LOOMING OVER the Duluth intersection of Buford Highway and Georgia Highway 120 is this mixed-use development which will include apartments, plus street-level retail operations. This is the parking garage of the complex. It is anticipated to be open in early 2018.
RESCHEDULED: The annual “Bring one for the chipper” recycling of Christmas trees has been rescheduled, because of the possibility of storm weather last weekend. The new date will be Saturday, January 28, at Bethesda Park in Lawrenceville, beginning. At 8 a.m. and continuing until 11 a.m.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Again This Year, Aurora Theatre Presents Educational Opportunities
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Hunter Upends Gwinnett County’s Calm Diverse Community
SPOTLIGHT: Aurora Theatre
FEEDBACK: Raises Question of Possible Conflict of Interest of New President
UPCOMING: Phone Scammers Back with Another Way To Part You with Money
NOTABLE: Gwinnett Lifeguards Take First Place at Event for Second Year
RECOMMENDED: Memoirs of a Sword Swallower by David P. Mannix
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Northern Artists Attracted to Savannah for Scenes To Paint
TODAY’S QUOTE: How Bob Uecker Made Out on the Endorsement Circuit
MYSTERY PHOTO: What city has this skyline?
CALENDAR: Coming events
Again this year, Aurora Theatre presents educational opportunities
By Chelsea Bohannon | Aurora Theatre welcomes a New Year with theatrical programming for all ages. Here are some of the programs in the coming year.
February 11, at 7 p.m.: Special winter programming at its Teatro Aurora with Sangria, Tapas y Flamenco. Pulse to the passionate rhythms of Caló Gitano Dance Company as Teatro Aurora once again presents Sangria, Tapas y Flamenco, an evening of food, fun and romance with a side of Latin flair. Held at Stars and Strikes’ private event hall, tickets are $30 for individuals, $50 for couples and $150 for a table (up to 10 guests).
February 28, at 8 p.m.: During the monthly Poetry and Word series, TIXTER members will mix and mingle while sharing original works during this exclusive event. February’s theme is “Heroes.” Signups begin at 7 p.m. on the day of the event. Patrons can join TIXSTER, as well as sign up to participate online at bit.ly/AuroraPoetryandWord.
Aurora Children’s Playhouse will assemble outstanding children’s performers in the region, bringing them to Gwinnett County for a family-friendly series filled with an array of extraordinary performances. Playhouse tickets are $7; PlayhouseTix punch cards are $50 and good for 10 admissions to any Children’s Playhouse show. Shows include:
Saturday, January 28: Welcome to the BlackTop Playground, where wit and humor rule the stage! Comprised of internationally known comedians create imaginative, laugh-out-loud scenes from audience participation.
Saturday, February 4: The Big Thinkers are exploring the properties of air and pressure, and kids of all ages are invited to join in the fun! With floating beach balls and children (via the Big Thinkers hovercraft!), a smoke ring cannon aimed at the audience and the screaming rocket balloons launching into the crowd, this show is sure to be a blast.
Aurora Theatre Academy is again having Winter Classes for Mini, Master and Budding Broadway Classes (Grades 1-5). These are Mondays, January 23 through March 13 from 4:30-6 p.m. (Budding Broadway class); and Tuesdays, January 24 –March 14 from 4:30-6 p.m. (Mini and Master class).
For elementary school students, the Mini, Master and Budding Broadway classes provide stage experience, while also encouraging teamwork and collaboration with peers. Tuition is $200 per session and there is a one-time student registration fee of $25. With space limited to 15 students per class, pre-registration is highly recommended. A discount is available for students taking multiple sessions or for families with multiple students.
Acting Edge Classes (Grades 6-8) will be on Mondays, January 23 through March 13 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Through a series of theatre games, exercises and exploration, these classes will culminate with an ensemble of players rehearsing a collection of scenes to perform for friends and family. Tuition is $200 per session..
Adult Acting Classes (18+) will be Mondays, January 30 through March 6 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Participants learn the acting craft and technique used by the professionals. The session will focus on skills like cold readings, monologue delivery, auditioning with confidence and learn how to succeed in the business of show business. Tuition is $200 per session. Enrollment is limited to 15 students in each class, and there is a one-time new student registration fee of $25.
Workshops for Grade 9-12 (dates coming soon) for high school students will learn AllTheSkills in this series of workshops led by some of Atlanta’s best professional artists, happening once a month on Wednesday nights.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Hunter upends Gwinnett County’s calm diverse community
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Social media is wonderful and amazing. It is changing the world. But we are finding, it can be dangerous and upsetting, too.
How many family feuds have emerged from the unwise use of social media, with some relatives just plain being too open or curt?
- You know many teenagers must be hurt forever because of some slight that they perceived from the Internet. Allowing children to have unlimited use of the Internet is not disciplining today’s modern children as they should be.
- We don’t know any personal examples, but we understand that modern-day human resource officers have begun to check social media about prospective employers, with people being turned down because of their own posting that discredit them, and in such cases, not obtained employment.
- And now, of course, we have even a president of the United States who can’t refrain from commenting on social media if he feels he has been denigrated in any way. Sad.
And then you have other politicians who don’t realize that there is a danger in sounding off on social media, causing consternation and complications from their inappropriate actions. Case in point: Gwinnett County Commissioner Tommy Hunter
Hunter
As is often the case, Commissioner Hunter didn’t get into trouble because of any comment on official county business. He got into trouble by allowing the world to see his thoughts on something that has nothing to do with the operations of the county, except that it created problems because he was spraying his thoughts to the entire world.
My, my, my.
We suspect he and many others who have been engaged in such activity now wish that they had paused, reviewed and re-considered his words before hitting the “send” button.
Instead of thinking before sending, Mr. Hunter brought unwanted comment to him by his open thoughts. Then others came down quickly and harshly on him. Making comments of the nature as he did, in a county which is perhaps the most diverse in the United States, not only was unwise, it was entirely explosive. Of course, he was criticized. What else did he expect?
The really unfortunate part is that, Gwinnett’s explosive growth in diversity has, for the most part, been not only steady, but one with little rancor. While we have our problems caused by some parts of the diverse population, there has not been open hostility. Up until now, Gwinnett’s reputation has been virtually unblemished.
At least the sitting county commission chairman, Charlotte Nash, was quick in taking immediate action and repudiating Mr. Hunter’s remarks. The next day, the three other commissioners also joined those questioning the Hunter statements. Gwinnett residents and all Georgians should be proud that these commissioners have made these comments and “set the record” straight that such remarks are not welcomed in Gwinnett.
Mr. Hunter now has to live with his social media remarks. He will be closely watched in every vote and action he takes. He may continue to served, but his effectiveness may be difficult.
Let’s look on the bright side: perhaps even President Trump and others on social media might learn from this Gwinnett lesson, and be more discreet in their posts.
- 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 700 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. Now showing: Katroi Hall’s The Mountaintop, a play that imagines the last night in the life of Martin Luther King Jr., through February 12.
- 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, click here.
Raises question of possible conflict of interest of new president
Editor, Gwinnett Forum:
Since the election in November, we have heard almost endless concerns expressed about President Trump’s potential conflicts of interest under the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause. Many believe that the nature of his business holdings, assuming he continues to hold them, cannot avoid becoming actual conflicts, even if he hands over management of the businesses to his adult sons. So, let’s explore the concerns.
As I see it, three concerns exist:
- He might enrich himself or his family.
- He would establish a precedent that future presidents might try to exploit.
- Congress might impeach him, alleging violation of the Emoluments Clause, and find him guilty in an ensuing trial.
The first concern does not concern me much, except to the extent any pursuit of personal enrichment causes the president to ignore some of his responsibilities to the detriment of the country. The second concerns me more than the first under the “snowball” theory. A precedent might lead to bigger and bigger messes.
I have said to let President Trump keep his business holdings and let the United States Office of Government Ethics (OGE) monitor the effects under the Emoluments Clause. If the OGE has concerns regarding actual behavior by the president, it can say so and encourage Congress to consider impeachment. Now, that could be very dislocating to the country, but that seems how the Constitution is supposed to work.
— Michael L. Wood, Peachtree Corners
Thanks, Michael, for your letter. I also understand that the Office of Government Ethics has no enforcement powers, meaning that if it is concerned, it can only appeal to the Congress.–eeb
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
Phone scammers back with another way to part you with your money
Better beware of the latest utility scam. You get a phone call, and your caller ID says it’s your power company. If you call the number back to check, it even has a recording that sounds like your power company.
But wait a minute – if they’re calling to tell you your bill is past due and you have to make a payment right now or have your power cut off, they’re really just scammers!
The latest scam involves “spoofing,” or making your phone think their call is coming from a legitimate company rather than who’s really on the line. The more sophisticated scammers have even copied or duplicated your power company’s recorded options to fool you further.
Jackson EMC Director of Customer Service Brent Cochran warns: “More and more customers are reporting this scam. Please don’t fall for it. No matter how fancy they get with their schemes, just remember two things — no real utility will call you and tell you to pay up right now or be cut off, and they definitely will not ask for payment by Green Dot or other cash cards.”
Cochran says if you’re worried about a past due bill, simply get your utility’s number from your phone book, your bill or their website and call them – not the number on your caller ID.
Some Gwinnett firms may get tax credit from state
The Georgia Department Of Community Affairs (DCA) has released a list of “Less Developed Census Tracts (LDCT),” a designation that gives expanding or relocating businesses access to job tax credits. To qualify, the business must create at least five net new jobs at the business location within the designated LDCT within a tax year and the new jobs must be full-time, permanent jobs of at least 35 hours per week.
Businesses located in an LDCT who create five new jobs will be eligible for a credit of $3,500 per job that could be used towards the company’s state corporate tax liability and payroll withholding tax. Additional requirements and details can be found on the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District’s (CID) LDCT page or on Partnership Gwinnett’s site.The Qualified Census Tracts which are included in the list in Gwinnett include
- Census Tract 503.14,
- Census Tract 503.17,
- Census Tract 503.19,
- Census Tract 504.17,
- Census Tract 504.18,
- Census Tract 504.19,
- Census Tract 504.21,
- Census Tract 504.22,
- Census Tract 504.23,
- Census Tract 504.33 and
- Census Tract 504.34.
Individuals who own a business or own a property and believe that they may qualify and would like to receive more information, should contact Gwinnett Village CID.
Gwinnett lifeguards take first place for second year at event
The Georgia Recreation and Park Association hosted the second annual winter lifeguard games at Cherokee Aquatic Center in Cherokee County on January 15. For the second year in a row, Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation (GCPR) lifeguards took first place at the event. The event consisted of swim relays, skill scenarios, and teamwork. The team was coached by aquatics leaders Arthur Bedard and Joe Banda.
Coaches brought the team together for several practices over the holidays to prepare for the event. The team was comprised of lifeguards from different aquatic centers throughout the county. Holly Smith, a graduate student at North Georgia University, is a pool manager from Bogan Park Aquatic Center. Brad Miller, an alumnus of Georgia Gwinnett College, is a pool manager from Collins Hill Park Aquatic Center.
Lifeguards from Mountain Park Aquatic Center, Aliyah Berry, Jacob Finco, and Joel Nickerson brought their expertise to help win this competition. Christine Greenfield, Aquatics Coordinator with GCPR said, “We are thankful to GRPA for hosting this event each year. It provides a strong network between aquatic agencies throughout the state and gives the lifeguards an opportunity to meet and work with others. We are proud of our aquatics team and their coaches for their hard work and victory.”
Jackson EMC Foundation grants total $72,427 for Gwinnett area
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $77,792 in grants during their December meeting, including $72,427 to organizations serving Gwinnett County.
Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry Executive Director Tom Balog, far right, accepts a $15,000 Jackson EMC Foundation grant check that will help fund the ministry’s Emergency Food Assistance program from Jackson EMC District Manager Randy Dellinger, Foundation board member Jim Puckett and Foundation chair Beauty Baldwin.
$15,000 went to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides clients with emergency food supplies to help them get back on their feet.
$15,000 to Project Adam, a Winder-based nonprofit serving Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Madison counties that focuses on the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug dependency.
$11,927 to Fragile Kids Foundation, a Georgia non-profit that provides prescribed medical equipment that Medicaid and private insurance will not cover to medically fragile children, to help fund the purchase and installation of critical medical equipment such as electronic wheelchair van lifts, strollers, toileting and bathing systems in the counties Jackson EMC serves.
$10,000 to Eyes of Love Lighthouse Mission in Buford, a grassroots ministry that collects and distributes clothes, food and furniture to those in need in Gwinnett, Hall, Barrow counties.
$8,000 to Eagle Ranch, a Chestnut Mountain home for boys and girls in crisis serving all of Northeast Georgia, to cover the annual subscription costs for an electronic health record database system.
$7,500 to Adventure Bags, an Auburn-based non-profit that sources and stuffs comfort bags and distributes them to displaced children through local DFCS offices, domestic violence shelters, fire departments, group homes and children’s shelters in Jackson EMC’s service area.
$5,000 to NOA’s Ark (No One Alone), a Dahlonega emergency shelter and comprehensive support program for women and children from Lumpkin, Gwinnett and Hall counties who have been the victims of domestic violence or sexual assault.
Jackson EMC Foundation grants are made possible by the more than 184,400 participating cooperative members who have their monthly electric bills rounded to the next dollar amount through the Operation Round Up program. Their “spare change” has funded 1,147 grants to organizations and 340 grants to individuals, putting more than $11.6 million back into local communities since the program began in 2005.
Save A Life donates 700 smoke detectors to Gwinnett County
Operation Save A Life donated 700 long-life smoke detectors valued at $15,437 to Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services. Commissioners accepted the contribution during their meeting on Tuesday.
Last month, fire officials installed and tested 2,850 smoke alarms as part of their 12 Days of Christmas fire safety initiative. They have installed more than 13,000 alarms since 2014. Long-life smoke detectors don’t need battery replacement during their lifetime, requiring only monthly testing.
Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a fire by half, so Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services works proactively to inspect and replace inoperative or missing alarms. Fire Chief Casey Snyder says: “We’re very grateful for community support like Operation Save A Life, sponsored by WSB-TV, Kidde, The Home Depot and the Law Offices of Ken Nugent. Every home should have at least one working smoke alarm on each level.”
Memoirs of a Sword Swallower by David P. Mannix
Reviewed by Alex J. Ortolano, Duluth: Back in 1965, I read this book. It’s an autobiography that is not exactly about the circus but details a lot about a circus. This guy joins a sideshow company, really a carnival. He tells all sorts of strange stories about carnival people who, of course, are day-to-day people like all of us, and likable people, too. You can read about the Fat Lady, the human beanpole, the Ostrich man )who ate broken glass), and many others. You’ll enjoy learn something about fire eating and sword swallowing. I don’t re-read many books, but if I decide to re-read this one, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
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
Northern artists attracted to Savannah for scenes to paint
(Continued from previous edition)
Around 1937-38, the New York figurative and landscape artist Alexander Brook moved to Savannah and spent a few years there, splitting his time between Savannah and New York. In 1944 he returned to Savannah but finally settled in Sag Harbor, N.Y., in 1948. His painting Georgia Jungle (1939), a desolate, rain-soaked scene of Tin City, an African American community near Savannah, won first prize in 1939 at the Carnegie International Exhibition, gaining national attention.
Brook often portrayed the dramatic visual effects that impoverishment brought to the southern land and its architecture. Trained at the Art Students League and associated with the Whitney Studio Club in New York (later the Whitney Museum of American Art), Brook was part of a thriving circle of artists in New York City and at the artist’s colony at Woodstock, 100 miles north of Manhattan. In Savannah he participated in classes taught by Reuben Gambrell at the University of Georgia campus extension, giving demonstrations and critiques.
He attracted to Savannah numerous artists and was a vital part of the artistic social life there. An art colony formed along Factor’s Walk in the waterfront district where he had his home, and nearby towns Bluffton and Beaufort, both in South Carolina, attracted artists as well.
Brook and the painters Arnold Blanch; Henry Lee McFee, who had first come to Savannah in 1936; Andrée Ruellan; and John Taylor, all from the Woodstock area, visited and worked in and near Savannah during this period. Representative works include McFee’s A Grove, Savannah, and Ruellan’s City Market, Savannah (1942). Painter William Halsey of Charleston, S.C., lived in Savannah from 1942 to 1945 and directed the art school at Telfair Academy during that time. While there, he painted in a lyrical, expressionist style, capturing scenes along Savannah’s streets.
In nearby St. Marys, the miniature painter Pamela Hart Vinton Ravenel of Massachusetts became prominent in the 1930s. She lived part of the year in Woodstock, N.Y.. Trained at the Maryland Institute in Baltimore and then in Paris, Ravenel became especially known in the 1930s for her informal, often humorous portraits painted in a straightforward manner.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
What city has this skyline?
Here’s a city skyline, shown up close. How many of you can identify which city this is? Send in your thoughts to elliott@brack.net and be sure to include your hometown.
Right off the bat, George Graf of Palmyra, Va. told is the location of the previous mystery photo.
“It’s the John P. Cable Mill, Cades Cove, Smoky Mountains National Park, Tenn.,” he said, then added: “With over two million visitors annually, Cades Cove holds the tile as the most popular area in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is interesting to note that many of the historic buildings in Cades Cove surrounding the mill are not in their original location. The mill itself is, but most of the other buildings in the complex were brought in from elsewhere in the park. Cades Cove’s First Name Was Kate’s Cove in honor of the wife of Chief Abraham of the Chilhowee tribe’s, Kate. The name was later changed to Cades Cove in remembrance of Tsiya’hi leader, Chief Kade.”
The photo came from John Creminger of Sugar Hill.
Bob Foreman of Grayson wrote: “Without doing any research, that is the grist mill in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.” And Ruthy Lachman Paul of Norcross had the right answer, adding: “In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park , this is Cable Mill. Some 148 years ago Mr. John Cable was a pioneer of thinking “GREEN”. Even today you could bring there your grain and they turn them into the flour so you could make your bread with special fragrance/aroma.” Others recognizing the photo include Joseph Hopkins of Norcross and Joe Holt of Suwanee.
Rotary Career Exploration Night at Norcross High School will be on January 26 at 6 p.m. Nine panels of people will provide students with information on their work. The event will be at the Norcross High Cafeteria. For more details, contact Jay Lowe at 404 272 2633.
Author Lisa Gardner will be in Gwinnett for an appearance on February 1 at the Norcross cultural and Community Center at 7:30 p.m. Gardener is a crime thriller novelist with over 22 million books in print. Her latest novel, Right Behind You, is part of her F.B.I. Profiler Series. Four of her novels have become movies for the small screen, and she has made appearances on TruTV and CNN. Books will be available for purchase and signing courtesy of Eagle Eye Book Shop. For more information, visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154.
A conference in Suwanee February 3-5 at the Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine will host students from the Latino Medical Student Association Southeast Region. Those interested in attending may register online at http://lmsa.me/2017SEC.
Second annual Gwinnett Historical Society Scavenger Hunt will be Saturday, February 4. Enter as an individual for $10 or a group of two or more for $20. For more details and to register, go to GHScemhunt@yahoo.com.
Third annual Chocolate Walk in Braselton will be Saturday, February 4, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., rain or shine. Present your bag and get a treat from each participating business. Tickets are limited at $5 each, so advanced purchase is recommended. Walkers should be at least 16 years old. Contact Downtown Director Amy Pinnell at 770-684-0369 or apinnell@braselton.net.
Author Amber Brock will visit Barnes and Noble in Peachtree Corners on Wednesday, February 11, at 3 p.m. as part of the Gwinnett County Public Library’s author series. She writes historical fiction novels set in the glamorous 1920s. She teaches English at a girls’ school in Atlanta,. Brock will speak to fans and aspiring authors about the writing and publishing process and book promotion strategies as well as her book, A Fine Imitation. This event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
Plant sale: The Gwinnett County Cooperative Extension office is offering varieties of Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Figs, Apples, Pomegranate, Goji Berries, Native Azaleas and other landscape plants as part of their annual sale. This year Pecan Trees and the big Titan blueberry, which produces blueberries the size of quarters, have been added to the list of pre-ordered options. Supplies are limited so please order early. Orders will be taken through March 7, 2017. Order forms may be obtained from: http://www.ugaextension.org/gwinnett, or by calling 678-377-4010 to request a form be mailed to you.
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