10/16: GwinnettForum’s 2018 endorsement issue

The Button Gwinnett and Piedmont Chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution, along with the Philadelphia Winn Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Gwinnett County, joined together as sponsors of a Grave Marking Dedication at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia recently. These Georgia societies commemorated the service of the Honored Compatriot James Malcolm “Mike” Ruff Sr. who passed away on August 19, 2017. The SAR Color Guard consists of, from left, Jay Guest, George Thurmond, Ed Rigel Jr., Scott Collins, Allen Greenly, and Charlie Newcomer.

With this, the Endorsement Issue of GwinnettForum, and with the endorsement article being of such long length recognizing 32 contested races, several regular features are omitted today, and will return in the next issue. –eeb

EEB PERSPECTIVE: Here are GwinnettForum’s Endorsements in the General Election

SPOTLIGHT: Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

FEEDBACK: On Promises Made, Promises Kept by President Trump

UPCOMING: Advanced Voting Underway, and Continues until November 2

NOTABLE: Three Ramps to Interstate 85 To Get Re-paving Starting October 21

GEORGIA TIDBIT: Collin Rogers was 1830’s Architect and Master Builder

MYSTERY PHOTO: Here’s a Natural Area That Begs Identification

CALENDAR: Two Authors Visit Gwinnett on Thursday

Here are GwinnettForum endorsements in the 2018 General Election

By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum

OCT. 16, 2018  |  After nearly a full year of people campaigning for election in 2018, the end is near. On November 6, Georgians will vote in the General Election, picking the people to lead our nation in Congress, our state government and our local governments for the short-term future.

Despite all the rhetoric and commercials about the election, we can only hope that our voters will see through the smokescreens and innuendos, and decide for themselves which of the many candidates to support.

GwinnettForum again this year has interviewed state and local candidates—-88 so far—to learn about them so it can select the candidates most worthy of the Gwinnett voter’s choice. What follows is our endorsement of the candidates we think will best serve our area in the coming years.  It was a delight to see so many good candidates offer for office.

• Meet this election’s candidates, in their own words.
• Read a sample ballot for Gwinnett voters.

We urge GwinnettForum readers to take advantage of answers the candidates have given to questions we put to each of them after they visited with us. See the sidebar to the right, and click on each candidate to see their answers.  (Unfortunately some candidates did not either visit nor returned questions we put to them. We regret that they did not visit with us.)

We endorse the following candidates.

Congressional Candidates

Profit

U.S. Congress, Fourth District:

A newcomer to politics, Republican Joe Profit, 68, is our choice for Congress. Known to many as the Atlanta Falcons’ first draft pick back when the Falcons started, Mr. Profit has since become well known in healthy nutrition, and as an author. He integrated college football as the first black football player in the south when at Northeast Louisiana University, and has been breaking barriers and becoming  successful ever since. We feel he is particularly qualified to represent the Fourth District in Congress.

Bourdeaux

U.S. Congress, Seventh District:

College Professor Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux, 47, of Suwanee will make a good Congressperson, seen already in her hard-working campaign for this office. She has been everywhere throughout the district, had bombarded voters with tons of information, and we hope is the beneficiary of the movement to get more women in Congress. She is a graduate of Yale and has a master’s from the University of Southern California, plus a Ph. D. from Syracuse University. To run for Congress, she took leave from teaching budgeting and public service at Georgia State University.

Johnson-Green

U.S. Congress, 10^th District

We endorse Tabitha Johnson-Green, 45, a Sandersville Democrat, for this office. A Registered Nurse, she is a business owner and graduate of Georgia Southern University. She is willing to tackle the hard problems facing our Congress as a member of Congress, and will bring fresh, innovative ideas to the District.  She knows the struggles of everyday people, raised in a working class environment. It will be refreshing to see this new face represent the people of the 10^th District.

Statewide Candidates

Abrams

For Governor: in past endorsements, we have not made an endorsement in this race, nor did we in the General Primary. We figured the voters knew perhaps more about gubernatorial candidates than any other. However, many GwinnettForum readers felt that we should take a stand in this race.

Since both the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives will be dominated by Republicans again this year simply because there are not sufficient Democrats are challenging current legislative seats held by Republicans, we take the position that the split political rule is best. Therefore we endorse the candidate of the Democratic Party, Stacey Abrams, 47, of Atlanta.

Ms. Abrams has run an admirable race, working to get out a larger number of voters, as shown already in the primary. She is bringing fresh ideas to the race in several areas, particularly in the health care field and budgeting. She has also toiled mightily throughout the state, visiting all 159 counties, and will work with the legislature to move Georgia forward. She will make a superb governor and set Georgia on a better course.

Riggs Amico

For Lieutenant Governor: Much like the race for governor, we endorse Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico, 39, of Atlanta for this position. Though the Republican-dominated body will do what they can to clip her wings, she would become the presiding officer, and can bring some relief to the overwhelming Republican domination of the Senate, and help guide our state to new heights.

Raffensperger

For Secretary of State: This office will be the focus of much political news in the coming year, as it tackles the job of new voting machines. We endorse the candidate of the Republican Party, Brad Raffensperger, 62, of Johns Creek. As a person with a business in Gwinnett, he knows the problems firms have had working with state licensing that this office supervises, and presents workable solutions to this area. For instance, he suggests business license renewals be not each year, but for three years .His progressive ideas will move the state forward, and we heartily endorse him for the job. He is a graduate of  Western University with an MBA from Georgia State.

For Attorney General:

Democrat Charlie Bailey, 35 of Atlanta, is our choice for this job. He has been a prosecuting attorney against organized crime and gangs for the Fulton County District Attorney. He is a native of Harris County and holds two degrees from the University of Georgia, a bachelor’s and law degree.

For Agricultural Commissioner

Our choice is the incumbent Republican, Gary Black, 60, of Commerce, who has led this department for eight years and provided good leadership, especially with his Georgia Grown program. Himself a cattle farmer he has spent his entire career in agriculture. He served previously as president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, advocating for farmers across Georgia and he’s done a good job in promoting agriculture in Georgia,

For Insurance Commissioner

Beck

For this position, we choose Republican Jim Beck, 56 of Carrollton, as the next insurance commissioner. A 30 years veteran of this field, he maintains he is not beholden to the insurance industry for support. He is now president of the Georgia Underwriter’s Association and has worked to provide insurance to those who are locked out of the open market. He is a graduate of the University of West Georgia.

For School Superintendent

Thornton

There is one man in this race who shows great understanding of the field. He is Otha E. Thornton Jr., 50, a Democrat of Richmond Hill. He is retired as an Army lieutenant colonel and is making his first political race. He is a former president of the national Parent Teachers Association. He speaks with a great insight on how public schools should work, and gets our endorsement. He is a most impressive candidate. We look forward to his service to the state as school superintendent.

For Labor Commissioner

Butler

Again we endorse Republican Mark Butler, 47, of Carrollton for labor commissioner. He has served in this post admirably for the last eight years, leading the way toward helping Georgians finding successful employment. He has continually roamed the state emphasizing Georgia’s hard-working labor pool, seeking to attract more firms to the state, and making himself available to man different groups through improving the agency’s relationships with employers to create more jobs for Georgians. He is a graduate of Auburn University.

Public Service Commission, Post Three 

Miller

These positions have far-reaching consequences for all Georgians, as it regulates utility rates, which is becoming more important each year. For Post Three on the Public Service Commission, we endorse Lindy Miller, 39, a Democrat, someone who advocates more renewable energy, especially solar, for Georgians. She is a native of Atlanta, lives in Decatur, and is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a masers’ in public administration from Harvard. She has pledged that she will not take money from lobbyists, a practice often seen with other PSC candidates.  She also wants the commission to rely more attention on PSC staff recommendations. Elected PSC members in the past have often voted against their own staff recommendations!

Randolph

Public Service Commission, Post Four

We endorse in this race the challenger, Democrat Dawn A. Randolph, 52, of Stockbridge, for Post 4 of the Public Service Commission. Campaigning on the theme of “Putting the public back on the commission,” Ms. Randolph wants to give people coming before the commission more time to talk, and to make sure that the PSC avails itself of emerging technologies in setting rates and regulating utilities. She also want to pay more attention to older homes’ energy usage, by being more efficient through insulation, repairing leaks, etc. She is a graduate of Penn State with a master’s degree from Georgia State.

State Legislative Candidates

Martin

Senate District 9

Because of his hard and work and making himself available to candidates, we again endorse the Republican incumbent, P.K. Martin, 41, of Lawrenceville, a Gwinnett native. He holds a degree from Georgia Tech in international affairs. He is an independent insurance agent and has served previously two terms in the Senate. He has been most diligent in insuring that his work in the General Assembly has been transparent, and has focused on mental health and preventing opioid abuse in children.

Millar

Senate District 40

It’s good when you have two bright candidates seek an office, as we have in this district. The veteran Republican incumbent we endorse is Fran Millar, 68, of Dunwoody, who represents a part of Peachtree Corners. He has served for eight years in the Senate, a swing district, and previously served for 12 years in the House. Among his interests has been insuring that needs-based aid is available for college students through the Student Financial program. He was instrumental in working with Peachtree Corners in gaining city status. He is a graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan University.

Unterman

Senate District 45

Gaining more recognition for her legislative work, especially in the health industry, we endorse Republican Renee Unterman, 64, of Buford, to this senate position. She has served in the Senate since 2003, and previously served four years in the House. She is an executive in the health insurance industry. And as a legislator, heads the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.  A Gwinnett native, she was once the leading scorer on the Berkmar High basketball team. She is a registered nurse, graduating from Georgia State University, and has a degree in social work from the University of Georgia.

Reeves

Senate District 48

This position became vacant when David Shafer ran for lieutenant governor. We endorse Republican Matt Reeves, 40, of Duluth for this post. He is a native of Americus and a business and real estate litigation attorney in Gwinnett.  He is a graduate of Mercer University and the law school at the University of Georgia. A tireless community worker, we feel that his work in the Senate will reflect his open and common sense approach to government.  He advocates reducing the state income tax and keeping Georgia No. 1 in job growth.

Butler

Senate District 55

A tireless veteran of 20 years in the Senate, Democrat Gloria Butler, 76 of Stone Mountain, is our choice for this position. You won’t find a harder-working senator. She pays close attention to her district, returns her telephone calls, and is respected by her Senate colleagues. She’s earned another term and our endorsement based on her solid work. She advocates bringing to Georgia the Earned Income Tax Credit and a $15 hourly minimum wage. She is a graduate of Perimeter College.

House District 81

Holcomb

Our choice is Democrat Scott Holcomb, 45, of Atlanta to continue serving in this office. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut; has a JD from West Virginia University and masters from both the University of Georgia and University of North Carolina. He has served for eight years in the House, and distinguished himself by being open to the ideas of his constituents. He was instrumental in making us aware of problems in processing rape kits. He urges the upgrading of the Georgia voting system, which is based on 2000 technology and has not been upgraded since 2010.

Hilton

House District 95

Seeking re-election for the first time, we heartily endorse the candidacy of Republican  Scott Hilton, 38, of Peachtree Corners, in this district. He has learned the ropes in his first term, and is responsive to the people and to the questions of his community.  A commercial banker, he is a native of St. Petersburg, Fla., and a graduate of Georgetown University plus has a MBA from Emory. His party chose him as deputy whip for the Republican caucus.

Yaqoob

House District 97

Diversity is important in Gwinnett, as the county is home to people from many countries. We believe she’s the best candidate for this position and can bring a much-needed perspective to this race, so we endorse Democrat Aisha Yaqoob, 24, for this position. Born in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., she lives in Duluth and is a Muslim.  She holds two degrees from the University of Georgia, in art and journalism, well as a master’s in public administration and policy. She is the policy director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Atlanta. She is a lobbyist at the General Assembly, and seeks to be a voice for youth, women and diverse people.

Park

House District 101

Another legislator completing his first term in the House, we endorse the candidacy of  Democrat Sam Park, 32, for House District 101, around Lawrenceville. A native of Decatur whose parents are from Korea, he is a general practice consultant. Recognizing that people have more in common than we might think, he works with people on what they agree, not on what they disagree about. He wants more unity in this diverse community. We like his sensible approach to problems in Gwinnett and in the General Assembly, we will be pleased to see him re-elected to this post. He went to Georgia State for his undergraduate and law degree.

Hastings

House District 102

A longtime Gwinnett Planning and Zoning Board member, Republican Paula Hastings, 51, of Lawrenceville, will show a new approach in the Legislature. She has as a tag line: “I’m just a mother and want to make a difference.”  Her experience in local government will serve her well in the Georgia House. She is a native of Columbia, S.C. and attended Bauder College and the University of South Carolina. She works in public relations. She is a long time advocate for improvement in the county.

Estrafon

House District 104

A state representative who has been Governor Deal’s House floor leader, Republican Chuck Estrafon, 35, of Dacula, is an obvious “comer” in the statehouse. He views the hot issues before the General Assembly to be continued job creation and economic development. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Mercer University’s Law School. He is a former assistant district attorney, prosecuting felony cases. He currently focuses on family law as an attorney.

McLeod

House District 105

In what may be a swing district, we support the candidacy of Democrat Donna McLeod, 50, of Lawrenceville for House District 105. She is a consultant for a medical device company, and lost this district in a close race in 2016. She’s running to ensure that health care is a right, not a choice. She also recognizes that education cannot be for small groups, but must be a system, including schools, parents and the community. She’s running recognizing that state government effect the daily life and bottom line of citizens faster than the federal government. She is a native of Jamaica, who grew up in Canada and is a chemistry graduate of Humber College in Toronto.

Hutchinson

House District 107

A native of New Orleans, Democrat Shelly Hutchinson, 46, now lives in Snellville, and operates a social empowerment center. Feeling underrepresented by the current office holder, she got in the race, and hopes to move the issue on Medicaid expansion in Georgia. She looks to work with the current county commission and school board in representing their agendas in the legislature. She seeks the expansion of Medicare in Georgia. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University in criminal justice, and holds a master’s degree from the University of Georgia in social work.

Cox

House District 108

A native of Owensboro, Ky., who now lives in Lilburn, Republican Clay Cox, 49, is our choice to succeed himself in this post. He has been in the House for six years. He is president and CEO of a private offender management company, working in five states. He has a criminal justice degree from Western Carolina University. He works for fully funding Quality Basic Education, while having a balanced budget. He also wants to expand rural broadband to all parts of the state, and to give the Metro Atlanta area more influence in area-wide public transit.

County Elected Officials

Ku

County Commission, District 2

Feeling we need a more diverse mix of county commissioners leading Gwinnett, we endorse the candidacy of Democrat  Ben Ku, 36, of Tucker, for District 2 County Commissioner. A native of Atlanta and graduate of Georgia Tech in computer science, he owns his own consulting and software firm. He is a newcomer to the political arena, and feels more resources need to be focused on the southern edge of Gwinnett County. He also seeks more resources be committed to public transit. He is the grandson of Chinese immigrants, and is a member of the LGBTQ community.

Heard

County Commission, District 4

Seeking to maintain a continuation of good leadership on the board of commissioners, we endorse the re-election of Republican John Heard, 63, of Lawrenceville to the Fourth District post. He is a native of Forsyth County, and is trained as an architect.  He is a graduate of Young Harris College and Southern Tech. He is currently director of hospitality at Phillips Partnership in Atlanta.

For Solicitor General

Szabo

We endorse the re-election of Republican Rosanna Szabo, 55, of Lawrenceville, for solicitor general of Gwinnett County. She is finishing her 11^th year in this office, and has been a hard-working solicitor. Today she supervises 58 employees in prosecuting offenders in the courts. She has 30 years of experience in prosecuting in the courts. She has championed a more intensive probation system for youthful offenders which works. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., she is a graduate of the University of South Florida and the Mercer law school.

Board of Education District 2

Knudson

For the last 12 years, there has been no change in the members of the Gwinnett Board of Education. This year two members are not seeking re-election.

For District Two on the School Board, we support the election of Republican Steve Knudsen, 43, of Sugar Hill. Originally from Eureka, Calif., he is a graduate of George Fox University in Newberg, Ore. He is vice president of development for the Lighthouse Family Retreats, a ministry for families with childhood cancer. He feels the current school board has done an excellent job in guiding Gwinnett schools, and looks forward to continue to see these best practice in this board..

Board of Education District 4

Blair

Gwinnett has a chance to elect a graduate of one of its high schools to this post on the School Board. He is Democrat Everton (“EJ”) Blair Jr., 25, of Snellville, a graduate of Shiloh High, who went to Harvard, majoring in Math, for his undergraduate degree. He holds a master’s degree from Stanford in policy organization and leadership. He is an educational consultant and former high school math teacher. He served in the Obama administration as a Policy and Advocacy Fellow at the White House. For the last year, he has been facilitating learning experiences and personalized supports for superintendents and education CEOs in The Broad Academy. While young, we feel he brings a lot to the table and will make a good School Board member.

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

Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine 

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• For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.

On promises made, promises kept by President Trump

Editor, the Forum:

A friend from church told me recently that he was very pleased with President Trump.  “He’s doing everything he promised,” he said. My knee-jerk response was “No, he hasn’t.”

Among other things, he promised to sign any comprehensive immigrant bill the Republicans and Democrats could agree on and bring to him.  But, when they brought one to him, he wouldn’t sign it.  My friend replied, “Oh that was an awful bill.”  Well, I guess that explains away what I took to be a broken promise, one I wanted him to keep.

Later, I reflected on our conversation and thought more deeply about why I continue to be anything but pleased with President Trump.  I concluded that it’s because he has kept so many of his promises.  In the process, this so-called promise-keeping has hurt so very many Americans, whether legally or illegally in our country.

Trump has kept one promise he made while campaigning.  He said he wouldn’t play as much golf as Barack Obama; and Trump has kept that promise!

— Michael Wood, Peachtree Corners

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

Advance voting underway and continues until Nov. 2

Advance voting has begun in Gwinnett and runs through Friday, November 2 for the upcoming General Election.

Voters can cast their ballots in-person on most days at the Gwinnett Voter Registrations and Elections Office at 455 Grayson Highway, Suite 200 in Lawrenceville:

• From now through Saturday, Oct. 20 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Monday Oct. 22 through Saturday, Oct. 27 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 28 from noon to 6 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 29 through Friday, Nov. 2 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In addition to the Elections Office, there are seven satellite voting locations where people can vote from October 20 to November 2:

• Saturday, Oct. 20 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 22 through Saturday, Oct. 27 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 29 through Friday, Nov. 2 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Satellite locations are:

• Bogan Park Community Recreation Center, 2723 North Bogan Road, Buford
• Lenora Park Gym, 4515 Lenora Church Road, Snellville
• Dacula Park Activity Building, 2735 Old Auburn Avenue, Dacula
• Lucky Shoals Park Gym, 4651 Britt Road, Norcross
• George Pierce Park Community Recreation Center, 55 Buford Highway, Suwanee
• Mountain Park Activity Building, 1063 Rockbridge Road, Stone Mountain
• Shorty Howell Park Community Recreation Center, 2750 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth

On Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, voters must go to their regular voting precinct. Voting precinct locations can be found on the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.

Voters can also request an absentee mail ballot. A completed application must be received before an absentee ballot can be issued. To request an application by mail or fax, visit www.gwinnettelections.com or contact the Voter Registrations and Elections Division at 678-226-7210. Requests must be made by November 2 for the General Election.

Gwinnett’s Great Days of Service will be Oct. 19-20 this year

The 19th annual Gwinnett Great Days of Service will be October 19-20 from 9 a.m. until 4 p .m., taking place at many non profits throughout the county. This is one of the largest community volunteer events in the nation. This supports the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services.

Many agencies and organizations that the Coalition represents benefit from these voluntary activities. Join community volunteers for a two-day event addressing specific needs and issues in the community. You can volunteer as an individual, as a group or family, or even get your company involved to take on a local project. For more information, call 770-995-3339 or visit www.gwinnettgreatdaysofservice.org.

Fort Daniel’s Frontier Faire to take place Saturday, Oct. 20

History buffs can literally dig into Gwinnett’s past at the 10^th Annual Fort Daniel Frontier Faire, which features archaeological opportunities as well as period food, re-enactors, and kids’ games from the 1700s. The faire runs on October 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fort Daniel Historic Site, 2505 Braselton Highway, Dacula. Tickets cost $2 per individual and $5 for a family.

Fort Daniel was constructed near Hog Mountain around 1814 to protect early settlers. Gwinnett County was founded in 1818. The location of the fort near Dacula is now an active archaeology site.

The faire allows visitors to help with the dig, visit a museum tent to see artifacts, and learn about the fort and daily life more than 200 years ago. They can churn butter, watch corn made into hominy, examine weapons and tools from the era, and try writing with a quill. Visit www.thefortdanielfoundation.org for more information.

Three ramps to Interstate 85 to get repaving starting Oct. 21

Three busy ramps to Interstate 85 in Gwinnett will have one lane traffic beginning October 21. Georgia Department of Transportation maintenance partners will begin a pavement preservation project on the entrance and exit ramps on interstate 85 (I-85) at Jimmy Carter Boulevard (Exit 99), Indian Trail Road, (Exit 101) and Beaver Ruin Road (Exit 102).

Work will begin Sunday, October 21, at 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. with single lane closures and full ramp closures nightly.  This work will be completed within 120 days.  This work will close ramps, one at a time and have clearly marked detours and traffic control measures in place for safety.

This maintenance contract was awarded to Baldwin Paving Co. Inc. of Marietta in September of 2018 and represents a $2,718,654.73 investment of state funds that will maintain our assets in Gwinnett County.

Rogers was 1830s architect and master builder

Collin Rogers was an architect and master builder who in the 1830s designed and built large Neoclassical-style houses in west Georgia, especially in Troup County.

Rogers, whose name is sometimes misspelled Cullin Rodgers or Cullen Rogers, is believed to have been born in North Carolina in 1791. With no formal training in architecture, Rogers learned to design houses through his work as a builder and craftsman and through builder’s guides by such popular authors as Minard Lafever, Batty Langley, and Edward Shaw. Rogers sometimes worked with his brother Henry, a builder. In 1830 Collin and Henry together owned 50 slaves, most of whom they employed as skilled workers and craftsman.

Between 1830 and 1840 Rogers is known to have designed six houses for wealthy cotton planters in west Georgia. His first, the Magnolias (McFarland-Render House, 1830–33), was built in LaGrange as the town home for Joseph D. McFarland, one of Troup County’s wealthiest planters. In the Magnolias, as in all of his houses, Rogers used a traditional floor plan, here a Georgian plan with four rooms divided by a center hall, and Neoclassical-style elements that include an Ionic tetrastyle (four-columned) portico and elaborately carved entrance surround.

The Henderson-Orr House (1832), an I-house (one-room-deep, two-story house) in rural Coweta County, includes the original interior woodwork in which Rogers playfully altered the proportions of the pilasters that adorn the fireplace surrounds. His last four houses, Nutwood (1833), Nathan Van Boddie House (1836), Edwards-Phillips House (1835–40), and the Fannin-Truitt-Handley Place (1835–40), represent Rogers’s mature work. Located near LaGrange, these Georgian-plan houses are dominated by two-story temple-front Ionic porticoes. The finely carved entrance surrounds and parlor mantels of these houses are also characteristic of Rogers’s later work.

In addition to his work in the building trade, Rogers served as a judge of the Inferior Court of Troup County from 1832 to 1833 and from 1837 to 1842. He had two children with his wife, Sarah Lawson Womack, and died in Troup County in 1845.

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

Here’s a natural area that asks for your identification

There are few clues in this issue’s Mystery Photo. Vegetation, water and a roof give you a few ideas. Send your guess about this Mystery Photo to elliott@brack.net and include your hometown.

The most recent Mystery Photo was of Radium Springs, Ga., as documented by Brian Brown of Fitzgerald in his posting at Vanishing South Georgia.  Elizabeth Truluck Neace of Dacula recognized it: “I believe the mystery picture was taken at Radium Springs, in Albany, Ga., where I grew up.

Back then, Radium Springs was open for swimming, with a diving board available.  The water is a constant 68 degrees, so it was quite exhilarating.  It is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia, and the largest spring in the state.  The water from the spring empties into the Flint River.  At one time there was a casino that overlooked the spring.  The casino was damaged by the flood of 1994, and finally torn down in 2003.   My childhood friends and I have wonderful memories of our days at Radium.”

Also recognizing it was Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill and Lou Camerio, Lilburn, who said: “This is Radium Springs in Albany. Made many trips with my grandmother to Albany visiting kin. Mineral springs were once thought to have healing powers such as Warm Springs and Indian Springs.”

George Graf of  Palmyra, Va. contributed: “Radium Springs is the largest spring in the state.. Over a quarter mile of the underground caves encompassing the springs were mapped and features of the caves have names like Fat Man’s Misery, Mermaid’s Tunnel, Hall of Giants, and Neptune’s Trident. Only the most experienced divers have ever seen these wonders and though rare, permits are occasionally still issued to experts wishing to explore the area. Traces of radium were found in the water in the 1920s and the name was changed from Blue Springs to Radium Springs to reflect this discovery. Mineral springs were all the rage in the era as they were thought to have healing powers and this only added to the popularity of the site.  Radium is 1,000 times more radioactive than uranium.  The Radium Springs Casino was completed in 1927. It rose above terraced stone walls and featured a cavernous dance hall and elegant dining room.

“A fire in 1982 and devastating floods in 1994 and 1998 damaged the casino beyond repair. The remaining structure was removed in 2003.  A courtyard stands today on the site of the casino and features interpretive signs detailing the history of Radium Springs.  The spring run which empties into the Flint River is known as Skywater Creek.”

FINDING COLLEGE DOLLARS: a seminar will be Tuesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. at Primerica, 1 Primerica Parkway, Duluth. Come learn from the experts how to identify the scholarship opportunities just right for you. This program is offered in partnership with Gwinnett County Public Schools. A college fair will precede the program at 6 p.m.

FIFTH ANNUAL LATINO BUSINESS SUMMIT will be Thursday, October 18 from 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the Infinite Energy Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, in Duluth. Cost is $50 for members and $75 for non-members. To register, visit this link.

TWO AUTHORS TO VISIT: Enjoy this author “Author Conversation” program on Thursday, October 18 at 7 p.m. at the Norcross Cultural Arts and Community Center, 10 College Street, Norcross as popular authors Karin Slaughter and Sara Paretsky come to Gwinnett.   Free and open to the public. Slaughter, one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed crime writing storytellers with over 35 million copies of her 18 novels sold across the globe, is back with her latest novel, Pieces of Her. Paretsky, the founding mother of Sisters in Crime, an organization that supports and promotes women in the mystery field, is back with Shell Game, the continuation of her female detective series based on character V. I. Warshawski. Books will be available for purchase and signing. For more information, visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154

MURDER AT WEATHERFIELD is the next performance of Lionheart Theater in Norcross, the weekend of October 18-21. This is a farcical “whodunit” which particularly spoofs the style of Agatha Christie. Revelations come flying out like a runaway train! (This show contains content that may not be suitable for children. It is recommended for adults only. To purchase tickets, go to this link.

RECYCLING  EVENT at LAN Systems, 4711 Peachtree Boulevard in Berkeley Lake, Friday, October 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Bring electronic items you no longer need or use to send them for recycling. Plus enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers and roasted marshmallows and more. All proceeds are donated to Prevent Child Abuse. More info: 770-662-0312.

THIRD ANNUAL SPROUT FILM FESTIVAL will be Saturday, October 20 at the Sara A. Williams Fine Arts Center of Greater Atlanta Christian School. It is presented by Hi-Hope Service Center. By presenting films of artistry and intellect by, for, and about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the Sprout Film Festival hopes to reinforce accurate portrayals of people with disabilities and expose the general public to important issues facing this population. To reserve your free ticket, go to https://hihopecenter.org/sproutatl.

BRASELTON ZOMBIE 5K RUN, the fourth annual, will be Saturday, October 20beginning at 8:30 a.m. from the Braselton Brothers Department Store building. Check in begins at 7:30 a.m. For more information, visit www.DowntownBraselton.com.

WALK IT OUT 5K will be held Saturday, October 20 at 8 a.m. at Rabbit Hill Park in Dacula. It is sponsored by IamBeautiful.org.  The walk supports support the Gaining Insight and Real Life Skills (GIRLS) Leadership Program. For more information, visit this site.

LAWLESS SPIRIT TOURS through downtown Norcross will take place October 25-28, put on by the Lionheart Theatre. Let the past come alive as you wander through Historic Norcross and witness gun fights, bank robberies, family feuds and train wrecks. History buffs will enjoy this walking tour. There will be two tours nightly, at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. For more details, visit this link.

FREE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP at the Gwinnett Library’s Buford-Sugar Hill Branch, 2100 Buford Highway in Buford, on October 27, at 2 p.m. Join the Georgia Nature Photographers Association (GNPA) for this informal talk and Q&A travel photography workshop in conjunction with the library’s new announcement about becoming a passport issuance location. GNPA will provide information about what to take when you travel and tips for improving your travel photos.”

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