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The worker who was freed from a construction accident Tuesday in Buford was at the home of an Atlanta Falcons player, according to a media report. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the home in the 3600 block of Camp Branch Road is owned by Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones. In a news release, Gwinnett Fire officials said the man was pinned by a heavy piece of concrete and was below grade in a ditch. He was pushed by dirt and heavy concrete against the foundation wall of the house. Firefighters believed the victim was positioned face down, with most of his waist and lower body …

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Norcross-based Suniva Inc., which is located next to the city of Peachtree Corners, has announced that it will expand it operations, and that 48 new positions will open up.  Specifically, company officials said that they will expand its solar photovoltaic module assembly operations here in Georgia. The main changes include turning the module assembly into a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week production, according to a company press release.  "Demand for Suniva’s high-efficiency solar products has produced unprecedented sales bookings in Q1,” said Greg Mihalik, Suniva vice president of manufacturing …

Gwinnett Police have identified the person who was shot dead Monday (May 13) in Buford in an officer-involved shooting as Rodney Pike, 38, of Buford. According to a police news release, Pike had warrants out of Forsyth County. The incident arose when police responded to a "wanted person located" call at 5307 Pass Court address in Buford about 3:39 p.m. Monday, police said. The caller also advised that Pike was a drug user and would run from police. According to the Gwinnett Police news release: Several officers arrived on scene at 3:58 PM.  Upon sight of the officers, Pike fled on foot and …

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After a week of searching for him, Gwinnett County Police have apprehended a suspected serial rapist from the Norcross area. Joseph Tyler Sivonda, 23, was taken into custody Thursday morning (May 9), according to a news release from police spokesman Cpl. Jake Smith. "A team of Gwinnett County Police Department detectives, U.S. Marshals, and deputies from the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit located Sivonda at an apartment in Duluth," continued Smith. He was staying with Tiffany Martin, 30, who also was arrested and charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon. Sivonda is …

A Mountain View High School teacher is facing a charge of sexual assault in connection with an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student. According to Gwinnett County Public Schools Director of Media Relations Jorge Quintana, Mountain View High School mathematics teacher Thomas Frederick Grimshaw, of 2840 Ashton Tree Court in Dacula, resigned Monday, May 6, as a result of a human resources investigation into the alleged relationship.   The investigation began May 3 after MVHS principal Keith Chaney reported a possible sexual assault, which allegedly occurred at the school on April 29…

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Brian McCann's "homecoming" will only be part of the fun for the coming homestand for the Gwinnett Braves. McCann, the Atlanta Braves' veteran catcher and Duluth High grad, will continue to work back from offseason shoulder surgery during the G-Braves' eight-game homestand, which begins Thursday, May 2. He already has been getting in some work with the Class A Rome Braves. On Wednesday, McCann concluded that four-game stint with totals of .357 (5 for 13) and three home runs, according to the Rome News-Tribune. “I’m pretty excited about where I’m at,” McCann said before Wednesday's game. It is…

A Lawrenceville man was arrested Wednesday (May 1) for setting his home on fire after a domestic dispute with his wife. Ivan Jaramillo, 42, was booked around 11 a.m. on a first-degree arson charge, according to Gwinnett County jail records. In a news release, Gwinnett Fire spokesman Capt. Tommy Rutledge said fire investigators believe Jaramillo intentionally set fire to the master bedroom on the second floor of his home, located in the 200 block of Galesburg Drive. "Sufficient evidence was found that indicated Jaramillo started the fire, which caused moderate damage to the room of origin and …

Jessica Loren Posey, 25, was sentenced on Monday to serve more than seven years in federal prison for transporting a 16-year-old juvenile girl to Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio for the purpose of prostitution. Several metro Atlanta agencies assisted in the case, including the Gwinnett County Police Department. “Child sex trafficking is an horrific crime committed by both men and women,” said United States Attorney Sally Yates. “This defendant had no regard for the vulnerability of her victim and lured her into a quick-money lifestyle that led to the juvenile’s repeated sexual exploitation. …

Former Atlanta mayor and Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Youngwas chosen as Georgia Gwinnett College's commencement speaker for the May 17th ceremony. “Ambassador Young is one of our nation’s most inspiring leaders,” said GGC President Daniel Kaufman in a release. “His many public service roles give him a unique perspective on the issues and opportunities facing graduates entering today’s global economy. His life demonstrates what a dedicated citizen can do for his community, state and nation. His perspectives are uniquely appropriate for our graduating seniors.” Young worked with Dr…

Twelve-year-old Alexis Seith of Duluth is playing "Scout" in "To Kill a Mockingbird" at Lionheart Theatre in Norcross. The play opens Friday, April 26, and runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through May 12. Alexis started acting at age 6 when she played "Zuzu" in the New Dawn Theater production of "It's a Wonderful Life" at the Red Clay Theater. She has appeared in several local community theater productions at New Dawn Theater and in Drama Club plays at Chattahoochee Elementary School. She is really excited to play Scout, her first real lead.  "The people at …

       A production company is expected to start filming Wednesday (April 24) for the opening scene of a Christmas movie in Historic Downtown Norcross. Crews could arrive as early as 4:30 a.m. to begin shooting the flick, which is about parents dealing with the stresses of kids and the holidays, according to the city of Norcross website. Filming is expected to last only Wednesday through 7 p.m., but depending on weather and other conditions, the shoot in Norcross could take longer and may continue on Thursday, said production team's location manager Kai Thorup. According to the National …

Two men have been arrested in connection to robbing a Waffle House in Norcross and firing shots at police officers during a car chase. According to Gwinnett County Police spokesman Cpl. Jake Smith and jail records, Tamari Adams, 24, of Norcross, was arrested and charged with armed robbery, fleeing or eluding police, two counts of aggravated assault, and multiple traffic violations. Tavares Douglas Harris, 25, of Lithonia, was arrested and charged with armed robbery, providing a false name to an officer and two counts of aggravated assault. They remain in jail without bond. The incident …

Update, Monday 10:50 a.m.: Police say they got a call about the home invasion around 7:30 a.m. and arrived on scene at 7:35 a.m. The two kids in the apartment are pre-teens. Crime scene unit, homicide investigators are here gathering evidence right now. Members of the district attorney's office are here, too. There are multiple witnesses. It's not clear if the suspect took anything. There's no info on the suspect. Police have to identify next of kin. ---- The suspect in a home invasion is dead after being shot by police in the Norcross area. According to Gwinnett County Police spokesman Cpl. …

For Peachtree Corners golf fans planning on attending the Greater Gwinnett Championship you may want to watch for a golfer named James Mason. He hails from nearby Duluth. The 62-year-old, a veteran on the PGA Champions Tour, is playing in the Greater Gwinnett Championship at TPC Sugarloaf over the next three days (April 19-21). Mason has played in more than 200 PGA Champions Tour events all over the United States in the past 10 years and has amassed more than $2 million in career wins. “Sometimes I get paid – I get a check – and sometimes I don’t,” he said. “It’s all based on performance.” …

The Gwinnett Police officer who fatally shot the Suwanee hostage-taker during the April 10, 2013 standoff also was involved in another high profile incident. Sgt. Jason Teague has been released from the hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to his left forearm. The wound came in a gunfire exchange with Lauren Brown, who held five Gwinnett firefighters hostage for several hours after a 911 call that was a hoax. Teague also was involved in the 2005 Brian Nichols slaying saga that began in a courthouse in Atlanta, according to a Gwinnett Police news release. Nichols, who was on trial for rape…

The head of College Prep Academy in Duluth and other school officials have been indicted on charges of conspiring to bring illegal aliens into the country and issuing them fraudulent immigration documents.  Dong Seok Yi, 52, of Duluth, president and CEO of the English language school named College Prep Academy, was charged with conspiracy and making false statements in immigration documents, according to U.S. Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in U.S. District Court in Atlanta. Yi owns the Korean Times Atlanta, a local newspaper. Also indicted were Sook An Kil, a/k/a …