GwinnettForum | Number 23.81 | October 15, 2024
WHEN DISASTER STRIKES, many people in other locations find ways to help. Out of Tucker, Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC) is responding to the impact of two recent hurricanes. Travis Stone, FODAC Disaster Coordinator (right) is shown with John Pettay, Red Cross Distribution Center staff member, in Macon. To see what FODAC did, go to Notable below. Also see another story of disaster relief in EEB’s Perspective below.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Voters face 2 constitutional amendments in November
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Little Allentown sends help to Hazlehurst
SPOTLIGHT: Gwinnett County Public Library
ANOTHER VIEW: Seven tips for living with macular degeneration
FEEDBACK: Changing voting registration is most difficult
UPCOMING: Beebe, Clegg photos on exhibit at museum in Duluth
NOTABLE: FODAC is responding to hurricane onslaught
RECOMMENDED: Accidental Superpower, by Peter Zeihan
GEORGIA TIDBIT: “Federal Roads” opened land for migration
MYSTERY PHOTO: Can you identify this house with green shutters?
LAGNIAPPE: Northern Lights last week way down south
CALENDAR: Gwinnett’s Great Days of Service is scheduled this weekend
Voters face constitutional amendments in November
By David Hudson
General counsel, Georgia Press Association
OCT. 15, 2024 | With two constitutional amendments and one statewide referendum on the November ballot in Georgia, here is my assessment of these ballot initiatives.
Hudson
Constitutional Amendment 1: Authorizing a Statewide Homestead Exemption for Ad Valorem Taxes.
- This will be a Statewide vote on whether the Georgia Constitution should be amended to permit the General Assembly to set a statewide homestead exemption for local government taxation beginning January 1, 2025.
- In doing so, the General Assembly may exempt the application of this new homestead amount so that it does not apply to political subdivisions that already have an existing homestead exemption.
- Also, any local government may choose to opt out of the new exemption passed by the General Assembly.
- For a local government entity to opt out of a new homestead exemption, it must advertise its intent to do so and conduct at least three public hearings. O.C.G.A. § 48-5-44.2(i), as passed in 2024.
- Summary: This amendment would make a homestead exemption the norm statewide for ad valorem taxation. It would then be up to each political subdivision to determine whether to apply the exemption or opt out.
Constitutional Amendment 2: Creation of a Georgia Tax Court.
This vote will decide whether the Georgia Constitution should be amended to permit the General Assembly to add a Georgia Tax Court. This new Court would operate under the Judicial Branch of Georgia and replace the current Tax Tribunal which operates under the Executive Branch. The Tax Court would be a part of the Georgia Judiciary.
- This Court shall have a governor-appointed judge approved by the General Assembly.
- The Court shall conduct its proceedings in any County as the General Assembly may provide in legislation for operation of the Court.
- The advantage of this Court is that its judge or judges will have expertise to decide cases pertaining to the assessment and collection of State or local taxes.
- Appeals would be permitted from decisions of the Tax Court as currently apply for appeals from Superior Courts.
- For the Tax Court to obtain jurisdiction of a case, it must be by agreement of the parties to the dispute.
- Summary: This amendment was passed by near unanimous votes of the Georgia House and Senate. It does not appear to have any negative impact, and has the potential to provide a more efficient forum for resolving tax litigation.
Statewide Referendum: To Increase the Property Tax Exemption on Tangible Personal Property
In the 2024 Session, the General Assembly passed HB808 which will increase the exemption for ad valorem taxation on certain personal property from $7,500 to $20,000. It will only go into effect if approved by the majority of voters statewide at the election on November 5, 2024.
- Summary: For several years, the State has operated at a budget surplus and various tax reduction legislation has been passed. This provision would be consistent with those measures.
- Have a comment? Click here to send an email.
Little Allentown sends help to Hazlehurst
An old Allentown store with a classic sign. Photo by Elliott Brack, 2014.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
OCT. 15, 2024 | When death and destruction occur from storms like the two recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton though the damage and disruption is great, what is so wonderful is the way people come together to help each other during such times.
Let me tell you what happened out of Allentown, Ga., whose population in 2020 was 188 residents. The area, about 30 miles south of Macon along Interstate 16, is dear to my heart since I was born near there, and spent most of my first five years in Allentown.
My first cousin, Charles Brack, has been mayor of the five-person city council for two years. After Hurricane Helene hit, Allentown dispatched two of its firefighters on alternate days to the city of Hazlehurst, some 75 miles distant, along with its 3,000-gallon tanker truck. They worked 24-hour shifts and were there seven days.
Mayor Charles Brack
Allentown wasn’t the only area sending relief. Hazlehurst Fire Chief Charles Wasdin said there were government-dispatched helpers from 10 different counties assisting there. He was told by Gov. Brian Kemp that the area from Valdosta to Douglas to Hazlehurst was some of the hardest hit in the state.
Chief Wasdin says the storm center was 20 miles east of the city. “Our area was devastated, with 80 percent of the homes having some form of damage. Several buildings collapsed, and we recorded winds of 102 mph, with gusts for three hours. We had five buildings on fire during the worst five days. It’s all calm now. Electricity in the city has been fully restored by Georgia Power. But 48 percent of the homes in the surrounding area, served by Satilla EMC, still two weeks after the storm have no power.”
There were two deaths in Hazlehurst, both from trees falling on mobile homes.
Allentown has a 10-man part-time fire department, one fireman working each day for 10 hours a day. They are paid $200 a day. A major part of their activity is responding to traffic accidents on Interstate 16, which is about 40 percent of their calls.
Besides sending aid to Hazlehurst, Allentown also dispatched six firemen and a truck to Atkinson County (Pearson) one day, and on another occasion sent its tanker truck to replenish water for the hard-hit Augusta area, which was out of water at its fire stations.
When in Hazlehurst, Mayor Brack says, “Two guys from Allentown, one from Cochran and two from Dublin, relieved one of the Hazlehurst fire stations, so that the local firefighters could care for their families.”
Chief Wasdin that the visiting firefighters were fed from grills at one of their stations. “We were feeding about 150 people. That included a few linemen restoring power to the area. It was five or six days before any restaurants could open here.”
Coordinating this relief help from other cities was the Georgia Municipal Group. To pay for these relief workers, money will come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Charles Brack says: “I’ll pay our people from Allentown, plus those from Cochran and Dublin, out of city funds, and we’ll eventually be reimbursed.” He estimates the cost will add up to $35,000. The city’s budget is $359,000 a year, with the Fire Department cost being $138,000.
Back to Chief Wasdin: “What really impressed is how the people came together, with assistance from outside the city, and with our own community pitching in. We had many closed roads from trees and power lines down, but had at least one lane open on most roads within a week.” Think of the many chain saws used!
Help came from many places all across the Southern states. And little Allentown helped out.
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Gwinnett County Public Library
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Seven tips for living with macular degeneration
Editor’s note: Mary Beth Twining, formerly of Buford, now lives in Durham, N.C. She originally wrote this for a friend who was diagnosed with macular degeneration, which she also suffers from. Besides providing these tips for others with the malady, she keeps up his spirit, remembering Wendell Berry’s advice, “Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts.”—eeb.
By Mary Beth Twining
DURHAM, N.C. | Here are seven tips for living with macular degeneration.
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Twining
Ask for help. This has been hard for me to learn, but it turns out most people really like to help. And if you can ask for help, you can do a lot more things. People have read me menus, street signs, labels on medicine bottles, prices in grocery stores, which carousel my baggage will be on, to name a few. If you hate to ask a friend for a ride to take you somewhere, and if you feel it’s appropriate, you can try giving your driver some money for gas (keep an envelope handy with five, ten, twenty dollar-bills).
- Keep a chair by a window and use daylight whenever possible. It’s better than any lamp I have for seeing print and sewing on buttons.
- Be outside as much as you can. It helps you feel not so sad. You can hear birds and neighbors, and feel the air on your skin.
- Explore the large-print section of your public library. They are stocking more good books in larger print. And you might easily search the library on the Internet.
- Mark items in your house with marking pen or colored tape. I have written “FRONT” by the front-burner controls on my stove, for example.
- Computer tips: these seem daunting at first, but you do gradually learn – best to get a computer-savvy friend to help you get set up, and just learn one thing at a time:
- Enlarge the print on your computer/laptop. There are several ways to do this, which is demonstrated on youtube.
- Learn how to use voice commands and to dictate your messages and emails. Yes, computers can do that. This can sometimes produce strange mistakes because of the technology misunderstanding your human voice. You can either painstakingly proofread and correct using a magnifying glass (or larger type) or just let people figure out what you mean. People are getting pretty laid back and forgiving about typos and such.
- Audiobooks. You can listen to them on almost any device, laptop, iPad, phone. You might also get a Kindle, where the type can be bigger. Again, ask for help.
- Learn to use podcasts. There are thousands of them. Here are a few of my favorites: A History of the World in 100 Objects; Story Corps; Poetry Unbound; Letters From An American; The Conversation (on BBC); The Science Of Happiness; Pandora (make your own music library); BBC Radio. I like BBC 4 and BBC World Service; and magazines and newspapers. Many can now be subscribed to digitally, where they are easier to read because you can enlarge your print.
- Try doing nothing. It’s veryhard; I never even used to eat breakfast without reading something. I never have figured out how to meditate but maybe this is a sort of meditating. Try to eschew the guilty feeling of not being busy. You might even fall asleep in your chair. Good!
My instructions for how to sleep sitting up: 1.Be old. 2.Sit in a chair.
- Have a comment? Click here to send an email.
Changing voting registration is most difficult
Editor, the Forum:
Not extending the registration deadline for voting in Georgia is not the problem. The problem is all the many roadblocks when people are trying to register.
And I am speaking from experience! Yes! Having just moved to another address locally and trying to change my registration is nearly impossible. Forget online. The best way is through the Division of Driver Services (I went to Lithonia) and that involved two separate trips to the physical office (one was my fault.) Then, of course, waiting in line. Trying to communicate with staff, with access covered by a glass structure, with a small talk area, is difficult in itself. Interesting to note that they also have a mask on, doubling the difficulty.
Changing a driver’s license subsequently updates your voter registration. Conclusion: Best way to update voter registration is at the nearest DDS office by updating a driver’s license after making a change of move.
The Republican Legislature and the Republican governor, in my opinion, don’t want any more people registering. They are using various roadblocks to curtail new registrations, and even discouraging re-registration when previously registered people move.
Yes, I am a dedicated voter, having voted in nearly every election since I became eligible to vote. I was not about to let the roadblocks stop me.
Republicans need to stop putting out the lies and allegations of the former president, and accept the facts adjudicated in court so that citizens can get easily registered, and allowed to vote.
– Dan Bollinger, Sr., Lilburn
Comments on recent endorsements
Editor, the Forum:
Loved it!!!!! Had a comment on your endorsement of Miss Kamala.
Your comment on “The Presidential Race” was so well stated. Glad that you told it like it is and did not beat around the bush or sugar-coat the issues. Guess you could have gone further to say that Trump is a convicted felon, having falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels.
– Rick Krause, Lilburn
Editor, the Forum:
I totally agree with your endorsement for our President. Hopefully we can get Kamala Harris to the White House to do sensible work for the people of this state and this country.
– Barbara Knox Luckhurst, Duluth
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.
Beebe, Clegg photos on exhibit at museum in Duluth
The Southeastern Railway Museum (SRM) in Duluth is hosting a new exhibit, Beebe and Clegg: Their Enduring Photographic Legacy, through December 31. Fans of their classic and stunning work can enjoy the exhibit and the museum Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. at the museum, 3595 Buford Highway near downtown Duluth.
Featuring dramatic black and white images, Lucius Beebe and his life partner, Charles Clegg, introduced railroad photography and the world of railroading to wide popular audiences. Their pioneering efforts over a quarter century established a broad market and wide appreciation for rail photography, leading to its far-reaching appeal in print today. With several prints never before seen by the public, the exhibition has been assembled by the Center for Railroad Photography and Art in Madison, Wis.
At a time when railroad books were almost unknown, it took a celebrity writer of the stature of Lucius Beebe to transform the seemingly prosaic subject of railroads into books that beguiled the public. Beebe and Clegg pioneered the genre of railroad books, brought their material to mass-market audiences, and established themselves as household names. Their work built the foundation for the continuing interest in creative railroad photography and helped aggrandize shortline and narrow-gauge railroading.
Beebe and Clegg’s photography and writing demonstrated the importance of railroading in community life and contributions to America’s historical legacy. Together Beebe and Clegg created more than 30 books on railroading and Western Americana. Their legacy has grown larger than the publications they produced, as they demonstrated that the railroad serves as an icon of the American experience.
Beebe and Clegg: Their Enduring Photographic Legacy is supported by a grant from the Gwinnett Creativity Fund. The 20 images and storyboards were staged by Steve Storey and Ora Ball of the museum and can be seen in SRM’s Building One Exhibit Hall. Normal museum admission also includes the remaining collection of 90-plus rail cars and locomotives, train rides, and the historic Duluth railroad station.
SRM occupies a 35-acre site in Duluth. In operation since 1970, SRM features about 90 items of rolling stock, including historic Pullman cars, classic diesel and steam locomotives, freight cars, and even maintenance of way cars.
SRM is operated by a community-based board as a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit organization of the Atlanta Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. The Museum receives operating funds from grants, donations, sponsors’ support, and gate receipts.
You can vote early now at multiple locations
Gwinnett County voters will have multiple opportunities to cast their ballots ahead of the 2024 General Election, with two new locations added. Advance in-person voting will be available from Tuesday, October 15, until Friday, November 1, at various locations across the county.
Residents are encouraged to view sample ballots and cast their votes early to minimize long wait times. They can extend to as much as two hours during the final week of advance voting. Wait times for advance locations can be checked on the county’s website.
When voting, it is important to bring acceptable forms of photo identification, such as a driver’s license or passport. Absentee ballots can be submitted at designated drop boxes, which are accessible only inside advance voting locations during voting hours.
Advance in-person voting will be available at 12 locations across Gwinnett. A complete list of these locations, along with their operating hours, is available at GwinnettElections.com.
Additionally, voters in the city of Mulberry are encouraged to check the FAQ section on the county website for specific information related to their precinct, voting procedures and other key election-related topics.
For those who choose to vote on Election Day, polling places will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. You can locate you voting place, view a sample ballot, and update your voter information by clicking on the following: voter’s assigned precinct.
FODAC is responding to hurricane onslaught
Since Hurricane Helene made landfall on September 27, Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC) has provided more than $250,000 worth of medical equipment and supplies to help evacuees with disabilities in Georgia and the southeast. Relief efforts now include people affected by Hurricane Milton.
Equipment includes items such as wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, wheelchair ramps, and Hoyer lifts. FODAC is a 501C(3) non-profit based in Tucker whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities by providing low-to-no cost new and refurbished home medical equipment.
Chris Brand, CEO of FODAC says: “Disasters have a greater impact on people with disabilities, especially those who have a lack of social support. They are more likely to be left behind or abandoned during evacuation in disasters due to lack of transportation.”
Since Hurricane Helene made landfall. FODAC has:
- Provided 30 cots and hospital beds to a Woodstock, Ga. assisted living facility who urgently accommodated displaced seniors from South Carolina.
- Packed 15 pallets of oxygen supplies and medical items for FEMA to help Helene survivors.
- Delivered urgently needed medical equipment to the Red Cross distribution center in Macon.
- Prepped 40 pallets of home medical equipment and supplies for the Carolinas at the request of FEMA and affiliates.
- Delivered equipment to Florida for distribution.
- Currently filling requests to support the needs of other partners in the Southeast.
FODAC is in dire need of wheelchair donations. They are the top item requested by partners after a disaster. Here’s how you can help:
- Donate wheelchairs in Tucker: Drop off at FODAC headquarters at 4900 Lewis Road, Tucker. The donation dock is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 to 4 p .m.
- Donate wheelchairs at a partner collection site: go to: https://fodac.org/donate/medical
- Support the Disaster Relief Program with a financial gift by going to https://fodac.org/donate
FODAC responded to its first national disaster 18 years ago by providing HME to those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Since then, they have provided emergency response to 23 states and four territories. To learn more about FODAC’s mission, go to www.fodac.org.
Accidental Superpower, by Peter Zeihan
From Randy Brunson, Suwanee: Peter Zeihan, similar to George Friedman, is a geopolitical futurist. The first third of his book describes three major trends which have impacted the development of the world as we know it. Ziehan defines these trends as first, the development of agriculture, which he credits to the groups who lived along the River Nile delta. Second, he credits the development of deep-water navigation, first developed by the Portuguese people and utilized by the Spanish nation. And finally, he recognizes the technology revolution. Ziehan then describes some of the geographic elements and advantages incumbent in the United States. He says these natural benefits of our nation led to the Superpower status for our country. He also suggests why the United States will retain this status, then evaluates the rest of the world, and where they may fit.
- 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.
“Federal Roads” opened land for migration
The term ”Federal Road” refers to either of two early-19th-century thoroughfares. Both connected the borders of Georgia with western settlements. These roads facilitated a surge of westward migration, expanded regional trade and communication, and contributed to the removal of the Creeks and Cherokees to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma.
The roads were one instance of the federal government’s agenda of “internal improvements,” government-subsidized projects that would tie together the trade and people of the young nation. With the goal of joining settlements in Tennessee and Alabama more closely with those in Georgia, the government negotiated a series of fraudulent treaties with the Creek and Cherokee Indians. In 1805, through the Treaty of Tellico with the Cherokees and the Treaty of Washington with the Creeks, the government gained the right to open and operate roads through Indian lands.
The surveying and constructing of the road through Cherokee lands began around 1810. The name notwithstanding, the federal government took little role in building this road, leaving it instead to the governments of Georgia and Tennessee, and to Cherokee entrepreneurs. Much of the route followed an old Cherokee trading path. The road connected Georgia with Nashville and Knoxville, both frontier settlements in Tennessee.
From Athens the route led northwestward along a generally straight course, entering the lands of the Cherokees at the present Hall County–Jackson County line and heading toward what is now Ramhurst in Murray County. There it forked, one branch leading north to Knoxville and the other west to Ross Landing, now Chattanooga. Portions of modern roads traverse the route of the Federal Road, and in some places road signs indicate “Old Federal Road.”
The federal government played a more direct role in the building of the road through Creek lands. In 1806 the Postal Department oversaw the clearing of a horse path running from Athens to Fort Stoddert, north of Mobile, Ala., and then on to New Orleans, La. In 1811 the U.S. Army rerouted and widened this path, adhering closely to the route of the old Lower Creek trading path. It began at Fort Wilkinson near Milledgeville, then the state capitol, and headed southwest. At present-day Macon it entered the lands of the Lower Creeks, heading on toward the Chattahoochee River about nine miles south of Columbus.
Mail carriers, western settlers and enslaved African Americans, evangelical itinerants, the military in the War of 1812, and the Seminole War, and European travelers in stagecoaches used the roads. The hordes of pioneers who traveled west on these roads wanted new land and a chance at upward mobility, and their desires hastened the federal government’s scheme of removing the Indian population to lands beyond the Mississippi River. By armed force and manipulation, the government in the 1830s expelled the Creeks and Cherokees from the lands the Federal Road passed through. Soon after, however, the road ceased to be a mechanism for change, as railroads were laid out in the 1830s and 1840s, taking over many of the functions that the roads had once served.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Can you identify this house with green shutters?
You might call this photo “the house with the green shutters.” It’s somewhat famous. Can you tell us where it is located? Send your guess to ebrack2@gmil.com, and be sure to include your address.
The last Mystery Photo was dead on for a few spotters. George Graf of Palmyra recognized it immediately: “Looking down Princess Street from Waterloo Place in Edinburgh Scotland. The Balmoral Clock Tower is on the left.” Others dead-on with the photo included Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; Matt Willis, Lawrenceville; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex.: “The clocktower in the left of the photo is part of the Balmoral Hotel. Originally owned by the North British Railroad Company, the hotel first opened on October 15, 1902. It was later purchased by Balmoral International Hotels and then closed for a major £23 million refurbishment between 1988 and 1990. It was officially reopened as The Balmoral (Gaelic for “majestic dwelling”) on June 12, 1991 by Edinburgh-born actor Sean Connery.”
The photograph came from Harriette Perlstein of Dunwoody, who took this photo two weeks ago. She’s a friend of Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill, who sent the photo to GwinnettForum.
- 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.
Northern Lights last week way down south
Georgians know little about the Northern Lights. Yet this was the scene in the sky above Waynesville, N.C. Thursday night. The image was taken by Rhonda Johnson of Candler, N.C., an evacuee of Hurricane Helene, who was staying in Waynesville, N.C. at the same Bed and Breakfast as was our regular contributors, Susan McBrayer and Tim Keith. Look how clearly you can see the branches of the trees in this night time view. Isn’t it ironic that shortly after a hurricane hit the Appalachian Mountains, something unheard of, shortly you could see the Northern Lights in that same area!
Gwinnett’s Great Days of Service to be this weekend
What’s On Your Ballot? will be presented on Wednesday, October 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lilburn Branch of Gwinnett County Public library. New and seasoned voters will learn about what’s on their election ballot and will have an opportunity to have hands-on experience with a voting machine.
My child won’t go to school workshop will be Thursday, October 17 at 7 p.m. at the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. School administrators and parents are struggling to respond to the chronic absenteeism crisis. Join Dyslexia Specialist, Katie Fowle, and International Parent Coach Sharoya Ham, as they discuss their new book, Help! My Kid Won’t Go To School!
Gwinnett Great Days of Service begins on Friday, October 18 and continues through Sunday, October 20. It is the largest community volunteer initiative in Gwinnett County. Each fall, thousands of volunteers, corporations, schools, civic organizations, and nonprofits come together for a weekend of community building, connection, and positive impact. To sign up for volunteering, visit VolunteerGwinnett.net.
Gwinnett Ballet Theatre presents Dracula, a ballet to die for, at the Gas South Theatre on Friday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, October 20 at 3 and 7 p.m. Sink your teeth into a thrilling vampire drama at the Gas South District theatre. Choreographed by Sara Elyse Sanford, this masterpiece features special effects, lavish costumes, and breathtaking scenery.
Healthy Aging and Caregiving Fair will be presented at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on October 19 at 10 a.m. Join in for a family-friendly event with special speakers, health screenings, kid-friendly activities, and resources for caregivers.
Liveable Communities: Discover how Gwinnett Planning and Development is working to create a more livable community at the Gwinnett County Block Party on Saturday, October 19 at Alexander Park in Lawrenceville! From 11:00am to 3:00pm, attendees can explore long-range and current planning booths, show off their art skills with a placemaking project, learn more about County services, and enjoy food, fall-themed kids’ activities, and more. Register today for this free event, and bring your family, friends, and neighbors for a day of fun, discovery, and community spirit!
Fifth Annual Aurora Theatre 0.5K Fun Run is scheduled for October 19. Check-in at 11 a.m. at the Lawrenceville Arts Center. The race begins at noon. Like no other, this annual 0.5k Fun Run is a quick jaunt (or leisurely saunter if you prefer) from the Arts Center Courtyard to Slow Pour Brewing Company. There will be face painting, pre-race games and prizes. Proceeds from this event benefit the Aurora Theatre.
Capture the essence of Norcross in a snap! Norcross Gallery and Studios is hosting the ‘Our Home Is Your Home’ Photo Competition through Sunday, October 20. Whether you’re an amateur or a pro, they want to see the world through your lens. The Gallery is accepting photos from smartphones as well as professional cameras. Submitted photos will be displayed in Norcross City Hall and Norcross Gallery and Studio. Top photos will receive prizes and ribbons. Participants are not required to live in Norcross, but the pictures must showcase the city.
Picnic with the police in Braselton will be Tuesday, October 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the Braselton Town Green. Come and enjoy with police food, drinks and plenty of kid’s activities.
Norcross State of the City address has been rescheduled for Wednesday, October 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 6050 Peachtree Boulevard. Mayor Craig Newton will update those in attendance on current and future activities of the city.
Author talk and book signing is being planned for October 24 at 7 p.m. at the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Join award-winning author Vanessa Riley as she discusses her newest mystery, Murder in Berkeley Square. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Chamberworks music: Gwinnett Symphony, chamber singers and youth orchestra will present a concert at the Norcross First Global Methodist Church, 2580 Beaver Ruin Road, on Sunday, October 27, at 5 p.m. Music featured will be Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland, suite for 13 instruments. For tickets, visit GwinnettSmphony.org.
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