GwinnettForum | Number 23.90 | Nov. 15, 2024
DEDICATION: The City of Suwanee dedicated its new Veterans Memorial, “Greater Good,” on November 11. Mayor Jimmy Burnette is standing in front of the memorial. The ceremony honored those in our community who have served the country, highlighting the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of our Veterans. The art work is now open at Town Center on Main near the Suwanee Public Library.
CORRECTION: GwinnettForum was incorrect in its reporting on the 2024 transit referendum. It was not the closest vote on the question. The 2020 transit returns saw the transit referendum lose by 1,013 votes, 199,527 voting ‘no” and 198,514 voting “yes.” The 2024 vote lost by 28,030 votes. The Forum regrets this mistake in the last edition. The 2024 referendum also had 7,943 more people voting on the question.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Legislators decry gun violence but never take action
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Remembering taking dictation from Reg Murphy
SPOTLIGHT: Walton Gas
FEEDBACK: What will Americans tell their children?
UPCOMING: Kiwanians plan 16th father-daughter dance
NOTABLE: EMC grants $33,038 to Bright Ideas of teachers
RECOMMENDED: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
OBITUARY: John Reginald “Reg” Murphy
GEORGIA TIDBIT: CARE based in Atlanta since 1993
MYSTERY PHOTO: Gorgeous setting for today’s Mystery Photo
LAGNIAPPE: Snellville man named to Military Veterans Hall of Fame
CALENDAR: Celebrate the holidays in Braselton on Nov. 16
Legislators decry gun violence but never take action
Artwork in Malmo, Sweden, via Unsplash.
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | Four Georgia high school students were recently murdered by a teen gunman in Winder. Yes, it is a tragedy. But this situation is not new… and all the praying has failed to solve the firearm problem.
Our national rate of children dying due to guns is six times that of neighboring Canada.
Praying is just a cop out, an excuse not to take any action. Our most religious states are also the ones with the most per capita gun deaths. Five of America’s top ten most religious states are in the top ten states for gun deaths. Four of the remaining five most religious states are in the top twenty states for gun deaths.
Primarily due to politicians opposing gun regulation, firearm use in the U.S. has been out of control for decades. Back in July 2016, American Medical Association (AMA) President Steven J. Stack, M.D., made the following revolutionary statement:”With approximately 30,000 men, women and children dying each year at the barrel of a gun in elementary schools, movie theaters, workplaces, houses of worship and on live television, the United States faces a public health crisis of gun violence.”
Dr. Stack went on to state that unregulated/poorly regulated possession of handguns and rifles is- “a serious threat to the public’s health.” Back in June, , Surgeon General Vivek Hallegere Murthy (stated that the gun violence epidemic is getting worse and “is the leading cause of death among kids and teens.”
Bullying clearly has increased because of electronic communications. Schools have been raising red flags regarding cyber-bullying and deteriorating student mental health. However, no other developed nation has shown our lack of concern for mental health services more than the United States.
Three million American adolescents have seriously thought about suicide. That’s 19 percent of our teens. Almost half of them (nine percent) have already attempted suicide And many students are being arrested for gun possession, often stealing them from oblivious parents, who do not even bother to lock firearms away.
The United States had 48,000 gun deaths just last year, over 130 per day. Half were suicides, made easy by guns. The rest were almost all homicides. Plus, there were even more gun incidents whereby the injured lived. Nearly three-fourths of these were firearm assaults.
It has been nearly a decade since the conservative AMA made the statement above and provided recommendations (addressed below). In just eight years, US gun deaths are up 60 percent! The National Rifle Association “everyone get a gun” approach is just plain counterproductive. The more guns we have, the more firearm deaths-a fact.
There are an estimated 400 million guns in our country, only 15 percent of which are registered (AMMO.com). One-third of adults now own a gun.
There are reasonable solutions. AMA policy has advocated- a waiting period before purchasing, background checks for all gun purchasers, stronger enforcement of existing firearm laws, plus mandatory penalties for illegal firearm possession and gun crimes.
Many American Congressmen and Senators, and out state legislators, continue to lament the deaths from handguns. But these lamentations do little. Doing the same thing over and over is obviously not working. It is one definition of insanity.
Our Congress and state legislature should stop making excuses and act.
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Remembering taking dictation from Reg Murphy
Reg Murphy is fifth from right in this 2023 photo at Mercer University.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
NOV. 15, 2024 | The death of a friend and fellow newspaperman recalls how differently news is reported these days.
Elsewhere in today’s issue, you’ll read of the death of Reg Murphy at his home on the Georgia coast. He was an awesome newspaperman who we always admired. We first knew Reg at Mercer University. He was a year older than I am. (See obituary.)
By the time I began my newspaper career on The Macon Telegraph, Reg was a reporter there. Soon Managing Editor Bill Ott saw good writing skills and a tenacious streak in Reg, and sent him to be the capitol correspondent in Atlanta. That was a key job, as while the newspaper had three wire services – Associated Press, United Press and International News Services reporting on state and national news – Reg was specifically to file stories affecting Macon, Bibb County and Middle Georgia that the wire services didn’t cover as well.
Of course, the key time was when the Legislature was in session. Reg would write his story at the Capitol, and when finished about 7 or 8 p.m., the best way to be in contact with his home office in Macon was to simply call The Telegraph on the telephone.
What would happen next? Back then, The Macon Telegraph had five or six reporters in the newsroom. When Reg called, it would be sent to one of the reporters. That could be me on any particular day. So here would be Reg in Atlanta, and one of us in Macon, typing out the story dictated from Reg on the other end of the phone.
Yep, that was in the days before there were more modern ways to communicate. A telegram was too costly and too slow. And there were no other electronic links. That was before faxes, or computers. Taking the dictated stories was fast and routine. In 20 to 30 minutes, we had it on paper, then read it back to Reg before handing it to City Editor Jim Chapman. We never thought about doing it any other way.
Later, of course, Reg was hired by The Atlanta Constitution, first as a political reporter, then editor. And as the Atlanta editor, well, there was quite another Reg story.
We can pinpoint the date: Feb. 24, 1974. Georgia newspapers were gathered for the Georgia Press Institute in Athens, an annual meeting. As my wife and I came by elevator from our room at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education about 6:30 p.m., we saw many other editors gathered around the lobby television set, turned to local news.
A friend told us breathtakingly: “Somebody has kidnapped Reg Murphy!”
What? He was supposed to be attending our meeting. Little was known about the story, except that someone had demanded $700,000 ransom for him. I recall we all wondered: “How will the Atlanta newspapers raised that much money?” (Little did most of us know how much money the Atlanta newspapers were raking in.) Later we found out that a kidnapper, according to the AJC, had ranted about the “lying, leftist newspapers and Jewish control,” whatever that meant, and kidnapped him.
After 49 hours, the paper paid the ransom for Reg’s release, and his abductor was quickly apprehended. The money was later recovered. From that harrowing experience, Reg went on to become quite a national figure in newspapers, and other walks of life.
And all along, he remained most approachable and genial, and enjoyed retiring on Sea Island.
Reg Murphy: 1934-2024: May you rest in peace.
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Walton Gas
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Walton Gas is a local natural gas provider that serves homes and businesses all across Gwinnett – and the greater Atlanta area! With an office in Gwinnett, they have a rich history of investing in this community – from civic and business groups to non-profits organizations and scholarships/grants for school students and classrooms. They have received the highest customer satisfaction ratings among all of Georgia’s competitive natural gas providers. To learn more about their outstanding value and service, call 770-427-4328 or, visit:www.waltongas.com/gwinnett.
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What will Americans tell their children?
Editor, the Forum:
TRUMP WILL BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT! WHAT NOW?
What now do we tell our children?
- That it is okay to commit felonies?
- That it is okay to incite riots?
- That it is okay to insult our veterans?
- That it is okay to make racist statements?
- That it is okay to use crude language?
- That it is okay to assault women?
- That it is okay to falsify information and then profit from that when paying your taxes?
- That it is okay to make statements that are totally false?
- That it is okay to make promises that you cannot possibly keep?
Do we now tell our children that they can do any unethical, immoral, irresponsible action and still become president of the greatest country on earth?
WHAT NOW?
– Frances Jordan, Peachtree Corners
Little time left to install some protections
Editor, the Forum:
Looks like people claiming to be Republicans will be in control of Congress. This batch contains even more MAGAholics. They are proven to be less principled and much intimidated by Donald Trump.
We will soon learn what is left of the real-historic-Republicans who had control when Trump first took office in 2017 and especially prior to Gingrich’s folly. The GOP as we knew it now stands for “Gone Old Party.” The party of Lincoln is already missed and the mourning will continue.
There are no Liz Cheneys in the House, no Mitt Romneys, nor John McCains in the Senate. And we thought Jesse Helms was dangerous. The Republican senators seeking to become the majority leader are already competing to please Trump (the man who would be king). They are promising immediate confirmation of his appointments.
Our country has 70 days from November 12 to build some protections. Get ‘er done!
– Ashley D Herndon, Oceanside, Calif.
It was like standing in the midst of history
Editor, the Forum:
My wife, Molly, and I recently returned home from a trip to Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The last major site we visited was the Alhambra, the famous palace and fortress complex in Granada, Spain.
In the late 1400s it was under siege by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, and Muhammed XIII, the Sultan of Granada, knowing he could not win, surrendered his kingdom to the Spanish rulers on January 2, 1492. The sultan had used a large room, the Hall of the Ambassadors, as a place to meet visiting dignitaries.
The two Spanish rulers used this as their throne room, and it was there on April 17,1492, they signed a contract with Christopher Columbus to sail west to find a new route to India. As we stood in that room, we realized we were standing in the midst of history.
– John Titus, Peachtree Corners
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.
Kiwanians plan 16th father-daughter dance
The Kiwanis Club of North Gwinnett will present its 16th Annual father-daughter Valentine Dance in early February. The dance usually fills to capacity, so order your tickets early.
This magical evening will be held at the Braselton Civic Center on February 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. and on February 8 at two times, from 5-7 p.m. and from 8 to 10 p.m. Couples should wear dressy/semi formal outfits.
The cost in all the dances is $100 per couple, with $10 each additional daughter. Click the links below to purchase tickets and for more information:
- Tickets: https://www.bigtickets.com/events/ngkc/fdd2025/
- Website: https://www.northgwinnettkiwanis.com/father-daughter-dance
GGC’s 2024 graduates to hear Hendrickson
Before the Class of 2024 celebrates their graduation from Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) on December 14, they hear the keynote speaker, Nicole Love Hendrickson, chairwoman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners. Hendrickson was first elected chairwoman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners in 2020. This month she won re-election to a second term, to start in January. She oversees a budget of more than $2.5 billion and 6,500 full and part time county employees. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, and a master’s in social work from the University of Georgia. She lives in Lilburn with her husband and son.
House majority leader again
Efstration
The Georgia House of Representatives Republican Caucus re-elected State Representative Chuck Efstration (R-Mulberry) as House Majority Leader for the 2025-2026 legislative term on November 12.
He has held this position for two years. He has now served 11 years as a member of the House.
Green Youth Advisory Council announces new members
On the front row are Julia Yoon, Rianne De Los Santos, Asma Naviwala and Jasmine Osorio-Antonio.In the second row are Jennifer Le, Vicky Li, Serena Pradhan, Tanya Nguyen, Falyssa Ly, Eshani Sharma and Nafissa Jannat, while the third row consists of Yusuf Naviwala, Minchan Lee, Aryan Pathak, Samuel Bredland, Sonia Charaniya and Brian Le.
Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful is announcing high school students who will be in the community-focused nonprofit’s flagship youth program for the coming year, the Green Youth Advisory Council.
Schelly Marlatt, Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful executive director, points out that there are in the 2024-25 program 27 students from 13 high schools across Gwinnett County plus welcoming back 12 members from previous GYAC groups.”
Those student members for the coming year are:
- Samuel Bredland, a sophomore from Central Gwinnett High School.
- Sonia Charaniya, a senior from Brookwood High School.
- Rianne De Los Santos, a returning member and senior from Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology.
- Ananya Desai, a junior from Peachtree Ridge High School.
- Asha El, a returning member and junior from Norcross High School.
- Violet Fung, a returning member and Junior from Peachtree Ridge High School.
- Kelly Ho, a junior from Peachtree Ridge High School.
- Nafisa Jannat, a junior from Brookwood High School.
- Brian Le, a junior from Brookwood High School.
- Jennifer Le, a junior from Meadowcreek High School.
- Minchan Lee, a returning member and junior from Mill Creek High School.
- Vicky Li, a sophomore from Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology.
- Falyssa Ly, a junior from Paul Duke STEM.
- Asma Naviwala, a freshman from Parkview High School.
- Yusuf Naviwala, a returning member and sophomore from Parkview High School.
- Tanya Nguyen, a senior from South Gwinnett High School.
- Jasmine Osorio-Antonio, a junior from McClure High School.
- Krish Pate, a junior from Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology.
- Aryan Pathak, a sophomore from McClure High School.
- Mrinali Pathak, a returning member and senior from North Gwinnett High School.
- Serena Pradhan, returning member and senior from Parkview High School.
- Dev Shah, a returning member and junior from North Gwinnett High School.
- Eshani Sharma, a returning member and senior from Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology.
- Allison Shin, a returning member and junior from Mill Creek High School.
- Shivali Singh, a returning member and senior from Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology.
- Elizabeth Woo, a junior from Mill Creek High School.
- Julia Yoon, a returning member and sophomore from Buford High School.
EMC grants $33,038 to Bright Ideas of teachers
Jackson Electric Membership Corporation has awarded 12 Gwinnett County middle schools with $33,038 in Bright Ideas grant funds for 21 innovative classroom projects.
Gwinnett County middle school Bright Ideas grant winning teachers are:
Berkmar Middle School: Abby Paul, $1,620, Tracking Heat Transfer with Digital Precision.
Coleman Middle School: Ashley Johnson, $570, Collaborative Logos: Music Technology and Visual Arts; and Kayoung Mullins, $1,475, Coding Robotic Dogs.
Creekland Middle School: Yolanda Rivera-Suarez, $1,934, Applied Physical Science Using Sensors.
Dacula Middle School: Marissa Brown, $2,000, Electromagnetic Force and Motion;
and Kizzy Parker, $331, Design Your Own Stadium.
Duluth Middle School: Josey Jiminez, $1,980, Symphonic Success.
Hull Middle School: Michelle Morgan, $2,000, Coding Curiosity.
Jones Middle School: Amy Gardner, $1,400, LCD Writing Tablets for Math Engagement; and Beverly Johnson, $621, Seeds of Change.
McConnell Middle School: Karmorreya Brown, $2,000, Interdisciplinary Agriculture in Sustainable Farming.
Radloff Middle School: Craig Schultz, $1,963, Engineering Makerspace.
Richards Middle School: Melissa Ferreira, $1,998, Interdisciplinary Coding Through Robots; Ginomol Mathai, $849, Finch Robot Flock; Claire Putnam, $1,874, Heat Safe Materials in Playground Design; and Emily Smith, $1,940, Force and Motion Through Maze Design.
Sweetwater Middle School: Dana Harrell, $1,917, Virtual Piano Project; and Tracy LeSueur, $2,000, Reading in all Language.
Twin Rivers Middle School: Ahra Bae, $1,740, The Air We Breathe; Andrew Cox, $1,526, Physics Lab on Wheels; and Yoalnda Letman, $1,300, Maglov Cars.
FODAC donates items for senior veterans
On Veterans Day, the First Senior Center of Georgia, located on Oakbrook Parkway in Norcross, hosted a special event to support its senior community, many of whom are veterans who have resettled in the U.S. through the Special Release Reeducation Center Detainee Resettlement Program. This event honored their contributions and recognized their journeys. Thanks to a donation from Friends of Disabled Adults and Children of Stone Mountain, the center distributed essential mobility aids, including wheelchairs, walkers, and canes, to seniors in need. From left are South Vietnan veterans Muoi Vo, Kim Hoanh Nguyen, Tin Nguyen, Que Anh Ha and Tuyet Loan Huynh. Standing behind them are Chris Brand, president/CEO of FODAC, Von Tran, founder of First Senior Center of Georgia, and Emory Morsberger, executive director of Gateway85 CID.
Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
From Susan J. Harris, Stone Mountain: Tova Sullivan is a widow who began working at the Sowell Bay Aquarium on the evening shift. General upkeep includes washing down the displays for the different aquatic animals, mopping floors and other duties as assigned. The solitary job suits her as she deals with the loss of her husband and her son who died mysteriously 30 years ago. When Tova meets Marcellus, she knows right away that he is much more than an Octopus. A friendship develops and slowly but surely Marcellus and Tova unravel the several mysteries about each other and those who live in Sowell Bay. Remarkably Bright Creatures is a delightful, inspiring page turner in which the reader will marvel at the ties between all living creatures. Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a soulfully inspiring read that is sure to appeal to readers who need a spiritual lift.
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John Reginald “Reg” Murphy
John Reginald “Reg” Murphy passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 9, 2024, surrounded with love, music, and his wife of 32 years, Diana, along with Team Murphy Caregivers Maggie and Lila and his Goldendoodle, Sam.
Murphy
A true Renaissance Man, Reg’s extraordinary life was always guided by curiosity, integrity, engagement, and helping those in need. He remained humble, approachable, and universally kind and gentle even at the pinnacle of his professional success as well as his personal pain.
The son of Mae and John Lee Murphy, a schoolteacher and a store owner, Reg was born in Hoschton, in 1934 and raised in Gainesville. Murphy was a standout on the football, basketball, and baseball teams at Gainesville High. In 1948, he played third base and outfield on the school’s state championship team. He quarterbacked the Red Elephants’ football team the year before future Masters champion Tommy Aaron took over as the program’s signal-caller.
Murphy began his journalism career while an undergraduate student at Mercer University in the 1950s, covering local news, sports, and the state capitol for the Macon Telegraph. He went on to serve as a reporter for, and then editor of, The Atlanta Constitution. During his time in Atlanta, Reg was most proud of his work giving voice to civil rights and the progress of the South during the region’s most challenging decade and opposed the war in Vietnam. His work ethic and his ethical compass were extraordinary. In 1959, he was chosen as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University.
Murphy later served as editor and publisher of The San Francisco Examiner and publisher and CEO of the Baltimore Sun. In 1996, he joined the board of directors of Omnicom, a global marketing and communications corporation headquartered in New York City, serving for nearly two decades.
In the early 1990s, Murphy joined the senior leadership of the National Geographic Society. He served as the Society’s president and CEO from 1996 through 1998.
Murphy began a life-long love affair with the game of golf to provide himself therapeutic release in the aftermath of a much-publicized and terrifying kidnapping during his time at the Atlanta Constitution. He became an active and engaged volunteer with the sport’s governing body, the United States Golf Association, serving as the 54th president during 1994 and 1995. During his two one-year terms, Murphy helped usher in a 20-year championship broadcast rights agreement with NBC.
Prior to his presidency, Murphy chaired the USGA’s Championship Committee in 1993. At the time of his passing, Murphy was a member of eight of the world’s oldest and most prestigious golf clubs: the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers (Muirfield); the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews; San Francisco Golf Club; Peachtree Golf Club; Capital City Golf Club; Ocean Forest Golf Club; Sea Island Golf Club; and Frederica Golf Club. In 2015, Reg was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
During his professional career, he represented his communities through the Board of Visitors, College of Journalism, University of Maryland; Board of Trustees and chair, The Johns Hopkins Hospital; Board of Trustees, San Francisco State University; Board of Trustees, California Institute of Technology; and the Baltimore Literacy Foundation.
For more than a decade, he worked with students and faculty at the College of Coastal Georgia, leading the Athletics Futures Committee and serving as executive-in-residence in the School of Business and Public Management. He was honored by the College as its Volunteer of the Year in both 2011 and 2014. In 2015, the College dedicated the Reg Murphy Center for Economic and Policy Studies.
Murphy remained a loyal alumnus and supporter of Mercer, describing the University as “a place where I learned something about the who, what, where, why, and how of journalism.” He served five terms on the Mercer Board of Trustees. He was also the Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient in 1971 and awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1975. To honor his exemplary service and standards, in 2023, Mercer named its journalism program the Reg Murphy Center for Collaborative Journalism. Earlier this year, to salute his distinguished service, the Omnicom Reg Murphy Scholarship in Journalism was established at Mercer to provide substantive support for ten students annually for the next decade.
In his retirement, he remained an active and generous volunteer, serving on Mercer’s National Journalism Advisory Board and the boards of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society and Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation.
Murphy published two respected books; his first, The Southern Strategy, was written with his colleague, Hal Gulliver, in 1971. In 1999, he wrote the biography of his friend and fellow Mercer University alumnus, former U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell, entitled Uncommon Sense: The Achievement of Griffin Bell.
Survivors include his wife of nearly 32 years, Diana Mather Murphy; a sister, Barbara McConnell of Gainesville; two daughters, Karen Cornwell and Susan Murphy; and two grandsons.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 1 p.m. at St. Simons Presbyterian Church followed by a celebration of Reg Murphy’s extraordinary life at Ocean Forest on Sea Island. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Second Harvest Food Bank of Brunswick, Toys for Tots Brunswick, Marine Corp Reserves and the College of Coastal Georgia Athletics Program.
CARE based in Atlanta since 1993
CARE is one of the largest private humanitarian organizations in the world. The nonprofit organization, which has based in Atlanta since 1993, works with poor communities worldwide to find a lasting solution to the problem of poverty through education, economic security, and civic participation. CARE employs about 12,000 people globally, including approximately 300 staff members who work at CARE’s Atlanta headquarters. CARE’s poverty-fighting work reaches about 55 million people through 861 projects in 66 countries.
In 1945, 22 American organizations joined together in New York as CARE (or the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe) to assemble, package, and ship lifesaving supplies to survivors of World War II. The first 20,000 “CARE packages” arrived in Le Havre, France, on May 11, 1946, and contained U.S. Army surplus food. American citizens joined the efforts to help starving family and friends in Europe by purchasing packages for $10 apiece. After the army surplus was exhausted, CARE began assembling its own packages, which included such items as canned meat, coffee, chocolate, and egg powder. Over the next two decades at least 100 million CARE packages were sent to Europe, Asia, and eventually, other parts of the developing world. Over time, CARE packages came to include carpentry tools, books, blankets, and medicine. The food package program ended in 1967.
Issues that CARE focuses on today—in partnership with donors, other organizations, and the communities it serves—include HIV/AIDS, hunger, water and sanitation, education, economic development, and people’s right to participate in policy decisions that affect their lives. The organization operates programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. CARE does not conduct humanitarian efforts in the United States.
CARE supports schools that permit girls to receive equal access to education; initiates village savings and loan programs that allow women to pool their resources to start businesses and provide income for their families; contributes seeds, tools, and information to help farmers enhance their crops; sponsors health projects, especially to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other treatable diseases; and partners with other organizations to address environmental concerns.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Gorgeous setting for today’s Mystery Photo
Today’s Mystery Photo has few clues for you to ponder on. It is in a gorgeous setting. See if you can figure out where it’s located. Send your guess to ebrack2@gmail.com, and include your hometown.
The previous mystery was tough, as only four people recognized it. Jay Altman of Columbia, S.C. wrote: “This is the Albert Memorial Clock (more commonly referred to as the Albert Clock) is a clock tower located in Queen’s Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was completed in 1869.” The photo came from Rick Krause of Lilburn.
Also recognizing it were Stewart Ogilvie of Rehobeth, Ala.; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; and Allan Peel of San Antonia, Tex., who added: “It’s more commonly referred to as the Albert Clock. It’s situated at Queen’s Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland and is one of the best known landmarks of Belfast. It was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s consort, Prince Albert, whose statue can be seen in the mystery photo above the base of the clock tower. Some folks suggest that the Albert Clock should be renamed to ‘Little Al,’ since it was fashioned after its older and much bigger brother ‘Big Ben’ in London. The sandstone tower of ‘Little Al’ is 113 feet tall and sits on a 30-foot base which makes the tower 142 feet high, less than half the height of Big Ben (which stands at 316 feet high).”
- 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.
Snellville resident inducted in Veterans Hall of Fame
Being inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame recently at ceremonies in Columbus is James Edward Walters, a resident of Snellville. Shown with him is Georgia State Senator Ed Harbison. Walters is a Naval veteran who attained the rank of Petty Officer Second Class. Only 15 Georgia veterans are named to this distinctive hall each year, based on their achievements.
Celebrate the holidays in Braselton on Nov. 16
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.
Gwinnett Historical Society will meet November 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Rhodes Jordan Park Community Center. Speaking will be retired Naval Lieutenant Commander Michael N. Henderson, author, lecturer and family history researcher, and a resident of Sugar Hill. A native of New Orleans, he will give his insight regarding the role that forbidden relationships had in the evolution of the unique Louisiana Creole culture.
Share your vision for a thriving Park Place district! Join us on Monday, November 18 for the Visioning Workshop at the Mountain Park Activity Building at 6 p.m. to learn about the Park Place Master Plan project recommendations and share your ideas on how the community could improve. The Mountain Park Activity Building is located at 1063 Rockbridge Road in Stone Mountain. For more information, visit GwinnettCounty.com/ParkPlacePlan.
Messiah sing-along: Join with Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church and members of Gwinnett Symphony Chorus to start the Christmas season: A Messiah sing-along! This will take place on Sunday, November 24, at 3 p.m. This event is FREE to all and all are welcomed. Audience members are invited to sing or simply sit back and enjoy the performance. (Choral scores will be provided.) Singers interested in joining the choir may attend the rehearsal held at the church Sunday, November 17, from 6-8 p.m. Scores provided.
Improve Your Writing Craft: Learn how to improve your writing craft with award-winning author and Emory University creative writing professor Tiphanie Yanique. Books will be available for sale and signing. The program will be at the Snellville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on November 23 at 11 a.m.
The Lilburn Holiday Tree Lighting is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, November 23, in City Park. Performances will be at the bandshell from local school groups. There will be arts and crafts booths, and a selection will be from food truck vendors. Kids can take pictures with Santa, listen to stories read by Mrs. Claus, and enjoy a ride on the Lil’ Holiday Train, among other activities. The big tree in Lilburn City Park will be lit at dark, marking the start of the holiday season!
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