Gwinnett Forum.com -- Gwinnett County's community forum and idea exchange

TODAY'S ISSUE
Local women writers to be featured at seminar
By Haywood Smith
Special to GwinnettForum.com

(Local authors will be presented at Barnes and Noble book store in Duluth on March 29 in conjunction with Women's History Month. Among the authors to be present are: Orion Jenkins, Jonesboro, Jennifer Elin Cole and Carmen Green of Lawrenceville, Melanie Lindsay-Pavich, Decatur, Jackie Miles, Lilburn, Yvette Gavin: Decatur, Johnnie Goolsby, Macon and Haywood Smith of Buford. We asked Ms. Smith why she had become a writer, and got this response. -eeb)

MARCH 7, 2003 -- I didn't set out to be a writer. I was a reader. Books were my escape to magic worlds and ideas. I've always been fascinated by the people around me and their stories, collecting them like secret treasures. When I moved from my native Atlanta to Buford 30 years ago, it wasn't my first experience with small town life. I'd already collected many wonderful anecdotes and personalities from my country cousins in Moreland, Ga., and my summers at Lake Rabun.

When a challenge from a friend prompted me to start writing at 40, I chose historical romances because I loved authors like Mary Stewart and Taylor Caldwell. It took seven years to make that first sale, but I've published six critically acclaimed stories set in England and Scotland with strong heroines, hunky heroes, accurate history, and happy endings.

Then came a bitter divorce, and love stories were the last thing I felt like writing. So I decided to make use of my Southern treasure trove of gossip, tall tales, Georgia dirty politics stories, small-town humor, and an ample supply of eccentric relatives, and I wrote my first hardback contemporary novel, "Queen Bee of Mimosa Branch."
It's a book that deals with real-life issues facing women "of a certain age," but (I hope) in an entertaining, funny, upbeat way. I wanted to bring hope and laughter to my readers.

The main character is a composite of me and all my jilted friends, and our funniest experiences with starting over. Fortunately, unlike my heroine, I didn't have to move back home with crazy parents in the small town I'd married at nineteen to escape. Disillusioned, she tries to go bad (serious cussing, in triplets, and a stab at carrying on), but ends up coming to terms with herself, her family, her town, and her future.

Though she and I share some characteristics and insecurities, the similarities end there. I have no tattoos on my body, much less an obscene one on the fanny, and I haven't even had a date, much less hooked up with Mr. Wrong. If you want to know more, come to my 2:30 p.m. session at the Pleasant Hill Barnes & Noble's "Women of the 21st Century" day, March 29, and I promise, I'll tell all.

Being a full-time writer is all I'd hoped it would be. I have a 20-foot commute, I work in a recliner, and the dress code is sweats and fuzzy slippers. I've signed for four more hardbacks, so I get to keep doing this for at least four more years, and my treasure chest of Southern characters and true inspirations is still brimming.

My next book, "The Red Hat Club," available from St. Martin's Press this September, is the story of five Buckhead women, friends since high school who band together to bring justice to an errant husband, terrorizing polite society in the process.

I'm really looking forward to meeting and entertaining readers at Gwinnett Barnes & Noble on March 29th.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Let pro teams help pay for college athletes
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com

MARCH 7, 2003 -- Five guys were gathered outside a building after a meeting. One guy approaching said: "Looks like there is something to this idea of gang activity in Gwinnett."

The five loiterers were discussing, as were many groups over the last few days in Georgia, college athletics, out of the trouble brewing now at the University of Georgia over the basketball program.

"When he said everything will come out eventually, that's amounts to saying he's guilty."

"Why, the University had to get special dispensation to hire his son! That should have told them something."

Then Wayne Sikes, perhaps thinking ahead of the rest, said: "What they should do is pay them," as some eyebrows wandered upward. But he added: "Then when these players are drafted, the pro team drafting them ought to have to pay the university for the educational and other expenses while the player was there. That would take care of many of the NCAA problems, and would re-pay the university, too.:"

Wow! Different thinking! Imagine the ramifications! A sound idea, one of boldness and quite progressive!

What Wayne's suggestion would do is to make legal what has probably been going on all the time, though in a clandestine and unlawful fashion. The current method certainly isn't ethically correct.

The Universities would pay for services of these stellar athletes. They would no longer be counted as amateur athletes, but would be small-time professional players.

Another guy threw in another suggestion about this time: "They should not allow any of them to go to the pros before their own class graduates!" Here came a few "Amens" on that one.

One more aspect: though paid, these "student-athletes:" would be expected to take courses, real course, and pass them, or else be thrown out of school. If the professional teams would hang in there and not allow them to play unless they graduate, what would this do? We hope it would produce a better class of professional athletes, and keep some of the true thugs out of the limelight. It might end up making athletes in general a higher quality of citizen!

Most people feel that the so-called amateur college athlete is at the minimum living an unreal life, in not really violating NCAA rules. How else can you explain giant television sets, monster autos, and dressing like a pro?

College athletics is hurting. Situations like this one developing out of the University of Georgia indicate that it's getting no better. Something must be done. Wayne Sikes may have hit it on the head, simply to quit fooling around, and pay the student athlete for his performing. Or else continue to live the lie.

FEEDBACK
3/7: Explains legal process in eviction cases

Editor, the Forum:

While evictions are undignified, state law mandates that the items be placed on the public right-of-way. In order to better understand the eviction process, one must acknowledge that the renter has failed to pay any rent for an average of a 2-3 month period by the time they are evicted.

Once the renter fails to pay, the owner files a Dispossessory with the courts. Once filed, the Sheriff's Department, or Marshall, must serve this order. Once served, the renter has seven days to file a response. If the defendant fails to respond, a Writ of Possession is issued and the eviction can move forward.

If the renter responds they are permitted a court hearing to argue their case. By the time their belongings are place on the right-of-way, the truly undignified act is that the owner has lost a substantial amount of money, time and effort to merely recover what was his in the first place. I have seen horror cases where the owner was denied his property for years because the renter is a "professional squatter."

-- Melinda Allen, Gainesville

3/7: Other programs had to give way for Mr. Rogers

Editor, the Forum:

I felt like a member of our family had died with the news of Mr. Rogers. Sesame Street, which started in 1970 the year I entered grade school, was a staple in our house, as was Mr. Rogers, who drew a little fire at our house. We only had one TV set, unlike today. Ultraman, Speedracer and the afternoon movie had to wait when Mr. Rogers was on.

-- Kelly Herndon, Grayson

3/7: Other factors also contributed to Gateway success

Editor, the Forum:

While what you have stated is true I fear you may have overlooked a couple of other factors that could well be attributed to the success of Gwinnett County students.

The amount of money being spent every year. Our current cost is over $9,000 a year per student. This actually exceeds the cost to provide a private education at many of our local private schools. Which, by the way, seem to historically outscore public schools.

The success of outside tutoring programs like Sylvan indicates to me that the school is not only failing but failing miserably.

I find your spin on the Drop out numbers interesting as well. With increasing enrollment one could look at the lower percentages through rose-colored glasses. However, the reality is that these numbers are based on students at least 16 years old. These are high school aged students. What happened to the help you contend they received three years ago while in middle school? What happened to no social promotion? Most importantly why the sudden increase in drop outs if the program is working? And what happens to your percentages if these students had remained?

One comment from your article I can not deny "mostly from a small minority of parents". I, sir, pride myself as being a member of that minority. Of being an involved parent and voter, of having the foresight to see down the road we are being led and the courage to speak out. Making me a member of the "Vocal Minority"

Minorities are what founded this great country. They are its backbone. I pray they never cease to exist and that they never fail to speak out against what they perceive as an injustice.

-- Jim Dumond, Buford

3/7: Maybe black and white flag idea is not so bad

Editor, the Forum:

After reading the article from Willis on the flag, I think he has a great suggestion. I am a new resident to Georgia and have tried not to get involved in this issue but since this is now my home state, I feel it is chasing me.

There is a big part of me that wants to say "what a bunch of junk"! We are trying so hard to please everyone and Willis is right, we will never accomplish that. If every individual started demanding their feelings be taken care of we would be spinning our wheels and going no where. This was started because a small group of people looked at the flag and to them it represented wrong doings.

Why didn't we sit down with those people and help them with their feelings and really dialogue what this was all about. I want to understand the differences here in the South but it's so hard. I see a state that has very successful humans of all races and colors. And I see them get along better then up North! I travel all over the area and I'm confused where the conflict is? Or should I say I'm confused on how many people actually have this flag conflict? It seems like only a few if you measure it with our population.

Someone needs to take the role of leadership and decide if this conflict is going to continue, if so, Willis is right, take the toy away from both of them and make the flag black and white with letters......what color should the letters be??? That could start a whole new issue.

-- Connie Catalano, Lawrenceville