GwinnettForum | Number 21.95, Dec.20, 2022
A PORTION OF A STREET in Peachtree Corners will be named to commemorate Perry P. Nesbit, a former slave. The segment of road between Peachtree Corners Circle along Medlock Bridge Road to Peachtree Parkway will be known as Perry P. Nesbit Parkway. This action was approved December 13 by the Peachtree Corners City Council. In designating the parkway, the council noted: “Mr. Nesbit worked hard to improve his education, acquire land, and raise a family….and acquired 150 acres of land along with a reputation for loyalty to faith, family, and his community…… overcame the circumstances into which he was born to, ultimately, prosper and become a mentor to others; and was a worthy example of the characteristics that are the hallmarks of our community: hard work, dedication, service.” He died on May 28, 1947.
TODAY’S FOCUS: GGC to research initiatives for diversity in STEM education
EEB PERSPECTIVE: A cheer for Senator Dixon for proposing higher chair’s salary
SPOTLIGHT: Heaven and Alvarez, LLC
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
UPCOMING: Habitat, Lawrenceville to partner and build four houses
NOTABLE: Gwinnett Stripers have best attendance season since 2016
RECOMMENDED: Movie: I Heard the Bells
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Lamar was fourth Georgian named to the Supreme Court
MYSTERY PHOTO: Be careful: don’t jump to conclusions about this photo
LAGNIAPPE: William Day DAR chapter places wreaths at Duluth cemetery
CALENDAR: Remember, Clean and Beautiful will shred your Yule tree for mulch
GGC to research initiatives for diversity in STEM education
By Jacqueline Todd
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) will join with 103 higher education institutions nationwide that will research initiatives to advance diversity and inclusiveness practices in STEM education.
Todd
Funded by a six-year $60 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Inclusive Excellence 3 (IE3) initiative, the institutional teams have been organized into seven “learning community clusters,” (LCC) with each tackling one of the below challenges:
- Make the content of the introductory science experience more inclusive.
- Evaluate effective inclusive teaching and use the evaluation in the rewards system including faculty promotion and tenure.
- Create genuine partnerships between two- and four-year colleges and universities so that transfer students have a more inclusive experience.
GGC will use its portion of the grant – nearly $500,000 – to investigate the impact of inclusive teaching practices and meaningful evaluation of these practices, towards increasing student retention.
Dr. Allison D’Costa, GGC biology professor and principal investigator of the college’s IE3 grant, says: “Our research will focus on GGC’s School of Science and Technology as a campus model for inclusive excellence. We will offer faculty professional development and training on inclusive teaching practices, identify tools that measure and evaluate effective and inclusive teaching, and finally rewrite policies to reward those faculty that make these changes.”
D’Costa says she and her colleagues will draw upon the “experience, expertise and creativity” of faculty at the 15 institutions in their LCC as they explore what it takes to build capacity for inclusion at each of our institutions.
“For faculty to value inclusive teaching, we must first focus on training faculty and administrators,” D’Costa says. “We also plan to create departmental faculty learning communities who will conduct research on various projects. Findings from these research projects will be shared with the LCC, as well with our campus community.”
Along with D’Costa, faculty working on the project include biology faculty, Dr. Cindy Achat-Mendes, Dr. Latanya Hammonds-Odie, Dr. Clay Runck and IT faculty, Dr. Sonal Dekhane. Dr. Jann L. Joseph, GGC’s president, will help the team liaise with campus partners.
Dr. Joseph adds: “GGC fully supports the efforts of the research team. The team’s efforts to build upon our current institutional efforts and high-impact approaches to foster diversity, equity and inclusion in all living and learning spaces is commendable and we will provide assistance as needed for the project’s successful implementation.”
A cheer for Senator Dixon for proposing higher chair’s salary
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
DEC. 20, 2022 | Let’s hear a brisk “Hurrah” to Republican Senator Clint Dixon of Buford. Recently he announced that he would seek legislation to increase the salary of the Gwinnett County Commission chairman. The position of chair of the County Commission is the lowest in the five-county metro Atlanta area, being paid $86,920 annually.
The salary of the chairman has been low for years. At this time, prior to the Legislature opening for 2023, is the opportune time to discuss a change in the amount the chairman is paid.
Again, let’s give Senator Dixon credit for recognizing and airing the problem. He suggests tying the salary of the chair of the commission to correspond to the salary of sheriff of Gwinnett County, which is partially set by state law.
Earlier this month the Gwinnett Commission approved a $50,000 increase in salary for the sheriff, in order to bring this position in line with what sheriffs in other Metro Atlanta counties make. The sheriff’s salary would be approximately $193,000 a year. The sheriff supervises 840 employees, and is in charge of the Detention Center, which has a capacity of 2,765 inmates. It’s a big job.
Dixon
However, there is a problem with Senator Dixon’s suggestion. Down the road, any salary increase that the sheriff might get from the county commission, would mean that the chairman would automatically in effect be voting for a salary increase for the chairman’s position.
Such a conflict should not be. There are other ways to determine what the chairman is paid. For instance, tie the chairman’s salary to that of Superior Court judges. The State of Georgia sets how much judges make. In this way, the salary of the chairman could increase without a conflict of interest on the part of the Gwinnett County chairman.
Foremost in this discussion, we’re pleased to see a member of the legislative delegation take action and propose a more realistic salary for our county commission chairman. We urge the delegation to deal with Senator’s Dixon’s proposal post haste.
Here’s another hurrah: to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Last week he proposed that the General Assembly eliminate General Election runoffs.
He said: “Georgia is one of the only states in the country with a General Election Runoff.
I’m calling on the General Assembly to visit the topic of the General Election Runoff and consider reforms.”
Under Georgia state law, it requires a candidate to receive more than 50 percent of the vote in a general election to win outright. If no candidate hits that threshold, the race heads to a runoff between the top two vote-getters.
Only one other state, Louisiana, requires runoffs when no candidate receives a majority of the vote. In most other states, candidates only need to win a plurality of the vote to clinch victory, while Maine and Alaska rely on ranked-choice voting to decide elections.
What the Secretary of State does not mention is that it is extraordinarily costly to put on a runoff. It’s estimated that the recent Georgia runoff cost the state $10 million. The legislature could consider several measures, such as adopting the Ranked Choice System, already used by Georgia for mail-in military votes in the General Election; or allowing election with only 45 percent plurality, or some other reasonable choice.
Eliminating run-off elections: the time has come. Now it’s up to the Legislature to make it happen.
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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.
Habitat, Lawrenceville to partner and build four houses
The City of Lawrenceville and the Gwinnett County Habitat for Humanity are partnering in a project to build four houses in the city limits of Lawrenceville in 2023. At the December 14 meeting, the City Council approved an agreement allowing the project to begin in the first quarter 2023.
Part of Habitat for Humanity’s business model is for future owners and community leaders to work side-by-side to make their dreams of homeownership a reality. Unique to this project is the support of city employee volunteers, who will participate in two of the builds by working in 15-member shifts on weekends.
Mayor David Still says: “The City Council and I are delighted to partner with Habitat for Humanity. This initiative supports affordable housing and unites our employees and community leaders in service to our fellow man.And we are just getting started!”
The City of Lawrenceville will provide $100,000 to the project using ARPA funding for construction. Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity will sell the homes to individuals meeting the income requirements of the Habitat program. The homes shall contain at least fifteen hundred square feet of heated space, a two-car garage, and a working fireplace and chimney.
Gwinnett Stripers have best attendance season since 2016
The Gwinnett Stripers completed their 13th season as the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves in successful fashion in 2022, bringing in their largest single-season attendance since 2016.
The Stripers hosted 216,177 fans over 73 home dates at Coolray Field, an increase of 53,683 over the 2021 season. The total attendance was the team’s largest since drawing 225,260 fans in 2016.
Gwinnett’s season-high attendance of 9,069 on July 30 for the first of five Braves World Champions Replica Ring Giveaways was the team’s first crowd of 9,000-plus since August 17, 2019.
Erin McCormick, Stripers vice president and general manager, says: “This season was a year of success across the Stripers organization, most importantly at the gates. Welcoming so many new fans in attendance is a great indicator that our club is headed in the right direction, matching the growth of Gwinnett County as a whole. It is also a testament to our amazing staff, who work tirelessly to provide a premier experience that keeps fans coming back to Coolray Field.”
On top of 73 regular-season game dates, the Stripers once again showcased Coolray Field as a premier location for events of all kinds.
Baseball events included the Atlanta Braves Ralph Garr-Bill Lucas HBCU Baseball Classic (Grambling State University vs. Florida A&M University from February 25-26); the Children’s Health Care of Atlanta Spring Classic for Kids (University of Georgia vs. Georgia Tech on March 6; and the Georgia High School State Baseball Championships (May 23-25).
The most notable non-baseball events included Bert Kreischer’s Fully Loaded Comedy Festival (June 25), The Big Green Egg® 25th Annual EGGtoberfest (October 8), Paint Gwinnett Pink 5k, presented by Northside Hospital (October 15), and the Let It Shine Holiday Light Show (November 18-January 1).
GACS students donate 22,563 food items to Salvation Army
Greater Atlanta Christian School for the past 10 years has supported the 11Alive/Salvation Army Can-A-Thon. The GAC community came together in the fight against food insecurity in the Gwinnett County community and beyond. A total of 22,563 non-perishables were collected and delivered to the Salvation Army on Friday, December 2. On Can-A-Thon collection day, each school level’s service and leadership groups lent a hand collecting, counting, boxing, packing, and delivering food. Middle school students are loading the truck in this photo. On-site at Salvation Army, the GAC Concert Choir serenaded volunteers with spirited Christmas music while student leaders unloaded boxes.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Movie: I Heard the Bells
From Cindy Evans, Duluth: This is a beautiful and touching Christmastime movie based on a true story. It portrays Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (excellently played by Stephen Atherholt) and how he lost his wife, and the grief that ensued. He was already a noted poet at the time and he entered a period of mourning, and not writing. He struggles with his faith and wrestles with God. It is very well acted. Stay after the credits to watch more about the back story and production. Bring a napkin from the concession stand for any tears! I will never listen to the song the same again after this delightful production!
- 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
Lamar was fourth Georgian named to the Supreme Court
Joseph Rucker Lamar, an influential member of the Georgia legal community at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, was the fourth native Georgian appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. His appointment to the Court in 1910 by U.S. president William Howard Taft offered Lamar a chance to distinguish himself on the national stage.
Lamar, born on the family plantation in Elbert County on October 14, 1857, to Mary Rucker and James Sanford Lamar, was a member of a prominent southern family.
In 1870 Lamar and his brother were sent to Jefferson, in Jackson County, to attend the Martin Institute. In 1874 he began college at the University of Georgia but illness forced him to withdraw before completing his second year. In the meantime, the family had moved to Louisville, Ky., and Lamar headed off to West Virginia to complete his studies at Bethany College. After graduating in 1877, read law with Henry Clay Foster, a prominent Augusta attorney. In April 1878, at age 20, Lamar was admitted to the state bar.
Despite his newly achieved professional status, Lamar returned to Bethany College, where he taught Latin for a year. While there, he married Clarinda Huntington Pendleton, the daughter of Bethany president William K. Pendleton, on January 30, 1879. The couple had three children, two sons and a daughter; their daughter died in infancy.
Now supporting a family, Lamar returned to the law in 1880, accepting an offer to join Foster, his former mentor, in Augusta. Lamar quickly established himself professionally, and the partnership thrived. Lamar won election to the Georgia state legislature at age 28.
In 1893 a board that included William J. Northen, the governor of Georgia, and Logan Bleckley, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, appointed Lamar to a commission charged with reviewing the state’s legal codes.
By the start of the 20th century, Lamar was recognized as one of Georgia’s leading attorneys, and when a vacancy occurred on the state supreme court in 1902, he was an obvious choice to fill it.
Lamar first made President Taft’s acquaintance in 1908, when they played golf together in Augusta. Lamar made a positive impression on Taft, who, in December 1910 nominated him to the Supreme Court. He assumed his seat on January 3, 1911. He served five years on the bench.
Although a Taft appointee, Lamar reconnected with his childhood friend, Woodrow Wilson, who was elected president in 1912. In 1914 Lamar accepted an appointment by Wilson to serve on a commission that negotiated the settlement of a dispute with Mexico. Lamar and his fellow commissioner, Frederick W. Lehmann, were able to resolve the situation and ease tensions between the continental neighbors.
While his efforts with Mexico were successful, they left the justice stressed and overworked, a condition that likely contributed to the paralytic stroke he suffered in September 1915. Lamar was unable to assume his seat on the Court at the start of the 1915 term, and his health declined rapidly. On January 2, 1916, he died at the age of 58, ending a career of unfulfilled promise.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Be careful: don’t jump to conclusions about this photo
Don’t be fooled by this classical setting: it might not be where you originally think it is. Figure out where you think this photograph was taken, and send your idea to elliott@brack.net, including your place of residence.
Of the last Mystery Photo, Lou Camerio, Lilburn writes: “It is St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Macon Church, where Dee and I were married 52 years ago. Our son and daughter-in-law were married there also. One does not have to travel to Europe to see a beautiful church.” The photo came from the editor.
Sara Rawlins of Lawrenceville says: “You really can’t miss seeing the twin towers from anywhere in Macon since they are the tallest structures in Macon. The church itself is the third tallest building in Macon. There are 60 stain-glass windows, a white Carrara Marble altar and pulpit and a pipe organ with 1,000 pipes.”
Others getting the correct identity include Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; Stew Ogilvie, Lawrenceville; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Mark Smith, Eatonton; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex.
Rising 200 feet into the air, the twin cross-topped spires of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church add great beauty to the skyline of downtown Macon. This old Romanesque, Neo-Gothic church was the realization of an earlier dream of 50 Catholic parishioners and their first priest, Father James Graham. In 1841, this small group of Catholics had bought a Presbyterian church and started the first Catholic parish in Macon, a town incorporated as a city only 17 years earlier. The site of the present church was selected and the negotiations were completed when Father Joseph Winkelried, S.J., became pastor. The foundation of the church was laid in August, 1889.
Peel adds: “The initial services began in the basement of the church on June 16, 1892, and continued there until the church was completed on November 15, 1903. There are over 60 stained glass windows in the church, most of which are from Munich, Germany. While the white marble carvings, statues, and altars are from Italian quarries, the columns themselves are all from Georgia quarries.”
William Day DAR chapter places wreaths at Duluth cemetery
Duluth’s William Day Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, held their first Wreaths Across America ceremony at the Duluth Cemetery on December 17. Besides the chapter, employees and friends of Deloitte helped sponsor and place 102 wreaths throughout the cemetery on veterans’ graves, assisted by Scout Troops 419 and 420 from Duluth First United Methodist Church. Chapter members participating, on the front row, were Renee Covey, Jane E. Moore, Jane A. Moore, Regent Debbie Bush, Susan Baker and Cathy Thompson. On the back row were Debbie Kyle, Sara Burns, Pat Farren, Susan Chastain and Judy York.
Christmas Tree recycling will take place again this year at fire stations throughout Gwinnett County. Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful (GC&B) announces that its “Bring one for the chipper” program will accept live trees between December 26, 2022 and January 25, 2023. Trees will be at fire transported to Bethesda Park and will be chipped on Saturday, January 28, 2023, from 8 to 11 a.m. Before dropping off live Christmas trees, homeowners should free the trees of lights, tinsel, decorations and tree stands in order to be tree-cycled. This is the 28th year that GC&B has led this service. In 2022, GC&B collected and chipped more than 1500 live trees into mulch.
The 14th annual Father-Daughter Valentine Dance will be February 10-11, being put on by the Kiwanis club of North Gwinnett. This year the event will be at the Braselton Civic Center. Three dances are scheduled, from 7-9 p.m. on February 10; and on February 11 from 5-7 p.m. and from 8-10 p.m. All dances are $90 per couple, with $10 for each additional daughter. For tickets, visit: https://ngkc.bigtickets.com/father-daughter-dance-2023
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