GwinnettForum | Number 21.84 | Nov. 8, 2022
COMING DEC. 17, graves of veterans at the East Shadowlawn Cemetery in Lawrenceville will be decked with wreaths by the Philadelphia Winn chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. For more details and how you can help with this ceremony, see Upcoming below.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Georgia’s disastrous Medicaid waiver may be Brian Kemp’s legacy
EEB PERSPECTIVE: More townhomes and condos, not apartments, will benefit Gwinnett
SPOTLIGHT: Walton Gas
FEEDBACK: It may sound utopian, but the election is over; lose well
UPCOMING: Time to order wreaths for annual DAR presentation
NOTABLE: With ancestors as teachers, she continues in a family tradition
OBITUARIES: James Edward Ellis
RECOMMENDED: The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Cold Sassy Tree is turn-of-century novel by Olive Ann Burns
MYSTERY PHOTO: Where is this big building with the highly-polished floor?
CALENDAR: Preview day at Georgia Gwinnett College is November 12
Georgia’s disastrous Medicaid waiver may be Kemp’s legacy
“Despite the left’s efforts to claw back good policy for partisan politics……the judiciary ruled the Biden administration erred in striking down our innovative healthcare waiver.”– Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | Our governor, Brian Kemp, is playing culture war politics to the detriment of the residents of Georgia—which has the third most uninsured of any state, 1.4 million people, nearly 14 percent of all residents.
Georgia’s most recent attempt to skirt the law will just hurt lower income Georgians, both black and white. It also harms, as well, Georgia’s middle-class taxpayers, in that we are permitting blue states like New York and California to take Georgia’s contribution to federal tax dollars and use them to fund Medicaid expansion programs in those and other states. With this effort, Georgians are losing $3 billion annually, according to the Georgia Planning and Budget Institute.
A national Medicaid expansion law was passed under President Obama to reduce the nation’s rate of uninsured, the highest of any democracy. There was no provision requiring that recipients work to receive benefits.
President Trump undercut the Medicaid expansion law, not regarding the negative impact on the poor. His administration approved “waivers” contrary to the letter and spirit of the law, including Georgia’s waiver.
President Biden corrected this Medicaid waiver travesty in December 2021, rejecting the waiver. But a Republican-appointed judge has overruled the Biden administration stating that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had not thought through the ramifications of their decision.
Kemp
There are about two million Georgians, almost all children, elderly or disabled, who currently receive Medicaid benefits. If Georgia simply took the Federal funds to fully expand Medicaid (90 percent Federal funds), another 560,000 would be fully covered under Medicaid.
Instead, Governor Kemp states that 50,000 will be added under his waiver. However, because of the new work requirement for getting this service, many existing beneficiaries may lose coverage. Given the experience of Arkansas, which installed a similar program, the likelihood is that Kemp’s waiver will result in fewer people covered, rather than more.
It’s unfortunate, and somewhat destructively strained, that the Kemp administration has decided to take this counterproductive route. This action will cost the state 56,000 jobs and $6.5 billion in economic output.
Not only that, but both rural and urban hospitals continue to close around our state. Actions by the Kemp Administration like this only add to the problems of all hospitals. It lies entirely at the feet of Brian Kemp that he wants to play culture war politics to get re-elected, putting personal gain before the good of his constituents.
Unfortunately for Kemp, that may be the negative legacy that he will most regret when he leaves office. Meanwhile, Georgians continue to suffer from these short-sighted and purely political pronouncements.
Townhomes, condos — not apartments — will benefit Gwinnett
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
NOV. 8, 2022 | Increasingly, it is obvious that Gwinnett city and county elected officials and zoning board members need to make sure they cross their T’s and dot the I’s by being more responsible in one area. For they are mightily influencing the quality of life in Gwinnett by many recent decisions that could turn against them.
They are approving too many apartment projects. Should these governmental units take one small step that they have not done so far, it would greatly improve all our lives in the county.
What should they do? They should approve fewer apartment units, and instead insist to the developers they will quickly approve more multi-family units as townhouses and condominiums. While townhouses and condos have some drawbacks, they would be far better for the county than the many apartment dwellings that are flooding the county.
Why are townhouses and condos better? They are owner-occupied units, which results in better long range upkeep. Apartments often see occupants come and go, and eventually, they get shabbier, and can turn into tomorrow’s slums.
How does this take place? Apartment developers zoom in, often from other parts of the country, and erect these buildings with great efficiency, though not always using the best materials. Meanwhile, the units attract renters to this area, flooding the county’s excellent infrastructure (roads, schools, hospitals). But the developer is essentially only the construction person, who doesn’t want to be the manager of the apartments.
The upshot is that the developer soon sells to a management company, who fills the unit with tenants, and seeks to manage it at the least cost. This new owner of the units sees it increase in value as it fills with tenants, so ipso facto, they quickly take their profits and then sell (at a higher price) to another management company. Over the years, this cycle continues, and meanwhile, the so-called “high quality” units become no longer fashionable and spiffy, get only extended maintenance, do not flourish, and become slipshod.
You can see deterioration in units after units. Many times you know this is happening as the apartments get a new name, often to try to nullify the bad name of the apartments because of a recent shooting or other incident there.
Now let’s look at the condo or townhouse development. Since people must “buy” these units, they tend to take better care of “their property,” since they have skin in the game. They are the owners, and there is less come-and-go of new residents compared to an apartment complex. Over the long run, the complex continues to look good and increases in value, which benefits the owner-occupants.
There is one drawback: condos and townhomes have homeowner fees. These can be high fees to maintain the common property, if those elected to these boards are people with few business skills. Such boards can be poorly run, and result in bad management. The housing owners must insist that such boards are openly, democratically and professionally run.
In a nutshell, the reason that single-family homeowners tend to be opposed to a high density of multi-family housing is because they are more commonly apartments, which tend to degenerate. If our elected officials recognize that a plethora of apartments signal that the community will degrade the area in the long run, and instead vote to approve far more condos and townhomes, we’ll see a better Gwinnett.
Do your homework, elected officials! The key is in the details. Dot your I’s and cross your T’s by being more responsible by approving far more condos and townhomes in Gwinnett’s future.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Walton Gas
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Walton Gas is a local natural gas provider that serves homes and businesses all across Gwinnett – and the greater Atlanta area! With an office in Gwinnett, they have a rich history of investing in this community – from civic and business groups to non-profits organizations and scholarships/grants for school students and classrooms. They have received the highest customer satisfaction ratings among all of Georgia’s competitive natural gas providers. To learn more about their outstanding value and service, call 770-427-4328 or, visit:www.waltongas.com/gwinnett.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here
It may sound utopian, but the election is over; lose well
Editor, the Forum:
Sports and politics are similar with high levels of passion for the side each of us support. But after the sport of the contest, when the game is over, the feelings should left there.
It should be the same with politics. Once the results are determined, we should move forward with our lives. I have been involved in winning and losing campaigns and never considered the need for medication or counseling. There will be another contest. In fact, the next one begins that very day. We seem to be in perpetual campaigns these days.
The miracle of this American experiment is that we have changed leadership continuously without warfare. Hyperbole will label the reactions of each side through our history, but the United States have remained together and have done well. Democracy remains the best choice, because in its corrupted form, it is the least destructive. Plato and Machiavelli told us that and history has proven them right. So, look to the next time. Put on a smile and get along with your neighbors. Lose well.
– Byron Gilbert, Duluth
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.
Time to order wreaths for annual DAR presentation
The fourth Annual Wreaths Across America Ceremony, hosted by the Philadelphia Winn Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, is scheduled for Saturday, December 17 at noon. It will be held at East Shadowlawn Memorial Gardens, 87 Scenic Highway, Lawrenceville. This is a rain-or-shine event.
To participate in the wreath-laying ceremony for a fallen veteran, you may sponsor a wreath for $15 each using this link: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/ga0265p. You may also send a check, payable to Philadelphia Winn Chapter NSDAR, to Kathy Schmidt, Chapter Treasurer, 886 Marbrook Drive, Lawrenceville, Ga. 30044.
The deadline to sponsor a wreath for the 2022 ceremony is November 29. The Wreaths Across America organization takes great pride in its mission to remember fallen U.S. Veterans, honor those who serve, and teach children the value of freedom.
- For questions or additional information, you may contact Lynn Jacques, Regent, Philadelphia Winn Chapter, at 678-332-9852 or LynnJacques55@gmail.com.
“Norcross Squares” exhibition returns to local gallery
The annual “Norcross Squares” has returned to Norcross Gallery and Studios. It is their annual fundraiser exhibit, featuring 140 pieces of art square in shape, including paintings, ceramics and a handcrafted console table hand painted in decorative squares.
“Parlor” by Anne Labaire
The Gallery invites the public to support the arts in the community, see many new art works at amazing prices, purchase one-of-a-kind gifts for the holidays and participate in a silent auction for the paintings that you want.
This art exhibition and silent auction seeks to raise $10,000 for their 2023 outreach programs, which include an art show of work by high school students, a summer program for teens, and a citywide photography contest. The show and silent auction run through Saturday, December 3, when bidding closes at 2 pm.
Norcross Gallery and Studios is a growing art destination in Norcross, providing classes, workshops and opportunities for artists to participate in open studio sessions. New exhibitions open every 6-8 weeks with receptions. In addition to the light, spacious galleries, the location has studios for eight working artists on the premises.
It is located at 116 Carlyle Street in historic downtown Norcross on South Peachtree Street. Hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment at ngstudios116@gmail.com.
With ancestors as teachers, she continues family tradition
Latanya Hammonds-Odie knew from an early age that she would impact others. It was a family tradition. “I’m a third-generation college graduate. Sometimes I joke that I had to get a Ph.D. because that’s the only way I could have done better than my parents and grandmothers,” says Hammonds-Odie, a professor of biology at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC).
Hammonds-Odie
Hammonds-Odie grew up in the Chicago area. Her father was a minister and her mother worked for the Chicago Housing Authority and in public aid. Not only did her mother have a master’s degree in social work, but both of her grandmothers earned college degrees and were teachers. One had two master’s degrees.
“I had a lot of strong, black female role models,” says Hammonds-Odie. “I know I was fortunate. Very few of my students have that.”
At seven, she wanted to be a pediatrician, though she didn’t know what pediatricians did. She just knew she wanted to do something in science.
“When I went to college, it didn’t take long to realize I didn’t want to go into medicine. That’s what led me to major in biochemistry.”
Hammonds-Odie earned a biochemistry degree at Spelman College. From there, she earned a master’s in pharmacology and a doctorate in cell biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She joined the GGC faculty in 2009.
Since then, Hammonds-Odie has made it her mission to show GGC students – particularly the disadvantaged and those in groups historically excluded from science – the joys and challenges of science. “What drew me to GGC was the diversity of its student population, and its access mission and small class sizes,” she says.
“I teach a general biology course on HIV and AIDS to non-science majors, since Atlanta is a hot spot for AIDS, and these kids know nothing about it,” she adds. “I try to encourage scientific literacy, information literacy and critical thinking about ethical and scientific matters. I hope to lower perceived barriers because many students had experiences in high school that turned them off on science.”
Hammonds-Odie was recently named a “Fellow” of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB). Its mission includes advancing scientific discovery, advocating sound research policies, improving education, promoting professional development, and increasing diversity in the scientific workforce.
Through the ASCB, Hammonds-Odie also helps underrepresented postdoctoral scientists and faculty for minority-serving institutions as a director for the Faculty Research Education Development program, a year-long program pairing postdocs and faculty with more experienced scientists, who mentor the postdocs and faculty on grant applications.
It’s easy to believe Hammonds-Odie’s parents and grandmothers would be proud of all the young people she’s helped as a teacher, mentor and ASCB member. “I try to make a difference by giving people a little guidance like I got along the way,” she maintains. “If I can serve as an example and help young people find the right path, then I’m continuing a proud legacy, and there’s nothing more fulfilling than that.”
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
James Edward Ellis
James “Jimmy” Edward Ellis, 67, of Suwanee, peacefully entered into the presence of his Lord on November 5, 2022 at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital, surrounded by his loving family.
Ellis
Funeral services for Jimmy will be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at Johns Creek Baptist Church at 11 a.m. with Dr. Shaun King officiating. Burial will follow at Peachtree Memorial Park, Peachtree Corners,. The family will gather with friends on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 from 2 until 4 p.m. and from 6 until 8 p.m. in the Peachtree Corners Chapel of Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes and Crematory.
Jimmy was born August 26, 1955, in Atlanta to his beloved parents, James Wesley Ellis Jr. and Billie Jean Sammons Ellis.
Jimmy was of the Christian faith. In 1971 while Jimmy was still in high school at Southwest Dekalb, Jimmy began working after school in the service shop cleaning, moving vehicles and performing light mechanical work. After graduation, Jimmy worked full time as a technician and began the career path that took him through most of the auto dealership departments. At the age of 28, he became general manager of a newly acquired Porsche-Audi Dealership in Tucker. In the early 90’s he became the operating officer of the dealership group. In 2015, Jimmy became the president and CEO of Jim Ellis Automotive Group. The group consists of 20 dealerships, comprised of 17 brands, and a Collision Center. The brands represented are: Porsche, Audi, Mazda, Maserati, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Cadillac, Ford, Genesis, Kia, Mercedes and Toyota.
Jimmy had many hobbies such as boating, fishing, golfing, exercising and driving fast cars. He enjoyed watching his beloved Falcons and Yellow Jackets. Times dearest to Jimmy were spent at his second home in Charleston, Anchoring Oaks, where he cherished many memories with his wife, children and grandchildren.
Jimmy was preceded in death by his brother, William Gregory Ellis. In addition to his parents, James Wesley Ellis Jr. and Billie Jean Sammons Ellis, Jimmy is survived by the love of his life of 48 years, Glynnell Ellis; daughter, Stacey Ellis Hodges and husband Gregory; son, James Wesley Ellis III and wife Monica; cherished grandchildren, Ellen Grace Hodges, Andrew Davis Hodges, Asher Jacob Ellis, James Ryland Ellis, Camden Grant Ellis; sisters, Karen Ellis Black, Kristi Ellis Cohron; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Bobby and Marie Bankston; nieces, Brooke Ellis Gatlin and husband James, Tara Keltner and husband Jason, Sheyanne Navarro and husband Scott, Caroline Cohron and Taylor Elizabeth Cohron; nephew, Trey Ellis Cohron; great-niece, Ivie Ellis Gatlin and great-nephew, Tyler Gregory Gatlin; nieces and nephews, Jason and Meredith Bankston, and Daren and Shelley Knarich; great-nieces and great-nephews, Eden Bankston, Elijah Bankston, Easton Bankston and Collin Knarich; as well as a host of extended family and such dear and close friends.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions be made to Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center – Medical Office Building at Scottish Rite Hospital.
Arrangements were by Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes and Crematory, Peachtree Corners.
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; where people 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
Cold Sassy Tree is turn-of-century novel by Olive Ann Burns
Olive Ann Burns was a professional writer, journalist, and columnist for most of her life. She published two novels, one posthumously, and for many years was a staff writer for Atlanta newspapers and the Atlanta Journal Magazine. Her most notable achievement was Cold Sassy Tree, a novel that describes rural southern life and a young boy’s coming-of-age at the turn of the century.
Olive Ann Burns was born in Banks County on July 17, 1924, to Ruby Celestia Hight and William Arnold Burns. The youngest of four children, she grew up during the 1930s in her father’s hometown of Commerce and attended high school in Macon. She then continued her education for two years at Mercer University in Macon, before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Shortly after graduating with a journalism degree in 1946, she was hired as a staff writer for the Atlanta Journal and Constitution Magazine .
Burns wrote for the magazine for ten years. During that time she became acquainted with fellow journalist Andrew Sparks, and the two married in 1956. They had a daughter in 1957 and a son in 1960. Burns continued working as a freelance writer, serving as advice columnist “Amy Larkin” for the Atlanta Journal Magazine and the Atlanta Constitution until 1967.
Burns once stated, “Being a journalist, I never expected to get around to fiction,” but in 1975 a cancer diagnosis altered her plans. Even before she left the doctor’s office, she had decided to write a novel, a decision that “surprised me more than the diagnosis.” Her preparations for the writing of the novel actually began somewhat earlier, when her mother was diagnosed with cancer in 1971. This diagnosis prompted Burns to begin a family history shortly thereafter.
One of his favorite family stories was about Grandpa Power, a practical man who remarried three weeks after the death of his first wife, in part because he needed a housekeeper. Although Burns thought that the story of Grandpa Power’s quick marriage and its scandalous impact in a small town like Commerce would make an excellent premise for a book, she had never anticipated writing a novel until her own cancer diagnosis.
Burns worked on Cold Sassy Tree for eight-and-a-half years. Cold Sassy Tree was published in 1984, when Burns was 60. The novel became an instant success and was chosen as a Book-of-the-Month Club alternate selection. In 1985 it was added to the list of books recommended for teenagers by the American Library Association and the New York Public Library.
Burns began work on a sequel to Cold Sassy Tree before her relapse into cancer. In 1987 chemotherapy resulted in congestive heart failure, and Burns was prescribed bed rest. She turned for assistance to her neighbor Norma Duncan, who transcribed the author’s words, enabling her to finish the second novel, which was initially called Time, Dirt, and Money. After battling cancer for 15 years, and being confined to bed for the last three, Burns died on July 4, 1990. Her second novel, renamed Leaving Cold Sassy, was published in 1992.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia articles online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Where is this big building with the highly-polished floor?
Where is this building with a vaulted ceiling, two flags facing one another and a highly-polished floor? See if you can figure this out, then send your entry to elliott@brack.net, and include your hometown.
Allan Peel of San Antonio was one of several people identifying the last mystery photo. He nailed it saying: “Today’s mystery photo is a shot of a crowd of over 1,500 ‘streakers’ running down Baxter Street in Athens on March 7, 1974. The photo came from Bill Durrence of Savannah. Several readers thought this photo was from the Woodstock festival.
Peel tells us: “During the mid-70s, streaking (running around naked) was an increasingly popular activity on university campuses. This came to a head during what became known as ‘Streak Week’ in March 1974. Students at UGA claimed the world record for mass streaking when 1,543 streakers ran down Baxter Street about 10:30 p.m. This event broke the previous record set by around 600 students of the University of Missouri – St. Louis just two days earlier on March 5, 1974. Apparently, the UGA record still holds true today!
“The photo was taken by Bill Durrence, a professional photographer who graduated in Journalism with honors from UGA, and later was a photographer for Nikon, traveling the world. This photo, as well as 36 others and a description of the events that took place during ‘Streak Week’ can be seen at Durrence’s website here.”
Others recognizing the photo were Michael Green of Milton (“I was there.”), Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill and George Graf of Palmyra, Va., who provided historical background: “The first recorded incident of streaking by a college student in the United States occurred in 1804 at Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) when senior George William Crump was arrested for running naked through Lexington, Va., where the university is located. Crump was suspended for the academic session, but later went on to become a U.S. Congressman.”
Veterans Day: Gwinnett residents are invited to pay tribute to veterans during the county’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, November 11 at 11 a.m. at the Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville.The speaker will be retired Army Col. Dolores Hamption of Atlanta. For those who cannot attend in person, the ceremony will stream live on Facebook @GwinnettGov and be available on TV Gwinnett and TVGwinnett.com following the event.
Get a glimpse of college life during its in-person Preview Days at Georgia Gwinnett College, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., on November 12. Members of the Grizzly family will be on hand to discuss programs of study, admissions, financial aid, student housing and more. Participants will be able to tour GGC’s campus and talk to student ambassadors about their experiences at GGC. The party-like atmosphere will include food, music and fun giveaways. GGC team members will host selected breakout sessions in Spanish.
Have dessert with Chef and Author Jonathon Scott Barrett on November 17 at 7 p.m. at the Duluth branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library. He will share highlights from his book, Cook and Celebrate: A Collection of Southern Holiday and Party Culinary Traditions.
Learn more about doing business with the county. The Gwinnett County Purchasing Division offers a meeting on Thursday, November 17 at 9 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. on this subject. During the one-hour virtual clinic, Purchasing and Transportation staff will share information about the different divisions of Transportation, current and upcoming opportunities, and how to do business with the County. Register for one of the two virtual sessions at gcga.us/QuarterlyClinicSignup.
GwinnettForum is provided to you at no charge every Tuesday and Friday.
Meet our team
- Editor and publisher: Elliott Brack, 770-840-1003
- Managing editor: Betsy Brack
- Roving photographer: Frank Sharp
- Contributing columnist: Jack Bernard
- Contributing columnist: George Wilson
More
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 1365, Norcross, Ga. 30091
- Work with us: If you would like to learn about how to be an underwriter to support the publication of GwinnettForum as a community resource for news and commentary, please contact us today.
Subscriptions to GwinnettForum are free.
- Click to subscribe.
- Unsubscribe. We hope you’ll keep receiving the great news and information from GwinnettForum, but if you need to unsubscribe, go to this page and unsubscribe in the appropriate box.
© 2022, Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.
Follow Us