By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MAY 10, 2022 | There’s an interesting development announced last week for one Gwinnettian.
Anthony Rodriguez of Duluth (above) is moving into a new position. The president and CEO of the Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville has been named the first executive director of “HUB404,” a nine acre urban park conception that would be built over Georgia Highway 400 in Buckhead. Meanwhile, the Aurora will continue to be led by Rodriguez’s life partner, Ann-Carol Pence, as the producing artistic director, while Katie Pekley will continue as managing director. Rodriguez will also remain a board member of Aurora.
Rodriguez will start work on June 1 in a transitional phase while still working at Aurora, then will go full-time with the Conservancy on August 1.
The initial task for Rodriguez will be to find funding for the anticipated $270 million project, which has been in the conceptual phase for years. The park would extend for a half mile over Georgia Highway 400 between Peachtree and Lenox roads, with a direct connection to the MARTA Buckhead station. Amenities include green spaces, plazas and an amphitheater in the increasingly residential area.
Rodriguez grew up in the Hampton Hall section of Brookhaven, and went to Marist for high school prior to graduating from the University of Georgia. He is a former chairman of the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce.
THE WAY GEORGIANS VOTE gives each citizen great latitude.
In Georgia, there is no political party registration. The state registers you, and then you may vote for any party primary you choose. Come the next election, you don’t have to vote for the party you voted in the previous primary. You have free range to vote in any party’s primary. Then in the General Election, you can vote for any candidate of any party in all races.
However, there is one limitation: if there is a primary runoff, you must vote in the same party primary as you did in the initial voting..
In some states, you must register by party, and can only vote for that party in a primary.
We like the Georgia approach. It allows the individual voter to determine which of the party’s primaries is most enticing for the voter.
Take this year: we have heard from several individuals that though they identify with Party A, that they will be voting for Party B this primary season. Why? We’ve heard two answers:
“I’ve been loyal to my party for years, but I think one particular candidate in the other party deserves my vote. So I’m switching in the primary for that candidate, but will mostly vote for my old party candidates in the General Election.”
We’ve also heard: “I’m not generally in that party, but there’s one candidate in that party I want to vote against.”
Those people are lucky to live in Georgia. They couldn’t have such voter freedom in many states.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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