🌱 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Blocked + GCPS Tapestry Exhibit

Hello, people of Duluth! It’s me again, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Duluth Daily.

First, today’s weather:

Cloudy. High: 60 Low: 50.

Here are the top three stories in Duluth today:

1. A tractor-trailer bottomed out on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard yesterday, blocking the busy Duluth roadway and delaying many residents’ morning commutes. Police say the vehicle was attempting to enter the Peachtree Hills Shopping center near Pleasant Hill Road when it got stuck and blocked the road in both directions. No further details have been released at this time. (CBS46 News Atlanta)
2. An investigation into Robert Allen Vandelthe former Roswell teacher who has been charged with the rape of a seventh-grade student, revealed a troubling history of inappropriate and unethical behavior, and past victims may include Duluth residents. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, Vandel, now 64, had taught at various Georgia schools since 1999 and may have had victims in as many as six other cities across the state. Multiple students have reportedly come forward over the years alleging that Vandel “touched them inappropriately, smacked them on the buttocks with a ruler, and engaged them in private conversations that were sexually suggestive.” (The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
3. Gwinnett County Public Schools is celebrating Youth Art Month with its annual Tapestry Exhibit. The 2022 Tapestry exhibit, which opened yesterday (Feb. 25), features a rotating gallery of art from students across the district. You can check out Tapestry now through Mar. 23 at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center (ISC), located at 437 Old Peachtree Rd. NW, in Suwanee. Artwork by students of Duluth schools will be featured during week two (Mar. 8 through 14). (Press Release Desk)

Today in Duluth:

• Eddie Owen Presents: Common Ground – Red Clay Music Foundry (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services is reminding locals to take back their time and lower anxiety. Regardless of what type of stress management techniques are used, making the time to manage stress produces a healthier version of you! (Facebook)
• According to the Duluth Police Department, the tractor-trailer that closed Peachtree Industrial Blvd. by bottoming out has been removed from the roadway and both directions of traffic are now reopened. (Facebook)
• The main parking lots in Downtown Duluth are due for restriping, so City Hall has created a map for upcoming lot closures and alternative parking. Closures will begin on Monday, Feb. 28 starting at 6 am (Facebook)

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You’re officially in the loop for today! I’ll be back in your inbox Monday morning with another update.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.