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Issue
9.79 | Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010 |
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FEEDBACK UPCOMING NOTABLE ALSO INSIDE _::
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Meet a sponsor
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TODAY'S
FOCUS DULUTH, Ga., Jan. 12, 2010 -- Fine art classes for adults and children begin this week at The Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts. The Hudgens is also offering two Winter Day Camps for children ages 5-12, on the Martin Luther King, Jr. and President's Day school holidays. The Hudgens offers many different classes and workshops, on varied days of the week and times of day, which makes finding something to fit varied interests and busy schedules quite easy. Currently available during Session I of 2010 are classes in drawing, painting, photography, cartooning, pottery wheel, clay hand building and jewelry-making. Also offered are one-day workshops in portrait drawing, bookbinding, watercolor, soap and lotion making, and photography. For those unsure which medium they might enjoy or who are interested in exploring many different media, there is a special Friday 'Lunch and Learn' Brown Bag Fine Art Series, which offers classes in acrylic, oil and watercolor painting, ceramics, drawing and printmaking.
On Monday, January 18, The Hudgens will hold a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Camp, Let Freedom Ring! The Hudgens celebrates the life of one of our nation's visionary leaders with a children's art workshop devoted to the creative gifts and expressive freedoms art provides. Campers will create with paint, clay and other mediums. Then on Monday, February 15, there will be a President's Day Camp at The Hudgens. Young artists will become familiar with our nation's great presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, through a variety of drawing, painting, collage and clay projects. Campers will learn about our nation's history as they create one-of-a-kind artistic keepsakes at The Hudgens. Both Winter Day Camps are from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and drop off begins at 9:00 a.m. After care is available until 5:00 p.m. for an additional $15. Cost for the program is $55 for members and $70 for non-members. The Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts is located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Building 300, in Duluth, at the end of the Gwinnett Center complex. Our parking lot is located off of Satellite Boulevard, near the intersection of Satellite and Sugarloaf Parkway, and our main entrance is under the giant robot. For more
information about classes, day camps and workshops, and to register online,
visit the Education pages on the website. Contact The Hudgens at 770-623-6002
or sign up to receive our monthly newsletter at www.thehudgens.org. EEB
PERSPECTIVE JAN. 12, 2010 -- It's called "Potomac Fever." That's a condition caught only in Washington, D.C. inside their Beltway, where politicians and bureaucrats often can't see the forest for the trees. They have murky vision and thinking, caused by seeing too much of people who look, think and see things the same way. They do not really understand what the most average people of the United States think, say or do.
It's a vicious malady. It beclouds sound reasoning. It causes untold problems, as these "Capitol Hill Regulars" are not in step with the rest of the country. It seems to affect members of all parties, somewhat akin to "tunnel vision." Ok, so you want examples. Take two incidents that took place over the holidays, the attempted bombing of an international Delta flight over Detroit, and the explosion that killed eight, all involved with the Central Intelligence Agency, in Afghanistan. Both were significant incidents. Both are atrocious. Yet in our way of thinking, one is getting major attention, and the other seems to have been swept under the table. In effect, there is talk-after-talk about the attempted Delta bombing, as security all over the world has been in an uproar ever since. And no doubt the security agencies should be concerned.
Yet the emphasis in our view is on the wrong event. The much larger failure was in Afghanistan, where the eight involved with the CIA were killed because of a trusted suicide bomber. Perhaps there's less talk of this because it involves the CIA where most people have no idea of what is happening, and therefore, we can't either know about, or influence, much of what is going on. But the Delta attempted bombing gets play-after-play by both politicians and the media (who also suffer from Potomac Fever), in an ad nauseous fashion. We realize that much of what comes out of Washington is done for political purposes, and not necessarily for good government. We in the real world must learn to distinguish the wheat from the chaff. It's tough, for sure, because there is so very much chaff out there. And it's often driven by the Potomac Fever. Even if the healthcare bill gets passed, we see no cure for Potomac Fever. * * * * * SPEAKING OF WASHINGTON, we got this in recently, and thought we would pass it on, since it is so relevant. It's a proposal for a new amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Take a look:
Those sending out the idea say to pass this along to as many people as you can quickly to try and get action. But it will be ill-fated. Senators and Reps are not going to cut their own benefits, no matter the heat. But the idea is interesting. * * * * * NOW
THIS: In Kentucky, new limits affect the payday loan business. Borrowers
will be limited to two loans totaling no more than $500 at any one time.
Payday lenders typically apply high interest rates on loans tied to a
borrower's employment paycheck. ABOUT
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The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's featured underwriter 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. The phone number for the Suwanee branch is 770-497-5252. Gwinnett Community Bank also has a third branch at 2715 Hamilton Mill Road in Buford (770 271 2715.) The web site is http://www.gwinnettcommunitybank.com.
FEEDBACK Hello Everybody! Though 2010 is only just begun, we still have time to think ahead to the potential of the year. Plus, we haven't reach the point that we must reflect back, for better or worse, on what we have or have not accomplished. At this point I can still wish you all the best for 2010!
As most of you know, I have relocated to Wilmington, N.C., where my wife, Judi, and I have remodeled a 74 year old craftsman-style cottage. Now equipped with a beautiful, new studio, I am ready to paint my way into 2010. The year is shaping up very well for me at this point! I am working hard right now to complete paintings for two upcoming shows. In February, I will participate in a group show at Caffe' Phoenix, one of my favorite restaurants in Wilmington. The restaurant is a great supporter of the arts and holds shows monthly. The reception for the show at Caffe' Phoenix is on Thursday, February 4. Please come join us! During April, I will have a one-man show at Chocolate Perks, in Duluth, Ga. Duluth has revitalized itself into one of the premier places in the northeastern Atlanta metropolitan area in the last decade. The city now boasts a fabulous town green with lots of chic shops and restaurants. The show, entitled "Landscapes from Here and There" will include landscape paintings inspired by both the Gwinnett/Atlanta scene and the North Carolina low-country. The reception will be held on April 2 at 7 p.m. at Chocolate Perks. Finally in November, I will be the featured artist at the Wilmington, N.C. Art Gallery. I have yet to begin thinking about the theme for that show, but probably it will feature landscapes from northern Georgia/western North Carolina near Highlands, N.C. and the Russian River Valley in California wine country. I plan to spend substantial time in all three locales this summer and into the early fall. That's my year in preview. I hope it looks as good from the rear view mirror! I also hope your year also looks good, both before and after it is over. Happy 2010!
UPCOMING The Gwinnett Wind Quintet and the Gwinnett Symphony String Quartet will present a Chamberworks concert on Saturday, January 16 at 7p.m. in Eastminster Presbyterian Church, located at 5801 Hugh Howell Road in Stone Mountain. The concert is free and open to the public. The Quintet and Quartet are resident ensembles of the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. The Gwinnett Wind Quintet consists of Kathy Farmer on flute, Brian Lyons on oboe, Diane Hargreaves on clarinet, Adrian Norris on horn, and Steve Acklin on bassoon. The Quintet's program will include March by John R. Barrows; Divertimento op 55 "Quattro Tempi" by Lars-Erik Larsson; Quintet op 91 no. 3 by Anton Reicha; and Two Aubades by Edouard-Victoire-Antoine Lalo.
The Gwinnett Symphony String Quartet is comprised of Linda Williams and Lori Guidi on violin, Scott Hague on viola, and Brennan Bray on cello. The Quartet will become a string Quintet, adding bassist Lauren McCombe, to perform alongside the Wind Quintet on the Lalo piece, Two Aubades. The String Quartet will also present Mozart's Divertimento III, Kochel 138, in F major. The Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and Chorus is comprised of talented adult and youth musicians, and has been providing outstanding educational performances of classical and popular music for the diverse metro Atlanta community for over 11 years. For more information about the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the rest of the current season, visit www.gwinnettsymphony.org. For questions about the concert, please call the New School of Music at 770-925-8900. United Ebony Society plans MLK Day parade Jan. 18 The United Ebony Society of Gwinnett County will be hosting the Martin Luther King Day parade on January 18. The kick off will begin at 9:30 a.m. on the grounds of the Historic Courthouse in Lawrenceville. There will be a walk to Central Gwinnett High School where refreshments will be served before the afternoon program begins. The Society has regular meetings every fourth Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Gwinnett Female Seminary, 455 Perry Street in Lawrenceville. Call 770 963 9356 for more details. Tannery Row Art Colony plans Joy of Six Show Feb. 20 Tannery Row Artist Colony will present the next art show, The Joy of Six, commemorating their sixth anniversary at the Tannery at their opening night on Saturday, February 20 from 6 until 9 p.m. There is an open invitation to all to attend. The show will be judged by docents from the High Museum of Art. As a theme, the works must creatively represent some form of the number six, either in presentation or allegory. The show will encompass original paintings, 3-D art and mixed media art. The show will run until mid-April. The opening night boasts live music, poetry readings, free appetizers and beverages, as well as a drawing for a weekend get-a-way. Tannery Row is located at 554 West Main Street in Buford. For more details, visit the website, www.TanneryRowArtistColony.com, or call Sabrina Bland at 404-729-1203 or Tonya Haswell at 404-432-1501.
Children's author to be at Centerville on Feb. 20 Award-winning children's author Evelyn Coleman will be at the Centerville Community Center at 3079 Bethany Church Road on Saturday, February 20, at 2 p.m. She will share stories and discuss her books. For the first 75 children who attend, they will get a free copy of one of her books. The event
is being hosted by the Gwinnett County Public Library. Books will be available
for purchase from Eagle Eye Book Shop. NOTABLE Gwinnett Technical College is partnering with Gwinnett-based WIKA Instrument Corporation as the company implements the Georgia Work Ready Training Plan. WIKA was recently named a Certified Work Ready facility by Governor Sonny Perdue, one of 29 Georgia manufacturing companies awarded $1.4 million in workforce training funds. Work Ready, a joint project between the Governor's Office of Workforce Development and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, is designed to help companies in Georgia improve their productivity and strengthen the state's workforce through customized training. The Certified Work Ready facilities-in-progress, many of which are already using elements of Georgia Work Ready, are using both Work Ready job profiles and Work Ready assessments as an integral part of their hiring and employee training practices. Funding for the project is provided by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Gwinnett Tech will be partnering with WIKA on the Work Ready program by conducting job profile assessments and advising WIKA on the implementation of those results. GTC has a long-standing training partnership with WIKA through the Georgia Quick Start program and has developed and provided a wide-range of technical and leadership training for the company in recent years. Barbershoppers offer distinctive Valentine serenading Quartets from the Stone Mountain Barbershop Chorus will offer their very popular Singing Valentine program for 2010. Bill Banks, the chorus' project chairman, says: "This is one of our most enjoyable projects because we get to deliver a unique 'I Love You' message to that special sweetheart. We have serenaded both men and women in such varied spots as supermarkets, college and elementary classrooms, business offices, retail shops, doctor's offices, living rooms and residential driveways. The effect is most dramatic when an audience is present to witness the event."
The Singing Valentine delivery includes two love songs sung live by a barbershop quartet, a rose and a personalized Valentine's Day greeting card. The basic cost is $50and can be paid with cash, personal check or credit card (VISA, MasterCard or Discover). Since Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday, deliveries will be made throughout the metro Atlanta area on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 12-14. The Stone Mountain Chorus is a non-profit, charitable organization and a portion of all Singing Valentine proceeds is donated to Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS), a local charity. Orders for a Singing Valentine can be placed with any chorus member or on the Stone Mountain Chorus web site, www.stonemountainchorus.org. Call 770-623-4786 for more details. Greene joins board of Fellowship of Christian Athletes David Greene, the University of Georgia's most winning quarterback and a former Gwinnett football all-star, is joining the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Gwinnett Board of Directors, according to an announcement today by Bill Dando, FCA Gwinnett County director. Greene, who led UGA to a Sugar Bowl victory and the SEC championship in 2002, holds several SEC awards and records including the SEC quarterback record for 214 consecutive pass attempts without an interception. A former NFL Seattle Seahawk, he is a graduate of South Gwinnett High School, and Atlanta Club Quarterback of the Year. Greene, who makes his home in Gwinnett, says. "The FCA has only scratched the surface with its ministry and the positive impact it can have in Gwinnett communities. The FCA values mirror my passion, and that's why I'm excited to have a chance to make a difference in the county where I grew up." FCA Gwinnett Chairman of the Board and former Green Bay Packer, Randy Scott, believes that Greene's joining the board will definitely benefit FCA Gwinnett. "David is well known throughout Gwinnett, which is the home to one of the largest school systems and world class sports programs in the country," says Scott. "Gwinnett has more than 150,000 students so David and our board have a major job ahead of us to reach out to them." The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-denominational sports ministry founded in 1954 to minister to both athletes and coaches. The local Gwinnett chapter, FCA Gwinnett, sponsors sports scholarships, works with coaches and athletes and hosts numerous youth and prep activities throughout the year. For more information about FCA Gwinnett, contact Bill Dando at bdando@fca.org. "We've
enjoyed Clint Eastwood in the spaghetti Westerns and in other 'lonely
tough guy' roles. His turn to directing has been equally refreshing, and
in Gran Torino, he is both the director and star, again being the sardonic
lonely guy up against great odds. This movie speaks to any community across
the nation where swaggering gangs of young toughs try to bully and complicate
the lives of good people. It also speaks to the problems associated with
immigrants seeking to assimilate, and how old-timers find their presence
upsetting. This is a strong movie, well worthy of the Eastwood touch."
---eeb
GEORGIA
ENCYCLOPEDIA (Continued from previous edition) In 1926, the development of the island as a beach resort captured the imagination of Howard Coffin, an Ohio native and a founder of the Hudson Motor Company. Coffin had acquired nearby Sapelo Island as a coastal retreat in 1912, and he began buying large tracts on St. Simons in 1926. As a pioneer in automotive design, Coffin envisioned how the transportation revolution brought about by the automobile could transform the inaccessible Georgia islands into tourist destinations, once the coastal highway, U.S. Highway 17, reached nearby Brunswick. His company, Sea Island Investments, bought Long Island that same year, briefly renaming it Glynn Isle before adopting the name Sea Island.
Coffin commissioned Addison Mizner, noted for his work in Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Florida, to design a small hotel, which opened as the Cloister in October 1928. A beach club, fishing dock, tennis courts, and shooting school were built near the hotel. North of the resort, a colony of private cottages developed along a three-mile drive down the center of the island. A golf club, riding stables, and yacht club for the Cloister were located on St. Simons Island. In 1928 Coffin turned over the administration of the resort to his young cousin, Alfred W. Jones, who steered it through the difficult years of the depression. In 1966 Alfred W. Jones Jr. succeeded his father as president of the Sea Island Company. The Jones family continues to own and manage the company and the resort. Since 1997 Alfred W. Jones III has served as chairman of the board. Over the years the Cloister was enlarged from 46 to 286 rooms, which were located in the original hotel and in a variety of surrounding buildings. In 2003 the original building was razed, and construction began on a new structure designed by Peter Capone. Capone's plans closely follow Mizner's Mediterranean architectural style and include a replica of his original turret. In addition, the hotel's famous Spanish Lounge was dismantled and restored to its original condition within the new building. Featuring seventy hotel rooms and thirty suites, the new structure opened in April 2006. Sea Island's
cottage colony now has more than 500 residences. Ocean Forest, a private
golf club that opened in 1995, is located on the northern tip of the island.
Designed by Rees Jones, it was the site of the 2001 Walker Cup Match. CREDITS GwinnettForum is provided to you at no charge every Tuesday and Friday. If you would like to serve as an underwriter, click here to learn more. Send
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TODAY'S
QUOTE "For him that steals, or borrows and returns not, a book from its owner, let it change into a serpent in his hand and rend him. Let him be struck with palsy, and all his members blasted. Let him languish in pain, crying aloud for mercy, and let there be no surcease to his agony till he sing in dissolution. Let bookworms gnaw at his entrails in token of the Worm that dieth not. And when at last he goes to his final punishment, let the flames of Hell consume him for ever. "
Those interested in the history of Gwinnett need to know that the recently published book: Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta, has sold fast, with the first editions about sold out. Get yours before they're gone. Go to www.elliottbrack.com to order, or buy the book at a local bookstore shown on the site. The books are available at:
MORE RECENT COMMENTARY
FOR CHARITY. You can give "A Gift of Laughter," a great book of cartoons by Bill McLemore, to help raise money for Rainbow Village. At just $20, it's a fun way to help. To order, call 770-497-1888, or email to info@gwinnettforum.com. SISTER PUBLICATIONS We encourage you to check out our sister publications:
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