NEW for 11/8: Three reactions to 2024 election results

GwinnettForum    Number 23.88 |  Nov. 8, 2024

ANNANDALE VILLAGE OF SUWANEE got a pleasant surprise recently of a substantial gift. For details, see Lagniappe below. From left are Annandale Village CEO Adam Pomeranz, with Annandale marketing officer Kayce Pearce accepting a check for $303,351 from Tidal Wave Auto Spa founder and CEO Scott Blackstock. Annandale Village is one of only three organizations in the United States providing a full continuum of service and care for adults living with developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries.

IN THIS EDITION

TODAY’S FOCUS:  Our country got off the path to freedom Tuesday
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Totally flabbergasted as our nation elects Trump
SPOTLIGHT: Peachtree Campus
ANOTHER VIEW: The Bitter Southerner comment on recent election
FEEDBACK: Wary of the new president, but believes in electorate
UPCOMING: Here are two statements after the transit referendum
NOTABLE: GGC professor talks of giving and saving green
RECOMMENDED: The Revolt of the Public by Martin Gurri
OBITUARY: Charles Marvin (Chuck) Brack
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus dies at 95
MYSTERY PHOTO: Clues abound in this mystery with the Ferris Wheel
LAGNIAPPE: Tidal Wave Auto Spa donates $303,351 to Annandale
CALENDAR: Over 100 authors at Snellville Book Festival on Saturday

TODAY’S FOCUS

Our country got off the path to freedom Tuesday

(Editor’s note: We reprint the following Nov. 6 editorial from the Charleston (S.C.) City Paper, with permission granted.) –eeb

CHARLESTON, S.C.  |  The United States got off the path of freedom and opportunity on Tuesday with the reelection of Donald Trump for a second term as president.

A slim majority in swing states, captivated by his cult of personality, empty promises, isolationism, fear, racism and stream-of-narcissistic blathering, tapped Trump the felon to lead the nation for the next four years into what may become a new reckless governing experiment.

Tuesday’s election will be remembered as a sad day for America — a day the country’s bipartisan legacy of moving forward shifted backward, to how things were in the past.  

And for many — particularly the young, infirm, poor and immigrants — the next four years will be scary. Trump’s threats of authoritarianism, inward-turning policies, lies and retribution will continue to cause chaos across the nation. Trump is a narcissist, not a healer-in-chief, as he showed in his first term with poor management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In fact, the 2024 election of Donald Trump and his congressional allies must have the Founding Fathers reeling. And veterans who died for freedom on battlefields across the world must be gobsmacked with tears in their eyes. The cause they championed — ensuring freedom to empower all Americans to have seemingly limitless opportunities in our republic — is less certain because of what’s likely to come out of a Washington dominated by the seething, MAGA-fueled GOP cult of Trump.  

Among domestic questions: Will punitive tariffs cause everyday Americans to pay thousands of dollars more per year for imported goods, as economists predict? Will the GOP limit reproductive health care even more? Will Social Security face cuts? Are mass deportations of immigrants on the horizon? These would not be questions had Tuesday’s outcome been different.

But the questions don’t stop at the border. Will America’s allies, disappointed in Tuesday’s results, pull away? Will the United States stop fueling freedom efforts by Ukranian patriots as they try to kick out Russian invaders? Will the country be drawn into a new global war? Will China retaliate somehow?

As tornadic as national politics are now, state and local political affairs should be less chaotic — at least until the impact of Trump’s new policies start trickling down. 

As we swim through the churning waters of democracy over the next four years, we must use all of our constitutional powers — including the powers of the minority — to protect our freedoms so that we can kick out the bums in 2028. To do less is to dishonor almost 250 years of American leadership.

Democracy dimmed across America on Tuesday. Let’s keep pressing to keep the lights on during the next four years so we get back onto the real path of freedom.

EEB PERSPECTIVE

Totally flabbergasted as our nation elects Trump

By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum

NOV. 8, 2024  |  The word best to use is “flabbergasted.”

Never did I think the American people would stoop so low as elect someone who campaigned on lies, distortion and outrageousness. Plus, he is  a convicted felon, who violated lots of women, and insulted people in all sorts of ways.  Yet our nation has elected him president.

The far right, in a virtual religious movement, has chosen someone to lead our nation who purports to be successful, yet proves to be a selfish businessman, leaving many people in the lurch, while having many bankruptcies and calling himself a success.

And 73 million people believed him.

Our next president has conned many into making big financial contributions to him, even selling Bibles and gold tennis shoes, not only for campaign financing, but to pay his many lawyers to get him out of multiple troubles.  And if there is one element that his lawyer contributed, most successfully, it was the delay, delay, delay on court cases, so that he would become president again before any sentences could be imposed on him and keep him out of jail.  He’ll never have to face accountability for his January 6 insurrection.

And even if it happens that he is eventually sentenced for some of his misdeeds, he can simply pardon himself, or so he believes. You wonder even if the high jurists of the court think this would be right…..or even constitutional.

So his lawyering up has worked at least to delay that he will face substantial court appearances. You would think that our system of laws would still work to bring him before the courts, and let him be tried. Yet even then, you wonder if a jury would stand up and convict him even in the face of substantial evidence. 

Let’s look back at what Donald Trump said in this campaign. 

He’s said he will be a dictator, even if for a day. That’s not a good sign.

He’s said he would punish his detractors. Again, not a good sign.

He’s said he would eliminate many of  the bureaucrats who quietly and carefully oversee our nation. And who will he replace them with?  His fellow travelers, who would know little about the day-to-day functioning of our government, will find themselves caught in a snafu of inefficiency, while our nation will suffer.

Add to the list: Trump won’t have any—none, zilch, zero—checks and balances on his actions if the U.S. House remains in GOP control. Outlandish propositions are on the way.  And as the electorate may have given him control of both houses of Congress, watch out for far-out and questionable legislation!

What else can we expect? 

No doubt, unjust recriminations from Trump on those he sees as his enemies. No telling who will suffer. Me, you, the next guy?

Trump always speaks in superlatives. Trump will continue to tell us that what he does is the very best in the world, that his appointees are more wonderful than anyone before them, that the economy will be greater than ever under his leadership, and that he can solve the world’s problems better than anyone in history.  We’re already tired of these outbursts of superlatives. We’re going to hear more. 

Yes, it’s scary to be so flabbergasted.

Yet somehow, our nation will do as it has before: find some way to survive. Realize it won’t be easy. Be on the alert to tackle the unexpected before our nation eventually gets back to normal. It may take a long time.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Peachtree Campus

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today we welcome a new underwriting sponsor. Peachtree Campus is North Atlanta’s campus for education, production, and events. Located in historic Norcross, with abundant parking and easy access to Peachtree Boulevard, Peachtree Campus should be on the short list when looking for a workspace with creative vision. It’s the home of Brenau University’s North Atlanta Campus and to Boswell Edward Academy, a Georgia Pre-K School and Daycare. The Veranda on Reps Miller provides flexible space for small events and larger community events. It annually hosts the annual Neighborhood Christmas Train Experience. Now available is 3159 Campus Drive, which has 27 classrooms and a large multi-purpose space, which can be the perfect location for a growing school, event facility, film/video production studio, or faith community. Learn leasing opportunities by contacting Jonathan Galucki, email jg@optimaproperties.net or texting 678-612-3385.

  • For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.

ANOTHER VIEW

The Bitter Southerner’s comment on recent election

(Editor’s note: A beacon from the American South and a bellwether for the nation, The Bitter Southerner is an Athens, Ga.-based independent publisher, founded in 2013, that connects an activated and vocal global community working to make the South, and America, a better place. Today, The Bitter Southerner publishes three print magazines annually, books under its BS Publishing imprint, the “Batch” podcast, and offers iconic apparel and home goods in its BS General Store.)–eeb

FEEDBACK

Wary of the new president, but believes in electorate

Editor, the Forum: 

As a life-long Democrat, I am wary of the new president. I compare his last presidency with the presidency of James Buchanan and Andrew Johnson.  However, I need to keep an open mind and believe in the wisdom of the American electorate.

– Alan Schneiberg, Sugar Hill

Dear Alan: Thank you for keeping your sanity after the election. We all need to do as Abe said, trust in the people, though we may find it hard. –eeb

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.  

UPCOMING

Here are two statements after the transit referendum

Gwinnett Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson issued a statement Wednesday on the failed transit referendum.  The proposal lost by gaining only 46.55 percent approval of the voters against the 30-year sales tax. There were 217,007  “No” votes, and 188,977 “Yes” votes. 

Her statement read: 

Hendrickson

“Since beginning my term in 2020, I have expressed the need for transit and mobility solutions in Gwinnett. Realizing previous referendum efforts, we went back to the drawing board to design a Transit Plan that addressed the mobility needs of residents, businesses, and stakeholders in Gwinnett. This plan was unanimously adopted by the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, and we moved to place the decision in the hands of Gwinnett County voters. Unfortunately, voters turned down the vote to fund expanded and enhanced transit in this way.

“Our county is growing, but our current transit system is limited. With more than a quarter million people projected to move to Gwinnett by 2050, we need solutions to ease congestion. Transit is also a crucial component of many plans and projects, including the 2045 Unified Plan, Rowen, Gwinnett Place Mall, and more. The county needs transit to remain innovative and preserve the high quality of life our residents have come to expect. Most importantly, we need to continue providing an essential service – ensuring residents who rely on public transportation have affordable and reliable transit options.

“While the Transit Plan will continue to serve as a framework for the future of transit in our county, we will seek and leverage potential funding from state, federal, and local sources as we continue to strive toward our goal of mobility for all.”

Another statement came from Emory Morsberger of the Gwinnett85 Community Improvement District.  His statement read: 

Morsberger

“While we are disappointed that the transit referendum did not pass, Gateway85 CID remains committed to enhancing mobility and accessibility within our community. We launched microtransit in cooperation with Gwinnett County and will continue to work on improved transportation options for our community members, many of which do not have access to a car.

“We will continue to work closely with local leaders, business partners and community members on initiatives that will enhance the quality of life for everyone in our district by focusing on practical and innovative projects.”

NOTABLE

GGC professor talks of giving and saving green

The end of the year 2024 is less than two months away. Between holiday celebrations, many people are also thinking about donating to their favorite charitable organizations before Jan. 1, 2025. 

Akins

Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) Dr. Benjamin Akins, associate professor of legal studies and taxation, said there are tax implications at the end of the year for many people to consider, and donating cash or property to a non-profit organization to help reduce their tax bill might make sense.

Most people take the standard deduction allotted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) which is $14,600 for most single filers and $29,200 for most married couples who file together. Then there are those who are what Akins calls itemizers. “This group of people itemize their deductions because it exceeds the standard deduction allowed by the IRS,” he says. “By taking the time to itemize allowable deductions, they can claim a bigger deduction on their income and pay less in taxes.”

For those who itemize, they might consider increasing their charitable giving to offset bumps in their household income. 

One scenario of people experiencing an increase in income involves senior citizens. He adds: “The IRS requires seniors with certain retirement accounts to take a required minimum distribution (RMD) from their 401k or IRA accounts when they reach a certain age so that it can be taxed.” 

For those in the workforce, a few scenarios may result in owing more in taxes. “If you get a bump in your income because of a bonus, promotion or raise, then you need to take that into account when it comes to your taxes. And if you itemize your tax deductions, you may want to consider donating part of that bonus or raise to offset your tax liability.”

There is a lesser-known type of fund that can help people increase their tax deductions and support their favorite charities.

He says: “It’s called a donor advised fund (DAF), and most major brokerage firms offer these. You can simply direct a sum of money to a DAF and claim your tax deduction in that same year. You do not, however, have to decide upfront where to donate the money. You can take your time in deciding which charity or charities will benefit from your contribution to that fund over time.”

Besides cash, many charities will also accept property, stocks and other forms of investments. 

“If you decide to donate appreciated stocks to a charity, you will likely not have to pay taxes on any of the gain like you would have had to do if you would have sold the stock and then given the proceeds to the charity. The same principle would apply to donating other investment property, like land.”

Akins added that before donating to a charitable organization, it’s wise to be sure that charity can receive donations that are tax-deductible.

“The IRS keeps a list of organizations that you can donate to and receive a tax deduction,” Akins says. “One exception to that list would be religious houses of worship. They qualify automatically, and in fact, aren’t required to register with the IRS.” 

Whenever you decide to donate to a charity, Akins says that keeping records is important should the IRS decide to look closer at itemized deductions. “Only claim deductions on what you can prove,” he warns.

Redevelopment Summit recognizes key projects 

The Metro Atlanta Redevelopment Summit (MARS) offers an exclusive look at major redevelopment projects shaping the future of the region.

 The MARS Awards ceremony celebrated projects that have made significant economic impacts on their communities and honored an individual who has dedicated their career to advancing successful redevelopment initiatives. The 2024 winners include: 

Redevelopment Champion of the Year:  Tim Perry, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Jamestown; Runner up: Paul Radford, Sugar Hill city manager.

Small Redevelopment Project of the Year: The Historic Jones Building is one of the oldest structures in Cherokee County, has been revitalized to meet modern needs while preserving its storied past. Runner up: The Hands of Christ Duluth Co-Op.

Medium Redevelopment Project of the Year: The Grove at Towne Center. This is a transformative development at the heart of Snellville. With 33,000 square feet of restaurant space, 10,000 square feet of retail, and the new Elizabeth H. Williams Branch of the Gwinnett Public Library, The Grove offers an ideal blend of dining, shopping, and cultural experiences. Runner up: Springside, Powder Springs. 

Large Redevelopment Project of the Year: The Works, an innovative, 80-acre adaptive reuse community that reimagines a historic warehouse district in Atlanta’s Upper Westside. Runner up: The Forum, Peachtree Corners. 

RECOMMENDED

The Revolt of the Public, by Martin Gurri

From Randy Brunson, Suwanee:  In 2014, Martin Gurri took pen to paper (a very 20th century observation) and told how technology has categorically reversed the information balance of power between the public and the elites who manage the great institutions of the industrial age – government, politics, and media. And I would add education and church establishments to this list. The full title of the book is The Revolt of the Public and the Crisis of Authority in the New Millennium. An interesting take on how many citizens around the world are telling the ruling elite to ‘stick it in your ear.’

  • 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.

OBITUARY

Charles Marvin (Chuck) Brack

Charles Marvin Brack, affectionately known as Chuck, Papa and Santa, lived an incredible and adventurous life. Charles was born on September 19, 1942 in Allentown, Ga. to George Marvin and Mabel Hall Brack. He lived a rambunctious and mischievous childhood with his buddies in Allentown, which included pranks and escapades that his wife would not allow him to share with his sons until they were adults for fear they might try to duplicate them.

Charles Brack

He graduated from Wilkinson County High School in 1960 and joined the Air Force shortly thereafter. He met and married Jeannie Olsen in 1965 at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. He and Jeannie started their family in Buford, Ga. with the birth of Steven in 1968 and Jeffrey in 1970. Charles supported his family by selling CAD computer systems. They later lived in Sugar Hill. 

His job took him out of town during the week, but he always had some type of family project on the weekend. He enjoyed a full life of socializing with friends, vacationing with his family, serving his church family at Buford Presbyterian Church and performing his duties at the Buford Masonic Lodge.

Charles was a magnetic force who people gravitated towards. He was a man of impeccable integrity. He was always engaged in some type of project whether it be in the Fire House, City Hall, his barn, his home office, or the North Pole. He brought joy and magic to countless children at Christmas as Santa in the mall in Lancaster, Penn.

He returned to live in his hometown of Allentown in 2005 where he served as a volunteer firefighter, a member of the city council, the mayor of Allentown and, of course, the resident Santa Claus.

Charles is preceded in death by his parents, Marvin and Mabel Brack, his brother, Ralph Brack, and his son, Steven Charles Brack. He is survived by his wife; Jeannie Olsen Brack, son; Jeffrey Stuart (Tracie Welborn) Brack, daughter-in-law; (Steven) Jill Dykes Brack, grandchildren; Mollie Ann Brack, Tyler (Mary Ann) Brack, of Cochran, Julia Michele, William Wolfe, and Katherine Elizabeth Brack of Gainesville, great-grandson; Steven Tyler Brack, sister; Annelle Brack Carlton of Charleston, SC and many nieces, nephews, cousins and loved ones.

Funeral services were held Tuesday November 5, 2024, at Allentown Methodist Church, with graveside services at Walnut Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. Reece Funeral Home in Jeffersonville was in charge of arrangements.

GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA

Home Depot co-founder Marcus dies at 95

Originally from New Jersey, Bernard Marcus was born in 1929 and raised in Newark. His parents, recent Jewish immigrants from Russia, had little money, and the family lived in a poor section of the city. Marcus went to work at the age of thirteen, balancing a job and school. He wanted to become a doctor and enrolled at Rutgers University in New Jersey after finishing high school. 

Although he was a good student, his hopes of attending Harvard Medical School were soon dashed when, in his second year at Rutgers, he was told that because he was Jewish he would have to bribe a medical school administrator in order to gain admission. Lacking the requested $10,000, Marcus settled on becoming a pharmacist and graduated from Rutgers in 1954.

Marcus  worked only briefly as a pharmacist; within a few years of completing college he had entered retail sales. For the next several decades he moved up the corporate ladder, working for a string of retail stores and manufacturing companies like Two Guys and Odell. By the mid-1970s Marcus was employed as an executive at Handy Dan Home Improvement Centers, a Los Angeles–based company with several dozen stores in the West. Arthur Blank, Marcus’s future business partner, also worked at Handy Dan as its chief financial officer.

In April 1978 Marcus and Blank were abruptly fired from Handy Dan’s. A friend and business associate, Ken Langone, convinced Marcus that it was the right time to open his own business. Several years earlier, Marcus had shared with Langone his idea for a national chain of warehouse-sized home improvement centers, and now unemployed, Marcus concurred that the time was right to bring his concept into being. Blank agreed to serve as Marcus’s partner, and after conducting a nationwide search for a suitable city in which to open their first stores, the two men decided on Atlanta. The first two Home Depot stores opened for business on June 22, 1979. The business proved successful, and within two years the company went public. Marcus and Blank embarked on an aggressive expansion program that also proved very successful. By 2014 the Home Depot employed more than 300,000 people in more than 2,200 stores located throughout North America.

A wealthy man due to his company’s success, Marcus soon became involved in a series of diverse philanthropic activities. His mother had instilled in him a commitment to donating to worthy causes, and Marcus, now a billionaire, started giving generously to causes close to his heart. Marcus runs his philanthropic endeavors out of the Marcus Foundation, where he serves as chairman of the board and is personally involved in deciding which organizations receive grants.

Marcus retired from active participation in the Home Depot in 2002. Since that time he has focused on his most recent and public philanthropic undertaking, the Georgia Aquarium. Marcus donated $200 million from his personal fortune to fund the project, which he considers his “thank you” to Georgia and its residents for helping him achieve his success. Marcus died Nov. 4 at his home in Boca Raton, Fla., at age 95.

MYSTERY PHOTO

Clues abound in this mystery with the Ferris wheel

The way we look at today’s mystery, there are at least two clues that might help you identify today’s photo. Put your thinking cap on and try to figure it out. Send your idea to ebrack2@gmail.com, including your home town.

Carol Hassell of Suwanee recognized the last mystery, telling us: “It’s the new Veterans Memorial in Town Center on Main, Suwanee’s new town park., my home town.”  The photo was taken recently by Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill.

Also recognizing the photo were Mickey Merkel, Berkeley Lake; Bill McLees, Norcross; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex.; and Jay Altman of Columbia, S.C., who added: “ The statue is named ‘Greater Good,’ and is located in Town Center on Main and DeLay Nature Park in Suwanee. Standing over 20 feet tall and with a diameter of 24 feet, it  is comprised of six forms emerging from the reflecting pool in the park. The forms gracefully slope together and support each other as they rise to cover a circular area with a curved seating bench, the walls of which sit level with the water of the pool. The seals of each of the six branches of our military are represented on the walls, corresponding to the six rising forms.”

Peel told us the statue was “created by Michael Szabo, an artist from San Francisco who focuses much of his work on large stainless steel structures that often integrate seamlessly with stone and water into the landscape.”

  • 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.

LAGNIAPPE

Tidal Wave Auto Spa donates $303,351 to Annandale

Annandale Village is the recipient of $303,351 from Tidal Wave Auto Spa following its wildly successful 16th Annual nationwide Charity Day, on September 20. This year’s event raised a record-breaking $685,142, all donated to nonprofit organizations serving individuals with special needs throughout the country. Annandale Village received half of the profits as Tidal Wave’s longtime corporate partner.

Annandale Village is one of only three organizations in the United States providing a full continuum of service and care for adults living with developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries. Annandale provides care from independent and semi-independent levels, up through both assisted living and skilled nursing levels of care. Whatever a person’s age or disability, Annandale Village’s goal is to enable all individuals to live their most meaningful, independent lives.

“This incredibly generous donation will have a significant impact on our Villagers and our mission here at Annandale,” says Annandale Village CEO Adam Pomeranz. “Annandale is dedicated to continue providing the high standards of service and care for which we are known. We are grateful to Tidal Wave and its patrons for this incredible gift.”

CALENDAR

Over 100 authors at Snellville Book Festival on Saturday

New exhibit: opening Friday, November 8, is an exhibition of the life’s works of Kathryn Andrews Fincher at the Hudgens Center for Arts and Learning in Duluth. A VIP reception will be Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through January 25. There is no charge to attend the Hudgens Center. 

Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra will present Magnificent Marimba on November 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Johns Creek United Methodist Church. This will be the debut concert for Music Director Finalist Howard Hsu, and will also feature phenomenal guest soloist and percussionist Britton-René Collins

Veterans Empowerment Expo is coming to the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Join other veterans and their families for an informative panel discussion, access to resources, and support services that will empower them. This will be held on  November 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Healthy Living Workshop is scheduled for November 9 at 11 a.m. at the Lilburn Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Join community health experts for a wellness workshop to learn more about maintaining your physical, mental, and social health.

5K Walk Run: Werfen Peachtree Corners, and the City of Peachtree Corners have partnered to host a Charity 5K Walk/Run in Technology Park on Saturday, November 9. The run starts at 9 a.m. and the walk at 9:05 a.m. in front of City Hall. The registration fees collected will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. (Werfen was previously known as Immucor.) The run capacity is limited to the first 100 participants. Learn more and register here.

Over 100 Gwinnett authors will be at The Snellville Book Festival on November 9, 2024 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Zoar United Methodist Church gymnasium. The church is located at 3895 Zoar Church Road  in Centerville. Come and meet the authors and check out their offerings.  

City of Peachtree Corners on Monday, November 11 at 11 a.m. will recognize and honor the service and sacrifices of our country’s military veterans at the Veterans Monument   on the Town Green. Speaker will be Retired Major Ora Douglas, a U.S. Army nurse corps veteran.  Music for the program will be by the Norcross High School band.

Norcross is holding a Veterans Day event  on November 11 at 10 a.m. at the Veterans Park. The ceremony will be an opportunity for residents to come together as a community  and show appreciation for the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our freedom. Remarks will come from Mayor Craig Newton and by Air Force and United States Navy Veteran David Murray, along with a bagpipe performance by Bob Kaus.

Gwinnett County’s Veterans Day ceremony will be November 11 at 11 a.m. in the auditorium of the Gwinnett Justice and Administration building at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville.  Veda Brooks, Women and Minority Veterans coordinator for the Georgia Department of Veteran Services and Army veteran, will be this year’s speaker.

Nutrition for a Healthy Life: Creating Pantry Meals and Using Leftovers is scheduled to be held on November 13  at 10:30 am. at the  Suwanee Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Learn about healthy lifestyle changes and healthy recipes to cook. This program will have Korean translation available.

Better Cooking for a Better Environment: Demo and tasting will be held at the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on November 14 at 6 p.m. Help your holiday season go smoothly. Learn how to properly dispose of fats, oils, and grease while sampling holiday treats.

Author Talk with Alayne Smith is scheduled on November 15 at noon at the Lawrenceville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Join author Alayne Smith as she discusses her newest mystery novel, The December Postcards, set in Lawrenceville in the 1960s. Books will be available for sale and signing. 

Reading is FUNdamental is to be held November 16 at 11 a.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Join Meridith Rose, a pediatric speech-language pathologist, to learn about the fundamentals of reading and ways to build your child’s speech, language, and emergent literacy skills while reading together. Children are encouraged to attend.

Celebrate the Holidays in Braselton on November 16 from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. The morning parade will feature a Toy Land Holiday theme, kicking off a day of activities that includes a festival on the Town Green with a holiday marketplace, a magic show, photo opportunities with Santa, live reindeer, various performances, culminating in the Lighting of the Tree ceremony.

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