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TODAY'S
ISSUE
Senate hearings set
May 25 about Friendship Road problems
By
Sen. Renee Unterman
Special to GwinnettForum.com
 LOGANVILLE,
MAY 18, 2004 - - Northeast Georgia residents will have a chance
to voice concerns at an upcoming town hall meeting regarding the
problems experienced on Friendship Road in South Hall County. This
is the road that many people use to get to Lake Lanier Islands.
Along with Sen. Casey Cagle (R-Gainesville), I invite the public
to attend the meeting at Friendship Baptist Church on May 25, 2004.
Todd Long, District Engineer of the Georgia Department of Transportation
in Hall County also will be on hand to answer questions and concerns.
"There have been several incidents that have occurred on Friendship
Road that have resulted in serious injuries and even death,"
stated Sen. Cagle. "I want the citizens who are concerned about
their safety to have an outlet to relate their experiences and have
their questions answered."
Several residents have said how worried they are about traffic
and speed in this area and they feel it is only going to get worse.
Hopefully we can reach a solution on how to improve traffic on this
road that keeps seeing more and more drivers.
Local residents are encouraged to attend the town hall meeting
that will be held from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Friendship Baptist
Church on Georgia Highway 347. Friendship Road runs along the Gwinnett
County line from Lake Lanier Islands to Spout Springs Road. Because
of recent development in the area, traffic has been on a steady
increase for the past few years. The Georgia Department of Transportation
expects as many as 34,000 trips a day on the two-lane road, up from
a mere 13,560 trips per day in 2000.
Friendship Road is currently located in Senate District 45 which
is represented by Sen. Unterman. Due to Senate redistricting maps,
Friendship Road will be in Senate District 49, represented by Sen.
Cagle, beginning January 2005. Therefore, both Senators will be
participating in this public meeting.
Transportation complaints are the number one constituent issue received
in the Senate District 45 capital offices. The concerns are usually
about high traffic volumes on inadequate roads, safety issues involving
accidents and the need for signalization with turning lanes.
Unfortunately, during the recessionary economy of the last two
years, state and local transportation funding dollars have been
dramatically reduced. Coupled with extraordinary population growth
in ex-urban areas and reduced state participation in the LARP (Local
Assistance Road Program), our once moderately overburdened roads
have become exceedingly clogged and dangerous.
Recognizing this, the Governor and the General Assembly approved
a multi-billion dollar road bond package in the 2004-2005 budget.
A substantial portion will be allocated for Senate District 45 and
Northeast Georgia.
If you noticed over the past two warm seasons, you did not see
local road crews creating or paving damage roads. Instead, they
have been patching potholes and repairing road shoulders. Major
secondary and collateral roads have been neglected and it is beginning
to show. City and county governments have been trying to stretch
their lean tax dollars until the economy improves.
Those governments whose citizens have wisely chosen SPLOST (Special
Purpose Local Option Sales Tax), such as Gwinnett, have had additional
monies for new projects and eased the burden on maintenance road
improvements. Several of the outer metro periphery counties have
not experienced the luxury of having SPLOST and therefore suffer
dramatically, such as Hall County, whicho must now play catch-up.
ELLIOTT
BRACK
Columbus
native runs nonprofit to build Afghan schools
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
MAY 18, 2004 -- Braselton Rotary Club members heard last week about
a self-help project in Afghanistan to build schools for girls----through
the sale of textiles, silk scarves and rugs--- woven by Afghan women.
It's all part of a non-profit venture led by a Columbus, Ga. native,
now living in Alaska.
 Nate
York was visiting in Atlanta last week, as part of his personal
efforts to establish self-sustaining economic development through
community partnerships in Afghanistan.
He got there almost by accident, visiting a friend in Uzbekistan,
and learning of problems in nearby Afghanistan.
"My second day in Afghanistan, in late January, 2002, I visited
what had been a girls' school. It had bare floors, no heat, the
windows were all knocked out of the walls, and the Taliban had burned
their desks and chairs, saying they were Western culture items.
The Taliban for four years had banned girls' schools.
"Squatting but smiling in the corner were about 15 of the
school's 200 girls, between the ages of 9-15, and it was cold, perhaps
36 degrees. There were more than 200 girls in the entire school,
and no protection from the cold."
York learned from his driver that he could buy on the local economy
enough heaters for the school for $100. "I had a little petty
cash, and I started spending. We also got window glass, framing
and labor, for $278. And we got some desks built."
 "The
people of the area would tell you that foreigners in with their
fancy SUVs came promising help. But they never saw results. It was
frustrating to me, for it meant so much is wasted by bureaucracy.
But by then it had me hooked, and I felt I had to do something."
He had grown up all over the world, since his parents were missionaries.
By then his father had settled in Alaska, so he went there, started
telling stories about the Afghan people and his goal of building
schools, But he had no idea of ways to raise money. Eventually,
a team was formed and held an auction to raise funds. One $10 small
Afghan rug sold for $310, and "the idea of raising money through
carpets came," York says.
Later York organized a non-profit corporation. Drawing upon living
in Turkey, he imported Turkish and Afghan rugs. This was for the
initial fund-raising which put him on the path to build two schools.
A note here: York is unusual, in that he takes no salary from his
non-profit. "It's mostly done on my own credit card, and somehow,
someone gives money, or we find a way to obtain funds. It's amazing."
The key to his plan is that he takes actual cash to Afghanistan,
and makes purchases on the Afghan economy for a fraction of the
cost there that it would be in the States. "We built our first
two schools for $22,000 and $25,000, and that included even the
school supplies, and in one instance, uniforms for the students."
Once built, the schools are operated by the Afghan government. The
land is donated by the local village.
Now he has taken the process one step further, buying raw materials
for the native women to weave scarves, tapestries and even rugs
for sale in this country. His organization, Solace International
("solace, to provide relief from grief"), then holds sales
and auctions. He figures that for approximately $5,000, they can
reap $30,000 in finished goods.
York notes: "We buy all our raw materials in Afghanistan,
and buy all building materials for the schools there, which helps
the local economy, and provide employment in building the schools."
His non-profit team, all of whom work without compensation, are
now organizing women's co-ops in Afghanistan, to broaden his mission.
For more information, go to www.solaceinternational.org.
Through Wednesday, samples of the carpets are on display at Gwinnett
Banking Company in Lawrenceville. He has plans for a sale of these
items in Charleston, S.C. during Spoleto, and possibly, in Atlanta
later.
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FEEDBACK
5/18: Rob from poor
to give to rich? But what of tech students?
Editor, the Forum:
So I guess my take from the poor and give to the rich analogy was
right on the money! After threatening to pick the pocket of ALL
Hope recipients, the politicians (Hamrick and McBee) slide $4.5
million in Hope money to part-time students at private colleges.
Today we find out that the poor kids at the technical schools are
having the rug of Hope pulled out from under them to save a measley
$2.2. million? And were also starting to transfer Department of
Education programs to Hope for funding? Why, that's against the
law!
Somebody's rolling out the red carpet for future Governor Mark Taylor...and
it looks the carpetbagger is Sonny boy himself.
-- Brian Luders, Duluth
5/18: Would re-partitioning current GJAC be best way to go?
Editor, the Forum:
In regard to the proposed $300,000,000 expenditure to house expanded
Gwinnett court facilities, there may be a way to save a couple of
(hundred million) bucks. Since the partitions in the current "Government
and Judicial Center" appear to be movable, would it be possible
to do most or all of the expansion of courts space within that current
facility and locate other offices in leased space (build-to-suit
if more prudent) adjacent?
Other offices would then be more expandable or re-locatable as
needed. Also, for the courts, perhaps Magistrate Courts could be
dispersed, in part, to areas of the county with less easy access
to the County Seat itself, thus freeing up more space for State
and Superior Court functions. In Georgia "State Regulations,"
there appears to me (not a lawyer) to be some state funding for
remote Magistrate Court sites.
As my Mama said, "If you can't seem to help yourself, try
at least help someone else."
-- Randy Stephens, Duluth
5/18: Feels need of
new, third party to help save our country
Editor, the Forum:
Is it possible to extract ourselves, with honor, from the poison
of Iraq?
I sure hope so, and we will see in July. I am an ultra-conservative,
independent, no-party member, but we must withdraw from Iraq. This
"war" must not turn into another Vietnam!
I'm starting to think that Republicans and certainly the Democrats
are very bad for this country. We need a powerfully strong, third
political party, and I do not mean the Libertarian Party. The Republican
imperialists and the Democratic socialists are ruining our country.
Whatever happened to our Christian values, upon which the USA was
founded? Our illustrious Supreme Court is killing those values.
If either one of the front running candidates win this next Presidential
election, we will be headed for disaster. A strong third party candidate
is the only answer, and I don't have a clue who that could be.
-- Roy McCreary, Dacula
5/18: Upset that people
against the war are called unpatriotic
Editor, the Forum:
I am constantly amazed at people who keep their heads in the sand
like ostriches. I must read and hear things differently than other
people. I heard and saw the Saudi prince being interviewed by Tim
Russert on Meet The Press. When he was asked if he went to President
George W. Bush and asked him to let their private jet fly all over
the United States picking up some of Osama bin Laden's relatives,
he couldn't even look Russert in the eye when he told him no. Russert
asked him again and the prince constantly had to be clearing his
throat when he denied it.
Another thing that irritates me is for people to say that other
people who are against the war are unpatriotic. I see it as being
just the opposite. We are against the war because of the deception
used to bring it about and all the young people being killed and
maimed in this war for greed and vindication.
This administration really has not brought honesty and integrity
back to the White House.
-- Joan E Herbig, Atlanta
CALENDAR
Aurora Theatre opens
final show of season on May 21
The Aurora Theatre ends its 2003-2004 season with Jim Hindman's
"Pete 'n Keely." The show is a musical cocktail on the
rocks that stars Alan Kilpatrick and Kathleen McManus.
Pete Bartel and Keely Steven's story is a life after divorce saga.
Both have attempted a solo career with disappointing results until
NBC (and Swell Shampoo) sponsors their reunion special. Complete
with standards like "Black Coffee" "Daddy" and
"Fever," their variety show takes a turn when Keely reveals
that Pete had a wandering eye during their marriage. Full of audience
participation, this show is every bit the variety show of the 60's
that kept audiences glued to their TV sets. Duos like Sonny &
Cher, Steve and Edie, Keely Smith and Louie Prima, and Donny &
Marie perfected the variety show. And although fun, "Pete 'n
Keely" is a show about the intricacies of the duet, a pair
of singers that are bigger together than they are apart.
"Pete 'n Keely" opens May 21 and runs through June 20.
Jessica Phelps West directs with musical direction by Ann-Carol
Pence and choreography by Jen McQueen. Show times are Thursday-Friday
at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Ticket
prices are Thursday, Friday and all matinees $22 for adults, $20
for seniors (60+) and $18 for students. Saturday evening ticket
prices are $25 adults, $23 seniors (60+) and $21 for students. To
purchase tickets, contact the Aurora at 770-476-7926 or visit their
web site at www.auroratheatre.com.
Hopewell to host international
mission conference May 29-30
Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church will host its 2004 International
Missions Conference, May 29-30, 2004. The theme is "Unveiling
God's Glory: Moving from Membership to Ministry. The conference
is FREE, but registration is required. For more information, contact
Lori Amos at 678-482-6856.
BOOK
RECOMMENDATION
From public relations
executive Bo Spalding of Atlanta:
"Recently I read 'Not a Tame Lion: The Spiritual Legacy of
C.S. Lewis' by Terry W. Glaspey. My business partner, Glen Jackson,
told me about this book. The book reviews his life and explains
why he is a Christian from a logical perspective, not just spiritual
and emotional.
"Next I will read 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' by
Bill Bryson. He is a very funny writer who has also written books
about Australia ('In a Sunburned Country') and hiking the Appalachian
Trail ('A Walk in the Woods')."
- An invitation: What books have you enjoyed? Send us your
best recent book along with a short paragraph as to why you liked
it, plus what you plan to read next. --eeb
ENCYCLOPEDIA
TIDBIT
5/18: Gold Kist is
only grower-owned poultry co-op in Georgia
Atlanta-based Gold Kist is the nation's second largest poultry
producer, and its only grower-owned poultry cooperative. Founded
during the Great Depression by a young agronomy instructor at the
University of Georgia, in 2003 Gold Kist employed more than 18,000
people, conducted annual sales of more than $1.8 billion, and is
comprised of 2,300 member-owners who produced 14.5 million chickens
per week for national and international markets.
While consumption of chicken peaked at nearly 80 pounds per person
in 2001, Gold Kist continue to expand and develop new international
markets and to create more processed-chicken products to maintain
its leadership position among meat items.
The once-familiar whole chicken has almost disappeared from supermarkets.
In its place are trays of chicken parts and numerous forms of processed
chicken products that take far less time to prepare and serve. And
where once the meat counter was the only source of chicken, today's
large supermarkets sell as much chicken in the deli section, in
fully prepared form. New technology not only has kept chicken prices
low in comparison with other forms of meat but also has made it
possible to provide chicken in an amazing variety of partially and
fully cooked forms with breading, spices, and companion vegetables
all in one heat-and-eat package. Read
more on Gold Kist.
To access the Georgia Encyclopedia, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
What one writer simply
considers as normal
"Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work,
driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for,
in order to get to a job that you need so you can pay for the clothes,
car and the house that you leave empty all day in order to afford
to live in it."
-- Columnist Ellen Goodman.
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