3/1: On centrists, Trump and Apple

THE AREA NEAR Sugarloaf Parkway, Lakes Parkway and Georgia Highway 316 will be the site of two new developments, a 239 unit apartment complex and a hotel. The apartments will open in early 2017, while the hotel will open in 2018. Note the white pipes in this photograph, which since have been covered, and are part of the underground stormwater storage system. The water will be slowly released when full. On top of this storage area will be a parking lot. For more details, see Upcoming below.

TODAY’S FOCUS: It’s Sometimes Difficult to Think Like a Centrist

EEB PERSPECTIVE: Is Trump Candidacy on Target, Much Like Reagan Came On?

ANOTHER VIEW: Government Argument for Apple Master Key Is a Trojan Horse

SPOTLIGHT: The IMPACT! Group

FEEDBACK: On Political Bullying, Low-Level Jobs and Another Way To Help a Charity

UPCOMING: Apartments, Hotel Coming to Sugarloaf at Lakes Parkways Area

NOTABLE: Great American Clean-Up Opens; New Logo for Art-on-River

GEORGIA TIDBIT: Georgia Court of Appeals Began Because of Workload of Supreme Court

TODAY’S QUOTE: Achieving Excellence Grows from Little Matters and Attitude

MYSTERY PHOTO: In the Bright Sunshine, Just What Type of Building Is This?

LAGNIAPPE: Pink Magnolia Signals Spring

Writer finds it becomes difficult to think like a centrist

By Michael Wood

PEACHTREE CORNERS, Ga., March 1, 2016 | Tim Sullivan’s letter in GwinnettForum (2/12/16) illustrates why it’s easy to be an extreme ideologue and it’s hard to be a centrist. He said “…most Americans do not want to become Europe, we do not want to continue the fall into a welfare state where the government provides our every need.” (Emphasis added.) He was directing his comments about Bernie Sanders’ proposals regarding a higher minimum wage, the government reducing people’s student debt, and a single-payer medical care regime, perhaps among other government welfare programs.

Wood

Let’s examine each proposal in turn; but first some comments about nuance. I believe our debate about government programs, particularly welfare programs, should be more nuanced. We don’t have to take an “all or nothing” approach to future socialistic programs. We already have several, socialistic federal and state/local programs that most (at least many) Americans value and want to remain in place. These programs include Social Security, Medicare, and minimum wage laws.

Does Mr. Sullivan propose ending these programs and laws to avoid falling into “a welfare state where the government provides our every need”? I don’t think so; but even if he does, how many politicians would be foolish enough to advance such proposals?

Minimum Wage: These laws have been in place for most or all of my 71 years. To me the question is at what level society wants to set minimum wages. I think a jump to $15 per hour is too high, even if it was phased in over a few years. The $15 per hour is about double the existing minimum wage in most areas of the country. I believe $10 per hour is reasonable. A family might reasonably make it on combined incomes of $40,000 per year; but, it’s less likely they could make it on today’s $30,000.

Reducing Student Debt: I don’t favor reducing existing student debt, as the individuals who incurred it did so at their own initiation, even if they did not understand the full implications of what they are doing. Perhaps the federal government could encourage creditors holding student debt to lengthen the payment period and even reduce the interest rate; but, I don’t think the government should require creditors to do so.

Single-payer Medical Care Regime: I don’t believe medical care is a so-called human right. However, I do believe societies benefit themselves by providing some government subsidies to those who cannot afford basic medical services or who would be bankrupted by the high cost of care for certain injuries and diseases.

The arguments for single-payer include that it is easier for people to use, less costly, and that society benefits from supporting the health of its members. It also eliminates transferring revenues to for-profit insurance companies who merely act as middle-men.

Certainly, there are arguments against single-payer, but let’s not make the argument based on the label of “socialized medicine.” Let’s make it on some reasonable analysis of the pros and cons of a single-payer regime.

It seems to me that extreme socialism and extreme capitalism do not benefit the people sufficiently to warrant their pursuit.  However, some mix of capitalism and socialism should provide sufficient benefits to enough people to warrant seeking the optimum mix.

Is Trump candidacy on target, much like Reagan came on?

By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher

MARCH 1, 2016 | Is this the year of the Trump?

It looks more like it every day. The voting today in 11 states could open the way, it would appear, toward the Trump nomination as the GOP candidate. Efforts over the last few days to meld together old-line Republicans in solid opposition just didn’t work.

Should Trump take most of the marbles in the primaries today, it could open the floodgates toward his nomination as the GOP candidate.

What worries many Americans is what our government would be like with Trump as president. Certainly our State Department must be worried about his diplomatic manner. Can you see Trump making significant headway with world leaders, or our Congress, businessmen and people of good faith?

It would appear that it would be hard to trust the guy, fearing any agreement made with him might be turned around by none other than Trump the next day.

Trump’s moving toward the nomination reminds us of the way Ronald Reagan swept the nation back in 1980.  After Mr. Reagan got the nomination, people across the nation asked, “Will we elect an actor as president?”  We did, and we must admit, he was a reasonable president.  Now do we face a reality show billionaire as president?

Up to now we have been thinking that Hillary Clinton somehow would not be the eventual nominee of the Democratic Party.  Now she looks more likely as the nominee, and we wonder if Donald Trump may be the only Republican who could defeat her in what seems like a Democratic year.  After all, Trump is pulling from those who feel disadvantaged in both parties. He could cause quite a few Democrats to switch their vote to him.

We could see another element: as president, Trump would not be a traditional Republican. He would tick off many Republicans in Congress. There might be bi-partisan support AGAINST him from the Congress, with both parties scratching their heads how to govern with him. So Trump, by himself, might make bi-partisanship strong again. It might even get both the major parties to talk to one another.

Who ever would have thought that Election Year 2016 would have turned like this.

Trump faces some difficult non-political challenges, surrounding his questionable business dealings. Perhaps the worst is a lawsuit, anticipated to come to trial this year though several years old, of people who felt taken by paying big sums to Trump University, and getting little out of it. So the charges will continue to fly. Will enough of them bring Trump down, in the eyes of the GOP? That seems about to be the major hope of party regulars who don’t want him to win the nomination.

The summer conventions are still months away. Marco Rubio and John Kasich seem waiting anxiously in the wings, candidates acceptable to many Republicans. If enough nasty laundry gets aired about Trump, is there enough to take him down? Or is it possible that he’ll crack under such strains, and get out of the race. We doubt that part. His ego would not accept that.

So far, Trump keeps dominating the headlines, and racking up victories, though his numbers in returns or polls seldom go over 35 percent. He and his backers anticipate victory. The rest of us wonder if The Year of the Trump can be stopped.

Government argument for Apple master key is a Trojan horse

By Debra Houston

MARCH 1, 2016 | A couple years ago, I switched from a personal computer to an Apple iMac. Viruses ravaged my PC like so many Visigoths crashing down on the Roman Empire. Despite antivirus debuggers, brute malware, and lofty firewalls, I’d routinely visit the Geek Doc and plunk down a hundred plus dollars to sweep out the invaders. Those hundreds added up. I could’ve bought a new computer with what I’d spent on fixing one PC.

I don’t know how Apple halts invaders, but the Geek Doc is out of business for me. It is rare for a hacker to gain entry into Apple products, but if you’re stupid enough to disclose passwords to a Nigerian prince, then don’t be surprised when your bank account reads zero.

With that said, I’m annoyed with the FBI tasking Apple to invent a master key to unlock the Apple iPhone of San Bernardino terrorist Syed Farook. Annoyed, because the terrorist angle is a Trojan horse.

First understand that according to 9to5mac.com, the FBI said it had initially reset the iCloud password on the terrorist’s iPhone and that it seemed like a screw-up. I suspect the FBI didn’t have a real IT person on hand. Secondly understand that Apple techs came immediately upon FBI request and gave the Bureau all the data it possessed. So Apple isn’t thumbing its nose at anyone.

The problem is that Uncle Sam wants a key to unlock everyone’s iPhone. If Apple complies and gives the government a hack-able path, you can be certain hackers will also use said path. Think about the data you store on your phone: Where you go and when, what you do, who you call, and what you text. It’s nobody’s business.

I love America with all my heart, but I question the government with the entire analytic left-side of my brain. This isn’t about San Bernardino. The government is manipulating right-brain emotional types who always believe Chicken Little when he says the sky is falling.

What the government is mandating from Apple would be like me walking up to Bob Dylan and demanding he create a new song for my use. Can government force you to create something? And for its own use?

Our government is prepared to play nasty. It has filed a Federal court order to force Apple to comply. I say, let the lawsuit begin.

The IMPACT! Group

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s underwriter is The IMPACT! Group, a full-service housing assistance agency based in Norcross. The IMPACT! Group provides a range of housing assistance services, including foreclosure prevention, homebuyer education, financial education, and transitional housing to the residents and military veterans of Gwinnett County and greater Atlanta.  In the past year alone, the agency operated approximately 60 percent of the transitional housing units available to homeless families in Gwinnett and provided over 5,000 of your neighbors with housing counseling and education. Awarded the 2010 D. Scott Hudgens Humanitarian Award by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, The IMPACT! Group is able to provide all of its services in both English and Spanish. If you or a loved one are facing a home foreclosure or are looking to access down payment assistance to buy a home, The IMPACT! Group may be able to help. All IMPACT! housing counselors are HUD-certified as well as certified military housing counselors, and all homeowner counseling sessions are kept confidential.

• Visit their website at: www. theimpactgroup.org.
• For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: Our sponsors.

Which candidates show characteristics of being a bully?

Editor, the Forum:

In the United States of America, we are dedicated to eradicating the harmful and sometimes lethal effects of bullying in our schools and workplaces. According to STOPBULLYING.com, a bully may be defined as “a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates seemingly smaller or weaker people.”

Bullying is characterized by:

• An imbalance of power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
• Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.
• Just as kids exhibit behaviors that tell us they have a tendency toward being a bully, adults do the same.

As you watch the candidates who ask for our votes for the highest position in the land, notice their actions and decide for yourself if that person is/is not sending a message that ‘’bullying is OK.” You be the judge.

A candidate for president may be a bully if he or she:

• Makes threats;
• Spreads rumors;
• Attacks someone physically or verbally;
• Excludes someone from a group on purpose;
• Teases excessively;
• Calls people unflattering names;
• Makes Inappropriate sexual comments;
• Taunts;
• Threatens to cause harm;
• Leaves someone out on purpose;
• Tells others not to be friends with someone;
• Spreads rumors about someone; and
• Embarrasses someone in public.

Who else do you know who is a bully without being labeled as such?

— Betsy Pickren, Duluth

Wants to bring back “low level” jobs lost over last 30 years

Editor, the Forum:

Put me in the column for casinos. Just look at the number of “low level” jobs we’ve lost in the past 30 years. This is what leads to poverty, crime, etc. We need jobs, jobs and more jobs.

If anyone can figure out how to bring back those hundreds of thousands of manufacturing and textile jobs, fine, but in the meantime, I’ll take the casino and racetrack jobs.

— Alvin Johnson, Sandy Springs

Suggests way for local charities to get dollars from Internet sales

Editor, the Forum:

Recently I discovered that Amazon has a foundation set up to make donations to customer-selected charities. It is called AmazonSmile. If you have an account at Amazon, you can sign up for AmazonSmile. Then AmazonSmile will donate 0.5 percent of the sale price of your qualified purchases to the charity of your choice. You can get more info at: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/ch/about.

There is no cost to you, the AmazonSmile customer, or to the charity you choose. You can choose from almost one million eligible 501(c)(3) public charitable organizations.

I chose Annandale Village of Suwanee because I believe in contributing to local causes when possible. While my purchase may be insignificant, still if many of us with Amazon accounts would sign up for AmazonSmile, it could make a difference for local charities. I encourage GwinnettForum readers who have Amazon accounts to sign up and choose Annandale Village, or a similar local charity that may be closer to their heart. (Rainbow Village, Inc. is another good local example.)

— Hoyt Tuggle, Lawrenceville

• Send Feedback and Letters to: elliott@brack.net

Apartments, hotel coming to Sugarloaf at Lakes Parkways area

(A GwinnettForum exclusive story)

Work is underway near the northeast corner of Sugarloaf and Lakes Parkway on eight acres, which will eventually turn into both an apartment complex and a suites hotel. Earth moving has been active since early 2016 on the project, with the apartments anticipating opening in early 2017. The hotel will break ground in 2017 and be ready for occupancy in 2018.

LIV Development out of Birmingham, Ala. is constructing the 239 unit apartment project, at an anticipated cost of $30 million. There will be mostly one and two bedroom units, with a few three bedroom apartments. They will rent from $900 to $1,600 a month.

Andrew Murray, director of development of LIV Development, says that the apartments will have the “nicest amenity package in the sub-market.” He said that the high-end units will come with a 7,000 square foot clubhouse, with such accompaniments as a coffee bar, business center, lounges, state-of-the-art fitness center, swimming pool to include seating and an outdoor kitchen grilling stations, outdoor fireplace and bocce court.

LIV Development, which started in 2006, has built projects in many southern cities, including Charlotte, Charleston, Memphis, Birmingham, Chattanooga, Little Rock, Austin and Port Orange.

* * * * *

To be constructed on a 1.7 acre site facing Lakes Parkway will be an 86 room TownPlace Suites by Marriott hotel. Aysa Hospitality of Smyrna is to begin construction in 2017 and to open the hotel in 2018.

Nishal Patel, president of Aysa Hospitality, says that it will be a five story hotel, with outdoor pool. All rooms with have fully equipped kitchens. It will cost $9 million and will employ approximately 20 people.

Aysa Hospitality has been in business since 2013. It operates three hotels, has one underway now, and the Gwinnett location will be its fifth property. Its properties include Country Inn and Suites in Smyrna; Holiday Inn Express in LaGrange, Candlewood Suites in Lithia Springs, and Holiday Inn Express now under construction in Carrollton.

Mr. Patel says that his Gwinnett unit will have free Wi-Fi, hot breakfasts, a business center, a fitness center and pool, and be pet friendly.

Fairy tale based on Grimm brothers is next Aurora offering

Presenting a modern twist on the magical fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm,  Aurora Theatre invites audiences to experience the enchanting presentation of six-time Tony Award-winning musical Into the Woods, from March 10-April 17.

Legendary composer Stephen Sondheim unveils the consequences that come when acting upon one’s deepest desires and wishes. Will good overcome evil? Will the price paid be enough? This vibrant adaptation of the global phenomenon transports audiences into the woods alongside favorite fictional characters to find out what happens after happily ever after!

Justin Anderson, Aurora associate artistic director, says: “Directing shows of this caliber is always an enjoyable challenge because we get the opportunity to take a popular production like Into the Woods and, without compromising the level of entertainment and expectation, execute it beautifully in a much smaller space. Productions don’t always have to be seen on the world’s largest stages in order for them to be deemed great theater; we’re producing successful, ingenious theater right here in metro-Atlanta.”

Directed by Anderson, the production features veteran actors Natasha Drena, Brandon O’Dell, Diany Rodriguez and Wendy Melkonian, among others, as well as the nationally recognized Bernardine Mitchell and Broadway acclaimed Christopher L. Morgan. With live music led by award-winning Associate Producer and Aurora Co-founder Ann-Carol Pence and choreography by Sarah Turner Sechelski, this smash-hit sensation is perfect for fairytale fans and not!

Although based on fairy tales, this musical is not a children’s show. Tickets range from $30-$65 and can be purchased online at tickets.auroratheatre.com or by calling the box office at 678-226-6222.

Show times are as follows: Wednesday through Saturday: 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: 2:30 p.m.

Hudgens to present workshop on surface manipulation of ceramics

The Hudgens Center for the Arts in Gwinnett and the Signature Gallery in Buckhead will celebrate the art of Adam Field and Bryan Hopkins, two internationally known ceramic artists, in April 2016.

Ceramics by Adam Field and Bryan Hopkins

The Signature Gallery will host an exhibition including the artwork of Mark Knott, Adam Field, Bryan Hopkins, and Linda Hall from April 16 to May 14, 2016.  The Hudgens will host a two-day workshop where Adam Field and Bryan Hopkins will demonstrate methods of working that have lead them to create distinct, yet complimentary, bodies of work.

Both sculptors share a love for surface manipulation of ceramics and the history of ceramics techniques while incorporating completely different sources, techniques and materials into their ceramic art. The workshop will be held on April 16-17. Persons can register for the workshop at www.thehudgens.org.

Great American Cleanup begins today and continues through May 31

For the 18^th year in Gwinnett, the Great American Cleanup begins today (March 1) and continued through May 31. It is sponsored locally by Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful (GCB), and is the nation’s largest community improvement program.

Through a partnership between GCB and the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, the local Campaign is designed to inspire local citizens, civic groups, school clubs, community organizations and small business to show individual initiative for the benefit of the environment. By instilling a sense of ownership, spreading awareness and providing opportunities for Gwinnett residents and businesses to take personal action, members of the community will all work together to keep the county clean.

In addition to the rewards that come with having a positive impact on the world around them, five winners will be selected to earn prizes of $500 each, selected in five categories. Participants will select a category, submit their project idea, complete the project, report their results, share their photos and cross their fingers in the hopes that their project will be selected as one of the winners. Before beginning their project, participants are encouraged to visit the Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful website at www.GwinnettCB.org to “take the pledge” to change habits and practices at home, school, work, and play, and to be environmental stewards.

The 2016 Great American Cleanup – Gwinnett Challenge categories include:

• Safeguarding our waterways;
• Stopping litter and graffiti;
• Beautifying neighborhoods;
• Teaching others how to rethink the way they recycle; and
• Discovering a creative use of a resource.

Projects must be registered and completed between March 1 through May 31, 2016. During Great American Cleanup in 2015, more than 13,000 Gwinnett participants were engaged in 256 community improvement projects throughout the county.

Mill Creek history teacher wins William Day DAR award

Dr. Laura T. Harris, Mill Creek High School teacher of Advanced Placement U.S. History, has been awarded the 2016 Georgia Outstanding Teacher of American History by the William Day chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). She will now move on as Georgia’s representative for consideration by NSDAR for National Outstanding Teacher of American History.

Dr. Laura Harris, center, gets the award from Vanessa Watkins-Nutty and Regent Ginny Harrell of the William Day Chapter.

During her 20+ years of teaching experience, with the last 10 years at Mill Creek High School, Dr. Harris’ philosophy is that education should be both meaningful and enjoyable. She has made it a goal to combine the teaching of historical content with life lessons, while being a trustworthy adult figure for her students.

Dr. Harris is originally from Hayesville, NC. She has taught school for 18 years, 17 of which have been in Gwinnett. She is a fourth generation educator. She lives in Hamilton Mill with husband and two children. She is a graduate of Western Carolina University, has a master’s in education from the University of Georgia and earned her Ed.D. from Georgia Southern University.

Dr. Harris’ Family History Project is of special interest to the William Day Chapter, NSDAR, because of her efforts to encourage students to investigate their family heritage, whether new immigrants or from a line of Revolutionary patriots. The students can then use this information as a way to connect to historical events in a personal manner

Gonzalez designs Gwinnett Parks’ 5^th annual Art-on-River logo

The Gwinnett Parks Foundation has selected the winning logo for the 5th Annual Art on the Chattahoochee from the 26 designs submitted along with the second and third place winners.  The winning design was submitted by Kelly Gonzalez of Loganville, son to be a resident of Braselton. As the first prize winner of the contest, Kelly will receive $250 from the Gwinnett Parks Foundation and her logo will be featured prominently on all promotional material, including t-shirts, flyers, posters and websites.

Ms. Gonzalez grew up in Danbury, Conn., and moved to Georgia two years ago. She is a graduate of Danbury High, and attended Fordham University. She recently attended the University of Georgia. She is a stay-at-home mom with two girls, ages 2 and 1.

The second place winner is Kelly Hayes and the third place winner is Jelani Smith. The second and third place winners will also receive a cash prize of $100 and $50 respectively. All logos entered in the contest will be on display at the 5th Annual Art on the Chattahoochee Art Market festival at Simpsonwood Park. Gwinnett Parks Foundation thanks all who entered, and looks forward to next year’s contest.

The 5th Annual Art on the Chattahoochee is free to attend and will be held on Saturday, April 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Simpsonwood Park. This year, the event kicks off with a Fun Run for $10 and a 5K Trail Run for $20. Attendees can shop unique works from local artists and crafters, see live entertainment, watch artists demonstrations, enjoy tasty cuisine from food trucks, play in the Budding Arts Kids Zone with crafts, games, inflatables and more. There will be a Kids Chalk Art Contest with prizes for the kids.

• For more information or to reserve an artists or craft space visit www.gwinnetparks.com or 
call 678-277-0920. Simpsonwood Park is located at 4511 Jones Bridge Circle in Peachtree Corners.

• An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (100 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. –eeb

Georgia Court of Appeals began because of workload of Supreme Court

The Court of Appeals of Georgia, established in 1906, is a court of statewide jurisdiction whose decisions are binding upon all Georgia trial courts in the absence of a conflicting decision by the Supreme Court of Georgia.

In the words of the eminent legal historian Warren Grice (a justice on the Supreme Court of Georgia from 1937 to 1945), “The Court of Appeals of Georgia was established because it was an absolute necessity.” In the 1890s the Supreme Court of Georgia struggled under the weight of an enormous caseload, and was often in danger of falling behind in its work. During the early 1900s the Georgia Bar Association began floating proposals to relieve the state’s highest court.

One of these proposed reforms was the creation of an intermediate appellate court that would handle appeals in cases of insufficient importance to warrant review by the Supreme Court of Georgia. This idea soon acquired the most support among reformers.

As a result, in July 1906 the General Assembly approved a proposed state constitutional amendment for creating, and establishing the jurisdiction of, a Court of Appeals of Georgia, which would consist of three judges. The state legislature approved the proposed amendment on July 31, 1906, and it was ratified by voters at the general election on October 3, 1906. A month later, on November 6, the first judges of the newly created Court of Appeals of Georgia were chosen in another statewide election.

The three judges elected, all among the most distinguished jurists in Georgia history, were Benjamin Hill (son of U.S. Senator Benjamin Hill), Richard B. Russell Sr., and Arthur G. Powell. Hill, the first chief judge of the Court of Appeals of Georgia, served on the court for six years, resigned to become a superior court judge for five years, and was subsequently elected once more to the Court of Appeals, thus becoming the only person ever to serve non-consecutive terms on that court. Hill’s opinion for the Court of Appeals in Underwood v. State (1913), in which a liquor prohibition act conviction was reversed because police had conducted an illegal search and seizure, is one of the strongest defenses for the constitutional rights of individuals ever written by an American judge.

• To access the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org

In the bright sunshine, just what type of building is this?

Hmmm. What is this, a castle, sanctuary, meeting hall, or fortification? Tell us what you think this edition’s Mystery Photo represents, and where it is. Send to elliott@brack.net and include you hometown.

We learned a lot about the last mystery photo from our readers. Philomena Robertson of Flowery Branch first recognized the photo, which came from Bob Forman of Grayson. She said: “I believe this is the sculpture of the goddess Diana by Augustus Saint-Gaudens – commissioned by Stanford White, now at the Great Stair Hall of the  Philadelphia Museum of Art.” Karen Burnette Garner of Dacula reported: “I just returned from a whirlwind visit to this city. it’s the Philadelphia Museum of Art and is the main staircase going to their European art collection.”

George Graf of Palmyra, Va. wrote: “Answer: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Penn. The museum, which is one of the largest in the world, administers collections containing over 227,000 objects.  Construction of the Main Building began in 1919, when Mayor Thomas B. Smith laid the cornerstone in a Masonic ceremony. Because of shortages caused by World War I and other delays, the new building was not completed until 1928.”

Michael Green of Milton told us: “Diana was sculpted by Augustus Saint-Gaudens who was America’s finest sculptor at the turn of the 19th century.  The gilded statue of Diana the Huntress was originally installed in 1893, as a weather vane on the tower of New York City’s Madison Square Garden. It was the highest point in Manhattan.  Madison Square Garden was demolished in 1925.  The Philadelphia Museum of Art adopted the statue in 1932 and placed it in the Great Stair Hall.  It was restored 2013-2014.”

Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill: “This is the statue of Diana, Roman goddess of the hunt, was sculpted in the late 1800s by Augustus Saint-Gaudens who was considered the country’s finest sculptor of The Gilded Age, my favorite time in American history.”

Pink magnolias near Lawrenceville tell us spring is on its way

Though only the first of March, yes, spring is on its way. As proof, check out the pink magnolias that Roving Photographer Frank Sharp spotted blooming alongside Georgia Highway 20 near the Russell Road Post office. But watch out: the weather can fool you. No doubt we’ll have at least one more really chilly blast, but hopefully that will be the last one as spring heads Georgia’s way.

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