Downtown eateries join program to curb straw use

Restaurants in Norcross’ historic downtown district recently announced their commitment to a new campaign targeting single-use disposable plastic. The StrawLess Norcross program, designed by the Sustainable Norcross Commission citizen board, was recently adopted by a number of local eateries. The initiative is projected to reduce the number of plastic drinking straws disposed of in Norcross by more than 50,000 within the first year of implementation.

Restaurants in the StrawLess Norcross campaign will no longer provide a straw automatically with every drink, but straws will still be available upon request to patrons who need or desire them.

“Plastic straws are useful only for a short time and then are hard to recycle, slow to degrade in a landfill, and one of the top 10 most common types of litter in the environment,” says Laura Hernandez, Sustainable Norcross Commission member and founder of Gwinnett Recycles. The StrawLess Norcross campaign will expand to restaurants outside downtown in early 2019. cers, customer service staff, elected officials and other city employees on different municipal revenue sources and applicable laws of the administration and collection process. To receive the certificate, recipients must complete six program courses: Ad Valorem Tax 101, Delinquent Tax Collection, Governmental Fund Revenue Sources 101, Occupation Tax and Regulatory Fees, Alcohol Excise Tax and License Fees and Customer Service and Best Practices.

Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, nonprofit group offering legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit and consulting services to its 521 member cities. toric Courthouse, Superior Court Ballroom, 185 Crogan St., Lawrenceville. Make a craft and hear a story from Santa or one of his helpers. Register: 770-822-5450.

■ Breakfast with Santa. 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday and Dec. 1, 8 and 15. $18, free for children under age 2 with a paying adult. Southeastern Railway Museum, 3595 Buford Highway, Duluth. Enjoy breakfast with Santa, a craft, a hayride and a train ride with Santa. 770-4762013, train-museum.org/event/ breakfast-with-santa-2018

■ Lunch with Santa. 12:052:30 p.m. Saturday and Dec. 1, 8 and 15. $18, free for children under age 2 with a paying adult. Southeastern Railway Museum, 3595 Buford Highway, Duluth. Enjoy lunch with Santa, a craft, hayride and a train ride with Santa. 770476-2013, train-museum.org/event/ lunch-with-santa-2018