NEW EQUIPMENT: Moving the smallest patients at Gwinnett Medical Center (GMC) just got better. Any movement of sick or prematurely born babies can be dangerous. The donation of an additional transport incubator equipped with a high frequency ventilator has facilitated this procedure, as GMC is one of two hospitals located in the southeast region to provide this type of equipment available 24/7 to the GMC. The recent equipment acquisition was made possible through a gift to the GMC Foundation from Greg and Tammy Shumate. From left are Dr. Leslie Leigh, GMC President Philip Wolfe, Tammy and Greg Shumate and Dr. Dan Suskin.

Issue 12.48 | Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012

TODAY'S FOCUS
:: Suwanee adopts Code Red warnings

ELLIOTT BRACK'S PERSPECTIVE
:: Texting while walking, more

FEEDBACK
:: On Rush and WSB

UPCOMING
:: Road funding, collecting books

NOTABLE
:: EMC Foundation; award winner

ALSO INSIDE

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
:: Hayes Family Dealerships

RECOMMENDED
:: Down Town

GEORGIA TIDBIT
:: Confederate builds ships

LAGNIAPPE
:: Fernbank's roses

GWINNETT CALENDAR
:: Lots of events on tap

TODAY'S QUOTE
:: One way to become famous

OUR SPONSORS

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.

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TODAY'S FOCUS
Suwanee adopting "Code Red" emergency notification service
By LYNN DEWILDE
Special to GwinnettForum

SUWANEE, Ga., Oct. 2, 2012 -- The City of Suwanee is set to roll out a new emergency notification service to its residents. The City has contracted with Emergency Communications Network to provide its CodeRed emergency and general notification services via phone calls, email, and/or text.

Suwanee residents may sign up for the service via the CodeRed link located in the bottom right box of the www.suwanee.com homepage. The service will make a test/informational call on Monday, October 1, to Suwanee phone numbers collected through online sign-ups and using existing public phone databases; most of these calls, informing residents about the service, are anticipated to go to landlines.

City Manager Marty Allen says: "This is a service that our citizens have requested and we're pleased to be able to provide it in a manner that we believe is effective and cost efficient. Our Council felt that this was a more elegant, versatile, and effective answer than tornado sirens to residents' requests in particular for severe weather notification. And, in addition to providing weather-related notifications, the system we've adopted can be used for other important emergency and non-emergency communication purposes."

Notifications that may be made through the system fall into three categories:

• emergency weather;
• emergency situations (such as a gas leak or terrorism threat); and
  
• general notification about events and other non-emergency City information.
  

Citizens will be required to opt in for general and weather notifications and to opt out of emergency notifications.

As residents sign up online, they will indicate preferences for how they wish to be contacted (e.g., cell phone call, text, email) and what kinds of information - weather and/or non-emergency notifications, such as information about events - they wish to receive. Residents will also be given the option of opting out of receiving emergency calls by completing a "do not call" form.

The City will issue emergency notifications very sparingly, notes Allen, and only in instances when the situation requires awareness or action in order to ensure the safety and well-being of residents. The City will not issue the weather notifications; those will be generated through the National Weather Service for alerts or warnings only - not watch situations - and will be geocoded so that only subscribers in impacted areas are notified.

Citizens may enter multiple phone numbers for the same address, however, at this time only one address may be associated with each phone number.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Walking and texting can be just as bad as texting and driving
By ELLIOTT BRACK
Editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com

OCT. 2, 2012 -- Catching up time: Never thought of it before, but a story from the University of Georgia's Red and Black says walking and texting can be just as dangerous as texting while driving.

Brack

It's called "distracted walking," which is becoming a problem around the country, and perhaps particularly on college campuses, where students do a lot of walking between classes.

University Police Chief Jimmy Williamson says "What we are finding, not just with pedestrians, but even car drivers, everyone is doing everything but keeping their mind on moving about." Distracted walkers also creates safety concerns for drivers and bikers, such as walking in front of cars and getting hit.

Chief Williamson doesn't want more laws, but wants more education about the dangers of the dangers when talking or texting on a cell phone.

RECOGNIZING THE CITY of Suwanee recently is the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the city's 2011 Popular Annual Financial Report. Evaluated on its creativity, presentation, understandability, and reader appeal, the annual report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011 was recognized with its Annual Financial Report Award.

In order to receive the award, local government organizations must receive a weighted average score of 75 percent or more on three of the four highest individual reviews. Suwanee's report scored an average of 89 percent.

A GEORGIA TECH GRADUATE told me the other day after the overtime loss to Miami: "Being a fan of Georgia Tech will break your heart."

Tech football fans must agree after last week's upset-no, it was a blowout---by Middle Tennessee, a whopping 49-28 loss. Granted, the offense can put points on the board, but the defense has been really lousy this year. Something's gotta happen.

Meanwhile, the Georgia Bulldogs had their own problems with defense last week against Regular Tennessee, in an offensive victory straight out of some secondary league, 51-44. Maybe Georgia football doesn't produce defensive players?

ONE BRIGHT Georgia Tech item last week: Georgia Tech is the best academic deal in the nation, according to Smart Money magazine. Recent Georgia Tech graduates (class of 2009) have a median starting salary of $59,000, which is 67 percent of what they paid in tuition, which now is $87,810 over four years. That's also No. 1 in the nation.

TAX COMMISSIONER Richard Steele sent to us the other day a list of the top 10 taxpayers in Gwinnett County for 2011. Five of the top ten are related to utilities, with Georgia Power Company being the top taxpayer, edging out Publix by $2 million.

Here's the list:

2011 Top Ten Gwinnett Taxpayers

Georgia Power $123,487,640
Publix $121,863,101
Wal-Mart $101,148,266
AT&T Communications $92,894,811
Mall of Georgia LLC $80,697,720
Scientific Atlanta Inc. $80,607,380
Jackson EMC $69,748,360
Atlanta Gas Light $39,925,440
LA Forum Peachtree LLC $39,000,000
Georgia Transmission Corporation $37,356,360

FAST FACTS from the Atlanta Daybook, a digital service of news in Atlanta.

• 270 million guns in America;
  
• Total number of Americans killed by guns in 2009: 31,347;
  
• Number of homicides involving a gun in 2009: 11,493;
  
• Number of suicides in the United States involving a firearm in 2009: 18,735;
  
• Number of nonlethal gunshot wounds in America in 2009: 66,769;
  
• Percentage of Americans who believe we should strongly enforce the gun laws we have on record: 82 percent; and
  
• Percentage of Americans that want harsher punishment for illegal gun sales than illegal drug sales: 54 percent.

THERE: you have your catching-up tidbits for the week.

SPOTLIGHT
Hayes Family Dealerships

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is Hayes Family Dealerships with Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC. Mike, Tim and Ted Hayes of Lawrenceville and Gainesville with Terry Hayes of Baldwin and Stan Roberts of Toccoa invite you into their showrooms to look over their line-up of automobiles and trucks. Hayes has been in the automotive business for over 40 years, and is North Georgia's oldest family-owned dealerships. The family is the winner of the 2002 Georgia Family Business of the Year Award. Check their web sites at: www.hayeschrysler.com or www.hayeschevrolet.com or www.hayesgmcars.com.

• For a list of other underwriters of this forum, click here.

FEEDBACK
Readers sound off about comments on WSB, Rush

Editor, the Forum:

You're just upset because WSB Radio has finally heard the voices who left them so that we can hear the truth rather than that liberal stuff that Cox media normally dishes out. Seriously, Clark Howard does a fine show, and is in fact broadcast around the country, but he falls far short of Rush's numbers. It was a pure business decision.

No question in my mind that AM radio is losing markets as fast as print newspapers, what with satellite radios and all the other ways to select exactly what music or news you want.

-- Steve Rausch, Norcross

Editor, the Forum:

I, for one, am particularly excited about WSB adding Rush Limbaugh to their daily programming. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and not take offense at you lumping me in with the "lowest common denominator" and the "right wing elements of society."

The image of what Limbaugh stands for has been repeatedly warped and misstated by "left wing elements of society" who choose to glom on to one or two verbal gaffes the man has made. I think anybody who has been on the air over 20 years has made a few gaffes. I dare say, dear editor, perhaps even you have done so. But the vast bulk of Limbaugh's work has been fabulously successful for the simple reason that his opinions are rooted in common sense and resonate with his audience.

Back in the day, the broadcast channels and newspapers of this country were the only source of political news. And to say their choices in what stories to cover and how to cover them did not have a decided political bent is to deny human nature. Well, there's a new game in town and it's here to stay because there is a huge audience, probably about half the country, that takes to it like a fish to water. Dittos!

-- Scott T. LeCraw, Duluth

Editor, the Forum:

Standing on the opposite side of the political fence, I believe WSB Radio is lucky to have Rush. Understandably, some do not appreciate his views, but I, for one, am far more offended by a liar than by a loud-mouth purveyor of the truth.

In this day and age, I hear far too many journalists who deceitfully call themselves hard news reporters as they conveniently omit and manipulate the facts to suit their own agendas. Although some of them smile and speak more softly than Rush (clearly, a conservative commentator), they don't captivate me. I want the truth, even when it's harsh.

-- Sallie Boyles, Duluth

Editor, the Forum:

To your comments about WSB I can only add, AMEN! WSB has completed its descent into the gutter of broadcasting, in my opinion.

-- Robert Hanson, Loganville

Dear Bob: Thanks for you being around this week..-eeb

• We welcome your letters and thoughts. Our policy: We encourage readers to submit feedback (or letters to the editor). Send your thoughts to the editor at elliott@brack.net. We will edit for length and clarity. Make sure to include your name and the city where you live. Submission of a comment grants permission for us to reprint. Please keep your comments to 300 words or less. However, we will consider longer articles (no more than 500 words) for featuring in Today's Focus as space allows.
  

UPCOMING
Collector road along U.S. Highway 78 gets added funding

A 4½ mile collector road project along U.S. Highway 78 will receive additional funding from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), advancing the project funding goals by $283,000. During a recent review of the Walton Court-Old U.S. 78 Highway Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) project, the Evermore Community Improvement District (CID) requested that the Commission review the current funding to better understand if additional financial assistance could be applied to the collector road project.

After careful review, ARC has awarded an additional $283,000 in LCI funds to what has become a 4½ mile collector road, beginning at Walton Court and terminating at Jessica Daron Court, just above Yellow River.

CID Chairman Chris Garner says: "The project is gaining traction, and is part of an overall vision for the Highway 78 Corridor. This collector road will enhance safety, improve signalization and provide for an alternative route for those traveling along U.S. Highway 78. We truly appreciate the efforts of ARC staff in responding to our request for further review of the project, and we look forward to fully developing these improvements in the coming years."

Sorority collects books for Africa, which honors Dacula resident

The Upsilon Alpha Omega graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Gwinnett Pearls of Service Foundation (the chapter's charitable arm) have collected more than 1,000 books, with an approximate worth of over $10,000, to donate toward the foundation for libraries currently slated to be established in Botswana, Malawi, Ghana or Swaziland.

The organization began collecting books in January 2012, and has already exceeded its 1,000-book goal through personal donations from chapter members and book drives. The collection is in conjunction with the African Library Project -- a non-profit organization that coordinates book drives in the United States and partners with African schools and villages to start small libraries. To date, The African Library Project has helped to start libraries in nine of Africa's 22 English-speaking countries. Upsilon Alpha Omega was compelled to support this project due to startling literacy statistics.

ALP works with local partner organizations, like the Peace Corps, to ensure villages have the right location, support structure, and staffing to ensure the library's long-term sustainability.

Each book sent by Upsilon Alpha Omega will contain a label, noting that the donation is on behalf of the Beauty P. Baldwin Scholarship Award. It honors Mrs. Baldwin of Dacula, the first African-American superintendent in the state of Georgia, a local leader who is also a charter member of Upsilon Alpha Omega.

NOTABLE
Jackson EMC Foundation grant helps with childcare assistance

The IMPACT! Transitional Housing Program of Norcross has been granted $15,000 by Jackson EMC Foundation as part of its Round Up contributions from its owner-members. The funds are specifically directed at childcare cost for traditional housing assistance.

The IMPACT! Program assists homeless families with children with subsidized housing and supportive services. The program's objective is to transition these families from homelessness to permanent housing and self sufficiency by the time they leave (approximately 18 months). The families are housed in three sites in Norcross. The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides 80 percent of the supportive services for two of our housing locations. The families who are housed at our third location have no supportive services except what we are able to solicit from other community partners.

Alice Ramsey, director of Transitional Housing of IMPACT!, says: "We have 22 families in our program, all have 2-3 children and all families are headed by a single parent (all but one female). Childcare is expensive and without the money to pay for it, the parent is faced with (1) staying home and not working -- which leads further into poverty and homelessness; or (2) leaving the children home alone, which is not an option in any regard. We require our clients to pay at least a pro-rata portion of everything."

Besides the cost of case management, child care is the greatest supportive service expense for the program. The families are responsible for paying the bulk of the costs. They must also save at least 10 percent of their gross income.

Gwinnett Tech trustee named state foundation top volunteer

Gwinnett Tech Foundation Trustee Jim McGean, left, has been named Volunteer of the Year by the Technical College Foundation Association of Georgia (TCFA). He was honored for his leadership on Gwinnett Tech's Legacy of Lives capital campaign. McGean, retired president of Verizon Wireless, also served on the Gwinnett Tech Board of Directors for three years before his current role as a Gwinnett Tech Foundation trustee. He chaired the Gwinnett Tech's Legacy of Lives campaign, helping raise over $7.1 million to date. His strong leadership efforts secured the opening of the college's new 78,000-square-foot Life Sciences Center. McGean personally recruited and managed the campaign cabinet members and their efforts, hosted numerous fundraising events, and recruited and trained volunteers to help in donor solicitation. McGean and other TCFA honorees were recognized during the association's annual awards dinner, which was held in Savannah recently. He is shown with Gwinnett Tech President Sharon Bartels on the construction site of the GTC's Life Science Center.

RECOMMENDED
Down Town
By Ferrol Sams

"One of Georgia's best story tellers, Dr. Ferrol Sams of Fayetteville, unveils in this 2007 book what is really a fictional history of Fayette County, though he changes names of folk and towns around. Starting back after the Civil War, he brings the history of his hometown and county through the many characters, politicians and relatives he remembers. What's most revealing is that many similar and nefarious stories could be told of any of the metro Atlanta counties that have seen massive growth since World War II. This book was selected by the Gwinnett library for a Gwinnett Reads program, and well chosen." -- eeb

• 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

GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA
Confederacy builds ships to engage Union at Apalachicola

While the Union navy blockaded the port of Apalachicola during the Civil War, rumors about the construction of a new Confederate gunboat began to filter downriver. In the fall of 1861, Confederate naval officers and the chief engineer of the Columbus Naval Iron Works contracted with a private firm based in Saffold, Ga., 175 miles south of Columbus and 140 miles upriver from Apalachicola, to build a 130-foot-long gunboat in four months. In theory, the CSS Chattahoochee was to be both riverboat and ocean-sailing craft. Upon its completion, the Confederate navy hoped to steam it downriver, break the blockade, and open the port of Apalachicola for the return of supply ships and trade to the region.

However, disaster and mishap struck the construction and eventual launch of the gunboat at every turn, highlighting the strong disadvantages that the Confederacy held in building and managing a Navy under wartime conditions and depletions. After many delays, the long-awaited launch of the Chattahoochee took place in February, 1863, but the vessel ran aground on its first day on the river and seriously damaged its hull.

By the time the steamer was again ready for service, the Confederate Army, feeling impatient and vulnerable to attack, had sunk obstructions into the Apalachicola River, destroying any hopes that the Chattahoochee's officers held of engaging the Union force at sea. By the spring of 1863 the Confederate Navy had stationed the gunboat, now no more than a glorified floating battery, above the obstructions. On May 27, 1863, the boilers of the Chattahoochee exploded due to the crew's inexperience, killing several sailors, maiming others, and effectively destroying the ship for the remainder of the war.

During the war, the Columbus Naval Iron Works also supplied engine machinery for many of the Confederacy's ironclads. On the Chattahoochee River, the Confederacy commissioned the construction of the CSS Jackson in 1862. This ship also faced a series of setbacks and delays that prevented it from ever reaching the Union blockade. Despite a scarcity of resources, the Jackson was completed in less than a year. However, inconsistent river levels prevented its initial launch, and an ordered redesign of the paddle system cost the crew any opportunity to engage the blockaders at the mouth of the Apalachicola River.

As the war's end approached, the Union command sent a cavalry unit of 13,500 men, under the command of Major General James H. Wilson, to capture and occupy the Chattahoochee River Valley of Alabama and Georgia. Although historians debate the rationale behind this venture, the region had survived the war without any major battles and presumably could have served as the home base of a desperate last stand.

Launching the campaign from Tennessee, Wilson's raiders swept swiftly through the poorly defended cities of Alabama, and on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1865, the cavalry crossed the Broadnax Street Bridge from Girard, Ala., into Columbus in the dark of night. By morning, the Union soldiers had captured the city and begun laying waste to its industrial capabilities, including the Columbus Naval Iron Works. Wilson's men set the Jackson aflame and adrift on the river, where it burned for nearly two weeks before sinking; navy yard workers did the same to the Chattahoochee to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. In the early 1960s both ships were raised from the riverbed. Today, visitors to the National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus can view what remains of both crafts.

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© 2012, Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.

GWINNETTOBITS.com

Visit this site to see details of the upcoming funerals of Gwinnett Countians from local funeral homes. On the site, sign up at top right and we'll send you GwinnettObits each day.

Click on the names below to see details of their funerals.

• Visit GwinnettObits.com

TODAY'S QUOTE
One way a person can become famous without ability

"Martyrdom is the only way in which a man can become famous without ability."

-- Irish dramatist, literary critic, socialist spokesman and Nobel Prize winner George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950).

MORE COPIES AVAILABLE
Gwinnett history book in second printing

Previously out of print, Elliott Brack's 850-page history, "Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta," is now available again. Since its original publication, the book was declared the winner of the 2010 Award of Excellence for documenting Georgia history by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board. It is also the winner of the Gwinnett Historical Society's Whitworth-Flanigan Award for 2011 for preserving the history of Gwinnett County.The book includes 143 demographic and historic tables, with more than 4,000 names in the index, and 10,000 names in the appendix.Two versions of the book are available. The hardback edition is priced at $75, while a softback edition is $40. Books are available at:

• Atlanta History Center, Atlanta
• Books for Less, Buford
  
• Gwinnett Historical Society, Lawrenceville
  
• Parsons Gifts and Cards, Duluth
  
• Vargas and Harbin Gallery, Norcross

You can also order books through the Internet. To do that, go to www.elliottbrack.com to place your order. For mail orders, there is a $5 shipping and handling fee. Purchases are also subject to the 6 percent Georgia sales tax.

SEARCH GWINNETT FORUM

GWINNETT CALENDAR

THIS WEEK

Learn about Amanda Riley Foundation: noon, Oct. 2, Snellville Commerce Club. Barbara Riley will be the speaker. Amanda Riley was a Brookwood High student who died 17 years ago after a fight with cancer. Meeting is at the Snellville City Hall.

Gwinnett Great Days of Service. This year's event will be held on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 5-6, 2012 with over 300 different projects to choose from. This annual event offers Gwinnett residents the opportunity to donate their time and energy to doing community service and helping those in need. For more information and to sign up, visit this site.

(NEW) Public Safety Fall Festival at Coolray Field: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oct. 6. Free admission, but visitors are encouraged to bring canned food donations for local food banks. Activities include public safety displays, pet adoptions, yard sale, car seat checks and other activities.

Ninth Annual Suwanee Music Festival: Oct. 6, Town Center Park, sponsored by Amigos for Christ. Music begins at 10 a.m. and continues through beginning of The Lovin' Spoonful presentation at 7:30 p.m. Events for all ages at $10 per person. Details.

(NEW) Norcross ArtFest: Oct. 6 (all day) and Oct. 7 (all afternoon), downtown Norcross. Art will be on display from 165 different artists. A highlight will be work from www.chairsforcharity.com, with items decorated by Norcross students. Nine schools are participating. The ArtFest was named "Event of the Year" by the Gwinnett Convention and Visitor's Bureau, with festival goers numbering 60,000 in 2011.

(NEW) 34th annual Elisha Winn Fair: Oct. 6-7, Elisha Winn House, 908 Dacula Road. This year commemorates the 200th anniversary of the house where Gwinnett's first government was formed, and put on by the Gwinnett Historical Society, which maintains the home. Proceeds benefit upkeep of the home. Hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy live music, food, vendors, a quilt raffle, crafts, re-enactors and a house tour.

(NEW) Fourth Annual Chattapoochee Pet Fest: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 7, Chattapoochee Dog Park, 4291 Rogers Bridge Road. Celebrate the life of four-legged friends, including a pet costume contest. Vendors of pet, crafts and foods will be present, plus others. Proceeds benefit the Historic Strickland House. Details: 770-232-7584.

Poet laureate to speak: 5 p.m., Oct. 7, Georgia Gwinnett College Student Center. Natasha Trethewey will focus on her works. Books will be for sale at this event, light refreshments will be served, and music will be provided by harpist Joyce Parks, director of the B.J. Chorale.

(NEW) Southern Wings Bird Club: 7 p.m. Oct. 8 and every second Monday, Gwinnett Justice and Administrative Building. Purpose is to learn about birds in this area, share our interest with the community, create wildlife habitat, and enjoy fellowship with similar interests. Email for details.

COMING SOON

Girl Scout engineering careers for women: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oct. 13, Alpharetta campus of DeVry University, 2555 Northwinds Parkway. Women in engineering careers will help lead girls in a variety of hands-on science activities about science careers. Lunch will be provided to all registered.

(NEW) Fort Daniel Frontier Faire, at Hog Mountain: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 20, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oct. 21, at 2505 Braselton Highway. The former site of Fort Daniel (circa 1812) is currently located on privately owned property. Faire parking on site is limited to handicapped only and parking for the public is available across the street at Northview Church, corner of Georgia Highways 124-324.

Halloween-for-Haiti Carnival: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Oct. 27, Christ Episcopal Church, 400 Holcomb Bridge Road, Norcross. Music, food, kids' activities throughout the event. Costume parade with prizes at 5 p.m. Haunted trail from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Proceeds benefit the children of Jasmin, Haiti.

MORE EEB PERSPECTIVE

12/21: Fort Daniel, Chambliss 12/18: Ban assault weapons 12/14: Army-Navy game 12/11: Who stole American dream? 12/7: Lock 'em in a room 12/4: On Partnership Gwinnett 11/30: Hera Lighting 11/27: Voting out scalawags 11/20: Arts alive in Gwinnett 11/16: Hope Clinic needs help 11/13: Casino coming? 11/9: GOP and Georgia Dems 11/6: Early voting, more 11/2: Will Sandy impact election? 10/30: Georgia and GI Bill 10/26: Barge making name 10/23: Our 2012 endorsements 10/19: Pet peeves, more 10/15: Long plane flights 10/12: NO on Amendment 1 10/9: Elisha Winn Fair 10/5: Lots of construction 10/2: Texting while walking 9/28: WSB sets lower bar 9/25: State Archive fracas 9/21: Charter concerns 9/18: Benefits of living here 9/14: Continuing objectives 9/11: Trip to France, Spain 9/7: Community pride 8/31: Conversation on guns 8/24: More robocalls ahead 8/21: Newspaper museum 8/17: Seem easier to vote? 8/14: Western ridges, fall line 8/10: Runoff endorsements 8/7: New UGA health campus 8/3: Primaries raise more questions EEB index of columns

  FOCUS ARCHIVES

12/21: Wiggins: Recycle trees 12/18: Two canal cruises to take 12/14: C. Brack: Give a little 12/11: Goodman: Suwanee's art 12/7: Duke: Director of Encouragement 12/4: Dorough: Food co-op 11/30: McHenry: CID redevelopment 11/27: Sutt: Gwinnett arts' questions 11/20: Urrutia: Grad wins award 11/16: Collins: Las Vegas 11/13: Barksdale: Storm prep 11/9: Houston: Kettle Creek 11/6: Stilo: Christmas Canteen 11/2: Crews: View Point Health 10/30: Willis: Amendment One 10/26: Brown: Doc's research 10/19: Hudgens Prize jurors picked 10/15: Urrutia: $2 million gift to GGC 10/12: Young: Lilburn city hall 10/9: Long: Charter schools 10/5: Jones: PGA golf to return 10/2: DeWilde: Suwanee's red code 9/28: Stilo: Pinter's Betrayal 9/21: Love: Model for Nigeria 9/21: Walsh: Childhood obesity 9/18: Ashley promoted 9/14: Wiener: CID's initiative 9/11: Olson: $50K Hudgens contest 9/7: Stilo: Acting classes for all 8/31: Havenga: Great Days of Service 8/24: Griswold: Casino for OFS site 8/21: Brooks: Taking the Megabus 8/17: Summerour: Newspaper family 8/14: Sharp: Newport visit 8/10: Thomas: On schizophrenia 8/7: Carraway: Amendment wording 8/3: Willis: Ready for school parents? COMMENTARY INDEX

CONTINUING OBJECTIVES FOR GWINNETT

Gwinnett Forum publisher Elliott Brack suggests that Gwinnett County needs a long-range list of continuing objectives for improving the county. Read more.

• Development of a two-party system for local offices
• Transparent operations to restore faith in Gwinnett's County Commission
• Moving statewide non-partisan judge election runoffs to the General Election
• Light rail for Gwinnett from Doraville MARTA station to Gwinnett Arena
• Extension of Gwinnett Place CID area to include Arena and Discovery Mills Mall
• Banning of tobacco in all Gwinnett parks
• Making Briscoe Field a commercial airport for jet-age travel
• Approval of Educational SPLOST in 2013
• More diverse candidates for political offices and appointment to local boards
• Physical move of former St. Gerard's Catholic Church in Buffalo, N.Y., to Norcross
• Creative efforts to support the arts in Gwinnett
• Advancement and expansion of city and Gwinnett historical societies
• Stronger regulation of late-night establishments with alcoholic licenses
  

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