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Smoke Rise, GA · Events

Gwinnett Daily Post

partner publisher · 2.9K followers

Archer survives tough region for state playoff trip

When the Class AAAAAAA high school brackets were finalized last weekend, Archer and North Cobb drew a familiar opponent in the first round. The two teams played each other the previous two years in the regular season, so Friday’s state playoff matchup makes it three straight seasons. North Cobb won both previous meetings, 28-14 at home in 2025 and 49-21 at Archer in 2024. Archer reached the postseason while navigating an incredibly tough schedule that included No. 3 overall seed Carrollton before a region slate that featured No. 2 Newton, No. 12 Grayson and No. 19 South Gwinnett. The Tigers were off last week after a 49-23 loss at Newton in Game 10. After losing record-breaking Jordan Do to graduation off last season’s team, Archer still leans heavily on its quarterback, Jamal Ambler. The junior has 1,797 passing yards and 17 TDs, along with 241 rushing yards and three TDs. His top targets are Robbie Dunn Jr. (65 catches, 722 yards, nine TDs), Avery Booth (34-433-3), Jayden Davis (24-312-3) and Gary Isaac (23-175-4). Archer’s defensive playmakers include Joshua Booker (68 tackles, three for losses, five caused fumbles), Kevin Gwibuka (65 tackles, three for losses, four interceptions, two caused fumbles, one

Lawrenceville, GA · 2d

Marietta Daily Journal

partner publisher · 28.8K followers

Archer upends North Cobb in Round 1

ACWORTH — Archer’s coach doesn’t consider the five setbacks in the Tigers’ last six regular season games to be losses. Instead, they were lessons that prepared the way for a first-round playoff victory. Archer defeated North Cobb 24-17 Friday night. The Tigers move on to play Buford, which is ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 3 in the nation by MaxPreps and USA Today. It was the eighth straight season the Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs at home. “We played arguably one of the toughest schedules in the state of Georgia, and we welcomed it,” Archer coach Dante Williams said. “We’re the ones that signed up for it because to be the best, you have to beat the best. “And so, you know, five of those games didn’t go our way, but they weren’t necessarily losses. We talk about them being lessons. We learned a lot and we knew if we just get into the tournament, get into the playoffs, we’ll be battle-tested and ready as anybody in the state.” They certainly were Friday at Emory Sewell Stadium, where the Tigers defense kept North Cobb in check. Archer (6-5) held Zach Belyeu, the leading rusher in Georgia’s

Kennesaw, GA · 12h

sevenlakes.news

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Polar Vortex Could Drive Lows Up to 23 Degrees Below Normal Across Atlanta, Clayton and Dahlonega as Arctic Air Targets Thanksgiving Week

ATLANTA — North Georgia will get a short winter chill this weekend, and temperatures should rebound by the end of next week. The bigger story is the chance of a truly Arctic air mass arriving Thanksgiving week, driven by the polar vortex. The latest European model shows morning lows running 17 to 21 degrees below normal by November 24, with some spots even colder.

Atlanta, GA · 2d

fox5atlanta.com

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Conyers hosts Patriots playoff showdown

First-year head coach Quincy Carter prepares the undefeated region champion Heritage Patriots for a windy first-round playoff showdown in Conyers against a New Manchester Jaguars defense coming off a 10-sack game.

Conyers, GA · 13h

The Rockdale Citizen

partner publisher · 4.1K followers

Festive Night of Lights set for Nov. 21 in Conyers

CONYERS — A fleet of 200 illuminated drones will light up the sky over Olde Town Conyers on Saturday, Nov. 21, as the city welcomes the holiday season with its inaugural Festive Night of Lights celebration. The free, family-friendly event will run from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in Olde Town Conyers and will feature a choreographed holiday drone show, Christmas lights, live music, reindeer, visits with Santa Claus, and activities for children. The celebration, organized by the city of Conyers, is designed to bring residents and visitors downtown for an evening of holiday entertainment while encouraging them to explore local restaurants, shops and businesses. The evening’s main attraction will be a holiday-themed drone show featuring 200 synchronized drones performing aerial formations set to festive music. The show is scheduled to begin around 6 p.m. The Entertainment District in the heart of Olde Town will serve as the primary viewing area. Additional recommended viewing locations include the Nancy Guinn Library parking lot, the parking lot behind Whistle Post Tavern at 935 Railroad St., The Book Cellar parking lot at 951 Railroad St. and parking areas at 954 and 977 S. Main St. Organizers encourage visitors to arrive early to secure a

Conyers, GA · 1d

fox5atlanta.com

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Caribbean flavors for Thanksgiving at Elevation

Levation Kitchen and Cocktails in Conyers is serving up a Caribbean-American twist on Thanksgiving favorites. Owner Shane Corrodus and co-owner and chef Neville Walker share dishes from the restaurant’s fall menu, including jerk turkey, jerk turkey wings, fried turkey, candied yams, macaroni and cheese, rice and peas, and Rasta pasta made with coconut milk and Jamaican jerk spices. The restaurant plans to open on Thanksgiving and offer catering.

Conyers, GA · 1d

thechampionnewspaper.com

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CEO recommends temporary pause on urban camping ordinance action

DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson is proposing a preparation period before the county implements its newly approved urban camping ordinance. Saying enforcement should be paired with outreach, shelter, behavioral health services, and pathways to stable housing, Cochran-Johnson proposed a 120-day pause before any actions are taken. The DeKalb County Board...

Dekalb County, GA · 1d

Gwinnett Daily Post

partner publisher · 2.9K followers

Shiloh draws huge state test in reigning state champion Creekside

In its return to the state football playoffs, Shiloh faces a tall task in Round 1. The Generals travel Friday night to play at Creekside, last year’s Class AAAA state champion after a 15-0 season. The Seminoles, who haven’t lost to a Georgia team since falling to Marist in the 2024 state semifinals, are 9-1 this season after reeling off nine straight wins since a season-opening loss to Clay-Chalkville (Ala.). Quarterback Savoy Nichols, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound dual threat, leads a balanced Creekside offense with 2,061 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. The Tarleton State (Texas) commit is joined in the backfield by several playmakers led by Clemson commit Gary Walker (927 rushing yards, 15 TDs) and Branden Wiley (580 rushing yards, 12 TDs). Five Creekside receivers have at least four TD catches, including Boston College commit Armani Hill (19-478-7). Other standouts on the loaded Creekside roster include Alabama commit Darrius White and Tennessee commit Carter Jamison at defensive back, Auburn commit Jaylon Moore (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) at offensive line and Colorado commit Kenny Fairley at defensive line. A run-heavy Shiloh offense must find a way to crack a talented defense. The unit leans heavily on its line and senior running back

Snellville, GA · 2d

Gwinnett Daily Post

partner publisher · 2.9K followers

Central Gwinnett grad launches CollegeSeats to make college football ticket buying more affordable and secure

Adis Tucakovic and his friends had been burned one too many times buying tickets for college football games on the secondary marketplace. So the former Lawrenceville resident decided to “make a difference” by starting his own college-football ticket platform, CollegeSeats. “I’ve been on both sides of the ticketing problem — buying and selling,” said Tucakovic. “That’s where I came from with CollegeSeats and make a difference by putting a little positivity in the world. If you’ve ever bought tickets for a game, you have to find seats on a site, and the price looks fine and once you get to checkout, suddenly its 30% higher because of fees. “Or if you go to a Facebook group, then you’re sending money to strangers, hoping the tickets are real. That’s the burn. There’s always one winner and it’s the people setting the fees. Those are the people who are collecting the money — they are the winners. Everyone else — the buyers and the sellers — are the losers because of the fees.” A 2020 graduate of Central Gwinnett High School who went on to earn a degree in computer science from the University of Georgia, Tucakovic works for the U.S. Air

Lawrenceville, GA · 2d

fox5atlanta.com

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Toys for Tots launches North Georgia campaign with 87,000 toys donated

ATLANTA - Toys for Tots kicked off its annual holiday campaign Thursday at a new Stone Mountain warehouse, where organizers are racing to collect 1 million toys for children in need by Dec. 21. Stone Mountain holiday campaign. What we know:. Gov. Brian Kemp proclaimed Thursday as Toys for Tots...

Stone Mountain, GA · 1d

fox5atlanta.com

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Atlanta’s 'Guru of Abs' and local seniors set new world record

DaShaun Johnson led more than 290 seniors in a fitness and nutrition lesson at the Samson Health & Fitness Center in Stonecrest, setting a Guinness World Records mark. The new record follows Johnson’s May record for the largest core fitness class, with 420 participants. The event also launched Johnson’s...

Atlanta, GA · 1d

Marietta Daily Journal

partner publisher · 28.8K followers

North Cobb has hands full with visiting Archer

North Cobb is going up against an Archer team that has lost five of its past six games. It would appear that the Warriors (8-2) are facing good odds of getting through the first round of the Class AAAAAAA state playoffs tonight at home. Here’s the catch. Four of Archer’s losses came against top-tier programs such as Roswell, Carrollton, Grayson and Newton. The Tigers’ losses to Roswell and Newton were both high-scoring affairs while Grayson and Carrollton were more lopsided. While Archer (5-5) lost by more than 30 points to Carrollton, Archer’s defense held the Trojans to fewer than 40. Carrollton scored more than 60 in seven of their 10 wins this year. “They are a very physical and big football team,” North Cobb coach Shane Queen said. “This is a team that is better than what their record indicates. They held Carrollton to their lowest point total all year.” The Warriors aren’t a team that spends time dwelling on their opponents. They focus more on how they help themselves. They know that Archer’s first-year starting sophomore quarterback CJ Cypher has already thrown for 3,164 yards this season, 48 touchdowns and no interceptions. Obviously they have to come up with

Kennesaw, GA · 1d

northatlantastar.com

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Home Sales Fall Sharply in Forsyth and Gwinnett, but Prices Hold Steady

Home sales fell more than 20% in Forsyth and Gwinnett counties in October compared with a year earlier, while median sale prices barely moved, leaving buyers facing much the same prices in a quieter market. Forsyth recorded 175 residential sales, down from 232 in October 2025, according to Georgia MLS....

Gwinnett County, GA · 1d

thechampionnewspaper.com

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Local youth football team seeks help for championship opportunity

The 404 Bulls 5U football team, a local youth development team based in Lithonia, has earned an opportunity to compete in the 5U National Championship in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 9–13, but the team is seeking community support to help offset travel and other expenses. Also known as the Young...

Lithonia, GA · 2d

wabe.org

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Gwinnett soccer twins held by ICE just days after sending their team to nationals

Nicolas “Nico” Azcarate Florez, a senior at Archer High School in Gwinnett County, came home from soccer practice last week and was about to start on his homework when he saw a notification pop up on his phone. A friend in one of his group chats – made...

Gwinnett County, GA · 1d

gcpsk12.org

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2028 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year: Gwinnett search committee narrows field to six finalists

Six Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) teachers have been selected as finalists for the 2028 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year (TOTY) title. The finalists are Robin Colwell of Baggett Elementary School, Dr. Jennifer Clark of Duncan Creek Elementary School, Brianca Noble of Lilburn Middle School, Tashana Gayle of Northbrook Middle School, Aqueelah Ahmad-Harris of Lanier High School, and Emille Williams of Seckinger High School.

Gwinnett County, GA · 20h

thechampionnewspaper.com

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Stephenson routs New Hampstead in round one

The No. 7 seeded Stephenson Jaguars scored 45 first half points in route to a 45-22 Class 4A high school football state playoff victory over the New Hampstead Phoenixes at Hallford Stadium on Nov. 12. Stephenson (10-1) jumped out in front when Zabrian Boler threw down the left sideline for...

Stone Mountain, GA · 20h

The Cool Down

partner publisher · 249.6K followers

Georgia woman drops health insurance after monthly premium jumps from $700 to $2,900

Enrollment is projected to drop to 816,000 in 2027.

Georgia · 1d

allaboutbeer.com

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Brewers Are Embracing the Haze

Recorded during the Mighty Fine ’26 Festival in Duluth, Georgia this is a panel discussion on the state of Juicy IPA in America. Host John Holl is joined by Conor Brown of Offset Bier, Jude LaRose of Hop Butcher for the World and Jeff Hardesty of Narrow Gauge for a lively discussion.

Duluth, GA · 1d

northatlantastar.com

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Home Inspectors Serving Duluth, Peachtree Corners, Norcross and Lawrenceville

A general home inspection is a visual assessment of accessible systems and components, not a warranty, engineering study or guarantee that every concealed problem will be found. Buyers should understand that scope before comparing inspection companies or adding specialized tests. These five businesses serve Duluth, Peachtree Corners, Norcross, Lawrenceville and...

Duluth, GA · 1d