GwinnettForum | Number 23.10 | Feb. 2, 2024
THESE PURPLE BINS, 15 in all, are scattered all over Gwinnett for glass recycling by Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful. Take your glass to them at the following locations: Bethesda Park, Lawrenceville; Bogan Park, Buford; Collins Hill Aquatic Center, Lawrenceville; Duncan Creek Park, Dacula; Harbins, Dacula; Lenora Park, Snellville; Lucky Shoals Park, Norcross; Mountain Park Aquatic, Stone Mountain; OneStop, Norcross; Peachtree Ridge Park, Suwanee; Pinckneyville Park, Berkeley Lake; Rabbit Hill Park, Dacula; Snellville Recycling Center; Lawrenceville Public Works; and E.E. Robinson Park, Sugar Hill.
TODAY’S FOCUS: It’s tax time; updating what you need to know
EEB PERSPECTIVE: What has been your family’s best vacation ever?
SPOTLIGHT: Georgia Banking Company
ANOTHER VIEW: Find it. Ignite it. Do it. Resist…Reclaim…Rebuild
FEEDBACK: Individual homes have limited appeal to some
UPCOMING: Gwinnett Stripers to have new manager for 2024
NOTABLE: Small businesses in Gwinnett get $7 million in grants
RECOMMENDED: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Georgia’s Botanical Garden is in Athens
MYSTERY PHOTO: Don’t let that UGA flag fool you in this mystery
CALENDAR: Celebrate Groundhog Day with Gwinnett Stripers’ Mascot Chopper today
It’s tax time: updating what you need to know
By Randy Brunson
SUWANEE, Ga. | “Cola” often brings to mind Atlanta’s favorite soft drink. In this case, we are referring to the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) as it applies to any number of federal details which impact each of us. Here are a few such details.
Brunson
FICA taxes, or what we often call Social Security taxes, are paid on all earned income up to a specified amount each year. That specified amount is referred to as the Social Security Wage Base, which wage base goes up each year. In 2024, the SS wage base is $168,600, meaning you and I pay social insurance taxes of 7.65 percent on the first $168,600 of earned income. That wage base was $87,900 in 2004 and $117,000 in 2014. These represent annualized increases of about 3.5 percent, a much more accurate assessment of actual inflation over the last 10 to 20 years, in this author’s opinion.
Further, Medicare taxes, a component of FICA taxes, are due and payable on all earned income, with no earned income cap. This tax is 1.45 percent for employees and the same number for employers. So if you are self-employed filing on Schedule C, then you pick up the full 2.9 percent. Likewise, if you are a partner in a partnership. This means that Medicare taxes are $2,900 for every $100,000 of income. This matters to few of you. To those who are impacted however, we believe there are more tax-effective ways to structure your cash flow.
For those of you already receiving Social Security, your inflation or COLA increase for 2024 will be 3.2 percent. And your Medicare Part B premium will be $174.70.
For those of you who file your tax return as married filing jointly, and whose modified AGI (MAGI) is greater than $194,000, your Medicare premiums increase by $65.90 to $240.60. If your MAGI is greater than $246,000, your monthly Medicare premiums increase by $164.80, to $339.50. There are additional increases at $306,000, $366,000, and $750,000. And this is per person, meaning some households can and will pay a total of $1,200 per household, for Medicare coverage.
Why do we reference this? We have seen many households spend decades being diligent with saving and investing, and then move through their late 60’s and into their 70’s and 80’s with significant income because of a lifetime of good habits. And the actual cost of Medicare premiums for Parts B and D can come as a shock.
Changing subjects entirely for brief remarks about automobiles.
Two things my dad taught me about cars. First, if your car is overheating, start by replacing the radiator cap. It is a relatively inexpensive part and it’s possible that the gasket or seal on the cap has deteriorated, making it ineffective. The lesson? When in fix-it mode, start with the simple and inexpensive solutions first.
The other thing he taught me? The reason I drive with my lights on all the time is not so I can see. It’s so other drivers can see me.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
What has been your family’s best vacation ever?
Florence and its Duomo. Via Unsplash.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
FEB. 2, 2024 | It was about as small an advertisement in a church newspaper as possible: only one column inch deep. It told of an apartment for rent in Florence, Italy. While we had planned a two-week trip, when we saw the details, the four-week price was so attractive that we booked it immediately.
And it turned out to be our family’s best vacation ever. Our three children came over for a week at a time with friends. From Australia came a close newspaper friend for a week! We had plenty of space – three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and dining room, all near the train station downtown. There was a grand piano in the hall. (Later we learned that this apartment had another very desirable feature, screens on the windows, which many apartments in Florence do not have. (Really, there are plenty of mosquitos in Florence. You need screens.)
When new guests arrived, we suggested that they take either the No. 12 or 13 bus. The circular routes went in opposite directions and only cost $1. It helped orient them to the city. We roamed the city far and wide, visiting the many museums and churches, enjoyed the squares, found tasty new foods, and never tired of the experience.
One of our favorite spots was the massive cathedral, which dominates the city, known as Filippo Brunelleschi’s Dome, the symbol of Renaissance culture. From this high perch, you can look out over the city. Climbing inside the Dome, checking out the way the Dome was constructed with its interconnecting arches was fascinating. It was completed in 1436. Think of building such a structure with no modern tools, or power!
We learned Italian ways. For instance, at the supermarket, you don’t handle the fruit or vegetables unless you put on a plastic glove. And bring your own bags for your purchases. As for Italian restaurants, we enjoyed many. Our best meal was “twice-baked chicken,baked in butter, the tastiest chicken we’ve ever had, and at a small restaurant. Our meal was so good we went back the next night and ordered the same entree. It wasn’t until our last child arrived that we found the best gelato in the city.
There was art in Florence staring you in the face at every turn. It was incredible, enjoyable and daily venture. We concentrated on the city of Florence, only taking two one-day rail trips to Siena and Lucca. It seemed you could never see all the galleries and museums (and churches) in Florence.
Getting away is so enjoyable. We want to hear of the favorite places you have been. Or where you plan to go this year. Now think of the vacations you have enjoyed over the years. Tell us about them, and why you enjoyed them. Just write of your enjoyable destinations to us in an email.
That’s another good element of vacations: planning the trip. With this cold and rainy winter season, it’s the best time to be planning and booking your trip so you can snag great accommodations on your vacation. It’ll produce happy memories!
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Georgia Banking Company
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Find it. Ignite it. Do it. Resist…Reclaim…Rebuild!
By Ashley Herndon
OCEANSIDE, Calif. | In my life, I have been fortunate to have many qualified mentors and am still meeting some here in my ninth decade.
Herndon
First, leaders of the boy: thank goodness one was Atlanta’s Police Chief Herbert Jenkins, my Sunday School teacher at Morningside Baptist in those teen years; several coaches, especially Chief Mike Castronis Sr. at the Athens YMCA Camp, and Jim “Coondog” Davis, coach at Columbus High) And also I must thank my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and large extended family for the lessons of life. One of which was “Get Involved.”
Willis “Bill” Robbins, my mentor in sales, used to say, “The fear of embarrassment is The curse of the human mind.” He always added, “Get out there and do something, rock the boat, boy, for the fruit is at the end of the limb.” Being associated with the automotive and insurance industries for over 55 years, I learned that nothing happens until “somebody sells something!” Paddle hard!
My Dad used to say, “Life is about choice. Do what you want, but remember life is lived in the (real) world. Every choice you make has a result. Some are pleasant and some not, so go ahead, rock the boat, but don’t complain about the overlap.”
Maybe some of you have noticed there are leaders (both positive and negative) currently and recently rocking our Nation’s and the free world’s boat?
For example: the January 6th blow back, Ukraine invasions, Gaza-Israeli Conflict, Red Sea attacks, threats to limit and decrease Medicare, White Supremacy, “shoot to kill” immigrants, threats to public office holders.
There are so many good people out there, some living a good life alone and others quite active. I believe that for change to take place, the boat needs to be rocked, not sunk. Shake the tree, paddle harder, enlist others, so that the few can ignite. The many create action.
As my Dad expressed it, living is making choices. Make one, then do something about it. Remembering there have been despotic leaders in the past: Alexander Stephens, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Mao, Castro, Senator McCarthy, and several in our current situation. Some people chose to follow them. Some had a choice; others were forced into subservience. I tend toward Washington, Lincoln, Garfield, the two Roosevelts, Truman, Eisenhower, Carter, those that helped others, not just themselves.
Chief Jenkins, as powerful as he was, was a humble and good man, dedicated to following and enforcing the law by individual action. He took pleasure in helping shape young minds.
Imagine his reach. He was the only police officer President Johnson appointed to his National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. The environment he worked through covered getting rid of Jim Crow by teaching us to follow the law and to love, not hate, our neighbor and ourselves. And if there was a bad law, work to change it, however hard it may be. Thanks, Chief. Atlanta owes you a lot!
Find it. Ignite it. Do it. Resist…Reclaim…Rebuild!
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Individual homes have limited appeal to some
Editor, the Forum:
Concerning condos and apartments, I noticed there is a property in the Buford area that offers condos in the mix of their rentals. The price tag was $800k, which might limit their market somewhat.
The American dream of home ownership (particularly in popular downtown communities) has limited appeal to younger people, who don’t want to mow the lawn or paint the porch. I remember in days past where employers had “villages” of housing close to the factories. The American dream is shifting because of a new generation wanting to be more flexible.
I support Jack Bernard’s statement that spending is out of control and politicians are irresponsible regarding even trying to reduce spending even though they campaign on the promise to do so. This is true on both sides of the aisle and the result will be higher taxes accompanied by reduction in government spending.
We should hold our elected representatives accountable by being more involved in what they are doing, otherwise our grandkids are going to be stuck with a huge day of reckoning….
– John Moore, Duluth
Three comments about recent concerns about Middle East
Editor, the Forum:
Three points to make about a recent GwinnettForum comment by Jack Bernard:
- Those displaced by the 1948 Israeli-Arab war have been maintained as refugees by the United Nations rather than being resettled. When Israel declared its independence, Arab countries expelled about as many Jews as the number of Arabs displaced by the war, but they refused to accept their displaced brethren. Never in modern history has a group of people been kept in refugee status like this for decades.
- United Nations World Relief Agency, the agency charged with managing the refugee camps, has been proven to teach the children that Israel is the cause of their circumstances, rather than the invasion of Israel (a nation whose boundaries were set by the UN) by armies from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia (the latter fighting under the Egyptian command). “On November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 181 (also known as the Partition Resolution) that would divide Great Britain’s former Palestinian mandate into Jewish and Arab states in May 1948.”
- The League of Nations Palestine Mandate of July, 1922, originally called for all of what is now Israel and Jordan to be made a Jewish homeland. Britain had this modified to allow the territories east of the Jordan River to be “under a somewhat different regime from the rest of Palestine,” paving the way for “Trans Jordan” to be an state under the rule of the Abdullah bin Al Hussein (the Hashemite family). This arrangement was made in recognition of the important assistance provided by Al Hussein in defeating the Ottomans during World War I. At this point, the mandate still called for all of the territory now known as Israel and the West Bank to be the Jewish homeland.
– Sherwin Levison, Lawrenceville
Considerations regarding a transit vote in Gwinnett
Editor, the Forum:
Regarding a Gwinnett transit vote: It is not difficult to dig up the misdeeds of MARTA spending and management over the past decades. and I believe that the reason the last vote had a higher number of “yes’’ had a lot to do with not allowing Atlanta and its continuing financial scandals to dip its tentacles into Gwinnett dollars.
The latest routes don’t appear to have a high ridership count yet. I believe in time, people will realize the usefulness and ridership will increase.
However: a problem is that unless one lives adjacent and close to a line, where does one park easily? Maybe the old Tennis Center redevelopment can be one. Suggestions by Ride Gwinnett might provide more. I doubt Amazon provides non-employee parking.
It would be nice to have Gwinnett-to-airport transportation yet I’m unsure how many bus trips and useful times can be provided per day.
Growth has changed the county. It is no longer a mix of towns and cities mixed into the ruralness we once knew, with old family stores, and familiar auto repair shops. A lot of local ownership has slipped away. You can barely tell the difference between Snellville and Loganville as you travel on U.S. Highway78.
The population of Gwinnett has ballooned and is set to keep that up.
Microtransit on a very wide and dependable scale probably would be appreciated by seniors and likely residents at large. It however would be required to consciously endeavor and promise not to be a MARTA clone, ever, and work diligently that a public perception of such not be formed.
– Ron Baker, Stone Mountain
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: elliott@brack.net.
Gwinnett Stripers to have new manager for 2024
Texeira. Photo provided.
New manager of the Gwinnett Stripers for 2024 will be former G-Braves pitcher Kanekoa Texeira, 37. He will be the eighth manager in Gwinnett history and the second to have also played for the club, joining the man he replaces, Matt Tuiasosopo. Following three seasons in Gwinnett, Tuiasosopo will be the Atlanta Braves’ third base coach.
Texeira will manage at the Triple-A level for the first time in 2024 as he enters his fourth season as a minor league skipper and eighth as a coach in the Braves organization. He previously managed High-A Rome, Ga. from 2021-22 and Double-A Mississippi in 2023, going a combined 192-189 (.504) in 381 games. In 2022, he guided Rome to a 74-54 record and a South Atlantic League playoff berth. From 2017-19, Texeira served as a pitching coach with both rookie-level Danville (2017-18) and Rome (2019).
Born in Maui, Hawaii, Texeira was the Chicago White Sox’ 22nd-round pick in 2006 out of Saddleback College (Mission Viejo, California). He went on to pitch for 11 professional seasons with six different organizations.
Texeira’s final stint as a player in pro baseball came in the Braves system as he pitched for Gwinnett from 2014-16. In 66 games (32 starts) with the G-Braves, he went 10-16 with a 4.33 ERA and one save. He announced his retirement while with Gwinnett in August 2016.
Gwinnett Stripers‘ Opening Night at Coolray Field is on Tuesday, April 2 vs. Louisville.. For more information on Memberships, Groups, Suites, and more, visit GoStripers.com.
Small businesses in Gwinnett get $7 million in grants
Gwinnett County has successfully awarded financial assistance to hundreds of small businesses negatively affected by COVID-19 through the Gwinnett Small Business Grant. This program was created to help small business owners who experienced income loss or increased costs while continuing business during the pandemic. In total,1,075 businesses were awarded grants. The total grant funds disbursed were just over $7.1 million.
Grant recipients received between $3,000 to $15,000 of financial assistance based on factors such as the number of employees, gross revenue, total COVID-19 impact on the applicant, available funds, and the number of applications received.
Planning and Development Director Matt Dickison says: “Small businesses played a pivotal role during the pandemic by providing essential products, goods, and services to residents. We are grateful Gwinnett County was able to repay the favor in kind, by providing critical funding to small business owners who needed it most.”
The program was funded by two federal sources, the American Rescue Plan Act and the Community Development Block Grant Program.
Several new activities at Norcross Gallery and Studio
Winter weather has not slowed down art activities at the Norcross Gallery and Studios. There are lots of activities, with ongoing classes, plans for fresh new classes, a Cheer art program for home-schooled students on February 16, a new Artist of the Month event at Café 45 South, a continuing exhibit, and an upcoming juried art show. The current exhibit is Warm Hearts which runs through February 17, followed by Leap into Art, a Juried show which will open on February 22.
The ongoing events are Figure and Portrait Study Sessions on Tuesday afternoons 1 to 4 p.m., Evening Open Studio on Wednesdays 6 to 9 p.m., Daytime Open Studio on Thursdays 11 a..m to 4 .p.m. and Dynamic Critiques on the first Sunday of the month 2 to 4 p.m. Notify moderator Larry Hall, (imvetted@yahoo.com) if you plan to attend. A number of classes will begin in March; watch for a list and details soon.
Artist of the month is Kammie Moon, an artist from Hawaii, whose striking portraits will be displayed at Café 45 South February 1 to 29, with a reception on Saturday February 24 from 7 to 9 p.m. Norcross Gallery and Studios is located at 116 Carlyle Street in Norcross and is open Thursday through Saturdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Braselton’s Scott on National League of Cities committee
Scott
Jennifer Scott, Braselton town manager, has been reappointed to the National League of Cities (NLC) 2024 Finance, Administration and Intergovernmental Relations Federal Advocacy Committee. Ms. Scott was elected to a one-year term and will provide strategic direction and guidance for NLC’s federal advocacy agenda and policy priorities on taxes that affect cities, towns and villages, voting and voter protections, advancing housing finance legislation, and more. The appointment was announced by NLC President Mayor David Sander of Rancho Cordova, Calif. The leadership of this year’s committee will consist of Committee Chair Blaine Griffin, council president , Cleveland, Ohio; Vice Chair Mary Dennis, Mayor, Live Oak, Tex.; Vice Chair Clare Kelly, council member, Evanston, Ill.; and Vice Chair Julie Spilsbury, council member, Mesa, Ariz.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
By Susan J. Harris, Stone Mountain: Abraham Verghese’s Covenant of Water is a stunning and resplendent novel that spans 70 years. Set in Kerala on the Malabar coast of India, it tells the story of families impacted by ‘The Condition’ that causes a person to die by drowning every generation. Because water is everywhere in Kerala, it is an ever-present possibility. When a 12-year-old from a Christian community is exposed to a 40-year-old, she grows up to be the family matriarch during which time many events occur within the community, some involving water and its potential menace. The many memorable characters make this story such a page turner that the reader may feel grief when they finish reading it. Layered with joy, pathos and a touch of humor and irony, the book is a story that is not to be missed and will open the reader’s mind to the wonders of medicine, love, family, and endurance.
- 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
Georgia’s Botanical Garden is in Athens
State Botanical Garden of Georgia, located in Athens, is a 313-acre preserve set aside by the University of Georgia in 1968 for the study and enjoyment of plants and nature. The garden is a “living laboratory” serving teaching, research, public service, and outreach missions for the University of Georgia and the citizens of Georgia. The garden contains a wide variety of natural features and includes plant communities and habitats common to the Georgia Piedmont.
A number of specialty gardens and collections have been established, and others will be added as the master plan for the garden is implemented. The theme gardens, collections, and display beds contain a diverse array of both native and exotic plant species. One recent addition, the Heritage Garden, contains plants of historic and socioeconomic interest to Georgia. Included are ornamentals, fruits, and row crops as well as a selection of native plants.
Located next to the Visitor Center, the International Garden explores the interrelationship of plants and people throughout civilization and is set in the context of three eras that have significantly affected the evolution of botanical gardens, a secondary theme. The Herb Garden, Physic Garden, and Bog Garden are located within the International Garden, which also contains representative species from the floras of the Mediterranean region, Latin America, China, and the southeastern United States.
The seven plazas of the Shade Garden represent the seven districts of the Garden Club of Georgia, whose members helped make the 1988 renovation possible. A wisteria-covered arbor on the main plaza provides a commanding view of this garden, which features shade-tolerant plants.
The Native Flora Garden adjoins the Shade Garden. Here visitors can find many species native to Georgia and the southeastern states, including rare, threatened, and endangered woodland species. Near the Native Flora Garden is the Rose Garden, which features an array of species and hybrids including the state flower of Georgia, the Cherokee rose.
The Annual and Perennial Garden, one of the most colorful areas in the entire garden, is located near the Rose Garden and includes the All-America Selections Display Garden. The Dahlia Garden and Trial Garden are nearby. Other collections of interest include native azaleas (in the Native Flora Garden) and hybrid rhododendrons (adjacent to the Orient and China section of the International Garden).
Five miles of color-coded nature trails extend into the far reaches of the garden. The longest is the White Trail, which parallels the Middle Oconee River for several hundred yards and extends into the upland plateau areas of hardwood forest. The Red, Green, Blue, Purple, and Yellow Trails are shorter, interconnecting segments. The Orange Trail traverses the eastern section of the garden. It also parallels the river for several hundred yards.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Don’t let that UGA flag fool you in this mystery
Though there’s a Georgia flag in this mystery photo, don’t let that throw you off. Figure out where this photograph was taken, and send your findings to elliott@brack.net. Be sure to tell us where you live.
The most recent mystery drew many immediate responses. Gene Ramsey, Norcross: “That looks like the onion dome at the Fox Theater in midtown Atlanta. I recall reading that it was recently refurbished.” The photo came in a recent edition of The Saporta Report.
Among others getting it correct were Kay Mongomery, Duluth: “Drone view of the Fox Theater.”; and husband, Mike Montgomery also got it right; Bill McLees, Norcross; Rick Hammond, Flowery Branch; Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; Howard Jetmundsen, Peachtree Corners; and Julie Duke, Norcross: “That is the dome of the apartment at the Fox Theater. It’s on the Ponce de Leon side. I walk up that street a couple times a week from the Marta station on my way to usher inside that gorgeous building!”
Others: Mickey Merkel, Berkeley Lake; Joseph Hopkins, Lawrenceville; D.H.Malcolm, Duluth; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; and Allan Peel, San Antonio, Texas.
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.
Today’s the day for Chopper the Groundhog
Celebrate Groundhog Day with Gwinnett Stripers’ mascot Chopper the Groundhog. Chopper the Groundhog, the only groundhog mascot in professional sports – will visit fans at three locations in Gwinnett County to celebrate Groundhog Day on Friday, February 2. Afterward, Chopper will depart the ballpark with members of the Stripers front office staff and spend the day appearing at the following locations:
- 8-10 a.m. – Trade Wind Coffee Co., 2300 Liam Avenue, Dacula;
- 12-2 p.m. – Gusto!,2925 Buford Drive, Buford; and
- 4-6 p.m. – Academy Sports + Outdoors, 3720 Buford Drive, Buford.
At each location, fans will have the opportunity to register to win free tickets to Opening Night on April 2.
76th annual dinner of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce will be Friday, February 2 beginning at 6 p.m. with a reception and at 7:30 p.m. for dinner at the Gas South District ballroom. Annual recognition awards will be presented.
Author Karen Eber will be at the Lawrenceville Branch Library on February 3 at 11 a.m. Learn about the science of storytelling as author and professional storyteller, Karen Eber provides a sneak peek into her book, The Perfect Story. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Tickets are available for the February 3 concert by the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra. Center Stage Rhapsodies will feature Pianist Awadagin Pratt in the concert at the Johns Creek Methodist Church at 7:30 p.m. Pratt will be the featured soloist on Florence Price’s “Piano Concerto in One Movement.” The Symphony will also perform William Grant Still’s Festive Overture, Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement, and Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World. Secure your seats by calling 678-748-5802, go to this site online.
Historic Cemetery Tour of Norcross City Cemetery will be held on Sunday, February 4, at 2 p.m. Join Gene Ramsay for a historic tour. Discover Norcross’s history, decode street names, and hear captivating stories. Don’t miss this chance to connect with Norcross’s past! For details, visit here.
Snellville Commerce Club will meet at noon on Tuesday, February 6, at the Snellville City Hall Community Room. Speakers will be Nessa Griffin and Latifah Rasheed, both with the Gwinnett County Public Library. They will take the group on a field trip to tour the new Elizabeth H. Williams Gwinnett County Public Library in the Grove. Reservations are required.
Butterfly-in-the-Sky special screening, will be on Tuesday, February 6 at 7 p.m. at the Aurora Theater stage at the Lawrenceville Arts Center. This documentary tells the story of the PBS children’s series “Reading Rainbow,” its host LeVar Burton, and the challenges its creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television.
Meet Author Hank Phillippi Ryan at the Lilburn Branch Library on February 8 at 7 p.m. She will be discussing her new psychological thriller, One Wrong Word. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Hazardous waste collection will take place Saturday, February 10, from 9 a.m. until noon at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville. Volunteers are needed for this event. Any type of hazardous waste will be accepted, from cleaners to auto batteries, fire extinguishers, fluorescent bulbs and ballasts, Latex and water-based paints, pesticides and poisons and many more. Questions about the event or to volunteer, can be directed to Kim Davis at 770-822-5187 or gwinnettcb@gwinnettcb.org.
Peachtree Corners Mayor Mike Mason will be the speaker for the Men’s Civic Breakfast at Christ Episcopal Church in Norcross on Saturday, February 13 at 8 a.m. The breakfast will be in Webster Hall of the church, located at 400 Holcomb Bridge Road in Norcross. The wider community is invited.
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