Elliott Brack’s Perspective
BRACK: Expansion of Gwinnett Civic Center area getting attention
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Gwinnett was booming along nicely in 2005 and 2006. Plans were underway to expand the Gwinnett Civic Center and its environs.
The recent recession cut expansion plans short. Finally, in 2015, we’re starting to see some movement for new facilities around this area that is more-and-more the heartbeat of the county.
BRACK: Visiting and pedalling around Mackinac Island, Michigan
By Elliott Brack | Visiting Mackinac Island, Mich., had always intrigued both my wife and me. After years of pondering the area, a time in August presented itself, and we visited. It’s on the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. We flew to Detroit, rented a car, drove north, and crossed on the every-30-minute ferry.
BRACK: Phillip Beard’s got a right to be proud of accomplishments in Buford
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | The big story from announcements of people qualifying to run in city elections in Gwinnett came out of Buford. It was old news, but with a twist.
There Phillip Beard will have no opposition again in the city election. In November he will re-elected chairman of both Buford City Commission and also of its School Board. That’s no surprise.
BRACK: McKoon’s far-out views could benefit the Democrats
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | It’s a natural law: a pendulum, once swinging, will always reverse its course.
Sometimes, it takes forever for that pendulum to move the other way. Look at the State of Georgia, Democratic always until 2002, when the Republicans finally won the governor’s office. Up until then, the statehouse had been slowly moving toward a more conservative, Republican bent, with the GOP finally gaining control of both houses in 2004.
BRACK: Author’s fascinating story of Sautee-Nacoochee Valley
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | One of Georgia’s most peaceful and scenic spots is just south of Helen, off Georgia Highway 75. It’s the Sautee-Nacoochee valley, highlighted by the cupola atop an Indian Mound close to the roadway, in White County, just after the road crosses the Chattahoochee River.
BRACK: Corn dodger recipe can make your mouth water
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | It’s great to see your former students do well. A surprise gift (Vidalia onions) from him allowed a re-connection. And this student, Ray Moses, graduating in journalism, writes so well. He uses his journalism skills in a different way today, as president of Genoa Construction, an Alpharetta-based building firm which now does business in 15 states. The firm concentrates on renovation work, but recently completed one of its biggest projects, Smithgall Woods at the new Atlanta Botanical Gardens in Gainesville.
Gwinnett Forum | April 1, 2025
“However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.”
— Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1874-1965), via Lee Klaer, Duluth.
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.
- County-wide microtransit services.
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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