GwinnettForum | Number 23.66 | Aug. 23, 2024
PARK PLACE ACTIVITY: Gwinnett County government has purchased eight acres of property on East Park Place near Stone Mountain. Three parcels of excess land not used by the Jubilee Christian Church International were purchased from the church at $500,000 an acre. The church will remain at their current location at 1640 East Park Place. The acquisition of the property will support the implementation of the Park Place Master Plan approved by the county. For more details, see Upcoming below.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Bashing Trump myths about immigration
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Comparing newspapers in three major cities
SPOTLIGHT: Howard Brothers Outdoor Power Equipment and Hardware
ANOTHER VIEW: Questions abound for Republicans before next election
FEEDBACK: When a senator served Wayne Mason at Waffle House
UPCOMING: Peachtree Corners installs smarter lighting for city
NOTABLE: County moves on variety of initiatives
RECOMMENDED: The Fraud by Zadie Smith
OBITUARY: Leon Wendell White
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Town of Braselton spread across four counties
MYSTERY PHOTO: Check out this artistic photo as today’s mystery
LAGNIAPPE: Stewart gets citation from Gerontology Society
CALENDAR: ArtRageous Festival comes to Braselton this weekend
Bashing Trump myths about immigration
Via Unsplash
By Jeff Ploussard
LILBURN, Ga. | The Trump campaign views the crisis at the southern border as their winning ticket to the White House. Campaign officials are constantly urging former President Trump to talk about “illegal aliens invading our country.”
Ploussard
The campaign is hoping the false claims will get Trump’s base to the polls and attract new independent swing voters including disaffected African and Hispanic Americans.
The Trump campaign was also relying on Vice President Harris to remain weak on border and immigration issues. Instead, Harris has been boldly touting her record as attorney general prosecuting “transnational gangs, drug cartels and human traffickers” while slamming Trump for killing the toughest border security legislation in decades.
Here are five xenophobic, fear-based myths Trump is propagating.
Myth 1: Trump wants a solution to the border crisis: There is no evidence and ample to the contrary. The best example came last February when Trump told Republicans to kill a bipartisan border security bill because giving Biden-Harris a legislative victory would hurt his election bid. Trump’s Congressional MAGA followers obeyed and tanked the legislation.
The bipartisan bill included $118 billion to reassert control of the border, protect border communities, end catch and release, provide fentanyl scanners to catch smugglers and fix the asylum system. James Lankford, a Republican Senator from Oklahoma, led the bipartisan effort and this month on The Daily podcast told the story about how Trump torpedoed his legislation.
Myth 2: Immigrants steal jobs from Hispanic and African Americans: Studies have proven this to be a false claim. In David Card’s Nobel Prize winning paper on the 1980 Mariel Boatlift when over 125,000 Cubans emigrated to Miami in just five months, he proved that the immigration shock had no measurable impact on unemployment or wages in Miami and stimulated the local economy by adding 125,000 new consumers. (NPR and Planet Money).
Myth 3: All or most immigrants who come to the U.S. illegally commit crimes: A Texas study from 2012-2018 concluded that native-born U.S. citizens are two times more likely to be arrested for violent crimes, 2.5 times more likely to be arrested for drug crimes and four times more likely to be arrested for property crimes than immigrants in the U.S. illegally.
Myth 4: Immigrants are an increasing burden on our social safety nets: It may come as a surprise to many, but taxes paid by baby boomers and immigrants in the last 40 years combined to restore the solvency of Social Security and Medicare. However, the birthrate of US born citizens has been falling since the 1960s and in 2020 reached an all-time low of 1.8 children per family. Without immigrant families paying taxes and filling the birth gap, Social Security and Medicare may have gone bankrupt by now.
Myth 5: Mass deportation and closing the border will help the economy: In Zeke Hernandez’s new book, The Truth About Immigration, he cites data that 14 percent of the U.S. population is foreign born, whereas on average 3.5 percent of the populations of other countries are foreign born. He argues that our comparatively open policy for immigrants is a competitive advantage and has created a dynamic vibrancy for job growth in the US economy for decades. Studies show that immigrants are 80 percent more likely than US citizens to start a new business.
Given the complex truths about immigration and the ongoing stream of disinformation, is there enough time for Harris to turn the border crisis into a winning issue that will catapult her to the White House?
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Comparing newspapers in three major cities
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
AUG. 23, 2024 | Yes, to our dismay, newspapers are nowhere near what they once were. They have lost revenue, readers and scope. They are no longer respected for timely reporting of the key local news, primarily because many are no longer “daily” publications.
Major newspapers, many in state capitols, only run their presses two or three days a week. Though they all have a daily online presence, many also do not have the number of key staff reporters to adequately cover their geographic service area.
What is most worrisome about all this is that local governments are not sufficiently covered by the newspapers. That is nothing less than a kick in the shins for democracy. How can the people expect to have good government when the newspapers have given up on providing local governmental coverage? Without newspaper watchdogs….what is happening within our governments? We may never know. That should chill you.
Let’s look at what is happening in three city newspapers.
First: Little Rock, Arkansas. The Hussman family has innovated with their coverage of the state. As their website states: “The Little Rock Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has a digital replica edition that presents the news in an exact newspaper format on an electronic device. In most areas of the state, subscribers are already reading the newspaper on iPads supplied by the Democrat-Gazette. Monday to Saturday print delivery has been suspended, while Sunday delivery has continued in some areas.
Subscribers will receive one iPad per paid subscription. However, subscribers may also access the replica paper using their own tablet, smartphone or computer.”
Online delivery means that the Little Rock newspaper can keep its subscribers in distant areas of the state giving them the latest news. The paper cut its expenses of delivery by doing it electronically, by giving readers an iPad (or via computer) when they subscribe. It was innovative, and other newspapers are now using this method.
Look at what the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is up to. It continues to print a thin edition each day, but is going about its coverage differently. It has pulled having reporters in all the suburbs, and is concentrating their attention mainly on the City of Atlanta, and to a lesser extent, Fulton County. They no longer send reporters to suburban government meetings.
Look at the numbers: Atlanta’s population is 532,000, and Fulton’s is 1,079,105.
Meanwhile, the Metro Atlanta total population is 6,106,000. Yet the Atlanta newspaper is virtually ignoring its biggest local audience, the five million suburban people that live outside Fulton, much less the five million other Georgians. Gwinnett, with a million residents, and its government and people, are ignored in news coverage, as are Cobb (with nearly 800,000 residents), and the rest of the suburbs.
What’s happening in Minnesota? The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is now called the Minnesota Star-Tribune, signaling that newspapers want to expand and cover the entire state. In recent years, it has not cut its reporting staff, and is now staffing reporters in distant cities of the state. Like the AJC, it too seeks to focus on digital subscriptions, but instead of covering one city deeper, it seems to cover the entire state in a wider manner.
Every newspaper must set its own goals, choosing what its operators think best.
As for me, the AJC’s direction seems faulty. They cover one-sixth of their market (Fulton). That seems to be an unsound financial plan for prosperity. Yet they disregard (and insult) the other five million closest to them in the suburbs by thumbing their nose at them.
We hate to add this: this sullies the memory of Anne Cox Chambers.
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Howard Brothers
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s sponsor is Howard Brothers Outdoor Power Equipment and Hardware. John and Doug Howard are the “brothers” in Howard Brothers. This family-owned business was started by their dad, and now John and Doug’s children are helping to lead in the business. Howard Brothers has locations in Alpharetta, Athens, Doraville, Duluth, Lula, Oakwood, and now store no. 7 in Dallas. They specialize in hardware, outdoor power equipment and parts and service. Howard Brothers are authorized dealers of STIHL, Exmark, Honda, Echo, and other well known brands in the green industry. Howard Brothers is also an authorized Big Green Egg dealer, and is one of the only Platinum Traeger Grill dealers in the state of Georgia.
- Visit their web site www.howardbrothers.com.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Questions abound for Republicans before next election
By George Wilson
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. | Republicans need to answer the following questions and concerns before they deserve re-election at every level.
How does a party obsessed with the national debt vote for a man who had an $8 trillion deficit at the end of his term, because of tax breaks mostly to the rich?- How can the party of compassionate conservatism become the party of concentration camps for the deportation of people trying to get into the country and failing legally, because Trump killed a conservative bill that would have substantially improved the immigration problem? It was a measure so good that it was endorsed by border patrol agents.
- How did the party of family values elect a twice divorced philanderer, rapist, liar, and convicted criminal?
- How can a party survive with withdrawal of an individual woman’s right to choose her health care and endangered her life?
- How can a party profess to care about the unborn until they are born and then only care about them again when they reach military age by denying funds for adequate education and health care while they are growing up?
Also, let’s not forget the high infant mortality rate in Georgia and the failure to expand Medicaid. This failure has also contributed to hundreds of deaths in Georgia and the closing of many rural hospitals. Both caused by a Republican Governor and dominated legislature.
Other questions remain.
Why would any woman vote for an organization that is toadying to the National Rifle Association and makes your children in school insecure and unsafe? Moreover, you are forced to use local tax dollars to harden security measures at schools. Finally, why would you vote for anyone that denies climate change and jeopardizes your children’s and grandchildren’s future and uses deregulations for businesses and products that pollute the environment and harm your health?
In summary, how can a party that has failed to address the cultural, socio-economic and technological changes even deserve your vote?
Finally, how can a party with no vision, no generation of new leaders, and no new ideas in the party’s base even survive? My guess is they will use voter suppression techniques, use “dark money” and gerrymandering of voting districts to stay in power at the state level.
Meanwhile, the Democrats drain the swamp, but the cesspool better known as the 2025 Project grows larger.
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When a senator served Wayne Mason at Waffle House
Editor, the Forum:
Wayne Mason and his brother Jimmy are great people.
I was working on Thanksgiving morning at the Waffle House in Snellville. It was a very busy morning. Wayne walked in. Took one look at me and walked out. I ran out to get him. “Wayne, there are seats for you.”
He answered. “I’m going home.”
“Wayne, did I upset you?”
“I’m going home. Getting my wife. I want my Senator to serve her breakfast this morning.”
Sure enough, they came back a few minutes later. I served them breakfast. At a dark period of my life, Wayne reached out to me to encourage me.
– Don Balfour, Norcross
All she wants is peace in the entire world
Editor, the Forum:
Thanks for the factual article by Jack Bernard entitled “What we are seeing is the abuse of the justice system.”
But what are we to do when people who are “Trumps” are not warned to open their eyes or listen? Of course, there are also the “Bibists” (followers of Netanyahu). We live in a world of injustice.
All I want to fight is for peace now in the world.
– Ruthy Lachman Paul, Norcross
Watch out for lying on both sides of the aisle
Editor, the Forum:
There is lying on both sides! It is up to us with common sense to sort through all of the lies. Ask yourself, is that statement against my common sense, logic or morality? You are the decider.
Americans support “We the People” and for decades now the government has forgotten about our concerns. How about letting us know how our money is being spent, what bills really have in them so we can give our input before it’s passed.
Democracy will not stand if at its base is not liberty! The more we as a republic are removed from the equation, the more control Big Government decides what they think is best for the populace.
I would like to recognize one lie that has been driving me crazy; the reduction in the cost of insulin. That was done during the Trump administration, not Biden’s! So let’s put our thinking caps on and sort through the lies on both sides. This country has been bombarded with Marxist ideology to destroy the American family in every way. Once the family is destroyed you will live in a much different America. No more FREEDOM, and that’s what sets us apart from all other nations on earth. I don’t see people flocking to Russia or China because of their values.
– Barbara Warden, Norcross
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.
Peachtree Corners installs smarter lighting for city
Peachtree Corners is working with Juganu, a provider of smart lighting, to create a fully digitized and connected lighting environment within the city. Juganu’s smart city lighting solutions will be deployed within the Curiosity Lab ecosystem and at the City of Peachtree Corners Town Center. This marks Juganu’s first full smart city lighting deployment in the United States.
Smart lighting in Peachtree Corners
Juganu’s lighting solution eliminates the need for multiple devices on one light pole, with multiple systems unified in a single fixture. Their smart city fixture includes energy-efficient and high-quality LED lighting, environmental sensors to monitor air quality, IoT framework for additional smart city applications and leverages a security camera that features artificial intelligence and edge computing for enhanced capabilities. In addition, each light fixture includes a wireless access point to provide free public Wi-Fi.
Peachtree Corners City Manager Brian Johnson says: “Juganu’s smart lighting solution continues to add to our city’s goals of improving safety and quality of life for our residents while providing the efficiency of multiple smart city solutions in one sleek unit. This adds another element of security and safety to our Town Center with bright lighting and security cameras that can be accessed if an incident occurs. We are also excited to now be able to offer free public Wi-Fi across our Town Center to allow for greater connectivity for our residents. Juganu’s solutions bring our city one step closer to being fully connected, and we are thrilled to be the company’s first full deployment in the U.S.”
There are currently 16 of Juganu’s lighting units deployed across the Tot Lot Playground in Peachtree Corners’ Town Center, four units deployed across the Dog Park and six units deployed at the Curiosity Lab Innovation Center. As the project expands, Juganu’s lighting solutions will be deployed across the Town Center parking lots, storefronts, parking deck and the parking lot at Curiosity Lab’s Innovation Center. The full deployment will include a total of 80 units deployed across the city.
Norcross plans eminent domain at old library building
Confusion has developed this week about the former Norcross Woman’s Club building, which was once used as Gwinnett’s first library.
A news story a few weeks back reported that the Woman’s Club had donated the building to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. It further stated that it would be an adapted re-use project, and that a buyer wanted to convert it into a residence.
Then this week a “Condemnation” sign was posted at the building. GwinnettForum learned that this is a legal process so that the city can acquire the site under the eminent domain structure. The city has not indicated what its use of the building will be.
Mayor Craig Newton told GwinnettForum: “You can rest easy knowing that the city has absolutely no intention whatsoever in tearing down this very important historic library building. Please be patient with us as there is a legal process that must be followed in order us to acquire this library and preserve its historic character.”
The city is expected to hear the condemnation at its September 3 meeting.
The Carnegie-style Greek revival structure was built in 1921 by the Woman’s Club, which was involved in the national library movement. In 1966, the library was relocated, and the building became home to the Woman’s Club, founded in 1905.
Suwanee to open DeLay Natural Park Saturday
Ribbon cutting for the Town Center on Main and DeLay Natural Park in Suwanee is Saturday, August 24. Following the official ribbon cutting at 6:30 p.m. will be movie night and strolling entertainment throughout the evening.
The ribbon cutting will be at the Circle – the elevated pavilion area nearest to the intersection of Main and High Line streets. The Greatest Showman is the title of the movie to be shown on the upper lawn at 7:30 p.m.
All are invited; there is no need to RSVP or reserve a space. This is a family- and pet-friendly event, so bring the crew!
Bring a chair and/or blanket to enjoy the festivities. There will be giveaways (while supplies last) plus food and beverages will be available for purchase from several food trucks on site. You may also bring a cooler with your own picnic. However, as with all Suwanee parks, no bottles or glass containers are permitted.
Park Place community gets new master plan
A new master plan for the Park Place community has been approved by Gwinnett County. This is a key gateway to Gwinnett with significant potential for growth. The County’s recent support for the redevelopment of the Stone Mountain Tennis Center site has paved the way for a comprehensive master plan that will guide the area’s future.
The new master plan will assess existing conditions and involve community feedback to develop specific land use, transportation, and open space recommendations. Priorities include transit-oriented development, housing diversity and strategic redevelopment. The master plan will be funded by proceeds from the sale of the tennis center site, ensuring that the community benefits from this reinvestment. Commissioners awarded the contract to Sizemore Group, LLC of Atlanta for $217,000 to lead the development of the master plan.
The board also approved the purchase of three parcels totaling eight acres at $500,000 an acre along East Park Place Boulevard near Stone Mountain. This property, owned by Jubilee Christian Church International, Inc., is located within the Park Place Tax Allocation District and the Evermore Community Improvement District. The acquisition of the property along East Park Place Boulevard will support the future implementation of the Park Place Master Plan.
Time open to apply for absentee ballots
Are you registered to vote in the upcoming General Election, but aren’t able to vote in-person on Election Day in November? As of August 19, any registered voter can request an absentee by mail ballot for the November 5 General Election through Friday, October 25. For more information about absentee ballot applications, visit GwinnettElections.com.
- To check your registration status, download a registration application, view sample ballots, and locate your polling place, visit MVP.SOS.GA.gov.
County moves on variety of initiatives
The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners acted on several initiatives during their August 6 meeting. A recap of what they approved follows.
Interchange coming: Commissioners approved two items related to construction of an interchange at I-985 and Thompson Mill Road. New ramps will provide relief for motorists in the area, since the closest interchange to the south, at Georgia Highway 20, accommodates over 90,000 vehicles per day. This project provides a $2 million contribution from the Atlanta Regional Commission. A required local match of $500,000 comes from Gwinnett SPLOST. Thomas and Hutton Engineering Co. was awarded a $4.25 million engineering design services and construction document development contract, funded 53 percent by SPLOST and 47 percent by GDOT.
Repaving: More than 13 centerline miles of major county roadway will be resurfaced under a $10.5 million contract awarded to three companies. Contractors Allied Paving Contractors, Inc., The Scruggs Company and Sunbelt Asphalt Surfaces, Inc., will resurface the roadways and repair pavement with patching, adjust water valves and manhole covers, and install pavement markings to delineate travel lanes.
Funding comes from a $9.5 million GDOT Local Maintenance Improvement Grant with the remainder covered by SPLOST. Roads to be resurfaced are Camp Branch Road, South Lee Street, Ozora Church Road, Everson Road, Jessica Daron Court, Pounds Drive, Beaver Road, Club Drive, North Brown Road and Old Peachtree Road.
Loop Trail: one of the signature trails in the Gwinnett Trails Master Plan, is getting a boost with a new section of multi-use path from the intersection of Sugarloaf Parkway and Satellite Boulevard to just north of the intersection of Suwanee Creek Road and St. Ives Court. A $1.3 million contract for engineering design services and construction document development was awarded to KCI Technologies, Inc. The contract is funded 80 percent by GDOT and 20 percent by SPLOST.
Fire safety: Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services will purchase a new mobile fire safety trailer from North America Fire Equipment Co., Inc., for $238,639. This simulated version of a furnished home can mimic scenarios in a kitchen or bedroom that represent the most common fire-related threats. The realistic setting allows participants to practice home escape techniques, spotting burn hazards, and fire and life safety skills. This will be taken to community events and school functions where children can learn what to do in a fire emergency. To date, fire educators have taught safety programming to over 6,000 children.
Senior support: A new contract with two service providers will ensure continued assistance with essential daily household tasks such as cleaning, meal preparation and running errands for seniors. Southern Home Care Services, Inc. , dba All Ways Caring Homecare, was selected as primary and At Home Atlanta, LLC, as secondary under the $201,600 contract funded by the Atlanta Regional Commission. Participants receive one to two hours of assistance weekly based on their care plans.
Adults aged 60 or older and caregivers of older adults can call 678-377-4150 for more information about services available to seniors in Gwinnett County or to connect with a care manager.
GBC wins top workplace honor for second year
For the second consecutive year, Georgia Banking Company (GBC) has been awarded the Top Workplaces 2024 from the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This recognition is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a confidential third-party survey administered by Energage, LLC, a leading provider of technology-based employee engagement tools. The survey measures 15 key culture drivers critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution, and connection.
Craig Addison, GBC’s chief human resources officer, says: “I’m particularly proud of these results because while our company has tripled in size, we have been able to maintain our culture of service, expertise, and relationships. Our employees are the heart of GBC, and their dedication and passion drive our success.”
Gwinnett offers “Clear the Shelters” of pets on Saturday
As part of this annual campaign to place shelter pets in loving homes, Gwinnett Animal Welfare is offering free pet adoptions and will host a Clear the Shelters celebration on Saturday, August 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center.
During the event, attendees can enjoy hands-on activities, crafts, music, local vendors, face painting and more.
All adoptable animals are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped, and most pets can go home the same day as adoption. This is Gwinnett’s seventh year participating in the event.
For those interested in adoption, visit GwinnettAnimalWelfare.com to find available pets. The Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center is located at 884 Winder Highway in Lawrenceville. Parking is only available at the Department of Water Resources office, located at 684 Winder Highway in Lawrenceville. A shuttle will be provided to take guests to the event site.
The Fraud, by Zadie Smith
From Karen J. Harris, Stone Mountain: This book contains stories that link together in 19th century England. Eliza Touchet is Scottish cousin to William Ainsworth, a once famous author. She doesn’t believe her cousin has much talent and that he is superseded by famous contemporary Charles Dickens. Eliza has many interests including those involving getting justice for the disenfranchised. Andrew Bogle grew up enslaved on a plantation in Jamaica. He knows all there is to know about sugar and also how the rich deceive the poor, and how easy it is to fool people. He finds himself in England as a star witness at the Tichborne trial, which seeks to unmask a butcher from Australia who claims to be the sole heir to an estate and title. The trial captures all classes in London and seeks to unmask an imposter. It paints a colorful picture of the time period and explores the idea of imposter phenomenon.
- An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (150 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Click here to send an email.
Leon Wendell White
Leon Wendell White, 98, of Clermont passed away at his home on Tuesday, August 20, 2024.
White
Mr. White is preceded in death by his parents, Homer and Una Abercrombie White; stepmother, Sarah Abercrombie White; sisters Edith White Couch, Edna White Barrett, Homerell White Parks; brother, Bill White; son Wallace White; and his wife of 72 years, Ruth Erwin White.
Survivors include his sister, Wanda White Parks of Murrayville; sister-in-law, Jolene Erwin of Clermont; daughter, Margie White Nash (Russell) of Clermont; and sons, Wendell White of Clermont and Wayne White (Michael Castellana) of Gainesville; grandchildren Brad (Kim) Nash, Brannan (Chris) Greene, Devin (Crista) White, Riley White, Seth White, and Morgan White, all of Gainesville; Roger (Jessyca) Nash of Flowery Branch; and Amy (Paul) Braker of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mr. White was born in his family home on Homer White Road in Clermont. A child of the Great Depression, Leon helped farm his family land, learned the art of blacksmithing alongside his father, and learned the importance of family and hard work. When World War II began, he moved to Brunswick to weld ship hulls and soon joined the U. S. Army.
A member of the Greatest Generation, Leon proudly served his country during World War II and spent most of his service time in Italy. Following the war’s end, he met and married his wife, Ruth. Together, they moved to Norcross and he spent his career at the Doraville General Motors Plant as a body shop supervisor.
Upon retirement from General Motors, Leon and Ruth moved back to his family homeplace in Clermont. Leon was a member of the Clermont and Wahoo communities. He faithfully served Wahoo Baptist Church and the Murrayville Masonic Lodge for decades. Over the years, he hosted countless guests at his annual summer fish fries and pancake breakfasts. An avid fisherman and cook, he was known for his humor and stories, the twinkle in his eye, his kindness and generosity, and his willingness to help anyone in need. Known as Leon, Daddy, Grandpa, Papa Leon, and Chief…he is most importantly known as a man who loved to serve the Lord.
Visitation was August 22 at Strickland Funeral Home, Clermont. The funeral and burial was held at Wahoo Baptist Church in Murrayville. The Reverend Mark Stroud officiated. W. R. Strickland and Sons, Clermont, was in charge of arrangements.
Town of Braselton spread across four counties
The town of Braselton, incorporated in 1916, occupies 34 square miles in northeast Georgia, spreading across Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson counties.
In 1876 William Harrison Braselton bought 800 acres of land and built a plantation on it. His eldest son, William Henry, served as the first mayor of Braselton. Descendents of the Braseltons continued to serve on the city council until 2001.
In 1887 one of William Harrison Braselton’s sons, John Oliver, then eight years old, constructed a six-foot-by-six-foot merchandise house in the yard to sell items to the farmhands on the plantation. Eventually, his two brothers joined in his investment, and with their father’s encouragement, the miniature store turned into a thriving business along the railroad tracks that ran through the family’s property.
The enterprise became the Braselton Brothers, with the motto “Dealers in Everything.” The store, which in its fourth iteration in 1904 included a brick warehouse, was a 69×95 foot structure with 14-foot walls and a 30×60 foot basement for heavy groceries. Serving Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson counties, the store sold groceries, dry goods, notions, shoes, and millinery and clothing.
The town’s first bank was added to the structure in 1911. A tornado destroyed it in 1919, but with help from the community, it was rebuilt.
In the early 1980s Donald and Nancy Panoz, owners of the Elan Corporation, a drug-delivery products and technology company, established the 3,500-acre Chateau Elan Resort and Winery in Braselton, a major attraction. In 1999 Donald Panoz founded the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), a series of automobile endurance races. The Panoz Esperante, a handmade, American sports car, is built in Braselton by the Panoz Motor Sports Group. The International Motor Sports Association and the premier racing circuit Road Atlanta (which hosted one ALMS race in 2006) are also located in Braselton.
In the late 1980s the actress Kim Basinger, a Georgia native, selected Braselton as a suitable location for developing a tourist attraction that would feature movie and recording studios, boutiques, and a film festival. She headed an investment group that purchased the 1,800-acre town for $20 million. Due to financial problems, however, Basinger dropped her plans and sold the town in 1993 for just $1 million.
Eventually, Braselton expanded its boundaries and attracted major companies, turning the small town into a booming residential and manufacturing area. The Mayfield Dairy Visitors Center opened in 1997, Panoz Auto Development Company opened in 1999, and Haverty’s Distribution Center opened in 2002.
Parks and rural space are important to the residents of Braselton. In addition to the Braselton town park and a multi use park along the Mulberry River, Braselton is home to the Thompson Mills Forest, Georgia’s official state 330 acre arboretum.
Many historic structures have been preserved in Braselton, in addition to the Braselton Brothers store. The new town hall was built in 1909 and restored in the late 1990s
According to the 2020 U.S. census, Braselton’s population was 13,403, an increase from the 2010 population of 7,511.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Check out this artistic photo as today’s mystery
Today’s Mystery Photo is primarily something of an artistic photo, and may be easy for some, hard for others. It also has no locational aspect, though the whole photo may be that. Try your hand at pinpointing what this photo is and its location. Send your answer to ebrack2@gmail.com, and include your hometown.
Recently Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C. was first in with the mystery solved: “Troldhaugen, home of Norwegian composer Edward Grieg, located in Bergen, Norway.” Then Lou Camerio, Lilburn, told us: “Troldhaugen, which means, ‘Home of the Trolls.’” The photo came to us from Michael Clark of Atlanta via Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill.
Also recognizing it were George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Stew Ogilvie, Lawrenceville; and Allan Peel, San Antonio, Tex., who told us: : “Edvard Grieg is to Norway like George Washington is to America and William Shakespeare is to England: his country’s most celebrated human icon. Grieg’s music has become part of the Norwegian identity, so much so that when Norwegians want to depict images and videos of their culture or identity, Grieg’s music will inevitably play in the background as scenes of the many fjords with spiraling mountain peaks and peaceful lakes are displayed. Today, the charming house in the mystery photo serves as the Edvard Grieg Museum and provides an insight into the life of the famous Norwegian composer.”
- 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.
Stewart gets citation from Gerontology Society
Stewart
Gwinnett’s Fran Stewart of Lawrenceville has been awarded a Citation of Merit at the annual conference of the Georgia Gerontology Society. The award was given in recognition of her book After I Die: What My Executor Will Need to Know, which has benefited numerous families, both in Georgia and across the nation. The award came at the Great Wolf Lodge in LaGrange last week.
ArtRageous Festival comes to Braselton this weekend
Snellville will begin its Fourth Friday Outdoor Movie Series at The Grove at Towne Center. A series of three popular children’s movies will kick off with Kung Fu Panda 4 on Friday, August 23 on the lawn of The Grove at Towne Center, located in the heart of downtown Snellville. The event is free and the movie will start at dusk. Beginning at 6 p.m., attendees are invited to enjoy the Splash Pad, and visit food trucks before the movie. Attendees are encouraged to bring folding chairs or a blanket to sit on. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/CityofSnellville.
Paths to Publication: KidLit Panel Discussion and Writers Workshop will be August 24 at 10 a.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Unlock the magic of writing and publishing children’s books! Join the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for a fun and interactive panel discussion and writers workshop. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Dragon Myths and Legends: Hear Author Robert Sarwark discusses his book, The Dragon in World Mythology and Culture, an introduction to dragon myths and legends worldwide. He will be at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on August 24 at 2 p.m. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Improv returns to the Lionheart Theatre in Norcross. On Saturday, August 24 at 7:30 p.m. host Chaos Theory will present a hilarious evening of improv! Tickets are $12 at the door or online. Appropriate for ages 16+.
ArtRageous Festival is coming to Braselton on the weekend of August 23-25. Braselton’s Historic Downtown will become a veritable artist colony when art lovers from around the region converge for the August Art-Tiques Vintage Market and a host of other pop-up galleries and art-inspired activities. Immerse yourself in creativity at this event.
STEM Mathematics Workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, August 27, at 4 p.m. at the Peachtree Corners Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Learn more about the discovery of infinity, use fractals on paper to show infinity and create fractals with toothpicks and marshmallows! Perfect for ages six and up.
Healthy Living Workshop is scheduled for August 27 from 3-5 p.m. at the Lawrenceville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Join community health experts for a brief wellness workshop to learn more about maintaining your physical, mental, and social health.
Citizenship Preparation Class is scheduled at the Dacula Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on September 4 at 6 p.m. Are you about to take the exam and interview for U.S. citizenship? Register for our eight-week course covering all subject matter related to the citizenship exam and interview.
Author Talk with Martha Boone will be held September 5 at noon at the Lawrenceville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Join the author as she discusses Mother Charity, the long-awaited sequel to The Big Free. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Visit Coolray Field on Saturday, September 7 for the 15th annual Public Safety Fall Festival! Come out from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to meet our first responders and enjoy food, giveaways, demonstrations, and displays. Kids will love the touch-a-truck experience featuring a SWAT personnel carrier, fire trucks, and other specialized vehicles. There will also be a Motorcycle Training Challenge showcasing courses from multiple police agencies. This event is open to residents of all ages and abilities. Email PDCommunityAffairs@GwinnettCounty.com for more information. Coolray Field is located at 2500 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville.
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