GwinnettForum | Number 22.75 | Oct. 20, 2023
IT WAS A DIFFERENT GROUNDBREAKING in Duluth recently for a new kid’s playground: the kids broke the ground! At the groundbreaking, the kids got the new Gigglebark project going. The kids are, from left, Gabriel Flowers (acting as a “cameraman”), Ethan Reeves, Wilson Bowers, Callum Tran, Yoori Park, Cadence Tran, Pfeiffer Yeager, Kensley Flowers, Lyla Flowers, Emilia Gross, and Ava Gross, another “cameraperson.” (Dustin Grau Photography). See more details below in Notable.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Hebron Academy plans $20 million special needs academy
EEB PERSPECTIVE: The new Gwinnett Transit Plan differs from previous plans
SPOTLIGHT: Heaven and Alvarez, LLC
ANOTHER VIEW: Conflagration in Israel bemoans a different approach APPLY NOW
FEEDBACK: Sought peace and quiet in Harbins, but now upset
UPCOMING: Gwinnett Chamber inks pact with Pan Asian American group
NOTABLE: Duluth kids break ground on new Gigglebark tree
OBITUARY: Edwin Luther Hunt
RECOMMENDED: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
GEORGIA TIDBIT: 40 Watt Club now in its sixth location in Athens
MYSTERY PHOTO: See if you can figure out the location of this waterfall
CALENDAR: Third annual Peachtree Corners Decathlon will be Oct. 21
Hebron Christian plans $20 million special needs academy
Hebron Christian Academy.
By Dr. James E. Taylor
Head, Hebron Christian Academy
DACULA, Ga. | Hebron Christian Academy (HCA) will launch a $20 million special needs program aimed at students with cognitive and or developmental disabilities to open in the 2024-25 school year. It will be called Lions Learning Academy.
Taylor
The school will aim to benefit students from a therapy-based education. We will begin with a soft-start next year on our Old Peachtree Road campus by ministering to one class each of students in K3, K4, K, 1, 2, and Autism 1. Our plans for the future are definitely God-sized dreams.
There is no other Christian school in America seeking to develop a program with this size, scope, and level of intense therapy-based instruction. Our eventual goal is to serve 250 students on a new 13 acre parcel of land we are purchasing behind our Lower School campus. For parents of students with special needs, this therapy-based educational model will literally change their lives. Evenings that were typically spent running between therapies will now be replaced by family time.
This bold approach is founded on the belief that every child is a precious creation of God, deserving of love, care, and opportunities for personal development. At Lions Learning Academy, we will provide tailored Christian education, support, and therapeutic interventions to help children with diverse needs reach their full potential. This program will also positively impact every HCA student with the opportunity to build new relationships and serve one another.
Please be in prayer as we seek answers to the myriad questions we have regarding the development of this life-changing program. At Hebron, we strive to never take on new debt in an effort to keep education affordable; therefore, the $20 million necessary must be raised before we can begin construction on this new facility.
We seek God’s guidance and provision on this lofty task. Please be praying for every student and every family who will find a home at Lions Learning Academy. To impact not just the educational growth of children, but also their eternity with Christ is humbly vital.
Hebron does not want to take on debt, so that a Christian education can be affordable. We have to raise our own money, so to facilitate this is a pretty large venture. The Lion Academy will have a teacher and aide in every single room, so this will be a heavier staff load than in regular education.
We want this Learning Academy to be cutting edge. We will need facilities including a therapy pool, half court gym, full size occupation and physical center, and facility to train other schools and churches across the nation who want to provide this same learning opportunity for kids in other areas.
At an Open House on November 5, we will begin welcoming new families of children with special needs to talk about HCA and the future Lions Learning Academy. If you know a family who could benefit from this program, please let them know about the upcoming Open House as well as what we are preparing to embark on with Lions Learning Academy. They can reach out to our Admissions Office for more information. Click here to register for our Open House on Sunday, November 5, from 3-5 p.m.
We dream of the lives that will be changed through this unprecedented and innovative next step.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
The new Gwinnett Transit Plan differs from previous plans
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
OCT. 20, 2023 | Gwinnett County voters have about a year, until November 2024, to mull over the new Transit Plan presented by the county.
The plan is a major departure from previous transit ideas that the county has urged.
The major different aspect is that the 2023 plan calls for no ties to the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and heavy rail in the county. There are big reasons for that. First, voters have rejected previous plans, many on the basis of not wanting to give the Authority money from Gwinnett to spend on an area-wide system. And secondly, it costs far more to build heavy rail today than when MARTA was first proposed.
We’ve learned that there is another major change in the current Transit Plan.
When the Georgia Legislature first passed the possibility that local communities could charge a one-cent sales tax for special purposes, and later on, for education, such bills would be only for a maximum of five years. After that term was over, the government would have to give taxpayers another vote to enable another special purpose sales tax, again no longer than five years.
Now counties can call for a vote on a transit sales tax which can be voted on for periods of up to 30 years. After all, major transit infrastructure for the county will cost significant dollars. The longer collection time guarantees far more sales tax monies and makes funding big long term dollars financially feasible.
How much? The county figures the Transit Plan will cost $17 billion.
Now for an admission. When calculating previous year’s county one-cent sales tax collections, we rounded that figure for 30 years and came up with $70 billion dollars. But we made a tiny error! We mistakenly placed a decimal point, rounding off what we had as $69 billion into $70 billion instead of what should have been $6.9 billon. Yep, significant difference.
Talking with Gwinnett Transportation Department Director Lewis Cooksey, we learned how they came up with the $17 billion figure.
Multiply the present annual sales tax collection for the county, $217 million, times 30 years…..then add in a 3.5 percent growth factor, bringing the total to $12.4 billion. Then put in what is anticipated to be state and federal transportation grants, and the county and its planners come to the $17 billion total.
So what will this big potful of money mean to the county?
Cooksey says that 90 percent of what is in the Transit Plan will be in place in the first 10 years of the proposed plan. Additional micro-transit operations will come first, so that almost all of the county will have this significant innovative service relatively soon. This service will relieve many Gwinnettians without their own means of transportation, and be quite an improvement for those now without means of getting around the county.
Though the plan as presented doesn’t highlight it, next in line for major expansion will be Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) serving major portions of the key thoroughfares of the county. This will operate much like a train, with dedicated lanes for these buses, run frequently and have passenger stations. It’s anticipated that BRT will move significant droves of people, often to connect with other services, including MARTA stations.
A new transit element, called Quick Line, will serve sensitive transit areas, again moving people faster than a normal bus service.
Over the next year, Gwinnett voters should educate themselves on the elements of the transit plan, so that they can understand the plan’s possibilities, and move people around easier.
This can improve Gwinnett far into its future.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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Conflagration in Israel bemoans a different approach
By Ashley Herndon
OCEANSIDE, Calif. | Today’s violence in Israel bemoans a different approach, regardless of our allegiances and beliefs. Imagine the surprise that hit the historical tribal leader Moses when he came down from a mountain and saw his people shaping and worshiping a Golden Calf, and on an altar built by his brother, Aaron. That would knock your socks off. Wow…ya’ can’t eat gold.
Herndon
Who believes in what is in the worship anymore? Times were a-changin’ back in history just as they do today. Do people change? My Grandmother used to say, “Ashley, people don’t change, they just get older and slower.” We discussed the “change” issue further. She explained that people don’t fully change’ on a whim, but that it takes time and good reason for them/us to truly change behavior. Habits are tough as whip leather.
Today we have Ukraine, Israel, some countries in Africa, as well as our House of Representatives. that are currently examples of violence, some verbal, some physical, and some warfare. Too many people worship war and weapons of war. Weapons and War are their Golden Calf. Who abandoned reason and why? Some say get over it, since greed never changes. Such battles hark back hundreds of years. Crisis and chaos, threats and murder, cheats and liars, are all expressed in the wide scope of society.
Have we civilized society yet? Not so, apparently. Only the direction the tribes are traveling has changed. In Moses’ time, we were taught that the Israelites headed North and East in their escape. Today the Palestinians are headed South and West. They are covering some of the same turf only thousands of years apart.
Netanyahu is not Moses; he is more like Aaron. Hamas seriously simply needs a leader, not a band of thieves. Can you imagine moving 1,000,000 people in 24 hours, without trains, planes, and automobiles?
Is retribution from any quarter a responsible act? This is not a time for the thought that “my dog is bigger than your dog!”
We here in Oceanside are somewhat familiar with war. We have Camp Pendleton abutting us. Not only do we hear the artillery practice , but we feel the ground shake and see and hear the fighter jets and helicopters zinging around over our heads. We can only imagine what it must be like seeing your loved ones blown up and/or murdered…, maybe in your presence, showing you the Golden Calf of Violence.
The USA has spent billions in our state of California on the military. We’ve seen spending at a level of more than Russia, China, UK, Germany, and France all combined. Look it up! Where is the bulk of that wealth spent? In keeping our Golden Calf fed! It’s hard to chew gold.
Some say 20,000 Hamas fighters may perish, while thousands of civilian men and women may join them in death. For what? It means they and we suffer. Thinking of these innocents, it makes one weep.
Again, history is as Twain suggested: it keeps repeating itself. We always seem to say “enough is enough.” But it is for naught. Will mankind never have the guts to stop it?
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Sought peace and quiet in Harbins, but now upset
Editor, the Forum:
Recently I have purchased a house near Bethlehem, but was not aware that a sewer treatment plant was going to be in close proximity to my home. It was not disclosed to me. I am not sure at this time if the builder was aware of this either.
Now instead of the peace I thought that I was finding, it has turned out to be construction noise from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. six days a week. And I am almost certain that the property value has to have diminished. Who wants to live behind a sewer plant? Was there any kind of public notice?
I am a disabled veteran and I moved way out here away from my family for the peace and quiet as they did disclose that there was some conservatory land behind my property and I just thought that was a selling point for me because my thought was that, good, no one can build back here and
I moved here so that I could enjoy my retirement (I am a disabled veteran) in peace and quiet and waking up to the sound of birds but I wake up to the sounds of heavy construction equipment noise that drown out the sounds of nature.
Can you assist me or point me in the right direction?
– Ms. Elaine Williams, Bethlehem
Dear Ms. Williams: There’s good news. It’s not a sewer plant. Here’s what the Gwinnett Water and Sewer Department says: “This homeowner is likely asking about a pump station for sewer being built on Harbins Road. This pump station is part of the Eastern Regional Infrastructure project. Completion of this project, anticipated to be in early 2024, will allow us to provide sewer service to serve 8,026 acres. About 2,000 acres of this is the Rowen development.” So, relax. This is not a project that will go on forever, but will be completed relatively soon, and you can return to some peace and quiet in Harbins. –eeb.
Feels that Liz might be good for the presidency
Editor, the Forum:
I like Liz (Cheney) for president. If the Orange Monster is in jail by election time…this might be a great idea.
– Mike Eberlein, Peachtree Corners.
Prefers to see another role for Liz Cheney
Editor, the Forum:
In response to Raleigh Perry’s article of Liz Cheney for president, I think he may fail to realize how very conservative she is. She voted with Donald Trump over 90 percent of the time.
I have great admiration for her as she has great integrity and realizes what a danger to our democracy Donald Trump represents. I would rather see her succeed in her campaign to restore honesty and integrity to the Republican Party.
– John Titus, Peachtree Corners
Fondly remembers Istanbul and its crowded trams
Editor, the Forum:
Your article in Tuesday’s Forum brought back many memories of a trip to Turkey. I used their tram when visiting Istanbul. It was the eve of a religious holiday and the trams being crowded was an understatement. There was standing room only with no space between you and the other travelers. My traveling companion and I agreed on our exit strategy—just push and meet at the next stop if unsuccessful at getting out. Very aggressive pushing worked and we exited at the correct stop.
The next day we met up with a guide who had helped us plan the previous day’s trip. She was very relieved that we were successful. You missed a great experience by not riding the trams in a beautiful city.
– Jo Pinder, Baltimore, Md.
(Editor’s Note: Now retired, Ms. Pinder once headed the Gwinnett Public Libraries.)
Here’s a viewing suggestion for Halloween time
Editor, the Forum:
This being the Halloween season, and anyone who is a fan of Edgar Allen Poe, there is an eight episode series on Netflix, The Fall of the House of Usher. It takes place in modern times with today’s problems depicted in the family’s tragedies. There are six grown up children, each with a set of differing ideas of what they think their father’s millions would support. Along with their money-making ideas, there come different self-destructive problems they each have.
Let me not spoil the plot, but the name of each episode sorta tells you what fate has in store for each child. And if you are squeamish, you might not want to watch the series, but you will miss out on some excellent acting as well as “jumping” when a certain thing happens that you (and the character) weren’t expecting. Happy Halloween!
– Sara Rawlins, Lawrenceville
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Gwinnett Chamber inks pact with Pan Asian American group
From left are Nick Masino, president and CEO, Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett; Dean Collins, 2023 Board Chair and President and Founder of Axis Companies; Sheetal Desai, USPAACC-SE President; and Lissa Miller, the USPAACC Southeast Chapter’s Chairwoman and Head of Supplier Diversity with Truist.
The Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett signed its sixth memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a local Asian American-focused chamber of commerce. This pact was signed with the U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Region, recognizing the intent of these organizations to collaborate, champion, and drive global business in both the region and abroad.
Founded in 1984, USPAACC-SE represents Asian American and Asian American-related groups in business, sciences, the arts, sports, education, public, and community services. USPAACC-SE serves as a thought leader with over 30 years of track record in business matchmaking, fostering strong partnerships among corporations, government, and Asian American businesses in the Southeast Region. Asian Americans make up over 13% of Gwinnett’s population, and Gwinnett is the leading county in the Southeast U.S. for Asian American-owned and operated businesses, including international businesses.
Sheetal Desai, president of USPAACC-SE, says: “There is definite synergy between the chambers and we know that this partnership will provide our members greater access to resources to better their businesses. We look forward to a long-lasting relationship that will equip our members to succeed in constantly changing economic climates.”
Gwinnett Library offers program for former inmates
The Gwinnett County Public Library is now accepting applications for its next New Start Entrepreneurship Incubator Program (NSEI). This program provides business education for formerly incarcerated individuals through in-person classes, online coursework, and a robust network of mentors and community partners.
NSEI is specifically geared towards the re-entry population, which, in Georgia, is disproportionately minority populations and people of color. This six-month course is designed to help community members who have served time in jail or prison create and sustain their own businesses.
Charles Pace, executive director of the Gwinnett County Public Library, says: “Formerly incarcerated individuals are an overlooked population of aspiring entrepreneurs, often lacking the means, access, and support to launch a small business successfully.”
NSEI originated as a grant project in 2021, funded by Google in partnership with the American Library Association.
Coordinated by a team of five library staff members, NSEI includes cohorts of 15 to 20 students who attend monthly presentations by local business experts on topics such as finance, marketing, licensing, and writing a business plan. Following each meeting, participants complete assigned online coursework and receive one-on-one support from experienced small business mentors. The library provides free laptops and Wi-Fi service to those who need them.
The program’s culmination occurs at Launchpad, where the young entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to community business leaders. In 2023, the Gwinnett County Public
Library Foundation awarded $5,000 to the top three entrepreneurs. As of January 2023, the program has graduated 29 entrepreneurs. The most successful graduate has 14 full-time employees and operates a commercial cleaning business
Indian community has “Festival of Lights” Oct. 28-29
A two-day festival is being held to kick off the celebration of the holiday of Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, at Global Mall in Norcross on October 28-29 from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Opening ceremonies will take place at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. This event at the Global Mall was first launched in May, 2002, and has become an annual celebration for the Indian community living in the Greater Atlanta area. Authentic Indian food will be available for purchase during both days.
Renova Technology to mark expansion on Oct. 24
Renova Technology, Inc., an after-market repair services company, will celebrate the recent expansion of its supply chain operations highlighting the company’s $600,000 capital investment in Gwinnett. The event will be October 24 at 8:30 a.m. at 1425 Oakbrook Parkway in Norcross. Facility tours will be available following the ceremony. Renova willadd 30 new jobs including customer service, marketing, repair, and sales positions.
Speakers for this event include Gwinnett County District 1 Commissioner Kirkland Carden, Renova Technology CEO Jonathan Pine, Gateway85 CID Executive Director Emory Morsberger, and leaders from the Partnership Gwinnett economic and community development initiative.
Duluth kids break ground on new Gigglebark tree
By Talore Ruedt
The City of Duluth, Georgia broke ground recently for the much-anticipated playable art project. It is a testament to the community’s creativity and the spirit of play. This unique project, the Gigglebark Tree playground, has captured the imagination of residents across Gwinnett County.
In 2022, the City of Duluth invited Gwinnett County residents of all ages to submit drawings of their dream pieces of playable art for the Playground Design Contest. Among the 175+ entries, designs ranged from sea creatures to tree houses, pirate ships to crash-landed satellites, and musical instruments to giant animals. The youngest artist with one of the ideas was just three years old.
The Mayor and Council studied the top nine designs to determine their top three, with the winning design, submitted by Lyn-Nell Huffman, inspired by a willow tree, which became the foundation for what the city is calling the Gigglebark Tree.
The Gigglebark Tree playground is a visually stunning combination of several trees. It boasts the colorful bark of a Eucalyptus, the twisting roots of an Overcup Oak, and the swaying branches of a Willow Tree. What sets this playable art apart is the inclusion of a slide winding around the trunk and a root system with steps and tunnels. To add a touch of enchantment, the willow-like branches will illuminate the playground, creating a magical ambiance for all who visit.
Breaking ground was anything but ordinary. In a whimsical turn of events, as the mayor and council, with help from kids, turned the spades.
Mayor Nancy Harris says: “Duluth has always been a place where art and play converge. The Gigglebark Tree is a symbol of our commitment to fostering creativity, nurturing our green spaces, and ensuring that all generations can find joy right here in our city.”
The Gigglebark Tree Playground is an extension of the existing Taylor Park playground in Downtown Duluth. While it’s always bittersweet to say goodbye to old trees, some of them had to be removed due to disease, and their tendency to drop branches and pecans, making them unsuitable for a children’s play area. However, the City is committed to maintaining the natural beauty of the area and plans to work with an arborist to plant new, safe trees once the playground is complete.
Rainbow Village breaks fundraising records at 2023 Gala
Duluth’s Rainbow Village’s 2023 We Are Family Benefit Gala recently raised $505,000 in its largest fundraiser ever. The amount eclipsed all previous records and will help in supporting Rainbow Village’s mission to bring “Help, Hope, Housing, and Healing” to families experiencing homelessness. At the gala, the Joel P. Hudson Humanitarian Award was presented to Subaru of Gwinnett. Holding their “Share the Love” awards are, from left, Julie Adams, warranty administrator at Subaru Gwinnett, Rainbow Village CEO Melanie Conner and Jennifer Kessler, general manager at Subaru of Gwinnett.
Edwin Luther Hunt
It is with both extreme sadness that the family of Edwin Luther Hunt announces his passing on to his eternal home on October 17, 2023. Ed was a resident of Georgia for more than 60 years and most recently lived in Braselton.
Ed Hunt
Born on June 11, 1941 in Mingo County , W.Va., to Ruth Hunt, Ed grew up mostly in Haines City, Fla., where he graduated from high school. After a football stint at Coffeeville, Kan. Community College and tennis at South Georgia College where he was student government president, his sights were set on the University of Georgia, where he graduated in 1965 with a degree in education and was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
Ed was a doting husband to his wife, Martha Lynn. Over the past five years he became her primary caregiver and did it with honor and grace. He was a loving father to his daughter, Laura. Always giving of himself for that hug and great advice while always reminding her that she was his booga-looga. As a Papa, Ed spent time with Drew at every age, teaching him so many life lessons and how to be a man and be a selfless leader. One of Ed’s proudest moments was when Drew was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy in June of this year. He is stationed in Charleston, S.C.
Ed’s career saw him coaching, teaching and finally as an assistant principal at Parkview High School, where he retired in 2000. His love of education made him a friend to all. Ed had a gift for getting students to see their success and was passionate about not only student’s classroom efforts, but also those in life.
After more than 40 years in education, Ed’s legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of so many who have called him “Coach Babe,” “Mr. Ed,” and many more. There were no strangers to Ed but only people he hadn’t become friends with yet. His gregarious nature and “sho-nuff” quips made him fun to be around but also respected.
To say Ed was a die-hard Bulldog is an understatement. He and his friends of more than 50 years traveled all over the USA to watch the dawgs and rarely missed a home game in 35 years. Every Sunday during football season, Ed switched gears and donned the Atlanta Falcons logo and rooted hard; even when it seemed futile, Ed was loyal and a fan.
That’s the man he was to everyone. A founding member of the Rock Creek Ecological Society, he was a procurement agent for the group and enjoyed good times with great friends at the groups campsite even though fishing rarely occurred.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 55 years, Martha Lynn; his daughter, Laura Lawton and son in law, Todd Lawton of Moore, S.C.; grandson. Drew Lawton of Goose Creek, S.C.; brother in law, Draper Watson of Perry; nephews Terry and Jennifer Watson of Birmingham, Ala. and Travis and Cameron Watson of Marietta; niece Christen and Don Schmidt of Marietta, as well as many cousins, great-nieces, nephews and lifelong friends. Ed is preceded in death by his mother, Ruth Hunt; his sister Danny Bamforth of Haines City, Fla.; sister-in-law, Dawn Watson of Perry, and his aunt, Anne Sarvis of Haines City, Fla.
Arrangements are being provided by Wages and Sons Gwinnett Chapel. Services will be held on Saturday, October 21, 2023 at noon at the Lawrenceville First United Methodist Church with a receiving for family and friends at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary. The graveside service and interment will be at the Perry, Ga. Memorial Gardens Monday, October 23, 2023 at 1 p.m.
The family is requesting mourners to dress in their favorite red and black gear for the service. In lieu of flowers, the family would be honored if you’d consider donating to the Alzheimer’s Association of Georgia, 41 Perimeter Center East, #550, Atlanta, Ga. 30346.
Catch-22, by Joseph Heller
From Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill: John Yossarian is an American bombardier during WWII. After finally flying his required number of missions, Yossarian soon discovers that his real problem is not the enemy – it’s his own army! His colonel keeps increasing his mission requirements and, when Yossarian tries to stop flying more missions, he learns he can only get out of flying if he’s crazy. However, if he wants to stop flying, he’s not crazy. That’s Catch-22. I recommend this book with hesitation. I found it clever when I was in college but, 50 years later, I find it repetitive, sometimes hard to follow, silly, and offensive to women. However, this spoof on the occasional absurdity and boredom of military life also reveals the powerlessness of the average soldier and the meaningless confusion and abuse of power sometimes found within the armed forces bureaucracy. Underneath is the depressing horror of war. It is truly heart sickening.
- An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (150 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Send to: elliott@brack.net
40 Watt Club is now in 6th Athens location
One of the most famous music clubs in Georgia, if not the United States, the 40 Watt Club of Athens, received its reputation mainly based on its association with the local legends of the Athens music scene. Many Athens bands, including R.E.M., the B-52’s, Widespread Panic, Love Tractor, Pylon, the Method Actors, Vic Chesnutt, and the Squalls, got their start at this club.
The first unofficial incarnation of the 40 Watt was in the College Street apartment of Pylon band member Curtis Crowe; the club’s name referred to the power of the only light source in the apartment. The first show, held on Halloween in 1978, featured Crowe’s band Strictly American.
The club soon moved across the street to a space above a restaurant, and it officially opened for business in May 1980, with the Side Effects playing. Now at its sixth downtown Athens location, the 40 Watt is housed in a former furniture mart at 285 West Washington Street. The club opened at this site in April 1990, and R.E.M. played an acoustic set there in June 1991 to promote their album Out of Time.
Most up-and-coming and established small-venue acts make a point of playing at the 40 Watt Club, in the town Rolling Stone magazine in 2003 called the best college music scene in the country.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
See if you can figure out the location of this waterfall
Many Gwinnettians may have come across today’s Mystery photo in their wanderings. Now, can you pinpoint the location of this waterfall? Send your ideas to elliott@brack.net and include your hometown.
Stew Ogilvie, Lawrenceville was the first to recognize a photograph of the Canal Walk in Richmond, Va. The photo came from Chuck Paul of Norcross. Several people thought it might be in San Antonio, Tex.
Others getting this one correct included George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex., who wrote: “ Today’s mystery photo is indeed a beautiful, reflective shot taken from the Canal Walk in the Shockoe Slip Historic District in the downtown area of Richmond, Va. The photo was shot, facing west, from under the stone bridge that crosses the canal at Virginia Street. The arch of the bridge can be seen at the top of the photo, and the red brick and granite building, the main focus of the photo itself, is known as the Lady Byrd Hat Building.
“The building was originally built in 1894 to house the Virginia Paper Company, but became the home of the Lady Byrd Hat Factory in 1965. The building is actually the only historic building along the canal as its foundation was built on the original wall of the James River and Kanawha Canal. The canal was built over a number of years, starting in 1785, as part of George Washington’s grand plan for the transportation of goods from Richmond to the Mississippi River.”
- SHARE A MYSTERY PHOTO: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send to: elliott@brack.net and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Third annual Peachtree Corners Decathlon will be Oct. 21
The Gwinnett Stripers are hosting its first “Brewfest at the Ballpark” at Coolray Field on Saturday, October 21 from 1 to 5 p.m. This one-of-a-kind beer festival will give attendees a chance to sample selections from local Georgia craft breweries. The event will include live music, and food will be available for purchase at select Coolray Field concession stands.
Third annual Peachtree Corners Decathlon will be Saturday, October 21. The event will be at the Path to fitness, near the Town Green. Some 72 participants will be entered in 10 challenging events.The sold-out event is open to men and women, age 18 and older, and known for its intense physical challenges that tests endurance, strength and agility.
Pedal Norcross on Saturday, October 21, from 3 until 6 p.m. Join Sustainable Norcross for a group bike ride through historic Norcross. The event kicks off on Skin Alley with bike recycling and helmet giveaways . The ride wraps up with a prize drawing and a chance to win an E-Bike! Get your tickets here.
Braselton High School alumni, friends and families will celebrate the school’s history on Saturday, October 21 from 9 a.m. until noon in the historic 1904 building in downtown Braselton. Attendees are asked to bring any memorabilia and help identify students in the historic photographs dating from 1924 to 1957. The Braselton High School opened in September 1920 and closed during the 1957-1958 school year after merging with Jackson County schools. For more information, contact Amy Pinnell at apinnell@braselton.net
Healthy Aging and Family Caregiver Fair will take place at the Duluth branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on Saturday, October 21, from 10 a.m. until noon. Learn more about healthy aging and family caregiving, particularly as related to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. A family-friendly event with speakers, engaging activities, and resources for supporting caregivers
Foster Parents information session will be held at the Centerville branch of Gwinnett County Public Library at 6:30 p.m. on October 24. Join the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services-Gwinnett County to learn how to become a Foster Parent.
Intersection improvement groundbreaking at Bryson Park and Hood Road in Lilburn will be Wednesday, October 25, at 1:30 p.m. This project is a joint effort between the City of Lilburn, the Lilburn CID, Gwinnett County Transportation, the Georgia Department of Transportation, the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank, Kimley Horn, Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation and Ohmshiv Construction.
Navigating Language-Based Learning Disabilities will be presented from an expert at the Five Forks Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. This will be held Thursday, October 26 at 6 p.m.
Dam Dinner: dine outdoors in a European Piazza style while watching artists blow hot glass and paint plein air around the lake area at on Friday, October 27, from to 10 p.m. The event will be held on the dam at Sims Lake Park. Artist Carol Albert, and her band, will set the tone for an evening under the stars. This dinner is a fundraising event to support the programs and administration of the Suwanee Arts Center. The meal will be catered by the anticipated, but yet to open, Raik Mediterranean of Suwanee.
Drug Take Back will be held October 28 in Snellville hosted by the Police Department. This will allow residents to safely discard unused and expired medication. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Snellville Police Department, 2315 Wisteria Drive. There will also be a secondary location at Westside Baptist Church, 2925 Main St. W from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. as part of the church’s Fall Festival. Participants can drive or walk up to drop off discarded medication into collection boxes. Medication may be left in its original containers with or without the labels as all items discarded are burned.
Auto Show: the third annual German Klassic “Autoberfest” Car Show returns on October 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown Norcross. The event also features German music, food and beer. Spectatoring is free.
History and cemetery tour of Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church will be Sunday, October 29, at 2 p.m. To learn more contact the church office at mtcarmelumc@comcast.net or call 770 449 4498.
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