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Troubled past of firefighters' hostage taker

SUWANEE, Ga. -- We've been digging into Lauren Brown's background, talking to his former friends, relatives and plowing through court documents. The picture that's emerging is one of a man tormented by problems and living a life in turmoil.

MORE | Gunman holds firemen hostage

55 year old Lauren Brown had a troubled past. A divorce in 2001 left him with an obligation to pay credit card debt of more than 97 thousand dollars.($97,585) He also was compelled to pay alimony and child support and a year later filed for bankruptcy.

So why was he lying in his bed in his house holding firefighters hostage 11 years later? We have learned from someone close to him that Brown suffered from fibromyalgia and was in extreme pain, often on pain killers, barely able to move.

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Recycle in Gwinnett Co. to ring in Earth Day

Recycle in Gwinnett Co. to ring in Earth Day

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- The Gwinnett County Solid Waste and Recovered Materials department is celebrating Earth Day on Saturday to help residents recycle during their spring cleaning.

From 9:00 - 11:00 that morning, a Gwinnett official said the department will collect old file papers, broken electronics, flat tires and paint cans on Coolray Field. 

For Earth Day, all paper will be shredded at no charge. Television sets will cost $10 each to recycle. There is a limit of eight tires per vehicle, and five one-gallon paint cans. The paint will be donated to Global Paint for Charity. The non-profit organization gives paint to developing countries all over the world.

New campaign to drive disposal of prescription, OTC drugs

New campaign to drive disposal of prescription, OTC drugs

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office hopes to foster the proper disposal of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications for all local residents. 

Officials have set up the "Big White Box" in the lobby of the Sheriff's Office, where drugs can be disposed of that are out date or no longer needed. As reported by Lt. Sean Smith, drug abuse is a problem for people of all ages across the state, and is only growing in danger. 

Smith also said unsafe disposal of prescription and OTC drugs is costly to the environment, and the health of all people. 

The Council on Alcohol and Drugs recently started the "Drug Drop Box Campaign," and they donated a box to every county in Georgia that requested one. So far, Smith said 128 counties now have a drop box. In Gwinnett County, drugs can be dropped off seven days a week at anytime. The box can be found just inside the main entrance doors. 

Georgia tax revenue inches 1.1 percent in March

Georgia tax revenue inches 1.1 percent in March

(ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE) - Georgia's revenue from various taxes went up only 1.1 percent in March, as sale tax revenue was down for the first time in months. 

The Georgia Department of Revenue reported the state took in $1.17 billion in tax revenue in March, compared with $1.16 billion in March 2012. 

Also in March, sales tax revenue was down 0.2 percent to $427.4 million, individual income tax revenue was up 0.1 percent to $422.6 million, and corporate income tax revenue was up 4.4 percent to $174.9 million.

Year-to-date in March, the state's tax revenue haul was up 5.2 percent to $12.3 billion. 

"While the state's net revenues for March were not as strong as in recent months, this improvement marks the 11th consecutive quarter of net revenue improvement dating back to 2011," Gov. Nathan Deal said in a statement. 

 

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Bank of America to hold homeowners assistance event

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- Bank of America will be holding a Homeowner Assistance Event in Duluth for their local customers on Thursday. 

BOA customers will receive face-to-face assistance from specialists who can help evaluate their financial situation and provide them with personally tailored assistance. 

The event will be held at the Gwinnett Center, which is located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth. 

Those interested in attending the event can register online at Bank of America: Homeowner Event --- or they can call 1-855-201-7426. 

The event is being held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Appointments are available between 8 a.m. until 6:30 p.m .

Gwinnett Tech hosting plant sale

Gwinnett Tech hosting plant sale

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- Horticulture students at Gwinnett Technical College will host a plant sale later this month and an edible sale next month.

The plant sale will be Apr. 16-18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the college's greenhouse.

Plenty of plant types will be sold, including annuals, perennials, shrubs, herbs and house plants.

The edible sale will be May 7-9 and will feature fruits, vegetables and herbs.

"I know every year we say the plant sale gets better, but the greenhouse is spectacular. The students have pulled together the best looking and the healthiest plants ever," Gwinnett Tech horticulture program director Aaron Poulsen said in a statement. "There are more varieties than we have time to list, and I think our supporters will be pleased."

Cash and checks will be accepted at the sale; those wishing to use credit and debit cards will have to pay in the school's business office.

Weekend street closures and event parking/travel tips

Weekend street closures and event parking/travel tips

ATLANTA -- With hundreds of thousands of people planning to attend events in the City over the next four days, transportation officials have released a list of street closures, as well as parking suggestions and travel tips. The following comprehensive information was collected from the Atlanta Police Department, the Georgia Department of Transportation, and MARTA.

A.P.D. - The Atlanta Police Department reminds the public of heavy traffic volume in Downtown Atlanta from April 4th-8th , centered around the Final Four basketball tournament and related events around the Georgia Dome.  The Department is urging event-goers and others who must travel into Downtown to consider taking MARTA, or other alternative modes of travel to decrease volume.