There's an old joke about Americans keeping expensive vehicles in their driveways and worthless junk in the garage. I have a two-car garage, but only one vehicle fits inside and I suspect I am not the only one in that situation.  Dacula real estate agent and Patch blogger Matt Hermes of Matt Hermes & Associates of Keller Williams Realty shared an interesting photo of something he spotted in the garage of a house he has listed. Do you know what it is? Have you ever seen anything like that in a garage or basement? What is the most interesting thing you have in your garage, attic or basement? …

The City of Dacula has planned two public hearings to gather input from citizens regarding a proposal to add sanitation fees to property tax bills. While adding sanitation fees to property tax bills can be more cost effective for the billing entity and potentially increase collection rates, it can have a negative impact on property owners by increasing monthly mortgage payments and escrow fees.  Do you think the City of Dacula should add sanitation fees to its property tax bills? If you are a county resident, do you like having your sanitation fees billed on your property taxes? Let us know …

"Sorry sir, that's your limit, nothing over 16 ounces is allowed here." That's in New York City - for now.  According to the San Francisco Chronicle online, New York City's Board of Health Thursday passed a rule that bans the sale of big sodas and other sugary drinks at movie theaters, restaurants, concession stands, and other food outlets. The rule limits cups and bottles of non-diet sodas; sweet teas or other high-calorie drinks to just 16-ounces. According to the SFC, the ban applies to fast-food restaurants, movie and Broadway theaters and even workplace cafeterias - most all places that …

What do Batman theater shooter James Holmes and Norwegian mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik have in common? According to the German news magazine Der Tagesspiegel, both men lacked a Facebook account. Slashdot’s summary of the German article: “Not having a Facebook account could be the first sign that you are a mass murderer.” Though not going so far as to label non-Facebook users sociopaths, Kashmir Hill of Forbes warned that those who avoid the social media site could be inviting additional scrutiny. “Anecdotally, I’ve heard both job seekers and employers wonder aloud about what it means …

Last week, lottery officials approved an online system for selling tickets for the Powerball, Mega Millions and Fantasy 5 Georgia lottery games, GPB News reports. The new system, which is expected to go into effect in the fall, would require that ticket purchasers be at least 18 years of age and reside in Georgia. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the new system is expected to increase Georgia Lottery revenue by millions and open the lottery to more players. “I think that is a useful area to explore,” Gov. Nathan Deal told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It does open the …

For some, getting a B.S., B.A. or M.S. while in college is a top priority. Others may be focusing their efforts on a different set of letters -- Mrs. Amber Estes, a sophomore from Athens majoring in public relations at the University of Georgia, recently penned an essay for the Red and Black in which she outlined the steps necessary to secure a husband while at college. According to Estes, female students have only four years to attain security for their future. “That’s right ladies, four years to find a husband. Every true woman knows how vital it is to find the right brilliant babe to …

When Team U.S.A. walks into London's 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony, Friday, July 27, they'll be dressed in an outfit made entirely in China, reports ABC World News. The news agency took a closer look at the outfit - created by famous American designer, Ralph Lauren - during their "Made in America" segment recently and found every piece was manufactured in China. In response, Congressional leaders in both houses and both parties expressed outrage at the news. ABC News reported Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. said that the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) should be "ashamed of themselves…

UPDATED: July 10 at 12:35 p.m. Will Mitt Romney's Mormonism be a liability in the upcoming election? Jane Pitt, mother of actor Brad Pitt, does not believe it should. Pitt recently made national headlines with a letter to the editor of the Springfield, Mo. News-Leader in which she referred to President Barack Obama as a "liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage" and encouraged fellow Christians not to vote against Romney just because he is a Mormon. (Read Pitt's full letter here.) Pitt's letter was in response to a June opinion piece by Richard Stoecker in which…

Are you a Twitter user? Do you find the number of Tweets overwhelming? Is it a struggle to find the information you want? Twitter hopes to help readers sort through all those Tweets with a weekly email digest. According to a post on the Twitter Blog, the emailed summary will feature "the most relevant Tweets and stories shared by the people you’re connected to on Twitter." Do you like the idea of getting an email summary of Tweets? Do you think this digest will cause you to use Twitter more? Let us know in the comments. Users can click on links to read articles, send Tweets directly from the …

Gwinnett County and its designated trash haulers are considering a proposal to provide senior citizens with a discount on their garbage fees according to an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The AJC reports the proposal -- which would provide 15,500 senior citizens with a 15 percent discount and about two dozen with a 25 percent discount -- would result in $509,000 in lost revenue. Who would pay for the discount has not yet been determined, the AJC article stated. Property owners in the unincorporated part of Gwinnett County are required to pay $217.92 each year for trash service. …

Would you choose the name Jayden or Aiden for your son? What about choosing Ava or Mia for a girl? According to the Social Security Administration, those were among the most popular baby names in 2011. The most popular baby names list is compiled from names provided on Social Security card applications. For 2011, the most popular baby names are as follows: For Boys: Jacob Mason William Jayden Noah Michael Ethan Alexander Aiden Daniel  For Girls: Sophia Isabella Emma Olivia Ava Emily Abigail Madison Mia Chloe Which of these names is your favorite? Which is your least favorite? What is the most…

This past week, Gwinnett County planning commissioner Tommy Hunter announced he will be joining the race for the Gwinnett County District 3 commission seat currently held by Mike Beaudreau.  Dacula resident Mike Korom and former Snellville mayor Jerry Oberholtzer have also entered the race. Based on what you know about these candidates so far, which of these four men would get your vote? Vote in the poll or tell us in the comments. You might also be interested in reading: Hunter Running for District 3 Commission Seat Beaudreau Suggests Increasing County Sales Tax Beaudreau Calls Airport …

Has Georgia's "stand your ground" law caused justifiable homicides to increase? The yearly number of justifiable homicides in Georgia has almost doubled since 2006, when the controversial "stand your ground" self-defense law was passed, the Associated Press reports. According to the AP, Georgia averaged seven justifiable homicides per year in the three years before the law took effect. Between 2007 and 2011, it averaged 13 per year. Most self-defense laws state that when citizens feel their lives are in danger, they have a duty to retreat if possible before responding with deadly force. "…

From the time we are old enough to understand spoken language, we are bombarded with advice: look both ways before crossing the street, don't take candy from strangers, eat your veggies, etc. We also get lots of generic advice such as be yourself, don't worry be happy and you have nothing to fear but fear itself. As we get older, the advice gets more detailed and covers everything from careers (Go to college or you'll end up digging ditches for the rest of your life) to marriage (Marry for love the first time, money the second) to parenting (There's hardly anything a little whiskey in the …

We're not saying it's aliens, but an individual recently reported seeing a bright, orange ball with a pulsing light and no engine noise that disappeared suddenly. A UFO?  A report posted on UFO Stalker, a website that tracks reported UFO sightings throughout the country, indicated a recent sighting in Winder.  The following information was submitted on April 17, 2012.   15 miles west of Athens GA, walking our dog around 9-9:15 pm, we noticed a bright orange ball that had a mild pulsing light similar to an airplane in the south sky traveling north towards us; I initially thought it was an …

This year, the deadline for filing 2011 taxes coincided with “Tax Freedom Day,” the day on which most Americans will have earned enough money to pay their 2012 tax bill. For 2012, taxpayers needed 107 days of income to pay federal, state and local taxes at an estimated combined rate of 29.2 percent. Americans may have earned enough money to pay this year’s taxes, but what happens in 2013 when several tax cuts expire? Experts say taxpayers may face “Taxmageddon” if Congress does not act to mitigate the impact. The Tax Foundation warns the $500 billion tax increase set to go into effect on Jan…

Milledgeville Police are under national scrutiny after an officer handcuffed a 6-year-old kindergarten student who allegedly threw a tantrum in the principal's office of Creekside Elementary in Milledgeville, Ga. The child reportedly threw furniture and pulled items off the wall during the tantrum, prompting school officials to call the police. Local news station 13WMAZ reports an officer attempted to calm the child. When the child failed to comply, she was handcuffed and transported to the police station.  The child's father, Earnest Johnson, told 13WMAZ, "A 6-year-old in kindergarten. They …

If you had one of the best or worst jobs of 2012, this list may not come as a surprise. After all, if your job is a bad one, you probably do not need a news article to tell you that. For those of you stuck somewhere in the middle or preparing to begin a working career, the list may provide some guidance in terms of which jobs you should avoid. CareerCast.com ranked occupations in five categories: work environment, physical demands, job outlook, income levels and stress. Where does your job rank on the list? Let us know in the comments. The results? Software engineers were found to have the …

Construction on Dacula's new downtown park will be complete in just a few weeks, but the park is missing an important feature -- a name. City leaders have not decided what to name the park or what method they will use to choose a name. They do, however, plan to have a name chosen prior to the park dedication ceremony which is expected to coincide with the city's Memorial Day celebrations. What name would you give to the city's downtown park? How should the park name be chosen? Tell us in the comments.

Would you let a prospective employer snoop around in your social media accounts? More and more employers are reportedly asking to do just that. According to Reuters, studies have shown that examining a job seeker's Facebook profile can yield more information than a personality test. However, as social media users become more security-conscious, employers are asking for -- and in some cases getting -- access to private information. USA Today reports that a Maryland correctional officer willingly gave his password during an interview because he feared that failure to do so would prevent him …