11/13: Another bicentennial; This and that; Good government

GWINNETT COUNTY is not alone in having a bicentennial, having been founded on December 15, 1818. Also marking 200 years of service is the Norcross United Methodist Church. Methodist Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson was the speaker at the November 11 worship service marking the anniversary. The senior pastor of the church is the Rev. Eddie Bradford.  The Rev. Dr. Juan Quintanilla is the Pastor of Hispanic Family Ministry and Recreation. The church has 1,200 members. (See Today’s Focus below.)

TODAY’S FOCUS: Norcross Methodist Also Marking The 200^th Anniversary of its Founding

EEB PERSPECTIVE: This and That and All Around But Not Much Politics for Today

ANOTHER VIEW: Ideological Goals Can Get in the Way of Good Government

SPOTLIGHT: Heaven & Associates, P.C.

UPCOMING: Gwinnett’s Bicentennial Year Ends with Activities on December 15

NOTABLE: Peachtree Corners Groundbreaking for Veterans Memorial is Nov. 15

RECOMMENDED: The Secret, Book Scone Society by Ellery Adams

GEORGIA TIDBIT: Georgia Has 14 River Basins, Supporting Rich Native Species Diversity

MYSTERY PHOTO: Not Many Clues Staring at You in Today’s Mystery Photo

CALENDAR: Holocaust Survivor To Speak at Peachtree Corners Library

Norcross Methodist also marking the 200^th anniversary of its founding

By Mike Gates

NORCROSS, Ga.   |  The Norcross First United Methodist Church is celebrating our 200^th birthday this year, just as Gwinnett County is. Even before there was a Norcross and even a little before there was a Gwinnett County, our earnest believers were seeking to serve God and man on the frontier of the United States, here  in what is now Gwinnett County. Church records and the cornerstone from the original church form the basis of the early 1818 date.

Earlier downtown location

Our church was originally called Medlock Chapel and it was led by laymen and circuit riders. The circuit riders were dedicated men who rode hundreds of miles each year visiting home gatherings and small congregations.  They were dependent on those they visited for food, shelter and spiritual kinship. Times were so tough, over half of them died before they were age 30. We at the church today seek that degree of dedication.

About 1823, our church became Flint Hill Methodist Episcopal Church (as the national denomination was then known). We do not know what Flint Hill’s facility was like. Records do tell us that they hosted one or two camp meetings every year when the faithful gathered for social interaction and spirited revival-style preaching.

Senior Pastor Eddie Bradford

Over the next few decades, the Methodist in Georgia began the good works we continue to strive for today with building of colleges like Emory University , Wesleyan College and what is now Clark Atlanta University. Hospitals and orphanages were started to care for the sick and the parentless. Our Norcross outreach ministries today continue this tradition, whether feeding and clothing the needy, or adding a Christian element to after school activities.

Our first permanent building named Norcross Methodist Episcopal Church South was finished in 1875. It still stands at 10 College Street overlooking downtown. The church building was shared for 24 years with a Presbyterian congregation as part of the ecumenical spirit. That church saw Reconstruction, a Great Depression and two world wars as Norcross developed from a “resort” to a standard town. In our tradition, missionaries continued to seek converts throughout the world. Our drive to help all people better themselves, which burns today, is captured in a church record from 1936 which simply reads “sent a young colored girl to Paine College in June.”

Rev. Dr. Juan Quintanilla,
Pastor of Hispanic Family Ministry and Recreation

In 1968, Methodist groups joined to become the United Methodist Church. That year growth of our membership led to moving to its current location on Beaver Ruin Road. The physical church has grown through three sanctuaries and multiple education and family life centers as Gwinnett County and our congregation were part of the fastest growing places in America.

Today, our church is more diverse than could have been imagined back in 1818. We have a thriving Hispanic membership and previously hosted Chinese Methodists until they found a permanent location. We have been blessed with an African American Minister-in-Charge and expanding African American membership. We celebrate this tradition of acceptance and welcoming all who seek Christ.

We at Norcross First United Methodist Church strive to help all whether through our domestic or international missions. We have created a facility and programs where all are welcome to grow spiritually and experience support from a community of believers. We continue to treasure our blessed tradition of Christ-centered worship, service and our goal to make believers of all.

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

This and that and all around, but not much politics for today

By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher

NOV. 13, 2018  |  Leaving politics alone, today we’ll catch up with some notes we’ve put aside in the last few days.

WHAT A GOOD IDEA!  We refer to the Braselton Trolley, which began operations last week. With the development of what is now the Town of Braselton basically developing along one axis, Georgia Highway 53, the trolley serves to help bring the community together. Consider that those without a car, or without a driver’s license, can now pick their time to give local merchants their business. And tourists can enjoy the local transportation scene, dropping on and off where they want to.

Congratulations, Braselton. You are showing other cities how you are beneficially helping your town in this unique way. Other towns should take notice!

WHO CAN TELL US the name of the yearbook of Georgia State University? That’s the easy part. Now tell us why this is the name of the yearbook. Send email answers, not telephone ones, to elliott@brack.net. .Get your answers in by 9 a.m. Thursday.

IF YOU LIVE in a city in Gwinnett, on election day you have to vote in two places. You vote in federal, state and county elections at your county precinct site.   But to vote in city elections, you must visit your city hall.

Why?  It’s simple. The precincts of the county do not adhere to the boundaries of the cities. So, the location of city limit boundaries over multiple precincts makes the compilation of a city voting list nearly impossible. Maybe there are other reasons, but this is a major one.

Berg

MIKE BERG was from 1985-88 a Gwinnett County Commissioner. Then he moved to Dawson County, and eventually became the chair of the Dawson County commission. He also served a term as chairman of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia.  He is a retired Georgia Power Company executive.

Now he is about to add another distinction to his career, as he is the nominee of District 6910 of Rotary International to become its district governor. He has been a Rotarian since 1982 and is currently a member of the Rotary Club of Dawson County. He was a charter member of the Rotary Club of South Gwinnett and he was also a charter member of the Rotary Club of Snellville in 1990.

He is a graduate of Georgia State University. Mike and his wife, Jane, have been married for 48 years. They have one daughter, one son and three grandchildren.

His new role as district  governor  caps a long and distinguished career serving his state. Congratulations, Mike!

NOTHING TO DO with politics, but we do wonder: University of Michigan fans, why does your auto license holder say on it “Go Blue?”  Are not the colors of the Michigan athletic teams blue AND yellow?  Why do you never yell: “Go Yellow?”

Come to think of it, even the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket concentrate on yelling “Go Jackets!”  We never hear them bellow: “Go Yellow!”

Both may have something to do with a “Yellow streak.”  But those Fab Five Michigan basketball teams with their bright yellow uniforms really entertained us. (At least this last thought was not a political one. We spared you that.)

Ideological goals can get in the way of good government

By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist

PEACHTREE CITY  |  My background is unique. I have been a State of Georgia regulator and a corporate executive tasked with getting around government regulations.

Before I moved to Fayette County, I was elected twice as a County Commissioner (elsewhere in Georgia). I was also twice appointed to a county Board of Health. Since, I have pretty much kept away from politics, although I just finished a term on the Peachtree City Planning Commission.

There is one key thing that I have learned. Local officials should make decisions based on three criteria:

1. resident quality of life;
2. impact on local budgets and
3. broader societal goals (such as diversity or equity).

It seems simple, but I have found that these criteria are often not utilized for a variety of reasons.

Instead, many elected officials (as opposed to those on voluntary boards) have substituted ideological goals as their basis for decision making. These ideological criteria include: supporting capitalism versus government regulation; extent of applicant contributions; family/social ties; ability to get electoral votes; philosophical pro-growth stances; and vague promises of job creation.

I have many stories to tell which illustrate my point, but let me just give one as an example of how the corporate world functions vis-a-vis government.

Decades ago, I was over regional new hospital development for the second largest for-profit hospital chain in the nation. I was tasked with replacing a hospital in Memphis and getting the state and local governmental approvals necessary.

To make a long story short, zoning was a major issue. Our planners believed the best site for the hospital was near an upscale neighborhood with lots of patients covered by good insurance. Unfortunately, the mayor lived in that area. So, I retained a politically connected attorney to shepherd the political process, but indicated to him up front that I would not approve doing anything unethical.

Our initial hearing before the City Council did not go well. At this point, I was faced with two options: a. relocate to a different site or b. follow the advice of the politically connected attorney advising me on the case.

What was the advice of the attorney? He advised me to have the corporation make immediate, substantial contributions to all of the Council members. Although these contributions would have been legal, I refused solely on ethical grounds. Obviously, I never did get the zoning. My suspicion is that other individuals would have acted differently.

The point of this illustration is that voters need to be more aware of how and why their local officials vote. We need for the people to put in the time to do the research and support officials based on information, not rhetoric.

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Gwinnett’s bicentennial year ends with activities on Dec. 15

Gwinnett County will close out a yearlong celebration of its bicentennial on December 15, the anniversary of its cre­ation in 1818, with a family-friendly party and an evening gala, all at the Infinite Energy Center.

Festivities will feature kids’ activities highlighting the coun­ty’s diversity from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hudgens Cen­ter for Art and Learning and the Performing Arts Center. The free event is a cultural birthday celebration with different rooms representing different continents. In each themed room, youngsters can do crafts from the continent and get their bicentennial passport stamped. Guests will see cultur­al performances from across the globe.

There also will be a children’s group art project that will be put on exhibit. Other activities include storytelling and meet-and-greets with historical characters from Gwinnett’s past.  Visitors can also learn about the history of Gwinnett by viewing documentaries shown throughout the day and by exploring the Gwinnett history exhibit. They can also take in an art exhibit featuring Gwinnett artists.

Outdoors, visitors will find food trucks representing a vari­ety of cultures, make s’mores over fire pits, and watch an artist make an ice carving of the bicentennial logo.

Toward evening, the public can celebrate the county’s rich history and pay tribute to its vibrant community and diverse cultures at a gala in the Infinite Energy Center ballroom. The cock­tail party begins at 6 p.m. and dinner begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $125 per person. Cocktail attire is appropriate.

• Visit www.gwinnett200birthday.com/events to buy tickets for the evening gala and to learn more about the free daytime event.

Holiday classic, This Wonderful Life, opens at Aurora in one-man show

Adding to the festive merriment at Aurora Theatre this holiday season, a touching stage adaptation of a holiday classic, This Wonderful Life, will join the line-up from November 24 – December 23. The one-man show, starring Jeremy Aggers, will remind audiences of all ages of the fulfilling power of the heart.

Justin Anderson, director, says:  “It’s always a pleasure – and a welcome challenge – to bring a holiday tradition like this classic story to life on the stage. Audiences can expect all the familiar, feel-good elements they know and love from the film presented in an inventive and comedic way. Jeremy Aggers creates the most mesmerizing embodiment, both vocally and physically, of all the characters in Bedford Falls. His portrayal will leave hearts full – and hopefully restored – with the spirit of the season.”

Steve Murray’s stage adaptation of one of the most popular and heartwarming films ever made follows the story of the iconic George Bailey as he reflects on his life journey with the help of his guardian angel, Clarence. The lessons he learns along the way are revealing showing that it takes much more than money to be the richest man in town.

This Wonderful Life is presented Wednesdays through Sundays on Aurora Theatre’s Studio stage. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased online at tickets.auroratheatre.com or by calling the Box Office at 678-226-6222

Peachtree Corners groundbreaking for Veterans Memorial is Nov. 15

The Peachtree Corners community is invited to attend a ceremonial groundbreaking for the city’s new Veterans Monument. The event will be held at the new Town Center, located on the 5200 block of Peachtree Parkway.

The groundbreaking, at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 15,  will take place near where the monument will be sited. The Town Center is expected to be complete in spring 2019.

The Peachtree Corners Veterans Monument Association (PCVMA) is hosting the event which begins at 10:30 a.m. and will include remarks by Mayor Mike Mason and the PCVMA’s executive director, Bob Ballagh. The program begins with an invocation led by Leland Armbright, senior pastor at Christ the King Lutheran Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and recognition of guests and major donors.

When complete the Monument will feature a 2,500 square-foot plaza, seven sculptures, and a central pillar topped by an eagle atop the globe to represent the presence of the U.S. Armed Forces across the world. The sculptures represent each of the Armed Forces and Federal Military Reserve components.

Attendees should use the Medlock Bridge Road entrance between Bush Road and Peachtree Corners Circle.  Look for signs directing traffic to parking locations.

Applications open for research grants on prisoners of war

Grants are being offered for research on prisoners of war. Application for the grants are now being accepted by the Andersonville (Ga.) National Historic Site. The site is the home of the National Prisoner of War Museum. It is seeking applicants for its annual grant program, which will provide financial assistance to support original research and writing leading to interpretive works on the history of American Prisoners of War.

This grant is open for application to academic scholars (including graduate students), independent scholars, professional writers, and non-professional writers. It is intended to promote interest in the American Prisoner of War experience and encourage scholarly research that leads to documentation of the prisoner of war experience in a variety of media including theses, publications, and audiovisual productions.

Guidelines and application materials can be found online at nps.gov/ande/learn/historyculture/pow-research-grant-program.htm. Applications must be received by December 31, 2018.

These research grants are made possible through the generosity of the Friends of Andersonville, a 501[c][3] organization fostering public understanding of the role Andersonville National Historic Site plays in our nation’s history.

Andersonville National Historic Site is located 10 miles south of Oglethorpe, Ga. and 10 miles northeast of Americus, Ga. on Georgia Highway 49.

The national park features the National Prisoner of War Museum, Andersonville National Cemetery and the site of the historic Civil War prison, Camp Sumter. ­Andersonville National Historic Site is the only national park within the National Park System to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war. Park grounds are open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The National Prisoner of War Museum is open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily. Admission is free.

• For more information on the park, call 229 924-0343, or visit at www.nps.gov/ande/ .

The Secret, Book Scone Society by Ellery Adams

Picking up this book out of nowhere, we were delighted to find it a pleasant and happy romp through a small “kur” town in the North Carolina mountains. Four distinct women come together without knowing much about each other, their meeting all centered around a stranger who appeared in town, then was struck and killed by a passenger train. But was it a simple accident?  The four don’t think so. And does it have anything to do with a new development in town that is raising more questions each day?  The four, quietly over books and scones, begin to wonder and ask questions, getting insufficient answers. Near the end of the book, the tension quickens, with some of the most suspenseful writing we’re read recently. Enjoy books, a mystery and a unique approach in this author’s second novel. — eeb

• An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (100 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next.  Send to:  elliott@brack.net

Georgia has 14 river basins supporting rich native species diversity

The Altamaha River at Darien, Ga.

Georgia’s natural resources include 14 river basins, which support a rich diversity of native fish and mussel species. A river basin consists of the entire geographic area (hillside, valley, plain) from which water flows into the primary river, which is made up of an intricate network of smaller rivers and streams. Rain falling within a river basin, or watershed, runs downhill until it reaches a stream. Small streams join other streams and flow into a river, and eventually that river flows into the sea.

The 14 river basins of Georgia are the Altamaha, Chattahoochee, Coosa, Flint, Ochlockonee, Ocmulgee, Oconee, Ogeechee, Satilla, Savannah, Suwanee, St. Marys, Tallapoosa, and Tennessee. The Savannah River, which begins at the confluence of the Seneca and Tugaloo rivers in the northeast part of the state, forms the border between Georgia and South Carolina.   It empties into the Atlantic Ocean near Savannah.

Georgia’s river basins

The Tennessee River, part of the northwestern Coosa and Tallapoosa river basins, flows northward and enters the Mississippi River via the Ohio River. Both the Coosa River, which begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Tallapoosa River, which begins in the Piedmont, flow into the Mobile River basin in Alabama. Farther south, the Chattahoochee and Flint river basins include the highly urbanized Atlanta metropolitan area; these rivers eventually merge and empty into the Gulf of Mexico. In central Georgia, the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers merge to form the Altamaha River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.

Three of the five blackwater rivers in Georgia’s coastal plain, the Ogeechee, Satilla, and St. Marys rivers, drain to the Atlantic Ocean, while the remaining two, the Suwanee and Ochlockonee, are Gulf Coast drainages.

Rivers provide not only habitat for fish, aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, and terrestrial fauna but also recreational opportunities, water supplies for communities, irrigation for agriculture, and a means of transportation. The river basins in Georgia are nonrenewable public resources critical to the integrity of natural environments and public health.

In the 48 contiguous states, there are only 42 free-flowing rivers greater than 200 kilometers in length, and Georgia contains five such rivers: the Flint, Ogeechee, Satilla, St. Marys, and Suwannee.

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

Not many clues staring at you in today’s Mystery Photo

We’ll grade today’s Mystery Photo as “difficult,” since there are few features signaling its location. But it is a beautiful scene, with the clouds, rocks and tumbling waters. Take your chance at guessing its location, sending your information to elliott@brack.net and include your hometown.

Cindy Evans of Duluth sent in the most recent Mystery Photo, that of a bridge across the Mississippi River in Memphis, Tenn. Jim Savadelis, Duluth, immediately recognized it, as did Lou Camerio, Lilburn: “This is the I-40 Hernando De Soto bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Memphis Tenn.” Another early recognizer was Scott LeCraw of Suwanee..

Allan Peel, San Antonio, Tex. gave more detail: “Today’s mystery photo is of the Hernando de Soto Bridge in Memphis. The photo was taken from the Lookout at the Pyramid (Now a Bass Pro Shop) on the east bank of the Mississippi (you can see the railing of the lookout in the foreground of the photo).

Construction of the Hernando de Soto Bridge began in May 1967. The double-arch bridge was opened to automobile traffic on August 2, 1973. Six (6) lanes wide, the bridge is 9,433-feet long and 90-feet wide. The longest span is 900-feet and the clearance under the bridge, which can vary based on river level, is approximately 109-feet.

The Hernando de Soto Bridge is a ‘through-arch’ design, which local Memphians often call “the ‘M’ bridge” after the shape of the two arches. Sometimes however they will simply refer to it as “the new bridge” since it is newer than the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge (1949) which is on I-55 farther downstream along the Mississippi.”

George Graf of Palmyra, Va. adds: “The bridge is named after Hernando de Soto, the Spanish explorer who lived from 1496 to 1542. De Soto lead an expedition to the land that would become the southeastern region of the United States. His party became the first Europeans to see the Mississippi River on May 8, 1541.”

RIBBON CUTTING and dedication of Peachtree Corners Town Center Boulevard will be held on Tuesday, November 13 at 5:30 p.m. Work is underway on the 21-acre tract of land, located on the 5200 block of Peachtree Parkway, that will be the site of the city’s new Town Center, which will feature entertainment venues, restaurants, shops, office space and townhomes.

THIRD ANNUAL RED, BLUE AND YOU, a celebration of community heroes, will be November 14 at 11:30 a.m. at the Buford Arena, 2795 Sawnee Avenue in Buford. This event is to support the members of the public safety community. The event is free and the public is welcomed.

INTERNSHIP WORKSHOP is November 15 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce building. It will efficiently cover the basics of internships. Participants will walk out with everything they need to start an internship immediately, including responsibilities, types, description, referrals, and managing and executing to expectations. The workshop is free. For more details, call the Chamber at 7770 232-3000.

LILBURN TREE LIGHTING will be held Saturday, November 17 at City Hall. See real reindeer! Enjoy refreshments, holiday music, kids’ crafts, decorated trees throughout City Hall. Note that the reindeer picture opportunity is 6-8 p.m. only. Enjoy holiday music, kids’ crafts, decorated trees throughout City Hall. Entertainments will be by Georgia Brass Band, Lilburn Middle School Chorus and Lilburn First Baptist Proclamation Handbell Ensemble.

AMERICA RECYCLES DAY is November 17, from 9 a. m. until noon at Coolray Field. To celebrate, Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful is partnering with Gwinnett County Solid Waste and Recovered Materials Division. Recycle items that are typically harder to recycle, such as electronics, tires, paint, ink cartridges, clothes, and more! Free paper shredding will be available, up to five boxes per vehicle. To volunteer, visit http://www.volunteergwinnett.net.

REINDEER GAMES in downtown Braselton is Saturday, November 17 at 10:30 a.m. It’s the year of the Deer! And we’d love for you to join us as we kickstart the holiday season. Parade entries are free and a little doe is awarded for the best floats. So put your antlers together and start planning today! For more information contact Amy at apinnell@braselton.net .

FOURTH ANNUAL CHILI COOKOFF to benefit the Gift of Adoption Fund will be Saturday, November 17 at Suwanee Town Center. Sponsored by Peach State Federal Credit Union, there will be over 50 chili teams vying for the $1,000 Grand Prize, voted on by the attendees. The fund assists Georgia families with their own domestic and international adoptions. Advance tickets are available at www.peachstatechili.com.

A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, Manuela Mendels Bornstein, will present a first-person account of his  once in a lifetime experience.  Join Gwinnett Library, in partnership with the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, as Mrs. Bornstein shares her story.  This event will be Sunday, November 18 at 3 p.m. at the Peachtree Corners City Hall , 310 Technology Parkway, in Peachtree Corners.  This program is recommended for grades five and up and is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154.

TURKEY TROT: on Thanksgiving morning, November 22, with the Women’s Club of Sugarloaf Country Club Charities, Inc. sponsoring its annual 5K run.  Proceeds benefit six local charities:  Rainbow Village, Duluth Co Op, Partnership Against Domestic Violence, The Next Stop, Connections Homes and New Directions. The race begins at 9 a.m. Packets may be picked up at 8 a.m. at Sugarloaf Clubhouse parking lot that morning or from 4-6 p.m. on November 21. For more information contact: Judy Gagne at jbgagne@aol.com.

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