Elliott Brack’s Perspective
BRACK: Ocmulgee-Flint Canal idea would have been a loser
By Elliott Brack | Let’s delve back some into recent Georgia history. Do you remember a proposal, perhaps 50 years ago? There was talk of the possibility of constructing a shipping canal between the Ocmulgee and Flint Rivers. The closest distance between the two south-flowing rivers is about 30 miles, from Abbeville to west of Cordele.
BRACK: Background on the naming of Jimmy Carter Boulevard
By Elliott Brack | The idea of honoring President Carter with a road named for him in Gwinnett came from former county commissioner Ray Gunnin of Norcross. In November 1976, signs went up re-naming Norcross Tucker Road (Georgia Highway 140) as Jimmy Carter Boulevard, two months before Carter became president.
BRACK: 14th Amendment could come into play with debt crisis
By Elliott Brack | Much of the talk in Washington these days is about whether the Democrats and Republicans can come together with an agreement to raise the national debt limit. If that doesn’t happen, it could mean that our nation will default on its debt. That’s never happened in the 227 years of our country.
BRACK: Construction going slowly on Western Gwinnett Bikeway
By Elliott Brack | Have you noticed the construction along the west side of a four-mile stretch of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Duluth and Suwanee? Gwinnett County is building part of a multi-use path, the Western Gwinnett Bikeway, on the western edge of the road, and using distinctive prefab concrete construction barrier walls in the process. It is a long-awaited bikeway, having been in the talking stage for years, and lately, has been plagued by construction delays.
Gwinnett Forum | Jan. 7, 2025
“Nothing makes us feel more connected than when we are engaged in a healthy balance of thoughtful speaking and hardcore listening.”
– Belgian-American psychotherapist and relationship expert Ester Perel (1958- ) via John Titus, Peachtree Corners.
Continuing objectives
Gwinnett Forum publisher Elliott Brack suggests Gwinnett County needs a long-range list of continuing objectives for improving the county. His 2025 list:
- Move statewide non-partisan judicial and school board elections to the date of the General Election.
- More creative efforts to support the arts in Gwinnett.
- Advancement and expansion of city historical societies.
- Require establishments that serve alcoholic beverages to halt sales of such products at 1 a.m., and close by 2 a.m.
- Require the Georgia Legislature to meet only once every two years.
- Eliminate single-use plastic packaging and straws in Gwinnett and require instead the use of paper products.
- Gwinnett planners to encourage condos and townhouses instead of apartments.
Interested in Gwinnett history?
Now re-printed in its third edition, Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta, the award-winning history of Gwinnett County, is once again available for purchase. It sold out of its first two printings. The book won the 2010 Award of Excellence in Documenting Georgia History from the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board. The book is available at Old Town Antiques at 93 Main Street in Lilburn.
- The history of Gwinnett is also available as an e-book from Amazon or Barnes and Noble for $9.95.
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