Monday-Thursday I go live on my show Good Morning Gwinnett where I talk about people and places around Gwinnett County.  The show is a podcast that is syndicated across a number of platforms around the globe.  What I've learned is that Podcasting is very powerful and anyone with something to say can start their own podcast for free.  People love podcasts because it gives them the opportunity to talk about stuff that they are passionate about.  That's what led me to tell you about a new podcast that is in its' third series called Running From Cops.  ​“Running From COPS,” is the third series in the podcast anthology “Headlong,” which “explores the lives of overlooked people, moments and events in our culture,” according to its website. Previous seasons include the viral hit “Missing Richard Simmons,” which explored the disappearance of fitness guru Richard Simmons from the public eye.

Running From Cops talk about a case back in Gwinnett in 2013 where two people were arrested for possession of cocaine.  That case was later determined false and that the cops who did the arrest had falsely accused the two people arrested.  Running From Cops go into dept about the case and bring you more of the story which is very intriguing.  

I share this story with you because I want you to see the power of podcasting.  This case is old, but now it is very relevant again because someone with a passion for telling true crime stories launched a podcast to support their passion.  I love podcasting because it feeds my inner DJ which I didn't know I even had until I started Good Morning Gwinnett.  I knew that I liked to talk, but it never occurred to me when I was podcasting before to include music into my podcast.  Now that I've decided to produce my podcast this way I get a lot of joy out doing the show.  

If you want to read the full article about the case of the Gwinnett Police back from 2013 Click Here.

​If you are passionate about something and would like to start your own podcast, but are not sure exactly where to start Click Here for more information.

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey

I had the honor spending some time with Commissioner Marlene Fosque who is the first African American to serve on the board of commissioners.  While attending the first night for Gwinnett Citizen Academy 101, Commissioner Fosque was one of the speakers at the event.  I got a chance to have a great conversation and she expressed how grateful she was to be able to serve the people of Gwinnett County.  The Commissioner told me that she ran her campaign with less than $10,000 and was able to win the seat.  She knows that was by the grace of God and she is grateful.  She wants the citizens of Gwinnett County to know that she has an open door policy.  She wants to hear from the community about issues that may concern them.  If you live in district 4 she wants you to stop by, but she also stressed that even though she has her district that she is responsible for, she committed to all of Gwinnett County citizens.  Right now Commissioner Fosque said her calendar is filled up until mid June, but anyone wanting to come by the office can request an appointment and be added to her calendar.

As I am out and about in the community I will continue to bring you stories both on the show and here on the blog about what's happening around Gwinnett County.  

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey Bell-Kearney, The PodChick

The Gwinnett County Purchasing Division is inviting prospective vendors to attend its 13th Annual Supplier Networking Event on April 11 to meet various government buyers and learn about opportunities to do business with the County.

The meet-and-greet will allow businesses to connect and establish relationships with County departments, learn about County purchasing processes, and find out about current and upcoming projects.

​Prospective vendors can meet with buyers and contracting officers from the Purchasing Division, representatives from various County departments, and agencies from other jurisdictions, including cities, neighboring counties, and the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce. The Gwinnett County Purchasing Division is always available to meet with prospective vendors, but this event allows vendors to network with various representatives all in one place in a short period of time.

Authors Olga Kane, Nury Castillo Crawford, and Eddie Hernandez will discuss how being an immigrant and living in Gwinnett influenced their writing.  This author panel is part of Button Gwinnett Day.  Button Gwinnett, for whom Gwinnett County and Georgia Gwinnett College are named, was an immigrant and his life was impacted by his immigrant status.

​This author program will take place at Georgia Gwinnett College in the Heritage Room, 3rd Floor, of the Kaufman Library.  Visitor parking is located at the 3000 Lot off of Lonnie Harvel Boulevard.  Free and open to the public.  Books will be available for purchase and signing.

+ GOOGLE CALENDAR

I got the chance to have dinner with 10 of my fellow residents from different parts of Gwinnett County.  At the dinner we all got a chance to have an intimate conversation with Chairman, Gwinnett County Board Of Commissioner Charlotte J. Nash and District 1 Commissioner Jace Brooks.  Nicole Love Hendrickson who is the Community Outreach Program Director organizes this event which is held a few times each year.  This was a chance for me and my fellow residents to ask some burning questions of our community leaders and also have a dialog with each other.

Dinner and Dialogue is a Community Outreach initiative that gives residents an opportunity to meet with county commissioners in an informal setting and engage in meaningful dialogue about their county.Dinner and Dialogue will be held on quarterly weeknights at various locations around Gwinnett County from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Restaurant locations will be disclosed only to those registered for each dinner and are subject to change. The dates for the 2019 calendar year are listed below. Please click on each date and you will be directed to the Eventbrite registration form:

• Monday, June 17
• Monday, Sep 9
• Monday, Dec 9

Dinners will be limited to 10 guests per dinner and registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. We ask that you only register for one dinner so that we can ensure others have the opportunity to participate. All guests will be responsible for the cost of their own meals.

If for any reason you have to cancel your reservation, please modify your status through Eventbrite so that the slot can be available to another guest. Because of limited seating, during election seasons, we ask that those running for political office refrain from participating to allow residents the space to participate. 

Please note: Restaurant locations will be confirmed only with the registered attendees for each dinner. All individuals participating are responsible for the cost of their own meals.Questions? Contact Nicole Hendrickson, Community Outreach Director at nicole.hendrickson@gwinnettcounty.com