NEW COLLEGE YEAR: Georgia Gwinnett College saw a record-breaking enrollment when about 13,000 students began classes on Monday. New classrooms and offices will help meet instruction needs and accommodate moving academic functions and faculty offices to the center of campus where students are better served. Dr. Alicia James, director of Georgia Gwinnett College’s Academic Enhancement Center (AEC), talks with Farzana Zerin, a sophomore biology major and AEC student assistant, as they readied the AEC for the beginning of fall semester classes. The AEC has moved into the college’s recently completed expansion of its academic Building C, which includes classrooms and offices needed to accommodate the college’s expanding enrollment.
IN THIS EDITIONTODAY’S FOCUS: New Health Center, The Bridge, Opens Sept. 13 on Jimmy Carter Blvd.
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Lack of Good Candidates May Be Factor in Democrats Losing
SPOTLIGHT: MTI Baths Inc.
UPCOMING: County Ad Valorem Tax Bill Mailed; Taxes Due by October 15
NOTABLE: Gwinnett Leads State in Growth with 17,300 New Residents Last Year
RECOMMENDED MOVIE: Ida by Pawel Pawlikowski
GEORGIA TIDBIT: LaGrange Native Chips Moman Finds Success in Music Business
CALENDAR: Classes Offered in CPR Training
TODAY’S QUOTE: Thoughts from America’s Longest Serving First Lady
MYSTERY PHOTO: This Stately Structure Would Take Forever To Paint
TODAY’S FOCUSNew health center, The Bridge, opens Sept. 13 on Jimmy Carter Blvd.
By Jerene Curse | A new charitable health center is to open east of Interstate 85 on September 13. This new center, Bridge Atlanta Medical Center, will focus on providing not only primary health care, but specialty care, for such chronic conditions as hypertension, heart failure, asthma, COPD and diabetes.
Bridge Atlanta Medical Center provides healthcare for uninsured and underserved individuals and families in a Christian faith-based environment. It is located at 4864 Jimmy Carter Boulevard, in Norcross, (just past Rockbridge Road, one block from Walmart.)
Graham
Dr. Leroy Graham is CEO and medical director of Bridge Atlanta Medical Center. Earning his medical degree from Georgetown University, Dr. Graham recently stepped down from 35 years in military and private practice, and a clinical faculty position at Morehouse School of Medicine, to pursue his vision for The Bridge.
Dr. Graham says: “Studies show that many patients who have less healthcare resources are less likely to get the specialty care that they need. At the Bridge, we incorporate a holistic approach to healthcare, addressing the needs of the whole person including body, mind, spirit and emotions for optimum health and wellness. We will encourage personal accountability and empower our patients to become active and effective partners in the maintenance of their health.”
He adds: “To address the needs of the uninsured and underserved families whose main concerns are medical bills and loss of income because of having to take time off to see a physician, we will be opened a couple of evenings and some Saturdays. In Gwinnett County alone, there are over 35,000 citizens without healthcare. Our mission is to provide excellent care to those individuals.”
Click image to link to a larger image.
The 12,000 square feet facility boasts 14 exam rooms, prayer room, minor procedure room, sick and well pediatric waiting rooms, education/training classroom, lab and phlebotomy rooms, pharmacy/dispensary, social services, mental health counseling, break room, conference room, administrative offices and clinical staff work areas. Services will include sick visits and check-ups/physical exams, preventative care such as immunizations and chronic disease management, women’s health, prayer ministry, spiritual wellness, limited laboratory services, access to affordable medications and specialty services consisting of pulmonary (asthma/COPD), cardiology, endocrinology (thyroid disease and diabetes), and podiatry (foot and ankle care).
The chief operations officer of The Bridge will be Ursula Johnson. She has a 23 year career with McKesson (NDCHealth/Per-Se Technologies). She brings experience spanning program development, process improvement, project management, regulatory and compliance, policy and procedure implementation, auditing, data protection, and customer service. Revenues will be obtained through a combination of sliding scale patient fees, grants, donations and in-kind contributions. Staffing will be engaged on a 4:1 volunteer to paid employee basis.
The Bridge has an engaged board of directors comprised of Chairman Paul Hammonds; Vice Chairman Matt Molchan; Treasurer Jonathan Crane; Secretary Lisa Brown; Paul Carter, Jackie Morgan and Gerry Staton. These individuals have with expertise in the areas of healthcare, governance, finance, fundraising and industry relations.
- To learn more about the opening and services, call at 1-877-406-6048 or visit the Bridge’s website at www.bridgeamc.org. The Bridge is committed to excellence in the charitable healthcare sector.
Suit against county on district lines may have wrong approach
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Getting national attention last week was the story of minorities in Gwinnett bringing suit against the county for alleged voting irregularities in drawing boundaries for county commission and school board seats.
Time the story was out, the Los Angeles Times Reporter Jenny Jarvie delved back into the story. She may have hit the nail on the head when she talked to Brian Whiteside. He is a black Gwinnett attorney who may have one of the best positions to speak to this subject. You see, he has run for office, and lost, in Gwinnett on two occasions, once in 2004 for sheriff, and again in 2012 for clerk of court. Ms. Jarvie quotes Whiteside in saying that the blame for the county not having many minority officials “rests with activists for not doing enough to register minority voters and get them out on election days to cast ballots.”
Mr. Whiteside continues: “Instead of trying to blame the county and the commissioners, they need to spend the money on viable candidates. Minorities in Gwinnett County out-populate all the whites. White people come out and vote. Minorities don’t come out and vote.”
There’s another more unusual question: why did the suit come against the County Commission and the School Board, when they don’t determine the district lines? The responsibility for determining district lines is from members of the Gwinnett legislative delegation. Why was the delegation not sued?
It’s difficult to think that Gwinnett legislative officials deliberately manipulated the district lines to make sure that minorities were limited from having seats on the two county-wide boards. We feel the delegation was totally committed to making sure the districts were as close to equal in total number of voters than they were thinking about what the white/minority proportion of voters might be in any district. Remember, too, that the district lines were also approved by the Justice Department.
We couldn’t agree more with Mr. Whiteside in another manner. Gwinnett has been heavily Republican since 1984, when the GOP candidates swept every Democrat with opposition out of office. Since then, Democrats have had a hard time fielding smart, qualified and potentially-winning candidates.
The political field is changing, but the change is slow. We may see one or two more Democratic (and minority) victories this year, perhaps in legislative races. We will know in a few weeks if these candidates are attractive enough to defeat incumbent Republicans.
However, it may be in legislative races that there will be significant changes in the make-up of minority victories, and less chance of seeing a victory for minorities in the county commission races. There are no opposed school board candidates.
However, in athletic competitions and elections, you can never tell who might unexpectedly win. Those of us here in 1984 certainly didn’t expect the GOP to sweep the field that year. Some year we may be just as surprised as 1984 when the Democrats in Gwinnett score significant gains.
In all likelihood, we’ll know these 2016 elections results well before there is significant action in the suit against the county for the boundaries of the two local boards.
We commend the activists in the suit against the county for trying something different. We don’t think that their suit has merit because of any direct action on the part of local officials.
EDITOR’S NOTE: First come, first saved: Though our Gwinnett history book, Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta, has sold out its second printing, a call to us last week uncovered seven copies of the 850-page history book. Three were sold to people who had asked for the book, so there are four crisp new copies remaining.
Call and we’ll reserve a book for you, and you can pick it up later. The original price remains: $40 plus $2.40 sales tax for Governor Deal.—eeb
IN THE SPOTLIGHTMTI Baths Inc.
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s featured sponsor is MTI Baths Inc. of Sugar Hill. MTI Baths is a manufacturer of high-quality acrylic and engineered solid surface bath products, including whirlpools, air and soaking baths; lavatories; shower bases; and kitchen sinks; the Jentle Jet® laundry sink for delicates; and the Jentle Ped® foot spa. MTI’s patented Fill-Flush® and Simple Touch® whirlpool cleaning systems are the best on the market. Every product is custom-made to order and shipped within seven business days. Opening soon will be MTI’s new 38,000 square foot manufacturing plant. CEO of the firm is Kathy Adams, while Russell Adams is president.
- Visit their web site at http://www.mtibaths.com/.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: Our sponsors.
- 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
County ad valorem tax bill mailed; taxes due Oct. 15
Tax Commissioner Richard Steele has mailed the 2016 property tax bills to Gwinnett County taxpayers. All bills will have a single due date of October 15. Taxpayers may choose to make a single payment or partial payments as long as the total due is paid by the due date.
For property owners with an escrow account, tax information is available to the mortgage company; however, it is ultimately the responsibility of the property owner to ensure taxes are paid by the due date. If there are questions about who will pay the taxes, homeowners should contact their mortgage company directly, especially if their mortgage company has recently changed.
There are several options for property tax payment:
- Pay online by check, credit or debit card at GwinnettTaxCommissioner.com. (Paying by check is free; debit card: $3.95 flat fee; credit card: 2.29 percent service fee.)
- Mail payments to P.O. Box 372, Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046.
- Pay by check using drop boxes 24 hours a day at all Gwinnett tag offices.
- Pay in person during business hours at all Tax Commissioner offices. You can pay with a credit or debit card at the self-service kiosk located in each office.
Foster parents’ workshop set for two times at local libraries
A Foster Parents’ Workshop will be presented by Gwinnett County Public Library, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Human Services, on Sunday, August 21 at 2 p.m. at the Five Forks Branch Library, 2780 Five Forks Trickum Road, Lawrenceville.
It will also be presented again on Thursday, September 22 at 6 p.m. at the Collins Hill Branch Library at 455 Camp Perrin Rd, Lawrenceville.
On any given day in Gwinnett County, there are more than 450 children in foster care. These are children who are already in our communities, and they are victims of their circumstances. There are less than 50 foster homes to care for these children, and our community is in great need of compassionate, committed, and caring people. Do you have a place in your heart and home to provide care for these children?
- Space is limited. Contact Cathy Chapman at 678-376-8257 or at Chapman1@dhs.ga.gov if you have any questions or to reserve a seat.
Gwinnett leads state in growth with 17,300 new residents last year
Gwinnett County added 17,300 residents between April 2015 and April 2016, according to the latest annual population estimates from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC). That’s an increase from last year, when the county added 15,700 residents, which leads the state. The ARC estimates that Gwinnett as of April 1, 2016 had a population of 877,100, second largest of any county in Georgia.
While Fulton County remains the largest county in metro Atlanta, Gwinnett continues to close the gap, adding 2,000 more people than Fulton during the past year.
The 10-county Atlanta region’s population grew at a faster rate than at any time since the Great Recession, increasing by 1.6 percent (69,200) compared to 1.4 percent (60,300) a year earlier and 1.2 percent (52,700) in 2014. The region is now home to 4,401,800 people, a larger population than that of 24 states.
The population increase is being fueled by strong employment growth. The 29-county Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) region added nearly 77,000 jobs between May 2015 and May 2016, the third-highest total among the largest metros in the nation.
Each of the region’s 10 core counties experienced population growth during the year. Gwinnett County led the way, adding 17,300 residents. Fulton County added 15,300 people, while Cobb County grew by 9,900.
The City of Atlanta, fueled by a surge in multi-family housing units, added 7,900 new residents in the past year, compared to 4,800 last year.
Lawrenceville picks Accent Creative Group for branding, marketing
The City of Lawrenceville has selected the Lawrenceville-based Accent Creative Group, headed by Pam Ledbetter, as its official branding and design agency of record. The partnership comes as a part of the City’s Marketing and Communications strategic plan to develop and market Lawrenceville as a destination hub for entertainment, as well as a place to live and do business.
Accent Creative Group will work with the City to implement consistency in branding as well as assist in key messaging and communications efforts.
With numerous national and international awards on its résumé, Accent Creative Group is a marketing, communications and design company. This year alone, the group was presented with 3 different Communicator Awards by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts in New York. The organization was awarded the Excellence (Gold) Award for Explore Gwinnett magazine, the Distinction (Silver) Award for City of Duluth’s 2016 Annual Report and the Distinction (Silver) Award for the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 Guide to Gwinnett Magazine.
RECOMMENDED MOVIEIda
By Pawel Pawlikowski
Anna is a young novice nun in 1960s Poland. She learns on the eve or her profession day that she has a living relative she knows nothing about. The Mother Superior of the Order tells her she must leave and meet this relative before she makes her vows. This leads the young novice on a painful odyssey of self-discovery. What Anna learns is life changing, the least of which is that her real name is Ida. A sublime and poignant viewing experience for those interested in the effects of the Nazi Occupation in Europe during World War II and afterwards and those who enjoy a good character study. Stark and somber, it is filled with real issues and real characters who must decide their ultimate destinies. Please view this one!
— Recommended 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 TIDBITLaGrange native Moman finds success in music business
Producer, songwriter, and guitarist Chips Moman was known for his uncanny ability to create hit records. His success in rock, pop, soul, and country music made him a significant figure in the history of each of these genres. He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1990.
Lincoln Wayne “Chips” Moman was born on June 12, 1937, in LaGrange, where he learned to play guitar as a child. At the age of 14 he hitchhiked to Memphis, Tenn., where he got a job working at a cousin’s painting business. Sun Records artist Warren Smith heard Moman playing guitar in a drugstore and asked if he wanted a job; soon Moman was on tour with the rockabilly performers Johnny Burnette and Gene Vincent. Later, while working as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, Calif., he decided that he wanted to become a producer.
Returning to Memphis, Moman started as a recording engineer for the struggling country label Satellite, which was run by siblings Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton. Moman encouraged them to relocate the recording studio to an old movie theater that he had discovered and to work with rhythm-and-blues artists. After Moman produced the label’s first hit, “Gee Whiz,” by Carla Thomas, Satellite changed its name to Stax. Hits by the Mar-Keys, William Bell, and Booker T. and the MGs established Stax as a dominant force in soul music, eventually second only to Motown in music chart success.
Always fiercely independent, Moman left Stax in 1964 in a dispute over revenues to establish his own American Sound Studios. The following year he scored a top ten hit with the Gentrys’ “Keep On Dancing.” With songwriting collaborator Dan Penn, Moman also wrote the soul classic “Dark End of the Street” during a break in a poker game (his nickname “Chips” reflects a lifelong interest in gambling). Moman and Penn also composed “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” which became a hit for Aretha Franklin.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Moman’s studio experienced an unprecedented run of hits in the music industry, producing more than 120 charting singles by pop, soul, and country artists. Among the musicians who made the pilgrimage to Memphis and recorded with Moman were Neil Diamond, Wilson Pickett, Dusty Springfield, Dionne Warwick, and the Box Tops. Another client, Elvis Presley, was fresh from the success of his 1968 “comeback” television special. Moman’s guidance and the down-home atmosphere of American Sound inspired some of Presley’s strongest recordings in years, including “Suspicious Minds,” “In the Ghetto,” “Kentucky Rain,” and “Rubberneckin’,” all of which charted in the top ten.
In 1971 he married Toni Wine, a songwriter. The couple later divorced, and Moman married Jane Calhoun. He had two children: a son, Casey, and a daughter, Monique.
In the mid-1970s Moman relocated to Nashville, Tenn., and concentrated on country music. In 1975 he co-wrote and produced “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” which was performed by B. J. Thomas and became the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year. Two years later “Luckenbach, Texas,” cowritten by Moman, was a hit for Waylon Jennings. During this period Moman also produced and played on albums by Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, and Carl Perkins.
In 1985 Moman returned to Memphis with the encouragement of city officials to open a new studio in the hopes of reviving a flagging local music scene. The enterprise was unsuccessful, however, and led to legal turmoil and heavy financial losses for Moman. In the early 1990s he moved to West Point, near his hometown of LaGrange, where he continued to produce and record. Moman died in LaGrange on June 13, 2016, at the age of 79.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
This stately structure would take forever to paint
This edition’s Mystery Photo is one that it would take forever to paint, and you would use quite a bit of paint. Check out this photograph and figure out where it is located. Send in your thoughts to elliott@gwinnettforum.com and be sure to include your hometown.
Not a single person was able to identify last edition’s Mystery Photo. One person thought it might be a religious temple, and this was right, but no one could pinpoint the location. The photo was of the Yugal Kunj Radha Krishna Temple on Georgia Highway 120 between Duluth and Interstate 85. It’s best seen when traveling east. This is an Indian Hindu temple, formed in 1997. Inaugural services at this location were in September 2015. For more information on this temple, visit yugalkunj.org.
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.
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 emailCathy.Chapman1@dhs.ga.gov for questions or to reserve a seat.
(NEW) A Class in CPR Training will be presented Thursday, August 25, at 6 p.m. at the Suwanee Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library, 361 Main Street in Suwanee. A second class will be Thursday, September 8, at the Five Forks Branch of the Library, 2780 Five Forks Trickum Road. The class is presented in partnership with Georgia Elite CPR Training. The same information will be given at both classes. Reservations are required. Enroll at events@gwinnettpl.org. For more information, call 770 9978 5154.
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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