GwinnettForum | Number 22.62 | Aug. 25, 2023
SERVICE IS ONE OF THE FOUR PILLARS of Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC), and that means a lot to the 26 GGC students who spent their time Saturday volunteering during the college’s service day event. Working at the Lawrenceville Co-op, the GGC Microfarm and the GGC Care Pantry, students learned about the inner workings of the areas where they were assigned. Working in a field were Kim Cuong Dang, Natasha Tanudjaja, Oluwadamilola Adekunle, while picking small tomatoes was Kennedy Jones. Future volunteer opportunities will happen in October when GGC will collaborate with Volunteer Gwinnett during the organization’s Great Days of Service. The other three pillars of the college are scholarship, leadership and creativity.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Mandatory voting in Australia is largely uncontroversial
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Gwinnett cities should also raise statues to their founders
SPOTLIGHT: Walton Gas
ANOTHER VIEW: Autism Support Center to open in Duluth in September
FEEDBACK: Six readers write in with their views on topics
UPCOMING: Lawrenceville plans its linear mural on Jackson Street
NOTABLE: Autonomous delivery now in Peachtree Corners
RECOMMENDED: The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse by Alexander McCall Smith
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Georgia has 11 planetariums open to the skies
MYSTERY PHOTO: New vertical structure begs your identification
LAGNIAPPE: Check out his Mexican Sunflower
CALENDAR: Writing workshop Saturday in Centerville
Mandatory voting in Australia is largely uncontroversial
(Editor’s note: The author is a longtime communications strategist and political commentator. He served as chief political director for former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, now Australian ambassador to the United States.)–eeb
By Bruce Hawker
SYDNEY, Australia | Mandatory elections in Australia are largely uncontroversial. People sometimes complain at being required to vote, but returning to voluntary voting is not on the political agenda for the major parties.
Hawker
Election day in Australia at state and federal elections is always on a Saturday. There is usually a somewhat festive feeling at polling places (generally in schools) with school fetes and sausage sizzles common.
Because voting is compulsory there is no need for “get out the vote” campaigns.
It is easy to vote here. People can vote on the day, or by post or for several weeks prior to the election at special polling places. There are also plenty of polling places. All these factors tend to reduce opposition to compulsory voting.
One very important effect of compulsory voting is that the major parties cannot just rely on agitating their base to maximize their vote. Instead, they are forced to appeal to the political middle ground to get the support of voters who may not be excited by either party. This means that the major parties are more centrist and moderate than they would otherwise be if they were principally reliant on their committed base in order to win.
Here, for example, programs like Medicare (our national compulsory health insurance scheme) are always supported by both parties. Similarly, no party could hope to win the support of women voters if they had a policy to ban abortions. So, compulsory voting tends to inject a level of sanity and moderation to politics.
Another interesting fact is that it is counter-intuitive. It was a conservative government that introduced compulsory voting in 1924. In those years there was a level of complacency among conservative voters which depressed their vote. On top of that, the Labor Party vote was enhanced by highly organized labor unions which ensured that their members got out the vote.
The fine for not voting in Australia ranges from $20 at federal elections to $92 for elections in Victoria. For example, in NSW the fine is $55 and in Queensland it is $65. Interestingly, despite the difference in fines, across all Australian states and territories the voting level is at about 95 percent. At a federal level the voting level was about 90 percent at the last election in 2022. This was down by a couple of percent.
In the Northern Territory at the last federal election there was a lower level of compliance in rural areas. This is largely because the NT has a higher percentage of Aboriginal voters, many of whom live in remote communities. Some of them are also semi-nomadic.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Gwinnett cities should raise also statues to their founders
Tom Snell and James Sawyer.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
AUG. 25, 2023 | Snellville in particular and Gwinnett in general are in debt to Dave Emanuel, who is a member of the Snellville City Council. He had the idea for Snellville to commemorate its 100th anniversary by erecting a statue of the two city founders, Tom Snell and James Sawyer.
What Dave Emanuel did for Snellville is what the other cities in Gwinnett should do: find a way to give recognition to their city’s founding, by funding a public bronze statue of each city’s founders.
In talking with Emanuel, he said: “A few years ago, I started writing a script for a short video about Snellville’s history. Unfortunately, there was almost nothing left. The original store built by Snell and Sawyer is long gone as is the Consolidated School building. Now, even the great old oak tree on U.S. Highway 78 by the former Thompson farm is gone.
Dave Emanuel
“That being the case, I thought it was most important to have something representing Snellville’s history in our new town center. I had seen items commemorating historical figures in other parts of the country and thought statues of Snell and Sawyer would be perfect for Snellville.”
The statue has been placed in front of the soon-to-be-opened (on September 11) new Elizabeth H. Williams Library in The Grove at Towne Center.
Thank you, Dave, from all of us.
LUCKILY, THOSE INSTRUMENTAL in founding Gwinnett cities are known.
Lawrenceville, the county seat, founded in 1821, was named for Capt. James Lawrence, who charged his men during the War of 1812: “Don’t give up the ship.”
Norcross dates from 1870, founded by Atlanta businessman John Thrasher, and named for his friend, Jonathan Norcross, the second mayor of Atlanta.
Duluth was first called Howell’s Landing, and was formally founded in 1871, named for a town in Minnesota, which was named for French explorer Daniel Greysolon, Sieur Du Luth.
Buford was named for the president of the first railroad in Gwinnett, Algernon Sidney Buford, and dates from 1872.
Braselton was founded in 1876 by William Henry Braselton, who had an 800 acre plantation. His son was the first mayor when incorporated in 1916.
Loganville dates its incorporation in 1887, though namesake James Harvie Logan first moved there in 1842.
Auburn is one of the older communities, dating from 1892, named for the color of its soil.
Grayson was first incorporated in 1902, though it had a post office in 1881. The name comes from Mayor John E. Jacobs, who got a letter from Grayson County, Tex., and liked the name.
Dacula gets its name from a postmaster combining the names of Decatur and Atlanta, and became a city in 1905.
Snellville, named for the above, was first settled in the 1880s, but wasn’t incorporated until 1923.
Lilburn dates its incorporation from 1910, and was re-chartered in 1937. It is named for Lilburn Trigg Myers, who worked for the railroad.
Rest Haven dates from 1938 and was once known for its bawdiness.
Sugar Hill, founded in 1945, was first the name of the militia precinct. It was named when wagon loads of sugar would spill going up a hill from the railroad. Its first mayor was former Probate Judge Alton Tucker.
Suwanee had a post office as early as 1837, but was incorporated in 1949, named for an Indian community.
Berkeley Lake was settled as a leisure community in 1953, but its incorporation was in 1956. Its early developer was Frank Coggins, who named it for Elberton’s blue granite.
Peachtree Corners, officially incorporated in 2012, is Gwinnett’s youngest city. Planning this area as a work-live-play community was Technology Park Founder Paul Duke.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Walton Gas
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Autism Support Center to open in Duluth in September
By Laura Vladick
DULUTH, Ga. | Spectrum Autism Support Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving individuals and families impacted by autism, has achieved a remarkable milestone in its journey. With autism now affecting one in 36 individuals, the organization is planning a Spectrum Autism Support Center in downtown Duluth. This new facility represents a significant step forward in its mission to provide essential support, education, resources, and respite care to a larger number of individuals and families in need.
Vladick
Located at 2997 Main Street in Duluth, the Spectrum Autism Support Center is strategically situated to be accessible to a wide range of families and the central location will enable them to better serve the community and provide a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone.
For over 25 years, Spectrum Autism Support Group has been a pillar of support in Gwinnett County, consistently working towards improving the lives of those living with autism. The opening of the Spectrum Autism Support Center marks a pivotal moment for the organization, as it allows them to expand their reach and impact even more lives in the community. Spectrum provides support groups, camps, respite, social skills, family events, and community education and training. It has started a Saturday Social Club for adults, a drum circle club, and it will start adding more groups, like a Lego Club, and a Robotics Club.
It has a sensory-friendly playground, coming from contributions by community support.
The Spectrum Autism Support Center is equipped to enhance the organization’s existing programs and introduce new, exciting initiatives. One of the most anticipated additions is the increase in respite opportunities for caregivers. These respite services will offer caregivers a much-needed break while ensuring that their loved ones with autism receive the utmost care and support in a safe environment.
Another distinctive initiative that the Spectrum Autism Support Center will be launching will be a “parents’ night out” event. These events aim to provide parents with a chance to relax and recharge while their children enjoy a safe and supportive environment. Such opportunities can prove to be invaluable for parents, who often face unique challenges in caring for their children with autism.
The expansion of services at the Spectrum Autism Support Center is geared towards addressing the diverse needs of the community. Their goal is to offer tailored support for individuals at every stage of life.
Claire Dees, founder and executive director of the organization, says: “We are so pleased to see our long time dream of opening the Spectrum Autism Support Center become a reality.”
This new facility represents a commitment to making a difference in the lives of individuals and families impacted by autism. With the increasing prevalence of autism, it is critical that the community expand its efforts and provide necessary resources as all work to better support those with autism so that they might be able to live, work, play, and worship together in the community, regardless of abilities.
The Spectrum Autism Support Group invites the community to join them in celebrating this occasion and to work together to create a more inclusive and understanding society. With the Spectrum Autism Support Center becoming operational in September, it is poised to make a lasting positive impact on the lives of countless individuals and families affected by autism.
For more information about the Spectrum Autism Support Group and the services provided at the Spectrum Autism Support Center, visit atl-spectrum.com or contact 770-239-6630.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Considering discipline in Gwinnett schools
Editor, the Forum:
The rollout of a systemwide restorative justice initiative by Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) to address disproportionality (or overrepresentation) of any subgroup in student discipline during the 2022-23 school year yielded unintended consequences. This involved major episodes of student defiance and low teacher morale across the district.
All data for this report were obtained from the Georgia Department of Education, which included the official demographics for the 181,814 students in GCPS.
The stated focus of GCPS in 2022-23 was to reduce the “raw numbers” for student discipline via a systemwide restorative justice initiative. This was an ill-advised strategy because it did not – and will not – address the root cause of the disparate treatment of students of color.
As evidenced by the data presented in this report, the ongoing trend of disproportionality (or overrepresentation) of Black children is found in each of the three major categories of student discipline. They are ISS (in-school suspensions ); OSS (out-of-school suspensions); and hearings.
– James Taylor, Buford
Wants us to remember there were 74 million for Trump
Editor, the Forum:
Consider this: what does it say to, at last count, over 74 million by what these left leaning attorneys are trying to do to a former president who is so highly polling? My question is why Hillary Clinton has not gone to jail for her illegal practices; just one using a private server for emails and then physically destroying that evidence.
If the left doesn’t stop the persecution, then my fear is outright splitting of the US. After all, Biden said he would bring us together. Call your senators and representatives to let them know enough is enough. Stop this insanity!
– Barbara Warden, Norcross
Dear Barbara: There’s another vote figure in 2023, which is 81 million. It appears there is insanity around about everywhere, right?—-eeb
Feels City of Atlanta is unsafe and needs cleansing
Editor, the Forum:
I believe Atlanta is a very unsafe place to visit and with its present political leaders, I would not have an issue if the rest of Georgia boycotted the whole city. It is racist-motivated and any one outside can see it. They should go in and just clean house period. Just a view of a mini Chicago destroying the great state of Georgia.
– Ronald Schwartz, Dublin, Ga.
Has problems with considering the 14th Amendment
Editor, the Forum:
Is the 14th Amendment in direct conflict with the “innocent until proven guilty” premise of our justice system? How does one resolve this conflict, if any?
Don’t get me wrong, I am in support of this provision, but have not been able to resolve this disparity in a long held premise of justice. There are some who feel that disqualifying someone based solely on an accusation could be very dangerous, and I agree.
– Dan Bollinger, Sr., Loganville
Using 14th Amendment would face many problems
Editor, the Forum:
Disqualifying the former president under the 14th Amendment would not be a simple matter. First, there are legal scholars on the other side of this issue.
Second, it would take several state election officials to deny Trump a place on their ballots in order for it to be effective.
Third, such moves would, no doubt, result in many court challenges which would not likely be resolved in time for the 2024 election.
– John Titus, Peachtree Corners
Choice of a person not voting is saying something
Editor, the Forum:
Not voting is a form of voting. It tells the world that the candidate choices made by established political parties are unsuitable to the non-voter. Freedom of Speech! To abstain is saying something!
On nearly the same topic, I just read that some millionaire Republicans have started a new party with the intent of luring unhappy Democrats and Independents who might have voted for Biden. The overall intent is to pull votes away from Biden to this new party, so that loyalist Trumpers can elect the indicted former President. Their camp is using some amazing words and phrases to catch people otherwise unaware and turn the tide for Trump.
– Mike Eberlein, Peachtree Corners
Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net.
Lawrenceville plans its linear mural on Jackson Street
The Lawrenceville Arts Commission (LAC) is launching the city’s first community mural project to transform a main throughway along Jackson Street into an artistic area. The mural, to be created by artist Teresa Abboud, will be located on the low wall adjacent to the Post Office between Pike and Crogan Streets.
The project began last December with an open call urging local artists to submit designs for a 1,867-square-foot mural with a portion designated for community participation.
Mayor David Still feels: “The community mural is a wonderful example of the creativity and unity that defines Lawrenceville. We are proud to plan this collaborative work that highlights the diversity and spirit of our city.”
The mural project will be done from September 5 to September 7, during which Abboud will begin the “paint-by-numbers” style outline framework. Community members are invited to register to paint alongside her. There is no charge to participate. These hands-on sessions allow residents age 13 and older to leave their mark in Lawrenceville. To ensure a secure and enjoyable experience for everyone involved, space is limited to 10 participants per time slot. To view dates, register to paint, and learn more about the project, visit lville.city/mural.
Autonomous delivery now in Peachtree Corners
Clevon, a global autonomous delivery leader, is joining the Peachtree Corners Curiosity Lab ecosystem. The company’s autonomous robot carriers (ARCs), powered by T-Mobile connectivity, are designed to collect orders at warehouses, retail stores, dark stores and micro fulfillment centers, and then deliver those goods to people and businesses around the city.
Sander Sebastian Agur, Clevon’s chief executive officer,says: “It was only fitting to bring our second major operation here in the United States to one of the most advanced smart city environments in the world at Peachtree Corners. A future-forward environment like this is invaluable to our continued efforts to optimize autonomous robot carrier operation, including how they will navigate through real-world situations.”
Clevon’s fully electric ARCs have customizable configurations, to fulfill a multitude of business needs and offer an efficient and timely customer delivery experience. The robots can reduce failed deliveries, carbon emissions, cost of delivery per customer and stolen packages. Clevon brings a secure and on-demand and extremely energy-efficient delivery service that has proven itself in all-weather conditions on multiple continents.
Clevon’s ARCs operate on U.S. public roadways and are purpose-built for delivering multiple shipments during a single trip. The driving system includes redundant perception technologies and leverages T-Mobile’s IoT solutions. As part of the Curiosity Lab smart city ecosystem, Clevon will also be exploring live testing for 5G adoption in partnership with T-Mobile. Clevon provides reliable, efficient and safe last-mile services.
Greta Harmon Loeber
GwinnettForum has learned of the death on Wednesday of Greta Harmon Loeber, a retired Gwinnett school teacher, of Peachtree Corners. Details of her funeral service are incomplete. Arrangements are being handled by Crowell Brothers Funeral Home of Peachtree Corners.
The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse by Alexander McCall Smith
This novel grows on you. Set in the English countryside during World War II, near an American Air Force base, it shows the depth by which England suffered with food in short supply, guided by rationing, the necessity of wearing old clothes since new items were not being made, and how “land boys and girls” helped grow crops for the war. But it also shows another side of war, from the German viewpoint after the war, when that country also had little, with cities destroyed, and having to scratch for everyday living. Throw in a dog that went with the airmen on flying missions, and eventually learn of the Americans supporting a Berlin surrounded by the Russians, who closed the borders, all leading to the Berlin Air Lift. Through it all, it brings out some of the best sides of mankind, with these uplifting stories by this prolific author. –eeb
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
Georgia has 11 planetariums open to the skies
Because Georgia has several major planetariums scattered throughout the state, the planetarium experience is within easy driving distance of most Georgians. Planetariums have revolutionized the way astronomy is taught, especially to young students and the general public.
Evidence suggests that the concept of the planetarium existed at least 20 centuries ago. Ancient maps of the sky, carefully placed on the outside of globes, were apparently constructed by astronomers teaching what they knew to those who wanted to learn. The modern planetarium, however, did not develop until the early twentieth century. In 1919 Walther Bauersfeld, director of the German firm Carl Zeiss Jena, came up with the idea of projecting the stars and other celestial objects on some sort of curved surface in a dark room. The Zeiss planetarium was opened to the public in 1926 in Jena, Germany.
Among the larger planetariums in Georgia are the Jim Cherry Planetarium at the Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta, the Coca-Cola Space Science Center in Columbus, the Mark Smith Planetarium at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon, the planetarium at Valdosta State University, and the Rollins Planetarium at Young Harris College. Other planetariums are located at Georgia Southern University, Agnes Scott College, North Georgia College and State University, and the University of West Georgia. The Wetherbee Planetarium and Science Discovery Center are located in Albany at the Thronateeska Heritage Center. The Muscogee County School District also has a planetarium.
In 1967 one of the earliest first-class planetariums in Georgia was erected at the Fernbank Science Center. The center’s mission is to enhance Georgia’s public and private school curriculums.
The Valdosta State University planetarium was also opened in the late 1960s; its shows are staffed by students under the direction of a faculty member. Valdosta State is one of only three universities in the state to offer an undergraduate degree in astronomy. Among the newest planetariums in Georgia is the Coca-Cola Space Science Center at Columbus State University, which opened in 1996. Like Fernbank, the Columbus facility houses an observatory, offers astronomy classes, and sponsors mobile astronomy programs.
The Southeastern Planetarium Association (SEPA) is a professional organization formed to support planetariums and staff in the Southeast. Made up of professional astronomers and science educators, SEPA helps set the standard for planetarium productions. The first meeting was held at the Fernbank Science Center in 1971. SEPA currently lists the Fernbank, Coca-Cola Space Science Center, Mark Smith Planetarium, and Rollins Planetarium as members from Georgia.
At least two Georgia planetariums, Fernbank and the Coca-Cola Center, belong to the International Planetarium Society, the largest group of planetarium professionals in the world. This group of more than 600 planetariums shares astronomy and space-science resources with astronomy educators around the world. There is also a Georgia consortium of planetariums, which meets regularly to discuss new trends and programming opportunities. In some instances they team to produce new programs that can be sold or given to smaller institutions.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
New vertical structure begs your identification
Here’s a photo of a new vertical structure that went up in a neighborhood recently.It might surprise you. Can you tell us who designed this structure? Figure out what this is, and why it was erected where it is. Then send your answers to elliott@brack.net, and tell us what your hometown is.
Allan Peel, San Antonio, Tex. nailed the recent Mystery. “It’s the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse, located at the mouth of Delaware Bay, north of the tip of Cape Henlopen, Del. Built in 1926, the Harbor of Refuge lighthouse is the third guiding light installed at the end of the nearly 8,000-foot-long 1901 Outer Delaware Breakwater that was built to give passing ships a safe place to harbor during storms. Its breakwater foundation is on shaky ground. Years of increased wave action have gradually deepened the waters around the lighthouse from about 50 feet when it was first built to about 100 or 120 feet now. Then when Superstorm Sandy tore up the Delaware and New Jersey coasts in 2012, it further accelerated the deterioration of the rocks that support the foundation of the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse.
“The Army Corps of Engineers is using $250,000 from the 2021 Federal Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act to pay for a feasibility study, including an engineering analysis of the breakwater and the foundation on which the lighthouse sits, to determine how best to ensure that the breakwater and lighthouse will still provide safe passage for ships coming and going up into and out of the Delaware River.” The photo came from Rick Krause of Lilburn.
Also recognizing the lighthouse was Jay Altman of Columbia, S.C.; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; and Stew Ogilive, Lawrenceville.
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.
A bee is toiling on this Mexican Sunflower, which Photographer Claire McDaniel of Black Mountain, N.C., who said it was so bright it nearly hurt her eyes. It comes to us via Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill.
Writing workshop Saturday in Centerville
Writing Workshop: “Creating Character Through Culture” will be Saturday, August 26 at 11 a.m. at the Centerville Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library. Local author Brynn Barineau will lead this workshop and teach how to write believable societies filled with unique individuals.
Toddler Time at the Peachtree Corners Branch of Gwinnett Public Library allows toddlers to learn to be attentive and follow directions, develop a love of stories and books, and acquire reading readiness skills. This is a free event and will be held August 29 from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m.
Watch local art come alive in Downtown Braselton! ArtRageous in a juried art festival and live paint project on September 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Braselton Town Green. This indoor-outdoor festival will feature artists showcasing their best works, available for purchase. During the festival, 12 commissioned artists will paint eight-foot cubes on the Town Green, which will be displayed for at least one year at various locations downtown.
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