GwinnettForum | Number 23.42 | May 28, 2024
BIG SUCCESS: Many organizations, groups and individuals have contributed to make a success of the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation. Below, in Today’s Focus read how the Foundation has grown since its inception in 2009. From left are Kelly Patterson, who is retiring as head of the Foundation; Deborah Fancher of Peach State Federal Credit Union; and Emilie Killebrew, of the GCPS Foundation.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Looking back at 15 years of GCPS Foundation
EEB PERSPECTIVE: GwinnettForum’s 10 rules for safe driving
SPOTLIGHT: Gwinnett Place CID
FEEDBACK: Voters should get information before elections
UPCOMING: Peachtree Corners’ new art gallery opens May 31
NOTABLE: Explore Gwinnett awards $175,000 in arts grants
RECOMMENDED: Zenith Man by McCracken Poston Jr.
OBITUARY: Rev. Dr. John Hauser Roark
GEORGIA TIDBIT: “Swamp Gravy” returns in June at Colquitt
MYSTERY PHOTO: Locate where this functional structure is
LAGNIAPPE: Graduation time for new crop of doctors from PCOM
CALENDAR: Heritage celebration will be Wednesday, May 29 at GJAC
Looking back at 15 years of GCPS Foundation
By Kelly Herndon Patterson
Executive director, Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation
SUWANEE, Ga. | Dear Foundation Trustees, community, and colleagues:
Patterson
As the school year closes, a chapter closes for me as well. I am retiring in August 2024. I have been with Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) for 24 years. During my tenure as Human Resources director of Recruitment and Retention under Dr. Frances Davis, 2000-2009, the district opened 40 new schools plus six replacements and created the Gwinnett School of Math, Science and Technology.
In 2009, I took over as executive director of the GCPS Foundation. Having been an involved parent in the Grayson and Shiloh clusters, a former banker, and a part of forming the Grayson Cluster Schools Foundation (one of the first K-12 in the state).
In 2009, I took over as executive director of the newly-formed GCPS Foundation. This move was a good fit. The district-wide GCPS Foundation had six scholarships, $300,000 in funds, and big dreams. Despite a dismal economic climate in 2009, a dynamic board and determined community grew the budget to $1.3 million.
Over time, goals were realized by creating annual teacher grants, funding over one hundred scholarships, and bringing together community/cluster groups with a home under the Foundation umbrella. Many people in the community have set up scholarships in honor of a loved one, favorite teacher, or school. A significant boost was the formation of an annual fundraiser in 2010, the Gwinnett County Sports Hall of Fame.The GCPS Foundation became a model statewide.
- Click here to meet the members of the Hall of Fame
The GCPS Foundation bylaws ensure that the GCPS Foundation functions in an orderly, productive fashion. With a history of clean audits, the Foundation has benefitted from policies such as the current district chief financial officer serving as treasurer. An important key to success, the district superintendent is always a member of the executive board along with the current Board of Education chair. Superintendents J. Alvin Wilbanks and Dr. Calvin J. Watts have been invaluable on this board. Great effort is taken to ensure that every cluster in the district is represented, and that the board reflects the diversity of the community.
Numerous talented individuals have overseen the work of the Foundation team over the years. Among them are former CFO Rick Cost; former CFO Joe Heffron; current CFO Masana Mailliard; Communications and Media Relations, Melissa Laramie: former Chief Strategy Officer, Dr. Kevin Tashlein; and former Associate Superintendent, Dr. Steve Flynt (current superintendent of Columbia County). Bringing needed investment experience, Aaron Lupuloff joined the team as senior executive director in November 2015.
Fast forward to 2024, the GCPs Foundation has exceeded $10.5 million in local school support and $13.3 million in program support. More than 1,000 students were honored by the GCPS Foundation from the Class of 2024. Money saving perks stretch employee/retiree paychecks. In- kind donations surpass $500,000 each year, and the budget is $3.5 million. That’s hard to believe, but it’s true.
I have worn many hats with GCPS, as an employee, a parent, a PTA officer, a volunteer, a citizen, and as a donor, but my proudest hat is being a graduate of the district.
I leave excited for the next chapter. I plan to devote myself to projects of interest in the community and to play with our three grand girls, with a fourth due this summer. I leave knowing the best is yet to come for this great organization. Join me in giving to the GCPS Foundation at www.gcps-foundation.org.
- Have a comment? Click here to send an email.
GwinnettForum’s 10 rules for safe driving
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MAY 28, 2024 | If there is one thing you can count on, for sure you always see bad driving on our roadways virtually every time you go out in your automobile. Highways are always dangerous.
Bad driving is everywhere. Each automobile trip sees dangers. We remember a sign aimed at soldiers at Fort Stewart, Ga. that read as they left the base: “Be careful. You are entering a most dangerous area: the public highway.”
You must constantly be alert while driving, that is, alert yourself, and be alert for other vehicles … .and what they may do. They may stop quickly, or turn suddenly in front of you without warning, or come up fast behind you, or come mighty close to you in an adjacent lane. You never know where the danger might suddenly appear.
To that end, we have come up with GwinnettForum’s Ten Rules for Safe Driving, which you see here. Now to go into each of these headings.
Think ahead: Once on the roadway, immediately think ahead of where you want to turn off this segment. If it’s soon, put yourself in the correct lane to make that turn.- Stay in your lane: Once you know where you are going, get in the best lane and stay there. All too often you see cars swerving from one lane to get into another, causing consternation and danger to others on the road.
- Keep your distance: Don’t tailgate on the driver ahead of you. It’s not only common courtesy, but can be dangerous, for you never know what the driver ahead might do!
- Don’t overly speed: on most highways, the posted speed is usually 50-60 mph, which is fast in itself. But you see many passing you at 8o-90-100 mph. Keeping a constant, relatively moderate speed is safer and will also save you on fuel.
- Don’t get distracted. Make sure anyone in your vehicle doesn’t get you into a tizzy and don’t let those crazy drivers you see overly upset you. You must pay attention to driving, not get into an uproar with someone else.
- Stay off your cell phone. This communication device is dangerous to use while driving. If you must, at least use a hands-free system, but remember, cell phones are mighty distracting and can cause accidents.
- Plan fuel purchases well ahead. Said another way, “Don’t run out of gas”…or electricity. Know where your next fuel stop is and use it.
- Look three times before turning into another road. First, look left, then look right, then look left again. If you see any cars moving toward you, consider not turning until they have passed. Then enter the road carefully.
- Use the back-up camera. Most cars now have them. Each time, when gearing into reverse, give the back-up camera time to light up and look at it before you start backing. Or else you might back into someone.
- Know your route. Plan your route before you start your car. Should you use your car’s navigation device, set and study this before leaving. And when driving, be careful when glancing at Navigation.
Many of you can add other significant rules for safe driving. But this is a start. Be careful on the roadways: they are always dangerous.
- Have a comment? Click here to send an email.
Gwinnett Place CID
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s underwriting sponsor is the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District (CID). It is a self-taxing district that uses additional property taxes to accelerate infrastructure improvements, security enhancements and economic development initiatives. The CID is leading the effort to expedite mobility, quality of life and job creation strategies for the benefit of businesses, employees, and visitors to Gwinnett’s central business district. Through partnerships with Gwinnett County Government, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the State of Georgia and others, the CID has a proven track record of improvements that are transforming Gwinnett Place. While the Gwinnett Place CID comprises less than one percent of Gwinnett County’s landmass, the area has a $15.9 Billion annual economic impact on the state of Georgia. Representing seven percent of all Gwinnett County jobs, the district’s 2,054 companies and 28,688 workers produce $7.5 billion in sales each year and $2.1 billion in earnings (wages + benefits). For more information, visit GwinnettPlaceCID.com and VisitGwinnettPlace.com.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Voters should get information before elections
Editor, the Forum:
To show incumbents on the ballot would be ok if the voter was well informed. That means the media, not the party, should divulge this person’s voting record or court cases showing the outcome of these decisions. When I lived in Olympia, Wash. voters were given a flier showing each candidate’s stats. The counties in Georgia should do the same well before the election. The voters only get lies in ads, pointing out the pluses and ignoring the minuses. That’s called lying by omission.
– Barbara Warden, Norcross
Dear Barbara: How do we ensure that the information you suggest getting “from counties” is fair and true? In other words, who should be the gatekeeper? While once newspapers did some of this, who’s at bat for this now….that voters can trust?—eeb
Yes, “Incumbent” designation should be on ballot
Editor, the Forum:
Incumbent is an earned position because of the electorate’s previous decision to elect the person. The uninformed—which I believe is the majority in some political races—should know that fact before casting a ballot. The informed will know if the incumbent is unworthy or the challenger is more so. Therefore, yes, the incumbent designation should appear on the ballot.
– Mike Tennant, Duluth
Issue of incumbent never raised before
Editor, the Forum:
You never raised the issue of incumbents when Butch Conway, Danny Porter, Charlotte Nash, Mary Kaye Murphy and others ran as insiders for 26 plus years. Why are you now raising it? The only difference is in the complexion perhaps?
– Renee Haygood, Lawrenceville
Dear Renee: Recognize that some of the candidates we endorsed were incumbents, and others were not. Ten were incumbents, and 11 were not. I never figured it that way, and was somewhat surprised myself.—eeb
Candidate finds waving near polls not for her
Editor, the Forum:
I am with you 100 percent on giving voters a break on election day! Today it’s election day, and though a candidate, I’m at work.I did send one reminder post on Facebook and will not be out anywhere! As for sign-waving, I did that for the first time last year for City Council elections, and then vowed never to do it again!
– Arlene Beckles, Norcross
Enjoys waving for candidates near polls
Editor, the Forum:
We will agree to disagree on the sign waving. I’ve done it a few times because I felt that passionate about a candidate. It’s hard to find that kind of passion anymore. I don’t look forward to it, but once I see the faces of the drivers, it’s fun. Lots of thumbs up, smiles, waves and honks.
I especially love seeing young people wave because it gives me hope for the future. Not many young people are involved in politics these days… and that’s a real worry.
Thanks for your election coverage.
– Cathy Loew, Peachtree Corners
Dear Cathy: My comment was not about individuals near the polls waving, but was about the candidates themselves trying to impress voters one more time. Let candidates stay away and rest, and let us voters rest from them, on election day. –eeb
- 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 by to: ebrack2@gmail.com.
Peachtree Corners’ new art gallery opens May 31
Smith, provided.
Peachtree Corners is getting a new art gallery, which plans to open May 31 at The Forum on Peachtree Parkway, near the Barnes and Noble bookstore. Anderson Smith is bringing the colorful and creative works of 18 different artists to the 4,300 square foot space. Smith owns a gallery in Buckhead but is now opening his second location.
Originally from Chicago, Mr. Smith himself is an artist specializing in mixed media, abstract and pop art. A two year veteran of the Army, he has lived in Georgia for 28 years and has operated his Buckhead location for two years.
Among the artists who will show their work at his gallery are Vando Davis, abstract; Emanuella Lucaci, who is Swedish, and a minimalist abstract artist; local Japanese artist, Jyoko Gakeuchi, who works in gold leaf and ink; and Tracey Mose, from New Orleans, a specialist in fine contemporary art.
Fifteen from Jackson EMC helping in Kentucky
Jackson EMC is assisting with power restoration efforts at Pennyrile Electric in south central Kentucky where tornadoes and straight-line winds caused widespread power outages. As of noon, over 23,000 of their members, nearly half, are without power.
Fifteen Jackson EMC crew members left early Memorial Day morning, taking several trucks and other equipment to restore power to service areas. Jackson EMC retains ample resources, with linemen and support personnel ready to assist our members as needed.
Cooperation among cooperatives is one of the principles all co-ops share. Jackson EMC provides fellow co-ops assistance with power restoration efforts following major outages.
Two Georgia teams advance in NAIA World Series
Georgia Gwinnett College’s baseball team won its first game in the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho on Saturday, May 25. GGC defeated Indiana Southeast 5-2. On Memorial Day, GGC was to play Tennessee Wesleyan in a second round in the double elimination tournament. Another Georgia team, Reinhardt College of Waleska, also won their first round game, defeating Hope International 7-5. It was the first victory ever for Reinhardt in the NAIA tournament.
Explore Gwinnett awards $175,000 in arts grants
Arts and cultural institutions in Gwinnett are getting more than $175,000 in grants from Explore Gwinnett, the destination marketing organization for Gwinnett County through the 2024 Gwinnett Creativity Fund (GCF). Now in its fifth year, the GCF Project Grant provides financial support to arts and cultural projects, initiatives and programming that enhance Gwinnett County’s economic development and further the community’s diverse cultural landscape.
New to the GCF this year is the Arts Micro Grant, specifically designed to support the art, music, and theatre departments of Gwinnett County Public Schools, with a focus on middle schools.
Lisa Anders, Explore Gwinnett’s executive director, says: “From small to large organizations, our recipients are crafting immersive cultural experiences, designing community development programs and establishing arts education programs for the enjoyment of the entire community.”
The 2024 GCF Project Grant Cycle received its highest number of applications in its five-year history, with four first-time applicants and a total of 23 exemplary projects submitted by community nonprofits. The cycle awarded over $150,000 in funding to the following recipients:
- African American Culture and Arts Festival, $3,600;
- Atlanta International Night Market, “Glow in the Park,” $3,750;
- Aurora Theatre, “The Color Purple,” $18,000;
- Contemporary Classics Theatre, “Shakespeare in the Park,” $7,000;
- Fezziwig Foundation, Inc., “Anastasia the Musical,” 3,800;
- Fresh Films, Gwinnett Studio Tours and Career Bootcamps, unavailable;
- Georgia Latino Film Festival / Youth Cinema Summit, $6,000;
- Gwinnett Ballet Theatre, “Emerge 2024,” unavailable;
- Lionheart Theatre Company, “Lawless Spirits Ghost Tour,” $2,000;
- Live Arts Theatre, “Chicken and Biscuits,” $4,500;
- Norcross Gallery and Studios, Citywide Photography Contest, $2,750;
- Southeastern Railway Museum, Railway Photography Exhibition, $5,000;
- Spectrum Autism Support Group, Community Drum Circle, $3,750;
- Stone Mountain Chorus, Fall Show, $3,500;
- Sugarloaf Ballet, Inc., “Cinderella,” unavailable;
- Suwanee Arts Center, Suwanee Arts Festival Art Exhibition, $2,500;
- Suwanee Performing Arts, “Broadway in the Park,” $5,000;
- The Hudgens Center for Art and Learning, Public Art Mural, $32.500;
- Urban Mediamakers Film Festival, Creative Kids Summer Camp, $2,500;
- Atlanta Taiwanese Association of America, Heritage Week, $4,000;
- Catrachos y Latinos, LLC, Fedue Noche Cultural, $3,000;
- Center of the European Experience, Annual Cultural Festival “Soul of Georgia,” $3,000; and
- Sugarloaf Gwinnett Center, Tribute Series Part 1, $10,000.
Arts micro grants From Explore Gwinnett totaling $25,000 went to 17 public schools, each getting $1,500.
Zenith Man by McCracken Poston Jr.
From Emory Morsberger, Lilburn: I was excited to hear about this book. I served with the author, McCracken Poston Jr., in the Georgia House of Representatives. Poston left the Georgia House and soon met political loss in a failed run for Congress, personal loss in a failed marriage, and other humiliations. However, he soon found himself through the representation of a man he only years later learned was on the autism spectrum, a man accused of holding his wife captive in their basement for decades before killing her. This stunning book reminds us that things are not always as they appear. Poston’s book evokes a rising drama, some tears, but most notably the laughter as we all endure the lawyer’s plight with his client. The book is a finalist for the CrimeCon 2024 Clue Award for ‘Book of the Year.’ The full title is Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom.
- 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. Click here to send an email.
The Rev. Dr. John Hauser Roark
The Rev. Dr. John Hauser Roark was promoted to the Church Triumphant on April 11, 2024, after a lengthy illness. Dr. Roark was born on November 5, 1938 in Atlanta, the son of Earl Woodliff Roark and Ethel Hauser Roark. He was a graduate of Southwest Dekalb High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia in 1960. He earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1964 and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1985, both from Columbia Theological Seminary.
Roark
While at the University of Georgia he met Margaret “Peggy” Head. They were married in 1962 until her death in 2017. He was also preceded in death by his sister, Alice Roark. He is survived by his daughter, Margaret Roark McAskill; son, Scott Roark (Amy); grandchildren, George, David and Will McAskill, and John (Ashley) and Mary Grace Roark; and his brother, Robert Earl Roark; and numerous family members and treasured friends.
He was gifted in music from an early age, becoming a church organist at Ousley United Methodist Church at age 14. While a student at UGA, he served as organist and choir director at First Baptist Church of Athens. He studied organ under Hugh Hodgson at UGA. He also played French horn in the Redcoat Marching Band. He won first place in a national American Guild of Organists competition at age 19 and then studied under renowned organist Flor Peeters at the Conservatorium in Antwerp, Belgium. Throughout his life, he shared his musical talents both professionally and personally, as a guest organist at many churches and piano accompanist for various choirs and organizations, including renowned British composer John Rutter.
He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church as a Minister in 1964 and served Courtland Presbyterian Church in Courtland, Ala., First Presbyterian Church of Athens, Covenant Presbyterian Church in Roanoke, Va., Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Stone Mountain, and Buford Presbyterian Church in Sugar Hill. Following his retirement in 2008, he served as the Associate Organist at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, and also was a frequent guest organist at Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta and Dunwoody United Methodist Church.
His ministry gifts were centered on preaching and teaching, and he was known for his lively Bible studies and related etymology. His preaching was shaped by his treasured mentor, Dr. Fred Craddock. His doctoral dissertation focused primarily on the study of grief, enabling him to conduct meaningful grief seminars. He was also a fabulous pastor and cared greatly for his church family.
He and his wife, Peggy were known for hosting their entire congregations in their home at annual Christmas open houses and other joyous gatherings. Many times, he would entertain guests by playing the piano and taking requests. While he was trained in classical and sacred music, he also played many types of music by ear, and people loved to be entertained by him.
John Roark loved people and never met a stranger. He made friends easily and kept up with people throughout his life. He and his wife were always there to help people in need and lived out the Biblical mandate to “love your neighbor as yourself.” While church and family were the center of his life, he also grew beautiful roses and hydrangeas, built furniture, and was a poetry and opera enthusiast. For more than 20 years, he owned a vacation home in beautiful Montreat, N. C., for which he was very grateful.
For the last five and a half years, he was a resident of Towne Club Windermere in Cumming. During his time there he entertained the residents weekly at the piano and also conducted grief seminars and Bible studies. No matter what his stage of life, he found a way to serve others through his music and pastoral leadership.
His family would like to thank the staff at Towne Club Windermere and Gentiva Hospice for their wonderful care of him.
A memorial service will be held at Buford Presbyterian Church, 1242 Buford Highway, Sugar Hill, on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be sent to Buford Presbyterian Church. Arrangements by Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford.
“Swamp Gravy” returns in June at Colquitt
Swamp Gravy, Georgia’s official state folklife play, is performed annually in Colquitt, the seat of Miller County in south Georgia. The next show dates will be June 14, 15, 21, 22, 2024.
The play had its origins in a chance meeting at a New York conference in 1990 between Joy Jinks of Colquitt and Richard Owen Geer, at that time a doctoral student in performance studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Jinks expressed her concern about Miller County’s economic decline and the growing number of southwest Georgia youths who left the region after graduation. When she mentioned that her community wanted to do a play celebrating its history, Geer told her of his dissertation research on performance as a community-building tool and suggested that they work together to develop a play for Colquitt based on stories from the lives of Miller County residents.
Six months later, Geer met with the Colquitt/Miller Arts Council, and the project was dubbed “Swamp Gravy,” named after the soup made in southwest Georgia fish camps from the drippings left from fried fish, along with tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and whatever else is available to throw in the pan. The community play was to be a musical based on the stories of Miller Countians, Black and white, captured on tape and transformed into a script by Tennessee playwright Jo Carson.
When Swamp Gravy Sketches opened to rave reviews in fall 1992, the cast consisted completely of local residents. It won more than 30 Olympiad Award in Atlanta, and it was performed there in 1996 at the Olympic Games and later at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Storytelling is at the heart of Swamp Gravy. According to Geer, “Northerners tell stories in private and call it therapy. Southerners tell stories in public and call it swapping lies.”
Each performance of Swamp Gravy begins with the lyrics, “You’ve got a story and I’ve got a story. We’ve all got a story to tell.” Concluding the performance is a candlelight roll call of deceased storytellers and characters as the 90- to 100-member cast hums “Amazing Grace.”
Each year new stories are added, replacing some of the previous tales, and a new theme characterizes the season’s performances. Among the annual themes have been work, religion, medicine, crime and punishment, local media, and marital and sibling relationships. Some of the stories deal with such difficult themes as racism, spousal abuse, and pedophilia.
From its beginning, one of the goals of Swamp Gravy has been to bridge the racial divide in this predominantly (80 percent) white county, and the cast has always been integrated, with African American cast members in approximately the same percentage as in the county’s population as a whole.
Beginning in 1994 Swamp Gravy has been performed in an old cotton warehouse in Colquitt. Recently renovated, with air conditioning replacing electric fans and theater seats replacing bleachers, the warehouse theater retains the production’s several stages and pit. A number of those attending choose to stand in the pit or sit on the edge of the stages, where they find themselves surrounded by cast members and can feel as though they are part of the production.
The impact of Swamp Gravy has been felt around the nation as cast members trained as Swamp Gravy Institute consultants share their art-based community revitalization experiences in communities in Louisiana, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, South Carolina, and Florida and in other Georgia counties as well.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Locate where this functional structure is
This seems to be a functional building where there are no mountains. Give it a try on determining where it is located, and why it is being featured in this issue. Send your guess to ebrack2@gmail.com, and include your hometown.
There was considerable confusion about the last Mystery Photo, since two bridges near one another look somewhat similar. The confusion started when a mystery photo was submitted by Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill, and she at first incorrectly identified the bridge. Once published, she questioned which bridge on seeing it, saying: “The mystery photo is Bourne Bridge. I first identified it as the Sagamore Bridge. The upshot is that the two bridges going into Cape Cod are almost identical! And they are both in Bourne, Mass. The bridges have the same stone entrances and the photos are similar except for the light fixtures. The Bourne Bridge has three light poles on each side before you reach that metal archway and the Sagamore Bridge has only one on each side.
Ruthy Lachman Paul of Norcross realized the problem: “Sagamore Bridge is one of two similar bridges of very beautiful design over the Cape Code canal. The Mystery Photo one is Bourne Bridge that carries on Route 28 across the Cape Cod Canal, connecting Cape Cod with the rest of Massachusetts. Sagamore Bridge Is the one that carries traffic on Route 6 across the Cape Cod Canal.”
Correctly identifying the photo were George Graf of Palmyra, Va., Stew Ogilvie of Lawrenceville, and on a second try, Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex., who wrote: “Today’s mystery photo is of the Boerne Bridge that carries Route 28 across the Cape Cod Canal, connecting Cape Cod with the rest of mainland Massachusetts. It is one of two bridges that were built between 1933 and 1935 to replace an aging drawbridge so that the canal could later be widened between 1935 and 1940.
“The Boerne Bridge is a 2,384-foot long arch bridge with a suspended deck and a 135-foot clearance above the Cape Cod Canal. It uses the same design as the smaller, 1,408-foot Sagamore Bridge that also crosses the canal, just three miles northeast of the Boerne Bridge. Once the canal was built, Cape Cod (which was technically a peninsula) became an island, and these two bridges (together with the nearby Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge), became ‘Gateways to Cape Cod.’”
- 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: ebrack2@gmail.com and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
New doctors from PCOM have happy smiles
There are more new graduates of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Suwanee. The new medical graduates on May 21 heard as their commencement speaker Nick Masino, president and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. He told the graduates: : “Enjoy life, smile, take your work seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.” Following graduation, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine graduates will begin their residencies in various specialties, including family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, pediatrics, anesthesiology, and other fields. GwinnettForum usually identifies people in photographs, but these names were not available. But look at their smiles! That tells the story. They are happy graduates.
Heritage celebration will be Wednesday at GJAC
Heritage night celebration of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders will be Wednesday, May 29, at 6 p.m. at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. Join Gwinnett County government for this celebration of culture, heritage and contributions. Enjoy performances, food and fellowship. It’s open to all. Reserve your spot at GwinnettCounty.com/AAPICelebration.
A public meeting for residents is to learn about and share comments on the 2025 Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan update. The public meeting will be held on May 29 between 6 and 8 p.m in the Lilburn Activity Building, located at 788 Hillcrest Road in Lilburn. You do not need to RSVP to attend.
Author Lara Love Hardin will visit the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on Saturday, June 1 at 7 p.m. She will recount her slide from soccer mom to opioid addict to jailhouse shot caller and her unlikely comeback as a successful ghostwriter in this harrowing, no-holds-barred memoir, The Many Lives of Mama Love, an Oprah Book Club Pick. Registration is required.
Snellville Commerce Club will meet Tuesday, June 4, at noon at the City Hall. The program will be presented by Battalion Chief Tommy Rutledge, a native of Snellville, of Gwinnett Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Reservations are required and may be made at this link.
Peach Fuzz Zine Fest will take place at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on June 9 from noon until 6 p.m. The Peach Fuzz Zine Fest is dedicated to showcasing zinesters, artists, writers, and other makers of creative work based in and around the Atlanta Metro area. Artists will sell and trade their zines along with various panels throughout the day.
Author Visit: Bestselling author Omar Tyree will discuss his new psychological thriller, Control. This visit will be on June 11 at 7 p.m. at the Norcross Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library. Books will be available for sale and signing
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