TODAY'S ISSUE: New Lake Lanier Project To Host Two Updating Meetings
ELLIOTT BRACK: The Late George E. Smith: What A Tremendous Person!
55 WORD STORY: Exact Measure Ramifications on the Recent Blackout
TODAY'S QUOTE: Yogi Berra on Attending Baseball Games or Not

"If the fans don't wanna come out to the ballpark, no one can stop 'em.

-- Yogi Berra (1925 - ), as quoted by Joe Garagiola on the Jack Paar show, NBC 1963.

55-word story: "The frequency of reports was not alternating current events. This electrified news really hertz. Eye witness Henry said that rumors of the outage starting in Ohio should be discharged. As Henry wiped sweat from his farad he was quoted as saying "Ohm surprised at that female reporter. There must be reluctance for someone to transformer."

-- Joel C. Taylor, Jr., Snellville

TODAY'S ISSUE
September community meetings update Lake Lanier project
By Marci Hawk
Special to GwinnettForum.com

AUG. 26, 2003 -- The Gwinnett County Department of Public Utilities is planning an informational open house for people living in the Lake Lanier community to update them on the LANCOOL Infrastructure Improvement Projects.

LANCOOL stands for Lanier Community Outreach and Liaison Project, which is the county's effort to keep people informed and involved in a series of water system expansion projects that include a new water treatment plant, a new water intake point, new water lines, and a new reservoir.

The meetings take place at the Lanier Filter Plant on 2601 Buford Dam Road on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2003 and Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2003 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Residents are invited to drop in any time between those hours to visit informational stations and talk one-on-one with members of the project team. Aerial photographs, maps, and other information will be on display to provide updates of the projects and address particular issues. The same information will be presented at both meetings so people can choose the one most convenient to their schedule.

These meetings are part of a series of ongoing informational sessions related to this group of infrastructure projects that have been under construction for nearly two years.

The featured topics include:

• Installation of a 60" pipeline, which will cause road closings along Jimmy Dodd and Buford Dam Roads.
  
  
• Construction of the raw water distribution center, which will cause the temporary closing of Coles Mill Road.
  
  
• Clearing at Lanier Filter Plant for the pipeline and plans to restore the area.
  
  
• Installation of 16" and 20" pipeline for a gravity sewer, which may impact Sycamore and Stewart Roads and has the potential for blasting.
  
  
• Work at intake area on Lake Lanier.

For more information about this meeting, please contact Neal Spivey, Lanier Filter Plant Director, at 770-932-4420.

To learn more about LANCOOL projects, please visit www.lancool.com.

(Si desea recibir esta informacion en espanol por favor contaque Adam Minchey at (678) 376-7150.)

ELLIOTT BRACK
George Smith was inspiration to many in Atlanta area
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com

AUG. 26, 2003 -- A major force in the development of Gwinnett and all of Atlanta departed this planet recently. We speak of George E. Smith, who died August 16 at the age of 87.

George's Gwinnett connection was with the former J.M. Tull Metals Company, where he was employed for 46 years. He began as a shop apprentice and retired as chief executive office and chairman of the board. That's a big jump.

If you knew George, you also knew why he became the top guy at Tull: he had unusual abilities, was most sincere and trusting, and showed great leadership skills.

He was the CEO when Tull moved its operations from downtown Atlanta to Gwinnett. He jumped into Gwinnett activities with enthusiasm and interest, and became a major player out here, too.

His leadership was seen all over Atlanta, on business boards and voluntary agencies in top roles at such places as Trust Company Bank, Metro Atlanta Red Cross; the Georgia Freight Bureau; Atlanta Rotary; United Way; Metro YMCA; Heart Association; Georgia Baptist Children's Home; Atlanta Union Mission; NE Georgia Girl Scouts; Sheltering Arms, Northside Baptist Church; and many others.

But mainly, it was George's genial manner, pausing to talk to people at all levels of life, and always with his measured voice, never raised, and forever pleasant. After his retirement, he gave devoted time to many charities, and help lead the Tull Charitable Foundation and Campbell Foundation.

George Smith's life is an inspiration to others. We will miss his kind.

George E. Smith, 1916-2003: may you rest in peace.

* * * * *

What are America's most literate cities? The answer may surprise you.

The question comes from Jack Miller, chancellor and education professor at
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He analyzed data from America's 64 largest cities, considering educational attainment, booksellers, newspaper circulation, library resources, periodicals published. Here is his top ten literate cities.

1. Minneapolis.
2. Seattle.
3. Denver
4. Atlanta
5. San Francisco
6. Pittsburgh
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Louisville, Ky.
9. Portland, Ore.
10. Cincinnati.

Were you surprised?

* * * * *

Here's an idea for a new tax that might go over some places better than other.

And in all of places, Seattle, Wash. was where they came up with this idea: a tax on "designer drinks." Not coffee, mind you, nor tea, nor cocoa, but a tax aimed at the high-priced concoctions, like they would make in say, uh, a Starbucks!

This is no laughing matter in Seattle, where the proposition is on a ballot on September 16. The proponents want this tax of 10 cents per drink to help fund a pre-kindergarten program, which they say would bring in $7 million annually.

Those who can afford a $2.50 latte, say the pushers of this tax, should not be offended by aiming this tax at a city-wide benefit, better kindergartens. But you note they do not include the regular java drinkers, but the higher-priced coffees.

A similar measure might tax Coca Cola in Atlanta? Fat chance! But in Seattle, some say this proposition could come home a winner. Keep listening!

* * * * *

PET PEEVE: Those motorists in multiple-lane roads who get into the right lane and sit there during the red light...blocking people who want to turn right.

Editor's note: If you have a 55-word story, pet peeves or comments on any issue, send to Gwinnett Forum for future publication.

MORE: Contact Gwinnett Forum at: elliott@gwinnettforum.com

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