TODAY'S ISSUE: Publisher Looks Back on Initial Issues of Business Journal
ELLIOTT BRACK: This and That, Including Nigut Appearing in Gwinnett
McLEMORE'S CARTOON: Looking like John Travolta?
FEEDBACK: Reaction to Roundabouts and Senior Housing in Gwinnett
UPCOMING: Taste Chef Gala and New Bus Routes for Gwinnett
TODAY'S QUOTE: Considering What Is Real and What Is Unreal

"You don't wait to buy land. You buy land and wait."

-- Industralist Andrew Carnegie, via Nick Nicholson of Atlanta.

My guess is that we may have to open our minds and become more creative to the solutions to moving around in an urban area like Gwinnett and reducing accidents at the same time. Experts and novice traffic engineer input would be interesting, as was Judge Winn's.

-- Charles Summerour, Duluth

TODAY'S ISSUE
Looking back on first 10 issues of Gwinnett Business Journal
By David Greer
Publisher
The Gwinnett Business Journal
Special to GwinnettForum.com

OCT. 3, 2003 -- There's something about the crisp cool feeling of the fall in Georgia. A little nip in the air kind of gets the blood stirring and jogs the brain cells a bit. One day last week I walked out the door and was greeted with that familiar invigorating chill, and it took me back to this same time last year when the vision of the Gwinnett Business Journal (GBJ) was just a feeling in the air.

It's hard to believe our one-year anniversary is just around the corner and the vision has become a reality. With 10 issues under our belt, we've learned a lot about the hustle and bustle that drives the biz of Gwinnett. We've covered a lot of ground, met some nice folks and had a lot of fun along the way. Life just doesn't get any better than this!

My goal for the GBJ is to keep a local focus on the Gwinnett business community. Sure, we may cover global stories, but always from the Gwinnett perspective. In today's world, people have access to information from all over the world through the Internet and cable news channels. So no doubt we have enough information- maybe too much.
Ironically, that's why I thought the GBJ would have a place in the market. Other publications are charged with the daunting task of covering world news and topics all over the place. Our aim is to cover local news about local companies for local people: anything Gwinnett and nothing but.

In my view, Gwinnett has always marched to the beat of it's own drum for as long as I can remember. It hasn't always been an area easily lumped into "Metro Atlanta." It's more than just a part of Atlanta. It's more than just a suburb of the "big city." It is it's very own growing, thriving community that is chock full of entrepreneurs, high-tech giants, corporate headquarters and business news galore.

We tried to run a variety of stories to hit the many different topics our readers might be interested in. We touched on some how-tos, covered new business openings, profiled CEOs. And our reporters continue to have their ears to the ground listening for what the business community is most interested in. Your opinions and thoughts are leading the way to shape the publication as it moves into next year. It is, after all, a publication for and about your business.

I considered our first year to be a preview year. Some publications have preview issues, but our approach was to make the entire year a preview year. I think that's publisher-speak for "We may not know exactly what to do, so lets get started and tweak it along the way."

And our tweaking continues, but we've got big plans for our second year. When I first got started a respected colleague told me the journal should stand for something and have some principles and beliefs that molded and reflected the character of the publication.

To that end, next year GBJ will introduce its Random Acts of Kindness campaign. Not an organized charity, not necessarily a fund raising effort, but simply put an initiative to promote and spread goodwill throughout the community- with no strings attached, no pre-selected recipients. Just acts of kindness and generosity to random businesses and citizens who call Gwinnett home. We look forward to sharing those stories with you in an effort to demonstrate what success in Gwinnett really means.

Keep the feedback coming and thanks to all of our GBJ community for your participation and support.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Nigut appearance in Gwinnett bodes well for the arts
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com

OCT. 3, 2003 -- Those interested in the arts in Gwinnett will like what Bill Nigut is doing. The former TV newsman is now head of the Atlanta Regional Arts and Cultural Leadership Alliance, an organization funded by the five county metro area. Having someone as visible as Nigut heading this group bodes well.

Not only that, but Nigut chose a Gwinnett arts venue as his first public appearance after the announcement. Nigut was at the first performance of the Gwinnett Philharmonic Tuesday night at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center, and introduced by Director Monte Nichols for a few words.

Nigut said he was there after two Gwinnett people, Wayne Hill and Nancy Gullicksen, recommended he come see the facility. He complimented the full house for their support of the arts, and promised they would see great activity and more visibility of the arts in Metro Atlanta.

It was a good move by Nigut. Encouraging people throughout Metro Atlanta to support the wider arts community pays big dividends for the communities in the long run.

By the way, the opening performance of the Philharmonic this year was a varied program from around the world, from the works of Handel, Borodin, Ginasttera, Ravel and Copland. It came off in fine fashion by the 90-member Philharmonic. Their next program is set for November 6 featuring the Atlanta Piedmont Winds quartet, with works of Gershwin and others.

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QUICK CHANGE: another road that changes its name abruptly spotted recently: Pounds Road becomes Garner Road at Five Forks Trickum Road.

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Remember Bill Northquest? He was the county elections supervisor for two years, then later county administrator for two and a half years. Afterward, he moved to Dahlonega, where he is now a candidate for their city council. Bill is also retired from the military.

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All those people moving into Gwinnett know something, we presume. Now we learn another reason for Georgia's growth: more people age 20 to 29 moved to Georgia during the period between 1995-2000 than any other state. And no doubt, that included many moving to Gwinnett.

The information comes from ePodunk.com, which analyzed Census Bureau data. While 102,500 people moved into Georgia, New York lost the most people of that age (130,000).

The top ten states and number of 20-year-olds moving to them shows:

1. Georgia, 102,500.
2. North Carolina, 93,400.
3. Colorado, 64,200.
4. Arizona, 58,500.
5. Florida, 48,600.
6. Nevada, 45,500.
7. Virginia, 40,500.
8. Texas, 39,200.
9. Tennessee, 32,800.
10. Washington, 31,000.

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HEADLINE in Christian Science Monitor on story about problems in Alabama about taxing of land: 'Who would Jesus tax?"

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TOLL REMOVED: Remember the recent story about the elimination of the 35 cent toll charge to drive your auto across the Torres Causeway to St. Simons Island? It's been on that road for 23 years now. At the same time, another island charge was in the news.

Residents of Jekyll Island, which has no toll, but a $3 island "parking fee" were asked about the possibility of removing that charge for visitors.

"Don't monkey around with our parking fee," Jekyll residents responded to a poll by the newspaper, Jekyll's Golder Islander. Of the 182 respondents to the suggestion, 168 opposed removing the fee. Many residents voiced liking the "gated community" appearance of the toll booth, with its fee. It brings in $1.4 million a year to the Jekyll Island Authority for operations and improvements.

One resident said of the parking fee, which is a $35 annual fee for residents: "The fee is a small price to pay to enjoy the peace and serenity of the island." Whoever said that is right. For residents, it is a small price.

• Route 10 - the number of buses will be increased, allowing for shorter route times and more frequent service during the morning and evening rush hours.
  
  
• Route 20 - route enhancements will bring local buses serving the southern I-85 corridor closer to riders in the Singleton Road area.
  
  
• Route 30 - clockwise and counterclockwise loops, serving the area of downtown Norcross and Technology Park, will result in buses operating in both directions every 30 minutes. The main portion of the route, from the Gwinnett Place Transit Center to Buford Highway, will have buses operating every 15 minutes during peak hours.
  
  
• Route 40 - the cycle time on this route will be reduced, shortening the trip so riders spend less time on the bus.
  
  
• Route 50 - this route will undergo the most extensive routing and scheduling changes. These changes will provide more direct service from the Gwinnett Place Transit Center to the Mall of Georgia, shortening the trip time for riders.
  

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

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