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Issue
9.82 | Friday, Jan. 22, 2010 |
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McLEMORE'S
WORLD ARCHIVE FEEDBACK UPCOMING NOTABLE ALSO INSIDE _::
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Meet a sponsor
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ABOUT US GwinnettForum.com is a twice-weekly online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA. Contact us today. SEARCH GWINNETT FORUM |
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TODAY'S
FOCUS DULUTH, Ga., Jan. 22, 2010 -- The Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts, whose mission is to bring art lovers, leaders and learners together through quality programs and exhibits, has three new exhibits now open. All three exhibits will remain on view until May 15, 2010. The Herbert
Creecy exhibit is an exhibit of one of Georgia's most well-known abstract
expressionist painters, featuring exuberant works on canvas and paper.
On loan from Mason Murer Fine Arts, the exhibit will be on view in the
Fowler Gallery. The simultaneous opening of these three exhibits represents a change in the focus and mission of The Hudgens. The center is committed to presenting coordinated exhibits that carry a theme throughout the facility, as these do in featuring Georgia artists, and will present three to four sets of similarly integrated exhibits per year.
Herbert Creecy, best known for his impressive abstract expressionist paintings, was born in 1939 in Norfolk, Va., and grew up in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. After attending the University of Alabama, he graduated from the Atlanta School of Art in 1964. His paintings have been chosen by many of America's finest museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, which helped him gain fame as was one of Georgia's most important artists. Although cancer claimed his life in 2003, the artist left behind a legacy of paintings, drawings and sculptures. The Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts is located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Building 300, in Duluth, at the end of the Gwinnett Civic Center complex. The parking lot is located off of Satellite Boulevard, near the intersection of Satellite and Sugarloaf Boulevards, and the main entrance is under the giant robot. Admission at The Hudgens is free for members; $5 for adults; $3 for children, students and seniors; and free for children 2 and under. For more information about events and happenings at The Hudgens, call 770-623-6002 or sign up to receive its monthly newsletter at www.thehudgens.org. EEB
PERSPECTIVE JAN. 22, 2010 -- If some agreement isn't reached by February 1, Gwinnett County may suffer considerable financial hardships and harm its recession recovery efforts by being "sanctioned" by the Department of Community Affairs for noncompliance with the Service Delivery regulation, and banned from getting multiple governmental services, including possibly stimulus funds. The dispute has already set a record for being the most advanced such dispute in Georgia history, as communities much comply with the law originally passed in 1997, and which went into effect in 1999.
It all stems from the inability of the county commission to reconcile differences between itself and the 15 cities of the county. Now after a judge's ruling, new negotiations and consensus between the Gwinnett cities and the county becomes vital. Should no agreement be reached, and sanctions imposed, it would mean Gwinnett would be besmirched with an aura of incompatibility among its leaders. It would give the county a bad name, much like happened in the 1980s when the county was under a ban of new construction. Now Gwinnett faces such notoriety again. Quoting from the Department of Community Affairs, here are some examples of state funding local governments stand to lose if they fail to reach an agreement on a Service Delivery Strategy:
It is even considered likely that Gwinnett would not be able to receive any of the federal stimulus money because of these sanctions.
The sanctions mean that individuals and businesses in Gwinnett possibly will not be able to get any permit administered by the State of Georgia, thereby halting considerable progress. Examples of what could be stopped include water withdrawal permits, wastewater treatment permits and solid waste disposal facility permits issued by the Environmental Protection Division. Another example of the sanctions took place several years ago in Henry County, where a Winn-Dixie supermarket was barred from opening when it could not get a permit to connect to the water system, as the store lost $80,000 a day in sales before the dispute was resolved. What is virtually unknown is just how extensive such sanctions could be for Gwinnett. Mike Gleaton of the DCA says that there are many regulations embedded in state law where counties much get approvals. If a county is under sanctions, state agencies are prohibited approving permits in that county. "We're dealing in unchartered waters," he says. The Gwinnett cities and county government have been wrangling for over a year about a new service delivery agreement, required every 10 years by the Georgia DCA. Superior Court Judge David Barrett originally suspended the sanctions in order for the two sides to mediate. But no agreement came forward. The two sides remain at loggerheads, and the judge seems now willing to impose the sanctions. The cities have bowed up at getting taxed for services not provided by the county. An example would be where nine Gwinnett cities provide police services, but the county does not give the city residents a tax credit on local taxes, effectively taxing them twice for police protection by both the city and county. If agreement is not reached soon, prepare for Gwinnett to suffer from the sanctions, and for having a reputation of being hard to get along with. ABOUT
OUR SPONSORS
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. The Gwinnett County Public Library provides free access to its electronic and physical collections and information, as well as to its services. The library system consists of 14 branches in Gwinnett County, all of which offer free use of library computers and wireless internet. Each year, the library presents several public programs, special events, and exhibitions in library branches and other locations throughout the county. In addition, the library is proud to host Gwinnett Reads, a community-wide initiative that encourages Gwinnett County citizens to share the experience of reading the same book in an effort to engage adults and to spread the joy of reading. For more information on resources, services and events, please visit www.gwinnettpl.org or call 770.978.5154.
McLEMORE'S
WORLD ARCHIVE
FEEDBACK Editor, the Forum: Christmas was a very happy time for hundreds of Gwinnett County children. It wouldn't have been so; without the tremendous outpouring of love from many of you. Almost 700 children, families and seniors had presents to open on Christmas morning, bringing miles of smiles. This year was the most successful year ever which was a very pleasant surprise considering the economy. This year we started the Angel Tree program and placed 10 trees at Chick-Fil-A, O'Charleys, Kroger's, Patrick's of Atlanta, Wild Bills, Dr. Purvis, Rhodes, Young, Black, and Duncan, and Daybreak Community Church. This also was a tremendous success and we thank those businesses for their support. Hopefully next year we will be able to place many more trees. If you know of a business that would possibly , please let me know. Again thank you very much for all of your support, you were a tremendous Blessing to so many people and we look forward to working with everyone again next Christmas. We pray that God will Bless you all in the new year.
UPCOMING A $21.4 million in upgrades to the Crooked Creek Water Reclamation Facility near Norcross has been approved by Gwinnett County. Pizzagalli Construction Co., Inc. was the lowest of seven bidders at 70 percent of the estimated cost of the work to be done at the plant off Holcomb Bridge Road. Pizzagalli has also worked on Gwinnett's two other main treatment plants, the 60-million gallon-per-day (mgd) Hill Plant and the 22 mgd Yellow River Plant that is currently being rebuilt. Federal stimulus funds will pay a portion of the interest cost on recovery zone economic development bonds for the project, according to Acting Water Resources Director Lynn Smarr. This project is another major part of upgrading the water and sewer systems designed to comply with tighter environmental regulations and serve the county for the next 50 years. The work includes construction of new headworks, a new influent pump station with electrical building, and upgrades to existing odor-control facilities along with new piping, a new flow meter, and a backflow prevention system. Future projects will add new solids handling and disinfection facilities to the plant. When finished, the Crooked Creek plant will treat 25 mgd and will be easily expandable. Smarr says: "We're eager to get this long-planned work underway because Crooked Creek discharges its reclaimed water to the Chattahoochee River." The Hill Plant will soon begin returning reclaimed water to Lake Lanier, which also drains into the river. Lawrenceville Kiwanians to hear school Supt. Kathy Cox
Georgia's State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox will be the keynote speaker at the Lawrenceville Kiwanis Club on Thursday, January 28 at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center in Buford. The luncheon,
which will take place at 11:30 a.m., is open to the public. Seating is
limited to RSVPs on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost of the
steak and baked potato lunch, catered by Longhorn Steaks, is $15 per person,
payable at the door. RSVP by no later than January 25 to George.hutchinson@gwinnettcounty.com.
The Kiwanis Club of Lawrenceville is Gwinnett County's oldest active civic
organization, celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2008. NOTABLE Richard Calmes, former Gwinnett-based businessman now living in Hiawassee and Duluth, has published a book of his favorite dance images taken over the past three years titled "Dance Magic." Recently, Calmes has established himself as one of the preeminent dance photographers in the country. This past year alone he has had seven dance industry periodical covers and dozens of dance images published. He has also been featured in stories about himself and how he approaches his art.
Calmes explains, "I call the book 'Dance Magic' because that is the only way I can explain the incredible feats of physical strength and beauty that dancers perform in front of my lenses on a regular basis. "Every image in this book has a story...and I share some of these entertaining tales for about half the photos in the book. For the most part, Dance Magic is a picture book, not a 'how-to' manual, and therefore hopefully more fun to read." The pictures are from his studio and outdoor creative sessions from the last three years. Calmes found "Dance Magic" in all kinds of settings, from the streets of New York City to the waves of the Pacific Ocean. Most of the dancers are professionals, and some are pre-professionals. Dancers from Gwinnett Ballet Theatre are prominently represented, as Calmes began taking dance photography to accompany his wife Holley's public relations efforts for the Gwinnett-based company. GBT's Artistic Director, Lisa Sheppard Robson, is one of the people Calmes dedicates the book to, as her help and quest for perfection have matched his own. Calmes
continues, "I love dance… and I love dancers. And I appreciate
dancers. And I think I have grown to understand dancers. It is this love,
appreciation, and understanding I hope to convey in my work. If you find
any of these images beautiful, it is because I was lucky enough to capture
the beauty created by these special and spectacular artists." The book is available through Blurb.com at the following address: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1141310. Lake Lanier Coalition tells result of impact result of impact study According
to preliminary results of a Lake Lanier regional economic impact study
commissioned by the 1071 Coalition, visitation to the area dropped by
nearly 800,000 in-season visitors from 2007 to 2008. It was during this
period when lake levels fell 17 feet below full pool. During the fiscal
year (ending on September 30), although there were high gasoline prices,
the Lake traffic was largely unaffected by the recession, according to
the study.
1071 Coalition
President and Vice President of Westrec Marinas Alex Laidlaw says: "Most
of us were not surprised to hear about the 800,000 visitor drop, since
we felt its impact with our declining businesses in 2008. However, we
are still learning, and anxiously await more data coming from the study
that will paint the picture of just what the visitor decline means in
terms of not only the economy of our businesses around the lake, but the
economy of the region as a whole."
The economic impact study is expected to be complete by early spring of this year. County renews contract for red-light cameras for $140,533 Red light
cameras will continue monitoring several Gwinnett intersections and recording
moving violations by motorists caught in the intersection after their
light has turned red. The Board of Commissioners Tuesday approved a new
contract with American Traffic Solutions, Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz., for
$140,533.
GEORGIA
ENCYCLOPEDIA R.A. Miller, a resident of Rabbittown, an unincorporated community north of Gainesville, was one of the state's enduring self-taught artists, noted for his "whirligigs," or metal cutout figures, and drawings, which typically feature animal or human figures and short inspirational messages. The best of his flat cutouts and drawn figures recall the expressive economy of such self-taught artists as Bill Traylor of Alabama.
Born on July 22, 1912, on the property where he lived for most of his life, Reuben Aaron Miller worked in cotton mills, farmed, and served as a preacher for the Free Will Baptist Church. When chronic eye problems began to limit Miller's activities, he started making whirligigs to pass the time. Although Miller's early whirligigs sometimes featured mechanical figures, most were decorated with flat animal or human shapes, cut from tin and painted in enamel. Miller typically attached these cutouts to horizontal wooden supports, ranging from standard two-by-two lumber to salvaged furniture arms and legs. Tin paddles were attached to wooden cross forms or bicycle wheels to provide surfaces for the wind to catch. By the mid-1980s Miller's yard was a spectacle-a hilltop field of hundreds of spinning windmills. His animated environment attracted frequent visitors, including Athens rock group R.E.M., who in 1984, with painter and filmmaker James Herbert, filmed a 20-minute video, Left of Reckoning, on Miller's hilltop. After folk-art dealers and collectors began to purchase Miller's inexpensive whirligigs in large quantities, the artist started to make and sell cutout figures independent of the whirligigs. The best of Miller's tin cutouts are gracefully abstracted and animated in gesture. His animal images range from bluebirds, chickens, pigs, and snakes to a variety of dinosaur types, inspired by nature programs on television. Sam and Elvis Presley, and less well-defined characters that sport hats, cigars, or red claws. Miller's most frequent image is a figure emblazoned with the words "Blow Oskar," a reference to the artist's cousin, who would blow his car horn while driving past Miller's property. In addition to whirligigs and cutouts, Miller produced paintings and drawings in enamel or marker on Masonite. These works include similar human figures, animals, and dinosaurs, which share space with such short inspirational messages as "Lord Love You" and are surrounded by simple decorative borders. Miller's work has been included in such exhibitions as Outside the Mainstream: Folk Art in Our Time at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta (1988) and Passionate Visions of the American South at the New Orleans Museum of Art in Louisiana (October 1993-January 1994). Further exhibitions, the inclusion of his work in museums' permanent collections, and articles in such international publications as Raw Vision have contributed to Miller's status as an elder statesman among Georgia's self-taught artists. In 2004 Miller lost his sight to an eye infection and moved to a nursing home in Commerce, where he died in March 2006. The month before his death, an exhibition of his work entitled R. A. Miller: A Tribute opened at the Brenau University Galleries. 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 "The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook"
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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