Gwinnett Daily Post - December 27, 2015

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EDUCATION FUNDING AT ISSUE, 3A

Ga. legislators to address decades-old formulas

BRIDGE OVER PRECIOUS WATER Ga. Highway 20 project nears completion • Community, 1C

Gwinnett Daily Post SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015

www.gwinnettdailypost.com $2.00 ©2015 SCNI

GWINNETT’S DRUG PROBLEM By Joshua Sharpe

joshua.sharpe @gwinnettdailypost.com

LAWRENCEVILLE — They stood in the parking lot of a cheap hotel, where the hum of tires on the highway out of town drones always and the bailbonding company across the cracked pavement promises freedom “24/7,

ONE CALL.” It was the second day of 2015, as Paige Wilson hugged the neck of his last living son, 29-year-old Matthew. The son said he loved the father; the father said it back. Momentarily, Matthew would drive off on his motorcycle to ask his probation officer’s permission to move to his dad’s house in

Florida. There, the son, a broadshouldered redhead who long ago grew Ryan Wilson taller than Paige, planned to start anew. He’d just been released after many months in the work release

program at the Gwinnett County jail, after many years in the grips of drug addiction. Paige, who is a project manager for a defense contractor, planned to nudge the boy along in his second chance. He cherished Matthew now more than ever. His eldest son, Ryan, died of a drug overdose in September 2008 at age 26,

Vol. 46, No. 60

Deaths soar, partly from heroin, fentanyl influx

crushing Paige and Matthew. But in the drab parking lot, the father and son felt hope. A longtime Sugar Hill resident, Matthew had plans for Florida: Get a job, go to school, get married, have a family. Most important, he knew See DRUGS, Page 5A

DRUG DEATHS IN GWINNETT 2015: 152 (as of November, the latest statistics available) 2014: 131 2013: 120 2012: 79 2011: 75 Information: Gwinnett County Medical Examiner’s Office.

‘Winter’ wonderland

Lisa Ramer and her 8-year-old son Maddux skate on Saturday on the new bubble skating rink, which is a twist on traditional ice skating featuring a synthetic rink and lots of bubbles, at Lanier Islands’ Winter Adventure. (Staff Photos: Katie Morris)

Local families cool off from warm winter weather, play in the snow By Katie Morris

Christian and Allison joined a crowd of children ecstatically running around a snow-filled play BUFORD — Despite the warm, zone at Lanier Islands’ Winter mid-70s temperatures and partly Adventure. In addition to snow sunny skies on Saturday, 4-yearplay zones, the lakeside resort’s old twins Christian and Allison new wintry attraction features a seRobins had their first snow ball lection of water slides transformed fight ever. into bobsled tracks, ziplining over The Johns Creek siblings the lake, firepits and carnival rides. grinned from ear to ear as they There is also a twist on traditional shoveled the cold white powder ice skating called bubble skating, with their granddad Berry Wilwhere skaters glide on a synthetic liams and then threw snowballs rink surrounded by bubbles. at their unsuspecting aunt, JenKevin Lee sat near a snow zone nifer Williams, who was standing looking on as his son James, 10, nearby. and daughter Chaeree, 14, had a The two then plopped down snow ball fight with a few newonto their backs in the snow to found friends. After a waterlogged create twin snow angels — another week with rain almost everyday, first. the Suwanee resident said they katie.morris@gwinnettdailypost.com

were eager to get outside and get some fresh air. “It’s hot out today, so it’s good for the kids to get out of the house,” he said. According to Winter Adventure admission staffer Anna Grace Smathers, they replenish the snow every morning and night and also cover the snow zones with insulated covers. Due to the unseasonably warm temperatures, a few of the play zones that are directly hit by the sun stay covered to prevent the snow from melting and turning into slush, but most of the zones are shaded and open for business, Smathers said. MORE INSIDE

Photos, If You Go info.................... 8A

Four-year-old twins Christian and Allison Robins of Johns Creek make snow angels at one of Lanier Islands’ Winter Adventure snowfilled play zones on Saturday.

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Garden Plaza would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas! Call 770.236.8333 to ask about our Holiday Specials and schedule your personal tour!

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