3/20: On Georgia’s solar policies; Remembering Patsy Rooks

LOOK CLOSELY and you’ll see many people “wearing the green” at the Suwanee Beer Fest last weekend.  Note, too, many people lounging on the Suwanee Green at Town Center. Roving Photographer Frank Sharp captured this scene of the festivities. By the way, Sharp also has a photography exhibit of his world wandering now on display at the George Pierce Park Activities Center in Suwanee. It will remain on exhibit through April 10.

TODAY’S FOCUS: Georgia’s Energy Policies Concerning Solar Power Driving Growth

EEB PERSPECTIVE: Gwinnett’s “Go-To” Person, Patsy Rooks, Served the Area Well

SPOTLIGHT: Eastside Medical Center

FEEDBACK: See If You Can Make Out All These Short-Cutted References

McLEMORE’S WORLD: Conserving Water

UPCOMING: Let Freedom Ring Festival Will Be Held on March 24

NOTABLE: Dr. Shawn Spencer Named Dean of Pharmacy at GA-PCOM

RECOMMENDED: The Double Life of Veronique

GEORGIA TIDBIT: Alfred Austell Was Key Backer of Early Atlanta Institutions

MYSTERY PHOTO: This Mystery Photo May Be Mighty Easy for Our Experts

CALENDAR: Author Plans Discussion of book about Duluth

Georgia’s energy policies concerning solar power driving growth

By Tim Echols, vice chairman, Georgia Public Service Commission  |  Back in 1955, Bell Labs chose Georgia to deploy their first meager commercial solar battery, the predecessor of today’s solar cell.  Over 60 years later, solar power has become a bipartisan point of pride for the Peach State, benefiting county coffers, our grid, Fortune 500 companies, local military bases and especially the blue-collar job market.

Echols

Many doubted our Public Service Commission when we created the Advanced Solar Initiative in 2013, with the goal of deploying enough solar in the state to power over 34,000 homes by creating economically favorable conditions for solar. It was called a “mandate, a faux Renewable Portfolio Standard and anti-Republican.” But five years later, opponents of our decision are hard to find.  Landowners have benefited, solar developers have made a fair profit, and the tax bases of economically-distressed South Georgia communities have received a much-needed boost in tax revenues.  Look no further than the 2,000-acre solar array going into Twiggs County now—the largest array in the Southeast.

I call Georgia’s approach, “BubbaSolar,” named after my colleague and current PSC chair, Lauren “Bubba” McDonald.  BubbaSolar helps both taxpayers and utility customers.  Both groups have benefited from the enormous growth of solar. Poorer counties throughout rural middle and South Georgia are seeing land values rise as a result of solar panels and inverters installed in their area.

Taylor County, between Columbus and Macon, is case in point and is now the home of more existing solar than any other county in the state. Solar investments are boosting the local economy because of payments from the leasing companies. This helps local tax revenue and trickles down to various county departments. Moving land into solar not only shifts the land into a higher tax-paying category, but the land value itself goes up, yielding even more revenue.

The grid and the grid’s customers benefit too. Adding diversity in our power generation helps support grid reliability and is a hedge against rising fuel costs—either coal or natural gas. With solar spread throughout our state, we experience less wasted electricity as it travels through power lines because the electricity does not have to travel as far. And because solar is inexpensively produced in our state, Georgia Power’s customers benefit from lower electricity rates.

Like in many states, military bases play a vital role in economic development in Georgia. When our Public Service Commission found out that the Department of Defense wanted military bases to have a measure of energy independence, we worked with Georgia Power and allowed them to build projects that allowed those bases to host distributed sources of solar power.

Finally, solar jobs have been good for the Georgia job market. During the Great Recession, many construction jobs were lost.  The growth of solar in Georgia allowed many experienced workers to learn a new skill.   According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, there are more than 197 solar companies at work in Georgia, investing $79 million to install solar on homes and businesses. Overall, the solar industry employs over 3,000 people in the state.

As a state regulator, I am very happy with the progress our state has made in solar deployment. The Asheville-based Southern Alliance for Clean Energy just released a study showing Georgia Power as third among the large utilities with 364 watts of solar installed per customer. The regional average is 208 watts per customer.  That is great news for our state and the approach the PSC is taking with solar—all without a subsidy.

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Gwinnett’s “go-to” person, Patsy Rooks, served the area well

By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher  |  In Gwinnett’s formative years starting in 1970 and for the next 37 years, if there was someone in Gwinnett who was the “go to” person for about any question you had, it was Patsy Rooks. The Lawrenceville native, 76, died recently and was buried from Chestnut Grove Baptist Church on Sunday.

When she first came to the Chamber, it was located in the Stark Building, right off the courthouse square. Golden Pirkle of Buford, was the first full-time Chamber executive, starting in 1969, and he hired her.

Patsy was so easy to talk to, especially to the business community. Many a newcomer to Gwinnett had their first contact in the county with her. She often knew of activities in Gwinnett earlier than almost anyone, though she was resolute in keeping these activities under cover until the right time emerged.

Pasty was particularly helpful in guiding the Chamber’s first full-time professional director Len Gilbert, who came to Gwinnett after being Cobb County Chamber’s director. There were few employees at the Chamber then, and Gilbert learned from Patsy the key people he needed to know in the county.

This plaque hangs at
the Gwinnett Chamber of
Commerce
(Photo by Brooke Waters)

Wayne Mason remembers when the Chamber was on the second floor of the Stark building. “I had known her since she was 16. I also remember taking our four kids to Harold Sammon’s restaurant, and would see Patsy and her husband and her two kids eating there.

“She knew everybody, and seemed to always know where they were. If you wanted to locate someone for you, she could find them, even if they were out on their boat. She had everyone down. Yes, she was a great lady, and great for Gwinnett.”

Patsy saw and was deeply involved in the various moves of the Chamber, initially to offices on Langley Drive, where the Chamber for the first time had a decent size conference room. Later she was there as it moved its offices to Sugarloaf Parkway at Georgia Highway 316, near the campus of Gwinnett Tech.

Richard Tucker was the Chamber president when the Chamber moved to its three-story building near the Infinite Energy Center. He says: “She was a great person, loved Gwinnett and its Chamber, and never met a stranger. Neither did she meet anyone who didn’t come away loving her.”

He added: “When Patsy retired from the Chamber, Wayne Mason told her she had all this information about people in Gwinnett and ought to set up a business to find people. But Patsy laughed, and said she couldn’t charge for what she had been giving away all these years.”

Suzanne Adams remembers:  “My first job was at the chamber. Patsy suggested they hire me. She was like my work mother, and taught me about work, professionalism, politics, dedication, and work ethics. She shaped a lot of us who are around today.”

She last worked with Jim Maran at the Chamber, retiring in 2007 as vice president of special affairs.

Maran says: “Her knowledge of the county could not be matched by anyone. She was a talented lady, loved by all.”

She assisted so many people, including myself. Back when compiling a history of Gwinnett, she was particularly helpful in chasing down small details, such as the spelling of a person’s name, or even their initials. Her friendliness, honesty and discretion were evident. Patsy was always cultivating people, guiding them, and staying ever alert to what she thought was best for the county.

Patsy E. Rooks, 1942-2018: may you rest in peace.

• Have a comment? Send to:  elliott@brack.net

Eastside Medical Center

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today we welcome a new underwriter, Eastside Medical Center, which has been a healthcare leader for more than 35 years providing quality care to patients in Gwinnett and surrounding counties. Eastside is a 310-bed, multi-campus system of care offering comprehensive medical and surgical programs as well as 24-hour emergency care at both their Main and South Campus locations.  Eastside Medical Group provides primary care for patients of all ages in Snellville, Grayson, and Loganville. Specialty surgical services and gynecology and maternity services are also offered by Eastside Medical Group in Snellville.  Eastside Medical Center now has three Eastside Urgent Care centers located in Lawrenceville, Centerville, and Lilburn. Our exceptional medical staff of 500 board certified physicians, 1,200 employees and 400 volunteers is committed to providing our community a healthcare system of excellence.

• To learn more about Eastside Medical Center, click here.
• For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.

See if you can make out all these short-cutted references

Editor, the Forum:

Hiding behind their bank accounts, and mother’s aprons, Mother = Koch Brothers, National Rifle Association, et al.  I too was a Goldwater Republican. Johnson beat Goldwater by railing just like #45 beat HC by railing.  Difference is Johnson had three networks to romance, and the sympathy of the nation after JFK’s assassination, as well as everybody in the USA either hated or feared the USSR (Russia).

— Ashley Herndon, Irvine, Calif.

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.  We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length.  Send feedback and letters to:    elliott@brack.net

Conserving water

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Let Freedom Ring Festival will be held March 24

Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation will host the “Let Freedom Ring” Festival on Saturday, March 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Isaac Adair House, located at 15 South Clayton Street in Lawrenceville. The festival is in celebration of Gwinnett County Bicentennial, American independence and the patriots that served in battle.

Attendees can tour the historic Isaac Adair House, view live musket demonstrations and early weapon technology, meet with living history experts and experience life during the late 1700s. Activities will include: bartering for goods at the trading post, churning fresh cream, playing historic games and making toys, writing with a quill, understanding the role of currency and mimicking Ben Franklin’s glass harmonica.

Parks and Recreation will partner with the Button Gwinnett Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Philadelphia Winn Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Gwinnett Historical Society to hold this event. The cost is $8 per person. Register online or pay at the door. For more information, call 770-822-5178 or visit www.gwinnettparks.com.

Gwinnett Tech plans CareerWorx experience on March 29

Join Gwinnett Tech on Thursday, March 29 from 4 to 8 p.m. for CareerWorx an experience that connects exceptional education to high-demand careers.

At CareerWorx, high school students and the community will explore dozens of “hands-on” activities and talk with employers who love to hire Gwinnett Tech grads.

Explore real jobs! Perform a mock sonogram, practice forensic science and criminal investigation, diagnose automotive issues in vehicles with as many as 100 complex computers in each one, use a virtual welder, try your hand at drone photography, operate a surgical laparoscopic trainer and more.

How much can I make and how long will it take? See careers that may be open to you with a Gwinnett Tech education and learn how much you can make. See the excitement behind today’s in-demand careers – think about where you want to be after high school, or consider a new career.

Talk with Gwinnett Tech recruiters, financial aid counselors and enrollment advisors. Ask questions, get answers – start your College application.

• Apply to Gwinnett Tech onsite and have your application fee waived.

Spencer named dean of pharmacy at GA-PCOM

Dr. Shawn D. Spencer has been appointed dean of the School of Pharmacy at Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (GA-PCOM) in Suwanee.  He will begin this position on March 26, 2018.

Spencer

Dr. Spencer brings to PCOM more than 23 years of combined experience in pharmacy practice and education, and has held a wide variety of academic leadership roles. He most recently served as the associate dean of institutional improvement at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Fla., where he was a tenured professor of clinical pharmacology.  In addition, he was the founding division director of pharmaceutical sciences at the Farleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy in Florham Park, N.J.

With experience working as a pharmacist in hospital and community pharmacy settings, Dr. Spencer has a research background as co-investigator on phase-1 cancer clinical trials conducted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute’s Center for Cancer Research in Bethesda, Maryland.  In 2015, he was awarded a $2.5 million dollar NIH grant to establish an innovative Center for Research Education and Training Enhancement at Florida A&M University, which emphasizes development of soft-skills for students in support of their biomedical research to improve patients’ lives.

Dr. Spencer is an alumnus of Temple University in Philadelphia where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy and a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences.

He says: “It’s an honor to be joining the PCOM family and leading the School of Pharmacy into the next era of pharmacy education.” He believes that advancing pharmacy practice is one of the key drivers to improving the quality of life for citizens of Georgia and the surrounding states.”

Free animal adoptions available on remaining Fridays in March

The Gwinnett Animal Welfare and Enforcement Center is offering a Clear the Shelter adoption special of only $20 for dogs or cats. All pet adoptions are free on Fridays for the month of March. Many dogs and cats have been examined by animal shelter staff veterinarians, vaccinated and neutered or spayed, so they are ready to go home on the day of adoption. Shelter fees are typically $90 for a dog and $30 for a cat.

Please keep in mind that adopting an animal is a decision that should include responsible planning for space, permission from your landlord if renting, and follow-up veterinarian care from a local clinic. Animals are forever family members that require love, attention, exercise and stimulation and can live 10 years or longer depending on age and breed. Consider this upon planning to adopt.

The shelter is open for adoptions Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Double Life of Veronique

Reviewed by  Karen Harris, Stone Mountain  |  Krzysztof Kieslowski’s movie, the Double Life of Veronique, follows the lives of two women, one a Polish choir soprano; the other a French music teacher, as they move through the events of their lives both with the sense that “they are not alone on the world”.  A film of few words but much in terms of colors, movements and meditative mood it creates, it is both metaphysical and humanistic in its depictions of the lives of two women, who during one moment in time catch a glimpse of each other from a bus on a crowded street in Poland. The viewer will quickly be drawn into the mystery of the beginning of the lives of both women who share not only a musical background, but also a health issue.   The film leaves the viewer with questions about what we really see and makes us wonder if maybe we have a double somewhere in the world.

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.  Send to:  elliott@brack.net

Austell was key backer of early Atlanta institutions

Alfred Austell was a merchant, banker, financier, and railroad builder who organized the Atlanta National Bank, became one of the country’s largest cotton dealers, and built railroads in several southern states.

Alfred Arthur Austell was born in eastern Tennessee on January 14, 1814, the younger son of Jane Wilkins and William Austell, a planter. In 1836 he moved to Campbellton, Ga., and went into business with his brother. In 1853 he married Francina Cameron of LaGrange, and the couple had four surviving children, Alfred Jr., Janie, Leila, and William.

Austell moved from Campbellton to Atlanta in 1858. With E. W. Holland he purchased the Bank of Fulton, where Austell also served as cashier. In 1861 Atlanta hosted the Bank Convention of the Confederate States, and Austell was a delegate.

At Austell’s instigation, the Atlanta National Bank was established in 1865, and operated out of his home for the first few months. Austell was not only director but also president from its founding until his death in 1881. In 1875 another new bank, the Atlanta Savings Bank, was incorporated, with Austell as its director.

Austell was also associated with William H. Inman in the cotton business. Their company, Austell, Inman and Company, worked with S. W. Inman and Company in transporting cotton from Georgia to New York. Upon retiring in 1870, Austell turned his interests over to his son-in-law, James Swann.

Austell was a chief factor in building the Atlanta and Charlotte Air-Line and the Spartanburg-Asheville branch of what was later the Southern Railway. Because of his services in the advancing of transportation facilities in the South, the town of Austell in Cobb County was named for him.

Although he opposed secession, he supported his state in its decision to do so. When the Civil War (1861-65) ended, Austell was a member of the committee that submitted resolutions congratulating the people of Atlanta on the end of the war, approving the appointment of the provisional governor, expressing a desire for the restoration of state government, and renewing old friendships and trade relations. The committee also included resolutions condemning the assassination of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln, declaring confidence in U.S. president Andrew Johnson, and commending the provisional governor, James Johnson.

Education was also of interest to Austell, and he served as a member of Atlanta’s first board of education. In 1878 he proposed a resolution to abolish the high school and superintendents’ office, arguing that doing so would help keep taxes and municipal costs low, but the resolution did not pass. He also served as a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta’s finance committee.

Austell died in Atlanta on December 7, 1881.

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

This Mystery Photo may be mighty easy for our experts

Some may easily recognize this edition’s Mystery Photo. It might just have something to do with the modern day. Figure this out and send your answers to elliott@brack.net, including where you live.

Several people chimed in with the identification of the last Mystery Photo.

Philomena Robertson of Peachtree Corners was first in: “This is the Adams Memorial, which is a grave marker located at the Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington D.C. The cast bronze sculpture is by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. It was commissioned by Henry Adams (author/historian) for his wife, Marian “Clover” Hooper Adams.  She suffered from depression, and had died by suicide by ingesting potassium cyanide, which she otherwise used to develop photos.  The name for the bronze figure is The Mystery of the Hereafter and The Peace of God that Passeth Understanding, but the public commonly called it Grief—a name that Henry Adams disliked.”

Others often contributed lengthy identifications.  Among them were Bobbie Tkacik, Lilburn; Ruthie Lachman Paul of Norcross; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex.

George Graf of Palmyra, Va. adds: “Clover Hooper Adams was born to a wealthy Boston family. Her mother was transcendentalist poet Ellen Sturgis Hooper; guests in her home growing up included Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau. Before marrying, Clover volunteered for the United States Sanitary Commission during the Civil War, raising funds, cooking, and tending to the wounded.  Clover’s reputation as an urbane yet troubled woman has caused speculation that she was the inspiration for Henry James’s novel Portrait of a Lady.” 

Joseph Hopkins of Norcross adds further of Clover Adams: “She was an American award-winning pioneer of portrait photography. Her photographs gave another angle to the United States of the 19th century and the woman’s place in it.”

HERE’S ANOTHER SCENE to let you know that spring is about to arrive today in all its beauty. These daffodils seems like they are dancing in the bright sunshine.  They are just another reminder of how beautiful a Georgia March can be. About time to get out and mosey in the yard and find yourself warmed by the springtime sun.

A public information open house has been scheduled for the Evermore Community Improvement District (ECID) Comprehensive Transportation Plan.  The meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 21 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Evermore CID’s offices located at 2795 Main Street, Suite 28, Snellville.  The Comprehensive Transportation Plan serves as a roadmap for how a community would like to see their transportation networks develop to serve their current and future needs. The Plan consists of recommendations for transportation improvements, which include, but are not limited to intersections, roadway widenings, transit, sidewalks, bike facilities, and trails, to maintain and expand the CID’s infrastructure while fostering a healthy, livable community.  For more details, visit planning@pondco.com or contact deancollins@axiscompanies.com.

Steve Berry is the New York Times bestselling author of over 15 novels including The Lost Order, The 14th Colony, and The Patriot Threat .His latest book, The Bishop’s Pawn, marks the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s death with a thriller that examines what happened in a shocking new way.  It stars Berry’s recurring hero, former Justice Department operative, Cotton Malone. Hosted by the Gwinnett County Public Library, meet Steve Berry on Monday, March 26 at 7 p.m. at Prototype Prime, 147 Technology Parkway NW, #100, Peachtree Corners.  The session is free and open to the public.  Books will be available for purchase and signing. For more information, call 770-978-5154 or visit www.gwinnettpl.org.

(NEW) Spend an evening with S. Lorraine Norwood as she discusses her book Images of America:  Duluth.  Norwood is a former journalist whose short stories and essays have won numerous awards. The event will be at Duluth City Hall on March 29 at 7 p.m., hosted by Gwinnett County Public Library. This event is free and open to the public.  Books will be available for purchase and signing. For more information, call 770-978-5154 or visit www.gwinnettpl.org.

Photo Exhibit of Frank Sharp’s roving-around-the-world photography is on display now through June at George Pierce Park activity building, at 55 Buford Highway  in Suwanee. The show is entitled “Photos of Six Continents.”  Free admission on Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; on Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sunday. For more information, phone 678 277-0910.

Bicentennial school exhibit: This is hosted by Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation, the Gwinnett County Public School System and Georgia Gwinnett College. Guests have come together to provide artifacts like slate pencils, historic photos, and teaching certificates representing the rich history of education in Gwinnett County. These items will be on display at the Isaac Adair House and the Female Seminary in Lawrenceville through December 31. These items include quilts, clothing, prehistoric tools and more. The Lawrenceville Female Seminary is located at 455 South Perry Street in Lawrenceville, and the Adair house is behind it. For additional information, please call 770.822.5178 or visit www.gwinnettparks.com.

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• Managing editor: Betsy Brack
• Roving photographer: Frank Sharp
• Contributing cartoonist: Bill McLemore
• Contributing columnist: Jack Bernard
• Contributing columnist: Debra Houston
• Contributing columnist: George Wilson

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