12/21: On new governor, Christmas music, outside perspective

HISTORIC HANDPRINTS: Long after the ribbon has been cut on the new Town Center in Peachtree Corners, a group of children will have left a lasting memory: their handprints. On December 18, a group of 25 students from Peachtree Elementary School placed their handprints in the wet cement along a circular concrete pad that will be a Children’s Plaza when the Town Center opens next year. The children, who were all born in 2012, are a nod to the city’s founding date, July 1, 2012. Teachers and parent volunteers assisted in ensuring each little handprint was set to leave a lasting impression. (Photos by Jason Getz.)

TODAY’S FOCUS: Wonders What Kind of Governor Brian Kemp Will Be

EEB PERSPECTIVE: How the Music of the Christmas Season Can Bring Joy to Us

ANOTHER VIEW: Here’s a Detailed Look at Gwinnett County from an Outsider

SPOTLIGHT: Howard Brothers

FEEDBACK: Notes Work of Gwinnett Archaeology Society and Ft. Daniel Foundation

UPCOMING: Gwinnett Historical Society Honors Several; Gilbert To Be New President

NOTABLE: Ordner Gift Allows Family Promise To Move Toward Fund Goal

RECOMMENDED: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush by Jon Meacham

GEORGIA TIDBIT: CARE Seeks Lasting Solutions Worldwide Out of Atlanta

MYSTERY PHOTO: See If You Can Determine Where This Early Building Is Located

CALENDAR:  The latest events around the county

EDITOR’S NOTE: During the holiday season, GwinnettForum will cut back several issues. The next issue will be on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.  Meanwhile, we wish for all our readers festive holidays, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!–eeb

“Aren’t we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know, the birth of Santa.”

— Matt Groening (1954 – ), The Simpsons.

Wonders what kind of governor Brian Kemp will be

(Editor’s Note: The author is a freelance writer and currently the client services manager for Open Hand Atlanta. Prior to that, he served as an account executive for Lucent Technologies (now Nokia); been an aide to Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago and Congressman Howard Wolpe of Michigan.  He’s married with three children and has lived and worked in Gwinnett County since 1995. )—eeb

By Jeff Ploussard

LILBURN, Ga.  |  Dear Governor-Elect Brian Kemp:

Ploussard

American theologian and author James Freeman Clarke, wrote “The difference between a statesman and a politician is that a statesman thinks about the next generation while a politician thinks about the next election.” Mr. Kemp, when you are sworn in as the next Governor, you will be given a clean slate to become a statesman or just another politician for Georgia.

I am writing to ask that you use this season of hope and time of transition to reflect on how you will govern, and offer suggestions on a few issues facing the next generation of Georgians—gun violence, economic opportunity and ecological conservation.

As a parent of three children, two of which are currently enrolled in public colleges in Georgia, I am deeply concerned by the new law that allows guns in the classrooms and on the campuses of Georgia’s public colleges. In 2016, Governor Nathan Deal vetoed the so-called “campus carry” bill and in his veto message he cited Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Justice Antonin Scalia for their support of laws forbidding firearms in “sensitive places” such as colleges and schools.  As Governor, please support a repeal of the campus carry law which is a threat to the next generation’s health, safety and education.

Governor Deal gave us a shining example of statesmanship when he vetoed legislation that, under the guise of “religious liberty,” would have discriminated and punished the next generation of law-abiding Georgians based-on their sexual preferences.  As he vetoed the bill, Governor Deal issued a statement saying, “This is about the character of our State and the character of its people. Georgia is a welcoming state filled with warm, friendly and loving people.”

Georgia’s business leaders agreed with him, asserting that Georgia would lose over a billion dollars of investment and thousands of jobs would be lost if the discriminatory and anti-business law had been enacted.  Please veto similar legislation that might pass the General Assembly under the façade of “religious liberty.”  By doing so we can continue the current trajectory of job creation and economic growth while maintaining our national leadership in civil rights.

I believe that God created humans and all things.  God also created us with the brains to destroy all things and with the hearts to sustain all good things.  Like the late great Georgia businessman and environmentalist, Ray C. Anderson, did in 1997, you too will have an opportunity in 2019, after 15 years of public service, to make a change of heart or what Mr. Anderson called a “Mid-Course Correction.”

Mr. Anderson was born in West Point, graduated from Georgia Tech and in 1973 founded Interface—the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet—in LaGrange, Ga.  His Mid-Course Correction is called “Mission Zero” and is the company’s promise to eliminate any negative impact it may have on the environment while maintaining its industry leadership.

Your Mid-Course Correction for the next generation of Georgians could be anything, but a mission to put public policies in place that make Georgia a leader in creating jobs in sustainability and clean energy while reversing policies that harm the ecosystem would be an admirable one.

I hope and pray that you will be a statesman for the next generation of Georgians.  Good luck and Godspeed.

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

How the music of Christmas season can bring joy to us

(Editor’s Note: Much of the following first appeared in GwinnettForum in 2002. We revisit it during this holiday season. —eeb)

By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher

DEC. 21, 2018  |  Christmas carols are a joy of the season. Ever think about how very diverse these songs are, coming from all parts of the Western world?

We got to thinking about carols and where they came from, often from many lands. Many come from England, though other countries contribute their share. How very diverse these songs are, coming from all parts of the Western world?

O Little Town of Bethlehem is an English carol, with one arrangement by Ralph Vaughan Williams. O Come All Ye Faithful is also from England, as is It Came Upon the Midnight Clear.

While John Wesley wrote the words to Hark the Herald Angel Sing, the music came from another land, that of Felix Mendelssohn of Germany.

All are not quiet songs. The rollicking Go Tell It On the Mountain is attributed to Afro-American music. What a wonderful song of the season it is.

From France we get Angels We Have Heard on High, a traditional carol in that country. Another of our favorite carols, Noel, is also from France.

Silent Night, of course, has German origins.

Another of our favorites is Joy to the World. The words are from the pen of Isaac Watts, an Englishman, while the music is straight George Frederic Handel, from Germany.

Then there is Good King Wenceslas, which has it origins in Czechoslovakia. We love its peppy cadence.

One of the more moving carols, In the Bleak Mid-Winter, comes from the poetic works of Christina Rossetti (1830-1894), who was also English.

And we haven’t even begun to list the American Christmas songs, which often deal less with religious themes, and more with Santa, and good times. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Remember Burl Ives?) is a favorite.

Perhaps the most famous classical Christmas work comes again from Handel, with his massive Messiah, with its famous Hallelujah Chorus, and its stirring ending: “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and He shall reign forever and ever, Hallelujah!” (Revelation 19:16.) For the complete libretto of the Messiah, go to: http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/handel_messiah.html. Though born in Germany, Handel blossomed as a composer and performer in England. The first performance of the Messiah was in Dublin in 1742.

Another of the reasons that the Handel Messiah is so wonderful is that while it is great music, every one of the words in the entire orchestration is taken directly from verses of the Bible. It is a monumental work, very scholarly besides being beautiful musically!

It is said that in London, King George II was so deeply stirred with the exultant music of Messiah that when the first “Hallelujah” rang through the hall, he rose to his feet and remained standing until the last note of the chorus echoed through the house. From this began the custom of the audience standing for the Hallelujah chorus.

In the last 10 years of his life, Handel regularly gave performances of the Messiah, usually with about 16 singers and an orchestra of about 40, to benefit a charity, the Foundling Hospital in London, established in 1739. It’s said that Handel could have made a financial killing from the Messiah, but instead he designated that all the proceeds would go to charities.

The Christmas music cheers us this time of year. We hope you and your family have a most Merry Christmas!

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

Here’s a detailed look at Gwinnett County from an outsider

By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga.  |  David Bowie once said you’ve got to face changes…and Gwinnett County is changing rapidly demographically, industrially, and politically. Gwinnett is now blue versus red (Kemp won only 42 percent of the vote). That hasn’t happened since the Ralph Reed led state-wide conversion of Dixiecrats to Republicans many years ago. But, that move towards the Democrats is not a quirk, or the only major change Gwinnett has or will experience.

According to a recent Atlanta Regional Commission “Diversity Index” report, Gwinnett is exceptionally diverse, not the case just decades ago. Economic Opportunity Atlanta (EOA), my employer in the early 70s, had a center in Gwinnett. Gwinnett was somewhat rural then, containing large pockets of low-income people, many white.

A recently issued ARC (Atlanta Regional Commission) report shows Gwinnett’s population has increased dramatically since: 859,757 (2015). “Gwinnett County will be the region’s largest county in 2040, with a population of 1.35 million”, larger than Fulton County!

In 2015, Gwinnett was 41 percent white; 24 percent black; 22 percent Hispanic; and 13 percent other. (ARP/Census). It is becoming less Caucasian, with 2040 forecasting: 29 percent white; 20 percent black, 37 percent Hispanic, and 13 percent other, primarily Asian.  Demographic changes are one reason the Democrats won Gwinnett… and will continue to win.

(Note: that was 2015 estimates. A more recent estimate shows White, 38.5 percent; black, 28.2 percent; Hispanic, 20.8 percent; and Asian, 11.9 percent.

Income is another key factor in moving the County towards the Democrats. Educated, higher income voters are more likely to vote Democrat. Average income in 2017 was $69,000, about $10,000 above the metro average. Likewise, the county poverty rate is lower, 11 percent in Gwinnett versus 16 percent in the 20-county area.

However, Gwinnett’s uninsured healthcare percentage (under 65) is 17 percent versus 15 percent for Georgia and some state rates as low as three percent (Massachusetts), largely because of Georgia’s politically motivated failure to expand Medicaid for the working poor under the ACA. This dismal fact is reflected in the attitudinal survey below.

Per a 2018 ARC survey, Gwinnett County residents view its biggest problems as: transportation (31 percent); crime (14 percent); education (13 percent); human services (8 percent); the economy (5 percent); race (5 percent); and taxes (8 percent). Interestingly, Gwinnett is much lower on crime (14 percent vs. 22 percent metro) while higher on public health (10 percent vs. 5 percent) and taxes (8 percent vs. 6 percent) There is much more in this ARC report which can be found at this website.

One thing is certain for Gwinnett, there is more change to come. Whether changes are positive or negative will largely depend on Gwinnett’s citizens and their elected representatives.

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

Howard Brothers

Today’s sponsor is Howard Brothers, which has retail stores in Alpharetta, Doraville, Duluth, Oakwood and Athens. John and Doug Howard are the “brothers” in Howard Brothers. This family-owned business was started by their dad, and continues to specialize in hardware, outdoor power equipment and parts and service.  Howard Brothers are authorized dealers of STIHL, Exmark, Honda, Echo outdoor power equipment and Benjamin Moore paint.  Howard Brothers is also an authorized Big Green Egg, Traeger Grill and YETI Cooler dealer.

• Visit their web site howardbrothers.com.
• For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.

Notes work of Gwinnett Archaeology Society and Fort Daniel Foundation

Editor, the Forum:

Let me wholeheartedly agree about the need for new local historical societies within our communities, or at least what that intends. However, I want to point out that Gwinnett County has more going for it than the Gwinnett Historical Society (GHS), as important as their work is.   Both the Gwinnett Archaeological Research Society (GARS) and the Fort Daniel Foundation (FDF) have been active for more than 10 years promoting local history.

GARS members, with professional Georgia Archaeologists, have carried out several archaeological projects within Gwinnett County and neighboring counties.  Members of FDF – many of whom are also GARS members – are engaged in developing and promoting the Fort Daniel Historic and Archaeological Research Park at Hog Mountain.  These efforts include: teacher training in conjunction with the Board of Education; work with Scouts and individual schools; developing the Fort Daniel archaeological site  program, which involves public archaeology events and maintaining an archaeology lab and museum.

The Fort Daniel site was archaeologically “discovered” in 2007 by GARS.  In 2013, Gwinnett County purchased the land on which it is situated and contracted with GARS and newly created FDF for maintenance and development of the site and its program. This is similar to the arrangement the county has with GHS with regard to the Historic Elisha Winn House property.

GARS also publishes a monthly email newsletter with FDF –The Gwinnett Archaeology Bulletin – that features articles on Gwinnett and vicinity archaeology and history.  Published since 20012, these are archived on the FDF website at:  https://thefortdanielfoundation.org/?page_id=14.  The current mailing list is ~350 and anyone can sign up by emailing gwinnettarchaeology@gmail.com.  The web site also contains pages dedicated to the archaeology and history of Fort Daniel.

All this being said, it is still the case that more traditional historical societies suffering from lack of “new blood.”   This can and must be remedied by either, as you say, new local societies, or creative efforts to boost the membership of existing societies with new members.

One thing about our “old timers” is that many of them have family roots that date back to the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, and World Wars I and II, so their interest in preserving history is an interest in preserving their own personal history.  The challenge is to help those whose roots may not even be in this County (mine are in 20th c. Sicily and 19th c. Scotland!) to see that familial roots are not the only credentials for claiming United States history as one’s own!

— James J. D’Angelo, Lawrenceville, Ph.D., President and Site Archaeologist, The Fort Daniel Foundation, Inc.

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

Gwinnett Historical Society honors several; Gilbert to be new president

From left are Betty Warbington; Catherine Long, natural and cultural resources manager, Department of Community Services of Gwinnett County; Sarah Barlow, deputy director, Department of Community Services of Gwinnett County; Grant Guess, Parks and Recreation, division; Marvin Hughes; Beverly Paff; and Phyllis Hughes.

Gwinnett’s Historical Society has honored several people at its annual awards ceremony recently, Co-Presidents Betty Warbington and Beverly Paff report.

The Preservation Award in 2018 was given to the Gwinnett County Government, as it has worked to preserve historic homes, a farm, an early post office, a grist mill, and of course the Historic Courthouse of 1885. Gwinnett County’s Bicentennial Calendar presented over 300 public events. They also created the national award winning www.Gwinnett200.com website, featuring the Story Vault series and many other videos highlighting Gwinnett History.

The Historical Society is naming the preservation award in honor of Phyllis and Marvin Hughes, formerly of Gwinnett who now live in Watkinsville, who have provided valuable leadership over the years in preserving Gwinnett history. They both are past presidents of the Gwinnett Historical Society and were the original owners of the Isaac Adair House, now located next to the Female Seminary in Lawrenceville. They lived in that house in two different locations for quite some time and restored it themselves. It is the intention of the GHS Executive Committee that Phyllis and Marvin Hughes are also remembered and honored each year as this award is presented.

Cofer

The Whitworth–Flanigan Book Award: was presented to Jim Cofer of Snellville for his book, 200 Years of Snellville History, which is the first detailed history of Snellville. The book covers many important aspects of the Snellville community. The Whitworth-Flanigan Book Award goes to an author who has written a historical book about Gwinnett County.

Betty Warbington and Beverly Paff

The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Beverly Paff who has served on the GHS Executive Board for the past three years as co-president. She also served on the Gwinnett County Bicentennial Board.  She engaged outstanding speakers and co-managed the Society’s Facebook. This award exemplifies the dedication and service of a member of the Gwinnett Historical Society. The recipient must have supported GHS in numerous ways and their actions have advanced the mission of the Society.

Gilbert

The Presidents’ Award in 2018 award was presented to Susan Youngblood Gilbert of Suwanee, who has been membership chairperson. She also stepped up to be the IT person working with data bases and system administration, and getting these areas functioning properly. She will be installed as the new GHS president, starting January 1, 2019.

Besides Gilbert, other officers include John Hopkins, Monroe, vice president; Joyce Stalllings, Duluth, recording secretary; Frances Johnson, Lawrenceville, corresponding secretary; Ed Williams, Dacula, treasurer; and Betty Warbington, Lawrenceville, assistant treasurer.

Two Norcross CPA firms announce plan for merging in 2019

Two Norcross certified public accounting firms are merging on January 1, 2019.

Heaven and Associates, PC. and Alvarez CPA and Associates  will combine their offices and be located at 4720 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Norcross. The firm will be known as Heaven and Alvarez LLC, certified public accountants.  Both principals live in Norcross.

The new company is planning an announcement celebration at Atlanta Tech Park, 107 Technology Parkway in Peachtree Corners, on January 15, from 4-7 p.m.

Heaven is a native of Crane Hill, Ala. and a graduate of the University of Alabama at Huntsville, and has a masters (in taxation) from Georgia State University. She has lived in Gwinnett County since 1982, and in Norcross for the last 10 years. She is married to Gene Ramsey. She has two sons, one living in Suwanee, the other in Newnan.

Alvarez was born in Mexico, but moved with his family to Decatur in 1989, when he was four years old. He has a degree in accounting from Georgia State University. He previously had his office on Crooked Creek Parkway. He and his wife and year old daughter live in Langford Close in Norcross. He is an avid runner and member of the Atlanta Track Club.

Ordner gift allows Family Promise to move toward fund goal

A $30,000 gift from Ordner Construction Company will allow Family Promise of Gwinnett County to apply for matching funds and take another step toward its $120,000 fund-raising goal. This year marks the seventh year that the Duluth-based construction company has held a 5K to raise funds for Family Promise. Over the years, Ordner’s contributions have totaled more than $150,000.

Jeff Ordner, president, says: “Giving back is an integral part of the organization’s corporate culture. The 5k race not only works to build teamwork within the organization but also endeavors to strengthen our community.”

Family Promise is a non-profit organization that helps homeless children and their families regain their housing and their independence. Earlier this year, the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia offered Family Promise a grant of $20,000 if Family Promise raised $20,000 from the community. Several individuals made donations, and this year’s Ordner Construction contribution will complete the balance that Family Promise needed to raise.

The funds from the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia will be used to help families with moving expenses as they return to housing and to help prevent evictions from those on the brink of homelessness. The balance of this year’s Ordner Construction donation will go toward Family Promise’s current fund-raising goal.

Since its inception, Family Promise has helped over 4,000 individuals find housing. Currently 34 adults and 66 children are in its Homeless Recovery and AfterCARE programs. In Homeless Recovery, our 45 host congregations offer hospitality to four families one week at a time.  Through a comprehensive case management process, families move from homelessness to housing in 90 days or less. Families who graduate from Homeless Recovery are part of AfterCARE where Family Promise helps them develop life skills that reinforce self-sufficiency.

Family Promise board member Sarah Jackson said, “I am not surprised that Ordner set aside time during this internal event to bless Family Promise. Ordner understands that meaning never comes from what you get but what you give. We are grateful to join the Ordner family for their holiday celebration and to receive this special gift.”

Worldwide shipper Hapag-Lloyd bringing 363 jobs to Gwinnett

A major worldwide shipping company is expanding its operations in Peachtree Corners, bringing 363 new jobs to the area. Hapag-Lloyd is consolidating operations at its location at 5515 Spalding Drive, Governor Nathan Deal announced this week.

Hapag-Lloyd, which merged with United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) in May 2017, is consolidating operations at its Gwinnett offices at Peachtree Parkway and Spalding Drive. The company plans to invest $5.5 million over the next two years and create 363 new jobs, in addition to the 178 jobs that will remain at the North American headquarters and training facility in Peachtree Corners.

Mayor Mike Mason says: “We welcome the company’s growth and expansion. Hapag-Lloyd is a significant employer in the city with global name recognition. They are making an investment in their facility, creating jobs, and contributing to the economic viability of Peachtree Corners.”

Hapag-Lloyd is one of the leading operators in the Transatlantic, Middle East, Latin America and Intra-America trades. With 230 vessels and more than 12,000 employees, Hapag-Lloyd is the fifth-largest shipping company in the world, serving customers in 127 countries.

Peachtree Corners worked in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Economic Development and Partnership Gwinnett in supporting the expansion. Partnership Gwinnett is a public-private initiative dedicated to bringing new jobs and capital investment to Gwinnett County.

The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush by Jon Meacham

From John Titus, Peachtree Corners  |  As he began to work on this 2015 George H.W. Bush biography, Jon Meacham was asked why work on a book about a one-term president. He said: ‘The more I read about him, the more I wanted to write about him.’ Granted access to the diaries of both George and Barbara Bush, the author takes us into the thoughts, decisions and emotions of the 41st president as he served as an 18 year old Navy pilot, through defeat by Bill Clinton and into retirement years. He gives an often intimate look into George Bush’s family life from privileged upbringing. This is a story of a decent, generous and humble man who, as described by President Obama, “ultimately put his country first, and it strikes me that throughout his life he did that, both before he was president and while he was president, and ever since.” This is an illuminating read.

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

CARE seeks lasting solutions worldwide out of Atlanta

CARE is one of the largest private humanitarian organizations in the world. The nonprofit organization, which is based in Atlanta, works with poor communities worldwide to find a lasting solution to the problem of poverty through education, economic security, and civic participation. CARE employs about 12,000 people globally, including approximately 300 staff members who work at CARE’s Atlanta headquarters. CARE’s poverty-fighting work reaches about 55 million people through 861 projects in 66 countries.

Issues that CARE focuses on—in partnership with donors, other organizations, and the communities it serves—include HIV/AIDS, hunger, water and sanitation, education, economic development, and people’s right to participate in policy decisions that affect their lives. The organization operates programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. CARE does not conduct humanitarian efforts in the United States.

CARE supports schools that permit girls to receive equal access to education; initiates village savings and loan programs that allow women to pool their resources to start businesses and provide income for their families; contributes seeds, tools, and information to help farmers enhance their crops; sponsors health projects, especially to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other treatable diseases; and partners with other organizations to address environmental concerns.

Experience has shown CARE that working with women in poor countries fosters quicker and longer-lasting results. Helene Gayle, CARE’s president and chief executive officer, says, “When she is given adequate resources, a woman helps not only herself but her children, her extended family, and her entire community. An educated woman tends to have fewer and healthier children and is more likely to contribute to the financial security of her family.” Such knowledge has informed CARE’s work, which has evolved from delivering food and supplies to working particularly with women to identify the greatest threats to their survival.

In 1945 22 American organizations joined together in New York as CARE (or the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe) to assemble, package, and ship lifesaving supplies to survivors of World War II (1941-45). The first 20,000 “CARE packages” arrived in Le Havre, France, on May 11, 1946, and contained U.S. Army surplus food. American citizens joined the efforts to help starving family and friends in Europe by purchasing packages for $10 apiece. After the army surplus was exhausted, CARE began assembling its own packages, which included such items as canned meat, coffee, chocolate, and egg powder. Over the next two decades at least 100 million CARE packages were sent to Europe, Asia, and eventually, other parts of the developing world. Over time, CARE packages came to include carpentry tools, books, blankets, and medicine. The food package program ended in 1967.

In 1993 CARE moved its headquarters from New York to Atlanta.

While CARE’s primary mission is to end poverty, the organization continues its history of responding to disaster. CARE’s experienced staff members, most often native to the countries in which they work, save lives, then stay for the long term to rebuild, restore, and improve communities hit by natural or man-made disaster. CARE’s work is guided by its core vision: a world of hope, tolerance, and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security.

In 2009 CARE was a presenting partner of the documentary A Powerful Noise, which tells the stories of three women struggling to overcome poverty and oppression in their countries.

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

See if you can determine where this early building is located

The Mystery Photo for this edition is obviously an old cabin or early home, now apparently restored and maybe in much better shape than when constructed. Figure out where it is and tell us about it. Send your thoughts to elliott@brack.net, and include your hometown.

The first person responding to the last mystery was John Titus of Peachtree Corners, asking if this was the Newgrange photo that his wife had sent in. No, it wasn’t her photo, but one of Newgrange from Frank Sharp of Lawrenceville.

Dan O’Neal of Norcross gave some detail: “An overlooked site by visitors to Ireland, Newgrange is a tunnel prehistoric tomb, circa 3500 BC, older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids. It is often mentioned as the oldest waterproof structure in Europe at 5,000 years of age. It has fabulous script carved in entrance stones. Sunlight rays penetrate to cross shaped center at winter solstice. What is worth speculation is the answer to how the huge stones were transported from the (County) Wicklow mountains well south of Dublin to Newgrange in County Meath, well north of Dublin. There are other fascinating prehistoric sites nearby.”

Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex. contributes this: “Today’s mystery photo is of the best-known ‘passage tomb’ in Ireland. This Neolithic tomb consisting of a passageway and burial chamber made of large upright stones capped with other large stones, originally buried in an earthen mound. This one is called Newgrange, and is located near the small village of Donore, approximately 30-miles north of Dublin. The large kidney-shaped mound is approximately 265-feet in diameter, covers an area of over one acre, and is surrounded at its base by a ring of 97 kerbstones. The 60-foot long inner passage leads to a cruciform chamber with a vaulted roof. Because of its astronomically aligned construction, the passage and internal chamber of Newgrange are illuminated by a shaft of sunlight as the winter solstice sunrise shines through the roof box over the entrance. The dramatic event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn on the Winter Solstice (and for a few mornings either side of the this date). A photo of this event is attached.”

Ann Sechrist of Snellville says that Newgrange was found “by a farmer clearing fields.” Jim Savedelis, Duluth, adds a local name: “I believe this is the Bru Na Boinne in the Boyne Valley, Ireland.”

George Graf of Palmyra, Va. , tells us that “Considerable damage was caused to the stones in the chamber of Newgrange in times past due to ‘evily-disposed visitors’ who carved their names onto the stones. This graffiti can still be seen to this day. More damage was done during the construction of nearby roads. Large quantities of stones had been removed and the roads paved with them, and archaeologists found that the flat-topped mound had a number of hollows and craters as a result of the removal of stones. Gold objects have been found at Newgrange, including two ancient gold torques (torcs), a golden chain and two rings, which were discovered by a labourer digging near the entrance in the 1840s. The hoard became known as the Conyngham Find, and is now in the British Museum.”

NORTH ATLANTA Metro Area Realtors (NAMAR) is holding its annual EXPO on January 17, 2019, at the Infinite Energy Center, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Nearly 150 exhibitor booths will be in attendance.

CHIPPING CHRISTMAS TREES: Bring One for the Chipper will be held on Saturday, Jan. 26 at Bethesda Park in Lawrenceville. The mulch resulting from the chipped trees will be used in Gwinnett County parks and trails and on county school grounds. Cut Christmas trees will be accepted at Gwinnett County Fire Stations locations between December 26, 2018 and January 20, 2019. Before dropping trees off, trees must be free of lights, tinsel, decorations and tree stands in order to be tree-cycled.

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