JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES RETURN: Two three-day conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses begins Friday at the Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth. More than 6,800 persons are expected each day at the event, one of the largest for the Arena each year. Those attending the convention will have their first session on August 12, and continue through August 14. Others will attend a second weekend on August 19-21. Sessions begin at 9:20 a.m. all three days of each weekend. The convention consists of talks and short videos and discussions. The program will also include a feature-length film focusing on how a mighty King remained loyal while being besieged by his enemies. Mike Funston, a spokesman for the convention program, explains: “Loyalty can be a challenge…at work, in the family, in our personal lives and in our relationship with God. All too often, disloyalty is fracturing our lives and communities.” The Witnesses invite people of all ages to attend. Admission is free. For more information, including a copy of the program schedule, visit www.jw.org. Conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses are supported entirely by voluntary donations. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have been meeting in Gwinnett at the Arena since 2004.
IN THIS EDITIONTODAY’S FOCUS: Aurora Lab Series To Have Regional Premiere with Next Offering
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Two New High Schools Coming to Norcross and Meadowcreek Areas
SPOTLIGHT: Aurora Theatre
FEEDBACK: Nothing Wrong with Having a Partisan Political Action Group
UPCOMING: Hudgens Center Offers Program On Marketing of Handmade Products
NOTABLE: Sugar Hill Seeks Assistance in Picking New Downtown Mural Design
RECOMMENDED: The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Atlanta Gets Several Tangible Legacies from Hosting Olympic Games
CALENDAR: Foster Parents Workshop Upcoming in Two Sessions
TODAY’S QUOTE: Raymond Chandler’s Views on Ability, Motivation and Attitude
MYSTERY PHOTO: This Mystery Photo Has Few Clues To Guide You
LAGNIAPPE: This Auburn Little Free Library Is in the Middle of Town
TODAY’S FOCUSAurora Lab Series to have regional premier with next offering
By Chelsea Bohannon | An unconventional convention filled with laugh-out-loud livestock-inspired comedy, Aurora Theatre will debut its 2016-17 GGC Harvel Lab Series with the Southeastern regional premiere of Singles in Agriculture, to run September 16 through October 9.
This new production, written by Abby Rosebrock, brings together lonely farmers looking for love – or at least the next best thing – during an annual dating conference. With only one weekend to graze the field for eligible matches, a whole new meaning of “love birds” will be imparted on Atlanta audiences.
Featuring the dynamic cast of Jeremy Aggers, Lauren Boyd and Vallea Woodbury, this presentation will prove that everything really is bigger in Texas, including how far some people will go for love.
Justin Anderson, Aurora Associate Artistic Director says: “This show is a dynamic powerhouse that wraps comedy and drama into a relatable production for anyone who enjoys witty remarks and at times, mature humor. Despite not everyone being a farmer, we all have experienced the trials that come when jumping in the dating scene and searching for love. If you haven’t, Jeremy, Lauren and Vallea’s top-notch performance will no doubt leave you feeling as if you have.”
Directed by Anderson, Singles in Agriculture takes place during the last night of the convention, where modern family-obsessed, goat farmer Priscilla vies for a chance at a romantic rendezvous with repressed dairy man Joel. When she’s slipped a key card to his hotel room, Priscilla must decide whether to accept the invitation or fly-the-coop for another opportunity. Like everything else on the farm though, some things aren’t always what they seem and may lead to stepping into something a little messy.
Singles in Agriculture is recommended for teens and adults and will be presented in Aurora’s Studio. General admission tickets are $20-$30 online at tickets.auroratheatre.com or by calling the Box Office at 678-226-6222. Season and group tickets are on sale now.
Regular show times are as follows: Thursday and Friday: 8 p.m.; Saturday: 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday: 2:30 p.m.
In addition to regular show times, Aurora Theatre will host Cocktails and Cuties; A Singles Night on Saturday, September 24 from 7-8 p.m. in the theater lobby for singles who are ready to mingle. Featuring tasty bites, cocktails and a DJ, metro-Atlantans looking for love are invited to enjoy this FREE event prior to the evening’s performance. Tickets to the show are not included and must be purchased separately.
- For more information on this production or on the 2016-17 GGC Harvel Lab Series, please visit auroratheatre.com.
Two relief high schools to offer specialized subjects, but no athletics
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Two new smaller “relief” high schools in the Norcross and Meadowcreek clusters are expected to come on board in the next two years. Both are to be different types of high schools, aimed at giving students a different approach to the high school experience.
The Norcross cluster school will open in the fall of 2017, while the Meadowcreek cluster school will open in the fall of 2018. Both schools will be available for students only within their attendance zones. Neither schools will have an athletic program. Neither school have been named as yet.
The focus of both schools will be different from regular high schools. The new Norcross high school, already under construction at 5850 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, just south of the Wingate Hotel. It will be a STEM school (Science, Technical, Engineering and Math). It will have enrollment for up to 1,500 students. There will also be a fine arts wing. Some of the instruction will be with an entrepreneur focus. There will be drawing and design labs, and an emphasis for partnerships with local area high technology firms. This is to give students a look at what they might want to do in their careers, and how to get to that point.
Bowen and Watson of Toccoa is the project manager, with a projected budget of $37.5 million.
The Meadowcreek cluster relief high school site has not been determined yet. It will also house up to 1,500 students, and will have a focus on the health sciences, to enable these students to focus their careers on the various elements of the health sciences. It, too, will have blended personalized learning instruction for students, plus classroom instruction and no athletic teams.. School officials are working on the design of this school now.
HURRAH, HURRAH, HURRAH: Gwinnett County’s upcoming SPLOST vote is now on a reasonable schedule. This November Gwinnettians will vote on whether to continue the one cent sales tax collection for county infrastructure. This coincides with the presidential election voting, which many county leaders feel is the best time to test the sentiment of the people on this important issue, since the most people vote during presidential elections.
It’s the line that Abraham Lincoln believed: “Trust the people; always trust the people.”
It was in 1995, not an election year, that the only SPLOST vote lost, and by only 329 votes, with only 36,403 people voting that year. The county came back the next year, in 1996, with 159,903 voting, and passed the new SPLOST by a 53-47 margin. And no SPLOST has lost since in Gwinnett.
The current SPLOST went in with a 58-42 margin in 2013. It’s on target to collect $453 million within its three year cycle. Collections through June, 2016 were $328.7 million. It’s amazing what one penny per dollar on every sale can do in a county with 900,000 people! The current SPLOST runs through March of 2017.
It’s good to see the question of extending the SPLOST coming in a year of a major election again.
IN THE SPOTLIGHTAurora Theatre
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s sponsor is Aurora Theatre, home of the best entertainment in northeast Georgia. With over 650 events annually, Aurora Theatre has live entertainment to suit everyone’s taste. Aurora Theatre’s Peach State Federal Credit Union Signature Series is comprised of Broadway’s best plays and musicals alongside exciting works of contemporary theatre. Additionally, Aurora produces concerts, comedy club events, children’s programs, and metro Atlanta’s top haunted attraction, Lawrenceville Ghost Tours. Aurora Theatre is a world-class theatrical facility with two performances venues. It is nestled on the square in historic downtown Lawrenceville, with free attached covered parking and is surrounded by a myriad of restaurants and shops. Opening Aurora’s Season 21 is Lin Manuel Miranda’s Grammy and Tony Award-winning In the Heights playing now through August 28.
- For more information or to purchase tickets: http://www.auroratheatre.com or call 678-226-6222.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: Our sponsors.
Nothing wrong with having partisan political action group
Editor, the Forum:
The recent article “New group, I-PAC Georgia, plans inaugural event on Aug. 21” states the new group I-Pac is a “non-partisan political action committee/ Their stated focus is to “educate and empower under-represented citizens”, and “present the needs of minority communities to law makers.”. It further says “I-PAC plans to outreach to the Asian American, Latino American, and American Muslim Community in Georgia.”
Sounds awful partisan to me. What is wrong with “educate and empower citizens.” As I recall from my run for Gwinnett county commissioner in district 4 back in 2010, there are a lot of under educated and un-empowered citizens in Gwinnett and they come in all shapes, sizes, ethnic backgrounds and races.
This group shouldn’t claim they are nonpartisan. There is nothing wrong with being partisan, as long as your agenda isn’t to restrict my values in the process of expanding yours.
— Tim Sullivan, Buford
- Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 200 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net
Hudgens Center offers program on marketing of handmade products
Join the Hudgens Center for the Arts in Duluth on August 27 for the Maker’s Rally. Held between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., this one day summit will be filled with classes led by experts and fellow makers to teach the business and marketing sides of selling handmade products.
The $55 ticket covers a variety of classes as well as lunch. Professionals will present information on product photography, getting handmade products into retail, social media for businesses, working with Etsy, and more.
Meet and network with fellow creators and crafters and learn from experts.
This event is being held in conjunction with The Hudgens made exhibit featuring the handmade artwork of four major Southern artists, which will be on display until September 24. The first 100 registrants to The Maker’s Rally will receive a complementary “rally swag bag.” Presenters and speakers include crafters such as Tiffany Barry from Lillian Eve, a cruelty-free beauty brand, Kristen Bach from Treehouse, a kid and craft store with locations in Athens and Decatur, and many more. To see the full lineup of presenters and to register for the event, visit www.makersrally.com.
The Hudgens Center for the Arts is a non-profit organization that has been focused on supporting the arts in Georgia since its establishment in 1981. The Hudgens presents fine art exhibits year round, and offers art classes for adults and children through its Fine Arts School. It supports local community-based arts organizations through its programs, exhibits and partnerships. The Hudgens’ mission is to bring art lovers, leaders and learners together through quality programs and exhibits. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.
Grayson Library to present memoir-writing workshop Aug. 18
A memoir writing workshop is being planned by the Gwinnett County Public Library. It will be Thursday, August 18, at 11 a.m. the Grayson branch, 700 Grayson Parkway in Grayson.
A memoir focuses on one particular moment or series of moments around a theme. The idea is to have readers walk away knowing you and that one experience on a much deeper level. Former college professor David Raney provides support and instruction for aspiring writers while teaching you the best way to begin or to develop your personal writing.
- For more information, call 770-978-5154 or visit www.gwinnettpl.org
Smokey Bones to open its Mall of Georgia location on Monday
Smokey Bones of Buford will have its grand opening Monday, August 15, at its third Atlanta location. The restaurant, specializing in house-smoked and fire-grilled food selections and featuring an expansive beverage menu, will open at its Mall of Georgia location, offering diners a variety of house-smoked food options.
Ryan Esko, CEO of Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill, says: “The expansion of our brand to the Mall of Georgia is something we have been looking forward to for quite some time. We are committed to making a positive impact in the Gwinnett County community, and we are confident that our restaurant will bring the neighborhood a fun place to enjoy a great meal with family.”
Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill is a nationally-recognized brand delivering good food, good drinks and good times in 66 locations across 16 states.
Smokey Bones prides itself on its hand-rubbed, slow-smoked barbecue dishes, which are prepared in-house in a variety of regional styles, with standouts including Baby Back Ribs and Pulled Pork. Beyond barbecue, guests can also indulge in an array of signature items that cater to all tastes, including Smoked Wings, a Build Your Own Burger menu, Loaded Nachos and the sinfully sweet, house made Hot Bag O’ Donuts. The new 7,041 square foot space is complete with an outdoor patio and full-service bar.
- For more information, please visit smokeybones.com.
Job Search: New Sugarloaf CID seeking its first executive director
Sugarloaf CID, the newest CID in the state, is seeking an experienced professional to serve as the full-time Executive Director. The position reports to the board of directors, serves as the CID’s chief administrative officer, and oversees the general operations of the CID. Deadline for submission is Sept. 16, 2016.
The successful candidate will have demonstrated visionary executive leadership ability and possess effective communication skills. The web site for the Sugarloaf CID is www.sugarloafcid.org.
Bill McCargo serves as the consultant in the search for the Sugarloaf CID. To apply, email a cover letter, resume, and professional references to BillMcCargo@gmail.com. In lieu of email, the materials may be mailed to: Bill McCargo, 2225 Sugarloaf Club Drive, Duluth, Ga. 30097.
NOTABLESugar Hill seeks assistance in picking new downtown mural design
The City of Sugar Hill issued an RFP (Request for Proposals) in late April, looking for mural design proposals that would be painted on the old City Hall building, located in downtown Sugar Hill.
The city has gathered several entries. Now you can help the city administration decide the overall winner by choosing your favorite by using the voting selections below. To see the proposals, click here and vote for your choice of design.
GGC athletic director named A.I.I. Athletics Director of the Year
Wilson
Dr. Darin S. Wilson, director of athletics at Georgia Gwinnett College, has been named the Association of Independent Institutions’ (A.I.I.) Athletics Director of the Year for the 2015-16 academic year. The annual award recognizes Wilson’s competent, comprehensive, practical, innovative and principled approach to college athletics and the progression of the A.I.I. and its mission of promoting the education, development and welfare of student-athletes through their various experiences and participation in NAIA intercollegiate athletics. This is the fifth time Wilson has received significant recognition for his achievements as athletics director, and his second A.I.I. conference-level award. Previously, Wilson has been selected as the NAIA Athletics Director of the Year and recognized twice as the Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
Duluth launches new interactive event map of downtown locations
With over 100 events a year, the City of Duluth is finding a new way to provide a better event experience. The city has launched a new interactive event map to give residents a birds-eye view.
The new event map shows patrons where and what vendors are onsite, restroom and stage locations, VIP table locations as well as shop and dining information of the downtown area. These locations can be viewed on phones or on a computer.
The City tested the app on July 3 for the Duluth Celebrates America event and had an overwhelming response from the community. The map will feature all Duluth City events except Food Truck Friday as that event has the same setup week after week.
- Guests can find the event map at www.duluthga.net/events, on the city’s main page-days leading up to the event.
The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross
A book by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
I heard the six-hour adaptation on DVD. It is a comprehensive exploration of the history of a people and a nation as it evolved through the grit of many peoples. Its six chapters are: Gates remembering the Rev. Louis Pinckney; The Black Atlantic; The Cotton Economy and Slavery; Robert, a Daring Escape; Racists Images; and the Jim Crow Era; and Ruby Bridges Goes to School. Interviews with pioneers in the struggle are presented throughout. Bringing insight and experiences on the times they lived are Ruby Bridges, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, ex-Black Panther Kathleen Neal Cleaver and former Secretary of State Colin Powell. They worked and overcame amidst formidable odds. Also explained is how African American culture, which includes food preparations, dress, language and other branches of the Arts, emerged from African roots and Haitian French roots from which has emerged the mosaic that is the USA. It is important to view for all audiences, especially history buffs!
— Reviewed by Karen Harris, Stone Mountain
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 ENCYCLOPEDIA TIDBITAtlanta gets several tangible legacies from hosting Olympic Games
(Continued from previous edition)
Following the closing ceremony on August 4, there were mixed assessments of the games. Surveys showed that most visitors were impressed with Atlanta’s efforts to host the games and left with a favorable opinion of the city. The members of the IOC were pleased with the athletic competition, the all-time high attendance, and the television coverage. On the other hand, they were critical of the commercialism surrounding the Atlanta games and the problems affecting international journalists.
Downtown Atlanta received several tangible legacies from the Olympics, like its improved pedestrian environment. One of the preparations for the games included the construction of new housing and the conversion of existing buildings into lofts, which gave the city a round-the-clock population that helped reverse several decades of decline. Housing in several low-income neighborhoods near downtown also changed in preparation for the games.
Many of Atlanta’s sports facilities were replaced or upgraded for the Olympics, including the Olympic Stadium, which was later refitted as Turner Field, the home of Atlanta’s professional baseball team, the Braves. The new Centennial Olympic Park provided additional greenspace and attracted investment in nearby housing and hotels. Atlanta’s tourism industry also received a boost from the Olympics. During the five years after the Olympics, the number of conventions hosted by the city increased each year, and the number of international tourists also grew.
The hosting of the 1996 Olympic Games made a lasting imprint on Atlanta, bringing increased attention and investment to the greater Atlanta area from around the globe. In 2006 the city celebrated the ten-year anniversary of the games with various ceremonies and celebrations, including the opening of the Centennial Olympic Games Collection at the Atlanta History Center in July.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
This Mystery Photo has a few clues to guide you
Who will step forward and identify this Mystery Photo. There are few clues in this photograph, so you’ll have to come through creatively to identify this photograph. Send you guess to elliott@gwinnettforum.com and be sure to include your hometown.
The last edition Mystery Photo found several recognizing it. Dottie Kuhn of Lawrenceville writes: “I’m guessing that it is Bedford. Va., the town that lost the most soldiers on D-Day. I understand they were all members of the same National Guard company, and all quite young. The D-Day memorial in Richmond pays honor to the Boys of Bedford.” The mystery photo was sent in by Jerry Colley of Alpharetta.
Ruthie Lachman Paul of Norcross writes: “This is one of the most impressive memorials I’ve seen and it really brings that day in history alive. It is the National D-Day Monument in Bedford, Va. It honors the veterans who serve as a testament to the sacrifices of those who stormed the beaches at Normandy. It attempts to give visitors a version of what it was like to storm the beaches on June 6, 1944 through its active display of sculpture and layout.”
George Graf of Palmyra, Va. writes: “I recognized this photo right off the bat. I visited here with my wife’s best friend, whose family have a long history of residing in Bedford. When I visited here, our volunteer tour guide was a WWII veteran like my father. Thirty-four Virginia National Guard soldiers from Bedford were part of D-Day invasion. Nineteen of them were killed during the first day of the invasion, and four more died later in the Normandy campaign. The town and the ‘Bedford Boys’ had proportionately suffered the greatest losses of the campaign, thus inspiring the United States Congress to establish the D-Day memorial in Bedford.”
LAGNIAPPEThis Auburn Little Free Library is in the middle of town
Available 24 hours a day, usually with no waiting, is the Little Free Library in Auburn, right in the middle of town in Burel Park. The library is maintained by the Friends of the Auburn Public Library, says Bel Outwater, library manager. If you have a Little Free Library in your community, take a picture of it, send it in, and give us some details about its operation.
CALENDAR
Cookbook swap: Participate in a version of the Little Free Library with a one day Cookbook Swap at the August 13 Norcross Community Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Webb Park, 5 College St., Norcross. Sponsored by Sustainable Norcross, shoppers are invited to bring their under used cookbooks, diet, nutrition, gardening and foodie books and magazines to swap for free. Items remaining at the end of the farmers market will be donated. For more details, visit info@sustainablenorcross.net.
Fourth Annual Light Up The Corners Glow Run, will be Saturday, August 13 at The Forum in Peachtree Corners, which is the sponsor for the race. There will be a Twilight Trot at 8:30, followed by a 9 p.m. four-mile Glow Run. Runners are asked to dress in “glow” attire for a chance to win “glowiest” prizes. For details, visitwww.runthecorners.com.
Comedy benefit for the National Parkinson’s Foundation, Saturday, August 20 at 8 p.m. at the Lionheart Theatre, 10 College Street, Norcross. Staged by the OTC Comedy Troup, the benefit will memorialize the late actor Robin Williams. Tickets are $10 per person. To reserve tickets go to: www.lionhearttheatre.org or call: 770-885-0425.
(NEW) Foster Parents Workshop: Presented by Gwinnett County Public Library, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Human Services, a Foster Parent Info Session is free and will take place on Sunday, August 21 at 2 p.m. at the Five Forks Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library, 2780 Five Forks Trickum Road, Lawrenceville. It will also be presented and on Thursday, September 22 at 6 p.m. at the Collins Hill Branch, 455 Camp Perrin Road, Lawrenceville. Contact Cathy Chapman at 678-376-8257 or email Cathy.Chapman1@dhs.ga.gov for questions or to reserve a seat.
(NEW) 16th Annual British Car Fayre will be on Saturday, September 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown Norcross. No cost to attend. Over 400 British automobiles and motorcycles will be on display. Free parking and a shuttle service will be provided. More info: www.atlantabritishcarfayre.com.
Restoring Hope Partner’s meeting and breakfast, Thursday, September 15 at 7:30 a.m. at the Norcross First United Methodist Church, 2500 Beaver Ruin Road. Restoring Hope is the campaign to engage, encourage and empower the Norcross Community Ministry. Those wanting to attend should RSVP by August 22 to kyra@norcrossco-op.org or call 770 263-0013.
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