FLOATING CLASSROOM: How would it change the way you learn if you could get out of the typical classroom, ride on a boat with your friends, wade in the water, search for cool creatures and take water samples, explore islands, and more? It would drastically affect the way you learn. Greater Atlanta Christian School elementary students are traveling to Lake Lanier each week and learning on GAC’s two brand new Floating Science Labs. Led by Dr. Brad Schultz and Lisa Chase, students get their hands wet and experience real-life STEAM concepts like lake ecology, lake wildlife, water quality, hydroelectricity, water wars, and the formation of lakes.
IN THIS EDITIONTODAY’S FOCUS: Voting “Yes” on Amendment Means Helping and Hope for Child Victims
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Vote Against Three of Four State Constitutional Amendments
SPOTLIGHT: Aurora Theatre
UPCOMING: Telling the World of Holocaust Is Subject of Gwinnett Presentation
NOTABLE: Primerica Foundation Announces 2016 Grants Totaling $960,000
RECOMMENDED: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Atlanta Is Home To the Arthritis Foundation, Founded in 1948
TODAY’S QUOTE: Determining If It’s A Good Time to Take a Hike
MYSTERY PHOTO: This Classic Building Could Be Anywhere in the World
LAGNIAPPE: Lack of Rain Shows Drought Being Felt at Gwinnett Lakes
CALENDAR: Luxomni Community Fall Festival Is This Sunday, October 30
TODAY’S FOCUSVoting “Yes” on amendment means helping and hope for child victims
By Renee Unterman, Buford, Ga. | On October 18, the FBI announced over 239 arrests for trafficking and prostitution as part of Operation Cross Country X, a nationwide initiative conducted in partnership with local law enforcement agencies. Nearly 70 of those arrests were from locations in Georgia including Alpharetta, Marietta, Dunwoody and Gwinnett County.
Unterman
A total of 82 of the victims were children rescued as a result of this operation. Only the week before, in a separate incident, two Gwinnett police officers rescued a 13-year old girl from someone they believe planned to sell her for sexual exploitation.
Unfortunately, this is just the most recent example of the very real problem of child trafficking and exploitation in our nation and in our communities. According to Georgia Cares, the state’s coordinating agency for victim services, 469 cases were reported from 102 of the state’s 159 counties in FY2016. That’s nearly 500 young girls and boys whose lives have been forever changed by predators looking to make quick cash by selling a child for sex.
The incredible work being done by Gwinnett County and other law enforcement leaders is just the first step in rescuing these children. Young trafficking victims cannot simply walk away from the person who tricked or forced them into these unimaginable circumstances and resume a normal life. They have been wounded mentally and physically and require sustained treatment. They need safe housing, as they often have nowhere else to go. For them to have any chance for a successful future, they need help getting back on track with their education and development of life skills. These children need a support system that will help them believe in themselves again and give them the foundation they need to start anew.
As Georgia voters, we have the opportunity to give child trafficking victims the support they need and the future they deserve. By voting yes on Amendment 2 in the general election, we will create as much as $2 million in annual, constitutionally-dedicated funding that will be used exclusively and in perpetuity for child victim services. This funding would come from new fines on convicted traffickers such as the ones arrested through Operation Cross Country X, and a new fee on certain adult entertainment establishments, with which there is a proven correlation with child trafficking.
Amendment 2 is about much more than funding. It is about healing. It is about hope. We know that 75 to 80 percent of these young victims, with an average age of only 13, are indeed able to go back to school, secure jobs and work towards a successful future. We cannot return their innocence, but we can restore their dreams.
There are those who say they are against Amendment 2 because they disagree with the concept of constitutionally-dedicating funding or collecting fees from a particular industry. To them I would respectfully suggest that sometimes even a principle held for good reason should be overridden. For many of these young victims, this funding literally could mean the difference between life and death – do we really want to leave that up to the politics of annual appropriations?
For the 82 young people rescued this week, for the hundreds rescued last year and for the thousands who will need our help in the years to come, I implore all Georgians to say yes to Amendment 2 this fall. Your vote is their future.
Renee Unterman is of Gwinnett County representing District 45 in the Georgia Senate. She chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services and authored the bill placing Amendment 2 on the November ballot.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Vote against three of the state constitutional amendments
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | There are four amendments facing voters on the 2016 General Election ballot. Three of these “Constitutional Amendments” need to be defeated, while one should pass.
The four amendments, as worded by the State Legislature (which can confuse you), are:
Amendment One: Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools in order to improve student performance?
Amendment 2: Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow additional penalties for criminal cases in which a person is adjudged guilty of keeping a place of prostitution, pimping, pandering, pandering by compulsion, solicitation of sodomy, masturbation for hire, trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, or sexual exploitation of children and to allow assessments on adult entertainment establishments to fund the Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund to pay for care and rehabilitative and social services for individuals in this state who have been or may be sexually exploited?
Amendment 3: Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to abolish the existing Judicial Qualifications Commission; require the General Assembly to create and provide by general law for the composition, manner of appointment, and governance of a new Judicial Qualifications Commission, with such commission having the power to discipline, remove, and cause involuntary retirement of judges; require the Judicial Qualifications Commission to have procedures that provide for due process of law and review by the Supreme Court of its advisory opinions; and allow the Judicial Qualifications Commission to be open to the public in some manner?
Amendment 4: Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide that the proceeds of excise taxes on the sale of fireworks or consumer fireworks be dedicated to the funding of trauma care, firefighter equipping and training, and local public safety purposes.
Let’s take these one by one.
Amendment One should be defeated. It is a power grab by the governor and the state legislature to exercise state control over failing schools. Many parent-teacher and school boards have strongly come out against this measure. It will entirely strip local-elected school boards of any failing schools of authority. While extra-ordinary improvements need to be made in these schools, this is not the way to go about it. It will set a precedent that will takes ages to undo. Vote NO on Number One.
Amendment Two should pass. It opens the way for Georgia to attack sex trafficking, and is known as the “Safe Harbor” bill. It also creates a way to pay for such services, through a creative manner of taxing previously-unregulated adult businesses. Vote Yes on Number Two.
Amendment Three should be defeated. This is similar to the Amendment One in that it is a power grab again, this time primarily by the Georgia Legislature, seeking to get jurisdiction over the way to oversee the court systems. Besides, the current somewhat–independent Judicial Qualifications Commission is doing an admirable job already, purging our courts of judges they find doing a bad job. Vote No on Number Three.
Amendment Four: The State Legislature needs to find a more reasonable way to fund trauma care and public safety than taxing fireworks. While we lament the Legislature’s passing of the current fireworks law, targeting one industry is no way to fund an unrelated problem. Our Georgia firefighters and local public safety workers are so important to us that the Legislature needs to direct its attention to passing a dedicated budget item for this problem. Vote No on Number Four.
Said another way, go the polls and vote No, Yes, No, No on these four amendments.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Aurora 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, now in their 21st season, 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 myriad of restaurants and shops. Aurora Theatre was just awarded the 2016 Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities. With 72 public performances for the holidays be sure to bring the family out to create an unforgettable memory.
- 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.
Send us your thoughts
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UPCOMINGTelling the world of holocaust is subject of Gwinnett presentation
Schneider
Gwinnett County Public Library and the Bremen Museum welcome holocaust survivor Tosia Schneider to the Norcross Cultural Arts and Community Center on Sunday, October 30 at 3:30 p.m. Schneider will discuss her book, Someone Must Survive to Tell the Story.
Schneider’s book is the realization of her mother’s last plea: to survive and tell the world. It is the personal reminiscences of a young Schneider growing up in pre-World War II Poland, surviving the Nazi occupation, her liberation from a labor camp at the age of 16 and struggling to return to normalcy while never forgetting the horrors of the past as the only survivor of her family. Someone Must Survive to Tell the World is also an accounting of her remarkable achievement of rebuilding a family in the United States.
The program is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase and signing. The Norcross Cultural Arts and Community Center is located at 10 College Street in Norcross.
Goodwill, library join to present Job Seekers Boot Camp in Lilburn
Land the job you deserve by joining us for a Job Seekers Boot Camp. Discover tricks and tips for locating job postings and making sure your application gets noticed. Learn how to create a winning resumed and the importance of a cover letter. Find out how to best present yourself in writing and online communication, and learn how to research your potential employers and prepare to present a professional image at your interviews.
Join Gwinnett County Public Library, in partnership with Goodwill of North Georgia, for this free Job Seekers Boot Camp. The workshop will take place on November 4 at 1 p.m. at the new Lilburn Branch, 4817 Church St, Lilburn. This class is free and open to the public.
- For more information, visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154.
LDS congregation to have program on disaster awareness Nov. 5
Disasters do not discriminate. If we all get to know each other before disaster strikes, we can help one another much better.
Noah’s Ark’s “Know Your Neighbors” series will help people know people in local congregations during the November 5 presentation at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Latter Day Saints at 4833 Suwanee Dam Road in Suwanee. This evening’s focus: your Mormon and Muslim neighbors.
Attendees will learn about how faith, common values of family life, devotion to community service and peace can help us work together. There will be a short Q&A and an opportunity to mix and mingle after the presentations.
There is also an opportunity for you and your family to serve in the community with your other neighbors by signing up for the afternoon blood drive. Families are welcome, registration is encouraged.
- Go to www.preparemychurch.org to register for this event and sign up for the afternoon blood drive.
Primerica Foundation announces 2016 grants totaling $960,000
Primerica, Inc. (NYSE: PRI), a Duluth financial firm, announced the 2016 Grantees of The Primerica Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm. The announcement was made at a recent luncheon event honoring five nonprofits selected by Primerica’s employees.
Primerica Foundation of Duluth is announcing grants totaling $960,000, of which $300,000 was earmarked for Gwinnett agencies. Of the total grant, $90,000 goes to arts and culture; $205,000 to community non profits; $240,000 to education and youth enrichment; $225,000 to financial literacy; and $170,000 to health and human services.
The Primerica Foundation is in its sixth year of operation and has funded 236 grants totaling over $5,000,000 to nonprofits throughout the state of Georgia, particularly those located in Metro Atlanta and Gwinnett County. The organization was named a Top 25 Georgia-based, company-sponsored Foundation by the Atlanta Business-Chronicle in 2015. In addition to its corporate Foundation, Primerica also has a strong corporate charitable giving program and employee volunteer program.
Karen Fine Saltiel, Chairman of The Primerica Foundation, says: “The core of Primerica’s charitable funding is to support nonprofits that help move families into self-sufficiency. We also fund nonprofits and support causes that our employees care about through the annual Employee Choice vote. Our employees vote from among a list of nonprofits representing a variety of causes – the top five with the most votes receive a $10,000 grant from The Primerica Foundation.”
Primerica’s commitment as a corporate citizen is embraced by the company’s CEO, Glenn Williams. He says: “Primerica takes its leadership role in the community seriously. By helping people improve their lives, we hope to contribute to the overall well-being of the communities where we work and live.”
LaGrange College presents Judy Johnson with Shackelford Award
Lawrenceville Mayor Judy Jordan Johnson has been presented with the Shackelford Alumni Achievement Award by LaGrange College during homecoming activities October 22. The honor is given annually to alumni who have distinguished themselves professionally and brought honor to the college. It is named for Dr. Walter Malcolm Shackelford, who served LaGrange College for 24 years as a professor of education and academic dean of the college. Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree from LaGrange College in 1974. She also earned an associate degree from Young Harris College, a master of arts in teaching from the State University of New York, an educational specialist degree from the University of Sarasota and a doctorate in education from Argosy University.
Gwinnett Police have reports of vandalism of political campaign signs
Gwinnett Police have had several complaints about stealing or vandalism of political campaign lawn signs. However, with little evidence on hand, police have not been able to make any arrests after investigating these complaints, Cpl. Michelle Pihera of the Gwinnett County Police Department, reports. Unauthorized removal from signs on private property is punishable by law.
Campaign signs aren’t allowed on the state’s right of way. Georgia defines their right of way abstractly: it’s the land over which state highways, railroads, power lines or other Georgia Department of Transportation property is built and maintained.
RECOMMENDEDAmericanah
A novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Reviewed by Karen Harris, Stone Mountain | The author has written a lush and evocative novel about the choices and challenges while moving across the globe and back amidst changing circumstances. Teenagers Obinze and Ifemelu fall in love in Lagos while attending secondary school, when Nigeria was under dictatorship and many were leaving. Ifemelu leaves for America. Obithize hopes to join her but plans are derailed by 9/11. Both undergo extreme hardships, and years later face tough decisions. This is a richly readable novel filled with humor, pathos, wisdom from the mouths of believable multidimensional characters. It is a look at American culture through the eyes of immigrants, how characters have dreams shattered and how dreams emerge reshaped eventually by experiences that hone truth from the veils of fantasy. It is an experience readers will share with characters who they will cheer on!
- 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
Atlanta is home to the Arthritis Foundation, founded in 1948
Since 1948 the Arthritis Foundation, based in Atlanta, has generated $244 million for medical advances in the treatment and control of rheumatic disease while providing information, community-based services, and advocacy to local and national government agencies for Americans with chronic joint symptoms.
The foundation is the largest voluntary health organization in the country; it is steered by volunteer committees with assistance and professional knowledge contributed by paid staff members. Some 55 chapters with more than 150 service offices throughout the country raise funds and provide programs to improve the quality of life for those suffering from arthritis-related illnesses.
In the late 1940s members of the American Rheumatism Association, a group of about 300 U.S. physicians focused on treating rheumatic disease, met to discuss the creation of a national effort to understand and cure arthritis. At the time, there were few treatment options other than aspirin.
Only six treatment and research centers and seven medical teaching facilities served the estimated seven million people across the country suffering from rheumatic symptoms. To work for change, the doctors formed the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation.
In the first year of the foundation’s existence, a national campaign, chaired by the comedic actor Bob Hope, raised more than $500,000 for both research and clinics associated with the 13 chapters formed that year. Research breakthroughs regarding autoimmunity and cortisone that same year also countered the then-prevailing idea that nothing could be done about arthritis.
Over the following decades, education efforts for both the lay and medical communities have prospered. Physicians held the first national medical conference in 1953; their continued advocacy work, assisted by volunteer-based chapters, led to the establishment of the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases within the National Institutes of Health.
The growing foundation has passed through several stages of reorganization since the 1950s. In 1964 the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation was renamed the Arthritis Foundation.
Continued research has expanded the umbrella of rheumatic diseases to include more than 100 arthritis-related conditions; the number of people affected is estimated to be around 70 million. The Arthritis Foundation’s information service responds to questions phoned in or e-mailed by more than 140,000 people each year.
An important outreach tool for the foundation is Arthritis Today magazine. Issued bimonthly, this commercial publication informs Americans with arthritis-related illness of advances in quality-of-life issues and treatments.
Since the mid-20th century, the Arthritis Foundation has mobilized researchers, public opinion, and political advocacy to aid arthritis sufferers Their efforts have facilitated remarkable advances in treatment, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the expansion of Social Security and health insurance benefits to patients.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
This classic building could be anywhere in the world
Now here’s a classical building if we’ve ever seen one. It could be a replica of another building in the USA, or in any one of a number of countries. Tell us where you think it is located by sending your thoughts to elliott@brack.net, and be sure to include your hometown.
Bob Foreman of Grayson recognized the most recent mystery photo: “It’s the Disney World Dolphin Hotel, at Disney World near Orlando. The Dolphin and the Swan Hotels are unique as they were designed by well known superstar architect, Michael Graves. The large shell shaped rooftop features are symbols of the Florida setting. The architectural elements of this hotel are well lighted at night.” The photo came from George Graf of Palmyra, Va.
Rob Keith of Peachtree Corners and Jim Savadelis of Duluth also spotted the photo and gave the correct answer.
LAGNIAPPE
Lack of rain shows drought being felt at Gwinnett lakes
Roving Photographer Frank Sharp found the area’s drought particularly showing up at City Lake of Rhodes Jordan Park. The lake has dropped about two feet. You can see the ever-increasing mud flats creeping from the shoreline. The second photo shows the rocks and shoreline at the far end of the lake. The spillway in the third photo shows the dry state, with no runoff.
Wellness Fair for Seniors, Friday, October 28 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Bethesda Park Senior Center, 225 Bethesda Church Road in Lawrenceville. The event will feature live cooking demonstrations, wellness presentations, health screenings, live entertainment, interactive fitness demonstrations and health and wellness exhibitors. For more information, visit www.gwinnettparks.com or call (678) 277-0179.
Second Annual Zombie 5K Run will be on Saturday, October 29, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in Braselton. Winners will be given awards in several age categories. The event is sponsored by the Braselton Main Street and Downtown Development Authority A special award will be presented to the best dressed Zombie runner. The cost is $30 per person. To register online visit www.runsignup.com/BraseltonZombie5kRun.
Open House: The new Lilburn City Hall and Gwinnett County Public Library at 340 Main St. is open to the public. There will be tours of the building during an open house on Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to noon. City and library officials will be available to answer questions about the facility. First Baptist Church of Lilburn will serve refreshments in the City Hall vestibule. Electric cars will be on display in the parking lot, to demonstrate the electric car charging station. The 50-year time capsule will be sealed following the open house.
BooFest In Norcross will be in Lillian Webb Park, with a costume parade beginning at 3 p.m. on Oct. 29. At the heart of this Halloween-themed event that’s so fun. Prizes will be awarded to Best Boy Costume and Best Girl Costume in three age categories: infant – 4 years old, 5 – 11 and 12 – teen. Participating pups will be judged for Most Original Costume and Best Dog and Master Combo Costume.
(NEW) Luxomni Community Fall Festival will be this weekend. On Sunday, October 30, gather from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Luxomni Baptist Church, 175 Luxomni Road in Lilburn. There will be Trunk or Treat, games, good and fun! Meanwhile, the Luxomni Baptist Church’s annual Barbecue and bake sale is on Saturday, November 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the church. The barbecue is $9 to get a plate of food, a pound of meat or a quart of stew. Pre-order your tickets now at http://www.luxomni.org/luxomni-bbq-2016-online-ticket-purchases/.
(NEW) Senior Fundraiser: at American Tavern, 630 Athens Highway, in Loganville on November 3 starting at 6:30 p.m. This is a Fire Up4Friends and Football. Join Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services for a game day charity party. Put on your favorite team gear and enjoy an evening of fun, football, gaming, tailgate food, and sports silent auction. Proceeds go to the purchase of fire safety devices for senior homes and living facilities. Cost: $50. For tickets, call 770-822-8775 or email Jennifer.orton@gwinnettcounty.com
(NEW) Writing Your Life Story: a program aimed at teens, will be Saturday, November 5, at 1 p.m. at the new Lilburn Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library. Georgia Gwinnett College Associate Professors Dr. Linda Hughes and Dr. Kathryn Gray-White will host and focus on the differences between private, personal, and public writing. This is a memoir writing workshop for teens that will guide them through the process of crafting a compelling memoir in six easy steps. For more information, visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154.
Gwinnett Housing Symposium will be Wednesday, November 2, at 6 p. m. at the Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville. This initial gathering of private, public, and nonprofit partners will discuss housing and redevelopment. It is a forum during which stakeholders from all sectors can discuss the implications of these issues on the Gwinnett region.
Electronics Recycling, Saturday, November 5, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the First Christian Church of Atlanta, 4532 LaVista Road, Tucker. Sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Tucker and Stone Mountain, proceeds will benefit the Friends of Disabled Adults and Children. Working and non-working electronics (with the exception of CRT monitors) will be accepted for recycling at no charge, however, participants are encouraged to make a donation to FODAC. The clubs will also accept durable medical equipment (DME), such as wheelchairs, power chairs, walkers, crutches and bedside commodes, which FODAC will clean and recycle to help those with mobility impairments.
Veterans’ Day: November 11, at 11 a.m. will be observed at the Fallen Heroes Memorial near the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville.
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