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TODAY'S ISSUE
Two music students win Mark Nanney memorial scholarships
By Pam Karg
Special to GwinnettForum

JULY 25, 2006 -- The Mark Nanney Memorial Scholarship has been awarded to two exemplary students of music at Norcross High School. Ellen Martin and Clayton Smith have each earned $1,000 college scholarships through their outstanding level of musical achievement, dedication, and leadership.

Ellen will attend Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. She has been a section leader in the Norcross High School Band, member of the All-State Band, District Honor Band, UGA Jan-Fest Honor Band, Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony, and a participant in the Winter-Fest through Armstrong Atlantic State University.

She is also a member of the Gwinnett Youth Orchestra, the Gwinnett County Youth Symphony, and the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra. In the summer of 2005, Ellen attended the Brevard Music Center to study bassoon.

While attending Norcross High School, Ellen received the Most Improved Woodwind award in 2003 and 2004, and the Most Outstanding Woodwind award in 2006 for the Norcross High School Wind Symphony. She is the recipient of the prestigious 2006 John Philip Sousa Award.

In addition to all of her accomplishments in high school, Ellen has been awarded the Golden Oaks award, a scholarship from LSU totaling approximately $45,000 over the next four years, and a scholarship from the LSU Tiger marching band. Ellen will pursue a major in Music Education on bassoon.

Clayton will attend St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. He has been a section leader in the Norcross High School Band, member of the All-State Band (principal horn for two years), District Honor Band member, UGA Jan-Fest Honor Band member, Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra.

This year, Clayton played in the inaugural concert of the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra. During the summer of 2004, Clayton traveled to Europe with the Georgia Ambassadors of Music, and last summer he was a participant in the Governors Honors Program as a French horn major.

While attending Norcross High School, Clayton received the Outstanding Marching Band Member award in 2003 and 2004, and the Most Outstanding Brass award in 2006 for the Norcross High School Wind Symphony. He was also awarded the Stan Weiclaw Music Scholarship, given in memory of Norcross High School principal Mary Anne Charron's father. Clayton will pursue a major in Music Performance on French horn.

The Mark Nanney Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in November of 1991, after Mark, who was in his second year as Drum Major of the Norcross High School Band, was tragically killed by a drunk driver while he was on his way to a University of Georgia football game in Athens.

Contributions to memorialize Mark poured in from all over the state, and from that sizeable fund, the Mark Nanney Memorial Scholarship Fund was established. Its objective is to encourage and financially assist talented students who, like Mark, plan to make a significant contribution to the music world by pursuing a college degree and a career in Music Performance or in Music Education. In addition to the main scholarship, the Mark Nanney Memorial Scholarship Fund also awards $100 scholarships for Summer Music Studies each year for students to attend music programs and workshops.

For more information on the Mark Nanney Memorial Scholarship, please visit the website at: www.marknanney.com.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Innovative thinking addresses congested intersections in area
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

SNELLVILLE, July 25, 2006 -- Driving an automobile safely through an intersection isn't as simple as it once was, since particularly in Gwinnett, sometimes both roadways being busy.

Recently while in Europe, we experienced again the "round-abouts," which some cite as being one way to move traffic easier, and often without causing either lane of traffic to come to a complete halt. You may remember that former Mayor Brett Harrell proposed a round-about for the U.S. Highway 78-Georgia Highway 124 intersection. More on this later.

Many Americans find round-abouts exasperating. On our recent trip, driving in Ireland (already awkward since the Irish drive on the left side of the road), after several days we got somewhat used to the left-side round-abouts. Then we boarded a plane for France, where they at least drive on the right side. But suddenly approaching round-abouts, I realized that I had to do the opposite of what I had done in Ireland. That was disconcerting for a while.

In Gwinnett many proposals are looked at to move our heavy traffic better. Work has begun already on tunneling under Buford Highway and the Norfolk-Southern Railroad with Pleasant Hill Road. This will flow traffic both ways better.

Among the proposals to improve the Snellville intersection are three. They include

The last suggestion is one that has not been used in Georgia, but has worked in other locations. It's a nifty idea, we learned when viewing an interactive Internet site of the idea. For an animated look at how this would work, go to
http://www.abmb.com/cfi-howitworks.html.

We had never heard of the "continuous flow" idea before, but find it quite a distinctive plan. The one question we have about the plan: how long would lanes be stopped in each direction to allow this flow to work? And how much space would it take up? With heavy traffic in all directions in Snellville, these questions must be addressed before it can seriously be adopted.

But it's innovative thinking, and we all recognize major problem intersections need solutions the more creative the better.

Last week, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners voted to provide $1 million from 2005 SPLOST funds as its share of the pre-construction engineering and design work for the project. The City of Snellville is expected to chip in the same amount as its share of the local matching funds. Some of us may never see it. Construction could begin by late 2011.

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's featured sponsor is Gwinnett Community Bank of Duluth, Member, FDIC. Tom Martin heads this bank, which operates out of its facilities on Buford Highway, near the intersection of Rogers Bridge and Old Peachtree Road. The Duluth office number is 770-476-2775. There is also a Suwanee location at 3463 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road in Suwanee. The phone number for the Suwanee branch is 770-497-5252. The web site is http://www.gwinnettcommunitybank.com.

Specialists at Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville and at Glancy Outpatient Center in Duluth will soon be among the first to offer a more comfortable and convenient method of measuring esophageal pH levels in patients with severe heartburn, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), to diagnose the condition so they can determine the best course of treatment.

At the Center for Gastrointestinal & Pulmonary Endoscopy in Lawrenceville, gastroenterologists are able to monitor patients with the new Medtronic BravoTM system. This is a more patient-friendly method than traditional pH testing, where physicians placed a catheter (thin tube) through the nose and down the esophagus. The catheter is uncomfortable and conspicuous, leading some patients to avoid the test altogether.

The new method involves a miniature pH capsule about the size of a gelcap that is attached to the esophagus and transmits information to a small receiver worn by the patient.

An estimated 18 million Americans suffer from GERD, but the condition is often misunderstood or left untreated. GERD is a chronic disorder caused by the esophagus' prolonged exposure to gastric (stomach) contents.

The small capsule measures the pH levels in the esophagus and transmits this information by radio signals to a pager-sized receiver worn on the patient's belt or waistband. After monitoring, the physician receives a comprehensive report to help diagnose the patient's condition.

Explains Mark Kukler, DO, with Southern Gastroenterology Associates: "The new system is more patient friendly than the traditional method where a patient had to have a tube inserted through the nose during the monitoring. I think more patients will go through the testing now and find relief from reflux disease."

In mid-August, the new pH monitoring system will also be available at Glancy Outpatient Center in Duluth in a newly renovated and expanded center.

For more information about reflux disease and testing, talk to your doctor. If you need a referral to a gastroenterologist who practices at Gwinnett Medical Center, call HealthLine at 678-442-5000.

Gwinnett's Board of Commissioners accepted a donation of $32,000 recently to pay for two new Senior Services vehicles.

The money comes from the Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services, a non-profit, volunteer organization that raises funds to help elderly Gwinnett County residents. Friends Board president Jennifer Thilo said the organization would also set aside money to provide replacements for these vehicles when necessary. Operating expenses will be paid from the County's general fund.

Linda Bailey, the County's manager of senior services, said of the gift: "We greatly appreciate getting to use these two mid-size vehicles in our homemaker program. Our volunteers provide services for seniors over the age of 60 who, because of their physical or mental state, are unable to perform basic homemaking chores around their homes. These vehicles will allow approximately 100 clients to receive light housekeeping twice a month as well as provide their caregivers four hours respite care on a weekly basis."

The County coordinates a variety of additional programs for seniors such as home-delivered meals, minor home repair, Alzheimer's respite care, and information and referral services. Bailey's department also operates three senior centers in Buford, Lawrenceville, and Norcross. For additional information about Gwinnett County's Senior Service programming, call (678) 377-4150.

The Friends Board will continue to raise funds by holding its fourth annual silent auction on Thursday, August 10 at 6 p.m. at Delmar Gardens of Gwinnett, featuring over 200 items donated from local businesses. Funds raised at this event will go directly to Gwinnett County's Senior Service programming. For more information, call (770) 822.8775.

Chuck Paul of Norcross raised $15,202 for National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society's annual walk, finishing No. 1 in individual fundraising for the state of Georgia. The A Closer Look team finished eighth in the state. The walk was held in Atlanta's Piedmont Park on April 22.

Paul says: "Every year we gain more and more momentum. I am so thankful to the many employees and friends who gave so generously this year. Every year, we set the goal higher, and we'll continue to do so until researchers find a cure for this debilitating disease."

This marks the 12th consecutive year that Paul, president of mystery shopping company A Closer Look, has encouraged employees, families and friends of the company to participate in the MS Walk. Paul's dedication to MS and the annual walk stems from his close relationship with Phil Morrow of Rockford, Ill., a fraternity brother and classmate at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, who was stricken with Chronic Progressive MS in 1988.

"New Saigon Vietnamese Bistro (in a shopping center at Old Norcross Road and Steve Reynolds Blvd. in Duluth) is a welcome addition to the local dining scene. Attentive service, tasty food and a pleasant atmosphere make for a delightful experience. Our group of three sampled the spring rolls - packed with pork, shrimp, and vegetables - and declared them very good. The satay chicken skewers were seasoned well and chargrilled perfectly, with the meat retaining moistness (some restaurants overcook and dry out these simple appetizers). I opted for the rice vermicelli (bun) with spring rolls and grilled pork, while others had the combination fried rice and shrimp dumpling soup. Portion sizes were extremely generous -- we estimated the bowls at nine inches across, and about four inches deep. Diners are offered their choice of a creamy flan or homemade banana bread slice with homemade vanilla ice cream (gratis!)."

Even in the 18th century, wealthy Georgia landowners appreciated the potential of more ambitious, high-style forms of landscape design to enhance the value of residential properties. Their house lots in town and on rural plantations were graced with gardens in which ornamental flowers and shrubs were carefully tended, and such embellishments as parterres, gazebos, fountains, and statuary offered visual and sensory pleasure. Beyond the walls or fences of these formal gardens, the grounds of fine country houses boasted tree-lined arrival drives, spacious lawns, and wooded groves in the fashion of the English school of landscape gardening.

By the middle of the 19th century, progressive southern agricultural journals were encouraging those of more modest means to beautify their homesteads by adding flower beds, shrubberies, and trees to the landscape. Some Georgians were attracted to the ideas promulgated by the northern horticultural writer Andrew Jackson Downing, who proposed that house and landscape together should constitute a charming scenic composition, either serenely beautiful or strikingly "picturesque." Downing's formulas influenced the emergence late in the century of a national style, labeled "Victorian" in common parlance and identified with designs that favored complexity, variety, and dramatic effect in the forms and materials of residential yards, whatever the scale. Examples of the style survive today and include the Azalea Inn, Hamilton-Turner Inn, and Magnolia Place Inn, all in Savannah.

Although suburban development in Georgia was delayed by the lingering economic consequences of the Civil War (1861-65), the drive for a more prosperous "New South" culture and the proliferation of magazines devoted to house and garden design early in the twentieth century further contributed to the dominance of national landscape models. The involvement of the preeminent American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in the early planning of Atlanta's Druid Hills neighborhood signaled an acceptance throughout the region of the concept of parklike suburban communities, in which individual properties were visually unified along curving streets by contiguous sweeps of lawn and canopies of shade trees. Even as wave after wave of architectural change marked succeeding decades of the century, most residential landscape design, at least in front yards, drew upon this tradition.

In the years following World War II (1941-45), however, new technologies removed the last traces of the working landscape from backyards, while the movement eastward of California modernism influenced both landscapes and lifestyles, changing the perception of the residential landscape to that of a private oasis for entertainment, leisure, and play.

BRPH design proposal

Suwanee City Hall design poll

Which of the three designs do you like best? (Pick one)

BRPH
Rosser International
Sizemore Group

View results

Rosser International design proposal

Sizemore Group design proposal

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