Jeff Mather will share behind the scene stories about robotics and art in this 45-minute interactive performance.
Suwanee Police Chief Mike Jones was honored for 45 years of outstanding service.
Gwinnett County Police are looking for leads to find a man who stole iPhones from a T-Mobile store.
Events will be hosted locally for Diabetes Alert Day in Norcross and Snellville.
Antoine Latroy Williams was convicted by a Cobb jury Wednesday of kidnapping and sexual battery.
A food trailer was stolen from the CubeSmart Rental facility located at 1575 N. Blairs Bridge in Lithia Springs.
Ending minor sex trafficking, health services for the uninsured and helping those with disabilities were Delta Community priorities.
The newest preschool in Dallas will hosts a grand opening fundraiser for Helping Hands of Paulding County this Saturday.
Judicial Circuit Judge George Carey Nelson, III, died Monday at age 71.
An arrested driver is facing homicide by vehicle and DUI charges after the man he hit was declared brain-dead Monday.
A woman told firefighters she woke to find her bed on fire and smoke filling the room in a Buford house fire Wednesday morning.
Two men are dead and a woman was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound in an early morning double homicide, according to police.
Downtown Lilburn is hosting it's first Downtown Lilburn Lil' Crawl, culminating with a free rock concert.
