Top Stories for October 14th 

Publish Date:  October 14th 

From The BG AD Group Studio, Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. 


Today is Tuesday, October 14th and Happy Birthday to Dwight Eisenhower 


I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by KIA Mall of Georgia 
Falcons serve up support for breast cancer fighters at Dazzle & Dine event
Beckles to deliver keynote address at KSU Fintech Hackathon
Pipe Dream: Retired teacher Ken Leach upcycles PVC into marine life art 

All of this and more is coming up on the Gwinnett Daily Post podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe! 

Break 1: Kia MOG 


STORY 1:     Falcons serve up support for breast cancer fighters at Dazzle & Dine event 

Zach Harrison stood at the hibachi grill, spatula in hand, a crowd of phones aimed at him like it was game day. “More veggies?” he asked, flipping a perfect scoop onto a plate. The crowd? Lost it. 

On last Tuesday night, five current and five former Falcons swapped helmets for aprons at Fumi Hibachi & Sushi in Duluth, cooking dinner for ten women who’ve battled breast cancer. “It’s a dope event,” said running back Tyler Allgeier. “Seeing their smiles—it’s awesome.” 

The night, part of the Falcons and Emory Healthcare’s Dazzle & Dine, wasn’t just about food. It was about celebrating resilience. Alexandra French, cancer-free for five years, said, “Tonight reminded me I’m still beautiful, still here, still me.” 

The women, treated to massages, makeovers, and a shopping spree earlier, walked into the restaurant on a pink carpet, greeted by applause and players ready to grill. From fire volcanoes to flying rice, the players brought their A-game. 


STORY 2:   Beckles to deliver keynote address at KSU Fintech Hackathon 

State Rep. Arlene Beckles, is set to speak to over 200 students later this month at Kennesaw State University’s Fall 2025 Fintech Hackathon. The event, running Oct. 24-25 at the KSU Center, challenges students to tackle real-world fintech problems—think payment security, compliance headaches, and cybersecurity. 

Beckles, a member of the Georgia House’s Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee, will deliver the keynote, emphasizing the role of young innovators in Georgia’s “Transaction Alley.” 

The Hackathon offers cash prizes—$4,000 for first place, $3,000 for second, and $2,000 for third—judged by fintech pros and academics. 


STORY 3:Pipe Dream: Retired teacher Ken Leach upcycles PVC into marine life art 

Ken Leach didn’t plan on becoming an artist. After 35 years teaching and coaching in Gwinnett County schools, he retired in 2022, unsure of what was next. Yard work? Sitting around? Not his style. Then, while cleaning out his basement, he stumbled on a forgotten gift—a Japanese swan made from PVC pipe, given to him decades ago by a student’s dad. That swan sparked an idea. 

Now, Leach transforms surplus PVC into lifelike egrets, flamingos, manta rays, and more. His work isn’t cartoony—he’s all about realism, except for the bold, eye-catching colors that make his pieces pop. 

At Suwanee Fest, his booth won the Mayor’s Choice Award, and he nearly sold out.  

Leach’s art isn’t just about creativity—it’s about purpose. He’s keeping PVC out of landfills, sourcing materials from plumbers, Facebook Marketplace, and even a guy with a 50-foot trailer full of pipe.  

Next up? The North Georgia Apple Festival, where he’s expecting 100,000 visitors.  

For more on PVSea Creations, check Facebook or Instagram, or email pvseacreatures@gmail.com. 


We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info. 

We’ll be right back 

Break 2: CITY OF SUGAR HILL 

 

STORY 4:Housing Matters: Rainbow Village gala, golf tournament raise nearly $750,000 

Skyrocketing rents and relentless demand are pushing people to the brink—some into overpriced hotels, others into homelessness. It’s a crisis, plain and simple. 

But in Duluth, Rainbow Village is fighting back. Their 20th annual gala and charity golf tournament raised an incredible $749,807 this year. The football-themed “Tailgate to Tackle Homelessness” event, hosted by Northside Hospital, featured mascots Freddie Falcon and Lil’ Fred, a mobile bar, and Emmy-winning sportscaster Ernie Johnson as emcee. 

Former resident Shakia S. shared how Rainbow Village’s support helped her become a medical assistant. And CEO Melanie Conner announced a bold expansion: 36 new apartments, doubling their capacity. 

Next up? A pickleball fundraiser on Nov. 15. Details at rainbowvillage.org/events. 

 

STORY 5:Solar power and data centers a focus for Public Service Commission candidate 

Peter Hubbard, a solar power advocate running for Georgia’s Public Service Commission, stood alone at last Wednesday’s debate—literally. His opponent, Republican Fitz Johnson, didn’t show. 

“Why didn’t you have the courage to defend your six rate hikes in two years?” Hubbard asked, staring into the camera. “And what’s your plan to lower power bills?” 

The PSC, a five-member board, oversees electricity, gas, and telecom providers. Hubbard is challenging Johnson for an abbreviated term in District 3, a race born out of a lawsuit that delayed elections and argued statewide voting diluted Black voters’ influence. 

Hubbard criticized current policies, claiming they favor data centers—huge energy consumers—at the expense of regular customers. He pushed for solar and battery storage as cheaper, more sustainable solutions. 

The election is Nov. 4, with local races likely driving turnout. 

 

STORY 6:Mill Creek Topples Collins Hill in Overtime Thriller 

For the second year in a row, Collins Hill and Mill Creek went to war in the second half. But this time, the Hawks walked away with the win. 

In overtime, Mill Creek’s Carson Hurter snagged a clutch interception, setting up Jayde Beasley’s two-yard, game-winning touchdown run. Final score: 20-14. Chaos on the field. 

Mill Creek quarterback Anderson Ragone threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns, while Beasley pounded out 158 rushing yards. Collins Hill’s A.J. Bush threw for 352 yards and two touchdowns but was picked off twice, including the game-sealer. 

 

STORY 7:ART BEAT: Stone Mountain Chorus presents 'A Music Man Showcase' at Red Clay Theatre 

“Seventy-six Trombones.” You hear it, and you’re already smiling, right? That iconic tune—and plenty more from The Music Man—is coming to Duluth on Oct. 26. If you’re into barbershop harmony or just need a feel-good Sunday, this is your ticket. 

The show kicks off at 3 p.m. at the Red Clay Music Foundry, a cozy 260-seat venue with top-notch sound and lighting.  

Expect a full lineup: four quartets, the full chorus, and even a Harold Hill stirring up “Trouble” in River City. Plus, Rontray Miller II—a rising star in choral music—will conduct. 

It’s barbershop, nostalgia, and pure joy rolled into one. 


We’ll have closing comments after this. 

Break 4: Ingles Markets


Signoff –  

Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.gwinnettdailypost.com 

Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. 

Produced by the BG Podcast Network 

 

Show Sponsors: 
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www.kiamallofga.com 

 

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Top Stories for October 14th&nbsp;
Publish Date:&nbsp; October 14th&nbsp;
From The BG AD Group Studio, Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast.&nbsp;
 Today is Tuesday, October 14th and Happy Birthday to Dwight Eisenhower&nbsp;
 I&rsquo;m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by KIA Mall of Georgia&nbsp;
<ol>
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<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="%1." data-font="" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Beckles to deliver keynote address at KSU Fintech Hackathon</li>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="%1." data-font="" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Pipe Dream: Retired teacher Ken Leach upcycles PVC into marine life art&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
All of this and more is coming up on the Gwinnett Daily Post podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!&nbsp;
Break 1: Kia MOG&nbsp;
 STORY 1:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/falcons-serve-up-support-for-breast-cancer-fighters-at-dazzle-dine-event/article_dd9c0abd-a963-426e-a972-411fabc11d02.html">Falcons serve up support for breast cancer fighters at Dazzle &amp; Dine event</a>&nbsp;
Zach Harrison stood at the hibachi grill, spatula in hand, a crowd of phones aimed at him like it was game day. &ldquo;More veggies?&rdquo; he asked, flipping a perfect scoop onto a plate. The crowd? Lost it.&nbsp;
On last Tuesday night, five current and five former Falcons swapped helmets for aprons at Fumi Hibachi &amp; Sushi in Duluth, cooking dinner for ten women who&rsquo;ve battled breast cancer. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a dope event,&rdquo; said running back Tyler Allgeier. &ldquo;Seeing their smiles&mdash;it&rsquo;s awesome.&rdquo;&nbsp;
The night, part of the Falcons and Emory Healthcare&rsquo;s Dazzle &amp; Dine, wasn&rsquo;t just about food. It was about celebrating resilience. Alexandra French, cancer-free for five years, said, &ldquo;Tonight reminded me I&rsquo;m still beautiful, still here, still me.&rdquo;&nbsp;
The women, treated to massages, makeovers, and a shopping spree earlier, walked into the restaurant on a pink carpet, greeted by applause and players ready to grill. From fire volcanoes to flying rice, the players brought their A-game.&nbsp;
 STORY 2:&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/beckles-to-deliver-keynote-address-at-ksu-fintech-hackathon/article_6251c64e-1834-428a-aa80-679e7432d94e.html">Beckles to deliver keynote address at KSU Fintech Hackathon</a>&nbsp;
State Rep. Arlene Beckles, is set to speak to over 200 students later this month at Kennesaw State University&rsquo;s Fall 2025 Fintech Hackathon. The event, running Oct. 24-25 at the KSU Center, challenges students to tackle real-world fintech problems&mdash;think payment security, compliance headaches, and cybersecurity.&nbsp;
Beckles, a member of the Georgia House&rsquo;s Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee, will deliver the keynote, emphasizing the role of young innovators in Georgia&rsquo;s &ldquo;Transaction Alley.&rdquo;&nbsp;
The Hackathon offers cash prizes&mdash;$4,000 for first place, $3,000 for second, and $2,000 for third&mdash;judged by fintech pros and academics.&nbsp;
 STORY 3: <a href="https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/entertainment/pipe-dream-retired-teacher-ken-leach-upcycles-pvc-into-marine-life-art/article_066186ac-6d90-4c7d-ae19-59108f1fb9dd.html">Pipe Dream: Retired teacher Ken Leach upcycles PVC into marine life art</a>&nbsp;
Ken Leach didn&rsquo;t plan on becoming an artist. After 35 years teaching and coaching in Gwinnett County schools, he retired in 2022, unsure of what was next. Yard work? Sitting around? Not his style. Then, while cleaning out his basement, he stumbled on a forgotten gift&mdash;a Japanese swan made from PVC pipe, given to him decades ago by a student&rsquo;s dad. That swan sparked an idea.&nbsp;
Now, Leach transforms surplus PVC into lifelike egrets, flamingos, manta rays, and more. His work isn&rsquo;t cartoony&mdash;he&rsquo;s all about realism, except for the bold, eye-catching colors that make his pieces pop.&nbsp;
At Suwanee Fest, his booth won the Mayor&rsquo;s Choice Award, and he nearly sold out.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Leach&rsquo;s art isn&rsquo;t just about creativity&mdash;it&rsquo;s about purpose. He&rsquo;s keeping PVC out of landfills, sourcing materials from plumbers, Facebook Marketplace, and even a guy with a 50-foot trailer full of pipe.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Next up? The North Georgia Apple Festival, where he&rsquo;s expecting 100,000 visitors.&nbsp;&nbsp;
For more on PVSea Creations, check Facebook or Instagram, or email <a href="mailto:pvseacreatures@gmail.com">pvseacreatures@gmail.com</a>.&nbsp;
 We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info.&nbsp;
We&rsquo;ll be right back&nbsp;
Break 2: CITY OF SUGAR HILL&nbsp;
&nbsp;
STORY 4: <a href="https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/housing-matters-rainbow-village-gala-golf-tournament-raise-nearly-750-000/article_e0b1e114-af31-4053-8673-0c698b789f0c.html">Housing Matters: Rainbow Village gala, golf tournament raise nearly $750,000</a>&nbsp;
Skyrocketing rents and relentless demand are pushing people to the brink&mdash;some into overpriced hotels, others into homelessness. It&rsquo;s a crisis, plain and simple.&nbsp;
But in Duluth, Rainbow Village is fighting back. Their 20th annual gala and charity golf tournament raised an incredible $749,807 this year. The football-themed &ldquo;Tailgate to Tackle Homelessness&rdquo; event, hosted by Northside Hospital, featured mascots Freddie Falcon and Lil&rsquo; Fred, a mobile bar, and Emmy-winning sportscaster Ernie Johnson as emcee.&nbsp;
Former resident Shakia S. shared how Rainbow Village&rsquo;s support helped her become a medical assistant. And CEO Melanie Conner announced a bold expansion: 36 new apartments, doubling their capacity.&nbsp;
Next up? A pickleball fundraiser on Nov. 15. Details at rainbowvillage.org/events.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
STORY 5: <a href="https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/solar-power-and-data-centers-a-focus-for-public-service-commission-candidate/article_2984db49-dc19-4e77-89e8-c2fce1cefe1c.html">Solar power and data centers a focus for Public Service Commission candidate</a>&nbsp;
Peter Hubbard, a solar power advocate running for Georgia&rsquo;s Public Service Commission, stood alone at last Wednesday&rsquo;s debate&mdash;literally. His opponent, Republican Fitz Johnson, didn&rsquo;t show.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Why didn&rsquo;t you have the courage to defend your six rate hikes in two years?&rdquo; Hubbard asked, staring into the camera. &ldquo;And what&rsquo;s your plan to lower power bills?&rdquo;&nbsp;
The PSC, a five-member board, oversees electricity, gas, and telecom providers. Hubbard is challenging Johnson for an abbreviated term in District 3, a race born out of a lawsuit that delayed elections and argued statewide voting diluted Black voters&rsquo; influence.&nbsp;
Hubbard criticized current policies, claiming they favor data centers&mdash;huge energy consumers&mdash;at the expense of regular customers. He pushed for solar and battery storage as cheaper, more sustainable solutions.&nbsp;
The election is Nov. 4, with local races likely driving turnout.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
STORY 6: <a href="https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/sports/prep/mill-creek-topples-collins-hill-in-overtime-thriller/article_a843813c-8fbb-44cf-a8b2-4bd8d27a2161.html">Mill Creek Topples Collins Hill in Overtime Thriller</a>&nbsp;
For the second year in a row, Collins Hill and Mill Creek went to war in the second half. But this time, the Hawks walked away with the win.&nbsp;
In overtime, Mill Creek&rsquo;s Carson Hurter snagged a clutch interception, setting up Jayde Beasley&rsquo;s two-yard, game-winning touchdown run. Final score: 20-14. Chaos on the field.&nbsp;
Mill Creek quarterback Anderson Ragone threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns, while Beasley pounded out 158 rushing yards. Collins Hill&rsquo;s A.J. Bush threw for 352 yards and two touchdowns but was picked off twice, including the game-sealer.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
STORY 7: <a href="https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/entertainment/art-beat-stone-mountain-chorus-presents-a-music-man-showcase-at-red-clay-theatre/article_ad21299e-131a-4640-a6d8-76c1372ce932.html">ART BEAT: Stone Mountain Chorus presents 'A Music Man Showcase' at Red Clay Theatre</a>&nbsp;
&ldquo;Seventy-six Trombones.&rdquo; You hear it, and you&rsquo;re already smiling, right? That iconic tune&mdash;and plenty more from The Music Man&mdash;is coming to Duluth on Oct. 26. If you&rsquo;re into barbershop harmony or just need a feel-good Sunday, this is your ticket.&nbsp;
The show kicks off at 3 p.m. at the Red Clay Music Foundry, a cozy 260-seat venue with top-notch sound and lighting.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Expect a full lineup: four quartets, the full chorus, and even a Harold Hill stirring up &ldquo;Trouble&rdquo; in River City. Plus, Rontray Miller II&mdash;a rising star in choral music&mdash;will conduct.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s barbershop, nostalgia, and pure joy rolled into one.&nbsp;
 We&rsquo;ll have closing comments after this.&nbsp;
Break 4: Ingles Markets
 Signoff &ndash;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Thanks again for hanging out with us on today&rsquo;s Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.gwinnettdailypost.com&nbsp;
Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.bgpodcastnetwork.com/">Produced by the BG Podcast Network</a>&nbsp;
&nbsp;
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Get the news for Lawrenceville, Norcross, Duluth, and all of Gwinnett County with the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast.
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