LARGEST GATHERING? This may be the largest gathering in the history of Norcross, as at least 5,000 people crowd Jones Street to see President George H.W. Bush on October 20, 1992. For more on this and a remembrance of the 41st president, see Elliott Brack’s perspective below. (Photo by Steve Deal from Archives of Georgia State University, through Cox Media.)
IN THIS EDITIONTODAY’S FOCUS: Continued Focus on Life of Animals in Shelters Is Greatly Needed
EEB PERSPECTIVE: 41st President George H.W. Bush Led a Distinguished and Storied Life
ANOTHER VIEW: Remembering Former Mayor Diana Preston of Lilburn
SPOTLIGHT: Gwinnett Medical Center
UPCOMING: Chamber Will Name Kathryn Parsons Willis as Citizen of the Year
NOTABLE: County Accepts $340,000 To Improve Police Response to Disaster
RECOMMENDED: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Former Top Left-Handed Pitcher, Rucker Becomes Roswell Mayor
MYSTERY PHOTO: Goats in a Cemetery May Mean Lucrative Contract for Someone
CALENDAR: Writer’s Workshop To Be Held at Lilburn Library on December 15
TODAY’S FOCUSContinued focus on life of animals in shelters is greatly needed
By Carla Brown
Judge, State Court of Gwinnett County
DEC. 7, 2018 | A recent GwinnettForum article highlighted euthanasia rates in animal shelters. The subject of euthanasia rates in shelters is more complicated than it appears. However, until our public in general starts to care about what happens in shelters, and about animal welfare, nothing is going to change.
Brown
Gwinnett County itself has seen the effect of public pressure and bad press. It has taken a virtual disaster at our local shelter – sadly more than once — to effect change. After years of pressure, the County Commission moved the shelter from under the direction of the Police Department to under Community Services. We are now seeing positive actions and greater effort of public attraction to the shelter. Gwinnett Animal Welfare is not a perfect environment, but it is steadily improving!
Other counties in Georgia are not so fortunate. Many shelters do not publicly post their euthanasia numbers. Some have turned their shelters over to private companies and are playing a numbers game. This is often not aimed at better animal ownership or public education, but simply euthanizing as few animals as possible, regardless of living conditions. The idea of “profit” in an animal shelter is gauged by how many animals are saved vs. how many die. It often matters not how those numbers are obtained, only what is the bottom line.
To save more animals and remove them from a saturated area, animals are shipped by bus loads to “northern” rescues. Sometimes these animals never make it to their intended destination.
Randy Travis did an interesting story on this a year or so ago. There are legitimate bus transports of animals to the north, but the issue becomes one of accountability of sending and receiving rescues, to ensure healthy animals are shipped and end up at their intended destination. Do not get me wrong – sending animals “north” can be a very good option, but there needs to be full transparency on both ends.
Dogs in some shelters are kept living in filth, some in small crates and cages where they cannot even fully stand up. Females in heat are thrown in pens with intact male dogs, where they are repeatedly raped. These are the things the public rarely hears about.
A recent example I experienced involved a group of dogs seized by animal control and returned to their owner with no consequences, even though the dogs were found living in desperately neglectful conditions. Of the three dogs seized, the male dog was living with a 33 pound chain around his neck. No charges were issued against the owner for this cruel and inhumane treatment. Why? Because the shelter administration wants to encourage the public to reclaim their animals.
I cannot begin to tell you over and over again the horrible cases I have personally seen where no action is taken. We should all be appalled at the deplorable conditions that even some Metro Atlanta counties consider acceptable; the flat out ignorance of some (not all) rural shelters that believe stray animals should not even be offered for adoption ( they are either reclaimed or euthanized); and the callous indifference to life exhibited by many county commissions to the plight of animals in their jurisdiction.
Continued focus on the quality of care of animals in our state is greatly needed. Thank for you bringing it to the attention of caring people that might not otherwise hear “the rest of the story.”
As so simply stated by Mahatma Gandhi: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
41st President George H.W. Bush led a distinguished and storied life
By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher
DEC. 7, 2018 | It was a memorable day for Gwinnett County, October 20, 1992. The president of the United States made a special train stop in Norcross. Not only do I remember it well, but I was there. I found my story of that visit in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the Internet.
It may have been the biggest crowd ever to assemble in downtown Norcross in about a one block area, near the train depot and the Jones Street crossing. Estimates were from 5,000 to 7,000 in attendance, and for sure, they were crammed close together on a sunny day with the temperature in the 60s. It was far more packed than the crowds you see at some of the downtown Norcross festivals today.
Lillian Webb speaking
President George H. W. Bush’s campaign train halted just after noon. The president and Barbara Bush got off the train and greeted people before he spoke briefly, being introduced by Rep. Newt Gingrich. Among his remarks: “It’s good to be in the land of the free and the homes of the Braves.”
His aides had prepared him well with another remark, also with a local angle. In a political aside, the campaigning president said that his Democratic leadership opponents “would make the White House into a Waffle House.” The crowd cheered.
He was on the ground among the crowd for 21 minutes, then along with several dignitaries including County Commission Chairman (and former Norcross mayor) Lillian Webb, returned to the train for another 14 minutes. The president, in a windbreaker, waved from the train’s back car platform as it slowly pulled northbound.
Making music for the president that day were three high school bands, from Norcross, Berkmar and Duluth.
Overall, the crowd was relatively polite and courteous. One sentence from the story: “A small contingent of Democratic supporters with Clinton-Gore signs chanted ‘No more years,’ while Republicans were imploring ‘Four more years.’”
Bush
The 41st president had a fabulous life, born into a wealthy and political New England family. His mother had developed land near Kennebunkport, Maine, which eventually became the president’s personal retreat. In 1943, instead of heading for college, he became a Navy pilot. He flew a carrier-based torpedo bomber aircraft in 58 combat missions. He was shot down in the Pacific Ocean, and was rescued by an American submarine, which navigated a treacherous 100 miles of shallow water to rescue the future president.
Returning a war hero, he went to Yale, captained the baseball team, graduated and married Barbara Pierce in 1945. Still doing things a little different, instead of going into a fancy eastern establishment job, he set out for Midland, Texas, striking his fortune in the oil and petroleum business.
Later George Bush would become interested in Republican politics like his father, Senator Prescott Bush. He became a Congressman (1966), then United Nations ambassador (1971), U.S. envoy to China (1974), and later as the head of the CIA (1976). Serving as vice president for two terms under Ronald Reagan’s administration, he then won election as the 41st president, defeating Michael Dukakis.
We distinctly remember and are proud that this president had the guts to push for a tax increase to cut into the budget deficit. He also was proud to push for and sign into law the American with Disabilities Act, a monumental empowering change for our country. And on top of it all, he was always a person with integrity and humility.
What more can you say? Few people will lead such a distinguished and storied life.
George H.W. Bush: 1924-2018: may you rest in peace.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Remembering former Mayor Diana Preston of Lilburn
(Editor’s Note: The city of Lilburn has declared every December 12 as Diana Preston Day in honor of their former mayor. Her predecessor as mayor, Jack Bolton, has written this remembrance of her.—eeb)
By Jack Bolton
LILBURN Ga. | I met Diana Preston back in 1994; we were both active in the Lilburn community, so our paths would cross often. She served on the City Council and I was serving as chairman of the Planning Commission. We became good friends, working on a number of projects together. Over time, we discovered we had very similar ideas to help improve Lilburn’s future and developed a great working relationship by supporting each other’s ideas, causes and initiatives.
Bolton with Preston
After my 2004-2008 term as mayor, I felt I had achieved my goals and decided not to seek re-election. I encouraged Diana to fill my seat. Though it is unusual for a sitting mayor to endorse another candidate, I campaigned for her, because I felt so strongly about her leadership abilities and how she would carry the torch on continuing to grow Lilburn.
And I couldn’t have been more right. Diana became the first female mayor of Lilburn, and she made a lasting impact on the City. In 2010 Diana was instrumental in rebranding Lilburn with a new logo that captured the energy and vibrancy of the City and creating the tagline, “Small Town. Big Difference.” And she breathed life into that tagline. The direct result of Diana’s hard work can be seen in Lilburn’s new City Hall and a branch of the Gwinnett Public Library, the preservation of the Wynne-Russell House and the construction of the popular Camp Creek Greenway Trail.
Diana was a dreamer. However, she always found a way to take action and get things done. She never met a stranger and she wasn’t bashful about asking for help. When we discussed the need for a Lilburn Community Improvement District (LCID), as mayor, she couldn’t officially advocate for the CID, so she formed the Lilburn Community Partnership (LCP). Through the LCP, she was able to campaign and help establish the LCID by recruiting members. The City of Lilburn then funded the loan to LCP to help create the CID, which was paid in full earlier this year — just seven years later.
When I talked to Emory Morsberger, LCID executive director, he told me that the CID is forever in Diana’s debt — figuratively speaking, of course — and that the City of Lilburn is a better place because of Diana Preston. He was impressed with how she helped get the police department organized and is pleased to report that Lilburn now has the lowest crime rate in Gwinnett County. He admired how she always put Lilburn and its people first.
It’s going to be hard to imagine a Lilburn without Diana Preston. What is happening in the city now is happening because of her. The people she hired, like Bill Johnsa as city manager, continue her legacy by adding excellent staff members to run the city professionally, and advance her initiatives.
Diana Preston was a selfless, caring person who loved her family and community. She dreamed, took action, and made a big difference for our small town. We will all miss her dearly.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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UPCOMINGChamber will name Kathryn Parsons Willis as Citizen of the Year
The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce has announced the people and organizations to be honored at its 71st annual dinner, to be held on February 1, 2019 at the Infinite Energy Center.
Willis
To be honored as the Citizen of the Year will be Kathryn Parsons Willis of Duluth, longtime resident who has been involved in many activities, including the Gwinnett Hospital Authority Board and been the lead person for annual Duluth Festival and advocate for downtown Duluth.
Others to be honored include:
- Public Service: Gwinnett Police Chief Butch Ayers; Wayne Ellison of Ellison Insurance Agency, Dr. Lloyd Hofer, Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale Health Department; Terri Jondahl, CAB Incorporated; Maureen Karnowa, Gwinnett Children’s Shelter; and Patrick McDonough of Anderson, Tate and Carr.
- Scott Hudgens Humanitarian: Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for Art and Learning.
- Wayne Shackelford Legacy: Herbert O. Hamby; Diana Preston; and Patsy Rooks.
- Ambassador of the Year: Edward A. From.
Lilburn parade cancelled, but stop by City Hall and see Santa
Because of a bad weather forecast for December 8, the Lilburn Christmas Parade has been cancelled. The parade, originally planned for December 1, had been rescheduled for December 8.
Instead, Lilburn officials invite families to stop by Lilburn City Hall-Library and visit with Santa on Saturday, December 8, from noon until 2 p.m. Kids will also have the opportunity to make a free holiday ornament craft.
Jackson EMC members to get $10 million in margin refunds
Approximately 239,000 Jackson EMC members will receive a check in the mail this month. Both members and former members will receive their share of a total $10 million in margin refunds in December.
Board Chairman Otis P. Jones of Buford says: “As owners of a not-for-profit cooperative, Jackson EMC members are eligible to receive a portion of the funds left over at the end of the year after all the cooperative’s expenses are paid. That money is called margin refunds, and the board of directors is proud to be able to return it to Jackson EMC’s current and former members.”
Margins are refunded for a combination of years—so both longtime and newer members, as well as former members, benefit from belonging to an electric cooperative. This year, margin refunds will go to those who received electric service from Jackson EMC in 1990, 1991 and/or 2017. The sum of each member’s refund check is calculated according to the amount each member paid for electric service during those years.
After this December’s refund, Jackson EMC will have refunded $135 million in margin refunds to its member-owners since the cooperative was founded in 1938. Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia.
Council seeks nominations in preserving or making records accessible
Do you know someone who has done outstanding work using, preserving, or making historical records more accessible? Think about the historical or genealogical society, library, museum, county or municipal government, researcher, local historian, educator or student. The Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council (GHRAC) wants to encourage and reward their efforts.
The Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council (GHRAC) established the Outstanding Archives Awards Program in 2003 to recognize outstanding efforts in archives and records work in Georgia. By publicly recognizing excellent achievements, the Board strives to inspire others. Hundreds of organizations and individuals play a significant role in the preservation of our state’s documentary heritage.
GHRAC has twelve different award categories for individuals and organizations. Award recipients will be honored at the Georgia Archives by the GHRAC Board at a ceremony during Archives Month in October. Nominations may be submitted February 1 through June 1. Nominations must be postmarked on or before June 1, 2019.
All of the following are eligible for an award. (You may nominate your own organization.)
- local governments, courts, school systems, state agencies, and institutions
- historical records repositories, historical societies, libraries, and museums
- educators, students, and researchers
- legislators and government officials
- individuals and organizations who support archives and records management
- specialized subject societies in related fields such as oral history, genealogy, folklore, archaeology, business history, etc.
Information about the GHRAC Awards Program is located on the website of the Georgia Archives, www.georgiaarchives.org. For additional information, please contact GHRAC by phone at 678-364-3806, or email christopher.davidson@usg.edu.
NOTABLECounty accepts $340,000 to improve police response to disaster
The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners have agreed to accept $340,000 in state and federal grants that will help the Gwinnett County Police Department improve its ability to deal with natural and manmade disasters.
Of the total, about $182,000 is being awarded through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security. None of the grants require local contributions.
GEMA/HS grants include:
$98,000 to the Hazardous Device Unit for two side-by-side utility vehicles and trailers for special events, plus new x-ray generators, upgrades to older x-ray machines, and two upgraded portable radios to replace dated radios.
$52,000 to upgrade the Uniform Division Operations Center, which is used during critical incidents like terrorism, search and rescues, responding to explosive devices, civil unrest, SWAT responses, special events, hazardous material incidents and natural disasters. The Operations Center allows command staff to make quick and effective decisions based on real-time information from multiple sources;
$13,720 for the Chemical/Biological/Radioactive/Nuclear/Explosive team such as filters and bags for gas masks, a door opener for entering facilities while wearing bulky gear and voice communications devices;
$12,000 to acquire a new Explosive Detection K-9 to replace an aging, bomb-sniffing dog who will retire soon;
$6,000 awarded to the Hazardous Devices Unit for equipment, supplies, health check-ups and care for the department’s Explosive Detection K-9s.
Commissioners also approved an agreement with the Atlanta Regional Commission, which will contribute about $158,000 toward maintaining critical communication equipment for the Gwinnett County Office of Emergency Management and other supplies and services. The program is designed to create and sustain regional efforts to improve security in and around the Atlanta area.
RECOMMENDEDA Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
From Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill | Refined, genteel and eminently civilized, this gentle tale of a fallen Russian aristocrat will capture your heart and probably trigger a desire to read about Russian history. The story begins in 1922 when a Bolshevik tribunal sentences the charming, educated and impeccably well-mannered Count Alexander Rostovto to house arrest in a Moscow luxury hotel. Never heavy handed, the narrator sets a slow pace while subtly weaving in philosophy, literature, diplomacy, observations, small surprises, politics and – most of all – civility, respect and compassion. This is a story of adaptation and evolution. Through the activities at the hotel we learn of the dissolution, dismantling and demise of one culture and the unfolding and flourishing of another. And we see that those who can adapt to change are the ones who survive. This book will make you want to stand taller, speak more eloquently and cultivate impeccable manners.
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 ENCYCLOPEDIA TIDBITFormer top left-handed pitcher, Rucker becomes Roswell mayor
Largely forgotten today, Nap Rucker was one of the premier left-handed baseball pitchers in the major leagues during the first two decades of the 20th century, and may have invented, along with a teammate, the knuckleball.
George Napoleon Rucker was born to Sarah Hembree and John Rucker, a Confederate veteran, on September 30, 1884, in Crabapple, in Fulton County near Roswell and Alpharetta. After dropping out of school, Rucker worked as an apprentice printer. One day he set in type the headline, “$10,000 For Pitching A Baseball.” Upon seeing the headline, Rucker decided to become a professional pitcher.
He began his minor league career late in 1904 with the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association and spent the next two seasons with the Augusta Tourists of the South Atlantic League, compiling a record of 40-20 while rooming with Ty Cobb.
Rucker spent his entire ten-year major league career playing for the hapless Brooklyn Superbas of the National League. (The name Superbas, adopted in 1899, came from a popular vaudeville troupe of the time. The team later became the Brooklyn Dodgers.)
Rucker debuted in Brooklyn in 1907 and immediately became the team’s best pitcher, leading the Superbas in games, innings, strikeouts, and earned-run average. His 15 wins were second best on the team. In 1908 he emerged as a National League star, winning 17 games for a club that managed only 53 victories. Rucker finished third in the league in innings pitched and second in strikeouts. He also pitched a no-hitter, striking out 14 Boston Doves while walking none. Teammate errors denied Rucker what would have been only the fourth perfect game in baseball history.
In 1910 he led the National League in complete games, innings pitched, and shutouts. He had his finest season in 1911, winning 22 games, more than a third of his team’s 64 victories, and coming within one out of pitching another no-hitter. He was fourth in the league in innings pitched and third in strikeouts.
Rucker lost the speed on his overpowering fastball in 1913, and he hurt his arm the following season.
For the last four years of his career, he relied on an assortment of off-speed pitches, especially the knuckleball. He was one of the first players in baseball history to throw this pitch, and evidence suggests that Rucker, in collaboration with fellow pitcher and Augusta teammate Eddie Cicotte, may have invented the knuckleball in 1905.
Rucker compiled a lifetime .500 record (134 victories and 134 losses) while performing for teams that posted a cumulative .442 winning percentage during the time he pitched. His 38 shutouts accounted for 28 percent of his wins, the second highest percentage in baseball history. Every year from 1908 to 1912 he was among the National League leaders in numerous pitching categories, including appearances, complete games, innings pitched, strikeouts, shutouts, and earned-run average. Baseball Magazine selected Rucker for its National League all-star team four times and to its best-in-baseball squad three times.
The legendary Major League Baseball Hall of Fame manager John McGraw deemed Rucker the best left-handed pitcher of his era, and venerable sportswriter Ring Lardner chose Rucker for his all-time all-star team. In 1967 Rucker became the third professional baseball player (after Luke Appling and Ty Cobb) to be inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
Rucker retired as a player after the 1916 season and scouted for Brooklyn from 1919 to 1934 and again in 1939 and 1940. He also helped to launch the baseball career of Earl Mann, who, as president and owner of the Atlanta Crackers, was one of minor league baseball’s most respected and successful executives.
Rucker was also a prominent businessman and politician in Roswell. He owned a plantation, several cotton farms, and a wheat mill, and he invested in the local bank. Rucker was elected unopposed as Roswell’s mayor during the Great Depression, and he brought the town its first supply of running water. After serving as mayor he was the city’s water commissioner for many years.
Rucker died at the age of 86 on December 19, 1970. He is buried in the cemetery of Roswell Presbyterian Church.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Goats in a cemetery may mean lucrative contract for someone
The mystery photo for this edition appears that a bunch of goats got a contract for cleaning up a cemetery. Maybe so. But where? Figure it all out and send your ideas to elliottt@brack.net and include your hometown.
The last Mystery Photo was easily identified by several readers. Lou Camerio of Lilburn wrote;
“This is Vancouver Canada. The sculptor of the ‘Running Man’ is a tribute to Harry Jerome, a Canadian track and field star who competed in the 1960 summer Olympics in Rome. He died at the age of 42 from a brain aneurysm.” The photo was sent in by Frank Studer of Greenville, S.C.
Jim Savadelis of Duluth added: “The sculpture depicts famous Canadian athlete Harry Winston Jerome. Jerome set many world sprinting records and received the Bronze medal in the 1964 Olympics after being sidelined with injuries in the 1960 Olympics. He went on to set additional world records in various sprinting disciplines.”
Also recognizing the work were Sandy and Rick Krause, who were in Vancouver for the World’s Fair in 1986; Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; and Molly Titus, Peachtree Corners, who said: “We’ve taken a bus ride through Stanley Park but I don’t remember this statue; wish I did!”
George Graf of Palmyra, Va. and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex., also identified it. George wrote: “Harry Jerome competed for Canada in the 1960, 1964, and 1968 Summer Olympics, winning 100 meter bronze in 1964. From 1963 to 1966 he held or equaled 4 world records concurrently.
“Originally home to Burrard, Musqueam and Squamish First Nations people, Stanley Park was not one designer’s grand scheme but an evolution of a pioneer city’s hopes and dreams; a place for its citizens to recreate themselves through active sport or peaceful relaxation. Named for Lord Frederick Stanley, Governor General of Canada in 1888, the City opened Stanley Park on September 27 of that year.
“Stanley’s sons became avid ice hockey players in Canada, playing in amateur leagues in Ottawa, and Lord and Lady Stanley became staunch hockey fans. In 1892, Stanley gave Canada a treasured national icon, the Stanley Cup, known originally as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup. He originally donated the trophy as a challenge cup for Canada’s best amateur hockey club, but in 1909, it became contested by professional teams exclusively.”
Peel gave the specific location: “Today’s mystery photo was taken from Hallelujah Point in Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This is a grassy point on the southeast side of the park and it got it’s name because the Salvation Army used to hold Sunday services there and the shouts of ‘Hallelujah’ could be heard across the water in the city of Vancouver!”
CALENDAR
CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING in downtown Norcross will be at 5:30 p.m. Friday, December 7 in Thrasher Park. Music will be provided by the Norcross United Methodist Church choir. Norcross resident Steven Howington will light the tree, as he has for 30 years. Enjoy free hot cocoa and cookies (while supplies last) courtesy of the Norcross Masonic Lodge and the Norcross Lions Club, and s’mores courtesy of the City of Norcross.
FAMILY SNOW DAY will be December 7 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Pinckneyville Park, 4758 South Old Peachtree Road, Norcross. Bring the entire family to enjoy a fun-filled, festive night with a popcorn/hot chocolate bar, gingerbread house-decorating contest, games, and crafts. The night will end with a family-friendly “snowball” fight!. Cost: $17 per family of four or $5 per person. Preregister online by December 10 with code PVP41495 or by calling 678-277-0920.
MELTED SNOWMAN PARTY is December 7 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Collins Hill Aquatic Center, 2200 Collins Hill Road, Suwanee. Splash around in ex-snowmen, write a letter to Santa, help decorate a tree in the indoor pool, and more.. Cost: $5 per person. Preregister online with code CHP45800 or by calling 770-237-5647. All pool rules apply.
SOUTHERN WINGS BIRD CLUB will have its Holiday Potluck meeting on December 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Rhodes Jordan Park Community Room in Lawrenceville. The club will provide ham, and guests are asked to bring their favorite vegetable, salad or dessert to serve 8 to 10 people. Bring your own drinks. The Club will supply plates, utensils, etc.
CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCE of the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will be December 10 at 7 p.m. at the Infinite Energy Theater in Duluth. Tickets are from $13 to $25. For more, visit this site.
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TEA will be December 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. put on by the Prime Timers at George Pierce Park in Suwanee. Celebrate the yuletide season and enjoy tea, festive treats, music, and fellowship. Pre-register online or by calling 678-277-0190 by December 11 with code GPP42901. Appropriate for seniors 50 years old or older. Cost: $6 per person.
WRITERS’ WORKSHOP: Join Gwinnett Public Library, in partnership with the Atlanta Writers Club, for this workshop with author Phillippe Diederich where he will discuss the value of multi-cultural writing. Diederich is the author of Sofrito and Playing for the Devil’s Fire, which was named the 2017 Best Young Adult novel by the Texas Institute of Letters and the 2017 Young Adult Library Services Best Fiction for Young Adults. This workshop takes place on Saturday, December 15 at 1:30 pm at the Lilburn Branch, 4817 Church Street, Lilburn. It is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154.
BICENTENNIAL EVENT: GWINNETT’S 200th BIRTHDAY GALA. This will be December 15 at 6 p.m. at the Infinite Energy Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. Celebrate the county’s rich history and pay tribute to its vibrant community and diverse cultures at a festive gala. The cocktail party begins at 6 p.m., and dinner begins at 7 p.m. Cost: $125 per person. Cocktail attire is appropriate. To buy tickets or to learn more about the gala, visit www.gwinnett200birthday.com.
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.
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