11/8: New PCOM location; Roundup with Cubs, more

NEW MEDICAL CAMPUS: The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine plans another expansion in Georgia, this time in  deep South Georgia at Moultrie. Jay Feldstein, DO, president and CEO of PCOM, (left) and Jim Matney, president and CEO of Colquitt Regional Medical Center, sign a Memorandum of Agreement to develop a feasibility plan for an additional location in South Georgia. They are backed by PCOM officials, Colquitt Regional Hospital Authority members, and a state representative. For more details, see Today’s Focus immediately below.

TODAY’S FOCUS: PCOM Planning To Establish Second Medical Campus in Georgia

EEB PERSPECTIVE: How About Those Cubs? Berkmar High Marks 50^th Anniversary

SPOTLIGHT: Peach State Federal Credit Union

FEEDBACK: State Legislators Should Fund Crisis Intervention Programs

UPCOMING: Gwinnett Courts Move To Text-Based Juror Notification System

NOTABLE: Library Gets Grant To Develop Community Gardening Initiative

RECOMMENDED: The Crown on Netflix

GEORGIA TIDBIT: Walter F. George One of Georgia’s Longest Serving Senators

TODAY’S QUOTE: Many People Think This Is a Way To Solve a Problem

MYSTERY PHOTO: Tell Us Who Was the Inspiration for This Modern Structure

LAGNIAPPE: No! This Is Not a Mystery Photo But a Live Event

CALENDAR: Free Seminar on Social Security Benefits Planned for November 17

PCOM planning to establish second medical campus in Georgia

By Barbara Myers, Moultrie, Ga.  |  By signing a Memorandum of Agreement, representatives from Colquitt Regional Medical Center in Moultrie, and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in Philadelphia, Penn., agreed to develop a feasibility plan and present it for approval to the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) to develop an additional location in South Georgia. The College also operates a school of Osteopathic Medicine in Suwanee, Ga.

Colquitt Regional President and CEO Jim Matney says: “The positive impact this endeavor to establish a location in South Georgia will have on physician recruitment and workforce development will be substantial. Building a premier site for rural medical education has been a long-term goal for Colquitt Regional, and we are glad to partner with PCOM in bringing a campus to this region.   I am pleased that our regional academic institutions are interested in enhancing the medical education pipeline. Valdosta State University, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, and Thomas University have offered support for a campus of PCOM.”

Jay Feldstein, DO, president of PCOM, says: “We look forward to bringing our college’s 117 years of experience in educating physicians and health sciences professionals to the South Georgia area. This Memorandum of Agreement, signifying our mutual respect and trust, begins the extensive process with our accrediting agency to make this possibility come true within the region. We enthusiastically look forward to a successful outcome for all.”

William Craver III, DO, dean and chief academic officer of Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (Ga-PCOM) in Suwanee, says: “We are excited to enter into formal discussions and planning with Colquitt Regional Medical Center, as well as local and regional business, healthcare and education stakeholders to develop an additional location.”

The new endeavor would help the college further fulfill its stated focus “to  recruit and educate students from Georgia and the surrounding states, to retain graduate osteopathic physicians, pharmacists, biomedical scientists and other healthcare professionals, and to serve the health needs of the region,” Craver says.

PCOM is a private, not-for-profit, multi-program institution, focused on health sciences education, which was founded in 1899 in Philadelphia. Eleven years ago, the college established a branch campus in Suwanee, just north of Atlanta. Known as Ga-PCOM, the 1,000+ student campus offers the doctor of osteopathic medicine degree, the doctor of pharmacy degree, as well as graduate degrees in biomedical sciences and physician assistant studies.

Ga-PCOM, which has conferred more than 1,100 degrees to date, was formed to respond to the acute need for more healthcare providers to serve Georgia and surrounding states. Graduates are encouraged to serve the underserved and where the need is greatest – inner cities and rural areas with severe provider shortages. Today, students participate in third and fourth year clerkships, some in the South Georgia area, as part of the curriculum.

With more than 5,000 annual applications for its osteopathic medical program, the Suwanee campus now accepts 135 medical students each year.  When it began, Ga-PCOM accepted 80 students into its first class. In 2010 the campus applied to COCA for a substantive change to increase its class size which was approved and met all accreditation standards with commendations.

• Have a comment?  Send to:  elliott@brack.net

Round-up: How ‘bout those Cubs?  Berkmar marks 50^th anniversary

By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher  |  Today we’ll give you a breather and never mention something that has focused our attention for the last few months, if you get the drift of the thought.

HOW ‘BOUT THOSE CUBS!  It was great to see normally an unsung key leader of the Cubs, the former Atlanta catcher David Ross, have a very good game, slamming a home run in what is perhaps his last game in professional baseball. After all, he’s 39, and crouching behind home plate must be much tougher now than previously.

And another former Brave, Jason Heyward, scored the winning run. Though he had a quiet Series offensively, Heyward proved his mettle with several outstanding catches, and one key throw in particular, that helped ignite the Cubs. He was also credited with revving up the Cubs during the rain delay before the winning inning. He herded the 25 Cubs into a small weight room, without coaches or other officials around, and urged his teammates on.

David Ross was quoted: “Jason spoke up and said this is about your teammates. He (Jason) just said, `We’re the best team in baseball for a reason. Continue to play our game, support one another. These are your brothers here, fight for your brothers, lift them up, continue to stay positive. We’ve been doing this all year so continue to be us.’ It was a great message,” Ross was quoted as saying. Several of the Cubs were in tears when Heyward finished.

It must have helped, as they were fired up and won in the delayed next inning.

So the Cubs can no longer lament the old annual Brooklyn Dodger refrain, “Wait until next year!”  That moaning can now belong to Cleveland, who had an amazing year, and could well be in the chase next year after 78 years of no World Series!

Among those marking the 50th anniversary of Berkmar High were Lilburn Mayor Johnny Crist, District V School Board Member Louise Radloff, Berkmar High Student Kendall Castaneda, Principal Al Taylor and CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks.

AN ANNIVERSARY: An event over the weekend marked what you might call the beginning of major changes in the Gwinnett school system. Berkmar High marked its 50^th anniversary.

The school was formed in 1956 from the consolidation of Lilburn and Bethesda high schools, and the name came from the combining of two militia (voting) districts, Berkshire and Martins. Lilburn and Bethesda were the last of 10 high schools to be consolidated in Gwinnett. Since there was such great rivalry, it took several years to agree upon a name and a location for the new high school.

Enrollment that first year was 425 students in grades 8-12. Now there are 2,951 students in grades 9-12.  In 1956, the county had fewer than 10,000 students. Today the Gwinnett school system enrolls 178,000 students.

Berry

THE NEW COMMISSIONER for the state Department of Community Health is Frank Berry. For the last four years, he has been the head of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities. Previously, the Community Health director was Clyde Reese, who Governor Nathan Deal named to the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Berry is an alumnus of the Leadership Gwinnett class of 1999.

• Have a comment?  Send to:  elliott@brack.net

Peach State Federal Credit Union

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State legislators should fund crisis intervention programs

Editor, the Forum:

This is in response to attorney Peter Boyce’s excellent article about our police needing training about mental health and substance abuse issues.

As a former private practice psychologist I have several comments.  First, in the middle of an emotional crisis, it is impossible to separate mental health issues and criminal behavior.

Second, often when mental health problems are evident there are no mental health services available.

Thirdly, many times criminal behavior, emotional illness, and substance abuse are conflated to the point that all three issues are in play.

Police are not able nor should they sort out these complex issues in the middle of a crisis. It is up to our legislators to fund crises intervention programs at our hospitals.

— Alan Schneiberg, Sugar Hill

Send us your thoughts:  We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum.  Please limit comments to 300 words.  We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length.  Send feedback and letters to:    elliott@brack.net

Gwinnett courts move to text-based juror notification system

Gwinnett County Courts have announced the launch of a proactive text-based notification system to update jurors on their jury status. With the new texting platform, jurors receive automatic messages about their upcoming jury duty, as well as nightly updates throughout their service week notifying them whether or not to report for service.  The texting platform augments existing web and IVR-based systems.

Abby Carter, Jury Manager for the Gwinnett County Court, says: “Jurors have been asking for an easier, more convenient way to get their juror status. With our new text messaging system, jurors receive proactive text messages without having to call or check the website – and they love it.”

The court conducted a six-month trial with TextGov’s Juror Notification System. During the trial period, jurors were asked about their experiences with the system. One juror said, “I thought I only had to check on Sunday. If I had not gotten the text, I wouldn’t have known if I was needed.” Another juror noted, “I really like the texts showing whether or not I have to appear.”

In addition to making the process more convenient for the juror, the text messaging system improved juror compliance rates. During the trial, among those jurors that opted in to receive text reminders, an average of 96 percent appeared in court on their appointed days.

Phil Boudewyns, Circuit Court administrator, says: “The implementation with TextGov was incredibly smooth. In addition to providing a better juror experience for the citizens of Gwinnett, the system is cost effective and efficient.”

Jurors can opt in for this new text system.

• To learn more about this new system, visit www.textgov.com.

Lots of activities during holiday season at Aurora Theatre

Appearing in last year’s Christmas Canteen were Brian Walker, Jen MacQueen, Diany Rodriguez, Brandon O’Dell, Lyndsay Ricketson Brown and Travis Smith.

Kick-start the holiday season with Aurora Theatre’s holly jolly list of merry happenings this November! Whether it’s a Mainstage production, holiday performance class or Teatro Aurora celebration, there’s plenty of festive fun to be had this month!

Annual Holiday Productions:

Christmas Canteen 2016: November 17 –December 23.
Make spirits bright this winter by joining Aurora Theatre for its annual holly jolly tradition, Christmas Canteen. Complete with laugh-out-loud comedy and sparkling musical numbers, this winter wonderland revue promises a delightful experience for all!

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: November 25 –December 23.
A holiday classic fit for the entire family, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a timeless tale of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge (Anthony Rodriguez) and his quest for forgiveness unfolds in an unforgettable journey of transformation through Christmas past, present and future.

The 12 Dates of Christmas:  November 25 –December 23.

Aurora Theatre’s annual holiday tradition will light up Lawrenceville! The spirited production will provide lots of laughter, as audiences are swept away on a whirlwind adventure into the mishaps of one woman’s attempt to get her jingle back in the wonderful world of dating.

Aurora Holiday Performance Class: Mondays and Wednesdays; November 9 –December 5.

Elementary through high school students are invited to participate in Aurora’s newest holiday tradition All of the Other Reindeer: A Dog’s Tale, written and directed by Aurora’s own Renita James; all participating students are guaranteed casting.

Students will have a month-long rehearsal before bringing their talents to the stage for two final performances on December 6 at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. All potential stars must be able to attend ALL rehearsals and performances in order to participate. There is a one-time New Student Registration Fee of $25, if applicable. Tuition is $250. To register for the class or purchase performance tickets, visit bit.ly/AuroraHolidayClass.

Aurora’s Festival of Trees: Throughout November and December.

This supports the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots drive and Gwinnett’s local food banks. More than 25 trees decorated by local businesses will illuminate the theater lobby for visitors to enjoy. Guests are encouraged to cast a vote for their favorite tree by placing a new, unwrapped toy and a non-perishable food item underneath it. All gifts will be donated to the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots and the food items will go toward the Holtkamp Can Challenge to be delivered to area food banks. Visit bit.ly/AuroraFestivalofTrees for more information.

• For more information or to purchase tickets for events, visit auroratheatre.com or call  the Box Office at 678-226-6222.

Library gets grant to develop community gardening initiative

Gwinnett County Public Library (GCPL) has been awarded a $19,009 Sparks! Ignition Grant for Libraries from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS).

Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries are a special funding opportunity within the IMLS National Leadership Grants for Libraries program. These small grants encourage libraries and archives to test and evaluate specific innovations in the ways they operate and the services they provide. Sparks Grants support the deployment, testing, and evaluation of promising and groundbreaking new tools, products, services, or organizational practices.

With the award, GCPL will develop “Homegrown Gwinnett,” a community gardening initiative. The library will experiment with the use of space saving aeroponic Tower Gardens across all 15 branches. The project has the dual benefits of providing STEM learning opportunities for library patrons as well as providing fresh produce for area food banks, leveraging local partnerships and reinforcing the library’s role as a community anchor organization.

GCPL Executive Director Charles Pace says: “Gwinnett County Public Library is pleased to be awarded this IMLS grant which will strengthen and enhance our educational initiatives and outreach.

“Local children will be able to learn about how food is grown as well as sustainable agricultural practices. In addition, we plan on donating any surplus generated to local food pantries as part of a strategy to increase food security in our community.”

Installation and staff training will take place over the next several weeks with programming to follow.

New Jackson EMC grants announced include $56,950 in Gwinnett

The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $90,815 in grants during their October meeting, including $56,950 to organizations serving Gwinnett County residents. The grants included:

$15,000 to Support Adoption and Foster Families Together (SAFFT), a non-profit serving abused and neglected children in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties through its Family Life Center in Gainesville.

$15,000 to Rainbow Village, a Duluth long-term, transformational housing program that provides fully furnished apartments and comprehensive support for homeless families with children in North Metro Atlanta, to help provide rent for its early childhood development center facility.

$15,000 to the J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA for its Afterschool Enrichment Program that will use Kindle Fire tablets and STEM project packs to help children from low income families keep pace with science and math learning outside of school.

$10,950 to I Am, Inc. in Buford, for the Helping Others Pursue Excellence (HOPE) program which helps girls ages 6-18 meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood.

$1,000 to the Lawrenceville Woman’s Club to purchase supplies and establish a sustainable community garden in the Glenn Edge neighborhood.

DAR chapter contributes sugar maple to Winn House grounds

A legacy Sugar Maple has been planted at the Elisha Winn Plantation in Dacula by the Philadelphia Winn Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It honors their chapter’s namesake, Mrs. Philadelphia Winn Maltbie, daughter of Elisha Winn and Judith Cochran. This tree, when full grown, is estimated to achieve a height of 40-60 feet—and be a “Legacy” for today’s children and grandchildren. From left are: Lori Crook, Nancy Vaughn, Past Regent Lydia McGill, Miriam Machida, Cindy Gaskins, Valerie Craft, Ruby Craft, Lee Schermerhorn, Regent Kitty Watters, Becky Davenport, Linda Olson, Joyce Howard, Kathy Lobe, Nick Hamrick (grandson of Anne Lockhart), Anne Lockhart and First Vice Regent Ann Story. (Photo by Frank Marchese.)

The Crown on Netflix

This 10-part season series focuses on the life of the current Queen Elizabeth (Clair Fox), capturing the time from her marriage onward. The early hourly episodes focus on the young princess and the events surrounding England at that time. Churchill (played by John Lithgow) was back in power, and King George (Jared Harris) was having difficulties with his health. It’s a behind-the-scene of life of the royals, showing two young princesses and their ever-growing maturity. Running throughout the series is the idea of the power of the royalty, complete with intrigues and mystery. The series is one of the most expensive yet undertaken by Netflix—costing $120 million. While this is the first year of production, plans have it depicting the Queen’s life over six seasons. In other words, it’ll be around for a while, while Netflix hopes to reap benefits from this ever-popular subject.” —eeb

• 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

George was one of Georgia’s longest-serving senators

Walter F. George was one of Georgia’s longest-serving members of the U.S. Senate (1922-57), and he distinguished himself in terms of his diplomatic influence during World War II (1941-45) and the early years of the cold war.

George

While George opposed Franklin D. Roosevelt‘s nomination for president in 1932, he supported several of his early New Deal programs. He broke with Roosevelt in his second presidential term, however, particularly over his attempts to pack the U.S. Supreme Court with justices favorable to the New Deal. This led to Roosevelt openly supporting George’s opponent in the 1938 senatorial election, but George easily won re-nomination and election. In 1941 George again supported Roosevelt, urging Congress to pass legislation allowing the military to prepare for conflict in case the United States was drawn into World War II. He also supported Roosevelt’s dream—the United Nations Charter of 1945.

Walter Franklin George was born in Webster County on January 29, 1878, to Sarah Stapleton and Robert Theodoric George. His parents were sharecroppers. He attended Mercer University in Macon and graduated in 1900. A year later he graduated from Mercer’s law school, passed the bar, and set up a law practice in Vienna, in Dooly County. George went on to hold various positions, including a superior court judgeship for the Cordele judicial circuit from 1912 to 1917 and a Georgia Supreme Court judgeship from 1917 until 1922. He married Lucy Heard in 1903, and they had two children, Heard Franklin and Marcus.

When U.S. senator Thomas E. Watson died in 1922, George resigned from the court to run for the vacant seat. He won the special election to finish Watson’s term (although Rebecca Latimer Felton sat in the Senate for one day, the first woman to do so). George assumed the office on November 7, 1922, and held it for the next 35 years.

During the 1920s George, a Democrat, tended to vote much like his fellow senators from the South—conservatively. He supported prohibition and opposed civil rights for blacks, even voting against anti-lynching measures. He was a strong supporter of large corporations, particularly those based in Georgia, like the Coca-Cola Company and Georgia Power Company.

(To be continued)

• To view the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org

Tell us who was the inspiration for this modern facility

Today’s Mystery Photo may surprise you where it is located. Check it out and see if you know where it might be. Send in your thoughts to elliott@brack.net and be sure to include your hometown.

Only two people were able to recognize the most recent Mystery Photo. Bob Foreman came in immediately, saying it was the “Bitexco Financial Tower in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, formerly Saigon.”  The photo came from Rob Keith of Peachtree Corners.

Then George Graf of Palmyra, Va. came in with more details. “Located in the historic district of Ho Chi Minh City, the Bitexco Financial Tower rises as a Beacon towards the future of Vietnam. The tower uses as its reference the Lotus flower (a symbol of Vietnam) in a mature, blossomed state to build upon Vietnam’s history. The tower is characterized by a distinctive helipad—not located on the roof as is the norm—but cantilevered out from the 52nd floor while the building continues to rise above it. Consistent with the national flower motif, the helipad and sky lounge taper off from the central area, reaching into the atmosphere as if a lotus bud in search of the sun.  At Floor 49, there is an observation deck, Saigon Skydeck, open to the public daily and offering 360 degree panoramic views of Ho Chi Minh City.”

No! This is not a Mystery Photo, but a live event

What’s this?  It’s not a mystery photo, but a photograph taken by Sandy and Rick Krause of Lilburn of some of the items going into the Time Capsule that the City of Lilburn sealed recently in its new facilities. It’s not to be opened in 50 years. It was taken during and open house at the Lilburn City Hall recently.

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.

Fall Program of the Stone Mountain Barbershop Chorus will be Saturday, November 12 at both 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Peachtree Corners Baptist Church, 4480 Peachtree Corners Circle. This program presents the best in four-part harmony, featuring songs from The Music Man, and other Broadway and movie productions. Save with advanced purchase of tickets at www.stonemountainchorus.org or by calling 770-978-853.

“The Origin and Evolution of Birds” will be the topic at the November 14 meeting of the Southern Wings Bird Club at 7 p.m. at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville, in Room A. Chris Showalter  will speak on the evidence that birds evolved from a group of small dinosaurs and other alternative perspectives. For more information, visitwww.southernwingsbc.com.

(NEW) Free Seminar on Social Security benefits, Thursday, November 17 at 9 a.m. at the Hudgens Center for the Arts. The Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia presents this seminar, with nationally known Social Security expert Elaine Simmons. She’ll cover subjects from when to start benefits, to potential entitlements for benefits as a widow or widower.  To register, go to: https://cfneg.wufoo.com/forms/strategies-for-social-security/

Red, Blue and You Event, Friday, November 18, at 11:30 a.m. at Coolray Field, honoring first responders of Gwinnett. Hosted by the Evermore Community Improvement District.  A barbecue lunch will be available for purchase.. For more information, call 404 580 1103.

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