GwinnettForum | Number 21.25 | April 5, 2022
ACADEMIC INVESTITURE REGALIA: Now duly installed as the third president of Georgia Gwinnett College, Dr. Jann Joseph, is dressed in her academic robe alongside Sonny Perdue of Bonaire, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, and Harold Reynolds of Lake Oconee, chairman of the State Board of Regents, which oversees the system. Dr. Joseph has been president since 2019, with the investiture delayed because of the COVID pandemic.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Joseph invested as 3rd president of Georgia Gwinnett College
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Innovative Flock camera system reducing crime in Gwinnett
ANOTHER VIEW: Firm to conduct interviews on making of Lake Lanier
SPOTLIGHT: Georgia Banking Company
FEEDBACK: Transition to 100% clean energy is not a simple issue
UPCOMING: Five artists featured in spring exhibit at Norcross Gallery
NOTABLE: Gwinnett Fire Services Honors PCOM Georgia
RECOMMENDED: The Little Princesses by Marion Crawford
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Highly successful American playwright was born in Decatur
MYSTERY PHOTO: Dilapidated structure asks for its location
CALENDAR: Poetry and pizza will be Tuesday night at the Hamilton Mill Library
Joseph invested as 3rd president of Georgia Gwinnett College
By Jacqueline Todd
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | Dr. Jann L. Joseph was invested as the third president of Georgia Gwinnett College at a formal ceremony Friday on the college’s campus. The room boasted formal academic regalia, intermixed with decorative touches representing Joseph’s Caribbean roots.
Joseph
One of the oldest traditions in academia, an investiture is a formal ceremony that “confers authority and symbols of high office.” The time-honored ceremony is typically held during, or at the conclusion of, the president’s first year in office. While Joseph became GGC president in July 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed her investiture.
A first-generation college graduate, Joseph thanked her family, including her parents, now deceased, for their stressing the importance of education to her and her siblings. Joseph was born in Trinidad, West Indies, as the youngest of five siblings. Although neither parent completed elementary school, they valued the power of education to transform lives for generations. Her parents’ encouragement and sacrifices inspired Joseph to serve in higher education. She says of them: “They did the impossible and found a way to give us something they didn’t have – something they could barely understand and could only dream of.”
Joseph also showed gratitude to the GGC community, members of the University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents and delegates from other USG schools and elected officials – all who came to celebrate the school and its newly installed president.
Among them was Dr. Sonny Perdue, in his first official act as USG chancellor of placing GGC’s presidential medallion on Joseph. The medallion symbolizes the office of the GGC presidency and includes the engraved names of all GGC presidents to date.
This was not Perdue’s first official act at GGC. In May 2005, the former Georgia governor signed the law creating what would later be known as Georgia Gwinnett College, the nation’s first four-year, public college founded in the 21st century.
“Folks, that means I was here at the hospital when it [GGC] was born,” he said. He also added that former Regent Richard Tucker of Gwinnett “was the midwife” at the birthing. Perdue explained that GGC and higher education institutions play a critical role in our society. These institutions prepare students to improve their quality of life, to become valuable members of the workforce and to give back to their communities.
Dr. Perdue maintained: “Georgia Gwinnett is adding to the proud tradition of educating students and contributing to the prosperity of families and communities who it strongly supports.And that makes having a good leader all the more important.”
Joseph led the campus through a global pandemic, a period of national civil unrest and a war waged across the ocean that has local ramifications. Today, she’s focused on the path forward. As she closed her speech, she outlined her vision and what she sees as GGC’s future.
“By 2030, our graduates will be in leadership roles throughout this county,” she said. “The value of what we offer will be very apparent. We will sustain our access mission and also be recognized for our incredible, valued-added mission as our retention and graduation rates steadily increase.”
Joseph was quick to stress that she’s not going it alone. Citing an African term, Ubuntu, which in Zulu means, “humanity” and is translated to “I am because you are,” Joseph related the term to the community that comprises GGC.
“GGC is……because we all are.
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Flock camera system reducing crime in Gwinnett
Flock camera on a pole. Photo provided.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
APRIL 5, 2022 | Two Georgia Tech graduates are making life better in Gwinnett and in the nation after developing a new way to fight crime. They uncovered a statistic – that seven out of 10 crimes involved a vehicle – and then tweaked a camera to capture the license plate of cars visiting an area, which has greatly reduced the crime rate where the cameras were installed.
Developing that camera was the idea of Garrett Langley, from Atlanta, and Matt Feury, from Marietta. Langley is the CEO of Flock Safety Company of Atlanta, and Feury is the CFO. Altogether the company, founded in 2017, has 350 employees, mostly in Atlanta, but strategically stationed around the country to install the systems.
Flock Safety is the first public safety camera system that has operations in 1,500 cities to capture objective evidence, make it actionable with machine learning, and deliver it directly into the hands of those who work to curtail crime. The company works with the whole community – neighborhoods, businesses, law enforcement, and elected officials — because it takes many people working together to make an impact on crime.
Two Gwinnett Community Improvement Districts, at Gwinnett Place and at Sugarloaf, have installed Flock cameras and have seen a reduction in crime. Recently Explore Gwinnett, funded by the Gwinnett County hotel-motel tax, announced plans to install Flock cameras at the hotels in the county.
That would mean approximately another 100 Flock cameras in Gwinnett. The cameras are leased for $2,500 per camera, so that would mean a cost to Explore Gwinnett of $250,000 a year.
Bruce Johnson of Explore Gwinnett says the ultimate goal would be to promote tourism in Gwinnett, making sure that Gwinnett remains a safe destination for visitors. With criminals often targeting parked cars at hotels, the Flock cameras provide details of which autos visited an area, so to help the police in chasing down cars involved in crime, or stolen vehicles. Johnson says: “This is not something residents often think about, but is taken care of in the background to help reduce crime. Criminals will soon learn that Gwinnett is not a friendly environment for crime.”
Garrett Langley and Matt Feury during Georgia Tech days. Provided.
The two Georgia Tech engineers started by creating a much smaller camera to capture the auto license plate numbers. Their camera was solar powered, so needed no electrical connection. There is also no internet connection, since the camera sends information via a cell phone. The upshot is that the Flock device is much cheaper and affordable than other similar systems on the market.
Installation is also relatively similar. The Flock team manufactures its own products, and a Flock team helps customers determine where to locate cameras, geographically, where the most vehicles pass.
Why the name of “Flock?” It’s the team’s idea that the cameras are all around certain areas, like a flock of birds, recording what is happening in that area.
From the time a Flock camera finds a car whose owner is wanted, or spots a stolen vehicle, police know this almost immediately. This information goes to all officers on patrol, as well as to supervisors.
Major Chris Rafanelli of the Central Police Precinct calls the Flock system a real game changer. “It’s a force multiplier, a move to data-driven assistance to law enforcement.”
He also notes that in the about two years that the Gwinnett Place areas have had Flock cameras, crime is down substantially. That includes commercial burglary down 37 percent; aggravated assault down 38 percent; robbery down 19 per cent; and entering autos down 14 percent.
And think too, there’s no local tax money involved. Visitors to Gwinnett help fund the Flock cameras.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Firm to conduct interviews on making of Lake Lanier
Buford Dam. Photo via USACE.
By Faith Meader
Historian, New South Associates
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga | New South Associates, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, seeks to conduct oral history interviews with persons knowledgeable about the history of Lake Sidney Lanier and will be preparing an informational website on the history of Lake Sidney Lanier.
The Lake Sidney Lanier reservoir, covering about 38,000 acres of five counties in north Georgia, was created by the construction of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River. Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1950 to 1957, the dam and reservoir provided flood control, improved navigation, hydroelectric power, and water supply for Atlanta. In the years after its formation, Lake Lanier attracted industrial and residential growth in the region, and recreational use has flourished as one of its primary resources.
Lake Lanier has become familiar to north Georgians for its range of roles and purposes, but it was once a very different landscape. Over a period of three years, water gradually filled the Chattahoochee valley and its connected creeks and tributaries to form the lake. The story of that transformation, told by those who lived through it, is at the heart of the oral history project.
New South Associates of Stone Mountain, is a nationally recognized cultural resource management firm seeking to interview people on the creating of Lake Lanier. The focus of this project is to identify and record the stories of the families who lived in the area and the people who helped build the lake.
The construction of Buford Dam has been well-documented through photographs and land records, but oral histories help to fill in the gaps and complete a fuller picture of the past by offering us a glimpse into the experiences of those who lived through it. Capturing important first-person narratives that are decreasing as time passes is key to understanding how Lake Lanier’s construction impacted lives and communities in the 1950s.
This oral history project hopes to tell the story of Lake Lanier from a variety of perspectives. These interview narrators may include those whose land became part of the lake’s footprint; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel involved in design or land surveys; workers on the dam construction; community members who watched the lake fill; and, the first generation of Lake Lanier users. Interviews will be filmed and digitally recorded for transcription.
In addition to old photographs, researchers on this project encourage the sharing of letters, scrapbooks, diary entries, and other personal memorabilia that bring back memories. With permission, some of these items may be scanned to supplement the interview narratives.
Follow and share the “Lake Sidney Lanier Oral History Project” Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/lake.sidney.lanier.history.project. For general questions about the project, or for consideration as an interviewee in the Oral History Project, contact me at 770-498-4155 x 195 or contact me at fmeader@newsouthassoc.com.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Georgia Banking Company
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s underwriting sponsor is Georgia Banking Company, which has recently been re-organized under the leadership of Bartow Morgan Jr., veteran Gwinnett community banker. The company has assets of $900 million and plans to open five new offices over the next several months in Cobb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties. GBC was custom built to be the perfect fit for mid-sized businesses. Every individual hired for this team has been specifically chosen for their ability to provide a high level of expertise and service to the bank’s customers. Jennifer Bridwell, formerly with BrandBank, will serve as Market President for Gwinnett. Kevin Jones and Wanda Weegar, both also formerly with BrandBank, will serve as Branch Managers at GBC’s Lawrenceville and Duluth offices. Local decision-makers along with premier technology and personalized service are the most distinguishing traits that separates GBC from the current banking landscape. Visit www.geobanking.com to learn more.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Transition to 100% clean energy is not a simple issue
Editor, the Forum:
The transition to 100 percent clean, renewable energy is not a simple black and white issue. The goals of the National Democratic Party by 2035 are totally unrealistic and unachievable!! And to attempt to force them on the American people will result in economic disaster and jeopardize our national security!!! And to put your hopes in the development of new technologies to accomplish this 2035 goal is absurd!!! Maybe in 50-75 years…maybe!
Y’all need to face reality.
BTW, some of the European countries like Germany, which committed to converting to renewable energy years ago, have discovered that it is not practical or economical and will not support their growing economic base! So they are increasing their dependence on fossil fuels, especially oil and gas. Why do you think they were building the gas pipelines from Russia? For more detail, click here.
– Randall Pugh, Jefferson
Feels GwinnettForum is an invaluable service to the area
Editor, the Forum:
Thank you for this invaluable service to Gwinnett voters! Know that your time and effort is much appreciated by us readers. I have long admired your work.
– Rachel Theus, Lilburn
Dear Miss Rachel: Thank you for your kindness. I tell the candidates, and maybe need to refresh our readers: we do this for one reason only: to keep on living. And it’s fun and we hope beneficial to many. –eeb
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, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net.
Five artists featured in spring exhibit at Norcross Gallery
Eden II, by Chitra Ramanathan
Norcross Gallery and Studios is welcoming spring with a new exhibit which focuses on five selected artists. The works of Lucy Brady, Kathy de Cano, Barbara Fraher, Jeannie Fortin and Chitra Ramanathan are spotlighted in the show, which opened on March 31 and will run until Saturday May 7. There will be a festive reception free and open to the public on Friday, April 29, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Fading Childhood Memories is an abstract painting by Kathy de Cano which evokes many layers of elusive memories. She says, ”As we move through adulthood, our childhood memories, even those that are bright and happy, begin to fade, but their essence remains as a powerful force that has shaped us and continues to be a part of our aging fabric.”
Long time Norcross Gallery member and president of the organization, Jeannie Fortin, presents a bright, cheerful welcome to spring titled Moonlight Bliss ,which recalls rare, lovely nights with bright moonlight shining on spring flowers.
Quantum Leaps and Strides is a textured painting by artist Chitra Ramanathan. Her work features collages inspired by music, fantasy or dreams and features diverse materials adhered to the canvas with acrylic paint. She says her work is aiming to evoke happy, positive emotions for viewers.
Artist Barbara Fraher’s lively painting titled Time Rushing By is based on a series of circles taking shape of a fast-moving clock. Her work depicts an issue she is trying to resolve, or just pure joy as in a painting in which bunnies and an owl took shape.
Inn on the Alameda by Lucy Brady is part of a series of paintings in Santa Fe, a city renowned for its wonderful architecture and numerous art galleries. This inn is set by the Alameda River.
Gwinnett Fire Services honors PCOM Georgia
PCOM Georgia’s Anatomical Donor Services program and Simulation Center were recently honored by Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services with an award recognizing the “partnership in education” between the two organizations.
Shown with the award are, from left, Captain Chad Bird, paramedic program director; Jeffrey Seiple, director of anatomical labs and services; Toni Musta, manager of the Simulation Center; Chief Adam Lane, battalion chief of continuous improvement in operations; and Fire Chief Russell Knick.
In presenting the award, Captain Chad Bird, paramedic program director, says: “What started out of necessity has developed into a very fruitful relationship between PCOM Georgia and the Gwinnett County Training Academy. I don’t know what we would have done without you.” Bird referred to the changes wrought by COVID-19 when hospitals halted student visits to operating rooms. Prior to the pandemic, paramedic students were able to perfect their intubation skills as required for graduation using hospital facilities.
Foundation grants $41,000 to Gwinnett agencies
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $115,871 in grants during its March meeting, including $41,000 to agencies serving Gwinnett County.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett County Public Library, a 15-branch library system serving more than 957,000 residents, to provide financial assistance for the Career Online High School, the only program in Gwinnett County that provides an accredited high school diploma program for adults.
- $10,000 to Georgia Conflict Center, Inc., in Athens, for its Restorative Justice Diversion Program in Clarke and Gwinnett County schools, which empowers crime victims and helps perpetrators reintegrate into community.
- $10,000 to Peachtree Christian Health, Inc., an adult day memory center serving home hospice patients, the elderly and disabled veterans in Gwinnett and Hall counties.
- $6,000 to FOCUS (Families of Children Under Stress), a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to help provide 18 children the opportunity to build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
The Little Princesses by Marion Crawford
From Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill: This is a sweet book about the childhoods of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Written by their Scottish governess, ‘Crawfie,’ it begins when the teenaged Crawfie meets Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, (also a Scot) before there was any notion that Elizabeth’s husband, George, would become king. Never dreaming the children would eventually become heirs to the throne, Crawfie accepted the position as governess to the girls, ages 2 and 5. The book takes you through the childhoods of the princesses and ends with the birth of Prince Charles. It tells of the ups and downs of living in an extremely outdated palace, the loneliness of being schooled at home without the company of other children, the isolation of the war years, and the courtship of Prince Philip and Elizabeth. I recommend this book for Anglophiles who might enjoy a light-hearted, complimentary look into the young lives of Elizabeth and Margaret.
- An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (150 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Send to: elliott@brack.net
Highly successful American playwright was born in Decatur
One of the most produced playwrights in the United States, Lauren Gunderson’s oeuvre includes plays, musicals, screenplays, and picture books. Many of her works focus on the lives of real and imagined heroines, particularly women in the sciences, and explore themes of innovation, morality, and discovery.
Lauren Gunderson was born in Decatur to parents with careers in both the arts and sciences—influences that would later inform her work as a playwright. She developed an interest in theater at a young age and performed in a number of Atlanta-area productions while still a student. Her first play, “Parts They Call Deep,” was produced by Atlanta’s Essential Theatre when she was just seventeen years old.
Gunderson’s theatrical efforts continued as an undergraduate at Emory University, where she majored in English and took part in multiple student productions. She credits the staging of her play Leap (2004) by Theater Emory, the school’s resident professional theater company, as a formative experience. The play, which explores the discoveries and legacy of Isaac Newton, reflects her interest in both the sciences and the stage, providing early evidence of the themes that would define much of her professional work.
After completing her undergraduate studies, Gunderson earned an M.F.A. at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she was also a Reynolds Fellow in social entrepreneurship. In the years that followed, Gunderson embarked on a professional career notable for both her prodigious output and her early, almost immediate, success.
The South Coast Repertory, in Orange County, Calif., commissioned two of Gunderson’s earliest works, Emilie: La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight (2009) and Silent Sky (2011), both of which are based on the lives of women in the sciences in the 18th and 19th centuries. It also commissioned I and You (2013), which won the prestigious 2014 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award. Though it remains one of Gunderson’s most acclaimed works, I and You was just one in a series of successes for Gunderson during this period.
But most remarkable perhaps is the fact that she has achieved such success outside of New York, the capital of American theater. After completing her M.F.A., Gunderson left New York for San Francisco, taking up residence in the Bay Area and forging close ties to the regional theater companies that have made her the most-produced American playwright in recent history.
(To be continued)
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Dilapidated structure asks for its location
Today’s Mystery Photo has seen better days. Tell us what you can find out about this Mystery, and send your information to elliott@brack.net, including your home town.
That different Mystery Photo in the last edition was the Awakening Sculpture in Oxon Hill, Maryland. A similar setting is in Fort Washington, Maryland, George Graf of Palmyra, Va. tells us. The photo came from Cindy Evans of Duluth.
George A. Duffin of Cumming also wrote: “Having been born and raised in Washington, D.C, I am very familiar and fond of the statue called ‘The Awakening.’ The original location was Hains Point, an East Potomac Park and popular spot for locals at the time. Years ago, the park flooded and ‘The Awakening’ looked more like a man drowning. Thank you so much for sharing this little known treasure with Georgians.”
Also recognizing the photo was Andrew Phucas, Buford; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex. Peel writes; “The right arm and head of a large sculpture, is buried in the sand along the waterfront park in front of the Plaza Stage in Oxon Hill. Called ‘The Awakening,’ the complete structure is made up of 5-parts (a knee, an arm, a hand, a foot, and a head) which depicts a 100-foot-long statue of a giant awakening and struggling to raise himself out of the ground. Created by J. Seward Johnson in 1980, the artwork was originally installed at Hains Point in Washington, D.C. before being moved to its current location at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill.
“The sculpture depicted in the mystery photo is not the only casting that Johnson has created. A second casting of The Awakening was installed in 2009 in Chesterfield, Missouri and a third one was installed in 2014 at the Grounds for Sculpture, a museum, sculpture garden and arboretum in Hamilton, N.J.”
Pizza and Poetry will be Tuesday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hamilton Mill Library Branch, 3690 Braselton Highway, Dacula. Let pizza inspire you to be a poet! Join Professor Lee Brewer Jones to discover that poetry is for everyone and enjoy a free slice of pizza to celebrate National Poetry Month.
Weird Science and The Last Mastodon: Creative Nonfiction and Poetry Writing Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, April 9 at 11 a.m. at the Duluth Library Branch, 3180 Main Street, Duluth. Join creative writing Professor Christina Olson to learn specific strategies for incorporating scientific research and fact into poetry and creative nonfiction.
Snellville Commerce Club will meet on Tuesday, April 5 (today), at noon at City Hall. Speaker will be Jason DiFranco, director of development and community partnerships for the Gwinnett County Public Library. Reservations are required at $15 each for non-members. Eagles Landing will be catering lunch. To reserve a space, go to this link.
Meet the Author Series: meet Marlene Ratledge Buchanan at The Sheridan at Eastside, 1900 Tree Lane, Snellville on Thursday, April 7 at 11 a.m. Join us for a lighthearted conversation with the author. She’ll chat about one of her works—Life is Hard. Soften It with laughter—a book about finding the humor in the hard times, over refreshments and mirth. RSVP TO 678-801-9135
Norcross Neighborhood Cleanup and Recycling Day will be Saturday, April 9 from 8 a.m. to 3 p. m in downtown Norcross. Check out the recycling options available:
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- Single-Stream Recycling
- Glass Recycling
- Hard To Recycle Materials
- Scrap Metal Recycling
- Bulk Material Disposal
- Shredding Events
- Electronics Recycling
For more information recycling events and accepted materials, visit aplacetoimagine.com
Gwinnett Place Mall’s Reclaim Gwinnett Place Mall Block Party will be Saturday, April 9 from noon to 4 p.m. This is the final engagement opportunity for the mall’s equitable redevelopment strategies. During the block party, attendees will have an opportunity to share feedback about the strategies, learn what happens next, and celebrate a successful community-driven process. Its community partners will also offer programming and food for free. Cantonese, Korean, Spanish, Mandarin, and Vietnamese interpreters will be onsite. Register at GCGA.us/BlockParty.
Gwinnett Democratic Women will have a virtual Candidate Forum on Saturday, April 9 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. This will allow candidates to tell who they are, the positions they are running for, why they are running and where they stand on issues. Pre-registration is required. Day of the event registration is not available. Register for this forum at www.gwinnettdemocraticwomen.org/events/.
Georgia Public Broadcasting will show the film, A President in our Midst at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 10. This is a documentary on President Franklin D. Roosevelt while in Georgia.
Public meeting in Mountain Park with the Gwinnett Department of Water Resources. It will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 14 (sign in at 6:30 p.m.) at the Mountain Park Aquatic Center, 1063 Rockbridge Road in Mountain Park. Tyler Richards, director of the department, will speak about the responsibilities of the department, including how septic tanks might be upgraded to sewers in the area. John Butler will speak about residential septic systems, and how to maintain them.
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