GwinnettForum | Number 23.97 | Dec. 13, 2024
NEIGHBORHOOD CHRISTMAS TRAIN. Here are two views of the activity at this event, which takes place at 3135 Reps Miller Road in Norcross, for the benefit of the Neighborhood Cooperative Ministry. It is Atlanta’s largest Christmas Train and is open on weekends: December 14-15, and December 21-22. Times are Saturday evenings from 5-9 p.m. and Sunday afternoons from 1-5 p.m. New this year: Saturday special events: December 7: Pajama Party. You can see these Lionel trains chugging past replicas of such places as Landeau Field of Green Bay, Wis., and of the Chrysler building in New York. Kids wearing pajamas get free hot chocolate.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Two GGC commencement speakers overcome adversity
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Corporate-owned residences growing in Georgia
SPOTLIGHT: PCOM Georgia
ANOTHER VIEW: Implications of new national policies on the economy
FEEDBACK: When will the county leadership listen to voters?
UPCOMING: Coker is the first mayor of City of Mulberry
NOTABLE: CofC recognizes 2024 small business award winners
RECOMMENDED: Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Elberton house had first Christmas tree in Georgia
MYSTERY PHOTO: Such an idyllic photograph is today’s mystery
CALENDAR: A Christmas Carol is Dec. 21 at Norcross Episcopal Church
Two GGC commencement speakers overcome adversity
Jackson. Photos provided.
By Ken Scar
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) is celebrating two extraordinary graduates whose journeys exemplify the power of resilience, determination, and a commitment to serving others. Mikiah Miller and Shari Jackson come from vastly different backgrounds but share a common thread: the courage to forge new paths in the face of adversity.
Miller
Both Miller and Jackson, who will serve as Commencement Student Speakers for the college’s two December 14 commencement ceremonies, embody GGC’s core values of leadership, creativity, service, and scholarship.
Born into a military family in Honolulu, Hawaii, Miller grew up surrounded by a legacy of service. Inspired by her parents, both military veterans, she dreamed of joining the U.S. Navy. However, health issues forced her to take a medical discharge before completing boot camp. Undeterred, Miller shifted her focus to technology, enrolling at GGC as an IT major.
Miller moved to Metro Atlanta and graduated from Dutchtown School in Hampton. After graduating high school, Miller’s family moved to Lawrenceville, where she resides with her dad, Ken, a retired U.S. Navy officer, and her stepmom, Vera, a retired paralegal. Both are pastors.
“I started at GGC with just a bag of belongings and a lot of questions about what my future would hold,” Miller says.
At GGC, Miller’s natural affinity for technology flourished. She worked at the campus IT help desk, gaining invaluable hands-on experience and developing a passion for problem-solving and customer service. Her academic achievements included acceptance into the honors program and internships that paved the way for leadership roles, including serving as president of Women in Technology, a nonprofit that empowers women in STEAM fields.
“GGC kept me grounded and gave me a community that celebrated my growth and accomplishments,” she says.
After graduation, Miller aims to work in IT within the local or federal government and plans to pursue a doctorate to inspire the next generation of IT professionals.
For Shari Jackson, GGC represented a second chance. At 55, she enrolled as a first-year human services major, a bold step after years of caregiving for her mother and aunt while raising her children. It was her mother and aunt’s encouragement that motivated her to return to college.
“They frequently urged me to earn my degree so I could help others,” Jackson says.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Jackson relocated to Georgia in 2006, where she balanced caregiving responsibilities and family life. The loss of her mother and aunt within six months of each other in 2015 was the catalyst for her decision to enroll at GGC. She embraced the experience, forming lasting relationships with classmates and staff. Jackson was enrolled in Baltimore Community College in 2002 but had to withdraw when she became pregnant with her son.
“Through the ups and downs of life, I am grateful for my decision to restart my journey here at GGC,” Jackson said.
After graduation, Jackson plans to explore advanced degrees in public administration or policy but will first take time to reflect on her accomplishments and reconnect with her hometown of Baltimore.
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Corporate-owned residences growing in Georgia
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
DEC. 13, 2024 | It is a disturbing fact that emerged recently. Private corporations own more than 51,000 single-family rental homes in Georgia.
Gwinnett leads all of Georgia when it comes to corporate-owned rental houses, totaling 9,680. The closest to it is in Henry County, where corporations own 5,761 corporate-owned rentals, followed by Cobb County with 5,284 and Fulton County, with 4,150 houses owned by corporations.
That is not the position Gwinnett County and the state of Georgia needs to encourage.
What is most troubling about this is that those families who live in these 51,000 homes are paying rent each month-after-month for no long-range benefit. They are only paying for each month’s housing. They are also not building any equity in their homes. The act of paying off a mortgage on a home loan each month, rather than paying rent, accounts for the ways most families build generational wealth over the years.
It may seem like a 30 year mortgage) takes forever to pay off. But when you finish paying for it, your home, in 95 percent of the cases, is worth far more than you paid for it, even accounting for inflation. That’s the equity. It’s the way most people propel themselves to a better lifestyle.
So, by individual families paying monthly rental to these giant corporations, these renters allow these big owners to enjoy the growing equity in the residence, making these firms even bigger, but leaving out the family’s ability for a better lifestyle. The big corporate owners become fatter cats in this process.
Who are these corporations? Seven operating in Georgia are:
- Invitation Homes of Sandy Springs;
- AMH Homes, Las Vegas, Nev.;
- Tricon Residential of Toronto, Ontario, Canada;
- Home Partners of America, Chicago, Ill.;
- Progress Residential, Alpharetta;
- FirstKey Homes,(undetermined location via internet); and
- Amherst, with offices in Austin, Tex. and New York, N.Y.
One story said: “Metro Atlanta has become ground zero for an investor takeover of the American Dream.” In reality, it’s Gwinnett County that is ground zero for this preying on buying out single family houses and converting them into rental units. Investors bought one of every three homes for sale in Atlanta from July 2021 to June 2022.
What these corporate publicly traded companies do is to buy the homes, then convert into rental properties and bundle into complex investment vehicles.
A shortage in housing, going back to the recession of 2008-09, contributes to this. Since then, there have been long-term housing shortages, inflated construction costs and a surge in consumer demand. All have contributed to the historic rise in prices. It makes homeownership out of reach for many first-time buyers.
Meanwhile, all this has driven up rental prices. The average apartment renter now has to fork out $1,630 a month, according to Matt Elder, of Housing and Community Development for Gwinnett.
If you own a home locally, think back about some of the junk calls you have received. These callers seek to know if you are interested in selling your house for cash. These calls are uninvited, out of the blue.
One idea was that the callers represented overseas investors, looking to put their cash to work in the United States. Some suggested it was rich Chinese investors.
But now this looks like it could have been these giant corporations, employing telemarketers to find them homes to buy, and convert into rental housing.
Eliminating heavy corporate-owned rental housing is going to be difficult. We urge those with ideas on how to solve this problem to step forward.
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PCOM Georgia
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Established in 2005, PCOM Georgia is a private, not-for-profit, accredited institute of higher education dedicated to the healthcare professions. The Suwanee, Ga., campus is affiliated with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, a premier osteopathic medical school with a storied history. Doctoral degrees in Pharmacy (PharmD), Physical Therapy (DPT) and Osteopathic Medicine (DO) are offered at PCOM Georgia. Graduate degrees at the master’s level can be earned in Biomedical Sciences, Medical Laboratory Science and Physician Assistant (PA) Studies. Emphasizing a “whole person approach to care,” PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the wider community. To learn more about how PCOM Georgia is shaping the future of health, visit www.pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500.
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Implications of new national policies on the economy
By Randy Brunson
SUWANEE, Ga. | Voters have returned Donald Trump to office. Among his campaign promises was an “America First” approach, which includes deporting illegal aliens and assessing significant tariffs on goods from around the globe, especially China. How much of these promises get implemented versus what falls to the realities of governance remains to be seen.
Brunson
Our assessment of impact if these measures are fully implemented? Nothing but inflation. Reducing the number of available employees will increase labor costs, which will find their way through the supply chain to the products and services we buy. And tariffs on imported goods will increase the acquisition costs of goods which, once again, will find their way to the retail side as an increase in the cost of those imported goods. What will actually happen? We don’t know, though we suspect it won’t be nearly as all-encompassing as the campaign rhetoric would have us believe.
For Social Security benefits, the COLA (cost of living adjustment) for 2025 is 2.5 percent or $25 per $1,000 of benefit. The Social Security wage base, meaning the wages against which the full Social Security tax is assessed, is increasing from $168,600 to $176,100. That means those who earn above $168,000 will pay slightly more in the Social Security tax. Those who have taken Social Security prior to their Full Retirement Age may now earn up to $23,400 without a reduction in Social Security benefits.
The breakpoints for Medicare premium increases for Parts B and D, for married filing jointly, are $212,000, $266,000, $334,000, $400,000, $750,000, and more than $750,000. That means that as your Modified Adjusted Gross Income moves through these breakpoints, your Medicare premiums will increase. The 2025 premium is based on 2023 income as there is a two-year look back.
The salary deferral limit for 401(k) plans is $23,500. With the age 50 bonus of $7,500, those of us north of 50 can contribute or defer a total of $31,000. For those of you between ages 60 and 63, the catch up limit is $11,500, allowing you to defer $35,000.
For Simple IRAs? The deferral limit is either $16,500 or $17,600, depending on employee headcounts and plan elections. Catch up limit is $3,500, or $5,250 for those between ages 60 and 63.
For those of you making the maximum 401(k) deferral, the per-paycheck contribution for those 50 and over is $1,291 for 24 pays a year and $1,192 for 26 pays a year. Connect with your payroll team to make the adjustments.
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When will the county leadership listen to voters?
Editor, the Forum:
Kudos to Laurie McClain, a member, Gwinnett Transit Advisory Board, for her practical and supportable ideas, and for her micro-transit approach to moving micro-numbers of Gwinnett citizens around the county.
That is an approach that I would support. Yet will Gwinnett leadership listen? Or will they try to shove a mass-transit approach again, and again and again, for a lifetime on the county citizens already paying new higher property taxes?
– Jonathan Galucki, Buford
Likes idea of this original Christmas present solution
Editor, the Forum:
Enjoyed Susan McBrayer’s Christmas solution from today!(Giving time to each other, rather than wrapped presents.) Sounds more meaningful and less stressful! A win-win!
– Cindy Evans, Duluth
Many of our natives won’t do back-breaking work
Editor, the Forum:
Ashley Herndon has hit the nail on the head again!!
After teaching for 32 years, I became a Realtor. I often showed houses in new subdivisions. In every one of them, the roofs and framing on these new houses were being done by Hispanics. We just had a new roof put on our house four years ago, and the same thing was true: all the workers installing our roof were Hispanics.
They were doing this back-breaking job in terrible heat and humidity for what I suspect was very little pay. They worked a 12 hour day in order to get the roof completed in one day. I kept going out to make sure they all had water to drink, and snacks to eat. I can imagine how much the prices of roofs, or price on foods that are harvested by these hard-working people are going to go up because of the lack of U.S. citizens who will do these jobs.
– Peggy Averyt, Grayson
Ferlinghetti’s words are so apt these days
Editor, the Forum:
The famed Lawrence Ferlinghetti out in California wrote a telling poem in 2007 called Pity the Nation. In this poem, he predicts our current political environment. The first few lines of this poem gives the gist of it.
Pity the nation whose people are sheep
And whose shepherds mislead them
Pity the nation whose leaders are liars
Whose sages are silenced
– Alan Schneiberg, Sugar Hill
Commentary needs to include one more word
Editor, the Forum:
Ashley Herndon leaves out one key word from his tirade: “Illegal.”
No one wants to deport immigrants who have entered the USA legally! Those who have entered ILLEGALLY and broken the law by doing so are the ones that need to leave.
– Kathy Schmidt, Lawrenceville
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.
Coker is the first mayor of City of Mulberry
Named as the first mayor of the new City of Mulberry is Michael Coker. He was selected by his fellow council members as the new mayor. Michel Rudnick was elected as mayor pro tempore.
Coker
Coker, 38, is an Atlanta native, and is a personal injury attorney. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and the Georgia State College of Law. He has lived in Gwinnett his entire life, is married and he and his wife have three children.
Rudnick
Rudnick, 44, is a native of Boston, Mass. and is also a graduate of the University of Georgia. He is nearing completion of his masters of public administration degree at UGA. He is the fleet director of the City of Lawrenceville. He and his wife have one son.
The city has scheduled two meetings, on December 17 and 30, both at Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church, 1450 Pine Road in Dacula. The December 17 meeting will serve as the first read/public hearing for zoning ordinances, the zoning map, and sign ordinances. A second read/public hearing/emergency adoption for the zoning ordinances, zoning map, and sign ordinances will be held at noon on January 1, 2025.
Annual Extension Service plant sale nearing
Pre-orders for UGA Extension Gwinnett’s annual plant sale fundraiser begin January 2. Community members are invited to support the County’s 4-H and Master Gardener projects while finding fruit and ornamental plants that thrive in Georgia soil to complement their landscape.
This year’s diverse selection of plants includes apples, blueberries, pears, azaleas, camellias and hydrangeas.
Preorders for the plant sale run through Friday, February 28. Purchases can be made in person at the UGA Extension Gwinnett office located at 750 South Perry Street, Suite 400 in Lawrenceville or by mailing in an order form available at GwinnettExtension.com.
Last year, the sale raised almost $5,000 for agriculture and resource programming.
“Fundraising is just one of the many ways to help cover costs of activities for our young members,” said Gwinnett Community Services Deputy Department Director Regina Miller. “We’re grateful for the continued support of our community and look forward to another successful event.”
The pickup and bonus sale is from 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 13 at the Davis Road entrance of the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, located at 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville. For more details, visit GwinnettExtension.com
Chamber recognizes 2024 small business award winners
The Gwinnett Chamber hosted the 2024 Small Business Awards recently in Duluth. The program recognized 12 winners from over 150 finalists for exceptional business practices and entrepreneurial excellence.
Winners were announced in real-time as follows:
- Founder Award: Sam and Chrissy Thomas, ‘About Face Skin Care’;
- Veteran-Owned Small Business: Khamia Strategies (Candy Isabel);
- Small Business (0-5 Employees): Long Table, LLC (Linnea Miller);
- Small Business (25+ Employees): SimpleFloors (Bin Liu);
- Support System Award: Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (Sonji Franklin);
- Woman-Owned Small Business: Tabitha’s House, Inc. (Dr. Margie Gill);
- Community Contributor: StreetWise (Tracy Joseph);
- Emerging Entrepreneur: HB Consulting Co. (Heather Bellew);
- Culture Creator: Green Financial Resources, LLC (Roger Green);
- Small Business (6-24 Employees): Explore Gwinnett Tourism + Film (Victoria Hawkins and Clara Rooks);
- Minority-Owned Small Business: Lawson Personal Injury Attorneys (Yari Lawson); and
- Launch Award: Jefa Mom, LLC (Elisa Molina).
Dr. Randy Ross, author of Make Life Good and CEO of Remarkable, inspired the audience with the simple concept of living an intentional, purpose-filled life dedicated to leaving one’s mark and changing the world for good.
Watkins wins awards from pharmacist group
Gwinnett County District 3 Commissioner Jasper Watkins III (right) of Grayson has been awarded the 2024 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and Association of Black Health System Pharmacists Joint Leadership Award. The award recognizes exceptional leadership and commitment to advancing health-system pharmacy practice and improving public health, particularly within underrepresented communities. The award was formally presented to Watkins at the ASHP Awards Luncheon event held on December 10 in New Orleans, La. Presenting the award is ASHP President Leigh A. Briscoe-Dwyer of Johnson City, N.Y.
Application time for EMC’s Walter Harrison scholarship
Jackson Electric Membership Cooperative is accepting applications for the annual Walter Harrison Scholarship, which provides $1,000 for academic expenses to students pursuing post-secondary education at Georgia colleges and technical schools.
Students who are currently enrolled or have been accepted as full- or part-time students at accredited two- or four-year universities, colleges, or vocational-technical institutes in Georgia are eligible to apply. Applicants must also reside in a primary household served by Jackson EMC.
Students are evaluated on financial need, grade point average, SAT scores, academic standing, scholastic honors and community involvement. Applicants must complete an application and submit a biographical sketch with educational goals.
- How to apply: visit www.jacksonemc.com/walterharrisonscholarship.
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.
- 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.
First Georgia Christmas tree was in Elberton
The “Christmas Tree House” (in Elberton) was the home of George Loehr, where it is said in 1858 the first Christmas tree was erected in Georgia. Local schools and organizations decorate Christmas trees in front of the house every December. The building is now a place of business. (Photo by Melinda Smith Mullikin, New Georgia Encyclopedia.)
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgi]aencyclopedia.org
Such an idyllic photograph is today’s mystery
Today’s Mystery Photo seems an idyllic place, with a harbor, a town and mountains with leaves turning on the trees. Figure out where this is and send your idea to ebrack2@gmail.com, along with your hometown.
In Gwinnett
Jay Altman of Columbia, S.C. pinpointed the last mystery, telling us it is “an obelisk in Town Center Park in Suwanee. It was unveiled at the dedication of the park in December, 2003.” The photo was taken by George Graf of Palmyra, Va.
In London.
Also recognizing it were Lou Camerio of Lilburn; and Allan Peel of San Antonio. Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill also sent a photo of a similar statue in London, England.
- 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.
A Christmas Carol is Dec. 21 at Norcross Episcopal Church
The Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra will perform two family-friendly holiday concerts on December 14 at Mount Pisgah Church in Johns Creek. Music Director finalist Paul Bhasin will conduct both concerts in his JCSO debut. A kid’s Christmas program will be at 3:30 p.m. on December 14. Holidays with JCSO will take place that same day at 7:30 p.m.
Lionheart Theatre of Norcross will present Game’s Afoot, or Homes for the holidays on December 19-22 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 p.m. There will also be a Saturday matinee on December 21 at 2 p.m. This is to be directed by Darci Rose Wells. Tickets available by calling 404-919-4022.
The Nutcracker will be the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre’s 42nd annual production on December 13-15, and December 19-22 at the Gas South Theatre in Duluth. Be captivated as Drosselmeyer’s magic ushers in an army of mice at the stroke of midnight and the Christmas tree and Clara’s beloved nutcracker spring to life. Travel with Clara and her Nutcracker prince as they set out on a wonder- filled journey to battle the Mouse King and travel through the Land of the Snowflakes and Kingdom of the Sweets to meet the Sugar Plum Fairy. For tickets, visit this link.
Holiday Pops! with the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will be presented at the Norcross First Global Methodist Church on December 15 at 5 p.m. Kids will be invited to help conduct the orchestra on stage in the production of Sleigh Ride! For tickets, visit Gwinnettsymphony.org.
Mobile Career Lab will be at the Lawrenceville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on December 19 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Climb aboard the Mobile Career Lab to receive assistance from a professional Human Resource Specialist in career planning, job readiness coaching, resume assistance, information about training opportunities, and more.
The Christ Episcopal Church Players of Norcross will present the Christmas Classic A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens on Saturday, December 21 at 3 p.m. at the church. A light reception will follow in Webster Hall. Those wishing to join the reading are welcomed. Rehearsals will be at noon on December 8 and December 15. The Church Players are also looking for singers for music interludes during the reading. If you are interested in joining in on those, email Tracey Rice at traceyrice99@gmail.com
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