IF THERE’S ONE THING this 2-year-old can teach us, it’s how to eat ice cream. Her grandmother, Greta Loeber of Peachtree Corners, sent in these photos of young Avery tackling ice cream custard at the new Freddy’s Restaurant in Duluth. Seems that the young lady liked the treat!
IN THIS EDITIONTODAY’S FOCUS: Chairman Outlines County’s New Slogan: “Many Voices, One Gwinnett”
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Church Plans Lenten Series of Speakers on Four Different Religions
ANOTHER VIEW: Impact on Immigrant Community Is Widespread and Poignant
SPOTLIGHT: Mingledorff’s
UPCOMING: Suwanee Preparing for Inaugural Marathon on February 26
NOTABLE: Braselton Hospital Wins National Construction Leadership Award
RECOMMENDED: The Moon Before Morning by W. S. Merwin
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Senator Richard Russell of Georgia Guides National School Lunch Program
TODAY’S QUOTE: One Way Helen Keller Felt You Could Attain Happiness
MYSTERY PHOTO: Geometric Pattern May Tell You Something About this Mystery
CALENDAR: Tucker Library Extends Frank Sharp Photo Exhibit
TODAY’S FOCUSChairman outlines new county slogan: “Many Voices, One Gwinnett”
By Heather Sawyer, Lawrenceville, Ga. | In her seventh annual State of the County Address, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash declared the county’s condition to be “remarkable,” highlighting multiple accomplishments while acknowledging challenges in the future.
Nash
Nash said Gwinnett’s brand is one of excellence as demonstrated by its good jobs, workforce, schools, recreational opportunities, and its exemplary bond rating.
“We’ve been building this brand over the course of decades but today, I see a strong Gwinnett brand that’s been re-invented,” she said.
Innovation is a hallmark of the Gwinnett brand, she said, citing the County’s F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center, saying the wastewater treatment plant turns byproduct from the treatment process into fertilizer, and converts methane into electricity to run the plant. She noted the state-of-the-art facility also returns 14.5 billion gallons annually of the water used by the county back to Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River. Research institutions and others in water industry are working with Gwinnett County to discover new methods for recycling water and producing clean water more efficiently, Nash said.
Nash said collaboration between the County and its cities is another important element of the Gwinnett County brand of remarkable excellence. She spotlighted a new facility in Lilburn that doubles as a city hall and a county public library. The County is discussing library relocations in Duluth and Norcross, she said.
She said the County plans to work with the private sector to redevelop the 24-acre Olympic tennis venue on U.S. Highway 78 near Stone Mountain, and with community improvement districts to improve pedestrian connectivity around Gwinnett Place mall and redevelopment and transportation along I-85 between DeKalb County and Beaver Ruin Road.
Nash also discussed the future expansion of the Infinite Energy Center as the county’s signature business and entertainment district. Mark Toro, managing partner and chairman of the board of North American Properties, described to the audience of about 750 what made Gwinnett County an attractive place to do business.
The County needs to explore new ways to improve mobility – including transit, Nash said. “We can’t stop improving our road network, but expanded transit options must also be part of any long-term solution,” she said.
Nash also reaffirmed the County’s commitment to diversity and pledged to broaden its community outreach programs.
“Inclusion does not just happen,” she said. “It takes intentional effort. Let me be perfectly clear – failure to respect all Gwinnett residents and welcome their participation in our community is neither acceptable nor smart. Gwinnett’s future success depends on all of us, working together to build the community.”
She called on people of all backgrounds and heritage to become more involved in their county government.
Nash announced a new tagline for the county’s community outreach program: “Many Voices, One Gwinnett.”
“Gwinnett’s future depends on all of us, working together to build the community,” she said. “We must engage and empower leaders from our diverse population who love Gwinnett to champion this important work.”
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Church plans Lenten series of speakers on 4 different religions
Hui Tz Temple off Satellite Boulevard in Suwanee.
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Four different religions will be the focus of four Lenten programs at Christ Episcopal Church in Norcross during Wednesdays in March. People of all faiths are invited for the weekly programs, which will begin at 6 p.m. with soup and salad in the church parish hall, followed by the one-hour presentation and discussion.
Previous popular Lenten series have focused on military, medical and judicial ethics.
Speakers and their topics for these programs are to be:
March 8: Islam: Edward Ahmed Mitchell is a Muslim-American civil rights attorney. He serves as executive director of the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-GA). As America’s largest Muslim civil rights organization, CAIR engages in interfaith dialogue, counters Islamophobia, and builds coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
He is a graduate of Morehouse College and Georgetown University Law Center, and previously served as a criminal prosecutor in Atlanta. He is also an editor of Atlanta Muslim, a member of the Georgia Association of Muslim Lawyers, and a member of the board of trustees of the Islamic Community Center of Atlanta.
Mitchell was born in Los Angeles, Calif. to an interfaith family that included Protestants, Catholics, Christian Unitarians, Muslims, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. He accepted Islam in 2004.
March 15: Hui Tz: Victor Sze is an attorney and financial adviser with Raymond James and Associates. He is the adviser for the Hui Tz Temple off Satellite Boulevard in Suwanee.
He is a first generation Taiwanese-American, who was born in Boston, raised in Tennessee, studied in Chicago, and worked in Taipei. He graduated from the University of Chicago, and got his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School.
Previously Sze worked at Arthur Andersen in the tax planning department and KPMG in the forensic services department investigating cases involving industrial espionage. He also worked at American National Bank as a financial analyst and spent time in Taiwan working as an editor for an electronic dictionary company
March 22: Zen Buddhism: Terry Sutton has been studying Zen Buddhism since 1984, living, practicing, and working with the various San Francisco Zen Center communities and teachings through 2002. That includes three years with the mountain monastic practice community, Tassajara in Hot Springs, Calif. On return to his hometown Atlanta, he lived and practiced with the Atlanta Soto Zen Center from 2003 – 2012.
Ordained as a Zen priest, he is a graduate of the University of Georgia School of Forest Resources. His firm, Cascade Springs Forestry, is a professional, ecologically oriented, landscaping company specializing in invasive non-native shrub and vine control for campuses, parks, and greenways. He lives with his life partner, Tixie, in historic Norcross.
March 29: Hinduism: Kishore Ramachandran was brought up in India and came to the United States in 1980 to pursue his Ph. D. at the University of Wisconsin. He moved to Atlanta in 1986 to be a professor at Georgia Tech in the College of Computing.
He serves a spiritual mother, Amma Sri Krunamayi, and says: “Everything I know about Hinduism I have learned from mother through her teachings. Though trained in Hinduism, her followers are from all faiths since she says, ‘Stay in your own path, come and see me as your mother.’”
He adds: “Locally, we are building an ashram called SRIM Center for mother at exit 193 off Interstate-75 in Forsyth, Ga.”
Christ Episcopal Church is located at 400 Holcomb Bridge Road in Norcross.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Impact on immigrant community is widespread and poignant
By Debra Houston, contributing columnist | While teaching “English as a Second Language” at church, I meet Maria, a new student. She speaks fairly good English with a resolve to improve. Privately, she asks if she’s qualified to take our citizenship course. I note a hint of desperation in her voice.
“I need to become a citizen now,” she says. “My daughter in Mexico is having a baby in April. When I visit her, will they let me back inside the U.S.?”
Tears flow down her cheeks. I put my arm around her.
Maria’s Green Card cost $700 when she applied. It confirms permanent U.S. residency and gives her all the rights of the native-born except she can’t vote in Federal elections (usa.gov). She has lived in the U.S. for 17 years without incident.
And yet she’s scared sick. I knew this would happen.
The Trump Administration’s sloppy crackdown on illegal immigrants (those who have broken American laws, primarily) has terrified Green Card holders. No wonder. The president said, paraphrasing, “Mexicans are rapists, murderers, and bad hombres.”
Meanwhile, some news media, immigration advocates, and political operatives are creating counterfactual claims intended to enrage our immigrant population. ABC reports that anxiety is running rampant in Hispanic communities. Not only might they be kicked out of the country, they’re told, but like Maria, they may also lose connection with family back home.
During our ESL break, I found a church elder, my affectionate term for a kind soul who safeguards both the love of Christ and church bylaws in her big, roomy heart. She slowly nods her head. “Maria is eligible for our citizenship class, and she can begin immediately.”
I give Maria the news. Joy-fueled tears appear.
“You can go to our citizenship class on Wednesday night,” I tell her, “and continue your ESL class on Tuesday mornings.”
“That’s good,” she says, “because I need to learn how to express myself.”
I assure Maria she has no problem expressing herself.
“I ap-pre-ci-ate it,” she says, a phrase we had practiced in class. I’m one proud teacher to hear her put it to immediate use. Maria is going to be fine. Maria is going to soar.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Mingledorff’s
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s featured sponsor is Mingledorff’s, an air conditioning distributor of the Carrier Air Conditioning Company. Mingledorff’s corporate office is located at 6675 Jones Mill Court in Norcross Ga. and is proud to be a sponsor of the Gwinnett Forum. With 34 locations in Georgia, Alabama, , Florida, Mississippi and South Carolina, Mingledorff’s is the convenient local source with a complete line for the quality heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration parts and supplies you need to service and install HVAC/R equipment. Product lines include Carrier, Bryant, Payne, Totaline and Mitsubishi. For all of your HVAC needs, and information on the products Mingledorff’s sells, visit www.mingledorffs.com and www.carrier.com.
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UPCOMINGSuwanee preparing for inaugural marathon on Feb. 26
The City of Suwanee is teaming up with Georgia Fitness to host the inaugural Suwanee Marathon – Gwinnett County’s first ever full marathon – in tandem with the third annual Suwanee Half Marathon on Sunday, February 26.
Both races will begin at 7 a.m. at Town Center Park. From there, the Peachtree Road Race-certified, 13.1-mile course will meander through Old Town, along Eva Kennedy Road to Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, to Tench Road and eventually to George Pierce Park and the Suwanee Creek Greenway to McGinnis Ferry Road, up and back along Northolt, and back along the Greenway to the finish at City Hall. Marathon runners will complete the half marathon route twice.
Suwanee Events and Outreach Manager Amy Doherty says: “It takes some creative logistics to plan a 26.2-mile route in a nine-square-mile city. We think it’s a route so nice, you’ll want to do it twice!”
This course has a great mix of flat spaces and hills, which will test every type of runner. Finishers from each race will receive a medal and long-sleeved T shirt, and a cash prize will be split between the top three male and female finishers from each race.
Others who aren’t into that whole running thing are encouraged to join us as volunteers and of course cheerleaders. The event will feature a sign-making and cowbell station, and event coordinators are looking for Scout leaders/cheer moms/small group leaders/etc. to “own” their own cheer spot along the race course.
- For more information, including route and registration details, visit georgiafitness.com/marathon. Interested volunteers can contact Amy Doherty at 770-904-3387 or adoherty@suwanee.com.
Lilburn plans Relay for Life rally on April 21 at its city hall
The Lilburn Relay Rally is coming back to Lilburn City Park on April 21, at 5 p.m. Sponsored by the Lilburn Woman’s Club, this event is a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society’s Gwinnett Relay for Life.
Volunteers can form a team, be a sponsor, and participate. Help Lilburnites and help us Paint our Town Purple!! Participant registration for the event is free. Survivors will be honored at a reception. The event is at Lilburn City Park. Come and join in the fun. There will be food, games, music, prizes and lots of activity.
Entertainment will be provided by Music on Main Street. Again this year the Sweetwater Masonic Lodge will be cooking hamburgers, hotdogs and barbecue. For more information contact Pat Swan at sbp6388@aol.com.
Environmental Center and Girl Scouts offer World Thinking Day event
Is it possible to travel around the world in less than two hours? The Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center (GEHC) thinks it is and invites you to become an international traveler without the need for a passport. The GEHC and local Girl Scouts from the Apalachee Service Unit are partnering to celebrate World Thinking Day on Saturday, February 25, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
At World Thinking Day, each participating troop adopts a specific country, shares information, provides a taste of that country’s cuisine and makes a “swap” that is reflective of the culture. World Thinking Day may be organized by the Girl Scouts, but the public is invited to participate.
With 24 troops planning to attend, visitors will travel to countries such as New Zealand, Peru, Germany, Greece, Jamaica, France, Kenya, the United Kingdom and more.
NOTABLEBraselton Hospital wins national construction leadership award
The Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) in Braselton has gained another award, named the top winner of the national Construction Owners Association of America (COAA) Project Leadership Awards. NGMC Braselton was the recipient of the Gold Award, the highest of four awards given to construction projects from across the United States. Not only did the NGMC Braselton construction project exceed many industry benchmarks and include a lean process-led design resulting in a highly innovative and sustainable facility, but it was also completed ahead of schedule and under budget. To achieve this, designers and contractors utilized innovative techniques that eliminated waste, decreased time from the schedule, and reduced overall project cost. It is an award that recognizes stellar examples of leadership and excellence in the construction industry. The COAA recognized three other projects this year, the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Tex.; the Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry Building at Ohio State University; and One World Trade Center in New York.
Not too late to sign up for Snellville Citizens Police Academy
There are a few spots remaining for the spring session of the Snellville Citizens Police Academy. The Snellville Police Department is offering this course in order to strengthen the bond of friendship and cooperation between citizens and police. The Academy also helps citizens gain a better understanding of the risks and responsibilities of officers. The 12-week course begins March 2 and ends May 18.
Some of the classes included in the course are domestic violence, traffic stops, building searches, a tour of the jail and narcotics identification. This program also includes a ride along program with a Snellville police officer.
This program, founded in the spring of 2003, is open to all Snellville and Gwinnett residents 18 years and older. There is no charge for attending and participants do not have to live in the city limits to participate. A background investigation will be conducted on all applicants prior to acceptance in the Academy.
- An application can be found here at http://www.snellville.org/Data/Sites/1/media/police/scpa-application—revised.pdf and at the Snellville Police Department, 2315 Wisteria Drive. For more information call 770-985-3573 or email rpendleton@snellville.org.
Gilbreath is Volunteer of the Year at Eastside Medical Center
Gilbreath
Joanne Gilbreath is the Volunteer of the Year at Eastside Medical Center in Snellville. She was named in honor of her continued dedication to Eastside over the last 13 years. She has served in many executive volunteer positions including president, past president, and the vice president of recruitment.
In addition to local volunteer work at Eastside Medical Center, Gilbreath has also served at the state level on the Council on Auxiliaries. Gilbreath will now be chairing all of the Auxiliary fundraisers during the year, working with vendors to support various purse sales, book sales, jewelry and brand name product sales.
RECOMMENDEDThe Moon Before Morning
Poetry by W. S. Merwin
Reviewed by Karen J. Harris, Stone Mountain | In this book of poetry, Pulitzer Prize Winner and Author W. S. Merwin, the 17th United States Poet Laureate, brings to life the smallest and most minute creations painting a picture of the richness of things that appear to be in the background. He explores the past through looking at old things in Relics, the mystery of memory in The Rule of Thumb and the beauty of a past that lives on in Among the Shadows of Home. Each poem takes the reader through scenes of the authors past, some a reality, some an interior picture that overflows with resonance of experience. This volume is brimming with both emotional depth and intellectual curiosity making it appealing to a variety of lovers of poetry. Reading this poetry will take the reader to realms beyond, providing a restful retreat into the beauty of the sometimes unseen.
- 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’s Russell guides national school lunch program
In February 1946, Richard B. Russell Jr. introduced to the U.S. Senate a “compromise bill,” which he wrote in hopes of satisfying a national school lunch program‘s many competing interests. Russell and his colleague Allen J. Ellender of Louisiana, both in key positions on the Senate Agriculture Committee, steered the legislation through Congress.
Russell
When the bill reached the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. proposed an amendment that would deny federal funds to any state or school system that practiced racial discrimination in its operation of the lunch program. This amendment was the first of many antidiscrimination riders that Powell, an African American representing the predominantly black neighborhood of Harlem in New York City, would introduce to legislation during his long tenure in Congress. Many southern lawmakers recognized the measure as an attempt to undermine Jim Crow customs, but most believed, as Powell himself admitted, that it did not go far enough to end segregation. Although passed by Congress, the amendment remained a largely symbolic gesture that was not properly enforced and so failed to prevent discrimination in school food service.
Both houses of Congress finally passed the National School Lunch Act after careful redrafting and with support from the aging New Deal political coalition, a fragile alliance between the liberal and conservative wings of the Democratic Party. The stated dual goals of the program were “to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation’s children and to encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities.” U.S. president Harry Truman signed the act into law on June 4, 1946.
Although participation in the program remained optional, schools that accepted federal funds were obliged to abide by several guidelines. These requirements included agreeing to operate the lunch program on a not-for-profit basis, maintaining accurate records of all purchases and sales, and submitting regular reports to the designated oversight agency in each state. Additionally, the meals served at participating schools had to incorporate as many surplus agricultural commodities as possible and adhere to dietary guidelines outlined by the USDA.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Geometric pattern may tell you something about this Mystery
This interesting geometric photo may cause you some pause. Think about it, and see if your answer is correct when you send in your thoughts to elliott@brack.net and be sure to include your hometown.
George Graf of Palmyra, Va. recognized the state of General Francisco “Pancho” Villa in downtown Tuscon, Ariz., which was the last Mystery Photo. It was sent in by Rick Krause of Lilburn.
Graf adds: “In 1911, with U.S. support, Villa helped defeat the federal army of Porfirio Díaz in favor of Francisco I. Madero. Following Madero’s power, General Huerta sentenced Villa to death for insubordination. Villa escaped to the U.S. border then rebelled against former allies, first against Victoriano Huerta, later against Venustiano Carranza.
“On March 9, 1916, Villa led 1,500 Mexican raiders in a cross-border attack against Columbus, N.M., in response to the U.S. government’s official recognition of the Carranza regime. This was the only military attack on or invasion of the continental United States by a foreign state or foreigner in the 20th century. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson responded by sending 12,000 troops, under Gen. John J. Pershing, into Mexico on March 15 to pursue and capture Villa which was later called off as a failure. During the search, the United States launched its first air combat mission when eight airplanes lifted off on March 19.”
CALENDAR
Exhibition Extended: World Through the Lens Photo Show of Frank Sharp at the Tucker Library, 5234 LaVista Road has been extended until April 28, 2017. The library is open on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Wine About the Issues on February 21 at the 1910 Public House in downtown Lilburn to two legislators, Sen. P.K. Martin and Rep. Clay Cox. Sponsored by the Lilburn Woman’s Club, attendees can enjoy a complimentary beverage and light hors d’oeuvres. Seating is limited. For more details, contact to lilburnwomansclub@gmail.com.
Free Photography Workshop at Collins Hill Library Branch, 455 Camp Perrin Road, on February 21, at 6:30 p.m. Join the Georgia Nature Photographers Association for this informal talk and Q&A photography workshop. They will provide information about cameras, editing software, and tips for getting better photographs with the equipment you already have.
Oil and ‘Cold Wax’ is the focus of a new class at Kudzu Art Zone in Norcross. Expand your personal vocabulary and vision through a series of exercises that will loosen you up and help you discover techniques of moving paint. The class explores cold wax and other media to create expressive, richly surfaced paintings, using pigment sticks, graphite, ink, pastels and oil paint. This runs from February 22-25, from, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For details, supply lists or to register for classes, go www. kudzuartzone.org or phone 770-840-9844.
Looking for information on citizenship and naturalization? Let the Gwinnett County Public Library help you! Learn about the requirements and resources available to prepare for the naturalization test. Get help finding the forms you need, learn how to prepare for the interview, find free or reduced rate legal assistance, and learn how to avoid potential scams. In partnership with the U.S. Immigration Services, Gwinnett County Public Library is offering this free Citizenship Information Workshop on Thursday, February 23 at 6 p.m. at the new Lilburn Branch, 4817 Church Street, Lilburn, GA 30047. For more information, call 770-978-5154 or visit www.gwinnettpl.org.
Genealogy interest has exploded with the ease and availability of online research. Learn how to get started in this fun hobby and explore free genealogy databases, including the Library Edition of Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest. Join Gwinnett County Public Library, in partnership with the United Ebony Society of Gwinnett County, Inc., for this free Trace Your Roots: An African American Genealogy Workshop. This event takes place on Saturday, February 25 at 11 a.m. at the Centerville Branch, 3025 Bethany Church Road, Snellville. For more information, visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154.
(NEW) Tree Planting Class: In Lilburn on Saturday, March 4. Learn about tree maintenance and planting form Master Gardener Kate Pittman. This is a lunch and learn, and will be from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Lilburn City Hall. Bring a sack lunch and enjoy the mid-day. No pre-registration is required.
(NEW) Opening Reception is March 4 for the Spring Juried Art Exhibit at the Tannery Row Artist Colony in Buford. The exhibit continues through April 14. For more details, visit www.tanneryrowartistcolony.com.
Cartooning for Teens and Cool Adults, with Lawrence Hardy. Drop-ins Welcome. Have you ever wanted to learn how to draw from your imagination? Want to learn how to draw action figures, faces and more? Welcome artist Lawrence Hardy as he shows you the fundamentals of drawing. The class is for the beginning to intermediate artists. Come sharpen your skills and pencil at Kudzu Art Center! Through March 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To register for classes, go to www.kudzuartzone.org. Kudzu Art Zone is located in Norcross at 116 Carlyle Street, Norcross, phone 770-840-9844.
SERVICES
HANDYMAN SERVICES: Whatever your home maintenance problem is, Isaias Rodriguez can help. An experienced painter, he is dependable in installing or repairing siding, gutters, ceramic tile, plumbing, garage doors, or any other problem around your home. He’ll even fix your bike! He is originally from Mexico and has been in Georgia since 1996. He is legally allowed to work in the United States and is insured. Give him a call at his home in Norcross at 404-569-8825 or email him at rodriguez_isais@yahoo.comVisit his Facebook page at Neza construction and home repair to see some of his past work.
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