6/8, full issue: Internship program; Trump and the law; more

SOON RISING: Here’s what the new City of Lilburn police station will look like, according to a design from the firm of Precision Planning of Lawrenceville.  The Lilburn Municipal Court will also occupy the building. The facility is to be located on U.S. Highway 29, east of Jackson Creek, and should be finished by July of 2019.  The firm of BM&K Construction of Braselton will do the construction, which is expected to cost $4.9 million.  The Council is discussing the future of the present site.

TODAY’S FOCUS: High School Intern Program Offers Student-Learning with Mentors

EEB PERSPECTIVE: No Man Is Above the Law in the USA: That Includes President Trump

SPOTLIGHT: Gwinnett Medical Center

FEEDBACK: Proposes Alternative To Legislature Meeting Once a Year for 40 Days

McLEMORE’S WORLD: GPS Destination

UPCOMING: Lilburn Farmers’ Market Plans Do-Over of 2018 Opening Night

NOTABLE: Jackson EMC Foundation Makes Donation of $66,000 to Local Charities

RECOMMENDED: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

GEORGIA TIDBIT: Artist John Abbot Is Early Naturalist of Flora and Fauna of the South

MYSTERY PHOTO: One Big, One Small Clue in Today’s Mystery Photo

LAGNIAPPE: Roving Photographer Was In Right Spot for This Historic Scene

CALENDAR: Workshop on Podcasting Scheduled for Peachtree Corners

High school intern program offers student learning with mentors

By Kristen Drake

SUWANEE, Ga.  |  The QUEST Internship Program is an in-depth career exploration opportunity that allows high-achieving Gwinnett County Public School students to work with adult mentors from a variety of businesses, professions, government agencies and non-profit organizations. The goal is to help students decide future majors for college and/or career paths by giving them the opportunity to experience a career with on-site guidance from an adult mentor.

Drake

The program has been part of the Gwinnett County Public Schools since the 1980s. An average of 100 to 125 students participate each semester.

Students are released from school around 1:15 each day and usually work two days a week for 2½ to 3 hours each time. The internship lasts 17 weeks. If both the intern and mentor are interested, the student can return for an additional semester.

The internship experience provides many options for juniors and seniors in Gwinnett County Public Schools. One student may be able to complete two years in the same internship. Another student may be able to experience different placements in order to explore various career paths. Students have been placed in a variety of settings such as hospitals, architecture firms, law firms and elementary classrooms. The areas of greatest interest are medical and engineering fields, with increasing interest in laboratory settings. However, other areas, like marketing, are also on the rise.

Students express appreciation for the opportunity. One student wrote, “I’ve always known I wanted to work in the medical field, but I never knew what it was truly like. This internship allows me to witness firsthand what it’s like. This internship has cemented my decision to work in the medical field.”

Many students comment on the opportunities they never knew existed. “I have become more acquainted with the different fields in which I can use my computer science major. Before, I assumed that my major would only allow me to become a computer scientist, but in reality, I can use it to go into many areas of computer-oriented careers, such as a software architect and systems analyst.”

Students acknowledge growth. “Not only did I gain professional experience from my area of career interest, I also learned about business etiquette and workplace relationships through the QUEST program.” Students gain knowledge and skills that cannot be duplicated in a traditional classroom.

Mentors also recognize the benefits of the QUEST Internship Program. One wrote, “As a local employer it’s a joy to encourage students to learn more about the different opportunities available to them. Students get a firsthand experience in working in a professional environment in a field they’re interested in, and gain valuable experience to enhance their college application and résumé. Employers get the benefit of working with bright, energetic students, who could in the future become an ideal employee.”

If you know someone in the community who would be interested in serving as a mentor to an unpaid intern, please have them contact me at Kristen_Drake@gwinnett.k12.ga.us. Community members may also reach out to the office of Accelerated Programs and Gifted Education at 678-301-7020.

(Edited by Karen Zheng, 2017-18 QUEST Intern.)

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

No man is above the law in the USA: That includes President Trump

By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher, GwinnettForum

JUNE 8, 2018  |  It’s just like the little fellow who cried “Wolf!” too often, which  after a while no one paid much attention to his panicking.

That’s the way I’ve come to feel about the many Tweets that President Trump continues to send out.  He had adopted this way to “reach the people” in spectacular fashion, though it may hurt him as much as he thinks it  helps.

No other president has been so open about his thoughts, diplomatic, political or personal, as he has. Some may say that this form of communication is good. It certainly is an innovative way to let many know his feelings. Their ramifications must keep his staff in dithers.

But the many Tweets have less impact today, since some people have stopped paying attention to them. Now if only the media would put these Tweets into perspective more, or even stop reporting each of them.

Every now and then one Tweet looks larger.  In a Tweet on Monday, the president declared that he has the “absolute right” to pardon himself for any crime.

Let’s think some about that Tweet.

First, does this mean that the president even himself recognizes that he has committed some crime? That in itself is scary.

But mainly, is there any American in the entire country, even those favoring the president, who believes our president is above all of the laws of this country?  That seems a far reach.

From time to time, the Supreme Court, in creating new rulings, sometimes turns the country on its ear.  Brown vs. Board of Education, for one, and Roe vs. Wade, have both led the way in changing the minds  of lots of people .

But nowhere in the 200+ year history of the United States has any one president declared himself to be a person with absolute power.  That’s not the American way.

And it is unthinkable in our republic.

We have three branches of government, each with their own distinct elements, to guide our nation. Each is a separate, though equal, element of our government, and each has served our nation well in guiding our country.

We hope that our country never gets to the stage where President Trump has to inveigh a pardon to himself.  That would be disastrous to his presidency. It  would also probably convince enough Republican senators to vote with the Democrats and impeach the president.

We certainly hope that it doesn’t come to that.

Remember President Trump by his very nature is primarily a negotiator. We suspect even he realizes he can’t pardon himself, but is full of bluster and is merely trying to reinforce his connection with followers in putting this out this Tweet. We must live with him feeling this way, at least for two years, if not six years.

Yet can someone rule absolutely?  Maybe in the past, and maybe even today…..in Russia. But not in the United States of America.

Having someone think of himself as a ruler, a dictator, able to pardon his own self if he does something wrong?  That, simply, is not the American way.

Our country was developed with the idea that no man is above the law. That cornerstone of our government most certainly applies to the president, too.

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

Gwinnett Medical Center

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Gwinnett Medical Center’s parent company is Gwinnett Health System (GHS), which also includes Gwinnett Medical Group and Sequent Health Physician Partners.  GMC employs approximately 5,000 associates and has 800 affiliated physicians serving more than 600,000 patients annually.  Gwinnett Medical Center (GMC) is a nationally-recognized, not-for-profit healthcare network with acute-care hospitals in Lawrenceville and Duluth. Additional facilities include: the Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion, the Gwinnett Extended Care Center, Glancy Rehabilitation Center, outpatient health centers and surgical centers, imaging centers and outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy facilities.

• To learn more about how GMC is transforming healthcare, visit org.
• For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.

Proposes alternative to legislature meeting once a year for 40 days

Editor, the Forum:

Instead of the Georgia Legislature meeting once a year for 40 days, they should meet every 40 years for one day.

— Dick Goodman, Suwanee

Dear Dick: This is funny. I agree. Continue to elect and pay them, but just have them stay at home. Bet we would come out ahead financially.–eeb

Georgia legislature oblivious to the rights of the City of Stockbridge

Editor, the Forum:

On the land grab by Eagles Landing out of Stockbridge: It is odd how the State Government screams about the Federal Government interfering in state affairs, but is oblivious when it comes to the rights of cities and counties.

When I was Chair of the Jasper County Commission, the Board of Commissioners (majority Republican, 3-2), unanimously voted to make our County Commission elections non-partisan. Our state representative and state senator declined to introduce legislation to enact our request.

— Jack Bernard, Peachtree City

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

GPS designation

• For more of Bill McLemore’s cartoons, see his page on Facebook.
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Lilburn Farmers’ Market plans do-over of 2018 opening night

The Lilburn Farmers’ Market had many firsts, but nothing like what happened on June 1, when high winds, and possibly a tornado, forced the market to close.  There were so many trees down, telephone poles snapped, traffic lights out and utter disbelief that we had just experienced a tornado that seemed to come out of nowhere. Thank goodness there were no reported injuries, only loss of property and possessions.

The Lilburn Farmers Market would like to call a mulligan! We will be having an Opening Night of the 2018 Lilburn Farmers Market Do-Over on Friday June 8 from 4 to 8 p.m. on the campus of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church.

There will find fresh produce, meats, eggs, honey, breads, coffee, jams, pickles and pet treats. Drop by with the kids and pick up dinner from the three food trucks and stay to take a ride on the tractor-pulled hayride.

Enjoy a sample from our chef who will show you great ways to prepare local food purchases. The Lilburn Farmers Market also accepts and doubles any EBT/SNAP eligible purchase. Come join us every Friday night in June, July and August for a tasty way to start your weekend!

Gwinnett County to collect yard debris from recent storms

To assist residents with disposal of yard debris caused by the recent storm on June 1, Gwinnett County will provide free storm debris removal along county and state roads, but not on city streets. This cleanup effort only applies to tree limbs, branches, and other vegetative debris.

To provide efficient service, we ask that you follow these guidelines:

• Tree limbs and branches brought down during the storm may be cut and stacked behind the curb of your residence in the right of way. Under no circumstances should any type of storm debris be stacked or placed in the street.
• Tree limbs and branches should not be stacked or placed next to fire hydrants, utility boxes, or utility poles. In addition, tree limbs and branches must not be mixed with other debris such as roofing tiles, fencing, or other items damaged during the storm.
• Trees must be cut as small as possible and each piece must weigh less than 50 pounds.
• Branches and limbs must be trimmed and cut to a maximum of four feet, stacked at the curb.
• Debris cannot be collected in plastic bags.

The county asks that residents have all debris moved to the curb by Monday, June 18, 2018.

Full summer program going on at Lionheart Theatre in Norcross

There’s a lot of activity at the Lionheart Theatre in Norcross this summer.

The first week of summer camp is now underway, but there is still time to register for subsequent weeks. Each one-week camp teaches the basics of acting, musical theater and productions for ages 4 to adults.

Specialized camps focus on comedy, tap dancing and musical theatre productions. Fees start at $25 and scholarships are available for families in need. To sign up for camp and see details, visit www.lionheartheatre.org, or call 404-314-0668.

Lionheart Theatre will hold open auditions for The Rainmaker on June 10 at 2 p.m. and June 11 at 7 p.m. If necessary, call backs will be held on June 13. Production dates are September 7-23, 2018.

The Rainmaker is by N. Richard Nash and will be directed by Joanie McElroy. It tells the story of the Curry family who live on a cattle ranch in West Texas around the turn of the 20th Century, when a severe drought threatens their once lucrative livelihood. The love between these family members is evident although not always adequately expressed.

Lionheart is looking for six males and one female. All characters will speak with a Western accent. Auditions will consist of a one to two-minute monologue. Come for the auditions with a resume and headshot if available (but not necessary; audition forms will be at the theatre).

Lionheart Theatre will host Atlanta Theatre-to-Go’s Gala Performance of A Walk in the Woods on Saturday, June 30 at 7:30 p.m. A Walk In The Woods by Lee Blessing is a story about two men, a cold war and an unlikely friendship. It is a relevant today as it was when it was written. This gala performance will benefit low-income senior housing communities and will have a direct impact on bringing joy through theater, both performance and interactive, to more seniors.

Selfies is back on July 7 with a new program of improv comedy sure to have you smiling and laughing. Tickets are $10! All ages show at 5 p.m., followed by an adult only show at 7:30 p.m.

Jackson EMC Foundation makes donation of $66,000 to local charities

The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $66,000 in grants during their May meeting, including $40,000 to organizations serving Gwinnett County. They consisted of:

$15,000 to Hope Clinic, in Gwinnett County, which specializes in internal medicine and chronic care management for low-income patients to help them avoid costly hospitalizations, for one year of care in the Chronic Care Management Program for diabetic patients who qualify as extremely low income per federal guidelines.

$15,000 to Wishes 4 Me, a Lawrenceville charitable organization that provides housing for low-income disabled adults in all the Jackson EMC service area so they may live independently and be a part of the community, to help purchase a new septic tank for a community home that will enable them to accommodate more residents.

$5,000 to Angel House, a Gainesville recovery residence for women with alcohol and/or drug addiction, to enable indigent women with no financial resources or support in the Jackson EMC service area to participate in the twelve-month program by covering entrance fees, offering these women a second chance at life so they can become productive members of society.

$5,000 to Georgia Options, an Athens-based non-profit organization serving Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to help provide services and resources for people with developmental disabilities to live in their own homes.

Jackson EMC Foundation grants are made possible by the more than 188,274 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 1,307 grants to organizations and 361 grants to individuals, putting more than $13 million back into local communities since the program began in 2005.

Any individual or charitable organization in the ten counties served by Jackson EMC (Clarke, Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe) may apply for a Foundation grant by completing an application, available online at https://www.jacksonemc.com/foundation-apply or at local Jackson EMC offices.  Applicants do not need to be a member of Jackson EMC.

Waste removal fees going down for unincorporated Gwinnett

Residents who live in unincorporated Gwinnett County are going to see lower fees for garbage removal because of a recent amended contract between residential solid waster haulers and the county.  The commission approved the contract this week, to go into effect July1. Haulers and collection schedules will remain unchanged.

The monthly fee for solid waste collection will be reduced from $19.16 to $17.91.The senior discount for those 62 and older will increase from 15 percent to 25 percent, reducing senior fees to $13.75 per month. Haulers will also provide covered 65-gallon recycling carts on wheels.

Glass will no longer be accepted with recycling and should be disposed of with household trash or taken to a recycling facility.

Residents electing optional yard waste collection on a 12-month basis will receive a 25 percent discount. For more information, visit www.gcsolidwaste.com or call the Solid Waste Call Center at 770-822-7141.

Lawrenceville cited by Gas Authority for marketing excellence

The Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia has recognized the City of Lawrenceville for marketing excellence at its recent Annual Membership Meeting. The Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia annually recognizes special projects developed and implemented by its municipally owned natural gas member systems. Specifically, the awards acknowledge unique marketing initiatives or programs that increase natural gas load and enhance a system’s presence in the community. The City of Lawrenceville was recognized for the construction of its new Public Works Building, which incorporates state-of-the-art natural gas heating and cooling technology. Todd Hardigree, Gas Department director for the city of Lawrenceville is shown with Mayor Judy Jordan Johnson.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Reviewed by Karen Harris, Stone Mountain  |  A family that is trying to heal moves to Alaska, promising a new life off the grid and hopefully a simpler life. Ernt Albright is a Vietnam veteran suffering from PSTD. Cora, the supportive wife and mother to 13-year-old Leni, tries to navigate Ernt’s increasing rages, which increase with the first winter. Gradually with the help of the community, the family settles in but is unprepared for the hugeness of the challenges that are part of living in this new way.  From unrelenting cold, the little frictions that develop within the community, Ernt’s increasing violence and Leni’s growing fear of her father, plus the hugeness of living in Alaska, is fraught with both uncertainty amid the rapturous beauty.  Kristin Hannah’s ability to create characters that are multifaceted and real and to create lavish scenes describing the beauty and mystery that is Alaska, makes this both realistic and satisfying

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.  Send to:  elliott@brack.net

Artist John Abbot is early naturalist of flora and fauna of the South

A grebe, by John Abbot

Naturalist and artist John Abbot advanced the knowledge of the flora and fauna of the South by sending superbly mounted specimens and exquisitely detailed illustrations of birds, insects, moths, and butterflies  to collectors and scientists. An autobiography detailing his early life was discovered after his death, but little information exists about the nearly 65 years he spent in Georgia.

Although well known and revered during his lifetime, Abbot’s reputation has diminished because much of his work was published in England, kept in private collections, or contained in publications by others, unsigned. Nevertheless, Abbot’s carefully detailed drawings enabled scientists to accurately classify New World plants and animals, even though his nomenclature, or system of naming, varied from the standard system of plant and animal classification developed by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus.

Born in London, England, on June 11, 1751, into the prosperous family of Anne Clousinger and lawyer John Abbot, the young Abbot was expected to follow in his father’s profession. He spent around four years as a law clerk, but his love of nature, which developed during childhood, ultimately led him to a different vocation.

He collected and bred insects and received art instruction from the engraver Jacob Bonneau. Later Abbot mastered the taxidermic skills needed to preserve and display insects, moths, and butterflies, and he studied his family’s art collection and library, which contained books of natural history. He was drawn to, and eventually became part of, the circle of natural scientists who lived in 18th-century London, where exotic plant and animal specimens arrived from Great Britain’s far-flung colonies. Two of his watercolor drawings of moths were exhibited with the Society of Artists of Great Britain in 1770.

Abbot, already familiar with a publication of the history of Virginia, decided to leave London for the colony. He sold his personal belongings and set out for the six-week journey aboard the Royal Exchange in the summer of 1773. Abbot left his homeland, never to return, armed with a letter of introduction from the Royal Society of London, an agreement with the London jeweler John Francillon to serve as his  agent for the sale of specimens and illustrations, and commissions from several collectors and scientists.

During the voyage, Abbot befriended a couple who were settling in Hanover County, Va.,  100 miles from the mouth of the James River. He settled there as well and spent the next two years conducting a geological survey of the region while collecting and drawing approximately 570 different species of insects, butterflies, and moths. He perfected his mounting and shipping techniques, pinning the specimens and stuffing them with cotton in order to create a more lifelike appearance before placing them in a cork-lined wooden box, the false bottom of which provided storage for his illustrations. His packing and shipping methods protected his illustrations while keeping them hidden, the only way to avoid customs inspection and taxes. Abbot sent three collections to London, but only one arrived safely.

At the outset of the Revolutionary War (1775-83), Abbot, dependent on British connections for his livelihood, left Virginia in December 1775 amid escalating tension between England and the American colonies. He set out for St. George Parish (later Burke County) in rural Georgia, where relatives of his Virginia friends owned land. Within a few years of moving to Georgia, Abbot married; had a son, John Abbot Jr.; and acquired land in Burke County, as well as other property.

(To be continued)   

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

One big, one small clue in today’s Mystery Photo asks your solving

Try your hand at locating today’s Mystery Photo, obviously on a seacoast. But where?  Figure it out and return your answer to elliottt@brack.net, and include your hometown.

The last Mystery Photo we deemed difficult upon publication, and it proved correct. Only one person, and none of our usual experts, recognized the area, and she, Fran Worrall of Lawrenceville, actually pinpointed it. She wrote: “Today’s Mystery Photo is tough! Is it the White Mountains in New Hampshire? The flowers appear to be lupine, which is prominent in that region. The town of Sugar Hill, New Hampshire, holds a ‘Fields of Lupine Festival’ in June each year.”

Wow. Good catching, Fran. The photo was from Susan McBrayer, herself from the only other Sugar Hill in the nation, the one in Georgia. It’s obvious that the “usual suspects” don’t know where the blue lupin thrives!

Roving photographer was in right spot for this historic scene

Fifty years ago this week, June 6, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles, Calif., after he had won the South Dakota and California presidential primaries, and was a leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency. In 1968, our Roving Photographer Frank Sharp was living in the Detroit area. “Having the day off, and hearing that Senator Kennedy would be speaking at noon in Detroit, I made a beeline to get a good viewing spot at Kennedy Center. I had worked the night shift in computer operations at the Uniroyal Computer Center in Allen Park, Mich. I came up through the tunnel and was able to get a front-row position. There were many other photographers but they were situated in back of him, and I got this frontal photograph of him speaking. The security guard on top of the building in the back was a premonition of what was ahead in the future. This happened on Senator Kennedy’s last stop on the campaign trail in the Midwest before going to Los Angeles and his fate.”

Ink, Paint and Steel is a new art exhibit opening June 8to run through July 13 at The Rectory in Norcross. Explore the works of Katherine Linn and Simone Wilson in this new exhibit . Opening night, June 8, is free and open to the public and will include a reception with music, refreshments and the opportunity to meet these extraordinary artists.

The Peachtree Corners Festival will be on June 9-10 and seeks volunteers to help make the magic happen. Volunteer opportunities, as short as two hours, are available for assisting exhibitors with setting up booths, as well as support during the festival for hydration and rest breaks. The car show will also need people to direct cars and help drivers, while the dining area will need to be kept clean for guests, and the hospitality suite will need to be manned. Visit PeachtreeCornersFestival.org and click Volunteers to get started. Every volunteer receives the exclusive 2018 Peachtree Corners Festival t-shirt. Teens and groups are welcome.

Southern Wings Bird Club’s Annual Picnic will be Monday, June 11 at 6 p.m. at Rhodes Jordan Park, Pavilion 1, in Lawrenceville. Bring a side dish or dessert. The Club will provide the main fare and tableware. Bring drinks for yourself. And play Bird Bingo. For more details, contact Hank Ohme (770-845-3631 or hrohme29@gmail.com.

Podcast workshop:  Have you ever wanted to have your own podcast?  If so, come Wednesday June 13 at 6 p.m. for a panel discussion on podcasting. You’ll learn the how and why as well as what to think about as you launch your own podcast. The workshop will be at Prototype Prime, 147 Technology Parkway in Peachtree Corners. RSVP at https://prototypeprime.wufoo.com/forms/podcasting-101-at-prototype-prime/.

Book Signing and Talk by local author Clyde Strickland will be held Thursday, June 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Suwanee Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library, 361 Main Street in Suwanee. Strickland, born a sharecropper’s son, has overcome poverty and minimal schooling to become a self-educated CEO.  Mr. Strickland’s newest book, What Can I Do?, is a testimony to achieving the American Dream by trusting in God and doing what’s right, even if it’s hard. The event is free and open to the public.  Books will be available for purchase (cash or check only) and signing. For more information, visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154.

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• Editor and publisher:  Elliott Brack, 770-840-1003
• Managing editor: Betsy Brack
• Roving photographer: Frank Sharp
• Contributing cartoonist: Bill McLemore
• Contributing columnist: Jack Bernard
• Contributing columnist: Debra Houston
• Contributing columnist: George Wilson

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