GwinnettForum | Issue 15.97 | March 25, 2016
THE JUDGE’S CHOICE WINNER in the Snap Suwanee Photo Contest winner is Glen Sharpe, for this picture of a “Rainy October Morning.” Over 70 entries were sent in for the annual contest. Sponsored by the Public Arts Commission, the entries will be on display until next February. See other contest winners on display at Suwanee City Hall through Feb. 17, 2017.
TODAY’S FOCUS: DUI Convictions Are Not Only Expensive Propositions but Last Forever
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Italy’s Berlusconi and Trump Come from Similar Backgrounds
SPOTLIGHT: The Piedmont Bank
FEEDBACK: FBI Needs to Try To Tap Into Phone, Without the Help of Apple
UPCOMING: Jackson EMC Offering “Bright Ideas” Grants to School Teachers
NOTABLE: PCOM Elects David McCleskey to its Board of Trustees
RECOMMENDED: The Autobiography of James T. Kirk by David A. Goodman
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Long Serving Georgian Naval Officer Scuttles Confederate’s Merrimac
TODAY’S QUOTE: Considering What Is Infinite and What Might Not Be
MYSTERY PHOTO: Can You Tell from the Snow Where This Is Located?
LAGNIAPPE: Lilburn Resident Wins DAR Outstanding Veteran Volunteer Award
DUI convictions are not only expensive propositions, but last forever
By Pamela South, judge, State Court of Gwinnett | For over 15 years, I have been a judge and now have heard thousands of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) cases. I am happy to report that the number of DUI cases has recently fallen slightly in Gwinnett County. And as for multi-DUI offenders, our Gwinnett Accountability Courts have been effective in treating alcoholism and addictions and reducing recidivism. But DUI remains a continuing problem in our county.
South
So why does the DUI problem persist? Well, most people assume they will never be charged with DUI. The reason, they must feel, is that they think they will never put themselves in a position to drive while impaired. But they attend a social event, visit a restaurant, or see a ball game, and after drinking too much, they drive home when they have no business being on the road. Often DUIs are committed by ordinary people…..who have a terrible lapse in judgment.
When police stop and arrest someone who made the choice to go ahead and drink and drive, it begins a very expensive process for the person on the receiving end.
First, obtaining a lawyer will often cost thousands of dollars, not hundreds. DUIs are highly technical cases and most people consult with a lawyer to decide what to do. And second, with or without a lawyer, if your DUI ends with a conviction or guilty plea, you will pay considerably, even if it’s just your first time.
For the person who is convicted of DUI – never been in trouble before — that first DUI conviction will be a very expensive experience. Much of the time, a fine of $600 to $800 is recommended (the maximum is $1,000.) With a hefty surcharge imposed by the state of Georgia, that fine amount will be increased by 40 percent (the surcharge goes to state programs supporting crime victims and other programs.) You will pay a probation supervision fee of $45 per month. You’ll have to leave your job to attend a monthly meeting with your probation officer, often for a full year.
There’s more: you will pay for drug and alcohol screening (depending on the screen, it can be $15 to $30 per month.) You will be required to perform 40 hours of community service (one work week.) You will be required to take the state’s Risk Reduction Class (approximately $300.) You will be required to obtain an alcohol and drug evaluation (varies, but usually around $250). Plus, if your license is suspended – it frequently will be – you must figure out a way to do all this without driving. In short, your very first DUI will cost you thousands of dollars.
And it doesn’t end there. The DUI will remain permanently on your traffic history. This will cause your auto insurance rates to increase substantially, because you are now considered a high risk driver. You may be disqualified from some jobs. And in some cases, an employer will terminate you due to a DUI conviction.
The money that first DUI will cost you can be as much as a down payment on a house or car, or your child’s college tuition, or a nice vacation or cruise for the entire family. And even if the judge gives you the lowest fine possible, taking into account your particular financial circumstances and possible inability to pay, the financial impact of a DUI is still high, no matter what your income level is. And yes, this high cost is part of the deterrence intent of the DUI legislation.
I have not even discussed the public safety issue, which is tremendous. A DUI driver is a danger to himself or herself and to everyone else on the road. And perhaps because it is so simple to avoid a DUI – by choosing not to drive while impaired. Sentences for injuries caused by DUI drivers tend to be severe. Prison sentences are regularly handed down in vehicular homicide cases involving drugs and alcohol.
A DUI is dangerous; it’s expensive; and its impact can last forever. Why take the chance?
Trump reminds us of Italy’s Berlusconi, when he was prime minister
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | While Americans are somewhat thunderstruck by an independently wealthy person, like Donald Trump jumping headlong into the presidential race, and gaining traction, it’s happened in other places in the world.
One recent ego-centered and financially independent figure on the world scene to seek political power was mightily successful. We refer to former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, who led Italy for nine years through four cabinets, often embarrassing that country with his escapades and outright peccadilloes, and was eventually forced to resign.
Berlusconi has been pictured as a “brash, bruising, billionaire businessman” who didn’t care in the least about the way he was pictured. He was his own man, independent, and often sought to run roughshod over even his own political party. As Trump, he originally made his fortune in real estate, and later parlayed his dollars in controlling a private television empire, the most successful in Italy, raking in billions. Even his own television managers could not keep his sometimes embarrassing private movements when president out of the news.
Though caught up in all sorts of sordid behavior, often involving women, no matter what happened, Berlusconi seemed to come out ahead while in office. One person recently described him: “Nothing stuck. He had a gift of gab. He had a tone. He connected. He owned a soccer club, for heaven’s sake. Many Italians thought they saw in him one of their own. He served four terms and nine years as prime minister before an ignominious downfall.”
The publication Foreign Affairs termed his serving in this manner:
“The latest bout of political instability hasn’t just triggered a standard round of name-calling among Italy’s political class; it has dramatically worsened the outlook of Italy’s already fragile economy, scaring off investors and bringing economic reform to a grinding halt…. Berlusconi seems more than willing to risk his country’s future to save his own neck, even if just temporarily.”
Another publication called it “a party in the service of a leader.”
Berlusconi
Berlusconi arrived in power as the head of his own Forza Italia Party, and in the parliamentary fashion of Italian politics, cobbled together a majority to give him the prime minister’s position.
Should the independent Donald Trump become the candidate of the Republican Party, he will still have to convince Congressional members of his own party to back his proposals. With Trump an “outsider” something like Jimmy Carter was, that won’t necessarily be easy.
Should somehow the Grand Old Party deny Trump the nomination, there’s even the outside possibility he could become president through an unprecedented third party. Should he happen to win, that would really create problems for Trump with the Congress, not necessarily giving him cooperation as president.
Of course, the likelihood that Trump, either as the Republican nominee or as an independent, becoming president is unlikely. The Democratic nominee, probably Hillary Clinton, would most likely easily defeat a GOP led by Trump, or dispose of Trump if he ran as an independent.
Yet the possibility remains that Donald Trump could be the next Berlusconi coming to power. We saw how rough that was for Italy when Berlusconi was prime minister. It would be even worse for the United States with Trump as president.
The Piedmont Bank
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. The Piedmont Bank, which opened its doors on June 30, 2009, is a full-service bank, with four locations, with its home offices at 5100 Peachtree Parkway in Norcross; and other locations at 185 Gwinnett Drive in Lawrenceville; east of Interstate 85 near Suwanee at Old Peachtree and Brown Roads; and in Dunwoody at 1725 Mount Vernon Road. It has a capitalization of $51 million, and more than $425 million in assets now. The bank is making substantial business and personal loans. Its directors include Paul Donaldson, Robert D. Cheeley, John J. Howard, Monty G. Watson (who is chairman), Robert J. Ratliff and T. Michael Tennant, while James E. Stephenson is an advisory director. Deposits in The Piedmont Bank are insured by the FDIC.
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FBI needs to try to tap into phone without help of Apple
Editor, the Forum:
In addition to the good points Debbie Houston made in the 3/22/16 edition of GwinnettForum, I want to point out some other considerations.
If Syed Farook had been apprehended and was awaiting indictment or trial, the authorities and news media would refer to him (and his wife) as the “alleged” terrorist. It strikes me as odd that with no trial these two people stand convicted on the mere word of the FBI. I still wonder what became of the so-called “third shooter” that the FBI now says never existed.
Secondly, if the FBI has a warrant to look in a person’s house or car, they can do so. However, if the FBI can’t find what they are looking for I don’t think they could compel the builder of the house or the manufacturer of the car to investigate every place the person might have hidden something in the house or car. So, I believe the FBI needs to figure out how to access the hidden data on the iPhone without the help of Apple, the manufacturer. I doubt if they can do so.
— Michael L. Wood, Peachtree Corners
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Jackson EMC offering “Bright Ideas” grants to school teachers
How many educators have had an innovative, creative project they would like to use in their classroom to keep students interested and challenged? And how many of those ideas were shelved for lack of funding? Jackson Electric Membership Corporation’s (EMC) Bright Ideas program offers grants for those classroom projects developed by state certified educators in a public middle schools (grades 6-8) within Jackson EMC’s service area.
Educators can earn from $100 to $2,000 for classroom projects that cannot be funded through general education funds. Chip Jakins, Jackson EMC president and CEO says: “We know budgets can hinder classroom projects and everyone has heard stories of educators dipping into their own pockets to pay for their creative lesson plans.We think this program will energize innovative teaching and the classroom learning experience.”
- A complete list of guidelines, criteria and an online application for a Bright Ideas grant is available www.jacksonemc.com/brightideas.
Teachers may submit their 2016 applications online by midnight Friday, June 3. Applications received by the early bird deadline of Friday, April 29 will be entered in a prize drawing for one of two $250 VISA gift cards. Grants will be judged by an outside panel of education experts, and grants will be awarded this fall.
In 2015, Jackson EMC distributed $50,000 in Bright Ideas grants to 24 schools in nine school systems in the cooperative’s service area. To see some of those innovative classroom projects in action, go to www.jacksonemc.com/stimulating.
Jackson EMC, headquartered in Jefferson, is a member-owned cooperative providing electricity and related services to nearly 220,000 meters in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
GACS grad among finalists as nation’s top college basketball player
Brogdon
Greater Atlanta Christian 2011 alum and University of Virginia superstar senior Malcolm Brogdon has been selected as one of the four finalists for the 2016 Naismith Trophy, given to the top player in men’s college basketball. Brogdon was recently named the ACC Defensive and Offensive Player of the Year, and has averaged 18.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game for the Virginia Cavaliers. The winner will be announced during the NCAA Final Four Tournament in Houston.
PCOM elects McCleskey to its board of trustees
David McCleskey, whose career in public education and community service spans 40 years, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. The 117-year-old university established a Georgia branch campus in Suwanee ten years ago, which now offers doctorate degrees in osteopathic medicine and pharmacy and master’s degrees in biomedical sciences and physician assistant studies. McCleskey joins fellow Gwinnettian Wayne Sikes as a board member from Georgia.
Georgia’s Chief Campus Officer Bryan Ginn says: “The PCOM Board of Trustees has acted wisely by enlisting David’s passion for education and his heart for compassionate health care. His service and sterling reputation will prove extremely beneficial to PCOM and our students.”
McCleskey has been an advocate for quality education and health care in Georgia through his many leadership roles at local and state levels. His service has centered on two of Gwinnett’s institutions – the Gwinnett County Public School System (GCPS) and Gwinnett Medical Center.
With a bachelor’s degree from Mercer University (Atlanta) and a master’s degree from Atlanta University, McCleskey began his career as a classroom teacher and was named Middle School Teacher of the Year and first runner-up for Teacher of the Year for GCPS. After serving 14 years in the classroom, he became the Coordinator of Business Education Partnerships for GCPS, where he helped charter a Business Education Partnership Committee with the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. In 2002, McCleskey moved into his current role as Governmental Liaison and Community Ombudsman for GCPS. In this role, he has been the liaison with local, state and national elected and appointed officials regarding educational and community issues.
At the state level, McCleskey served as an executive on loan to Georgia Governor Roy Barnes who appointed him as the executive director of the Georgia State Board of Education. During Governor Sonny Purdue’s administration, he served as Lead Staff and Assistant Policy Director to the Governor’s Education Finance Task Force. He then held the position of chief operating officer for the Georgia Teachers’ Retirement System.
McCleskey is active in the community as a member of Lawrenceville First Baptist Church where he serves as a deacon and Sunday school teacher. He received a Public Service Award and the Healthcare Excellence Award from the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.
Since 2004, McCleskey served on the Board of Directors of Gwinnett Medical Center, presiding as Chairman of the Board from 2010 until 2015..
McCleskey met his wife, Peggy, also a teacher, while teaching at Lawrenceville Middle School. Together, they have a daughter, Becca.
Warpole recognized for 2,200 hours of volunteer service
Warpole, left, and McClain
Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation (GCPR) held a Volunteer Reception on March 12 to recognize the valuable contributions of the volunteers who have dedicated their time to GCPR in 2015. GCPR presented 121 volunteers with the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, including 76 Bronze, 23 Silver and 22 Gold recognitions. The Silver Star Award was presented to Doris Warpole of Norcross for serving more than 2,200 hours. She accepted the award from State Rep. Dewey McClain, who is on the Gwinnett Parks Foundation.
The Autobiography of James T. Kirk
A novel by David A. Goodman
As an OS (original series) Star Trek-phile, it was a given that I would be a first day reader of this book. Speaking with the voice of my childhood hero Captain Kirk, weaving in the events of the television series and the movies, my expectations were high. I have to say I was a bit disappointed. The deeper understanding of the character I was seeking just wasn’t there. In fact, I have to admit that I really didn’t like this incarnation very much. The humanity, the weaknesses and character flaws I expected were lightly dusted, and back stories to tie it all together seemed contrived. It seemed the story of a man without a heart, contrary to the image of the dashing, passionate Captain, deeply committed to his ship and his crew. Skip this one.
— Karen 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
Long-serving Georgia naval officer scuttles Confederate’s Merrimac
Josiah Tattnall was a long-serving American naval officer and a noteworthy figure during the Civil War (1861-65). He was born at his family’s Bonaventure Plantation, near Savannah, on November 9, 1795, to Harriet Fenwick and Josiah Tattnall, a Georgia senator and governor.
Orphaned in 1803, Tattnall was sent to live with his paternal grandfather in England for schooling. He returned to Savannah in 1811 and entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman in 1812. In August 1814, during the War of 1812 (1812-15), Tattnall fought against the British with land-based naval forces at the Battle of Bladensburg, in Maryland. He married Harriette Fenwick Jackson, his first cousin, circa 1821. They had several daughters and one son.
Tattnall remained in the navy and saw varied service around the world. He fought against Algerian pirates under Commodore Stephen Decatur, and he was wounded in action during the Mexican War (1846-48). Following duty on the Great Lakes, he became flag officer (before the grade of admiral was authorized) and commander of the East India Squadron at Hong Kong in 1858. In violation of U.S. neutrality Tattnall assisted British warships attacking Chinese forts in 1859. He defended his action by quoting the proverb “blood is thicker than water.” He conveyed the first Japanese embassy to the United States to San Francisco, California, in 1860.
After Georgia seceded from the Union on the eve of the Civil War, Tattnall, despite his personal aversion to secession, resigned from the U.S. Navy on February 20, 1861. He was subsequently commissioned as a captain of the Confederate navy, with responsibility for the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina. He conducted unsuccessful actions against U.S. forces at Port Royal, South Carolina, in 1861.
During the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac (CSS Virginia) at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on March 9, 1862, Franklin Buchanan, the Confederate commander of the re-named Virginia (Merrimac), was wounded. Tattnall was named to replace him. Months later, in May, Southern forces attempted to retreat from the Norfolk, Virginia, area, knowing that Union forces would soon arrive.
Fearing that the ironclad would be captured by Union troops, Tattnall ordered it to be destroyed. Subsequently a board of inquiry censured Tattnall, ruling that blowing up the ship had been unnecessary. He was later exonerated by a court martial. Tattnall returned to his command at Savannah and was there overseeing the destruction of the remaining Confederate vessels, including the ironclad CSS Savannah, when the city fell to the Union forces of General William T. Sherman in December 1864. Following a retreat to Augusta, Tattnall was captured there as a prisoner of war and was paroled in May 1865.
Tattnall moved to Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1866. He lived there for four years before returning penniless to Savannah, where the city created the position of inspector of the port in order to provide him an income. He died on June 14, 1871, and was buried at Bonaventure Cemetery.
- To access the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Perhaps the snow can give you a clue
What a gorgeous mountain scene! It could be anywhere, and all we want you to do is pinpoint this location. Maybe the way the snow falls on the sides can give you a hint, or not. Send your idea to elliott@brack.net.
For the most recent Mystery Photo, not a GwinnettForum reader apparently has been to that location, nor recognized the town hall in Mills, Mass., which Karen Garner sent in. However, while he did not know where the building was located, Bob Hanson of Loganville says the structure is a former railroad station.
Lilburn resident wins DAR Outstanding Veteran Volunteer Award
Major James N. Freeman of Lilburn, U.S. Army, Retired, is the Georgia state winner of the Daughters of the American Revolution Outstanding Veteran Volunteer Award. Major Freeman was nominated by the Lawrenceville Philadelphia Winn Chapter of the DAR. He is also the winner of the Southeastern Division (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee) and is now a national finalist. He is shown with his wife, Peggy, who is a past regent of the chapter. The DAR Outstanding Veteran Volunteer Award national winner will be announced at DAR’s Continental Congress in Washington, DC, in June. Meanwhile Peggy Duncan Freeman won the Georgia State Society’s prestigious Outstanding DAR Service for Veterans Award for her years of outstanding and tireless work to support veterans. Some 15 members of the Philadelphia Winn chapter from Gwinnett attending the 118th state conference in Augusta. (Photo by Valerie Craft.)
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