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UPDATE: Peachtree Corners Resident’s Jeopardy! Run Ends
Published
3 years agoon
Danielle Maurer defeated 23-game winner Mattea Roach Friday on the nationally syndicated game show, but missed the Final Jeopardy! question on Tuesday and is now out.
The start of Tuesday’s Jeopardy! broadcast was looking a little rocky for Peachtree Corners resident Danielle Maurer. After faltering a bit, she moved ahead of the pack of all women. Although it didn’t offer much in the way of additional money, another Atlanta-based clue may have boosted her confidence.
But the Final Jeopardy! category “Live Music” proved too much for the cosplayer and self-proclaimed “foam-smith.”
Picking up both Daily Doubles in the first eight clues and keeping contestant Mallory Kass from scoring during the first 13 clues of the round, Maurer looked like she might be able to pull off another win. Maurer led going into Final Jeopardy! with $13,400. Kass had $9,100 and Cherry Ignacio, who hadn’t made much of an impact, was at $2,800.
Before the parting music played, Maurer ended up in second place with $8,599. She’ll go home with an additional $2,000, bringing her total Jeopardy! winnings to $29,999. Ignacio bet $2,100, placing third. Kass bet 5,000, had the correct question and took home a one-day total of $14,100.
Maurer will probably never forget that “two and a half months after Woodstock ’99 made headlines for the terrible behavior of its attendees, the Coachella festival debuted at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, 150 miles southeast of Los Angeles.”
Read previous stories about Maurer’s run below:
Although she pretty much stayed ahead the entire show, Peachtree Corners resident Danielle Maurer finished triumphantly on her second Jeopardy! appearance. With no help from geography on the Final Jeopardy! question, she still defeated newcomers Kasim Oliver and Emily Levant.
Literature didn’t appear to be her strong suit in the early Jeopardy! rounds and Maurer missed the question in the category “Novel Titles” in Final. But smart wagering saved the day once again. At $14,600 going into Final Jeopardy!, Maurer was well ahead of Levant who had $8,400 and Oliver whose incorrect answers when he did ring in left him at $1,400.
A conservative wager of $2,201 left Maurer with $12,399 for the Monday and a two-day total of $27,999. Will she continue the streak? Check back Tuesday evening for another update.
The original story is published below:
A Final Jeopardy! question set in metro Atlanta may have been the catalyst that catapulted Peachtree Corners resident Danielle Maurer into game show history. She defeated a seemingly unstoppable contestant, 23-game winner Mattea Roach, on Friday and was crowned the new Jeopardy! champion.
After placing a calculated wager of $4,200 and coming up with the correct response in Final Jeopardy!, the 31-year-old digital marketing manager from Peachtree Corners took down the long-running Canadian champion and won the game by $1 with a total of $15,600 in winnings.
“I was just standing up there with my pen and paper thinking this is the most important math that I will ever do in my life,” Maurer said in an interview with Sony Pictures, producer of the highly-rated game show. “I knew Mattea would bet to defend. She will bet as if I’m going to bet everything. So, if she gets it right, I lose. There’s no win scenario there for me. So, I’m going to bet as if she gets it wrong because that’s the only chance realistically that I am going to have.”
Maurer’s intuition proved to be right in the end. Roach, who placed a wager of $3,601, was unable to provide the correct Final Jeopardy! response and finished in second place with a total of $15,599.
“I did not expect to win going in there until they revealed her answer, and then I could just feel my heart start pounding,” Maurer said. “I’m from Atlanta, I’ve lived here for almost 10 years. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the airport I fly out of constantly. So, I looked at that clue like surely it can’t be that easy, can it?”
(Reminder: Final Jeopardy! clues are written well in advance and selected randomly.)
Figuring out what to do with her prize money was also a no-brainer, the new Jeopardy! champion said in the interview.
“I have a basement that needs finishing,” Maurer said. “I do cosplay work and the basement is supposed to become my craft room. So, that’s a pretty good payment to get it completed.”
As a lifelong Jeopardy! fan, who has been trying out to be a contestant since she was 13, Maurer said winning her first game while slaying a giant like Roach in the process was a monumental accomplishment.
“I have been trying to get on the show for more than 15 years,” Maurer said. “This is something that I’m going to carry with me the rest of my life. It means more to me than I can say.”
When Maurer found out she was going to be a contestant, she said she knew there was a “strong possibility” that she may have to face off against a super-champion and she wanted to be prepared.
“I had been following the season. I knew about Matt (Amodio). I knew about Amy (Schneider),” Maurer said. “In fact, Amy’s episodes were airing when I got the call. So, we sort of practiced as if I was playing against Amy.”
Maurer spent countless evenings playing Jeopardy! with her husband and best friend using clues from previous games.
“We would check my results against Amy’s, like ‘Oh well, Amy missed the Final, but you got it,’” Maurer said. “‘So, you might have had a chance to take her there.’”
Amy Schneider’s run had come to an end before Maurer taped her first game, but she said she knew all of her practice against the 40-game champ would come in handy when it was her turn to play against Roach.
“When I walked into the studio, and they were like, ‘Our current 19-day champion Mattea Roach,’ I could just see the color draining out of everyone’s faces around me,” Maurer said. “For me, I’m sitting there like — yeah that’s about what I expected.”
While Maurer admits it is intimidating to go up against Jeopardy! giant, she said she wants future contestants to know one thing: “It doesn’t matter how well you do the day that you’re on the show. Just getting there is such an achievement within itself.”
Jeopardy! airs at 7:30 p.m. on WXIA, Channel 11 in the metro Atlanta area.
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City Government
The Future of Law Enforcement in Peachtree Corners: Community Meeting
Published
5 days agoon
April 14, 2025The City of Peachtree Corners will hold an important public meeting on May 8 to discuss the future of law enforcement in our community — including the potential creation of a city police department.
This meeting will feature a presentation by City Manager Brian Johnson on the findings of a comprehensive Police Analysis & Staffing Study that evaluated the feasibility and projected costs of forming a city police department based on current workload, crime levels and community demographics.
The presentation will also include budgetary considerations, comparative models and the advantages and disadvantages of a county vs. city police department.
Following the presentation, there will be time for a Q&A and open dialogue.
In-person attendance is limited to 300. First come, first served. A livestream option will be available for those who can’t attend in person.
After the meeting, a follow-up survey will be available on the city’s project page.
Meeting details
The Future of Law Enforcement in Peachtree Corners
Date/Time: May 8, 2025 at 7 p.m.
Location: Christ the King Lutheran Church (5775 Peachtree Parkway)
For more information, visit peachtreecornersga.gov.
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It’s time to sign up for the best (and only) Glow Run and Twilight Trot in Peachtree Corners!
Registration is now open to participate in this year’s Light Up the Corners race, scheduled for Saturday, August 16 at The Forum. The 1k Twilight Trot will start at 8 p.m., and the four-mile Glow Run begins at 8:30 p.m. Once the runners have done their thing, a fun post-race party will follow.
This annual event is not only an exciting community tradition, but also a fundraiser for the Why It Matters campaign at the Fowler Family YMCA.
All proceeds from registration goes directly to helping struggling families and children in the community benefit from the life-changing programs and services offered at the YMCA.
Individual registration is $40 through July 31; $45 if you register between August 1–14; and $50 if you wait to sign up on August 15 or 16. Those registering as a team of four or more will save $5–$10 per registration.
Sponsorships available
In addition to individual and team registrations, organizers also rely on the generosity and support of local businesses to make each year’s fundraising event successful. And this year is no different. If you’d like to support their efforts through a sponsorship, information can be found on the Light Up the Corners 2025 website.
T-shirt logo contest
Another way to take part is to enter the t-shirt logo design contest. Artwork and entry forms are due by May 16, and judges will be looking for one dynamic image to represent the Light Up the Corners Glow Run on the race banner, t-shirts and all multi-media.
The winning artist will receive a $1000 check, presented during the event. An entry form and additional details can be found here.
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City of Peachtree Corners
Our Growing Deer Population: What to Do?
Published
2 weeks agoon
April 2, 2025I want to take a moment to address an issue that has been increasingly affecting our community — the growing deer population.
Over the past few years, we have observed a significant increase in the number of deer within Peachtree Corners, leading to heightened concerns about public safety, property damage and ecological impacts. I want to share what we are doing to address these challenges and how you can be part of the solution.
The surge in the deer population poses several threats to our community:
1. Landscape damage: Deer feeding on ornamental plants, shrubs and trees results in significant property damage and costly repairs for homeowners.
2. Increased risk of deer-vehicle collisions: Frequent road crossings, often under low-visibility conditions, pose serious safety risks to drivers and passengers.
3. Adverse ecological impacts: Excessive browsing by deer diminishes plant diversity, impacting the availability of food for other wildlife.
4. Public health concerns: High deer densities contribute to an increase in ticks, elevating the risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
To address these challenges, the City of Peachtree Corners is collaborating with wildlife officials from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) Urban Wildlife Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services.
These partnerships are vital, as GADNR holds primary authority over wildlife management, and USDA brings extensive experience in urban wildlife management. By working together, we aim to develop a comprehensive approach tailored to our community’s unique needs.
Based on recommendations from our partners, the City is actively developing a comprehensive deer management plan. The plan aims to mitigate the public safety, property damage, ecological and public health impacts caused by the growing deer population.
Here’s what we are doing:
1. Population surveys: Utilizing advanced tools like trail cameras and thermal imaging to accurately assess deer numbers.
2. Habitat assessments: Evaluating the impact of the deer population on local vegetation and biodiversity.
3. Community involvement: Updating the “PTC Report It” app to allow residents to report deer-related concerns and submit photographs.
4. Data analysis: Collaborating with federal and state partners to analyze data and determine a sustainable deer population for our community.
Once the assessment phase is complete, the city will adopt a deer management plan. Since many deer reside on private property, the plan will offer property owners city-supported options for managing deer. This includes educational programs, habitat modification techniques and access to targeted population reduction initiatives.
Our goal is to facilitate relationships between wildlife officials and residents to ensure a balanced approach that protects public safety, preserves property and maintains ecological integrity.
Here are a few ways you can help:
• Complete the Deer Impact Survey: Available online. Your input will help us gather valuable data on deer population densities and their impact.
• Report concerns: Use the “PTC Report It” app or go online to report deer-related issues and share photos.
• Stay informed: Follow our updates and participate in any upcoming GADNR workshops to stay informed about deer management efforts.
I truly appreciate your support and cooperation as we work together to address these challenges and protect the quality of life in Peachtree Corners. Thank you for being engaged and committed to our community.
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