ON JEOPARDY: Former Norcross High Assistant Principal Mary Donley Green of Milton was on the television show Jeopardy last week. She later transferred to Woodstock High in Cherokee County. Though she did not progress for another round, she enjoyed her experience. She’s shown with Jeopardy host Alex Trebek. She and her husband, Michael, and two sons, Evan and Will, previously resided in Lawrenceville.
ISSUE 15.12 | May 12, 2015IN THIS EDITION
TODAY’S FOCUS: Afraid of Your Partner? Call for Help If Being Bullied
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Dr. Jim Collins Gave Guidance to Peachtree Christian Hospice
FEEDBACK: More on DeKalb Government, Vehicle Makers and Parkview Baseball
UPCOMING: Valerie Wilson heads GSBA; Brookwood, Walton EMC in Solar Project
NOTABLE: County Begins Sweeping Roads Again; Careful about Beauty Programs
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Much of Vidalia Onion Must Be Harvested by Hand Work
TODAY’S QUOTE How One Economist Looked at Government
LAGNIAPPE: First Class Flying, Before World War II
TODAY’S FOCUS
Afraid of your partner? Have to account for your day? There is help.
By Rosanna Szabo
Gwinnett Solicitor
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., May 12, 2015 — A few days before Christmas, George was arrested for simple battery and criminal trespass. He refused to leave Anna’s Lilburn apartment and pushed past her, causing her to fall to the ground. He wanted to see their baby and would not leave until he had.
Szabo
Anna was scared and when she tried to call 911, George grabbed her phone and broke it, but not before the call was connected. Minutes later, police arrived and arrested George on the scene. A month later, they were married and Anna wants the charges dropped; “He didn’t hurt anyone and he needs to work,” she told prosecutors. Two months later, the case is called for trial and Anna is a no show. The case cannot be proved without her testimony.
Is she safe? Will there be a next time? Will the next time be worse? She needs help. He needs help too.
In 2014, the Gwinnett County Solicitor’s Office provided services to 5,138 misdemeanor crime victims. Of those, 2,966 were victims of battery, simple battery, or simple assault. More than 70 percent of those were victims of family violence.
Family violence means the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between past or present spouses, persons who are parents of the same child, parents and children, stepparents and stepchildren, foster parents and foster children, or other persons living or formerly living in the same household: any felony; or commission of the offenses of battery, simple battery, simple assault, assault, stalking, criminal damage to property, unlawful restraint, or criminal trespass. Many people are surprised to learn that the majority of family violence cases are misdemeanors, not felonies.
The Solicitor’s Office has a certified Victim Assistance Program to provide services to crime victims. The Solicitor’s Office can help with compensation, safety planning, and referrals. Crime victims can call 770-822-8300 and ask to speak to an advocate. Or visit www.gwinnettsolicitor.com for detailed information under the helpful links tab.
But the Solicitor’s Office can’t do it alone. We need the help of the whole community in order to hold batterers accountable and make victims safer. Don’t be silent.
Are you afraid of your partner? Do you apologize for your partner’s behavior? Does your partner put you down or call you names? Do you have to account for your daily activities? Have you been injured by your partner? Has your partner threatened you? Do you avoid family or friends to avoid conflict? Does your partner prevent you from getting a job? Or, if you work, does your partner control the money? Does your partner blame you for the abuse?
If you recognize these symptoms; it is not your fault. It will not stop without help, and help is available. You are not alone.
If you or someone you know needs help breaking the cycle of violence, there are excellent services in Gwinnett County. For help, visit the Partnership Against Domestic Violence at www.padv.org or call their 24 hour crisis line at 770-963-9799.
Together, we can Stop Domestic Violence.
EEB PERSPECTIVECollins got the job done Peachtree Christian Hospice
By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher, GwinnettForum.com
MAY 12, 2015 — Most people in Gwinnett probably do not realize the contribution that Dr. Jim Collins, who died at age 77 last week, had on the county. Dr. Collins was the long-time pastor of the Peachtree Christian Church in downtown Atlanta. Through his efforts, Duluth’s Peachtree Christian Hospice is now thriving in Gwinnett.
The story goes back to mid-1990s, when businessman Scott Hudgens of Duluth was seeking to place his philanthropic dollars to good causes. He asked his staff and friends to list the pressing areas of Gwinnett that needed funding. There was near unanimous determination that the areas of focus should be to children, the elderly, the developmental handicapped, veterans and to the homeless. Today his family foundation still focuses on these areas. The Foundation donates annually $4-5 million for these causes and others annually.
At that time, there was no hospice in Gwinnett. Mr. Hudgens thought the county needed one, and but his first effort did not work out. He approached the head of one church denomination, offered his idea and monies, and this person accepted. After all, this was for 8.7 acre tract of land, on which Mr. Hudgens would pay for and build the hospice, and then would underwrite its operations for three years. Altogether, that amounted to at least a $5 million contribution.
Once the offer was made, this church group sat and sat and sat on the idea, doing little toward starting the hospice. Eventually, Mr. Hudgens withdrew the offer to this church, and approached an old friend, Dr. Jim Collins. The two had worked together to help solve a parking problem near the church.
Mr. Hudgens made the same offer to fund a hospice to Dr. Collins, who said: “I think I know a couple who will get that done.” He was thinking of Martha and Bill Todd of his church.
The Todds worked at lightning speed, putting together a group to oversee the design, construction and operations. Construction began in August of 1999, and the opening was October 22, 2000. Mr. Hudgens was smiling widely at that achievement. However, on October 29, Mr. Hudgens died unexpectedly at age 77. Of all his many achievements, the founding of that hospice seemed to give him the greatest pleasure.
On the hospice web site, there is tribute to Mr. Hudgens. It reads: “It is because of the wisdom and vision of Mr. D. Scott Hudgens, Jr. that Peachtree Christian Hospice exists. He saw and understood the crucial need for a facility like Peachtree Christian Hospice. He had the insight to recognize numerous needs in the community and the desire and resources to satisfy them. It was with an unselfish heart and spirit that he gladly contributed millions to his beloved community. Though a successful developer, his business insight translated with the greatest of ease into visionary philanthropic ventures.”
The Hospice had served over 9,000 people at the end of their lives in a place of comfort and peacefulness.
It never would have been built without the funds of Scott Hudgens, nor without the drive, determination and selection of the right leaders that Dr. Jim Collins saw in the pair of Martha and Bill Todd. Unfortunately, Mr. Todd died in 2013.
Today Martha Todd continues as chairman of the board. The other board members include Dr. Joseph H. Barnes, Mrs. Anne Mancini, John B. McIntyre, Jeff Busbee, Jim Ellis, Ms. Jo-Anne Graham-Jones, J. Scot Kirkpatrick, Phillip W. Maffett, Mrs. Martha R. Vickers, Ms. Dianne D. Watson and Ms. Kathryn Parsons Willis.
James Lee Collins Jr., 1938-2015: may you rest in peace.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
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Suggests single source on Internet for more governmental news
Editor, the Forum:
Representative government is based on the intent that power is from the people to the government and not from the government to the people. However, this does require that people are involved in this process. Your article in the last issue on DeKalb county government is close to truth. When people do not take an active part in electing representatives or keeping up with what is being done, then they can expect to be surprised.
One thing I would like to bring to attention is the efforts that I see being put forward by U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall. He does a good job of communicating and keeping people informed of what he is working on. What is a shame is that he is the exception and not the rule.
Someone who has the computer skills should make this public information more easily available. This would allow more people to be involved more consistently and offer the public a better understanding of what is involved in making government work.
Perhaps we need a single website (state run or private) where local governments and representatives for each district could post about what is going on and what decisions are being made. This would be a single source where you can visit each district or county page and see who the elected representatives are and what they are working on or have accomplished.
You can’t just rely on TV or newspapers for “unbiased” reporting, you have to be on the ground and make up your own mind. And that means getting the information from the source. I wonder how many of these problems would have been caught early or even prevented if elected officials knew people had ready, real time access to this information? How many more people would take the time to be involved if they knew they could see what was going on without actually having to be there in person? Technology can be put to good use if we demand it.
— Charles Blair, Lawrenceville
Dear Charles: Watch out on relying on “official” sites. If you think the media might be biased, watch out for anything that public officials put out. By its very nature, every public official wants to look good in the eye of the people.–eeb
Vehicle makers fail to install crash avoidance gear, though not costly
Editor, the Forum:
Thanks for running John Suthers’ comments about crash avoidance. The public sometimes is totally uninformed about measures that can be taken to make not only tractor trailers but also regular passenger vehicles safer for everyone on the road and those who are occupants.
It is sad but true that often these safety features or alternative designs are not installed or implemented by auto/truck manufacturers or big rig operators for the sake of the almighty dollar. An example: the location of gas tanks on the Jeep Cherokee (in the rear almost against the bumper) and years ago on the GM pick up trucks (outside the frame rail), which expose the driver and occupants to a potential fiery explosion upon rear end or side impact.
Thanks for helping make folks aware of these issues.
— Gerald Davidson, Jr., Lawrenceville
More on transportation in Gwinnett, particularly a MARTA line
Editor, the Forum:
Truckers should have “crash avoidance” technology on big rigs, yes. But why stop with trucks? Why not mandate it for all cars as well? No sarcasm intended: it is a real question.
Another subject: MARTA in Gwinnett? If voters approve, seven to 10 years is highly optimistic. Maybe they could, with a concerted effort, get to Norcross in 10 years. I’ll bet it would take MARTA 20 years or more to get rail running in Gwinnett.
MARTA would simply not turn all of Gwinnett’s contributions toward the system into expenditures in Gwinnett. Gwinnett contributions would go into the same pot that funds all of MARTA. I suspect it will be spread around the system rather than just used in Gwinnett.
One must also ask where the line would go. I suspect it would follow the current rail line from Doraville along Buford Highway to Sugar Hill/Buford. How and when then would areas like Lilburn or Lawrenceville get served by MARTA rail? What of those in Snellville or Grayson or Dacula?
Will I be able to get on a train in Buford and get to Smyrna, without going downtown first?
MARTA rail in Gwinnett is as likely as a proposal one of our esteemed commissioners had, Mono rail down the center of Interstate 85 linking the three Gwinnett Malls together.
— Tim Sullivan, Buford
Dear Tim: A more recent proposal would send the line from the Doraville rail station toward Gwinnett Village CID to the Gwinnett Arena. That line would serve more the central part of the county could also be extended north to Buford and Hamilton Mill. And what’s wrong with a train to Smyrna via downtown if it would get you there expeditiously?—eeb
Enjoy baseball by attending playoff of Parkview vs. Etowah today
Editor, the Forum:
The current Parkview Panthers baseball team has now won 20 games in a row, lost only two games all year, each by one run, and is ranked Number One nationally in several polls. That’s impressive, considering there are more than 22,000 public high schools in the USA.
They’re well worth watching and the view is far better than in some mega pro stadium where you sit in a different zip code from the players, with much cheaper tickets, far better concessions and all reasonably priced.
You could call it low overhead baseball which is fun to watch, sort of like baseball used to be in an earlier time. You can’t lose if you go. Remember, Parkview was also voted No. One by Baseball America magazine in 2012. The next games is Tuesday May 12, a playoff doubleheader vs. Etowah.
— Marshall Miller, Lilburn
Rant, rave and send us your opinion: We encourage readers to submit feedback (or letters to the editor). Send your thoughts to the editor at elliott@brack.net. We will edit for length and clarity. Make sure to include your name and the city where you live. Submission of a comment grants permission for us to reprint. Please keep your comments to 300 words or less. However, we will consider longer articles (no more than 500 words) for featuring in Today’s Issue as space allows.
UPCOMINGWilson Is new executive director of School Board Association
The Georgia School Boards Association’s Board of Directors has picked Ms. Valarie Wilson as the next executive director. The current executive director, Sis Henry, who has served GSBA for 14 years a is retiring June 30, 2015. The Association is based in Lawrenceville.
Wilson
Ms. Wilson joined the school board of the City Schools of Decatur in 2002 and became the moving force behind the establishment of the College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center, acting on research that shows that early childhood education is critical to success in the K-12 years.
As Decatur City Schools Board Chair from 2005-2011, Ms. Wilson along with the other members of the board, helped to turn around the finances of the district. Through reorganization, the district was able to move forward during the recession with no teacher furloughs or shortening of the school year.
Ms. Wilson joined the board of the Association in 2009 and was its president in 2012-2013. She helped create the Georgia Vision Project, an educational framework for boards that included input from board members, superintendents, teachers, teaching colleges, elected officials, parents and students. Over 80 percent of the state’s school boards have agreed to support the Vision’s recommendations. She has also served on Governor Deal’s Education Advisory Board and was a member of the Decatur Education
Foundation. Ms. Wilson was the executive director of the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, Inc. and director of the Human Services Department in Fulton County, responsible for an annual budget of $26 million and directing programs that serve the elderly, children and youth. She has also been director of Fulton County’s Office of Aging. In 2014, Ms. Wilson ran for the Office of State School Superintendent.
A native of Swainsboro, Ga., she is a graduate of Clark College and completed graduate studies in public administration at Troy State University. She now lives in Decatur with her husband, Carter. Ms. Wilson has one son, Nicholas, who resides in West Virginia.
Brookwood High, Walton EMC to kick off solar energy program
On Thursday, May 14, Brookwood High School and Walton Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) will kick off a new solar energy partnership with the dedication of a working solar energy system placed on the school grounds by Walton EMC and its renewable energy partner, Green Power EMC.
The 1.5-kilowatt Brookwood solar array – provided through Green Power EMC’s Sun Power for Schools program – will allo
w students to collect and study real-time solar energy data under different weather conditions and times of day.
The SunPower for Schools program also features dedicated software and a supporting curriculum developed by the University of West Georgia, which includes dozens of lesson plans that support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) standards. In addition to enhancing classroom learning, power generated by the solar array will be channeled into the building’s power system to help meet the school’s electrical needs.
Walton EMC, which provides retail electric service to the school, said its solar partnership with Brookwood High is a reflection of the cooperative’s interest and involvement in the communities where it provides power.
Demonstration Wisteria City Market to be May 16 in Snellville
An open field on Wisteria Drive in Snellville will be transformed into a symbol of the city’s economic potential. The Wisteria City Market will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:50 a.m. on May 16 and will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The site is across from the Police Department on Wisteria Drive at Clower Street.
The Wisteria City Market will be a one-day event, a demonstration of what a possible Towne Center could look like. There will be a number of activities, such as yoga lessons on the lawn and a celebratory dinner at the end of the market.
Nona Johnson, the Season 8 winner of the Fox Television hit Hell’s Kitchen, will cook a meal for special guests after the event closes. Table are still available for purchase.
The marketplace was made possible after the DDA received a $15,000 Lifelong Tactical Urbanism Demonstration Project grant. Parking will be available at City Hall and the Wisteria Place shopping center, where a trolley will also shuttle visitors to and from the 8.5-acre site.
NOTABLEGwinnett to reinstate quarterly sweeping of roadways
Gwinnett commissioners are reinstating quarterly sweeping of roads, turn lanes and intersections as they promised during the recent recession. They are also awarding construction contracts for four pedestrian safety projects.
The Commissioners are also restoring street sweeping services that were eliminated in 2009 because of budget cutbacks. Sweeping Corporation of America Inc. was the lowest of five bidders at $97,015. The contract requires quarterly cleanin
g and debris removal from 400 miles of major roads, 40 miles of center turn lanes and 80 intersections.
Board Chairman Charlotte Nash said, “I’m proud we are delivering on our budgetary promise to restore street sweeping this year and that we are continuing to make pedestrian safety improvements with SPLOST funds.”
On construction contracts, one project will build new sidewalks on the north side of McDonough Drive from Dawson Boulevard to Graves Road, bus shelter pads for future bus shelters, plus curb, gutter and drainage improvements. CMES Inc. was the lowest of four bidders at $334,544. Completion is planned for mid-2016. Funding comes from the 2014 SPLOST program and a federal stimulus grant.
Three other projects will connect existing sidewalks near Little Mulberry Park including the south side of Hog Mountain Road from east of Mulberry Oaks Court to Hamilton Mill Parkway; on the north side of Hog Mountain Road from Ridgemill Terrace to Jim Moore Road; from east of Jim Moore Road to Greenside Court; and from west of Patrick Road to Pine Road. The third project will construct sidewalk along the east side of Jim Moore Road from Greenside Court to the existing sidewalk north of Greenside Court. Curb, gutter and other drainage improvements are included in all three projects. Ohmshiv Construction LLC was the lowest of three bidders at $879,254.50. The 2009 SPLOST program is funding the improvements, which should be finished by mid-2016.
Two colleges co-sponsor luncheon on changes to ISO programs
Gwinnett Tech and Georgia Tech are partnering to present “Changes to ISO 9001 & ISO 14001,” a luncheon event in the Manufacturing Growth Education Series. The event will be held June 16 from at 11:30 a.m. at The Busbee Center on the campus of Gwinnett Tech. The cost is $15 and includes lunch, networking, presentation, case study and Q&A. Manufacturing Supply Chain Council Members receive a $5 discount.
Ade Shitta-Bey, Project Manager at the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership at Georgia Tech, will be the speaker.
By attending this meeting, participants will:
- Learn how to interpret the new High Level Structure;
- Begin working on a project plan to implement new strategies into existing systems; and
- Discover what changes you need to make to retain your company’s ISO certification.
The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce’s Partnership Gwinnett is also sponsoring the event. Registration information is available at: http://tinyurl.com/mmo424w.
Be super careful about ads on beauty pageants, says BBB
Many advertisements seeking beauty pageant participants read, “Win Big Prizes! Scholarships! Cash! Become the Next Supermodel!”
These ads are appealing to parents of young children, (and teens and others) who are convinced their child can become the next big star. Participating in a beauty pageant may provide a rewarding experience, but many would-be contestants find that some pageant promoters do not deliver what they promise. While there are legitimate pageants, there are also those whose only purpose is to fatten the pockets of promoters.
Before entering into a pageant, the Better Business Bureau suggests parents and others who want to get involved, consider the following questions:
How long has the company been operating pageants? Who are the directors? Usually pageants are operated by for-profit organizations that solicit participants by mail or print advertising, or by broadcast media, to compete for recognition and prizes from the promoter.
What is the total cost of pageant participation for both the entrant and the chaperone? Oftentimes, family or business sponsors are asked to pay a sponsorship fee, which can vary in size, to the pageant promoter to cover hotel rental fees, awards, administrative costs and salary for company personnel and to generate company profits. Also, keep in mind that there are other costs for entrants, such as clothing, make-up, food and lodging.
Can the location (place of business) of the pageant company be verified? Where and when will the actual pageant be held? What accommodations are provided for contestants? Will there be adequate supervision?
Do all of the details add up? Are there judges and what are their qualifications? Do they have any affiliation with the company? Are refunds possible if a contestant decides to withdraw from the pageant? How are the winners chosen? What criteria are used for selection? What are the obligations of the winning contestant? What do former contestants and winners have to say about the pageant? Ask the company for references. Finally, what benefit will be derived from participating or winning?
Do the winnings sound too good to be true? If so, they probably are. Be sure to read any contract carefully and thoroughly in advance of entering a pageant to understand the rights and responsibilities of the winner or other contestants. For more details, go to bbb.org/atlanta.
RECOMMENDEDAn invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (100 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. –eeb
GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA TIDBITVidalia onions maturing now, with crop harvested by hand
(Continued from previous edition)
In response to this need for one product and one voice for the state’s fledgling onion industry, local University of Georgia extension agents put together a beltwide seminar in 1985 to discuss the feasibility of such an effort. This was followed by a year-long series of extension meetings in Reidsville, in which U.S. Department of Agriculture, Georgia Department of Agriculture, and University of Georgia personnel were involved.
As a result of these meetings the growers identified several goals and made several important agreements. First, they settled on the Vidalia name and agreed to pursue protection of their commodity. The Vidalia Onion Act, passed by the Georgia legislature in 1986, defined the twenty counties in which Vidalia onions could be grown, and the state’s Department of Agriculture was given ownership of the Vidalia name as it applied to onions.
A grower referendum for the establishment of an Onion Commodity Commission failed in 1986 but passed in 1987. In 1989 the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Federal Marketing Order No. 955 gave federal protection to the Vidalia onion and created the Vidalia Onion Committee, which supports both marketing and research initiatives for Vidalia onions. Finally, in 1992 the state of Georgia became the owner of the Vidalia onion trademark.
Vidalia onion seed is planted in September at a high density for the production of transplants. It takes about eight weeks to produce a good transplant.
The seedlings are pulled by hand, trimmed, and taken to the production field. Equipment is used to peg rows of holes in the soil, and the transplants are placed in each hole by hand. About 80,000 plants per acre is a good average population. To produce the mildest possible product, growers limit the use of sulfur fertilizer on the crop, as sulfur has been found to make these onions more pungent.
At harvest time, when the necks of the onions get weak and begin to fall over, growers undercut the onions to allow them to dry down. Onions mature from mid-April to mid-June. Most of the acreage is still harvested by hand, but mechanical harvesting is on the rise because of the high costs and extensive regulations involving farm labor. Harvested onions are transported to the packing facility for further drying, grading, and packaging.
Onions to be stored are poured into bin boxes and placed in coolers. Controlled atmospheric storage facilities allow onions to be stored for months past the fresh market season, and the adoption of this technology led to a big increase in acreage in the mid-1990s.
At the beginning of the 21st century, some 14,500 acres of Vidalia onions were grown. Vidalia onions represent about 40 percent of the total national spring onion production and have an estimated value of about $90 million in annual gross sales.
MYSTERY PHOTO
CLUE: Perhaps the late-model cars will give you some idea where this edition’s mystery photo is located. Send in your ideas to elliott@brack.net and be sure to tell us where you live.
Several people easily recognized the last mystery photo, many with stories. First in was Susan McBurney of Sugar Hill: “This is The Awakening in National Harbor, Md.” She was right. The photo came from Chuck Warbington of Auburn.
Karen Burnette Garner of Dacula says of the photo: “When I worked in DC years ago, it was in the park at Hains Point along the Potomac, so I was surprised to see it had been moved to National Harbor when I was there two weeks ago.”
Ruthy Lachman Paul of Norcross writes of the photo: “The Awakening was created by Seward Johnson in 1980 as part of Sculpture Conference, and the sculpture was originally installed at Hains Point in East Potomac, Washington, D.C. The Sculpture Foundation of Milton Peterson purchased the sculpture for $750,000 in 2007 and installed it at his National Harbor in Maryland.”
Catherine Coleman of Washington writes: “It’s a statue called “The Awakening” and now resides at national harbor, just outside of DC, across the Potomac on the Maryland side at National Harbor. It used the be at the tip of West Potomac park just south of the Lincoln and FDR memorials until about five years ago, when it was moved.”
Brenda Kukla of Suwanee recognized it, saying: “I take road trips every summer, finding unusual sites. This one is called The Awakening and is in Oxion Hill, Md. at The National Harbor. I believe it was at one time located in Washington, D.C.”
Ann Sechrist of Snellville writes: “My son saw this on his 5th grade focus trip. We had to return as a family to see it.” Also recognizing it was Bob Foreman of Grayson.
LAGNIAPPE 
TRAVEL IN STYLE in a Ford Tri-Motor airplane. Roving Photographer Frank Sharp spotted this vintage aircraft, the City of Port Clinton, at the Gwinnett County Airport last Saturday. Starting in 1930, airlines offered coast-to-coast service, but the airspeed was 90 miles per hour, and the plane flew relatively low to the ground, so that land features could easily be seen. The airplane seated 10 passengers. From Wikipedia: “The plan was to take passengers ‘Coast to Coast’ in 48 hours! Starting in the evening in New York, passengers would board a train where they were treated to a nice meal, then went to bed. Waking up in Port Columbus, Ohio, they disembarked and were whisked to an airport, where they would fly all day in a Ford Tri-Motor. Arriving late afternoon in Waynoka, Kan., they then boarded another train for an all night run to Clovis, N.M. The final leg of the journey was in a Ford Tri-Motor, which would arrive in Los Angeles by nightfall and in less than 48 hours.” A one-way ticket from coast to coast back then would be the equivalent of paying $4,000 today.
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