GwinnettForum | Number 23.69 | Sept. 3, 2024
MOXIE WINNERS: Gwinnett’s Chamber recognized ten Moxie winners recently. The ladies winning awards included Tami Wilder; Laura Ballance; Renae Keitt; Maureen Kornowa; Allona Lane Cross; Leslie Clark, Amazon; and three Gas South employees, Jenny Hawkins, Michelle Pierce, and Leah Bilz. For more details, see Notable below.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Project 2025 report could dictate next Trump years
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Topics: sororities, our language and church attendance
SPOTLIGHT: Law Office of J. Michael Levengood, LLC
ANOTHER VIEW: The border is closed, or is it really?
FEEDBACK: Immigrant family finds difficulty in citizen laws
UPCOMING Sixteen candidates seek Mulberry council
NOTABLE: Mural under I-85 at Sugarloaf bridge complete
RECOMMENDED: Julep Farms Kitchen in Dillard
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Disciples of Christ started in Georgia in the early 1800s
MYSTERY PHOTO: An American scene is today’s Mystery Photo
CALENDAR: Citizenship Preparation Class at Dacula Library soon
Project 2025 report could dictate next Trump years
Editor’s note: Today, Jack Bernard begins a three-part series looking at Project 2025 and what it would mean if this program guided the next Trump Administration. The series will continue on the next two Tuesdays.—eeb)
“He’s very supportive of what we do.”
– – Russell Vought (Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget)
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
Part one of three.
PEACHTREE CITY, GA. | Russell Vought is one of the forces behind Project 2025, a radical 920-page plan to reorganize the federal government. It details numerous incoming Trump administration potential objectives and enumerates specific actions to accomplish these goals within the first 120 days. It was prepared by the conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation.
Donald Trump, because of political pressure, has broadly refuted the document, but not stated anything specific about it. However, it was developed by dozens of people who were key policy figures in the last Trump administration. Thus, we can reasonably expect this Heritage plan to constitute the framework for the Trump administration’s policies, if he is elected.
This document can be broken down into six broad categories:
- health/social security;
- government agencies;
- education;
- government regulations;
- taxes; and
- energy.
Today we will deal with healthcare and social security.
Project 2025 details ways to privatize Social Security (page 627), stating “Existing statutory language in the Social Security Act does not prohibit non-public organizations from administering the program.” Privatizing the program could lead to insolvency and fraud, endangering the retirement of many Americans.
Further, it should be noted that Social Security is currently one of the most popular federal programs, so there is no need to have it run by self-interested Big Business interests? It could be made totally sustainable by removing the current cap on income taxes under the program ($168,600), a move favored by many Democrats yet rejected by the Republicans.
Project 2025 is radically right and misogynistic when it comes to a woman’s right to control her own body (page 6). It indicates Trump should “…enact the most robust protections for the unborn that Congress will support while deploying existing federal powers to protect innocent life.” Many Congressional conservatives advocate banning abortions with no exceptions.
Further, it says that the “Federal Drug Administration should “…reverse its approval of chemical abortion drugs” (page 284). And this document promotes restricting abortion access for veterans (page 676).
About Medicare and Medicaid programs, it says that there should be “alternative insurance coverage options” and no government “pricing control” (page 450). Therefore, the Affordable Care Act would be gutted, and millions of Americans would lose their health insurance (page 468). Medicaid expansion would be limited by adding bureaucratic, unenforceable “work requirements.”
Known as the Pathways waiver in our state, this approach failed miserably, wasting resources because of overwhelmingly bureaucratic reporting measures. Georgia projected 100,000-200,000 new people would be covered via Pathways. However, only 4,500 received coverage and administrative costs are extremely high. If current Medicaid expansion ceases to exist, many millions will lose coverage while bureaucracy is increased.
Traditional Medicare would be even further gutted by making private Medicare Advantage PPOs and HMOs “the default enrollment option” (page 465). Also, it would remove regulatory agency “burdensome policies” (i.e. regulations protecting patients). Further, Project 2025 would do away with the recently announced price reduction on drugs for Medicare beneficiaries by ending- “taxes on drug manufacturers to compel them to comply with Medicare price controls” (page 696).
Project 2025 encourages vague and questionable free-market healthcare “solutions” (page 500-502). Further, the Project politicizes healthcare policy, saying- “Cultural institutions like…public health agencies are only as ‘independent’ from public accountability as elected officials and voters permit.”
Next week, we will deal with government agencies and what Project 2025 indicates the incoming Trump administration should do to create radical change.
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Topics: Sororities, our language and church attendance
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
SEPT. 3, 2024 | We read this the other day from the Fitzgerald, Ga., newspaper, the Herald-Leader, coming from Editor Tim Anderson. We thought it was interesting. Here’s what Tim had to say about higher education in Alabama. Tim writes:
I think I got a little hint on why college tuition is so high. At the University of Alabama, the members of Delta Zeta sorority live in a 40,000 square foot house that cost an astounding $17 million.
Look up the Wall Street Journal article that tells the story. The interior has gold leaf trim, white oak paneling in the library and a blow dry bar (presumably for no-waiting hair fluffing).
As enrollment spiked in the 2010s, more elaborate Greek facilities were called for. The Delta Zeta house features eight massive stone columns across the front of the massive building, making the Parthenon look small.
The university got its first $10 million Greek house in 2012, and by 2016 almost all of the school’s sororities had spent that much — courtesy of loans from, guess who? The University of Alabama. I’m sure the school’s biggest boosters, whose little darlings populate the best sororities, encourage the practice. Nothing but the best for their princesses.
Something is slightly wrong with this picture to me. These are institutes of higher education —supposedly. If you take the cost of athletics facilities, coach salaries (Nick Saban’s net worth was $70 million) and sorority houses, I wonder what education opportunities could be offered to all students.
This is unlikely to be a situation unique to Alabama. After all, UGA’s Kirby Smart is the highest paid college football coach in history, knocking down $13 million per year.
Not bad work if you can get it.
More on language, this time from Susan McBrayer in Sugar Hill:
A few years ago, a British man came to my hometown of Shelby, N.C., to be an exchange teacher and was flabbergasted by all the Southernisms he heard while he was there.
He said he was initially puzzled by one peculiar saying often from his students.
At the end of his one-year exchange, he said that peculiar saying, and the one he couldn’t wait to tell the people back home in Yorkshire, was this one:
“Don’t make no never mind to me.”
More on language, this time form Tim Keith, also of Sugar Hill:
When I moved to Atlanta from Connecticut in 1975, I worked for a fellow who had been a football player at the University of Georgia. One day, while chatting in the office, this boss described an anxious coworker saying, “She’s as nervous as a streetwalker in church.”
Tim adds: “Might be that the only person more nervous would be a deacon who knew who she was and saw her in church!”
An article about church attendance a few weeks ago drew two comments.
George Wilson of Stone Mountain wrote: Another reason for lower church attendance is the partisan political involvement of church denominations in right-wing politics, starting with Jerry Falwell and the “moral majority.”
Maryland McCarthy of Snellville sent this in: “You touched my heart with this article. Our former church was hit hard by the pandemic. The older folks were still coming, but not the younger generation. The children’s Sunday School was a shadow of what it was. But now I’m in a new vibrant church with lots of babies, children and young adults. So much is happening to show God’s love in the community through Lawrenceville First United Methodist Church.”
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Law Office of J. Michael Levengood, LLC
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s underwriter is the Law Office of J. Michael Levengood, LLC. Before relocating his general civil practice ten years ago to Lawrenceville, Mike Levengood practiced law as a partner in an Atlanta firm for almost 34 years, handling a wide variety of commercial and litigation matters for business clients. Mike is a community leader in Gwinnett County where he serves on several non-profit boards. In 2023, he received the Justice Robert Benham Lifetime Achievement Award for Community Service from the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism.
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The border is closed, or is it really?
By Jeff Gorke
SUWANEE, Ga. | Re: Jeff Ploussard’s recent missive apropos the “myths” about immigration, let’s start here: There is an invasion at our southern border. It’s factual and provable, irrespective of what you “name” it (semantically). Next, is it me or is anyone else tired of the loose and lazy bandying of “any-phobe” or an “any-scist” or “any-ism?” Can we stop with this; it’s intellectually vapid.
Gorke
Just because you don’t want open borders does not make you a xenophobe; adherence to that abrasive narrative is reductive.
Next, Kamala Harris was indeed appointed the border czar. Unlimited bloviating and a recasting of her likeness by a willing media does not change the facts. Sidebar: recall, too, that within the last 12 months Beltway sycophants were trumpeting that Harris needed to be replaced on the ticket to help Biden. In any event, Harris, and Biden, is/are MIA on the border. It’s vacuous to argue that she was AG of a “border state” and dealt with transnational gangs; ok, so what? What about the last 3 ½ years where millions of illegals have crossed the border? Factually speaking the “Bi-Partisan Border Bill” was garbage but its foibles require more space than I have available.
Myth 1: Uh, Trump was trying to build a wall. That’s a good step toward mitigating unparalleled border crossings. Does it solve everything? Of course not.
Myth 2: I’d stipulate some accuracy but citing a “study” from 1980 hardly passes as academic rigor or comparative owing to the current massive migration across our border, 40+ years since that “study,” and sheer numbers/volume of people now vs. in 1980.
Myth 3: Not sure anyone suggested that “all or most immigrants” commit all crimes. First, those who come here without legitimate asylum claims and cross the border are, by definition, committing a crime. Next, if you examined the data per capita, you might see a different story. And, if your loved one was one of the few killed by an illegal immigrant, you might view things a bit differently.
Myth 4: Again, not enough real estate to debate this but I’d bet you’d find that illegal immigration is costing us more per annum (in treasury and safety) than is contributed by legal immigrants to the system. (I am, admittedly, swagging that figure. But +/- $450Bn to fund illegals this fiscal year is fairly robust.)
Myth 5: ditto Myth 4. But, let’s parse out “legal,” like my neighbors, vs. “illegal.” Then the discussion becomes a bit sharper and less nebulous.
I don’t watch FOX. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do a little legwork and flip over some rocks to see that the border is, and has been, wide open. The figure I share is an amalgamation of U.S. gov’t data.
This sophistry, this cover for Harris, is mind-numbing, cheap, and dogmatic. Candidly, I’d rather talk about how the party that’s “saving Democracy” actually undermined a duly elected President and pushed him out of the presidential race. As the Washington Post tag suggests, “Democracy Dies in the Dark.” I’d add that flies breed in manure piles, too. That said, the mere fact you think Harris is qualified to be Commander in Chief is vexing.
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Immigrant family finds difficulty in citizen laws
Editor, the Forum:
Both political parties should focus on fixing first generation immigration issues first.
Think for a second, you are in your 20s, or you are the parents of 20 year old children.
American born children need their parents when they are building their future.
President Joe Biden’s new executive order for Keeping Families Together includes only non-citizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to adjust their status in the United States.
Both political parties should add more humanitarian immigration policies for first generation citizens. For example, my husband and I cannot adjust our status in this country because of our without-inspection entry in this country. We both feel guilty about our actions.
I have two children , both born U.S. citizens, and our status affects their lives every day. My oldest is attending her third year of medical school at Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif.
My youngest has disabilities. I am the guardian of my son, and he is a COMP-waiver recipient. (The COMP—Comprehensive Support—waiver program offers funding for people living with developmental disabilities.) The waiver helps families pay for assistive services for their loved ones in need. Since my son turned 21, my husband and I are taking care of my son’s medical expenses. COMP-waiver was approved on July 1 but he has not received any help yet because of the application process.
Thank you for your patience! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach me directly at (770) 339-6970.
– Shital Patel, Lawrenceville
Would like to see Latin required for all students
Editor, the Forum:
There are those today who want to do away with punctuation altogether. That would take us back in history to at least Chaucer.
Spelling has been a problem for eons also. If what you write is done on a computer,, spelling will be auto-corrected unless you change it back.
The problem is that students in school do not take foreign languages and the languages that I have had, have been of great assistance. I think that they should start teaching Latin in the third grade. It is not that hard and students would not have to spend much time on it at that level, but they need to continue through the 12th.
One aspect that has interested me for a few years is that English is a Germanic language, but 40 percent of our vocabulary comes from French and another 40 percent comes from Latin. That does not allow for much to do with the German language.
– 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: ebrack2@gmail.com.
16 candidates seek Mulberry council
Sixteen candidates are seeking to become members of the new city of Mulberry in its initial municipal election on November 5. GwinnettForum obtained the list of candidates from the Elections Division of Gwinnett County government. The elections division was where the 16 hopefuls qualified for running for the council.
The six winning candidates will then determine who will become mayor Mulberry.
The candidates are:
- District One: Tim Sullivan and Katherine Minchener;
- District Two: Robert Michael Coker; Stephen G. Emert; Abebukola Faforiji; James Ricky Mangum; and Mary Ellen Small.
- District Three: Kyle Shields; Christopher Garth Cook; and Ryan Mester.
- District Four: Harris Jay Roth; and Michael James Rudnick; and
- District Five: Kevin Arocha; Doug Ingram; Michele Y. Sims; Marland Roberts.
Peachtree Corners installing gateway improvements
The City of Peachtree Corners is launching the first phase of its city-wide gateway improvement plan. The city will enhance several gateway locations with highly visible monuments at entry points.
After obtaining a permit from the Georgia Department of Transportation to use their right of way, construction began on a northern gateway in the vacant triangle bounded by Georgia Highway 141 and Medlock Bridge Road.
The gateway will fit into the aesthetic first imagined during the design of the Peachtree Parkway Pedestrian Bridge. While that bridge’s design pays homage to the original trusses of Jones Bridge that spanned the Chattahoochee River for nearly 100 years, the towers and lanterns on the bridge were intended to serve as a design aesthetic that would lend itself to the future gateway improvements.
The northern gateway sign currently being constructed includes a stone-faced obelisk and surrounding stone wall, landscaping and beautifications for the southbound Highway 141 approach to the triangle, and a smaller, yet similar structure for the westbound Medlock Bridge approach.
No road closures are planned during construction as all work will occur in the existing transportation department median and right of way. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2025.
In addition to this initial gateway project, future gateway projects are planned for other visible entry points into the city (see attached map) to include:
- Spalding Drive entering from Sandy Springs;
- Holcomb Bridge Road on the west side entering from Fulton County;
- Peachtree Boulevard entering from Dekalb County at Winters Chapel Road;
- Gateway improvements Medlock Bridge Road, Peachtree Boulevard and East Jones Bridge Road.
- Peachtree Boulevard entering on South Old Peachtree from Berkeley Lake
The Peachtree Parkway/Medlock Bridge Road intersection was selected as the location of the city’s first Gateway Improvement Project because it was being used as an unapproved material storage site by area contractors and was also being used for illegal dumping.
Mural under I-85 at Sugarloaf bridge now complete
Sugarloaf Community Improvement District (CID), in partnership with the Hudgens Center for Art and Learning, announces the completion of the Synchronicity mural by JONESY at Sugarloaf Parkway and the I-85 Underpass. Spanning almost 11,000 square feet, the mural is one of largest in the metro-Atlanta area.
This vibrantly patterned piece was designed and executed by lead muralist, Krista M. Jones (aka JONESY). “The title is based on the idea that there is unity in diversity within the universe and meaningful coincidences can lead to connection and remarkable outcomes,” says Jones. Synchronicity also represents the multiple “happenstance” connections between the artist and project partners that allowed the project to come to fruition. Sugarloaf CID’s project partner is The Hudgens Center for Art and Learning, who first connected Jones to the CID and provided invaluable insight into the project.
Jones says: “I believe public art has the power to transform sterile spaces into invitations for us to be present and to engage. It can bridge gaps between our differences and provide connections that we might not have experienced otherwise. My ultimate hope is that the work I do offers joy.”
The mural concept comes from the artist’s “FORMATIONS” series, which examines how vibrant color, elements of nature, and sweeping patterns can transform sterile urban spaces into moments of joy and connection. Jones was inspired by Gwinnett County’s tagline of “Vibrantly Connected” when designing this piece, as shown by the continuous and diverse flow of bright, floral-like patterns interchanging along the wall.
Sugarloaf CID Board Chairman, Brand Morgan, states: “The Synchronicity mural serves as the gateway to the Sugarloaf CID and a welcome for everyone who enters Gwinnett’s Downtown. It has taken years of planning and coordination to complete this project, and we appreciate all the partners who helped to make this project possible.”
Project sponsors and their financial contribution amounts for the mural include Gwinnett Creativity Fund (with support from Gwinnett County and Explore Gwinnett, $32,500), 12Stone Church ($10,000) and Georgia Power ($5,000).
Chamber names Moxie winners for 2024
The Gwinnett Chamber has named seven winners and acknowledged over 120 finalists at the 2024 Moxie Awards. This annual event, which celebrates the achievements of women professionals, drew its largest audience to date, with more than 620 attendees.
Now in its seventh year, the Moxie Awards program brings together business leaders across the metro Atlanta region. Seven winners were selected from 130 finalists, with categories recognizing employers who champion women in business and individual leaders, innovators, emerging talents, and community advocates. The 2024 Moxie Award winners included (pictured left to right in the attached photo):
- Pay It Forward: Tami Wilder, Positive Impact International;
- Greater Good: Laura Ballance, Hudgens Center for Arts and Learning;
- Outstanding Organization: ARK Temporary Staffing (Renae Keitt);
- Influence: Maureen Kornowa, Hope of Hope at Gwinnett Children’s Shelter;
- Moxie Award: Allona Lane Cross, Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity;
- On the Rise: Leslie Clark, Amazon; and
- Enlightened Employer: Gas South (Jenny Hawkins, Michelle Pierce, and Leah Bilz).
The event featured a keynote address by Emmy Award-winning news anchor and journalist Monica Pearson, who delivered a speech titled “Unapologetic Empowerment: Embracing Your True Self in a World of Expectations.” Pearson emphasized that authenticity and genuineness are more valuable than conforming to societal expectations.
Georgia Humanities names Wearn as president
Georgia Humanities announces the appointment of Dr. Mary McCartin Wearn as the organization’s next president, effective September 3, 2024. A humanities scholar and academic leader with a track record for developing meaningful public programs and partnerships, Wearn will guide the organization’s efforts to inspire curiosity, connection, and lifelong learning across Georgia.
Wearn
Before joining Georgia Humanities, Wearn built a reputation for community-focused leadership during her tenure at Middle Georgia State University. As the founding dean of the School of Arts and Letters, Wearn fostered partnerships with national, state, and local institutions, including the United States Air Force’s Museum of Aviation, the Ocmulgee Mounds Association, and the historic Douglass Theatre. Her work was instrumental in creating programs that brought arts and culture to life for audiences throughout the region, and she was a driving force in securing funding for these public-facing initiatives.
Wearn holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Georgia, a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland Global Campus, and a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. She has served in a number of nonprofit leadership and advisory positions and currently sits on the board of directors for the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon.
Speaking about her new role, Wearn shared: “I am delighted by the opportunity to serve the people of Georgia in this new position. The public humanities allow us to cultivate community and connection by exploring the diversity of lived experience while also honoring our shared humanity. I am excited to support Georgia Humanities as it expands public engagement across the state and creates opportunities to build bridges of understanding.”
Wearn is the fourth president in Georgia Humanities’ more than 50-year history. Her appointment follows a search process conducted by the Georgia Humanities Board of Directors in partnership with Emory University, the organization’s fiscal agent. Latonda Milner, who has served as interim president since February, will continue in her role as vice president of finance and operations.
Through inclusive grants and programs, Georgia Humanities connects people and communities to spark curiosity, share ideas, amplify stories, and inspire action. Funding for Georgia Humanities is provided by the Georgia General Assembly, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and various foundations, donors, and partners. To learn more, please visit GeorgiaHumanities.org.
Julep Farms Kitchen in Dillard
Julep Farm
From Billy Chism, Toccoa: We all like pleasant surprises. I had one recently when a friend invited me for lunch at Julep Farms Kitchen, located just north of Dillard, Ga. I turned right onto Georgia Highway 246 toward Highlands, N.C. The farm is located a half mile off U.S. Highway 441 in a valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Julep Farms Kitchen dining room, which seats about 100, has a casual feel, but with a touch of elegance. Large windows let the afternoon light pour in. The lunch menu was simple, but offered enough dishes for any taste. There’s also a wine menu. We all at our table agreed: the food was delicious, and quickly served. The Asian salad was a hit. So was the pecan-crusted grilled salmon. My shrimp and grits were the best. An expanded menu is available for dinner. And, there’s a Sunday brunch. For details, go to https://julep.farm/dillard-julep-kitchen-about.
- 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.
Disciples of Christ started in Georgia in the early 1800s
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a Protestant group that has been active in Georgia since the early 19th century. Several of its adherents, known as Disciples, have played prominent roles in the history of the state, and today the church thrives in Georgia with approximately 20,000 members in 69 congregations.
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) grew out of the early-19th-century Restoration Movement. The church is the result of the union between two separate Protestant groups. In 1803 Presbyterian minister Barton Warren Stone (1772-1844) formed a religious body known as “Christians” in Kentucky after a Presbyterian synod censured him for ministering to non-Presbyterians. Another Presbyterian clergyman, Thomas Campbell (1763-1854), began his “Disciples of Christ” group in southwest Pennsylvania in 1807 because of a similar religious censure. Both leaders shared similar beliefs, especially an emphasis on church unity.
Their geographical proximity and theological affinities led Stone and Campbell to unite their congregations in 1832. This union resulted in the current Christian Church (Disciples of Christ. The name, “Christian Church (Disciples of Christ),” was formally adopted in 1968. In 1999 the organization counted more than one million members in more than 3,300 congregations in the United States and Canada.
Traditionally, the Christian Church has not had a formalized set of beliefs, maintaining that such formalizations tend to divide rather than to unite. The church does emphasize such traditional Christian beliefs as the divinity of Jesus Christ, the necessity of salvation, and the authority of the Bible. The Disciples also share various practices with other Christian groups. For example, Christian congregations practice baptism by immersion (as do Baptists), celebrate weekly communion (as do Catholics and Episcopalians), hire their own pastors (as do Baptists and Presbyterians), and stress congregational governance (as do traditional Baptists and United Church of Christ members).
Disciples in Georgia today, in the tradition of these early leaders, are engaged in a variety of ministries, including the Camp Christian retreat center in Gordon; the Atlanta United Divinity for seminary students in Atlanta; and the Campbell Stone Apartments for Atlanta retirees.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
An American scene is today’s Mystery Photo
The flag staff in today’s mystery photo shows that this scene is in the United States. Your job is to tell us where this photo was made. Send entries to ebrack2@gmail.com and tell us where you live.
The last mystery photo was that of Parliament Building in Northern Ireland, often referred to as Stormont, because of its location in the Stormont Estate area of Belfast. The photo came from Rick Krause of Lilburn.
Parliament Buildings is home to the Northern Ireland Assembly, the legislative body for Northern Ireland established under the Belfast Agreement 1998 (Good Friday Agreement). Built in 1921 at a cost of nearly £1.7 million, it was designed to house the newly formed Government of Northern Ireland and was officially opened on 16th November 1932 by the then Prince of Wales, on behalf of King George V.
Among the readers recognizing this building were Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; Stew Ogilvie of Lawrenceville; George Graf of Palmyra, Va. Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex., who wrote: “Between 1998 and 2024, there have been many attempts to establish a stable, power sharing arrangement with the U.K. Government, but during that time, the assembly experienced many ‘fits and starts’ caused by the ongoing disputes and disagreements between the two main unionist parties. The latest dissolution of the assembly occurred in 2022, and was only restored again on February 3, 2024.”
- 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.
Citizenship Preparation Class at Dacula Library soon
Have a young one interested in learning to read music? The Gwinnett County Public Library Peachtree Corners branch is hosting Note Quest: Adventures in Sheet Music, a free one-hour workshop introducing children to the art of reading sheet music. Through interactive lessons and fun activities, kids will grasp the basics of notation and ignite their passion for music exploration. Tuesday, September 3 from 4 to 5 p.m., for ages 6-11.
Citizenship Preparation Class is scheduled at the Dacula Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on September 4 at 6 p.m. Are you about to take the exam and interview for U.S. citizenship? Register for our eight-week course covering all subject matter related to the citizenship exam and interview.
Author Talk with Martha Boone will be held September 5 at noon at the Lawrenceville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Join the author as she discusses Mother Charity, the long-awaited sequel to The Big Free. Books will be available for sale and signing.
The Appassionato Choir Performance will be Saturday, September 7 at 7 p.m. at Norcross Global Methodist Church. The choir will perform works by Johannes Brahms, Josef Rheinberger, Shawn Kirchner, Stephen Paulus, and others. The address is 2500 Beaver Ruin Road, Norcross. Admission is free. Details here!
Visit Coolray Field on Saturday, September 7 for the 15th annual Public Safety Fall Festival! Come out from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to meet our first responders and enjoy food, giveaways, demonstrations, and displays. Kids will love the touch-a-truck experience featuring a SWAT personnel carrier, fire trucks, and other specialized vehicles. There will also be a Motorcycle Training Challenge showcasing courses from multiple police agencies. This event is open to residents of all ages and abilities. Email this address for more information. Coolray Field is located at 2500 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville.
British Car Fayre will return to Norcross on Saturday, September 7, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the downtown area. This annual marking of all things British means classic cars, motorcycles and other items British. Over 400 vehicles are expected, with proceeds going to local charities.
Author Talk with Honorée Fannone Jeffers will be on September 7 at 7 p.m. at the Snellville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Jeffers will discuss her novel, The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois, with Dr. Carol Anderson. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Lunch and Learn: Grow Your Business with Reference Solutions. This will take place at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on September 9 at 1 p.m.Learn how to use the U.S. Business and Consumer Modules to target specific groups of businesses or individuals interested in your products or services. Registration is recommended.
Go Green! glass and paper recycling will at four locations the week of September 9-12, and will take place from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. each day. On September 9, it will be at Bogan Park in Buford;’ On September 10, at Peachtree Ridge Park on Suwanee; on September 11 at Lucky Shoals Park in Norcross; and on September 12 at Lenora Park in Snellville.
Author Jayme Canty will visit the Snellville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library for an author talk on September 12 at 7 p.m. She will discuss her book Snapping Beans: Voices of a Black Queer Lesbian South. Books will be available for sale and signing.
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