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Simpson Elementary School participates
in Walk to School Day
By
Connie Weathers
Special to GwinnettForum
NORCROSS, Ga., Nov. 4, 2008 -- Simpson
Elementary School in Norcross joined schools from 36 countries
around the world to celebrate International Walk to School Day last
month. The event drew 3,000 schools from all 50.states. In Peachtree
Corners, Pinckneyville Middle School also participated, as did Mount
Carmel Preschool, Simpsonwood UMC Preschool and Peachtree Corners
Baptist Church Preschool. The goal of Walk to School Day is to encourage
children and families to walk to school together, promoting community,
health, physical activity and concern for our environment and air
quality.
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Said Simpson principal Bron Gayna Schmit, "We had more than
800 Simpson students, parents and neighbors to participate in Walk
to School Day again this year - it's a lot of fun for the whole
community! Walking to school is also a wonderful way to begin the
day. It reminds us of the health benefits of regular physical activity,
the need for safe places to walk and bike throughout our neighborhoods,
and the importance of clean, breathable air. Community leaders,
teachers, and even the local fire department also get involved in
this special event and its important goals."
Kids and families walked from their Peachtree Corners neighborhoods
along East Jones Bridge and West Jones Bridge Roads. "Sparky
the Superstar", Simpson's mascot, greeted walkers throughout
the morning.
Simpson has also recently joined schools across Atlanta in participating
in The Clean
Air Campaign. With strong support from Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful,
Simpson Elementary, Pinckneyville Middle and Norcross High have
teamed together to implement The Clean Air Campaign's No Idling
Program.
This program encourages parents and drivers to turn off their car
engines around our schools and in our neighborhoods in order to
protect children's lungs from the harmful effects of car exhaust
and the particulate matter it contains.
Signage which proclaims, "No Idling - Young Lungs at Work"
is now posted in the school carpool lanes, and on surrounding streets.
In Peachtree Corners, neighborhood "No Idling" signs have
been contributed by Gwinnett County Commissioner Bert Nasuti and
by the Riverfield Home Owners' Association.
Explained Commissioner Nasuti, "Many folks don't realize that
idling for 30 seconds wastes more gas than restarting their engines.
With high gas prices, not idling saves money and helps reduce the
smog that contributes to Atlanta's serious air quality issues."
Added Bron Gayna Schmit, "Every 30 minutes spent idling releases
three to five pounds of pollution per car into the air around our
school." (source: The Clean Air Campaign)
Pollution from vehicle emissions is especially harmful to children
who, because of their size are closer to the exhaust coming from
vehicle tailpipes. They also breathe in an average of 50 percent
more air per pound of body weight than adults do. As a result, their
growing bodies and lungs have the ability to take in twice as much
pollution as an adult's.
Recognizing this serious health issue, Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful
has incorporated the No Idling program into its education initiatives
with the goal of reducing the number of vehicles idling at county
schools by an average of thirty percent. It reports that in 2007,
participating schools reduced car idling by fully 69 percent.
How about your tree limbs? Do you have them
trained?
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
NOV. 4, 2008 -- Every now and then, someone compliments our dog,
Hercules. He will have come when I called, and they will say: "Oh,
doesn't he mind well!" But I know better. He either just wants
to get inside when it is hot or cold, or else thinks for some reason
he's about to get a treat.
Brack |
But many times, he looks at me, and stands where he is. Or runs
the other way.
Yet Hercules is far better trained than the trees in our yard.
Try as I might, those pine and oak and sycamore just won't let their
limbs fall like we want them.
About every time I go outside, I say to the trees: "Now, remember,
when you break off the main trunk, fall in four foot lengths."
But as I am finding over and over, they fall in about any size they
want. But seldom in four foot lengths, like the City of Norcross
wants them to fall, and for which I plead to them.
We wouldn't mind what length they fell if it was up to us, as long
as the limb didn't fall on the roof. However, you see, the guys
picking up the trash on our street maintain that the limbs must
be four feet in length (or smaller) for them to pick limbs up. And
not only that, but they want the limbs all tied together nicely
in a bundle (preferably with red string, I hear), of no more than
50 pounds.
Now if you think getting a tree to fall in four foot lengths is
hard, how hard do you think it would be to get them to fall together
in a bundle? Yet that's what the City of Norcross has in its regulations.
So that's why if you were to come by our house, and see this guy
looking up and talking to his trees, you'll know that it's just
the Obedience Class that I give them every chance I get. It is really
frustrating to invest that much time in obedience training, yet
it falls on deaf limbs.
Over and over I exhort, in a calm tone, "Fall in four foot
lengths. Fall in four foot lengths." That's after I blow the
whistle, during quiet times, to get their attention. But you know
trees; they sway and hem and haw, but many times their minds are
on other things. I can hear them now "Maybe the wind will blow
a little harder tonight and it will snuggle me up against that young
oak over there. That feels good." But the wind hasn't been
blowing much lately, so maybe the trees are just a little touchy
about it all.
Just today when picking up limbs, do you know out of about 50 limbs,
how many were four feet long? Only one. Now say what you want, but
if I were to grade those trees, I would fail them all, and tell
them about the woodshed! "Look here, you trees hang around
and not pay attention much more, and you could end up like your
late cousins here in the woodshed, stripped of bark, planed down,
thirsty, and nailed in place. So pay attention, drop your limbs
like you ought to, and we'll get along fine."
Do I think they will really pay me any attention? Nope. I've been
fooled too many times. But I keep trying, hoping to find more four-foot
limbs, and giving a chance to compliment the trees for once. We
want to cooperate with our community limb gatherers, but these trees
are something else!
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 is the CEO
of this bank, which has its main office in Duluth 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. Gwinnett Community Bank
also just opened a third branch at 2715 Hamilton Mill Road in Buford
(770 271 2715.) The web site is http://www.gwinnettcommunitybank.com.
Learns
that Allied Waste among applicants for hauling waste
Editor, the Forum:
I'd like to inform the readers about a follow up with Allied Waste
regarding the county upcoming waste management issue.
Having attempted to refuse payment of the special cancellation
fee of $23.50, Allied Waste sent me a stop service notice. The company
will not waive the fee even though they are the only company charging
its customers a fee for the possible change in service.
We need to let the county know this type of business should not
be rewarded with future business. I would object to the county awarding
any service to Allied Waste beyond the end of 2008. Are there any
plans for the county to have public meetings beyond this point for
this process?
For other people to call and register complaints below are direct
phone numbers for people within Allied Waste:
Regional Management Contact:
Debra Lee
16800 Greensport Park Drive
Suite 225 N
Houston, Texas 77060
Phone: (281) 673-2040
Lawrenceville General Manager: Mike Meuse, 678-407-6201
These people need to hear from us and the disappointment in how
we are being treated. Does our loyalty mean nothing to them? If
it were my choice I would not give Allied any business in the future.
-- Scott Phillips, Dacula
Dear Scott: We have learned that Allied submitted
a proposal to collect waste in Gwinnett. An announcement about
the selected companies will be coming soon. Over the past four
years, there has been extensive citizen input into the process
which helped the county establish the criteria for selecting the
new companies.-eeb
Agrees with writer
wanting more citizen voting in elections
Editor, the Forum:
I totally agree with Anthony Rodriguez (Oct.
31 GwinnettForum) when he said that he wished citizens voted
in all elections in the same numbers as they did in this presidential
election.
Many of these "once-every-four-year" voters will be complaining
in a few months about something a local or state official says or
does with which they disagree. Then when the next non-presidential
elections rolls around, they just won't have the time or interest
to go to the polls (if they are even aware of the election). Every
election is important.
-- Margaret Thurman, Lawrenceville
Sims
Lake Park in Suwanee to have grand opening Nov. 8
The City of Suwanee will host a grand opening celebration for Sims
Lake Park from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, November 8. The park is located
at 4600 Suwanee Dam Road, at the intersection with Tench Road.
The fourth new park (fifth if you include the Suwanee Creek Greenway
extension) to open in Suwanee in the past five years, Sims Lake
Park is comprised of 62 idyllic acres and includes a seven-acre
lake, 1.2-mile looping trail, well-fed streamscape, playground area,
picnic pavilion, and two-acre play meadows. In addition to voter
-approved open space bond funds used to purchase and develop the
park, SPLOST funds were used to provide equipment for the playground
area.
Two events upcoming
at Southeastern Railway Museum
The Southeastern Railway Museum announces November events to celebrate
National Model Railroad Month. On November 6-9, the museum will
be a stop on the Piedmont Pilgrimage, the Piedmont Division of the
NMRA's sixth annual public tour of Atlanta's Great Model Railroads.
For more information on the tour visit www.piedmont-div.org/pilgrimage.
Then on November 8-9 Model Railroad Days will be held, featuring
model railroads of various scales from clubs across metro Atlanta.
Among the exhibitors will be North Atlanta O-Scalers and the North
Georgia Lego Train Club. Come get hands-on experiences on some of
the models, which are ideal for Christmas presents.
The museum is open Thursday to Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
and Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. during this event.
Lilburn Christmas
Festival to be held Dec. 5-6
The City of Lilburn announces its schedule for Christmas activities.
Sponsored by the Lilburn Business Association, the main event will
be a Lilburn Festival of Christmas, set for December 5-6.
The tree lighting will be on Friday, December 5 at 6 p.m. at the
Lilburn City Park. A Christmas concert at the Lilburn First Baptist
Church will be at 8 p.m. that day.
On December 6 will be the annual Lilburn Christmas Parade at 10
a.m. Other activities that day includes a Christmas in the City
Park from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and a Christmas Candlelight Tour
of Lilburn Historic Homes from 5-8 p.m.
Brand Properties breaks
ground on Class A office building
Officials from Brand Properties have broken ground at One Sugarloaf
Centre. It is a four-story, Class A office building, of 110,000
square feet, located at 1960 Satellite Boulevard in Duluth, at the
northeastern corner of I-85 and Sugarloaf Parkway.
Brand Morgan, chief executive officer, Brand Properties , says:
"We broke ground with 70 percent of the development pre-leased
to Gwinnett's most prominent business leaders and we are working
toward a completion date of September 2009."
One Sugarloaf Centre is Gwinnett County's first Class A speculative
office venture registered with the U.S. Green Building Council with
the intention of pursuing certification under the USGBC's LEED (Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design) program.
One Sugarloaf Centre's tenant marquee already includes attorneys
at law Andersen, Tate and Carr; developer Wayne Mason; Arlington
Capital's Richard Tucker; accounting firm Moore, Stephens, Tiller;
Garrard Construction; Wheeler Kolb Management Company; Gwinnett
Community Bank; and J.D. Stephens Inc.
The project team includes architect Wakefield Beasley Associates;
civil engineering by Pharr Engineering; mechanical and electrical
engineering and green building consultant by AHA Consulting Engineers;
construction by Garrard Construction; and development financing
by United Community Bank and Gwinnett Community Bank.
Suwanee lands 80,000
square foot AES Clean Technology firm
AES Clean Technology, Inc., marked the official opening of its
new 80,000 square foot facility in Suwanee last week. The new facility,
a $5 million capital investment, houses approximately 50 employees
for both office and advanced manufacturing space. The firm focuses
on clean-room technology, makes pre-engineered pharma wall and ceiling
systems, and offers clean-room equipment and components.
The facility is utilizing 10,000 square feet of its space for offices
and another 35,000 square feet for systems manufacturing. The remaining
square footage has been built for future expansion and growth with
the capability to triple production down the road.
Rob Satterfield, vice president of AES Clean Technology, Inc.,
says: "We are very happy to be here in Suwanee. When you look
around Gwinnett County, you know that this community exudes on-target,
cutting-edge urban planning. It is exemplary of the type of community
that advanced technology companies, like AES, seek out when looking
to expand their businesses."
Bill Davis, business development manager for Gwinnett Chamber Economic
Development, says: "AES is a strong asset for the life science
and bio-tech industries here in Gwinnett. They will be a tremendous
asset for pharma companies and others requiring clean room technology
looking to move into the area."
City of Duluth graduates
first class of LEAD participants
The first class of the City of Duluth's LEAD (Learn, Engage, Advance
Duluth) Class includes 14 graduates.
They include: Kathy Callaway, Kelvin Kelkenberg, David Marshall,
John Monk, Nicole Love, Judy Young-Doering, Carey Fisher, Elise
Whitworth, Glenn Sarver, Scott Rose, Sharon Miller, Vasshon Ancrum,
Missy Tabb and Marc Jastremski. Class members were presented certificate
and T Shirts by Duluth Mayor Nancy Harris.
This leadership academy was an idea of Council member Marsha Anderson
Bomar and was implemented and managed by City staff. LEAD offers
an avenue for citizens to become knowledgeable about Duluth operations,
services, and the overall essential functions of government.
Future LEAD Academy sessions, a six week program, will be held
once a year in the fall. Those wishing more information should contact
Alisa Williams at 678-475-3506 or email awilliams@duluthga.net.
- 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
Hinduism one of
the fastest-growing religions in state
Hinduism
is one of the fastest growing religious communities in Georgia.
Hindus in Georgia number more than 40,000, and they are concentrated
in and around Atlanta. Most of Georgia's Hindus come from western
India, primarily Gujarat. Immigrants from India increased 200 percent
during the 1990s, making them the largest Asian group in Georgia.
Hindu community life centers on temples, which host a variety of
daily, weekly, monthly, and annual services, as well as family events.
The
Lilburn Hindu Mandir (Temple) |
Templegoers traditionally remove their shoes before entering the
primary worship space, which contains murtis, or consecrated images
of various deities. Devotees pray and make offerings to these deities
with the assistance of priests, who lead worship in Sanskrit, the
sacred language of Hinduism. Pujas, or worship services, include
offerings of food or flowers to the appropriate deities. Temples
have broad cultural as well as religious significance. Hindu communities
use their temples, in addition to hosting religious services, to
host family celebrations, provide cultural instruction, and coordinate
social services.
Hinduism is an ancient religion, with roots in India that can be
traced back 5,000 years. The religion teaches that one's actions
generate karma, or spiritual consequences. Karma follows each individual
from one life to the next through reincarnation. The spiritual aim
in Hinduism is to be released from the cycle of birth, death, and
rebirth and to be united with the supreme deity. Hindus believe
that there is one supreme deity but that this deity is manifest
in a variety of forms. Worship of the manifestations of different
deities allows believers to focus on distinct qualities of the supreme
deity.
In the United States, elements of Hinduism have been incorporated
into a distinct, relatively new religious movement, the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), more commonly known
as the Hare Krishna movement. In Georgia, Hare Krishna members are
most prevalent in the metropolitan Atlanta area. New Pani Hati,
the Hare Krishna Temple in Druid Hills, established in 1973, is
the oldest Krishna temple in the Southeast.
Forget doubt and fear;
doing your duty is best for all ages
"Don't waste life in doubts and fears; spend yourself on the
work before you, well assured that the right performance of this
hour's duties will be the best preparation for the hours and ages
that will follow it."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson, (1803-1882), via Jim Dumond, Buford.
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