GwinnettForum | Number 23.46 | June 11, 2024
THIS HAPPY BUNCH OF DAYLILIES is reaching out and enjoying the sunshine at a parking lot in Snellville. With rains often falling this year, it’s making for a colorful Gwinnett spring. But beware: summer starts next Monday. Is your air conditioner working as it should be?
TODAY’S FOCUS: 15 considerations before buying your first home
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Pharmaceutical commercials really annoy me
SPOTLIGHT: PCOM Georgia
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
UPCOMING: Changes coming to Buford Highway and JCB
NOTABLE: PCOM commemorates families of donor bodies
RECOMMENDED: Last House by M.F.K. Fisher
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Georgia’s rural schools are third largest in the USA
MYSTERY PHOTO: Quiet harbor is today’s Mystery Photo
CALENDAR: Bluesberry Beer and Music Festival in Norcross on June 15
15 considerations before buying your first home
By Randy Brunson
Centurion Advisory Group
Brunson
SUWANEE, Ga. | Recently, we had the opportunity to visit with a young couple who are preparing to buy their first home. In the conversation, they asked for our input about how to approach buying their home. What should they be thinking about? How do they approach it? We offered the following.
- Pick a geographic area which fits your lifestyle and relationship preferences.
- Look for a home in your price range, which is the price that fits your cash flow.
- Discuss and determine before you talk to Realtors what your ideal home looks like, and what you are prepared to settle for in a first home purchase, so the buy fits your cash flow. How many bedrooms do you want; ranch or two story? Big yard or not?
- During the property search and evaluation process, research property taxes and tax trends on homes you are considering.
- Bring at least 20 percent of the purchase price to the closing table. This is so you can avoid Private Mortgage Insurance or PMI, which is insurance you pay for, but a payout goes to the lender if you default. It is a poor use of funds. You save big if you can avoid this, which is no help to you.
- Choose to pay property taxes and homeowner’s insurance yourself out of pocket, rather than through your mortgage.
- Also, look at the cost of homeowners insurance and whether the area you are considering is insured through a state pool or by commercial insurance carriers. This might save you money.
- Once under contract, hire an inspector to look at the home for you, and give you a full report of the state of the property. Use the inspector’s findings to work with the seller to bring the home to your preferences or to code.
- Investigate how well the home is insulated, how it is heated and cooled, and what costs and cost trends are for heating and cooling the home.
- Determine the age of the heating and cooling systems, the water heater, and the roof.
- Explore whether there have been any insurance claims on the property.
- Choose not to be emotionally involved in the purchase of a particular home (this is a challenging element). Don’t pay more just because you really like the property.
- In your household budget, allocate three percent or $3,000 per $100,000 of home value, to long-term maintenance, repair, and upkeep.
- Take out no more than a 15-year mortgage. Paying a little more each month can significantly speed you having your home free and clear. And make it a fixed rate instead of variable rate mortgage, which can bite you when least expected.
- Purchase price/cash flow ratios? To maintain cash flow margin in your household budget, keep principal, interest, taxes, and insurance (PITI) to no more than 20 percent of your gross annual cash flow – or income for most buyers. The three percent allocation to maintenance and upkeep will bring total housing costs to less than 25 percent.
Once in your new home, keep your home and yard neat and well-maintained, so that if you ever need to sell this home, you will be in good shape.
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Pharmaceutical commercials really annoy me
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JUNE 11, 2024 | One particular form of television just plain annoys me.
No, it’s not the poor quality of the television offerings or the sorry multiplicity of possible programs, with none of them exceptionally good. And it’s not the local television news seeming to merely chase ambulances and not offer any stories of real substance. (Substantial stories cost more, where pictures of “where the accident was,” with the reporter pointing, is cheaper to put on the air.)
What bugs me is the advertisements for different pharmaceutical remedies that bombard us.
Such commercials really annoy me.
People in nearly all other countries don’t have this annoying bother. Broadcast television doesn’t allow it in most countries. The only other nation that allows direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising is New Zealand. Why New Zealand and the United States are the only nations to allow the drug makers to hawk their so-called remedies at us is absurd.
In effect, it suggests to us viewers that we should “self-medicate” ourselves. Yep, they suggest that if you have these particular symptoms, you should take their remedy. First, you will have to ask your doctor to prescribe this wonder drug for yourself so you can be healthy again.
Fat chance.
What are we talking about? You have heard the names of these new medications, such as Wayraqra, or Xeniback, Farlbrioza, and Travabca. (None of these are real, I think. I just made them up). Do you realize that most of these drugs that they push on television consist of three syllables? I bet some study showed the drug makers that most of us can remember a three syllable name better. And the new names are hard to pronounce and use many of the lesser-used letters of the alphabet to find themselves a new drug name. So you see a lot of V, Q, Z and Y letters in their names. Yep, somebody got paid for coming up with that new zany-named drug.
Yes, we know that drug companies come up with many wonderful products that really do work. Every day I take several medications that control my diabetes, lowers my blood pressures, and keeps me alive in a healthy state. These drugs can do wonders. But the doctor, in his wisdom, prescribed them. I didn’t self-medicate by asking for them.
Yet direct-to-consumer advertising will make you think that maybe this new drug can stop your leg from hurting, or halt the cancer you might be diagnosed with, or clean out your arteries. So you are pressured into asking your doctor to prescribe it for you, since it could work, if you have this ailment. Right?
Then the question arises: how much cheaper would our medications be if the drug companies stopped spending these millions and millions of dollars on advertising? Yes, we understand that they must get a financial return for all the research they do. But if what they invent in the lab is good, doctors will find out, and we will get these miracle drugs without the pharma companies throwing money with advertisements on television, in magazines, and on the internet.
Another concern: is it ethical for these companies to profit on us by promoting their drugs in such a manner? Wouldn’t pure science get the word out pretty quickly on significant developments in new drug therapies?
And how can those promoting drug-to-consumer advertising even sleep well at night when all these promotions are excessively costly, overwrought and out of control in many ways?
Curtailing the advertising of these pharmaceuticals ought to be a subject for serious consideration….and eventual elimination.
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PCOM Georgia
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Established in 2005, PCOM Georgia is a private, not-for-profit, accredited institute of higher education dedicated to the healthcare professions. The Suwanee, Ga., campus is affiliated with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, a premier osteopathic medical school with a storied history. Doctoral degrees in Pharmacy (PharmD), Physical Therapy (DPT) and Osteopathic Medicine (DO) are offered at PCOM Georgia. Graduate degrees at the master’s level can be earned in Biomedical Sciences, Medical Laboratory Science and Physician Assistant (PA) Studies. Emphasizing a “whole person approach to care,” PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the wider community. To learn more about how PCOM Georgia is shaping the future of health, visit www.pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500.
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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 by to: ebrack2@gmail.com.
Changes coming to Buford Highway and JCB
The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners acted on several initiatives during their recent meeting.
Improvements coming to Jimmy Carter Boulevard at Buford Highway: The Gwinnett County Department of Transportation will partner with the Georgia Department of Transportation for upcoming improvements to the intersection of Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Buford Highway. The County’s $2.2 million contribution to the construction cost will come from SPLOST as well as the cities of Peachtree Corners and Norcross. Over the next few months, GDOT is expected to put out bids for the project, with construction expected to begin by the end of this year.
Major redesign coming to police headquarters: Gwinnett County’s Police Headquarters is getting an upgrade. Scheduled for construction in 2026, the new design will consolidate off-site teams and sections into one facility. The current building was originally constructed in 1977, expanded in 1988, and reconfigured several times to accommodate the changing needs of the county and the department. A $5.8 million contract, funded by SPLOST, was awarded to Precision Planning, Inc.
Maintaining dams prevents flooding: The Department of Water Resources will rehabilitate three flood control dams in the Haynes Creek Watershed this summer. The dams are located north of Highway 78 between the cities of Snellville and Loganville in unincorporated Gwinnett County. Commissioners approved a $887,591 contract with Headwaters Construction, LLC, to replace a valve in the outlet control structures to make improvements to the dam operation, remove vegetation and perform maintenance repairs. Funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Stripers games to be on TV beginning Friday
The Gwinnett Stripers is announcing a partnership with Gray Television for live television broadcast of select games on Peachtree Sports Network for the 2024 season. The station will air the live broadcast of 13 Stripers’ home games, beginning on Friday, June 14.
It is the first over-the-air television broadcast of Gwinnett Stripers baseball since 2014. Peachtree Sports Network is available in Atlanta free over the air on WPCH as well as Comcast, Spectrum, and streaming on YouTube TV and Fubo. Peachtree Sports Network is also carried free over the air on Gray-owned stations in Albany, Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah.
Calling the action will be the Stripers’ play-by-play team of lead broadcaster Dave Lezotte and broadcast assistant Jack Johnson. Lezotte is in his 12th season with the club and fourth as the “Voice of the Stripers” on radio and television, while Johnson is in his second season serving with the Stripers.
Launched in October 2023, Peachtree Sports Network brings live, local sports programming to viewers across the Atlanta area, six markets in Georgia, and several markets in Alabama.
The Gwinnett Stripers are the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, playing their 15th season at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville. For more information, visit GoStripers.com.
PCOM commemorates families of donor bodies
PCOM Georgia medical students recently gathered to honor what many students consider their first patients: 55 individuals who donated their bodies to medical education and science. More than 200 PCOM Georgia students benefited from the donors’ contributions, gaining crucial hands-on experience across osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, and biomedical sciences.
During the service, held May 11, student representative Shervin Hovanloo (DO ’27) spoke about the impact these donors have on education and training. “This is the most valuable aspect of our student education,” Hovanloo said.
Jeffrey Seiple, director of PCOM Anatomical Labs and Services, contributed: “It is a privilege and an honor to have you in attendance to remember those people who have contribute.”
One of the event’s highlights was the presentation of cremains to the families of the donors, a gesture of respect and appreciation for their loved ones’ enduring contribution to medical education.
R. Bryan Ginn Jr., chief campus officer at PCOM Georgia, added: “You have invested through your selfless sacrifices, and the sacrifices of your family members and friends in such a significant way, to advance education in medicine and health sciences. We simply have to take the time to say thank you.”
PCOM Georgia’s Body Donor Program provides anatomical material which allows medical students at the College to study firsthand the intricacies of the human body and the relationships between body systems. Those who donate their remains to science make a tremendous contribution to the knowledge of future physicians and healthcare providers.
Hendrickson heads ACCG committee
Hendrickson
Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson has been named 2024-2025 chair of the Economic Development and Transportation Policy Committee for the Association County Commissioners of Georgia. The appointment was made by ACCG President and Toombs County Chairman David Sikes. Through a consensus-based policy development process, ACCG policy committees develop positions on key issues impacting county government. Those issues are later approved by the full association membership for inclusion in the ACCG Policy Agenda which guides ACCG’s advocacy efforts on behalf of counties during the legislative session. Effingham County Commissioner Jamie DeLoach was named vice chair.
Library graduates 10 in Career Online High program
Gwinnett County Public Library (GCPL) awarded ten graduates their high school diplomas on June 3, at the Norcross branch. Family and friends joined them, along with guest speaker, Dr. John Maxey, of the Hooper-Renwick School Legacy Committee.
Gwinnett County Public Library offers qualified community members the opportunity to earn an accredited high school diploma and credentialed career certificate through Career Online High School, a program supported by community donations.
Career Online High School is specifically designed to re-engage adults in the education system and prepare them for entry into post-secondary career education or the workforce. In the last 12 months, GCPL has graduated 22 people from the program.
GCPL awards scholarships annually to qualified learners looking to earn a high school diploma and advance their careers. Once enrolled, students access a 24/7 online learning platform with board-certified instructor assistance.
Last House, by M. F. K. Fisher
From Karen J. Harris, Stone Mountain: Last House is M.F.K Fisher’s final anthology covering events in her life. Deeply personal and fiercely honest, this collection of reflections and remembrances present snapshots of her relationships with her father Rex, her sisters, Norah and Anne, her daughters and numerous colleagues, editors and acquaintances. Her depictions of trips she made throughout these years are colorful images of the joy, solace, and grace experienced. M.F. K. Fisher shares her experiences with aging including her deterioration with Parkinson’s Disease with candor that is devoid of self-pity and yet filled with a noir-like humor. While not exactly an enjoyable read it is a riveting journey through a singular tangle of emotions that she faced as her life slowed down. Last House: Reflections, Dreams and Observations, 1943-1991 is a poignant and not to be missed book for fans of this author and a rich introduction for those new to her works.
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Georgia’s rural schools are 3rd largest in the USA
Georgia has the third-largest rural student population in the nation, with nearly 380,000 attending rural schools. These rural schools are defined not only by location and population but also by their strong ties to surrounding communities. Rural schools in Georgia face distinct challenges when compared to urban and suburban schools, while at the same time offering unique educational benefits.
In 2016, nearly one-third of Georgia’s schools were located in a rural setting. Many rural schools are their community’s only social gathering place, art gallery, sports arena, public meeting space, or telecommunications center.
Most of Georgia’s rural schools have survived at least two or three rounds of consolidation. As a result of these consolidations practices, Georgia has some of the largest rural schools in the nation.
As rural school systems in Georgia have continued to consolidate their schools, few rural schools are still housed in their original buildings or situated in the heart of their local towns and communities. Most occupy modern, one-storied buildings, arranged in the traditional “egg-crate” style, with back-to-back identical classrooms forming graded halls or wings. As a result of a practice called economy of scale (meaning bigger is better and cheaper), newer rural schools typically serve as major hubs within counties, with large campuses and plenty of buffer space between the school and adjacent roads. They also are often located far from their local communities.
A 2001 study reporting on the average bus ride of a rural student in five rural states—Georgia being one of the five—found that 85 percent of the rural elementary schools participating in the study had students whose daily bus ride was longer than thirty minutes, the maximum time recommended for elementary students. Twenty-five percent of these rural schools reported that their students’ longest rides exceeded sixty minutes (which is the maximum time recommended for high school students). Long bus rides, topography, treacherous weather, and isolation are factors that may hinder communication between home and school.
In 2017, the Georgia Foundation for Public Education established the Rural Education Opportunity Fund, which provides grant support to school districts located in rural communities. That same year, the General Assembly convened two committees to study the challenges impeding growth in rural Georgia. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce also established the Center of Rural Prosperity to address the unique needs of rural communities.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Quiet harbor is today’s Mystery Photo
Check out this harbor, with buildings around it, on a spring day, say the flowers in bloom in the foreground. Where was this photograph taken? Try to figure it out, then send your idea to ebrack2@gmail.com, including your hometown.
For the most recent Mystery Photo (left), it proved difficult, even with the hint that it was located in Gwinnett County. Only George Graf of Palmyra, Va. noodled it out. George wrote: “These flag poles are located at 6500 Sugarloaf Parkway by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce in Duluth, Ga., at the Richard L. Tucker building. The difficulty is finding out what that plaque is all about. That proved difficult.”
The plaque honored a resident shoe-shine professional who kept the shoes of members in shining order, Lawrence E. Hardnett, 1949-2018. The photo was taken by a GwinnettForum staff member.
- 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.
Bluesberry Beer and Music Festival in Norcross on June 15
Author visit: Bestselling author Omar Tyree will discuss his new psychological thriller, Control. This visit will be on June 11 at 7 p.m. at the Norcross Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Bluesberry Beer and Music Festival will be Saturday, June 15, from 3 to 10 p.m. at Betty Mauldin Park in Norcross. Indulge in a ‘berry’ good time for a symphony of blueberry delights and soulful blues tunes.
Attend a Writers’ Workshop given by the Atlanta Writers Club at the Lilburn Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on June 15 at 1:30 p.m. Learn more about writing, network with other writers, and listen to accomplished authors offer tips to improve your writing.
Embark on a musical journey on Sunday, June 16, at 2:30 p.m., and celebrate Broadway composer Irving Berlin and the birth of American popular song. Join Atlanta’s top musical theater artists for an unforgettable performance of Berlin’s timeless classics, from Blue Skies to God Bless America. Discover the remarkable story of this Russian immigrant turned legendary songwriter who penned over 1,250 songs, including 25 chart-toppers, and crafted 17 Broadway musical scores. This show is part of the Molly Blank Concert Series at The Breman, presented by The Flying Carpet Theatre Company, but will be showcased in Gwinnett at the Lawrenceville Arts Center main stage. For tickets, click here.
Hear Author Rhonda McKnight in conversation with Vanessa Riley on June 20 at 7 p.m. at the Snellville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. They will discuss McKnight’s new novel, Bitter and Sweet, a dual-timeline tale of family, grief, secrets, and the sweet redemption that lies within the bonds of sisterhood. Books will be available for sale and signing.
The Vidalia Theatre Company will present Summer Harvest 2024, a collection of 10 minute plays that explore the theme of “unexpected goodbyes.” This will be presented on the Lionheart Theatre stage in Norcross on June 21-23. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m. while the Sunday performance is at 3 p.m. For tickets, visit www.vidaliatheatre.com.
Women in Sports Panel Discussion will be held Saturday, June 22 at 2 p.m., at the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Calling all sports enthusiasts, aspiring athletes, and supporters of women in sports! Join Atlanta Women in Sports for an inspirational discussion featuring game-changing women.
Helping Kids Manage Big Emotions will be at the Collins Hills Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on Tuesday, June 25, at 6:30 p.m. Gain a greater understanding of the challenges facing your child and practical steps you can take to ensure your child’s needs are met.
Public Art Unveiling Ceremony will be in Braselton at the library at 15 Brassie Lane on June 25 at 5:30 p.m. This features the sculpture by J. Doyle Rogers and Logan Berry. It is sponsored by the Braselton Public Arts Council.
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