Update on Johnson Road House

Fortune was released from Gwinnett Co. Jail on Feb. 25th.

A resident of the Johnson Road house where several Lafayette Ridge neighbors have recently complained to county officials about chained up dogs, suspicious activity, and a plethora of occupants, was arrested again recently for violation of probation. Gwinnett County Police picked up Eeon Wesley Fortune on Thursday night at 11:58 p.m.  He was released from Gwinnett County Jail on February 25th. This is the same man that was arrested after being shot during a home invasion at that home in late November. 

During the Neighborhood Watch Meeting earlier that same night, I spoke with Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman about that home and he promised to take action. I'm sure this arrest was just a coincidence however. Click here to see Fortune's mugshot hall of shame.

Spring Cookout Date Set

The date for the spring neighborhood cookout has been set. Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 18th. The cookout will take place at Tim & Kim's house and will include games, lots of good eatin', fellowship and the Chandler's swimming pool will be open as well!

Recap of Neighborhood Watch Meeting

An informative Neighborhood Watch Meeting was held Thursday night at Sharon Elementary School. Approximately 75 people from 8 different nearby neighborhoods were in attendance, along with Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman, various elected officials (including Mark Banks and Tom Kirby) and members of the local media.

Sheriff Chapman opened the meeting with a few remarks about Walton County and safety concerns in our area and said, "You have to be vigilant to keep your community the way you want it." Sheriff Chapman said that the biggest crime in Walton County is identity theft.

He also said that the WCSO offers a firearms training/safety course and has an outdoor gun range for residents to use. The fee is $25 and there is a lengthy wait at the moment from various groups who have already signed up and are on a waiting list.

WCSO Captain Darren Vinson heads up the Neighborhood Watch Programs in Walton County and he handed out an informative booklet and assigned neighborhood block captains and a coordinator for each subdivision present. Capt. Vinson will gather information from each subdivision, along with calls made to the WCSO (and 911) and reports from deputies who patrol each respective subdivision and email or text them to the block captains/coordinators. Information will be shared often from neighborhood to neighborhood.

Captain Vinson also said that by calling the WCSO, you can sign up for the House Watch program where deputies will patrol your home/neighborhood when you are out of town and keep an extra eye out on your home/subdivision.

Other helpful tips shared:

• Test your home security system once each month to make sure everything works correctly (and to avoid being charged a fee for excessive false alarm calls).
• Record your valuables by keeping a log of every serial number, taking pictures of valuables and putting special marking on items.

Zone 6 Crime Statistics from January 2013

Telephone Scammers Call LaFayette Ridge Neighbors

A strange telephone call prompted concerns from Paul & Vicki recently. On Sunday morning, a woman with a strong accent called Paul and informed him that he'd won a large sum of money and a new car. After being hung up on, the caller made four more phone calls to ask if and when they would be home so that the car could be delivered.

The calls were alarming since the caller was persistent in asking when someone would be home, if both Paul & Vicki would be home together, etc. Please be aware and cautious of telephone (and internet scammers).

UPDATE: Linda received a phone call from a likely scammer on Monday who reported that she was having problems with her computer. The caller was seeking private information and was quickly rebuffed.

New Business Set for GA 20/McCullers Road Location

Commissioners will hear a zoning request from a plumbing/fire sprinkler business during their March Planning Commission Meeting to rezone the property at the corner of GA 20 and McCullers Road.

 

According to Chuck Bagley, "the applicant is purchasing the property and would like to move his plumbing/fire sprinkler business to this site and as you know there is a zoning condition that the property be used for Landscape business only. Therefore, he is seeking to have the condition removed....the zoning will remain B-2."

 

More information to come. . .

Bond Denied for Henderson Ridge Burglar

Paul Slater, who was shot by a Loganville mother last month during a break-in, has now been released from the hospital and is being held, without bond, at Walton County Detention Center.

 

More information is available here.

New Businesses Coming to Loganville

Loganville will see several new businesses open in the near future.

The former BestBuy building will house a TJ MAXX. Officials broke ground recently on the new Colonial Buick GMC car dealership, set for property across the street from the new TJ MAXX/Lowe's shopping center.

And two package stores will open in Loganville - one in Walton County (likely near Kroger) and one in Gwinnett County. More information is available here.

Postal Service Will Stop Delivering Mail on Saturdays

The U.S. Postal Service will stop delivering mail on Saturdays in an effort to save the struggling agency $2 billion annually. Saturday delivery will stop the week of August 5.

For more information, go here.

Sign Up For WCSO Zone Reports

The Walton County Sheriff's Office sends out daily email alerts for specific zones (areas) of the county. The alerts cover everything from calls that deputies respond to, police/fire reports and scams or people/incidences residents should be aware of. LaFayette Ridge is located in Zone 6.

Barrington Manor was mentioned in the February 2nd Zone Alert:
Prowler – Noises were heard on the back porch at a residence on Brighton Place. The complainant’s cat was also shaved by an unknown person(s) prior to this incident.

Click here to sign up for the community/zone alerts.