GwinnettForum | Issue 15.81 | Jan. 29, 2016
This modernistic bridge may be coming to Peachtree Corners next year, says Mayor Mike Mason. The bridge design was shown at a meeting in the city this week. It will be a pedestrian bridge spanning Peachtree Parkway, from The Forum to the Town Center area. For more on this bridge, and others in the Gwinnett “Bridge Wars,” see Upcoming below. To see several views of the new design, click here.
TODAY’S FOCUS: GGC Names New Director of Sports Information
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Possible Entry of Bloomberg for President and South’s March 1 Primary
SPOTLIGHT: Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District
FEEDBACK: Another Letter on Medical Marijuana; Questions Why Not Combine States
UPCOMING: Peachtree Corners Jumps Squarely Into Gwinnett Bridge War
NOTABLE: Toastmasters at PCOM Trains Future Doctors in Speaking Skills
RECOMMENDED BOOK: Sarum: The Novel of England by Edward Rutherfurd
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Georgia Boundary once Extended to the Mississippi River
TODAY’S QUOTE: Andy Warhol Reflection on Dying
MYSTERY PHOTO: Must Be Cold in This Place Where Photo Taken
LAGNIAPPE: Duluth Honors Six Citizens with Spirit of Good Living Awards
(Editor’s Note: In the last few weeks, GwinnettForum has experienced telephone problems. As of Wednesday, these problems have been resolved. Please call the same number, 770 840 1003, if you wish to reach us. Really, we had paid our bill. We’ll explain all in an upcoming column. –eeb)
Georgia Gwinnett College names director of sports information
By Ned Colegrove | Georgia Gwinnett College Director of Athletics Dr. Darin S. Wilson announces the appointment of Jason Hendrix as director of sports information, effective February 1.
Hendrix will be responsible for all aspects of media relations, game day sports information, social media and digital promotions, and other public relations tools for the Office of Athletics. He will serve as the primary media contact for all six sports and continue to develop sports media relationships at the local, regional and national level to effectively communicate the tremendous story of Grizzly Athletics.
Hendrix will be part of the External Operations team, working hand-in-hand with Matt Mahony and the Grizzly Digital Network.
Hendrix comes to GGC after serving two years as director of sports information and athletics coordinator at Thomas University in Thomasville, Ga. In June 2015, Hendrix received recognition as winner of the Preview/Recap writing contest for his work with the Night Hawks baseball team.
During his time in secondary education, Hendrix continued working freelance in collegiate athletics with the University of South Florida, Florida State University, and Florida High School Athletic Association sports information departments doing photography, game day operations, graphic design, and website maintenance.
Previously Hendrix served as the director of sports information at WVU Institute of Technology in Montgomery, W.Va. There, Hendrix served as the liaison between the athletics department and media for 13 sports.
Hendrix earned a master’s degree in sports management from Florida State University in 2011. Prior to becoming a Seminole, Hendrix spent three years working in the sports information office as a student aid for Georgia College in Milledgeville, Ga. Hendrix earned a bachelor’s degree there in business administration, specializing in management information systems, in 2009, and was a two-year varsity cross country standout. He was the recipient of the Peach Belt Conference Presidential Scholars Award. He also was the college’s first-ever bobcat mascot, “Thunder”, and was recently listed as one of Georgia College’s 125 Most Influential Alumni of their 125 years of existence.
Hendrix has provided digital media and photography work for the University of Georgia auxiliary departments, Georgia Southern University athletics, Baseline Sports, Envision Sports Media, Mercer University athletics, and the Atlanta Braves’ fan photography team.
He also spent a year at Saint Paul’s School in Clearwater, Fla., as communications coordinator, overseeing marketing, development, admissions, advancement, and athletic materials.
As a student-athlete, Hendrix was a member of the Reinhardt University (Waleska, Ga.) and Georgia College cross country and track programs. He served as the community coach for FSU’s Club Cross Country/Track program, and coached with Baldwin County High School, Jones County High School, Cherokee County High School, and, with his alma mater, Northgate High School in Newnan, Ga.
A native of Palmetto, Ga., Hendrix and his wife, Rosilyn, are the proud owners of two dogs, Bailey Mae and Penelope.
Possible entry of Bloomberg for president and South’s March 1 primary
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | With the Georgia (and Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) presidential primaries just about a month away, political antics have been far flung this presidential cycle! No telling what will happen next.
This topsy-turvy political year, when matters were not always going as anticipated, now has a new name possibly seeking the office of president: former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Many will welcome Bloomberg’s consideration of a Third Party candidacy, those not particularly pleased at the way both the Democratic and Republican candidates are doing.
After all this political year, who would have thought:
- Jeb Bush would be so meek in seeking the presidency?
- That Hillary Clinton would not be a shoo-in for the nomination?
- That two first term Senators, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, would rise as high as they have?
- That an avowed Democratic Socialist, Bernie Sanders, would stick in the race so well?
- And of course, that the one person everyone is talking about, Donald Trump, would have made it this far?
So now comes Michael Bloomberg. We don’t know that much about him. His own site tells us that he made his fortune in this manner: “Bloomberg put himself through Johns Hopkins and Harvard and became a partner at Salomon Brothers. He started his own company, which revolutionized the distribution of financial information and made him a billionaire. In 2002, Bloomberg became mayor of New York City.”
Here’s a link to what The New York Times wrote about him as he was leaving the office of mayor, which he held for 12 years.
Whether Bloomberg runs, his consideration of participating in the race lends another voice in this unusual lead-up for those seeking the office. Should Bloomberg decide to run for the presidency, the indication is that he will do so as an Independent, not taking either of the traditional two-party routes. His first major task would be to find ways to be on the ballot in 50 states. He has indicated that he already had people working on this ballot issue, and says the early indication is that this would not be a problem.
Bloomberg drew this conclusion on the basis of what third party efforts (Teddy Roosevelt, John Anderson, Ross Perot, others) found when they mounted campaigns previously. He will have to adopt a plan for each individual state. While this seems a daunting task to undertake, in effect, he’ll throw money at it, and achieve the goal, so say his advisers. Remember, this is a guy who has even more money than Donald Trump. While the idea of getting on all 50 state ballots sounds formidable, it’s possible. The other candidates may not openly welcome Bloomberg to the foray, but then they won’t be able to scuttle his candidacy either.
But in this crazy year, who knows?
At least on Monday, the Iowa caucuses will shed some new light on this presidential race…..and also add some murkiness at the same time. Then we’ll see another few months of wild campaigning. Our system of picking presidential candidates may not be the best way to pick a leader of a country, but this manner sure does get a lot of Americans interested in and involved with the process.
In February, the candidates court our Southern vote. Hold on: March 1 will be here soon, and the South will add its voice to this national phenomenon.
Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. The Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District was formed in 2006, and is a self taxing revitalization district that includes just over 725 commercial property owners with a property value of over $1 billion dollars. Gwinnett Village CID includes the southwestern part of Gwinnett County including properties along Jimmy Carter Boulevard, Buford Highway, Indian Trail, Beaver Ruin, and Singleton Road. Gwinnett Village is one of four CIDs to be created in Gwinnett County and is the largest of all CIDs in the state. Gwinnett Village’s mission is to improve property values through increased security, a decrease in traffic congestion, and general improvements to the curb appeal of the area.
- Learn more about Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District.
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Agrees with author of recent comment about medical marijuana
Editor, the Forum:
Kudos to you for publishing a recent latter about medical use of marijuana, and kudos to the unknown writer for letting you.
I wholeheartedly agree with the writer. This is another situation where the public is way ahead of the politicians.
The use of medical marijuana should have been legalized years ago, if only on humanitarian grounds.
We cannot, and should not, strive to eliminate every activity that has the potential for harm to society or to individuals. Where is our “conservative values” outrage over automobiles that kill and maim far more of our citizens, including innocent children, than probably all the other activities that offend our “conservative values.”
The abuse of prescription drugs, particularly among the elderly, has much less media and political coverage than medical marijuana but is, by far, more harmful to our society.
By the way, did you recognize that the media seems to be daily lowering the age of what is elderly? I saw on the television the other night where someone had attacked an elderly grandmother. She was only 61. I guess when I was young I may have thought 61 was elderly. I certainly don’t now.
— Hoyt Tuggle, Lawrenceville
Raises issues of other consolidation, and questions that “Red Robin”
Editor, the Forum:
Regards to your recent article on combining city and county governments, I have often though the states should also be doing some combining. Some of original states would be better served if combined. We could have Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey join Pennsylvania. The six New England states could merge and become one. Fewer Federal representatives and Senators would be a good thing.
One more thing: shouldn’t the bird in your recent Mystery Photo be called a Red Cardinal? Robins aren’t all red.
— Tim Sullivan, Buford
Dear Tim: Look at you, ready to stir up a hornet’s next when you start talking about combining states! That will never work, for much the same reason that county sheriffs, tax collectors, commissioners, etc., don’t want to give up their positions through combining. Same for the states and the “political power” that comes with states, no matter how small or how large. As for the “Red Robin,” yep, it’s obviously a cardinal. Perhaps people in that town should be saying “Red Bird” for as you say, Robins aren’t red. –eeb
- Send Feedback and Letters to: elliott@brack.net
Peachtree Corners jumps squarely into Gwinnett bridge war
It seems that a bridge war has broken out in Gwinnett. The Gwinnett Place CID began it all when it completed a unique design of its new Pleasant Hill Diverging Diamond bridge over Interstate 85. Recently the Gwinnett Village CID opened its Diverging Diamond bridge at Jimmy Carter Boulevard, with its own distinctive design. Both are also lighted at night.
Now Peachtree Corners has stepped into the “bridge war,” telling of a planned pedestrian only bridge traversing Peachtree Parkway from The Forum Shopping Center to the new Town Center, with a futuristic-looking design of its own. The Atlanta offices of TY Lin International group came up with the proposal.
Community Development Director Diana Wheeler said that “There is no cost estimate, since this is simply a design concept. The city showed the design to the community to gauge the public sentiment on the design. So far, city leaders are very pleased with the feedback received.”
More than 120 residents were on hand Monday night to get a look at the city’s possible iconic pedestrian bridge. Officials say that the bridge will provide not only a safe path over one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares, but its dramatic design will make it the city’s premier landmark.
Mayor Mike Mason says: “We asked our engineers to design a bridge that was ‘Innovative and Remarkable,’ which is the city’s tag line, and I think they captured it completely. I am also very pleased that this design has been so well received in the community.”
Work on the bridge is expected to start this spring. The bridge will wind its way across the busy roadway meandering over a creek and botanical garden and ending at the Town Center. More than just a safe means to cross from The Forum to the Town Center, the bridge will be atypical itself.
The design includes a winding path, park benches, landscaping and other features for residents to enjoy. During the presentation hosted by the United Peachtree Corners Civic Association, attendees were treated to a special 3-D fly-over presentation which simulates the path of the new bridge.
Time to order for Gwinnett Extension Service plant sale
The Gwinnett County Cooperative Extension office in Lawrenceville, Georgia is offering varieties of Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Figs, Apples, Native Azaleas, Goji berry Fruit and other landscape plants as part of their annual sale. Orders will be taken through March 8, 2016. Order forms may be obtained from: www.ugaextension.com/gwinnett, or call 678-377-4010 for getting a form.
All orders are prepaid and picked up at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds (Sugarloaf Parkway) in Lawrenceville on Thursday, March 17 between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. No orders are shipped. We do accept credit card payments (Visa, Mastercard and Discover) with walk-in orders to our office.
Funds raised from the sale are used to promote youth and 4-H programs, nutrition classes, programs on landscaping and lawn management and many more. There will be a variety of landscape plants that are not on our pre-order sheet for sale the day of plant pick up, so bring a little extra cash. There is always room for another plant!
Leadership Gwinnett accepting names for year’s coming classes
Nominations are open for the Leadership Gwinnett Class of 2017, which runs from August 2016 to May 2017. Now entering its 32nd year, Leadership Gwinnett trains the community’s future leaders.
Nominate future leaders in business, government, education and non-profit organizations. CLICK HERE for quick nomination form.
In addition to the year-long course, Leadership Gwinnett also offers a short course in community leadership, called Glance Gwinnett.
Over 150 passionate people have completed the Glance Gwinnett program. Now in its second year, Glance Gwinnett is a three-day program for those folks not quite ready for the nine month experience but have demonstrated a desire for community engagement. There is no formal application process, but is a first-come, first-served registration on the website. The next offering is March 17-19.
PCOM Toastmasters Chapter seeks to help future doctors’ skills
“Every journey begins with a single speech,” is the motto of the Toastmasters International chapter at Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (GA-PCOM). Toastmasters International, with 15,400 clubs in 135 countries according to their website, works to encourages communication and leadership development by improving its members’ speaking skills.
Members of GA-PCOM’s Toastmasters engage in impromptu speaking sessions, or “Table Topics,” to improve their communication skills.
The GA-PCOM division of the club, which meets on the Suwanee campus Wednesday evenings, is open to all of the College’s students, faculty and staff. Members partake in general meetings where they are evaluated on presentations and later participate in “Table Topics,” or impromptu speaking sessions. The organization also holds special events including mock interviews, speaking competitions and various social events.
Mahtab Parham, a second year Biomedical Sciences student and president of the GA-PCOM Toastmasters chapter, explains that the mission of the club is to help future healthcare leaders become better communicators, become better equipped to treat patients, collaborate with their peers and accomplish positive changes in society.
Parham says, “Toastmasters members jump outside of their comfort zones to become more effective communicators and leaders. They learn how to use their knowledge, charm, and charisma to send a message to the world.”
Two from Gwinnett complete municipal training from Holtz Institute
Dugan
Howard (in center)
Duluth Councilmember Jim Dugan and Snellville Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Howard received the Certificate of Distinction from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute at the Georgia Municipal Annual Mayors’ Day Conference in Atlanta on January 24. The Institute is a cooperative effort of Georgia Municipal Association and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, that provides a series of training opportunities for elected city officials through completion of a minimum of 204 units of credit. The training program consists of a series of more than 50 courses.
Snellville outshines Grayson to win 2016 Hunger challenge for co-op
More than 15,000 food items and $17,000 was collected during the Give Hunger the Boot Challenge to benefit the Southeast Gwinnett Co-op. And while defending champions Grayson put up a valiant effort, it was Snellville which won the event the second year of the competition. Grayson collected 8,623 food items to benefit the area’s needy, besting Snellville by nearly 2,000 items, but Snellville raised $15,187 in donations, beating Grayson’s $1,970. That ultimately put Snellville over the top. : From left are Snellville Councilman Dave Emanuel with Laura Drake, director of the Southeast Gwinnett Co-op. This year’s event raised 50 percent more in food and monetary donations, which Emanuel said showed residents of both cities were more involved this time around.
Sarum: The Novel of England
A novel by Edward Rutherfurd
While perusing the stacks of books on the shelf recently, “Sarum: The Novel of England” caught my interest. The story begins prehistorically with the forming of the island, and weaves through 10,000 years of history, focusing on the area of Stonehenge and the Salisbury Plain of England. A lengthy tome, the writer engages readers with a colorful and historically accurate telling of English history, and the effects of that history on five fictional families. While this is a work of fiction, it prompts the reader to examine how each of us is the product of those who came before us: physically, emotionally and affected by history. This is the author’s first book, and has been followed by “London: the Novel,” “New York: the Novel,” “The Forest,” and “Paris: the Novel,” among others. Happily recommended!
— Karen Burnette Garner, Dacula
An 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 boundary once extended to the Mississippi River
The Yazoo land fraud was one of the most significant events in the post–Revolutionary War (1775-83) history of Georgia. The bizarre climax to a decade of frenzied speculation in the state’s public lands, the Yazoo sale of 1795 did much to shape Georgia politics and to strain relations with the federal government for a generation.
Georgia was too weak after the Revolution to defend its vast western land claims, which extended across present day Alabama and Mississippi, and was called the “Yazoo lands,” after the river that flowed through the westernmost part. Consequently, the legislature listened eagerly to proposals from speculators willing to pay for the right to form settlements there.
In the 1780s the state supported two unsuccessful speculative projects to establish counties in the western territory and in 1788 tried, again without success, to cede a portion of those lands to Congress. In 1789 the legislature sold about 25 million acres to three companies, only to torpedo the sale six months later by insisting that payment be made in gold and silver rather than in depreciated paper currency.
Pressure to act continued to build on legislators until, by mid-November 1794, a majority reportedly favored the sale of the western territory. On January 7, 1795, Georgia governor George Mathews signed the Yazoo Act, which transferred 35 million acres in present-day Alabama and Mississippi to four companies for $500,000. To achieve this successful sale, the leader of the Yazooists, Georgia’s Federalist U.S. senator James Gunn, had arranged the distribution of money and Yazoo land to legislators, state officials, newspaper editors, and other influential Georgians. Cries of bribery and corruption accompanied the Yazoo Act as it made its way to final passage. Angry Georgians protested the sale in petitions and street demonstrations. Despite the swelling opposition, the Yazoo companies completed their purchases.
Learning of the circumstances surrounding passage of the Yazoo Act, Georgia’s leading Jeffersonian Republican, U.S. senator James Jackson, resigned his seat and returned home, determined to overturn the sale. Making skillful use of county grand juries and newspapers, Jackson and his allies gained control of the legislature. After holding hearings that substantiated the corruption charges, Jackson dictated the terms of the 1796 Rescinding Act, which was signed by Governor Jared Irwin and nullified the Yazoo sale. He also arranged for the destruction of records connected with the sale; ensured that state officials tainted by Yazoo were denied reelection and replaced by his own anti-Yazoo, pro-Jefferson supporters; and in 1798 orchestrated a revision of the state constitution that included the substance of the Rescinding Act.
(To be continued)
- To access the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Brrrr! This Mystery Photo makes you think of winter
Wherever this photograph was taken, looks like it’s cold, from the way the people are bundled up. Tell us where you think this scene is located, and you’ll identify this edition’s Mystery Photo. Send your name and hometown to elliott@brack.net
We mis-identified the recent photograph, calling it a “Red Robin” when it is really a “Red Bird,” which looks more like a Cardinal, which are naturally red. First in with the identification was Ruthie Lachman Paul, Norcross, telling us that the photograph is in Durham, N.C., in their Central park. She adds: “The Artist is Michael WallerHe, a North Carolina native, who started WallerFoushee Studios in 2003, and since then collectively created over a dozen public art projects throughout North Carolina. He called the art a ‘Phat Ryan,’ and it’s made of re-inforced concrete” While several readers said the art was a bird, no one else told us its location.
Duluth honors 6 citizens with Spirit of Good Living awards
Six community volunteers, business owners and citizens were recognized with Spirit of Good Living Awards by Duluth Mayor Nancy Harris at the 2016 State of the City Address. Each Council member selected a recipient of the award. Honored this year were, from left, Ann Odum, Melissa Henry, Maxine Garner, Helen Jones, Donna Daluga and Michael Robbins. Mayor Harris says that: “These citizens go above and beyond to contribute to their community. This is just a small token of our appreciation for all the hard work and dedication these individuals share because they love the place they call home.”
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