Thank You for Supporting Our Blood Drive!

Posted on by Sherale Booker

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in this week’s Blood Drive at the Festival Center! We had a 100% turnout for all 30 spots, with over half of the donors being our amazing city employees from various departments and the rest made up of dedicated local residents. Whether you donated, attempted to donate, or volunteered your time, your efforts are truly appreciated.

A special thank you to the City’s Wellness Committee for their support, and to Shelley Shepphard for initiating this event and contributing in so many ways. We also want to recognize Danielle Ruedt for leading our volunteer group, along with Sherale Booker, Jessica Gross, Denise Bailey, and Adriana McCurdy for handling everything from set up and check-in to marketing, photos, and the little things that made this event a success.

To our donors, your generosity is helping save lives, and we were thrilled to have both first-time and frequent donors, including a special long-distance donor—William from I.T., who joined us all the way from Buffalo, NY!

A big thanks to Chick-fil-A for donating 40 chicken biscuits to fuel our volunteers and donors.

We’re already looking forward to our next blood drive in May 2025.

 

Duluth Dog of the Month: Mousie Mae

Posted on by Sherale Booker

Can we hear a round of a-paws for September’s Dog of the Month: Mousie Mae!

Mousie Mae’s humans said she “is 5 years old and loves to cuddle and meet new people!

She loves Duluth and especially downtown Duluth. She loves to go to Food Truck Fridays and make friends.” Sounds like if you see this good girl around town, you should stop and give her a pet! For her dedication to helping keep our waterways clean and local ecosystems intact, Tiger Tails Animal Hospital has partnered with us to offer a great prize pack to our Dog of the Month.

Take the pledge and your pup (or pups) may just be featured as our next Dog of the Month!

DuluthGA.net/PetWastePledge

Duluth Fall Festival Concert

Posted on by Alisa Williams

It was a big party last Saturday on the Town Green for the Duluth Fall Festival Concert, with performances by Heidi, Jo, Lefty & Mo and the Guardians of the Jukebox putting on an electrifying show for the crowd. Thanks to everyone who attended.

 

Railroad “Quiet Zone” Now In Effect In Downtown Duluth

Posted on by Alisa Williams

No Train Horn Railroad Crossing Sign

On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at 12:01 pm, the City of Duluth, in cooperation with Norfolk Southern Railway and the Federal Railroad Administration, established a “Quiet Zone” also called a “Reduced Whistle Zone” in downtown. This means you will not regularly hear trains blowing their horns anymore at Brock Road, SR 120, or Davenport Road. There are circumstances and emergencies under which the horn will sound, but we hope those are few and far between. Look for more information in your next edition of Duluth Life magazine, and in the meantime, be sure to approach all RR Xings with caution and awareness.  Our crossings will still have flashing lights, signs, pavement markings, and gates. They are also now equipped with additional safety measures. The only thing that will no longer be there (on a regular basis) is the sound of the train horn.  24/7/365. 

For those who live and work in or near downtown, this may be a welcomed relief.  For those who love the train horn, fear not – the Southeast Railway Museum RR Xing is not part of the quiet one, and trains will still sound their horn as they approach. You can visit the museum Thursdays through Saturdays 10a-5p and on Sundays from noon until 5pm. They are located at 3595 Buford Highway (Duluth). Should you have any questions about the quiet zone, please reach out to our Community Development and Engineering Department at 770-476-1790. 

PSA – Travel safely, and NEVER stop on the railroad track. If you are ever stopped on the track and a train is approaching simply pull forward (or backward). The gates are breakaway and will let your vehicle pass. If you are stuck, get out of your vehicle and move away from the collision site. Your vehicle is replaceable. You are not.

Councilmember Manfred Graeder Receives Recognition for Training Accomplishment

Posted on by Alisa Williams

Congratulations to Councilmember Manfred Graeder, who received the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute Certificate of Achievement during the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Annual Convention in Savannah on June 24. The Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute, a cooperative effort of GMA and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, provides a nationally recognized series of training opportunities for city officials.

“This is a significant milestone,” said GMA CEO and Executive Director Larry Hanson. “We congratulate Councilmember Graeder and his dedication to professional development is an inspiration and a testament to the valuable resources and quality of service we strive to provide in local government.” To receive a Certificate of Achievement, a city official must complete 72 hours of training, including at least 36 hours from the required list and the Newly Elected Officials Institute.

“We are proud of our partnership with GMA to provide high-quality, relevant training to Georgia’s more than 3,500 municipal officials,” said UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government Director Rob Gordon. “The institute remains committed to being the trusted resource that city officials across Georgia turn to for leadership and professional development training that makes a difference in the lives of the citizens they represent.”

About the Georgia Municipal Association: Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit, and consulting services to all of Georgia’s 537 cities. GMA anticipates and influences the forces shaping Georgia’s cities and provides leadership, tools, and services that assist municipal governments in becoming more innovative, effective, and responsive. Created in 1933, the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) is the only state organization representing municipal governments in Georgia. For more information, visit www.gacities.com.

Councilmember Manfred Graeder