GDP Script/ Top Stories for August 23rd Publish Date: August 23rd PRE-ROLL: MONSTER JAM From the BG AD Group Studio Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. Today is Saturday, August 23rd and Happy Birthday to Barbra Eden I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by Gwinnett KIA Mall of Georgia. Lawmakers discuss ways to discourage tobacco sales and use North Gwinnett Co-op suffers thousands in losses after break-in Candidate fields set for most Gwinnett cities municipal elections 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 daily and subscribe! Break 1: 07.14.22 KIA MOG STORY 1 : Lawmakers discuss ways to discourage tobacco sales and use Smoking kills. We all know it, yet people keep lighting up—and now vaping’s taken over, especially with kids. A small group of Georgia lawmakers is trying to change that, but their main idea? A tax hike. And let’s be real, taxes don’t win popularity contests—especially in an election year. At Thursday’s hearing, Rep. Sharon Cooper, R-Marietta, acknowledged the uphill battle. The proposal wouldn’t even hit the floor until 2026. Other ideas? Banning flavored vapes, requiring ingredient labels, and raising the laughably low $10 licensing fee for vape shops. Georgia’s cigarette tax? A measly 37 cents per pack, one of the lowest in the country. Stephens argued it’s time to raise it, not just to discourage smoking but to cover the healthcare costs that inevitably follow. Meanwhile, federal budget cuts have already gutted Georgia’s Tobacco Use Prevention Program. Advocates are calling for the state to restore $2.1 million in funding, but for now, the fight continues. STORY 2: North Gwinnett Co-op suffers thousands in losses after break-in For nearly 35 years, the North Gwinnett Co-Op in Buford has been a lifeline for families—offering food, clothes, and help with essentials like meds and utility bills. But now? They’re the ones who need a hand. Early Tuesday morning, someone shattered a window at their Second Blessings Thrift Store, making off with over $10,000 in goods. The store closed for repairs but reopened Thursday, thanks to an outpouring of community support. Donations are welcome. STORY 3: Candidate fields set for most Gwinnett cities municipal elections Gwinnett County’s cities now have their lineups for this fall’s elections—well, most of them. Fourteen cities wrapped up candidate qualifying on Wednesday, with one exception: Auburn. Their qualifying runs through Friday, so no word yet on their candidates. And Mulberry? No elections there until 2027, per the city’s founding legislation. Elsewhere, though, changes are coming. Snellville’s losing Councilwomen Cristy Lenski and Gretchen Schulz, while Sugar Hill’s Taylor Anderson is stepping down. Loganville? A new mayor and two new council members are guaranteed, with Mayor Skip Baliles and others not seeking re-election. Meanwhile, Norcross Mayor Craig Newton, recently cleared in a city probe, is running unopposed. Grayson’s Mayor Allison Wilkerson? Also unchallenged. But Sugar Hill Mayor Brandon Hembree and Braselton Mayor Kurt Ward? They’ve got competition. Peachtree Corners, though, is staying steady—no challengers, no election. 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: Ingles Markets 10 STORY 4: Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia raises record $450K at 40th anniversary celebration The Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia threw quite the party for its 40th anniversary—and raised a jaw-dropping $450,000 in just two hours at its Good2Give Celebration on Aug. 14. More than 500 guests packed the Gas South District for an evening of jazz, philanthropy, and heartfelt stories. Radio personality Mara Davis and Aurora Theatre’s Jono Davis kept the energy high, while Jose Garcia’s jazz set the perfect mood. The funds will help CFNEG continue its mission of empowering over 300 local nonprofits through training, consultation, and financial support. The night also honored community leaders like Ethel Andersen, Mike Tennant, and Sir Timothy Minard for their lasting contributions. Forty years strong—and just getting started. STORY 5: Two more Georgia paper mills closing International Paper is shutting down two pulp and paper mills in Coastal Georgia, leaving about 1,100 workers without jobs. The mills in Savannah and Riceboro, along with a Savannah packaging facility, will close by the end of next month, cutting the company’s containerboard production by a million tons annually. The closures hit hard. Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns called it a “devastating blow” to Southeast Georgia’s economy and timber industry. Georgia’s
