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State bird, brown thrasher, presents
lilting song variety
By
Carol Hassell
Special to GwinnettForum.com
(Editor's Note: Carol Hassell is a former Suwanee
city councilperson, retired public relations executive, and vice
president of Administration for the Georgia Wildlife Federation.)
SUWANEE, Ga., April 15, 2008 -- Is our state bird in danger of
disappearing from Georgia? From Gwinnett County?
Hassell |
I posed the question to Tim Keyes, a wildlife biologist with the
Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural
Resources. "There is no real evidence of Brown Thrasher declines
in Georgia, at least according to the North American Breeding Bird
Survey," he says. "The population has fluctuated a bit
since 1966 and currently looks on a small dip, but so far nothing
bigger than it has experienced in the past. There are many other
species of much higher conservation concern. "
The Brown Thrasher, a permanent resident of the Atlanta area, is
a large bird, 9 to 12 inches in length with a wing span of 11 to
13 inches, making it similar in size to an American Robin or Blue
Jay. It is reddish-brown on the crown, back and tail, with white
wingbars and whitish or buff underparts heavily streaked with black.
The bird's bill is longish and slender; its face is gray with yellow
eyes. Brown Thrashers feed on insects, such as beetles, fruits and
nuts. It is a mimic, much like the Northern Mockingbird, its smaller
cousin, and has one of the largest song repertoires of any bird
on the continent. Phrases, repeated twice, are frequently melodious
and cheery.
Brown
thrasher photo by James H. Robinson |
According to an American Bird Conservancy and National Wildlife
Federation study called Global Warming and Songbirds, "…Distribution
of Brown Thrasher in Georgia could begin to shrink with as little
as a four degree annual average temperature increase."
But Keyes counters, "This is extremely implausible to me,
as (the birds) breed from high elevation Georgia to mid-peninsular
Florida. Local declines may certainly be occurring," he concluded,
"and are most likely due to cleaning up the landscape of brushy,
shrubby vegetation." The Cornell Lab of Ornithology reports
that populations are declining slowly throughout the species' range
(eastern two-thirds of the United States), citing habitat changes.
So, while we may not suffer the loss of this particular state icon,
we can all play an important part in assuring the species' healthy
survival in own yards or landscapes: leave some brushy area in the
back of the yard. It's just the sort of woodland edge or thicket
this cheery-sounding bird loves to scratch around in, searching
for food, and needs for nesting cover. The good news is that we
can assure adequate numbers of our state bird by providing such
brushy edges.
Here's one way to solve both mortgage and
housing problem
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
APRIL 15, 2008 -- It's going to take creativity to solve this housing
crisis in the United States. A report last week was that up to two
million families may face foreclosure. That's a lot.
Brack |
First, let's analyze what the problem is: too many people bought
big houses and had mortgages above what they could afford. Throw
in many people thinking adjustable rate mortgages were wonderful,
and with a jump in rates, their monthly payment rose, or even skyrocketed.
So, with an increase in their monthly mortgage payment, even though
they had a job, perhaps two jobs, a couple could not afford the
house. So they faced foreclosure.
But think about it: If they had a little lower monthly mortgage,
they would be ok. They would be employed, and could make lower payments.
And they still need housing. This scenario runs up and down the
economic spectrum, from the fanciest of houses, all the way to the
lower end housing.
The solution, to one guy, seems simple. Just move every family
facing foreclosure a notch downward into a smaller house. After
all, everyone needs a place to live, and if it's "the street
or a smaller house," all would take the smaller house.
Here's how we see it played out. Just like Methodist preachers
all move on a certain date when they switch-around pulpits, let's
have everyone facing foreclosure to move on the same date each month.
Since they'll need the kitchen appliances, and furniture, let's
say up front that they cannot move their furniture, but can only
move items that they can haul in a suitcase. This cuts the cost
of moving, since they won't need to hire a moving company for their
suitcases. Big art on the wall and chain saws would stay for the
new house owner. Remember: move items only that will fit into a
traveling bag.
Say on the 31st of each month, sirens will sound (like for tornado
warnings) in every town across the country, saying: "Get ready,
set, move!" Homeowners facing foreclosure will get into the
cars with their clothing and move to the pre-arranged new house.
(Deciding which house can be a role either for the government, or
the local Board of Realtors.) They will make the lower monthly payments
of the smaller house. Everyone will have a place to stay, and the
government will chip in by paying the closing costs, at a pre-arranged
lower-than-normal figure. (For simplicity, each new homeowner will
pay the next utility bill that comes in, like they would pay on
the larger house they left. Being a smaller house, the bill will
probably be lower.)
Of course, there is one problem: the very largest houses will be
vacant. And those aiming for the smallest houses will find it a
little tighter, but will spill over into the smaller "for sale,"
houses, another benefit to the economy!
Those big houses: this is where the government will step in, taking
ownership. Then they can sell them off at market price to non-profit
agencies, particularly cultural groups, local museums, art galleries,
or social service agencies, etc. This would give these agencies
a new lease on life in better facilities, provided by a generous
government which understands the role of social services and art.
Meanwhile, the banking community is saved from having to eat all
those foreclosures. The people moving into new houses with older
furniture might want to buy a few new items, such as mattresses
and comfortable chairs, which will spur the economy. Everyone wins!
So, listen out for the signal: "Ready, set, move!"
Think this crazy? Whoever heard of the current generation paying
the retirement of the older generation? You know, "Social Security!"
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property owners with a property value of just under $1 billion dollars.
Gwinnett Village CID includes the southwestern part of Gwinnett
County including properties along Jimmy Carter Boulevard, Buford
Highway, Indian Trail, Beaver Ruin, Graves, and Singleton Road.
Gwinnett Village is the third CID to be created in Gwinnett County
and is the largest of all 13 CIDs in the state. Gwinnett Village's
mission is to improve property values through increased security,
a decrease in traffic congestion, and general improvements to the
curb appeal of the area. For more information visit www.gwinnettvillage.com
or call 770-449-6515.
Bike
Gwinnett Coalition seeks to educate, upgrade riding
Editor, the Forum:
Cycling is a great sport for many reasons. What other professional
sport can you go and watch live for free? You can watch the greats
of the sport go by you less than three feet way. You can go ride
the race that the pros just did. Can you go play in the dome after
a football game?
Cycling is an awesome cardiovascular sport without the lower back
and knee pain associated with running. Cycling is also a way for
low cost commuting.
These reasons are why Bike Gwinnett Coalition was created. This
is a new coalition with the intent of being a medium for cycling
issues in Gwinnett. It seeks to connect cyclists, bike shops, local
government agencies, and retail businesses for a common goal of
a healthier, cleaner, active and prosperous future, and to educate
new cyclists and motorists to find a common ground to share the
road.
In 2008 we will be looking to grow membership, build relationships
with local retailers, have cycling classes, introduce a kid's helmet
program and lastly to build an informational website.
Membership is free, Please sign up via our contact page: www.http://bikegwinnett.org/contactus.aspx.
Classes are planned to include how-to: on-road flat tire fix, mountain
bike skills, beginner road skills and safety training.
A helmet program is being developed to aid parents to be safety
conscious. A helmet can be the difference between shaking off a
fall and re-learning the alphabet (in any sport!). There are many
tips that cyclists can learn to help themselves for safer riding.
Look at a grassroots program www.bikegwinnett.org
to help people become cyclists in a bike friendly community. Join
us and help yourself be healthier and reduce traffic issues in Gwinnett
county. Ride-on!
-- Fred Murphy, Lawrenceville
Duluth's
Barefoot in the Park festival coming this weekend
Barefoot in the Park Arts Festival will celebrate its fourth year
of bringing visual and performing arts to the community April 18-20
in Duluth's Town Green. In only four years, it has become a major
showcase for the arts and artists of the area.
Although there will be a full slate of performing arts and an array
of children's activities, the visual arts will be in the spotlight.
All of the 50-plus visual artists have been juried, and of all the
artists involved, two can lay claims to a special relationship with
Barefoot.
Felix Berroa is returning to Barefoot again this year for his second
visit, and it is his art that is featured as the event's signature
image for 2008. Berroa's work "Two Divas" will be looking
out at traffic from billboards as well as used within the event's
publicity pieces. Berroa, a native of the Dominican Republic, has
shown in more than 100 indoor and outdoor exhibitions from the Dominican
Republic to Puerto Rico, New York and New Jersey.
Another artist who has helped create the Barefoot Festival from
the beginning is Duluth resident Cher Thompson Austin. Her handmade
glass collages are displayed in the new Duluth Town Hall. It was
Thompson Austin who helped found the festival.
More than four years ago, several visionaries banded together to
create a festival that would showcase Gwinnett's artists. Spearheaded
by Caryn McGarity of the Gwinnett Convention and Visitor's Bureau,
Thompson Austin along with then- mayor Shirley Lasseter, Cindy Sutt
and Doug Spohn, charged full steam ahead with the first Barefoot
in the Park Arts Festival in 2005.
Barefoot begins April 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on April 20
from noon to 5 p.m. There is no admission charge. For more information,
go to www.barefootinthepark.org.
Kaufman to speak at
April 22 Educational Forum of Chamber
Georgia Gwinnett College President Dr. Dan Kaufman will speak at
the April 22 Educational Forum of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.
The address will be at 8 a.m. at Georgia Gwinnett College.
In 2005, Dr. Kaufman became the charter president of the new Georgia
Gwinnett College, located in Lawrenceville, the first new four-year
college in Georgia in over 100 years. Prior to assuming his duties
as president of Georgia Gwinnett College, Dr. Kaufman was a brigadier
general in the U.S. Army, serving as Dean of the Academic Board
and Chief Academic Officer at the United States Military Academy
at West Point, a position from which he retired in June 2005. The
talk is free for Gwinnett Chamber members and guests.
Emory Eastside plans
72 beds in $100 million expansion
Emory Eastside Medical Center is to grow its facilities, with an
estimated $100 million expansion, which will help with the shortage
of hospital beds in Gwinnett County.
The project, which is currently in the pre-design stage, is a multi-phased
expansion which, when completed, will add a new patient entrance
in the back of the hospital, expand the acute care tower, create
additional parking, build a third medical office building, and increase
patient capacity by up to 72 additional patient beds, according
to Kim Ryan, the hospital's chief executive officer.
Emory Eastside is continuing to analyze strategic service lines
that will best serve the current and future needs of the community
as the design of these plans evolve. The specific allocation of
specialty beds within the expansion is yet to be determined. The
certificate of need is expected to be filed with the Georgia Department
of Community Health in the fall of 2008.
Emory Eastside Medical Center is a 200-bed, acute care hospital
located in Snellville. For more information, visit www.emoryeastside.com.
Gwinnett Tax staff
presents efficiency suggestion to group
Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner Katherine Sherrington sent key
staff from her office to present at the 2008 TCTECH (Tax Commissioners'
Technology Development Council of Georgia) Conference. .
The Gwinnett Tax Commissioner's office presented new technology
currently being implemented in the office's mail center to streamline
check payment and document processing used for various types of
tax payments, replacing the previous paper-based system.
Sherrington says: "Our previous tax payment and document handling
process was very time-consuming and labor-intensive. We really needed
a more efficient and cost-effective system for our citizens because
our population has grown considerably over the years. We worked
to find a solution to both reduce payment-processing time and improve
operational efficiency at less expense to the taxpayer."
Sherrington currently serves as Treasurer for TCTECH and was one
of the original founders of the organization in 1999.
John McCrory wins
Realtor Good Neighbor Award
McCrory |
John McCrory of J Mac Realty has been selected as the Good Neighbor
for March/April by the Northeast Atlanta Metro Association of Realtors.
A 40 year veteran of real estate, he is a Certified Professional
Standards Procedures Instructor and served in 1992 as president
of the Realtor organization. His dedication earned him the "Captain
of Industry Award: from the Realtor group for 2006. Among his civic
activities, he is involved with charitable organizations such as
The Impact Group, the Good Samaritan Health Center and the Norcross
Community Ministries.
- An invitation: What
Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your
best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have
read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus
what book you plan to read next. --eeb
Outgrowth
of Progressivism: Nation's strictest alcohol laws
One issue that was not part of Hoke Smith's 1906 formal campaign
for Governor but that he fully supported was prohibition.
The temperance movement in the state actually began much earlier,
when the Georgia State Temperance Society formed in 1828, and was
launched anew with the establishment of a state chapter of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union in 1880. Prohibition forces enjoyed the
support of the Farmers' Alliance and the Populist Party in the 1890s,
and the issue quickly emerged as a major component of the Progressive
agenda after the turn of the century. In 1905 the Anti-Saloon
League (formed by evangelical Protestant men) organized in Georgia
and helped broaden and unify support across the state.
In Atlanta concern over saloons that catered to working-class African
American men fueled prohibition advocates, who blamed black saloongoers
for rising crime rates in the city. Rumors of intoxicated black
men threatening sexual violence to white women inflamed whites,
leading a mob to descend upon the black community, in what became
known as the 1906 Atlanta race riot.
By 1907, 125 of the state's 146 counties had voted to become dry.
That same year the General Assembly passed a statewide prohibition
law, the first in the South, that made the manufacture and sale
of intoxicating beverages a crime. Over the next several years prohibition
forces wrangled over the exceptions in the legislation, which permitted
"near beer," the storage of alcohol in lockers in private
clubs, and the importation of alcohol from outside the state. In
1916 the legislature made possession of alcohol a crime. Amended
many times, Georgia's law became the strictest in the nation. Prohibition
became national law when the states ratified the Eighteenth Amendment
in 1919. The law took effect the following year
(To be continued.)
Texas' Kinky Friedman
competes for governor with barbs
" I'm 61 years old. I'm too young for Medicare and too old
for women to care."
-- Kinky Friedman, independent candidate for governor of Texas,
via Marshall Miller, Lilburn.
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