GwinnettForum | Number 25.09 | Jan. 31, 2025
THE FIRST HOUSEHOLD hazardous waste collection day of 2025 will take place on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 9 a.m. to noon at Gwinnett County Fairgrounds. Since its launch in 2018, the event has collected 1,066,670 pounds of household hazardous waste for proper disposal. So clean out your garage and/or basement, and dispose of your household hazardous waste in this environmentally friendly way. This event is brought to you by the Gwinnett Department of Water Resources and Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful. Attendees are to enter the main entrance of the Fairgrounds which is located off Sugarloaf Parkway, at the traffic light.
TODAY’S FOCUS: New owners to redevelop Mall Corners Shopping Center
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Piedmont Bank sold to United Bankshares of W.Va. and D.C.
SPOTLIGHT: E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc.
ANOTHER VIEW: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security – the 3rd rail
FEEDBACK: Anxiety of students during raids worries him
UPCOMING: Stripers’ Chopper plans Groundhog Day appearances
NOTABLE: Schoolcraft is Gwinnett Tech GOAL winner
RECOMMENDED: Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Fort Benning namesake was Confederate general
MYSTERY PHOTO: Sun, mountain peaks and reflection make neat mystery
CALENDAR: Personal goals workshop will be Feb. 1 in Norcross
New owners to redevelop Mall Corners Shopping Center
Staff Reports
DULUTH, Ga. | Gwinnett’s Mall Corners shopping center is embarking on a new chapter, as it has been purchased by the partnership of Ben Thanh Mall LLC and JV Gwinnett Development LLC. The firm, NDIMAXIM Commercial of Duluth, played a pivotal role in brokering the acquisition of the iconic property.
Located at 2131 Pleasant Hill Road at the intersection of Satellite Boulevard, the Mall Corners Shopping Center was originally developed by Glenwood Lotz and partners. The 30-acre shopping center, directly across Pleasant Hill Road from the former Gwinnett Place Mall, consists of 300,000 square feet of retail space.
Mall Corners, once home to renowned brands like Toys “R” Us and HHGregg, currently hosts a variety of tenants, such as K&G Fashion, Hansel and Gretel, CitiTrends and Furniture Mall. Under the new ownership, plans are underway to redevelop the property.
JV Gwinnett Development, LLC, an experienced supermarket operator with retail locations across metro Atlanta, intends to transform the Mall Corners shopping plaza through a series of renovations and new developments. That includes rebuilding the former HHGregg space into a 55,000-square-foot modern Asian fusion supermarket. This redevelopment aims to project Mall Corners with fresh energy and appeal, featuring modern amenities and spaces designed to attract and engage the younger generation.
The re-imagined Mall Corners will move away from the traditional “mall parking” atmosphere, by creating a cozy, walkable, and festive environment. The new design will incorporate light, floral, and water elements to create an inviting ambiance for visitors. The new owners will implement seasonal themes and attractions to ensure a dynamic and engaging experience year-round.
The revamped shopping center will cater to all five senses, featuring:
- Themes: Distinctive array of presentations will change often.
- Landscaping: A visually stunning environment with thoughtfully curated decorations.
- Live Entertainment: Music performances and visually captivating shows to delight audiences.
- Street-Style Food Hall: A culinary destination offering mouthwatering, authentic street-style cuisine.
- Family-Friendly Amenities: Attractions to entertain both parents and children.
The vision is to make Mall Corners not just a shopping destination but a vibrant community hub. The new owners and NDIMAXIM Management plan to collaborate with tourism agencies to attract visitors and create memorable experiences.
As this transformation unfolds, Mall Corners is poised to become a family-friendly destination, blending entertainment, shopping, and dining into one cohesive and festive experience.
- To learn more about the exciting redevelopment of Mall Corners Shopping Center, please contact NDIMAXIM Management at 770-638-0247.
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Piedmont Bank sold to United Bankshares of W.Va. and D.C.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JAN. 31, 2025 | A Gwinnett County-headquartered bank has been sold to United Bankshares Inc., which has dual headquarters in Washington, D.C,. and Charleston, West Virginia.
Piedmont Bank of Peachtree Corners will continue to operate under that name for a few months, but eventually will be known locally under the United Bankshares name, says Monty Watson, who was president and CEO of Piedmont Bank. Watson has been named regional president of United Bankshares. New signage should be up by the end of March. The acquisition of Piedmont Bank marks United Shareholders first venture into Georgia.
Piedmont Bank began in 2009 by local residents and has grown to 16 banks in Georgia, with assets of $2.4 billion. It is currently staffed by 155 employees. It started with $160 million in total assets. On Jan. 10, 2025, United Bankshares officially acquired Piedmont Bank.
United Bankshares has 240 banks in six states plus the District of Columbia. As of Dec. 31, 2024, it had consolidated assets of $30 billion, and was the 41st largest banking company in the United States, based on market capitalization. It had operations in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and in the District of Columbia. It has dual headquarters in Charleston, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. It is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the quotation symbol “UBSI.”
Earnings for United Bankshares in the fourth quarter of 2024 were $94.4 million, or $0.69 per diluted share, as compared to earnings of $95.3 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2024.
Watson
Watson is a veteran of the Metro Atlanta banking market. After graduation from the University of Georgia, he attended Duke University for his master’s degree in business administration. He joined in 1989 a three-year-old Gwinnett start-up bank, First Gwinnett Bank of Norcross, and later became its president. This bank was sold to Regions Bank in 1996, and still retains its office in Norcross.
In 1997,Watson put together a group of stockholders to form Peachtree Bank, which was located in Johns Creek on Georgia Highway 141, with the bank starting operation in 1998. Peachtree Bank was sold in 2006 to Alabama National Corporation, which in turn was sold to the Royal Bank of Canada in 2008. Eventually, the Royal Bank of Canada sold its United States operations to PNC Bank out of Pittsburgh, Penn.
It was in 2009 that Watson and 200 shareholders formed Piedmont Bank by putting up $24 million to recapitalize the Republic Bank of Georgia, which was a bank in financial trouble. That was ahead of the efforts in 2010 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s efforts to purchase failing banks.
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E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc.
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Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security – the 3rd rail
Via Unsplash
“We’re going to have to have some hard decisions. We got to bring the Democrats in to talk about Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare.” -U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.)
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | I am a fiscal conservative and social issues liberal. Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are running long-term deficits. Clearly, Rich McCormick, a physician who represents Georgia’s Sixth Congressional District, is correct in one respect. These programs do need bipartisan reform.
Then, he goes on to state in his Fox TV interview: “There’s hundreds of billions of dollars to be saved.” Again, he may be correct. Further, he says that when it comes to “cutting the budget, I’m all about that.” OK, I am also all for systemic reform… when it has been proven to work.
But then, he goes on to indicate that he refuses to endorse cutting the bloated U.S. defense budget. So, are there not hundreds of billions that could be saved by spending our defense money more prudently? What about halting federal contracting for items that are not requested by our military, but added by politicos? And stopping wasteful “cost plus” contracting, which promotes companies running up expenses?
What about our ridiculously expensive NASA efforts? What is the ROI?
I understand McCormick’s real position on expenditures. His view is ideological, not fiscal, just wanting social programs reduced while leaving other areas of waste alone.
Further, as someone who has worked in high level government and corporate budgeting, I understand one basic tenet. To balance a budget, any public or private organization must examine both expenses and revenues. But McCormick never even mentions the possibility of increasing revenues (i.e., taxes) to pay for these social programs. McCormick’s view is not a bipartisan position.
McCormick and his ilk on both sides of the aisle are the core of the problem. They hypocritically state that they want to work with the other side to come up with a solution. And then they completely refuse to consider any reasonable compromise
Looking at the Medicare and Medicaid systemic issues aspects of the equation, the USA has much higher per capita healthcare costs than any other nation. And outcomes which are generally worse than other democracies. A major factor driving this situation is our irrational, multi-party payer system.
For a decade, Donald Trump has kept saying he has a reform plan. In his first term, his irrational plan was to do away with the popular Affordable Care Act, without any alternative. Thanks to John McCain, that failed (thank you to the last real Republican). If the new president has a better plan this time around, let’s hear it.
The Democratic Party is not much better. On one hand, it is afraid to be labeled “socialist”, so it will not push a European type of reform plan (like Medicare for all), the obvious solution given that their outcomes are better and produced at a fraction of our cost.
Party leaders, led by President Biden, generally run away from endorsing Medicare for all like it is the plague.
Regarding Social Security, no one enjoys paying more taxes. But there is a simple solution that does not require benefit cuts. Remove the limit on taxable income for social security ($168,600 in 2024). That one action alone will make the program solvent.
Surely the Elon Musks and Donald Trumps of the world can certainly afford it.
So, yes, we do need bipartisan support to address budget shortfalls. But McCormick is not pointing us in the right direction.
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Anxiety of students during raids worries him
Editor, the Forum:
As a retired Gwinnett teacher, I remember the high anxiety of my students during episodes of ICE raids in the neighborhood. My heart goes out to the terrible fear that students now experience. This is as a result of the cruelty of Trump’s immigration roundups that is going on in our multi ethnic community.
Protect our kids.
– Alan Schneiberg, Sugar Hill
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.
Stripers’ Chopper plans Groundhog Day appearances
In honor of Chopper the Groundhog – the only groundhog mascot in professional sports – the Gwinnett Stripers are planning a full and festive day on Sunday, Feb. 2, that includes the launch of single-game ticket sales for the first half of the 2025 season.
Chopper will begin the morning of February 2 in the grand tradition of other famous prognosticating groundhogs: waking from his off-season slumber at Coolray Field and predicting the timing of spring’s arrival. His results will be broadcast on the Stripers’ official YouTube channel at 9 a.m..
Whether or not Chopper sees his shadow, all fans will be treated to special discounts.
If Chopper does not see his shadow (early spring), fans will receive:
- 22 percent off single-game tickets for Opening Day, presented by Georgia Power (Tuesday, April 1), Chopper Bobblehead Giveaway, presented by Coca-Cola (Saturday, April 19), and Margaritaville Night (Friday, May 30) using the promo code “SPRING” at checkout (offer valid February 2-7).
- 22% percent off all headwear at the Stripers Online Team Store using the promo code “SPRING” at checkout (offer valid February 2-7).
If Chopper sees his shadow (six more weeks of winter), fans will receive:
- 22 percent off single-game tickets for Soundcheck Saturday Kickoff (Saturday, April 5), Star Wars Night (Saturday, May 3), and Marvel Super Hero Night (Friday, June 13) using the promo code “WINTER” at checkout (offer valid February 2-7).
- 22 percent off select outerwear at the Stripers online Team Store using the promo code “WINTER” at checkout (offer valid February 2-7).
Following his prediction, Chopper will spread Groundhog Day cheer at gathering places across Gwinnett County, including:
- Noon: The Lawrenceville Lawn (210 Luckie Street, Lawrenceville);
- 1 p.m. – The Forum Peachtree Corners (5155 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners);
- 2 p.m. – Duluth Town Green (3167 Main Street, Duluth);
- 3 p.m. – Suwanee Town Center (330 Town Center Avenue, Suwanee); and
- 4 p.m. – The Bowl at Sugar Hill (5039 W. Broad Street).
The 16th season of Gwinnett Stripers Baseball at Coolray Field begins with Opening Day, presented by Georgia Power, on Tuesday, April 1 at 4:05 p.m. vs. the Nashville Sounds.
Schoolcraft is Gwinnett Tech GOAL winner
Gwinnett Technical College President Dr. Glen Cannon is shown with Thomas Schoolcraft. (Photo Credit: Jeremy Statum.)
Standing out among thousands of students is no small feat, but Gwinnett Technical College student Thomas Schoolcraft has achieved just that. A resident of Snellville, Schoolcraft has been named the winner of Gwinnett Technical College’s Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL). The Electrical Engineering Technology student was selected from 90 nominees out of a student body of 11,000.
Before enrolling at Gwinnett Tech, Schoolcraft tried college but found it wasn’t the right fit. He spent his 20s working various jobs to make ends meet. After a decade of struggling, he realized he needed a change. Feeling that he had more to offer the world than serving tables and scrolling social media, he applied to Gwinnett Tech. He is an electrical engineering technology student.
He says: “Attending Gwinnett Tech is my second chance to prove myself. It’s my redemption arc. I’m seizing every opportunity and want to inspire others to do the same. We’re at a pivotal moment in history, and there’s no better time to strive to be our best selves. I’m thankful to Gwinnett Tech for this opportunity,” Schoolcraft added.
GMA names Duluth as 2025 Visionary City
From left are Larry Hanson; council member Manfred Graeder; Kathy Marelle, Parks and Recreation director; Margie Pozin, director of Community Development and Engineering; Chris McGahee, economic development and marketing director; Mayor Greg Whitlock; and Ben Young, publisher of Georgia Trend.
The City of Duluth is a recipient of the 2025 Visionary City Award, from the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) in collaboration with Georgia Trend Magazine. Presented at GMA’s Cities United Summit on January 26, this award recognizes the Rogers Bridge project, across the Chattahoochee River.
Rogers Bridge Park is a 24 acre park located in the northeastern quadrant of Duluth, a few blocks north of Peachtree Boulevard on Rogers Bridge Road. The Chattahoochee River flows along the northern boundary of the park. The park has created a connection across communities to Johns Creek, enhancing accessibility, sustainability, and the overall quality of life for residents of both cities.
Larry Hanson, CEO and executive director of GMA, says: “Duluth’s Rogers Bridge Project is a remarkable achievement in regional connectivity and environmental stewardship. This initiative not only bridges communities but also promotes active lifestyles and collaboration.”
Duluth Mayor Greg Whitlock says: “Being recognized with the 2025 Visionary City Award, affirms our dedication to sustainability, accessibility, and regional unity. We are proud to see Duluth leading the way in projects that enrich lives and create lasting impact.”
Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi
From Sara Burns of Duluth: At just over 300 pages, this ambitious 2016 “novel-in-stories” succinctly leads us through 300 years of the African diaspora – particularly from Ghana and the Gold Coast. The book starts dramatically with Effia being born during a village fire. She is eventually married off to an Englishman who has a white family back home, and she has a relatively comfortable life in the Cape Coast Castle. She never realizes she has an unknown half-sister, Essie, shackled in the dungeons below the castle. Follow seven more generations of descendants of these women, eventually to America, where the reader is introduced to a broad and often sad look at the black experience. And bookmark the family tree at the beginning!
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Fort Benning’s namesake was Confederate general
Henry L. Benning was a jurist who became associate justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia in the 1850s. Henry Lewis Benning was born in Columbia County on April 2, 1814. His family moved to Harris County in 1832, while Benning was studying at the University of Georgia in Athens. He graduated in 1834 and then studied law in Talbot County with George W. Towns. In 1835 he was admitted to the bar in Columbus, which was thereafter his permanent home. From 1837 to 1839 he served as solicitor-general in Columbus, and in 1839 he married Mary Howard Jones with whom he had ten children.
In 1850, during the sectional crisis, he was one of Georgia’s delegates to a convention of nine slaveholding states, held in Nashville, Tenn., to determine the Southern course of action if slavery were banned in the western territories. Benning introduced resolutions in Nashville that strongly defended slavery and supported a state’s right to secede.
In the wake of Lincoln’s election, Benning became one of Georgia’s most vocal proponents of secession. After Georgia seceded from the Union in January 1861, Benning was dispatched as Georgia’s representative to Virginia, which was still debating the secession question. There, he gave a speech before the Virginia secession convention, arguing that separation from the Union was the only way to preserve slavery.
With the outbreak of the Civil War, Benning helped to raise the troops that became the Seventeenth Georgia Infantry, and he was chosen as colonel in August 1861. Most of his military service was in Virginia. He fought in the Seven Days’ Battles in the summer of 1862 and at Second Manassas, where he earned the nickname “Old Rock” By January 1863 Benning had risen to the rank of brigadier general. On July 2, 1863, he led his men on an unsuccessful assault of Little Round Top at Gettysburg, Penn.
Benning and his troops were part of the contingent sent west in the fall of 1863 to reinforce Confederate forces trying to prevent a Union invasion of Georgia. He participated in the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. He also was instrumental in the campaign at Knoxville, Tenn., later that year. By the spring of 1864 he was back in Virginia, where he was wounded in May at the Battle of the Wilderness. After recovering he again assumed command of his troops in Petersburg, Va., in November 1864, and he was with them in April 1865 at the final Confederate surrender in Appomattox, Virginia.
After the war, Benning, like so many other southern planters, returned home to a devastating economic situation. Much of his wealth had been invested in enslaved people and land, but the bondsmen were now gone, and much of his land was ruined. Benning returned to the practice of law and began rebuilding his finances; his wife died in 1867. Benning continued to practice law right up until his death; in fact, he was on his way to a court appearance when he suffered a major stroke and died on July 10, 1875. He was buried in Linwood Cemetery in Columbus
In 1918 the U.S. Army established its infantry school at a camp located partly in Muscogee County and partly in Chattahoochee County. At the request of the Columbus Rotary Club, the camp (and later fort) was named for Benning. The fort was renamed Fort Moore in 2023 after Congress agreed in 2021 to revise the names of Department of Defense assets associated with the Confederacy.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Sun, mountain peaks and reflection make neat mystery
Sun shining on mountain peaks, and that reflected in water, makes a beautiful Mystery Photo. Figure out where this photograph was taken and send us your conclusion to ebrack2@gmail.com. Be sure to include your hometown.
Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas, told us about the most recent Mystery Photo. “Today’s photo features Chimney Rock, a 315-foot granite monolith that towers over a 14-mile-long gorge that is part of Chimney Rock State Park in Rutherford, N.C. Chimney Rock State Park is an 8,014-acre park that is located 25-miles southeast of Asheville, N.C. It was established on May 4, 2005 and under normal circumstances, it was a popular tourist attraction that received over 400,000 visitors a year. Unfortunately, the state park is currently closed as the surrounding area and village were severely impacted by the destructive forces of Hurricane Helene that ravaged the area with major flooding and landslides on September 27, 2024.”The photo came via Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill from Ann Royster of Shelby, N.C.
Others recognizing the mystery were Cindy Evans, Duluth; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; John Moore, Duluth; Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; Bo O’Kelley, Murrayville; and Anne Lebaire, Gainesville.
- 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!) Click here to send an email and please mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Personal goals workshop will be Feb. 1 in Norcross
Author Talk with Clint Smith: Join history author Clint Smith as he discusses his book The Georgia Air National Guard. Books will be available for sale and signing. This will take place at the Buford Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on January 31 at noon.
Personal Goals Workshop will be presented on February 1 at 1 p.m. at the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Learn how a structured approach to personal goal-setting can refine your values, cultivate self-love, and foster acceptance.
Father-Daughter Valentine Dance sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of North Gwinnett will be held February 7 and 8 at the Braselton Civic Center. Cost is $100 a couple. Tickets are still available. To purchase tickets, go to: https://www.bigtickets.com/events/ngkc/fdd2025/.
Are hazardous products mounting up at your home? Relief is on the way.Household hazardous waste collection day is on the way, and will be February 8 from 9 a.m. until noon at the Gwinnett Fairgrounds in Lawrenceville.
Small Business Book Club will meet on February 10 and 24 at noon in the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. This group isn’t just about reading, it’s about dynamic interactions that can reshape your business strategies. Join us to engage in insightful discussions and connect with like-minded entrepreneurs.
Author Talk: Join New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict as she discusses her newest historical fiction novel, The Queens of Crime. This will be on Saturday, February 18 at 1 p.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. The author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie returns with a thrilling story of Agatha Christie’s legendary rival Dorothy Sayers,the race to solve a murder, and the power of friendship among women. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
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