GwinnettForum | Number 22.49| July 7, 2023
TODAY IS THE 281st ANNIVERSARY of the Battle of Bloody Marsh on St. Simons Island, near Brunswick, when in 1742 the British defeated the Spanish soldiers from St. Augustine, Fla. What is significant about the battle is that it ended Spain’s ambitions for more territory north of Florida. This decisive English victory represented the last major Spanish offensive into Georgia, and is one reason Georgians have English, not Spanish, as their language today.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Looking at recent actions by the U.S. Supreme Court
EEB PERSPECTIVE: A new celebrity here: Miss Georgia lives in Sugar Hill
SPOTLIGHT: Heaven and Alvarez, LLg
ANOTHER VIEW: Non profit corporation seeks to help get better housing
FEEDBACK: Gets steamed because of another postage increase
UPCOMING: Publix in Snellville gets auto tag-renewal kiosk
NOTABLE: Here’re suggestions on ways to save on your electric bill
RECOMMENDED: You Hurt My Feelings by Filmmaker Nicole Holofcener
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Battle of Bloody Marsh kept Georgia as an English colony
MYSTERY PHOTO: Where was this photo made, and what’s the message?
LAGNIAPPE: Cool off with area splash pads, such as this one in Suwanee
CALENDAR: Snellville Farmers’ Market is July 8 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Looking at recent actions by the U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Supreme Court
By Nikki Merritt
State Senator, District 9
GRAYSON, Ga. | As many of you have no doubt heard, the Supreme Court has handed down several consequential rulings recently that will impact how we live, vote, learn, and do business in this country.
Merritt
While I was pleasantly surprised in some cases, many of the opinions released will be incredibly harmful to the fabric of our society. I will not discuss all of the decisions in depth, but wanted to highlight some of the rulings that I am concerned will be particularly impactful for our community, here in Georgia.
Affirmative Action – Struck Down: The Supreme Court has struck down affirmative action in the college admissions process, stating that colleges cannot consider the race of a student applying in an effort to balance admissions to ensure equity. This is an incredibly disappointing ruling, overturning decades of progress achieved through this system.
Black and brown Americans have historically had a harder time attending university, because of financial constraints and a system that favors higher-income, historically white students. This will emphasize the importance of supporting HBCUs, which have been the backbone of higher education for minority students for decades.
Student Loan Forgiveness – Struck Down: Today we had a major blow to President Biden’s attempt to shore up middle-and low-income Americans’ savings by canceling a limited amount of student debt. The Supreme Court ruled that the Department of Education does not have the right to compromise, waive, or release the right to collect student debt. The fact is that the planned debt cancellation would have greatly impacted low-income individuals, women of color, and single mothers.
Religious Discrimination – Upheld: In a lawsuit from Colorado, the court upheld the First Amendment right of an artist to deny services to same-sex couples on religious grounds. The implications of this particular lawsuit are troubling, opening the door for rampant discrimination based on a person’s beliefs.
This ruling could allow businesses to discriminate against almost anyone based on their right to free speech, including people of color, other regions, interracial couples, and many other categories of at-risk individuals. While I strongly support First Amendment rights, conflating free speech with the right to discrimination is a dangerous decision that will lead to further marginalization of minority communities.
Federal Redistricting and Elections – Upheld: The Supreme Court upheld the right of state courts to set regulations around redistricting by state legislatures and ensure a system of checks and balances to prevent overt gerrymandering. This ruling will help preserve the democratic system, and ensure that hyper-partisan legislatures don’t redraw districts to dilute the voting power of opposing parties. The fact that there was even a question on how the Supreme Court would rule in this situation is deeply concerning. Further, the opinion specifically notes that state courts have limits to their authority, which could open the door in the future for another challenge to our democratic norms.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
A new celebrity here: Miss Georgia lives in Sugar Hill
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
July 7, 2023 | Gwinnett has a new celebrity. The new Miss Georgia, Tara Lynne Schiphof, lives in downtown Sugar Hill. She competed in the contest as Miss Capital City.
The new Miss Georgia is a native of King, N.C. Tara earned a bachelor’s degree in classical ballet from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a master’s degree in management from Wake Forest University. She danced professionally with the Boston Ballet.
She competed eight times before winning a pageant. This was her second time in the Miss Georgia Pageant. She was Miss Macon last year, and was the first runner up. “I made a promise to myself to push through it and compete again. Being in the contest that year helped prepare me for the contest this year.”
Schiphof
She moved to Georgia four years ago as a marketing specialist with Stanley Black and Decker, and handled the Home Depot account. She works from home, though visits with Home Depot often. Her parents are Melanie and Chris Schiphof, and she has a brother, Cole Schiphof, all of King, N.C.
Back in 1776, there were 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Now a trivia question: how many female names are on the printed copy of the Declaration of Independence?
You might be surprised, as I was. There is one.
Mary Katharine Goddard’s name appears on the printed Declaration of Independence. She was not a signer or a man, but she was a printer to the Continental Congress and you can read her name on printed copies made for the states. If you’ve never noticed it or heard of her, you aren’t alone. She’s a Founding Mother, of sorts, yet few folks know about her.
Thanks to Cathy Jacobson of Atlanta, for this new fact for our memory.
Way back in 1865, Frederick Law Olmsted wrote a treatise on national parks at the request of the Board of Yosemite Commissioners. In it, the landscape architect — whose most famous work is New York’s Central Park — wrote:
“It is a scientific fact that the occasional contemplation of natural scenes of an impressive character, particularly if this contemplation occurs in connection with relief from ordinary cares, change of air and change of habits, is favorable to the health and vigor of men and especially to the health and vigor of their intellect beyond any other conditions which can be offered them, that it not only gives pleasure for the time being but increases the subsequent capacity for happiness and the means of securing happiness.” We agree with the great man. Get out and enjoy the outdoors, if nothing more than sitting on the river bank.
Duluth residents, pay attention, for it was on July 2 in 1679, that Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut, first reached Lake Superior, about the area where Duluth, Minn. now lies, and the Minnesota city that the Georgia city’s name comes from. The Sieur du Lhut was a French soldier and explorer, and had visited Montreal on several occasions. In 1675, he bought a house there, and started thinking about making a trip to the headwaters of the Mississippi River. He negotiated the peace treaty with Indian tribes, arranged some inter-tribal marriages, and encouraged the tribes to hunt together, before moving west to explore the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers.
How many Duluth, Ga. residents knew this?
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Nonprofit corporation seeks to help get better housing
By Alaina Tullis
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | The City of Lawrenceville and the Gwinnett Housing Corporation are working together to inform the public about important affordable housing options.
Tullis
Councilwoman Marlene Taylor-Crawford says: “With many different options available, clear communication of resources is important. Working with community partners like the Gwinnett Housing Corporation brings greater creativity and ultimately the potential for an improved quality of life for our residents. Addressing the needs of housing is a multi-tiered approach and understanding the needs in the City of Lawrenceville is crucial.”
The Gwinnett Housing Corporation (GHC) is a nonprofit development organization established by its parent company, the Lawrenceville Housing Authority (LHA), in 1997 with a mission to create sustainable housing opportunities for low and moderate-income families in Gwinnett County. In July, GHC will open the door to the county’s first Homeowner Resource Center focused on preserving homeownership in Gwinnett County by providing home rehabilitation and foreclosure prevention counseling.
The Center will also support first-time home buyers by connecting them to down payment assistance programs, HUD-certified housing counselors, and access to nonprofit affordable housing developers and lenders. GHC will work with several partner organizations through the center, including Gwinnett/Walton Habitat for Humanity, Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership Inc. (ANDP), Money Management International, Catholic Charities, Community Sustainability Enterprise, the Gwinnett County Housing Department and Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America.
In addition, the GHC and the City of Lawrenceville have partnered with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to administer the Community HOME Investment Program (CHIP), which focuses on rehab and code violation mitigation for owner-occupied properties. Income-eligible homeowners can receive assistance by creating a scope of work, soliciting bids from general contractors, and overseeing the rehabilitation of the property. The City of Lawrenceville is also supporting the Healthy Homes program with an additional $100,000 grant that will be offered out of the Homeowner Resource Center to help families abate housing-related health hazards such as radon gas, mold, asbestos, and lead-based paint.
Lejla Prljaca, executive director of the Lawrenceville Housing Authority, says: “To raise awareness of housing resources in the community, the Gwinnett Housing Corporation and the Lawrenceville Housing Authority are organizing a Housing Expo at Central Gwinnett High School on July 15, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., where more than 20 housing providers will be hosted to offer services across the entire housing spectrum. Families facing eviction, wishing to learn about the homeownership opportunities and down payment assistance programs, or needing financial help with home repairs will all be able to learn about available programs and apply on-site.”
Focusing on the creation, revitalization, and preservation of housing stock in targeted neighborhoods with physical and economic reinvestment needs, GHC is experienced in every aspect of housing, from the new construction and rehab of affordable housing for sale to low-income home buyers to the maintenance and management of affordable rental housing. It is the only agency in metro Atlanta that provides an entire spectrum of housing programs: emergency housing (LiveNorcross), transitional housing for homeless families (Pathway HOME), affordable rental housing (Multifamily and LIHTC), and a homeownership program (Welcome HOME), enabling families to transition from homelessness and housing insecurity to the private sector housing and home ownership.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Gets steamed because of another postage increase
Editor, the Forum:
The price of a US stamp is rising to 66 cents, the second hike this year and the fifth increase since 2019. Starting Sunday, the cost of the first-class “forever” stamps will jump from 63 to 66 cents.
This is making me mad. I get a literal ton of mail by so-called charitable agencies for a small fraction of what I have to pay for mailing a letter or a package. To put it bluntly, the bulk of the mail that I get is begging mail from charities that I have never heard of before. Also I am getting political solicitation from candidates I have never heard of.
And the Post Office is losing money!
Wonder why?
Would it be that the rate for begging mail is too low. Make sure if you are considering sending money to one of those charities, you look the charity up online and find out what the head of that charity is being paid. Or what percent goes to expenses.
– Raleigh Perry, Buford
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.
Publix in Snellville gets auto tag-renewal kiosk
Renewing an automobile tag has become more convenient for residents in Snellville, as Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner Denise R. Mitchell recently installed the first tag-renewal kiosk in the area. It is located inside the Publix supermarket at 3550 Centerville Highway. It is also the first kiosk inside a Publix in the metro Atlanta area.
The kiosk is available during the store’s operating hours which are currently 7 a.m.
to 10 p.m., Monday through Sunday. Kiosks allow customers to renew their vehicle registration and walk away with their current tag decal while reducing their wait in line. To renew at a kiosk, drivers must have an up-to-date Georgia driver’s license and a correct address on their renewal notice. They must also have liability insurance and proof of a passed emissions inspection must be on file with the state of Georgia.
Third rabid cat found, this time near Lawrenceville
A third rabid cat has been identified in Gwinnett, this time in the 2100 block of Sunny Hill Road in Lawrenceville. Two other rabid cats have recently been reported, one each in Dacula and Buford. Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement and the Gwinnett County Health Department advise residents to use caution and avoid animals behaving in unusual ways after another cat tested positive for the rabies virus. Diseases like rabies can be transmitted to humans and pets through bites or scratches from wild animals such as foxes and raccoons.
Here are ways to save on your electric bill
With the official arrival of summer, Jackson EMC wants to help its members lower their energy use and minimize the impact of summer heat on their monthly bills.
Cooling homes and businesses is typically one of the largest demands for electricity during warmer months. To best manage the additional energy needs caused by higher temperatures and humidity, Jackson EMC takes steps to reduce the cooperative’s electric demand and encourages members to do the same.
To assist in reducing energy consumption, here are some simple and cost-effective tips that members can follow. Implementing these measures will not only lower your energy use but also potentially reduce your power bill:
- Adjust your thermostat to 78 degrees when you’re at home and set it to a higher temperature when you’re away. Avoid turning off the air conditioner completely, as this forces the system to work harder when you turn it back on. Each degree below 78 degrees increases operating costs by approximately 5%.
- Set your water heater to 120 degrees for energy efficiency.
- Use blinds, shades or curtains to block heat from the sun warming your house.
- Keep lamps, televisions or anything that creates heat away from the thermostat, as they will impact its accuracy.
- Restrict use of heat-producing appliances like ovens, dishwashers and dryers to the early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler outdoors.
- Do only full loads when you use clothes washers, dryers and dishwashers.
- Activate “sleep” features on computers and office equipment that power down when the equipment is not in use. Unplug “energy vampires,” which are electronic devices that use energy even when they’re turned off such as coffee makers, TVs, chargers, etc.
- Grill outside or use a microwave or toaster oven. A toaster oven uses one-third to one-half as much energy as a regular oven and releases less heat into the home.
- Trim foliage around the air conditioning unit to allow adequate airflow around the unit.
For additional money-saving advice, please visit jacksonemc.com/waystosave.
You Hurt My Feelings, by filmmaker Nicole Holofcener
From Karen J. Harris, Stone Mountain: A long marriage moves into crisis mode when an author hears her husband providing a relative his honest opinion about her new book. Beth suffers from a lack of confidence, while her husband, Don, sees himself as an unsuccessful therapist. How both cope with the truth makes for an absorbing and thought-provoking exploration of when is truth ok to tell, and when are opinions best left to oneself. Either way creates slippery slopes and must be handled with precision and a willingness to accept responsibility for any possible outcomes. Beth’s sister helps her work through her pain, while dealing with her own husband’s stalled acting career. There is also feedback from Beth and Don’s only son who expresses his discomfort with their constant affirmation amidst his own coming of age story. A movie with hidden truths and gems that is worth checking out.
- 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
Battle of Bloody Marsh kept Georgia as an English colony
On July 7, 1742, English and Spanish forces skirmished on St. Simons Island in an encounter later known as the Battle of Bloody Marsh. This event was the only Spanish attempt to invade Georgia during the War of Jenkins’ Ear, and it resulted in a significant English victory. General James Oglethorpe redeemed his reputation from his defeat at St. Augustine, Fla., two years earlier, and the positive psychological effects upon his troops, settlers, other colonists, and the English populace rallied them to the cause to preserve Georgia.
Led by Don Manuel de Montiano, governor of St. Augustine, the Spanish organized an invasion of Georgia in mid-June 1742 with approximately 4,500 to 5,000 soldiers. Weather hampered their progress by sea, and Oglethorpe learned of their impending arrival; he prepared the defenses of St. Simons Island accordingly. He established a fort on the island, on a high bluff overlooking the Frederica River, to protect Darien and Savannah from a Spanish invasion.
His forces included a mixture of rangers, British regulars, southeastern Indians, and local citizens, but his total forces numbered less than 1,000 men. The Spanish landed on the southern tip of the island during the afternoon and evening of July 5 and used the nearby Fort St. Simons as their headquarters during the campaign.
Early on the morning of Wednesday, July 7, several Spanish scouts advanced northward toward Fort Frederica to assess the landscape and plan their attack. They met a body of English rangers at approximately nine o’clock, and the two units exchanged shots. Oglethorpe learned of the engagement, mounted a horse, and galloped to the scene, followed by reinforcements. He charged directly into the Spanish line, which scattered when the additional forces arrived. Oglethorpe posted a detachment to defend his position and returned to Frederica to prevent another Spanish landing on the northern coast and to recruit more men.
During midafternoon of the same day, the Spanish sent more troops into the region, and the English forces fired upon them from behind the heavy cover of brush in the surrounding marshes. This ambush, coupled with mass confusion within the smoke-filled swamp, resulted in another Spanish defeat despite Oglethorpe’s absence. This second engagement earned its name the Battle of Bloody Marsh from its location rather than from the number of casualties, which were minimal, especially on the English side (about 50 men, mostly Spanish, were killed). The Spanish left the island on July 13.
The consequences of this battle were considerable. The brave stand by Oglethorpe’s men restored their confidence because the Spanish no longer seemed indestructible. Conversely, the morale of the Spanish suffered greatly, resulting in retreat and a reluctance to undertake future campaigns into the region. Oglethorpe’s daring actions and use of effective tactics reestablished his military leadership. On an imperial level, citizens throughout the colonies and in the homeland rejoiced at the repulse of the Spanish invasion of British North America. This decisive English victory represented the last major Spanish offensive into Georgia.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Where was this photo made, and what’s the message?
See if you can identify this unusual photograph. Yes, though it looks odd, it is a real photo. Try to figure out where it is, and send your thoughts to elliott@brack.net, and include your hometown. And try to figure out the message of this picture.
Though we had some guesses, not a single person could identify the recent Mystery Photo. And it was a local photo. It was taken by Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill, in the city of Cumming, Gwinnett’s neighboring city, right in the middle of downtown!
- 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.
It was a cooler night in Suwanee, and only one lonely bather was playing in the splash fountain in front of City Hall, caught by Roving Photographer Frank Sharp. With the weather in the 90’s these days, bet that fountain is getting more splashers! Several other Gwinnett cities have splash pads for summertime playing and cooling off. Enjoy them!
Snellville Farmers Market is July 8
Saturday, July 8, the place to be is the Snellville Farmers Market, on the Towne Green. The market is open from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Come and enjoy the many fresh products of the area, and mix and mingle with your neighbors!
Meet author Lisa See on Saturday, July 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Norcross Cultural and Arts Center. Enjoy an evening with this best selling author. Click the link to get the Lisa See tickets.
Viva Las Duluth will be Saturday, July 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. on the Green in Downtown Duluth. The evening that will transport you to the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas. Come along, bring your lawn chairs, and get ready for a good night of entertainment. Step into our Vegas wonderland and prepare to be captivated by an exhilarating lineup of talent. From jaw-dropping celebrity impersonators to mind-bending magicians, dueling pianos that will make your heart sing, and cirque-style dancers defying gravity with their awe-inspiring moves, Viva Las Duluth promises a night of non-stop excitement. For details, go to www.duluthga.net/vivalasduluth.
The House at Pooh Corner will be on stage from July 13-16 at the Lionheart Theatre in Norcross. Christopher Robin has decided to run away with his friends Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and the rest. Probably they’ll go to the North Pole or to the South Pole. For there is a dark, mysterious threat that he’s to be sent away to Education. Nobody knows exactly what or where that is, and if he’s sent to such a distant place, what can his friends possibly do without him? So it’s generally agreed that they’ll run away. As the situation becomes clearer, Christopher Robin isn’t quite so sure that running away is the answer. To purchase tickets, go to lionhearttheatrereservations@yahoo.com.
Meet Children’s Authors Kahran and Regis Bethencourt on Saturday, July 15, at 11 a.m. at the Duluth Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library. They are the founders of CreativeSoul Photography. They will be talking about their new book Crowned, which encourages the imagination of young children. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Writers’ Workshop with the Atlanta Writers Club will be held Saturday, July 15, at 12:45 p.m. at the Duluth Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library. Learn more about writing, network with other writers, and listen to accomplished authors. Atlanta Writers Club officers Kim Conrey and Patrick Scullin will present “Marketing for Writers.”
Housing Resource Expo will be July 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Central Gwinnett High in Lawrenceville. Over 20 housing agencies will provide information and resources on housing issues, homeownership, home improvement opportunities and rental programs. It is sponsored by Gwinnett Housing Corporation and Lawrenceville Housing Authority.
Volunteer Wanted: to be the theater critic for GwinnettForum. Experience preferable but not necessary. Enjoy contemporary theater in the Atlanta area with this assignment. All volunteer work with no pay, but it will extend your thought process, and give you many good outings. Send your resume to elliott@brack.net, include a picture and examples of your writings.
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