GwinnettForum | Number 22.32 | May 5, 2023
NOW OCCUPIED: This new Gwinnett Technical College Computer Information System building faces Georgia Highway 316, and opened last week. It’s part of a $42 million project of new and expanded facilities at the college. For more details, see Today’s Focus below.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Gwinnett Tech opens new Computer Systems building
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Communities experiencing shootings need to come together
SPOTLIGHT: Howard Brothers Outdoor Power Equipment and Hardware
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
UPCOMING: Shelton and Dickison are new department heads for the county
NOTABLE: GGC offers two new concentrations in health sciences
RECOMMENDED: The Song of the Cell by Siddhartha Mukherjee
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Historic Banning Mill now resort and educational center
MYSTERY PHOTO: “Now where was it that I saw this building?”
CALENDAR: Lionheart Theatre begins run of Jeffrey by Paul Rudnick this weekend
Gwinnett Tech opens new Computer Systems building
Among those attending the opening of Gwinnett Tech’s new Computer Systems building were the architects, from the Sizemore Group. They are, from left, Angel Kaufman, Andrew Telker, Lily DeBerios, and Andrew Dye.
By Melissa Smith
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | Gwinnett Technical College celebrated the completion of its new Computer Information Systems, Cybersecurity, and Emerging Technologies Building and the renovation of Building 100 this week.
The state-funded $42 million project included a new three-story building for Computer Information Systems, Cybersecurity, and Emerging Technologies programs. It also included renovation of existing structures, including Building 100, the One-Stop Enrollment Center, the Library, the Student Life Center, and new chemistry and physics labs that support health sciences.
Gwinnett Tech President Dr. D. Glen Cannon called the day a historic one, not just for Gwinnett Tech but for the technical college system as a whole. “This project will continue to ensure Gwinnett Tech students are highly-trained, skilled, and ready to work, when our great Georgia companies are ready to expand or when our ever-growing global partners in manufacturing, IT, construction and trades make a decision on where to locate and want to ensure a qualified and sustainable workforce will be available” he said.
The new Computer Information Systems, Cybersecurity, and Emerging Technologies Building is 82,000+ square feet and features multiple flex rooms, 29 classrooms, a dedicated networking lab, an eSports lab, a Cybersecurity war room, and a Gaming Technologies room.
In addition, a bright, fresh, more collegiate look on campus has allowed Gwinnett Tech to make a more open area connecting the buildings with green space. Dr. Cannon commented: “It allowed us to move our IT and CIS programs into a space that’s more up to date with what’s needed for today’s technology.”
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Communities experiencing shootings need to come together
Via Wikipedia.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MAY 5, 2023 | As mass shootings mount in our country, one problem is that they take place all over this vast United States. That makes it difficult to raise concentrated fury against this menace when they erupt.
Wednesday, in broad daylight, this time right in downtown Atlanta, there was another senseless shooting. Quick work by police captured the shooter.
Almost daily in our nation first one report comes in after another of mass shootings. We keep asking ourselves, “When will it end?”
We might better be asking, “When will the next shooting be?” Another will surely come, and relatively quickly. So far this year in just 124 days, there were 192 mass shootings in the nation, according to GunViolenceArchive.org. We just hope in future shootings are few hurt, and the shooters are caught.
Crazies with weapons continue to harm our nation. So far, no area has successfully tackled the problem. The shootings break out almost daily. Where will the next be? It could be your neighborhood. None of us are entirely safe from those with guns.
We in the United States will continue to live in nothing less than “gun terrorism” as long as the National Rifle Association keeps up its pressure on the Congress and state legislatures, not allowing them even to consider reasonable gun laws. Anticipating that the Congress will show backbone on this issue is a fantasy.
Expecting reasonable gun precautions, and no more shootings, is beginning to feel like whistling in the wind. Can nothing be done to curtail this continuous menace?
The biggest obstacle to enacting reasonable gun laws immediately is that these outbursts are not concentrated in any one area, but are widespread throughout the country. And because of the vast spread of the shootings, only a few dedicated people in each community get mad enough to try to take action. If all these infuriated people could come together, perhaps we could anticipate some movement on this serious problem.
It may be a stretch to think of shooting in relation to the war in Vietnam. But consider: Back then (1959-1975) the Defense Department policy was to assign troops to Vietnam to serve for only one year, then return home, as replacements arrived. But the replacements, too, served only one year, then rotated back to the States. In his two books about the Vietnam war, I’m Ready To Talk, Author Robert O. Babcock called Vietnam “sixteen one year wars.”
During World War II, troops served for the duration of the war. That way, there were experienced soldiers fighting the war, and they could brief replacements. But in Vietnam, by the time a warrior gained experience, he was sent home, and fresh troops arrived. That new soldier had to stumble through what the one departing had learned.
When mass shootings take place, that incident is similar to a new arrival in Vietnam. A community will get outraged like other communities experiencing mass shootings. But all these different far-flung communities never come together to tackle this menace that is, how to end these shootings? So, we get 192 mass shootings so far this year, but 192 communities reacting individually, not together.
The varied geographic distances between mass shooting’s works against our nation. Advocates for curtailing mass shootings need to come together in a concerted uprising against this menace, similar to what the MADD (“Mothers Against Drunk Driving”) did earlier. This unified effort is sorely needed to turn this problem around.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Howard Brothers
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s sponsor is Howard Brothers Outdoor Power Equipment and Hardware. John and Doug Howard are the “brothers” in Howard Brothers. This family-owned business was started by their dad, and now John and Doug’s children are helping to lead in the business. Howard Brothers has locations in Alpharetta, Athens, Doraville, Duluth, Lula, Oakwood, and now store no. 7 in Dallas. They specialize in hardware, outdoor power equipment and parts and service. Howard Brothers are authorized dealers of STIHL, Exmark, Honda, Echo, and other well known brands in the green industry. Howard Brothers is also an authorized Big Green Egg dealer, and is one of the only Platinum Traeger Grill dealers in the state of Georgia.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
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.
Shelton, Dickison are new department heads for the county
Two new department directors have been named by Gwinnett County Administrator Glenn Stephens. Rebecca Shelton and Matthew Dickison are in new jobs as head of their departments. Shelton was named acting director of the Department of Water Resources last July. Dickison has been promoted to director of the Department of Planning and Development Department following Susan Canon’s recent retirement.
Shelton
Shelton started her career as a utility planner at what was then known as the Gwinnett County Department of Public Utilities. After climbing the ranks within the industry and serving in various roles, including in the cities of Atlanta and Alpharetta and an engineering firm, she returned to Gwinnett. Since her return, she has taken the lead in operations, technical services and construction.
She holds a B.S. in environmental engineering from the University of Central Florida and M.S. in civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Gwinnett County Water Resources handles water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, and stormwater management. Assets include 1,400 miles of stormwater pipe, two water filter plants that produce 70 million gallons of drinking water per day, 3,000 miles of wastewater pipes, and the internationally recognized F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center, which can treat up to 60 million gallons of effluent per day. The department employs about 600 people.
Dickison
Dickison joined Gwinnett County Planning and Development in 2021 as deputy director before being promoted to assistant director the following year. Before joining Gwinnett County, Dickison served as Planning and Development director for the city of Chamblee and an associate planner at Clark Patterson Lee and Associates. He has also served in leadership positions in the cities of Dunwoody, Johns Creek and Suwanee.
Dickison began his career in urban planning working for the city of Louisville, Ky., where he also earned a master’s degree at the University of Louisville. He is a certified planner with a bachelor’s degree in geography in addition to a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Illinois.
The department serves to promote and enhance the well-being of residents and businesses in Gwinnett County by planning for growth and maintaining adopted standards for development. The department, consisting of the planning, development, building, housing and community development, code enforcement and administration divisions, is responsible for community planning, authorizing permits for site development and building construction projects, issuing business licenses, enforcing county codes, and ordinances.
Month of May full of events at Aurora Theatre
May is beginning with a bang as Aurora Theatre presents a bold new lineup of performances. The hit comedy The Play That Goes Wrong, along with a performance from Dad’s Garage and Aurora Comedy Nights featuring Lace Larrabee will bring the laughs to the Lawrenceville Arts Center, while 24K Magic: A Tribute to Bruno Mars brings the funk.
For younger audiences, the Aurora Children’s Playhouse presents the Mago Junior Show full of magic, mimes and more! In the Courtyard, audiences can enjoy a night of salsa under the stars with performances by Club Babalú in their Tributo a la Salsa Venezolana. For AAPI Heritage Month, the LAC presents a movie night featuring the heartfelt drama Minari. Guests are also invited to a double-feature dance event presenting the classical ballet, Paquita, followed by the new contemporary ballet, Let’s Go Take a Walk.
- For a detailed listing of these events, visit https://www.auroratheatre.com.
GGC offers two new concentrations in health sciences
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for health care professionals will grow 13 percent over the next decade, translating to more than two million new job openings in the next 10 years and another two million openings projected to come from growth and replacement needs. The median wage for health care practitioners and technical occupations was $75,000 in 2021, while the median annual salary for all occupations was $45,760.
Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) launched a new degree program in 2020, allowing students to capitalize on that opportunity. Its first cohort of students will graduate during the college’s May 11 commencement ceremony.
The GGC Bachelor of Science in Health Science program offers two concentrations: patient navigation and public health.
- Learn more about the program and meet two students who will graduate from the program:https://www.ggc.edu/about-ggc/news/georgia-gwinnett-college-graduates-first-cohort-in-new-health-science-major.
Gainesville hospital seeking art for its 11-story tower
The new patient tower at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville is set to open in 2025 – and the hospital is looking to add some extra character. Northeast Georgia Health System has put out a call for local artists to submit their work for a chance to have it featured in the new, 11-story tower.
The goal of adding artwork across the 11 floors is to enhance the emotional well-being of patients, families and staff. The artwork selected will reflect local views of nature in northeast Georgia. Up to four digital images or photos can be submitted by each artist at nghs.com/art and should be a minimum size of 20 inches by 20 inches. The art submitted should be an existing piece of work to show the artist’s style and should fall into one of the following mediums: oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, glass, mosaic tile, photography, metal or mixed media.
Artwork should be in full color, and depict recognizable landscapes, including orchards, waterscapes, florals and garden scenes that represent the local geography and topography. Preference will be given to artists living or working locally in Banks, Barrow, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union and White counties. The deadline to submit is May 31, 2023. To learn more about the new tower, visit nghs.com/growing. To submit artwork, visit nghs.com/art.
The Song of the Cell by Siddhartha Mukherjee
From Karen J. Harris, Stone Mountain: “This is a marvelous journey about the life of the cell, the unit that is the basis of all life. Long, intricate, information dense and challenging, the information presented in the 28 chapters illustrates how cells work in the human body. It is a text book for the layman and also reads like a novel because of the empathetic writing style of the author. Especially interesting are the detailed description of what happens to bone cells when a patient develops osteoarthritis or what happens to red blood cells in those who have sickle cell anemia. The summary chapters discuss stem cell therapies including research that is evolving at the present time. It is well worth the time for those who have read Dr. Mukherjee’s other two titles, Gene, and The Emperor of All Maladies; a Biography of Cancer. The full title is The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human.
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
Historic Banning Mill now resort and educational center
Banning Mill is located in southeastern Carroll County on the banks of Snake Creek, an arm of the Chattahoochee River. When it closed in 1971, the mill, which opened in the decade of the 1840s, had been in existence longer than any other regional mill and had served as both employer and home to generations of area residents.
The four Bowen brothers first operated the mill on land that they acquired in one of Georgia’s land lotteries. By 1849 they were producing skeins of coarse yarn used in osnaburgs (grain sacks). The factory became known as Bowen’s Mill, and the surrounding area as Bowenville, with one of the brothers, William, serving as the community’s first postmaster.
After the mill burned in 1851, the Bowen brothers forfeited their business. The next owner was William Amis, a businessman and state legislator from Coweta County. The Civil War(1861-65) began before Amis was able to make the mill operational. The mill buildings survived the war, and in 1866 Amis reopened, naming the mill Carroll Manufacturing.
By 1880 he had sold it to a group of four businessmen. One of the new owners, Arthur Hutcheson, took charge of the mill. Hutcheson, an Irish-born merchant with a store in Palmetto, devoted the rest of his life to the mill community. He added two new pulp mills, a sawmill, and a gristmill, in addition to refurbishing the area’s old paper mill.
During Hutcheson’s time at Banning, the mill produced cotton sheeting and shirting fabric, while the paper mill produced striped paper, the first mill in the region to do so. Hutcheson’s greatest achievement, however, was bringing electricity to the mill in the late 1880s. Banning became one of the first factories in Georgia to operate with electric power.
In 1921 the mill acquired new owners and another new name, Banning Cotton Mill. The new owners hoped for the prosperity of the Hutcheson years and updated the mill by adding a rubber plant facility. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, however, the mill experienced several closures. The owners declared bankruptcy by the close of the decade.
In an effort to revive the factory during the late 1950s, Banning manufactured carpet yarns and became affiliated with carpet manufacturers in Dalton. By the 1960s, without the capital to make required modern improvements, production at the mill began to decline and its operations ceased in 1971, approximately 130 years after its opening.
In August 1974 the mill opened as an entertainment center. The West Georgian reported one month prior that the venue would be the home of a private dinner club and two public theaters. The venue hosted musicians, visual artists, actors, and more throughout the following two decades.
In the early 1990s the property was purchased by Atlanta businesswoman Patricia Brown, with hopes to document its history with students at the University of West Georgia Public History Center. In 1998 Historic Banning Mills was founded to help preserve its history, as well as the surrounding Snake Creek River Gorge and Chattahoochee watershed. The conservancy now operates alongside an adventure resort and retreat center, offering experiential education, lodging, and outdoor activities and adventure-based programming.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
“Now where was it that I saw this building?”
Some readers may be scratching their heads about today’s Mystery Photo, thinking, “I’ve seen that building. Now where is it?” Try your hand at identifying this classic building’s identification. Send your thoughts to elliott@brack.net, and include your hometown.
Several recognized the last mystery, including George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Stew Ogilvie, Lawrenceville; Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; Ross Lenhart, Stone Mountain; Fran Worrall, Lawrenceville; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex. He wrote: “Today’s mystery is a photograph of the rear of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, located in the heart of Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria. It is noted for its size and beauty, which can hold services to over 5,000 people at a time. It is also noteworthy as being the largest cathedral in the Balkans, among the 10 largest Eastern Orthodox churches and among the 50 largest Christian churches in the world.
“Construction of the cathedral started in 1882, but most of it was completed between 1904 and 1912. It was built to honor the Russian soldiers who died during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, which ultimately led to Bulgaria being liberated from the Ottoman rule. It was named after Saint Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1221–1263), a Russian prince who was canonized as a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1547. In 2008, Alexander Nevsky was declared to be “the main hero of Russia’s history” by popular vote as well as “the greatest Russian” in a television poll. In fact, Saint Alexander Nevsky’s fame has spread well beyond the borders of Russia, as Wikipedia lists 15 different cathedrals all named Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. That includes one in Pittsburgh, Penn. and another in Howell, N.J.” The photograph came from Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill.
SHARE A MYSTERY PHOTO: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send to: elliott@brack.net and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Island foliage: Norcross Gallery and Studios continues its exhibit, “Here Comes the Sun” through Saturday, May 27. Among those artists on display is Lucy Brady’s depiction of Cumberland Island. Hours are Thursdays through Saturdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Lionheart Theatre begins run of Jeffrey
Jeffrey by Paul Rudnick will be the next presentation at the Lionheart Theatre at 10 College Street in Norcross. Presentations will be from May 5-21, with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sundays. This hit off-Broadway comedy wildly-funny play is packed with one-liners. The play is directed by Scott King. For tickets, go to lionhearttheatre.org.
Wetlands event will be hosted in the wetlands that border Lawrenceville’s Sweetwater Creek at Bethesda Park on Saturday, May 6 at 8:30 a.m. A joint initiative of Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful (GC&B) and Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources (DWR), Great Gwinnett Wetlands is designed to grow awareness and promote the ongoing stewardship of Gwinnett’s numerous wetlands. To learn more about GC&B and its mission of “Connecting People and Resources for a Sustainable Gwinnett,” visit www.GwinnettCB.org.
Snellville Farmers’ Market extended season will be Saturday, May 6 behind City Hall, from 9 a.m. until noon. The market continues the first and third Saturday of each month. It’s where Snellville comes to play.
Asian and Pacific Islander Public Policy Discussion will be Saturday, May 6 at 11 a.m. at the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. The non-profit organization, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, will discuss policy issues that affect Asian and Pacific Islanders and other immigrant communities in Georgia. Topics include civil rights, voting rights, and access to education and healthcare.
Lunch and Learn: How to Become an Entrepreneur will be Tuesday, May 9 at 11 a.m. at the Lilburn Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Learn how to start your own business and how to create a lender-ready business plan. Lunch will be provided.
Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by exploring a local masterpiece. Discover the Mandir Hindu Temple and Hinduism Wednesday, May 10 at 4 p.m. at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, 460 Rockbridge Road, Lilburn.
The 10th Gwinnett Multicultural Festival and County Government Open House will be Saturday, May 13 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Gwinnett Place Mall on Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth. Residents can enjoy the day with cultural performances from around the globe, bounce houses, carnival rides, touch-a-truck with public safety vehicles, and more. For more information, email PDCommunityAffairs@GwinnettCounty.com or call 678-442-6520. All ages are welcome at this free event.
The season’s final concert of the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will be May 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gas South Theater in Duluth. Composers to be heard include Lauridsen, Debussy, Garcia and Verdi. For details, visit GwinnettSymphony.org.
Understanding Medicare: Speak with a Specialist on Tuesday, May 16 at 11 a.m. at the Centerville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Get unbiased guidance from a Certified Medicare Counselor about costs and coverage, comparing options, and enrolling in plans.
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