By Heather Griffin, Lawrenceville, Ga. — Peach State Federal Credit Union is currently accepting applications for its 2017 scholarship program, which will award more than $161,000 in scholarships and educational grants. The program was established to honor the credit union’s founders, past and present board members and employees, as well as the lifetime achievements of several notable school system and community leaders.
By Scarlett Rigsby, Lawrenceville, Ga. | “Building relationships.” “No us and them.” “Meeting others where they are.” “It all counts”….these are statements frequently heard when the mission of Nothing but the Truth Ministry is explained.
I founded Nothing but the Truth as a charitable 501c3 in 2010 with the idea that it would seek to understand the needs of the community and then to mobilize ministry partners to meet those needs. What began as a small Bible study in a room of a local extended stay hotel has grown rapidly into a multi-faceted ministry. In 2013, the Nothing but the Truth’s Ministry Center opened its offices on Langley Drive near downtown Lawrenceville. It is centrally located near several low-income housing options.
By Alvin Leaphart, Jesup, Ga. | The moving forces in society are not lawyers. Lawyers simply work within the framework of society as it exists during a period in history, trying to make sense out of it, and maintain peace and harmony in society.
The moving forces, or the changers, are religious leaders, activists, and radicals in all groups. Religious leaders work to keep things as they are; activists seek change; and radicals use one or the other, or both, to destroy a society and create a new one in their own image.
By Sara Rawlins, Lawrenceville, Ga. | Please allow me to make a few points.
Point 1. Yes, Mr. Trump won the election with the help of the “White Man,” especially in the rural areas, but here’s a fact that needs to be pointed out: most of their jobs went overseas way before President Obama came into office and most jobs were out-sourced because of cost concerns. Here the fault lies with big business, which Mr. Trump is a part of.
By Sean Couch, Braselton, Ga. | Thanks to a signature gift to The Medical Center Foundation from Janice and Jack Frost, owners of Memorial Park Funeral Homes and Cemeteries in Gainesville, The Janice and Jack Frost Water Garden will be constructed next year by the public entrance to the Emergency Department at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Braselton.
By Heather Loveridge, Dacula, Ga. | The third annual Christmas in Dacula, to be held on December 3 from 12-8 p.m., will be hosted by Hebron Church, located on the corner of Fence and Dacula Roads. The 2016 Christmas promises to provide even more family fun than last year’s event. Presented by the Dacula Business Association and the City of Dacula, the 2015 Christmas in Dacula drew close to 10,000 attendees.
By Andy Brack, Charleston, S.C. | Wasn’t the presidential election supposed to be rigged?
Had Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who garnered just over 350,000 votes more than the GOP’s Donald Trump out of 120 million cast across the country, won the electoral college, we wouldn’t hear the end of the election being rigged.
By Pat Boone, Duluth, Ga. | A resident of Gwinnett for three years, here are the three suggestions I have for improving the county.
First, the county should raise the littering fine, and make it a dollar amount or as an alternative, allow the litterer to pick up trash. For example, let them decide to pay $1,000 or 10 hours picking up trash. It’s been my experience that people who pick up other people’s trash stop littering.
By Peter Boyce, Dacula, Ga. | Law enforcement has been thrust into a role of crisis intervention when confronted with persons suffering from mental illness and/or drug induced behavior.
The media now asserts that the police, as first responders who frequently confront individuals with severe mental illness or who are under the influence of drugs, must fulfill a legal obligation to protect the safety and welfare of the community as well as assess and safeguard the rights of people with disabilities such as mental illness or drug induced behavior.
By Chelsea Bohannon | A holiday classic fit for the entire family, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol returns to Aurora Theatre this holiday season, November 25 –December 23! The timeless tale of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge (Anthony Rodriguez) and his quest for forgiveness unfolds in an unforgettable journey of transformation through Christmas past, present and future. Deemed one of the greatest Christmas stories of all time, audiences of all ages will delight in the spirit of the season as they revisit the splendor of what makes this production a holiday tradition.
“Never tell anyone that you’re writing a book, going on a diet, exercising, taking a course, or quitting smoking. They’ll encourage you to death.”
– Comic Artist Lynn Johnston (“For Better or Worse”) (1947 – ).
The family-friendly event, Duluth Fall Festival, will take place on September 28-29. This is the 41st year, and the Festival has consistently been voted one of the top festivals in the entire area, including “Best Large Festival in the Southeast’” by national publications.
There will be more than 300 arts, crafts and food booths, a huge parade, entertainment at two venues, a 5K road race, and much more. If you would like more information, are interested in volunteering, etc., go to the Festival website:
Gwinnett Forum publisher Elliott Brack suggests that Gwinnett County needs a long-range list of continuing objectives for improving the county. His list:
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