$178,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS: The Gwinnett Pearls of Service Foundation, Inc. (GPS) and the Upsilon Alpha Omega (UAO) Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated held their second Annual Scholarship Luncheon recently. The organizations awarded $178,000 in scholarships to 65 students. The scholarships ranged from $1,000 to $10,000. These were the most scholarships awarded in a single year. At the event among members of the two organizations present were Georgette Sherman, Dorothy Jarrett, Althea Lawton-Thompson (GPS Foundation president), Andria Daniels (UAO chapter president), Tanjela Jackson-Buckley, Gerri Blackshire, and Nicola McIntyre.
IN THIS EDITIONTODAY’S FOCUS: There’s a New Way To Prevent Shingles for Age 50 and Older
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Think Big on Transit: Extend Heavy Rail lines to Infinite Energy Arena
SPOTLIGHT: MTI Baths Inc.
FEEDBACK: Suggests Strict Enforcement of New Cell Phone Law for Georgia
UPCOMING: Jazz-in-the-Alley Performing Series Returns to Norcross on June 30
NOTABLE: In 2017, Gwinnett Identified 1,088 Collisions from Distracted Driving
RECOMMENDED: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Novelist Sue Monk Kidd Is A Native of Albany, Georgia
MYSTERY PHOTO: Today’s Mystery Photo Is Obviously a City, But Which One?
TODAY’S FOCUSThere’s a new way to prevent shingles for age 50 and older
By Audrey Arona, M.D.
Medical Director, Gwinnett Newton and Rockdale Public Health Department
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | If you have ever had shingles, you will admit it’s not an event you’ll ever forget. You’ll recommend to your friends and family they do everything possible to avoid ever getting it.
One out of every three people in the United States will develop shingles according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The risk of shingles increases the older you get, as does the worst complication of shingles, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). This is severe, sometimes permanent pain in the areas where the shingles rash occurs. PHN can be devastating and have disabling consequences.
Arona
Although the majority of patients who get shingles are age 60 or above, approximately six percent of patients are under the age of 60, and the diagnosis needs to be made quickly or the risk of PHN is significant. We know that stress will decreases our immune system and makes us susceptible to shingles.
Given that the stress levels of people in the United States are rising, particularly in adults at or over the age of 50, it is no wonder why shingles affects more and more people at younger ages than 60.
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is caused by the same virus that produces chicken pox. Most of us over the age of 50 had chicken pox as children. That virus stays inactive in our bodies for a long time and can reactivate to cause shingles even decades later. Increased levels of stress are a known precipitant for reactivation of the virus.
The most common presenting symptom is pain on a specific part of the body, normally acute and localized with occasional numbness and tingling. The infection involves a specific nerve, so wherever that nerve is located will be where pain is perceived.
Then, usually within five days, a rash will develop where the pain was noted. The rash associated with chicken pox usually occurs over the entire body, whereas that of shingles occurs in only one area (a dermatome). Shooting pain down the affected nerve can occur, as can the fluid-filled blisters typical of chicken pox. It’s know that 20 percent of people with shingles can experience outbreaks in more than one location of the body at the same time.
Shingles is contagious only to those never having had chicken pox or those not previously vaccinated for chicken pox. Pregnant women who have never had chicken pox or have not been previously vaccinated are at particular risk of exposure with devastating consequences to their unborn child.
Up until now, the only vaccine available to help prevent shingles was Zostavax. This vaccine was only available to people age 60 and older. The good news is a new vaccine for ages 50 years and older is now available, FDA approved and recommended. It is called Shingrix, a two-dose vaccine proven to be 90 percent effective at preventing shingles. It is given intramuscularly in two doses, with a two to six-month interval between doses. So, if you are 50 years old or older, your doctor will most likely advise you to receive this vaccine and protect yourself from shingles.
Although this vaccine may have some mild side effects, when considering the risk of shingles and PHN’s potential long-lasting effect on your body, the temporary vaccine side effects are generally outweighed. Check with your doctor and ask about shingles and Shingrix. This is one health problem you will be happy to avoid.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Think big on transit: Extend heavy rail lines to Infinite Energy Arena
By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher, GwinnettForum
JUNE 29, 2018 | Gwinnettians can expect a decision by the County Commission soon on whether there will be a question on the ballot about public transportation, that is, MARTA, on the November ballot.
We hope there is. The commission could also postpone the vote, so that the county might vote instead later on whether it should join the new Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority, being called The ATL. That new designation is a product of the recent Legislature. It is new regional body that will fold all the Metro Atlanta transit systems into one single unit, several years from now. That new unit will work in 13 metro counties, bringing together under one organization Gwinnett County Transit, CobbLinc, GRTA’s Express system, and even MARTA by March 2023.
Yet that new transit authority doesn’t face a vote by the different counties until 2019 or even 2020 at the earliest. Once in operation, it would take several years for the new Authority to formulate plans for this entire region for transit.
In other words, ATL means more delays toward implementation of a real workable public transit authority for the county. Delaying to vote on ARL would mean improved transit would be years away.
Since MARTA will most ultimately be a part of the new ATL, why isn’t it reasonable for Gwinnett to call a referendum on MARTA this year, and be two years down the road toward a more encompassing transit system for the county?
Anyway, Gwinnett has already delayed joining MARTA for years. The voters defeated MARTA when originally proposed in 1971, and again in a binding referendum in 1990.
However, with more than 550,000 people moving into Gwinnett since 1990, we sense that a new majority of Gwinnett citizens would overwhelmingly agree for the county to become part of the MARTA system these days. After all, more highways just cannot handle today’s traffic. Since most all call traffic our biggest problem, we feel Gwinnett is ready to move forward and adopt modern public transportation……since that could be part of the relief. (The current estimated population is 920,260 for 2017).
Current suggestion is to bring MARTA at least to the Jimmy Carter Boulevard area and even possibly extend the heavy rail tracks to the Gwinnett Place area. Even this may take 10-20 years!
But to us, that is short-term thinking.
If Gwinnett is to get the benefit of MARTA, why not bite the bullet and take the right action, and extend MARTA all the way to the center of the county, that is, to the Infinite Energy Arena area! It would be a shot in the arm to attract people from the vast Metro Atlanta area for shows, conventions, sporting events and entertainment in the Arena area.
In other words, think big! All too often, Gwinnett has failed to think big enough in years past. If we do not bring the high-speed tracks to the center of the county in the upcoming referendum, it might be 50 years before that area could benefit from public transit tracks.
Think ahead. Think big. Do the right thing, county commissioners. Call the referendum, but don’t be timid about it. It’s a long-term proposition anyway, so do it right.
Bring public transit to the arena!
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
MTI Baths Inc.
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s featured sponsor is MTI Baths Inc. of Sugar Hill. MTI Baths is a manufacturer of high-quality acrylic and engineered solid surface bath products, including whirlpools, air and soaking baths; lavatories; shower bases; and kitchen sinks. MTI’s patented Fill-Flush® and Simple Touch® whirlpool cleaning systems are the best on the market. MTI now offers engineered solid surface–counter tops and sinks. Every product is custom-made to order and shipped within seven business days. We are now operating in an additional manufacturing plant of 38,000 square foot. CEO of the firm is Kathy Adams, while Russell Adams is president.
- Visit their web site at http://www.mtibaths.com/.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Suggests strict enforcement of new cell phone law for Georgia
Editor, the Forum:
Hope Georgia enforces the ban on using cell phones in your car better than they did it in California. Out here, it appears if you are not gabbing or texting, you are in the minority.
Research shows using cell phones in your car is at least equal to DUI in lost attention and ability to drive properly.
Good luck. I don’t mean doom and gloom, but make the fines equal to reckless driving and DUI and maybe it will help.
— Ashley Herndon, Irvine, Cal.
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
UPCOMINGJazz-in-the-Alley performing series returns to Norcross June 30
Norcross’ annual Jazz-in-the-Alley series returns June 30 at Betty Mauldin Park, adjacent to the City Hall. This program of live music this year will feature Jae Franklin and Shamela Crawford. Jae Franklin started singing at a young age in her church choir. Now living in Atlanta, Franklin’s voice has grown to where she can cover many different areas of soul music. Shameia Crawford has a powerful voice that can captivate any audience.
There will be three more Jazz-in-the-Alley concerts this summer. On July 28 Emrah Kotan will perform. She is a trained jazz percussionist. Kotan’s talents have allowed him to play in many renowned venues around the world.
Then on August 18, Greg Robbins and Remey Willliams will be the featured performers. Greg Robbins has a classy voice that many people have compared to Harry Connick Jr. Remey Williams pairs his talented drum skills with his voice to put on great shows all across the country.
On September 1, the final Jazz-in-the-Alley will have as the headliner Eric Thomas, a talented saxophonist and vocalist. Thomas combines different genres with jazz to deliver a unique sound to his audiences.
Meanwhile, the Norcross Summer Concert Series in Thrasher Park will be on July 6, July 20, August 3 and August 17, and August 31. For more information please visit aplacetoimagine.com.
Rotary Club of Sugarloaf ducks to float to benefit local charities
Members of the Sugarloaf Rotary Club herd the ducks prior to the race in 2017.
Children and youth will be the winners as the Rotary Club of Sugarloaf hosts its fourth Annual Gwinnett Duck Derby at the West Gwinnett Park Aquatic Center in Norcross on Saturday, August 4. Gwinnett businesses have sponsored this fun, family event, while individuals are adopting ducks for $5 each. All are invited to come to the free event, scheduled for 3 to 7 p.m. to swim and to watch the duck race.
Proceeds will go towards the club’s local and international programs for children and youth. The Sugarloaf Rotary Club, founded in 1982, is known for its service to the community and support for such organizations as the Lawrenceville Boys and Girls Club, Corley Elementary School, and the Brookwood High School Interact Club.
The Rotary Club of Sugarloaf is made up of business owners and community leaders with a heart to serve others. By raising funds each year, the club has been able to:
- Purchase a virtual reality computer system installed at Corley Elementary School;
- Fund a scholarship for a Gwinnett Science Fair winner;
- Provide sidewalks for Annandale Villagers; and
- Continue the Polio Plus effort of Rotary International aimed at eradicating polio entirely throughout the world.
The racing of the ducks occurs at 4 p.m., while pool games, a food truck and a DJ will add to the fun. Approximately 5,000 ducks will be launched from a slide into a lazy waterway, which is part of the aquatic center. The ducks will flow into a catch basin and the first three finishers will be awarded prizes. The first place prize is $2,500, the second place prize is $1,000, and the third place prize is $500.
- To learn more and to adopt a duck, visit www.gwinnettduckderby.com.
In 2017, Gwinnett identified 1,088 collisions from distracted driving
In 2017 Gwinnett Police identified 1,088 collisions that listed distracted driving as a contributing factor and issued 2,254 citations under the previous distracted driving law.
Effective July 1, 2018, Gwinnett County drivers will face new restrictions on the use of electronic devices while driving and new penalties designed to counter the ongoing threat of distracted driving.
Drivers should be aware that under the new law they will no longer be permitted to physically hold a phone, GPS navigation device, media player, tablet, computer or other electronic device while operating any vehicle. The law also prohibits reading or writing text messages; recording or playing videos, with the exception of hands-free devices such as dash cameras that record continuously; and sending or receiving internet data.
Drivers will still be allowed to talk on the phone or use voice-to-text technology if done through an earpiece, headset, smart watch, or other hands-free device. Phones and other devices may also be used for navigation, so long as they are mounted and used in a hands-free manner.
Those who violate this law will be cited and will face a fine of $50 and 1 point on their driver’s history for a first offense; a fine of $100 and 2 points for a second offense, and a $150 fine and 3 points for a third offense. The law allows a one-time “pass” on a driver’s first offense if the driver appears in court with proof of having purchased a hands-free device.
Duluth hospital Intensive Care Unit wins national award
The Gwinnett Medical Center-Duluth Intensive Care Unit recently received a Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). This prestigious award has three levels, with GMC-Duluth receiving the highest honors with its gold level designation. The ICU is a three-time recipient of the Beacon Award and is one of only four units in the state to currently hold gold level status.
Cheryl MacMillan, director of nursing and patient care services at GMC-Duluth, says: “This award reflects the dedication and commitment of the highly skilled nurses in our ICU. Day in and day out, our ICU nurses provide an exceptional level of care while creating a supportive environment for care delivery. While our nurses can be proud of this accomplishment and of the role they play in serving others, our community can take comfort in knowing that the care of these patients is in capable hands.”
In addition to this latest recognition, GMC also received a B rating from Leapfrog, a nonprofit that works to better the quality and safety of health care based on a grading system for general acute-care hospitals. In April, Leapfrog published its spring 2018 hospital safety grades, with Gwinnett Medical Center-Duluth and Gwinnett Medical Center-Lawrenceville each receiving an above average ranking in overall safety.
Jackson EMC crews helping SC EMC after powerful storms
Five Jackson EMC crews are heading to South Carolina to assist a fellow electric co-op restore power after powerful storms this week.
The Jackson EMC crews will assist Blue Ridge Electric Co-op, based in Pickens, S.C., restore power to its members. Blue Ridge Electric Co-op serves 64,890 members across Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, Oconee and Pickens Counties. Powerful storms on Sunday caused extensive damage to power lines and poles in Blue Ridge Electric Co-op’s service area.
One of the principles for co-ops is cooperation among cooperatives. As a fellow cooperative, when asked, Jackson EMC provides assistance during major storm outages. Our crews will work alongside Blue Ridge Electric Co-op linemen to restore power as quickly and as safely possible.
RECOMMENDEDAn American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Reviewed by Karen Harris, Stone Mountain | Newlyweds Roy and Celestial seem primed for a wonderful life. He is an up-and-coming executive and she is an accomplished artist. They live in Atlanta. During a trip to visit her parents in Louisiana, Roy is picked up and charged with a heinous crime, which he did not commit. Sentenced to 12 years, Roy’s hope slowly erodes when it appears like he will not get an appeal. Celestial is devastated by this turn of events and leans upon an old family friend, with whom she becomes involved after two years. When Roy is suddenly released after five years, the past and present collide, and these characters must discern what the future will hold. An American Marriage handles several themes beautifully with characters that are at once likeable and despicable at the same time. This is quite a sobering story but with a hopeful ending.
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
GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA TIDBITNovelist Sue Monk Kidd is a native of Albany, Ga.
Sue Monk Kidd is a writer whose work explores themes of faith and family in southern life. She is best known for her 2002 novel The Secret Life of Bees, which has sold over eight million copies and been translated into 36 languages.
Kidd
Kidd was born in Albany, on August 12, 1948, to Leah and Ridley Monk, and raised in nearby Sylvester, in Worth County. Though encouraged to write at an early age by her parents and teachers, she initially pursued a career in nursing after graduating from Texas Christian University in 1970.
Upon returning to Georgia, Kidd worked as a nursing instructor at the Medical College of Georgia before committing herself to her literary pursuits. She studied creative writing at Emory University and Anderson College in Anderson, S.C., and published her first book, God’s Joyful Surprise, in 1987. Other works of nonfiction would follow, but it was Kidd’s first novel, The Secret Life of Bees (2002), that earned her wide acclaim.
According to Kidd, the book was “deeply influenced” by her hometown of Sylvester, although it takes place in South Carolina. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, The Secret Life of Bees is a coming-of-age story that follows 14-year-old Lily and her mother figure, Rosaleen, as they flee the past and are taken in by a trio of black beekeepers, the Boatwright sisters. An instant success, The Secret Life of Bees remained for more than two years on the New York Times best-seller list and was later adapted for both stage and screen.
Since 2002, Kidd has continued to publish both fiction and nonfiction works, including The Mermaid Chair (2005) and The Invention of Wings (2014), a fictional account of the lives of the Grimké sisters, nineteenth-century American abolitionists, and Hetty, the young slave girl whom they owned. While it failed to achieve the commercial success enjoyed by The Secret Life of Bees, the book was a New York Times best-seller and received support and acclaim from talk-show host Oprah Winfrey among others.
Kidd and her husband, Sanford, have two adult children, Ann and Bob. Her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor, is also a writer, and the two co-authored the memoir Traveling With Pomegranates (2009).
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Today’s Mystery Photo is obviously a city, but which one?
Today’s Mystery Photo is obviously a city, but which? Figure out where this photo was taken, and let us know your answer. Send to elliott@brack.net, and include your hometown.
Some GwinnettForum readers know their lighthouses, we found in the recent Mystery, as several recognized the Falmouth lighthouse on Cape Cod, Mass. The photo was sent in a couple of years ago by Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill.
Among those spotting the lighthouse were Ross Lenhart of Pawley’s Island, S.C.; Jim Savadelis of Duluth; Bernard Ethridge of Lilburn; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex., who wrote: “The Nobska Point Lighthouse is 42 feet high and was built in 1876 and is made of a cast iron shell lined with Brick. It was built in Chelsea, Mass. and transported to the Nobska Point site in Cape Cod in four sections. Built on a knoll, Nobska’s Light actually stands 67 feet above sea level, flashes every six seconds and is visible for 17 miles out to sea. It uses a 1,000-watt lamp, which is magnified by a Fourth Order Fresnel lens to generate a 28,000 candlepower light source. Wait…, what? OK, for those of you folks who still remember what a 60-watt incandescent light bulb looks like, it would take approximately 415 60-watt bulbs to generate this much light!”
“In 2014, the Coast Guard advertised for bidders to assume responsibility for the lighthouse, tower, and land surrounding the structures. The Town of Falmouth was the successful bidder, becoming the licensee with the understanding that the property would continue to belong to the federal government and must be open to the public for free. In March 2016, the Town of Falmouth gave responsibility for restoration, maintenance and operation as a museum to the Friends of Nobska Light, a non-profit organization established to preserve the Nobska Light as an educational resource open to the public.”
George Graf of Palmyra, Va. added: “In the 19th Century, construction of lighthouses along the Atlantic coast was critical for the safety of merchant mariners transporting goods and materials by sea. In 1828, the U.S. government purchased four acres on Nobska (Nobsque) Point for $160 and the first lighthouse on the site, a wooden structure that incorporated keeper’s quarters, was constructed at a cost of $2,249. The wooden light structure operated for 38 years and was replaced in 1876 by the present, 40-foot tall cast iron lighthouse, which was manufactured in Chelsea, Massachusetts. In 1985, the light was automated, eliminating the need for full-time keepers.”
LAGNIAPPELawrenceville recognized by GMA as city of ethics
The City of Lawrenceville has been recognized as a certified City of Ethics by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) at its recent convention in Savannah. Two other cities, Hiawasee and Turn, also got this recognition for the first time. A total of 42 of the 521 cities have this GMA recognition. GMA President Linda Blechinger, center, mayor of Auburn, and LaGrange Mayor Jim Thornton present Lawrenceville Mayor Judy Johnson with the Certified City of Ethics designation. The City of Ethics program began in 1999 and was developed by a panel of business and government leaders to encourage cities to adopt and adhere to a set of key ethical principles and adopt a local ethics ordinance. The ordinance must contain definitions, prohibited conduct and due process for officials accused of violations in areas such as financial disclosures, conflicts of interests and outside employment. The ordinance must also contain penalties for city officials who violate the ordinance.
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