GwinnettForum | Number 21.70 Sept. 20, 2022 
THIS COLORFUL BUTTERFLY PHOTOGRAPH is the work of Mary Beth Twining Overmeyer, formerly of Buford, who has moved to Durham, N.C. We’ll miss her being around Gwinnett. Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill got this photo from Mary Beth and submitted it to the Forum, of a butterfly on a Mexican sunflower in Mary Beth’s yard in Buford.
TODAY’S FOCUS: On Trump and secret documents: is he the Manchurian Candidate?
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Abortion will drive a change in the 2022 elections
ANOTHER VIEW: Some considerations about the Oxford comma
SPOTLIGHT: E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc.
FEEDBACK: Likes occasional obituaries of local residents in Forum
UPCOMING: Peachtree Corners homeowners get 15% reduction on flood insurance
NOTABLE: GGC again ranks as number one in ethnic diversity in nation
OBITUARIES: Fred A. Banks
RECOMMENDED: The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Atlanta College of Art becomes absorbed into SCAD
MYSTERY PHOTO: This group readying for a day on the water
LAGNIAPPE: Peach State FCU donates to Walker County schools
CALENDAR: School Superintendent Calvin Watts speaks on State of Schools Wednesday
On Trump and secret documents:
Is he the Manchurian candidate?
“The opinion was wrong…It’s deeply flawed.” — William Barr, Sept. 6, 2022
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | Former Attorney General William Barr stated the above regarding U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s recent decision to appoint a “special master” to screen the multitude of top-secret documents found at former President Trump’s residence at Mar-A Lago. It is no accident that Trump’s attorneys sought out a Trump-appointed judge, someone who decided to appoint a special master without ever having seen the confidential documents in question herself.
As attorney general, Barr was one of Trump’s most loyal servants. Remember, this is the same guy that wrote a long memo to the Department of Justice about Special Counsel Robert Mueller III, pushing that he restrict his investigation into then President Trump’s obstruction of justice , calling it “grossly irresponsible.” (Barr is also the gentleman who chose not to immediately release Mueller’s report, instead writing and releasing an inaccurate summary of Mueller’s words, clearly whitewashing Trump’s misdeeds.)
But even Trump loyalist Barr has had it with the former president’s more recent attacks on our democracy, like Trump continuing to push the “big lie” that the 2020 election was stolen, and his well-placed defenders like Judge Cannon. The same criticisms of Cannon’s decision have been stated by numerous legal scholars. It appears to the layman that U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision is a uniquely political one, giving Trump more rights than any other American.
Cannon’s rationale is strained, apparently agreeing with Trump attorneys’ unproven assertion that the “DOJ will impugn, leak, and publicize selective aspects of their investigation.” She stated that the Federal Bureau of Investigation could cause Trump “unquantifiable potential harm by way of improper disclosure of sensitive information to the public.”
Apparently, Judge Cannon is not very concerned with the fact that Trump took these documents from the Federal Government and that they contain top-secret materials such as a “foreign government’s military defenses, including its nuclear capabilities.”
There were many boxes of material removed (stolen?) from Washington by Trump. These boxes included folders that were clearly marked not just as confidential, but rather as top secret. They contained information on highly sensitive human intelligence sources, as well as intelligence gleaned from hacked foreign correspondence and satellite intel.
Richard Painter worked for the George W. Bush administration where he was the chief ethics officer. In a CNN interview (Sept. 7, 2022), he stated that based on clear violations of the Espionage Act and the severity of the security breaches- “Donald Trump ought to be taken into custody” and that anyone else would already have been in custody.
There was no reason for Trump to remove these items from Washington and bring them into an unsecure resort in Florida where he has his private residence. Numerous folders were marked “top secret” … but were found to be empty. Did Trump himself empty the contents, and if so, why?
Who did Trump give them to and were the recipients domestic or foreign? Trump has been amazingly friendly to foreign dictators like Putin. Is he the new Manchurian candidate?
Is there any question that if someone else took these documents about nuclear secrets from the White House, that they would not be immediately jailed?
Abortion will drive a change in the 2022 elections
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
SEPT. 20, 2022 | Have you detected a major shift in the national political world? If it proves as big as we think it is, there will be some blockbuster surprises come this fall’s election results.
Realizing what we thought was that shift, we have talked to people on both sides of the aisle, Democratic and Republican, those in office and those seeking office. Almost each person, man and woman, recognizes something has radically changed in this political cycle, though some think it will be less impactful than others.
It centers around abortion, and women of all races, in all sections of the country, and old and young, do not want career politicians dictating control of their bodies at either the state and national level.
The bombshell that came out of Kansas on the abortion question may continue throughout the country. Come election day, we see this being the overriding concern of women, and see them shifting to vote for candidates for Congress who can introduce measures to protect women’s rights. A shift of only 10 percent in those voting women for such measures can create a majority in the Congress to protect what these women feel is their God-given right.
In general, this bodes well for the Democrats. It appears to be the overriding issue for the midterm election.
There are other major questions that will be a factor in the fall elections:
Republicans must be troubled about whether they can hold their party together, since it is basically split between the Trumpers, and those who feel allegiance to the party, but are troubled by the continued antics of Donald Trump. While in overly-conservative states, the GOP will no doubt win; there should be a number of former stalwart Republican women who will either not vote Republican, or even stay away from the polls. The upshot will be a weaker Republican turnout.
Remember, in 2020, the Democrats for president outpolled Republicans by seven million votes. More women voting their conscience over abortion should raise the impact for Democrats.
Meanwhile, Democrats find themselves not so split, and ought to do better in the midterm elections, especially gaining support from women who have previously not voted, and from ladies voting Democratic for the first time.
Here in Georgia, more women going to the polls with the abortion question uppermost may give a little more lift to Stacey Abrams. She came close to upsetting Brian Kemp in 2020. This slight shift might hurt Kemp. Though Kemp is slightly ahead in most polls, you wonder if the pollsters can detect that female impact on abortion.
If what we suspect is right, abortion will also affect the Senate race between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker. Can you see a majority of females voting for a guy, Walker, who put a pistol to the head of his wife, fathered several children out of wedlock, and finds it difficult to put together lucid thoughts? We suspect most ladies can see through such fog.
When Roe v Wade happened 50 years ago, women at that time did not have the center of the stage as they have now. They have since been led by such luminaries as Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Toni Morrison, Jane Fonda, Yoko Ono, Madonna, Alice Walker, Hillary Clinton and others. Now these and other feminists have led the way to a new way of thinking, and power. And the Court overturning Roe v Wade is their hot topic. We’ll see its effect in the election in less than two months.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Some considerations about the Oxford comma
(Editor’s note: every item in GwinnettForum need not be on a heavy, major topic. This writer explores a lighter topic, the common comma, for you to give it some thought.—eeb)
By Raleigh Perry
BUFORD, Ga. | With obviously anything else to do except complete many unfilled positions for doctors and nurses and fix dilapidated hospitals and other things, the new head of Britain’s Health Agency wants its staff to stop using the Oxford comma. She said that there are just too many commas.
Perry
The Oxford comma, sometimes called the serial comma, looks like this: a, b, and c. The other style would look like this: a, b and c. Neither style is more correct than the other, it is a matter of personal choice in most cases. You can certainly use either way if you want and I have seen a myriad of articles that have both styles in use.
And: leave comma in big….
Very often, in a publication’s “style manual,” the type of spelling of a word, like “thru street” for “through street,” is used just to tighten the space. Often the proper use of a system of commas is designated. A comma is supposed to signify a short pause in a sentence or separates things in a list of items, like a, b, and c. A period at the end of a sentence is a full stop. There are many other tools that will change the way that you read something. For instance, there is the semi-colon (;), the colon (:) the hyphen and a few others.
A professor in a writing class may state the style that he desires, whereas a professor in another class might not care at all. In reality, it makes no difference and does not change the meaning of a sentence at all.
If you are into writing, before you start you should get a few style manuals or text books on style. A very popular one, indeed, is The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. This book continues to be popular, and has been through many different editions. I have that book, but I also have the Chicago Manual of Style, published by the University of Chicago Press. There are many of these books and none of them are wrong, but they might say different things on the same subject.
Strunk was a University of Cincinnati graduate, with a doctoral degree from Cornell. He wrote his book to help his Cornell students rise above mismatched tenses, misplaced commas and mind-numbing wordiness.
Strunk started The Elements of Style in 1918 with a 43 page book, but by 1958, when E. B.
White took over a rewrite for the fourth edition, it now has 105 pages. White graduated from Cornell and worked as a reporter and freelance writer before joining The New Yorker magazine as a writer and contributing editor.
The Chicago Manual of Style, which is used for a lot of master’s theses and doctoral dissertations, has over 1,100 pages.
My advice to a writer would simply be consistent. Inconsistency can drive an editor up a wall. (Well, some of them need to be driven up a wall.)
Frankly, I like the Oxford comma.
When you are ready to write, just sit down and write, using common sense. Try to make sense with punctuation. Then at least remember a more serious admonition: use the paragraph often. But that’s another subject.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc.
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s sponsor is E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc. of Snellville. Founded in the 1920s, E. R. Snell was built on Christian beliefs with honesty and integrity leading the way. The fifth generation of the Snell family continues to run the company. Specializing in roads and bridges, its goal is to build a safe and modern highway system while preserving our natural environment. Through quality production and high safety standards, it strives to be the best contractor possible, while continuing to be a positive influence on its employees and the community.
- Visit online at www.ersnell.com.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Likes occasional obituaries of local residents in Forum
Editor, the Forum
Thank you for including in GwinnettForum the obituaries of some of the local folks, who otherwise would not be known to those of us who live here and don’t know them personally. They have made such an impact on our county without us even knowing. After reading all their accomplishments and their life journeys, they make me want to be a better person and explore the roads they have taken, even if it’s only by way of the computer.
– Sara Rawlins, Lawrenceville
Suggests comeback at governors of Florida and Texas
Editor, the Forum:
My suggestion is that the governors of the liberal states grant pardons to everyone in their state prisons and county jail, with the obligation of the prisoners to take a bus, at the state’s expense, and move to Texas and Florida which, it seems, wants to play hard ball. That would be some retribution
– Raleigh Perry, Buford
What? Georgia Realtors had annual meeting in Tennessee?
Editor, the Forum:
Is there something amiss when the GEORGIA Association of Realtors meets in NASHVILLE, Tenn? It seems more like me working for Jim Ellis Volkswagen and driving a Nissan.
– Howard Hoffman, Berkeley Lake
Dear Howard: Many state associations look for meeting places outside their state borders. I must admit that the Georgia Press Association met at Hilton Head, S.C. the year I became president. At least you must give such associations credit that they allow their members to widen their scope. —eeb
Interview with late Queen’s Royal Protection Officer
Editor, the Forum:
This interview with Richard (Dick) Griffin was recently seen on NBC and reveals The Queen’s often mischievous sense of humor. Griffin was a Royal Protection Officer who often spent time with the late queen.
Queen Elizabeth loved her home, Balmoral, in the Scottish Highlands and sometimes came there for just a weekend. She also loved picnics and it was not unusual for her to take a picnic accompanied by only a Royal Protection Officer. In this instance she was accompanied by Mr. Griffin.
They were in the hills near Balmoral when they looked up and a couple of Americans appeared who were on a walking holiday. They did not recognize the Queen. After describing all the places they had visited, they asked the Queen where she lived. She answered: “London, but I have a holiday home just over the hill.”
They asked how long she had been coming to this area. She answered: “I have been coming here ever since I was a little girl for over 80 years.” They asked: “Have you ever met the Queen?” She answered: “No, but Dick here sees her quite regularly.”
They asked Griffin what she was like. He, knowing he could pull the Queen’s leg, answered: “She can be quite cantankerous, but she has a wonderful sense of humor.”
Before Griffin could react, one of the Americans pulled out a camera, stood next to him and gave the Queen the camera and asked her to take their picture with him. She did so and then he said he would take a picture of them with her. He did so and then they went on their way.
The Queen then said to Griffin: “I’d love to be a fly on the wall when they show those pictures to their friends. I wonder if anyone will recognize me.”
– John Titus, Peachtree Corners
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.
P. Corners homeowners get 15% cut on flood insurance
Residents of the City of Peachtree Corners will soon get a savings on their flood insurance.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that the city’s Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) has increased to a Class 7 rating, down from a Class 8 rating. That means that residents will see a 15 percent discount on their flood insurance premiums.
In CRS communities, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community’s efforts that address the three goals of the program:
- Reduce and avoid flood damage to insurable property;
- Strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program; and
- Foster comprehensive floodplain management.
Police Advisory Board, high school students, meet tonight
Gwinnett high school students can make their opinion count during a town hall on public safety at Grace Church in Snellville. The Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board will hold a town hall meeting tonight (Tuesday, September 20) at 6 p.m. at Grace church in Snellville at 1400 Dogwood Road.
The event will feature a Q&A session with Gwinnett County Police Chief J.D. McClure and advisory board members. Attendees will also have an opportunity to see SWAT armored vehicles, helicopters and police cruisers up close and personal.
County commissioners established the advisory board last year, since then the group has provided recommendations on how to recruit and retain qualified officers, including the purchase of load-bearing vests, loan forgiveness, competitive salaries and retirement packages. For more information visit GwinnettCounty.com/PCAB.
Extending Special Purpose sales tax on November ballot
In August, the Gwinnett Board of County Commissioners voted to place the one-cent special purpose local option sales tax, known as SPLOST, on the November ballot. During the General Election this November, voters will decide on the renewal of the program. If approved, the 2023 SPLOST program could raise $1.35 billion over the next six years that would go directly towards funding transportation projects, public safety facilities and equipment, senior services facilities, and other infrastructure.
GGC again ranks #1 in ethnic diversity in nation
For the ninth straight year, Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) has been ranked as the most ethnically diverse Southern regional college, according to the 2023 U.S. News & World Report (USN&WR) magazine college and university rankings, released today. The same report indicated that GGC ranks Number One in ethnic diversity among public regional colleges in the nation.
The ranking was based on data reported from the college’s fall 2021 semester. The ethnic composition of GGC’s student body was 32 percent Black/African American, 26 percent White, 26 percent Hispanic, 11 percent Asian, and four percent multi-ethnic and less than one percent each for Native American, Pacific Islander and unknown. While three-quarters of students came from Gwinnett County in the fall of 2021, others came from 35 U.S. states and 112 countries.
Now retired, former educator plans to serve in the ministry
Monica Batiste of Duluth retired from Gwinnett County Public Schools after serving 32 years as an educator. She cites her career as an educator as fulfilling and rewarding. “I have enjoyed the years of service to the students, parents, and the community.”
Batiste
Now in her retirement, she turns to another area: serving people in the ministry.
She says: “My ultimate goal is to serve the community through ministry. I am an ordained minister. I planned on attending Bible School next month. In the past I have served as a minister, biblical counselor, and member of the intercessory prayer team. While I have a number of interests in the area of ministry, I am excited about the opportunity to continue my studies while developing new skills and opportunities to serve.
“The pandemic has increased my desire to support others through ministry. In addition to providing ministry support in Gwinnett and Georgia. I plan on supporting the community where I grew up in the same way. I plan on attending Bible School at World Changers Church International in College Park.”
She was born and grew up in Church Point, La. She has never been married. She plans on spending her time between Church Point and Duluth. Her first teaching assignment was in Port Arthur, Tex., teaching second and fourth grades for six years at an elementary school. In 1996 she moved to Georgia to teach fourth-grade at Rockbridge Elementary School, through April 2003.
In April 2003, she was named assistant principal at Hopkins Elementary for three years. While at Hopkins Elementary she graduated from Gwinnett County Public Schools Quality-Plus Leader Academy, Aspiring Principal Program in 2007.
In 2007 she was named the principal of Alford Elementary. She served as principal at Alford Elementary through 2010. In 2010 she accepted a district-wide administration assignment as the director of School Staffing. She also served as the Director of Equity and Compliance from 2011 until 2013.
In 2019 she was named Executive director of School Staffing. In October 2020, she was named Associate Superintendent of Human Resources and Talent Management.
In addition to supporting schools as a Gwinnett County leader, Monica has also served as an adjunct professor at a few universities. Monica has taught at the University of the Cumberlands, Thomas University, and Clark Atlanta University.
Monica earned her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and her master’s degree in Administration and Supervised from McNeese State University. She also holds an Educational Specialist’s degree in middle grades math and science from Brenau University and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Mercer University.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Fred A. Banks
The Honorable Fred A. Banks, 86, of Hoschton, passed away on September 15, 2022. He was preceded in death by parents, Rev. Odell and Mae Tullis Banks; sister, Joyce Banks Greenway and her husband, John Greenway; nephew, Steve Beard; brother, Rev. Cedric Banks and wife, Dot Hawkins Banks; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Melvin and Leila Sloan Burel; brother-in-law, Cline Stancel. Mr. Banks is survived by his wife of 68 years, Barbara Burel Banks of Hoschton; daughter and son-in-law, Renee Banks and Skip Seawell of Hoschton; son, Scott Banks of Conroe, TX; grandchildren, Ryan Seawell, Austin Seawell, Carson Seawell, Jessica Seawell; sister, Lucy Banks Stancel of Dacula; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Mr. Banks was born on March 20, 1936 in Auburn. He attended the old Harmony School in Buford and graduated in 1954 from Sugar Hill High School.
Mr. Banks was a veteran of the U. S. Army, having served two years as a classified courier for the Department of Defense to the White House and the Senate in Washington, D.C. Mr. Banks retired as president of Gwinnett County Fair Association serving more than 35 years. He was a past member of the Gwinnett County Planning and Zoning Board. He was the youngest warden ever appointed by the State of Georgia and commissioned the first chapel at the Gwinnett County Prison for inmates to worship. He was a member of the Peace Officers’ Association. After serving in the military, he worked as a deputy sheriff for Gwinnett County and later as an investigator for the District Attorney’s office under Judge Reid Merritt. He was a retired state supervisor and regional director for the Georgia Department of Corrections. He served on the Hi Hope Board in Lawrenceville.
Mr. Banks was a member and a deacon of Duncan Creek Congregational Church in Buford. A hobby of his was going to cattle sales each week in Carnesville and working on his farm. After retirement, he also was a licensed auctioneer. Mr. Banks was a devoted husband, daddy, and papa to his family and will be greatly missed by all.
A funeral service was held on September 19, 2022 in the chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home with Bobby Whitworth speaking and Rev. Danny Newbern officiating. Interment was with Masonic gravesite rites at Duncan Creek Congregational Church Cemetery.
- To express condolences, sign the online guest book at www.flaniganfuneralhome.com. Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford.
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks
From Susan J. Harris, Stone Mountain: This a compelling scientific/psychological work about the mysteries of the brain and the mind. The tales uncover his work with people of different ages and genders all of whom have uneasily explained mental eccentricities. The chapter headings describe the following perceptional aberrations: Losses, which include visual and auditory agnosias. Excesses, which result in a super abundance of function or manias and syndromes like Tourette’s. Transports: or those with physiological abnormalities which take them out of their own interior world into unknown territory, due to epilepsy or lesions in the brain. The World of the Simple; is the fourth topic that covers people who were called the “retardates”. An example would be a person who could draw perfectly but was unable to speak at all and a low IQ. The stories, illustrations and analyses are fascinating and call to mind what a beautiful mystery lives within each human being. The full title is The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales.
- 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
Atlanta College of Art becomes absorbed into SCAD
The Atlanta College of Art (ACA), founded in 1905, was a four-year accredited private art college in the city until 2006, when it was absorbed by the Atlanta campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). ACA was located in the Woodruff Arts Center, a multiuse art complex composed of the High Museum of Art, the Alliance Theater, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in Midtown Atlanta.
In 1905 an art school and museum, later to become the Atlanta College of Art and the High Museum of Art, were formed as an outgrowth of the Atlanta Art Association. Ben Shute, a young alumnus of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, came to teach at ACA in 1928. The art school was accredited in 1949 and incorporated into the Woodruff Arts Center in 1963.
Notable graduates include Radcliffe Bailey (mixed media), Maia Kayser (computer animator), Lynn Marshall-Linnemeier (photography/painting), Maurice Novembre (animator), and Kara Walker (mixed media). ARTicles, an annual journal published by the college, focused on alumni news as well as general information about the college and its exhibitions. The ACA library’s holdings included more than 25,000 books, 180 periodicals, and 90,000 slides, as well as a rare books collection and an artists’ book collection.
Campus facilities included a library, electronic media center, studio and classroom spaces, photography darkrooms, two exhibition spaces, a student exhibition space, and the ACA Gallery, as well as dormitory housing and a store supplying textbooks, art supplies, and computer equipment. The ACA Gallery, located in the Woodruff Arts Center, continues to be open to the public at no charge; ongoing shows rotate between faculty and student, and international, national, regional, and local artists. Nationally acclaimed artists who have exhibited at the ACA Gallery include Layla Ali and Whang Inkie.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree was offered in 12 specialized disciplines, including communication design, drawing, electronic arts, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Student activities included internships, volunteer opportunities, clubs, and student government. In fall 2003 there were more than 350 full-time students and more than 75 faculty.
Atlanta College of Art, with the support of the Fulton County Arts Council, the Georgia Council for the Arts, and the city of Atlanta’s Office of Cultural Affairs, also administered and housed the Georgia Artists Registry, a collection of images and information about six hundred Georgia artists. Membership in the Georgia Artists Registry, administered today by SCAD, is free, and acceptance is based upon slide review.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
This group readying for a day on the water
You can’t ask for a better sport than paddling. Here’s a group preparing for a trip on the water. See if you can determine where this photograph was made. Send your answer to elliott@brack.net, and be sure to include your hometown.
Perhaps it’s because so many people have been there, for there were many correct answers(14) to the last Mystery Photo. It was of Grand Central Station in New York City, a photo from Thomas McBrayer of Raleigh, N.C.
Don’t know how it happened, but note four right answers from people who haven’t answered before from the New York area.
Among those submitting the correct answer were Jim Savadelis, Duluth; Stew Ogilvie, Lawrenceville: “Grand Central Terminal, NYC. I worked in Manhattan and commuted for 11 years to Long Island. Metro ‘North MTA’ was another clue.” And also Hilary Harris, Millbrook, N.Y.; Mark Smith, Eatonton; Troy Ellen Dixon, Kingston, N.Y.; Howard Hoffman, Berkeley Lake; Bob Foreman, Grayson; Tammy Schmidt, Beekman, N.Y.; Ann Serrie, Lawrenceville; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Faye Hill, Lawrenceville; Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex.; Virginia Klaer of Duluth; Megan Shave, Hyde Park, N.Y.: “I could tell you that my mother got a star from a general in the middle of Grand Central when she was meeting her father in 1944. I could tell you I’ve traveled there more times than I can count for going to the city from Hyde Park on the Metro-North line for shows, shopping and meeting friends in New York City.”
Finally, this from Sara Rawlins of Lawrenceville: “The clock was the giveaway. It’s located central in the vast building where information is provided about incoming and outgoing trains. The original Depot was built in 1871. Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt upgraded the Terminal for the modern age. Two architect companies were brought in to redesign and update the place. They found a Parisian Artist, Sylvain Salieres to craft the ornamental details that can still be seen today. There are carved acorns throughout the designs, which are symbols of the Vanderbilt family.
“Come the 1950s the Grand Central Station was almost lost due to airplane and car travel. Traveling by train lost its luster. Also as the years rolled on, the place was beginning to show its age and there were some who wanted to tear it down. But thanks to the Landmark Preservation, the place was saved. This grand old building, like a lot of other old relics, escaped from being torn down by people who saw its value for our country’s history. The old and new can coexist with each other.”
Peach State FCU donates $20,000 to Walker Co. schools
Peach State Federal Credit Union C.A.R.E.S. Foundation recently announced a $20,000 pledge to the Walker County school system on behalf of their 60th anniversary, honoring their roots in education. The pledge will be fulfilled over five years and will assist Walker County School students with access to higher education. Damon Raines, Walker County Schools superintendent, says: “The Walker County School System appreciates the partnership with Peach State Federal Credit Union and their willingness to support our mission and vision. We are grateful for their recent donation to provide scholarships for graduating seniors at both LaFayette and Ridgeland High Schools. This investment in our students will have a positive impact on our collective community now and into the future.” From left are Elijah Parker, Peach State Business and Development department, and Damon Raines.
Attend the 68th annual Gwinnett County Fair, which continues until Sept. 25 at the Gwinnett Fairgrounds, 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville. (2022 Fair photo by Frank Sharp.)
The State of Gwinnett Schools will be the subject of a presentation by Gwinnett Supt. Dr. Calvin J. Watts on September 21 at 11:30 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Norcross, at the intersection of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Holcomb Bridge Road. It will be presented by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. To register, visit GwinnettChamber.org/events.
Join professional healthcare providers to assess your fall risk factors and learn ways to improve your strength and balance. This will be Thursday, September 22 from 1:30 until 3 p.m. at the Collins Hill Library. Celebrate the first day of fall and learn how to protect yourself from falls. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in older Americans. However, falls are not an inevitable part of aging. In partnership with Northside Hospital, professional healthcare providers will offer a one-on-one evaluation of your fall risk. This is free and open to the public.
Authors and Dessert in Duluth on September 22 at 7 p.m. at the Duluth Public Library. Join in conversation with Authors Michael Gagnon and Matt Hild of the book: Gwinnett County, Georgia, and the Transformation of the American South, 1818-2018. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Put on your calendar: The 43rd Annual Elisha Winn Fair will be Saturday and Sunday, October 1-2, at the Elisha Winn House, Gwinnett’s birthplace, at 908 Dacula Road in Dacula. Enjoy a living history exhibit, good food, craft vendors, music, blacksmithing, weaving, spinning and military enactors. The fair is sponsored by the Gwinnett Historical Society.
“We are family” is the title of the 2022 black-tie optional Rainbow Village benefit gala, to be held Saturday, October 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Atlanta Athletic Club. The event will include reception and dinner, silent and live auctions and raffle to win a week for four in Tuscany, Italy. Tickets can be purchased online through the Rainbow Village website at www.RainbowVillage.org.
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