SEE THIS BEFORE? Did this question pop into your mind when you saw this painting by Donna Biggee of Buford: "Where have I seen that tree and that road?" Ms. Biggee's paintings will be on display during November as part of Snellville's "Art on the Wall at City Hall" program. A native of Tucker, Donna Biggee has been inspired by memories of her experiences with family and friends in the South. Her landscapes capture the serenity of her roots and depict the vivid colors of the southern seasons. She works in pastels, oils, acrylics and watercolors. Her studio paintings are based on her plein air studies. Her works can be found in both private and corporate collections. By the way, she spotted this tree off Old Snellville Road, where Alexander Park is now located. Artists and groups interested in having a solo show of their own at Snellville City Hall are encouraged to contact the Snellville art jurors. The application and selection criteria can be found on the city website.

Issue 12.58 | Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012

TODAY'S FOCUS
:: Christmas Canteen to arrive again

ELLIOTT BRACK'S PERSPECTIVE
:: Early voting, past percentages, more

FEEDBACK
:: Send us your thoughts

UPCOMING
:: Nutcracker, Elf to parachute in

NOTABLE
:: Holiday Craft Fair in Pinckneyville

ALSO INSIDE

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
:: The Piedmont Bank

RECOMMENDED
:: In the Garden of Beasts

GEORGIA TIDBIT
:: 3 groups lead on monuments

LAGNIAPPE
:: Plaque honors key donor

GWINNETT CALENDAR
:: Lots of events on tap

TODAY'S QUOTE
:: About the president

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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:: GeorgiaClips.com

TODAY'S FOCUS
Here it comes -- musical extravaganza, Christmas Canteen!
By AL STILO
Special to GwinnettForum.com

LAWRENCEVILLE Ga., Nov. 6, 2012---Christmas Canteen 2012 is Aurora Theatre's original annual holiday musical extravaganza, which begins its run on November 23 and continues through December 23.

This living Christmas card overflows with nostalgic music that will evoke warm holiday memories. Gwinnett County's longest running theatrical holiday tradition combines the sentimentality of a television variety special with the high energy of a USO show. For thousands of North Georgians, it's just not Christmas until they hear their Canteen favorites. This year the show is jam-packed with more holiday tunes than ever. Christmas Canteen 2012 pays tribute to the men and women of the United States Armed Services both past and present.

Meanwhile, Aurora's Festival of Trees supports both the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots drive and local food banks. From the whimsically clever to the breathtakingly spectacular, the Festival of Trees decks the halls of Aurora Theatre with over 30 trees decorated by local businesses. Show viewers are encouraged to cast a vote for their favorite tree with a new unwrapped toy or a non-perishable food to help ensure that everyone has a great holiday season. Generous thanks to the Holtkamp Can Challenge, who handles the food drive, delivering to local food banks.

The Christmas Canteen 2012 cast is led by performer and head writer of the show Brandon O'Dell, now in his ninth year. Returning Aurora veterans, Jevares Myrick and Eric Moore are ready to deliver another season of dynamic performances. Making their Canteen debut are three ladies, all of whom have impressed Aurora Theatre audiences with their voices. They include Courtney Godwin, Kathryn Berrong, and Taryn Bryant. Aurora Theatre Producing Artistic Director Anthony Rodriguez directs and Associate Producer Ann-Carol Pence brings her award-wining musical direction to the stage. Christmas Canteen is a cup of eggnog for the holiday soul.

Aurora Theatre Associate Producer Ann-Carol Pence, when asked what audiences can expect from this year's Christmas Canteen, simply said, "More fun than ever, more Christmas than ever!" She went on to explain, "In a year when our community has helped us with an enormous fundraising campaign, Canteen is the sincerest way Anthony and I can show our deepest appreciation. By supporting us, you have already made our dreams come true."

Programming in Aurora Theatre's 2012-2013 Mainstage Season is possible through support from Metro Waterproofing and the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund. Christmas Canteen is sponsored by Gwinnett Medical Center.

Performances are November 23 through December 23 on Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 - $40. There is no performance Wednesday, November 28. Wednesday Discount Matinee, for the December 12 and 19 shows at 10 a.m. Tickets are $20. For more information, call 678-226-6222 or visit www.auroratheatre.com.

The City of Lawrenceville has its free Parking Deck attached to Aurora Theatre, at 153 Crogan Street.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Early voting, past win percentages, Highway 316 bridge work
By ELLIOTT BRACK
Editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com

NOV. 6, 2012 -- A great big THANK YOU to all of you who voted early. We just cannot bring ourselves to do it. We want to make sure that we hear every last thing, even the last robo call, up until voting day, before we cast our ballot.

Brack

Here's the reason we thank you for voting early. It should made it a little easier on those of us who vote on November 6, with smaller lines, because of you early voters.. Actually, when we vote about 8:15 a.m., it's rarely crowded. But we thank you just the same.

WANT TO COMPARE what the candidates who have opposition did in this election, with what the candidates with opposition did during the previous election?

Well, we did some of the work for you, digging through the online returns to see what percent of votes the opposed candidates got previously. So, make your comparisons with the returns, from Gwinnett only, from this year's race.

• Fourth District Congressman Hank Johnson had 56.63 percent in 2010.
  
  
• Seventh District Congressman Rob Woodall had 63.82 percent in 2010.
  
  
• State Senator Don Balfour scored 64.33 percent in 2010.
  
  
• State Rep. Valerie Clark won her post with 53.92 percent in 2010.

School Board members have four year terms. Here are the results from 2008:

• Carole Boyce won with 54.93 percent.
  
  
• Mary Kay Murphy had 57.223 percent.
  
  
• Louise Radloff won with 51.98 percent.

GWINNETT'S WORST TRAFFIC intersection, that of Georgia Highway 20 crossing Georgia Highway 316, is moving toward improving, though the completion of the work is not scheduled until the end of year 2014. Overall, it is a $37.4 million project, including 2.23 miles of new roadway and two new bridges over Highway 316. Contractor is GP'S Enterprises, Inc. of Auburn.

A key element in the project is placement of bridge beams over Route 316 at Collins Hill Road. The placement began last week, with more than half the beams now being placed. Work on the placement has been at night, with traffic stopped while the bridge beams are being put in place.

Josh Cofer and Chris Furnish testing concrete before it goes into the bridge column of the new Collins Hill Rd bridge over SR 316. (Photo by Teri Pope.)

Harold Mull, district construction engineer for the Department of Transportation, explains: "We started on the bridge that will be part of Collins Hill Road first. The footings have been installed, pouring of the vertical concrete columns and caps that give the bridge its height is complete, and thus the skeleton of the bridge has taken shape. Now we are setting the horizontal bridge beams that will support the driving surface over 316. This is a major project milestone. There are 22 beams that will be set if the weather cooperates."

Once the project is completed, motorists will access Highway 316 via ramps instead of the existing intersections. "This project will build one interchange or exit to allow traffic from Highway 316 to access Highway 20 or to access Collins Hill Road using a system of long ramps. The existing signalized intersections at Highway 20 and at Collins Hill Road will be removed as the interchange is finished. It is similar to the system DOT has along I-85 from Highway 120 down to Pleasant Hill Road. Motorists get off the mainline of I-85 south at Highway 120 and use the parallel roads to access the exit they need," says Mull.

SPOTLIGHT
The Piedmont Bank

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today we welcome The Piedmont Bank, which opened its doors on June 30, 2009. The Piedmont Bank is a full-service bank, with four locations: its home offices at 5100 Peachtree Parkway in Norcross; at 185 Gwinnett Drive in Lawrenceville; and east of Interstate 85 near Suwanee at Old Peachtree and Brown Roads; and in Dunwoody at 5496 Chamblee Dunwoody Road. It has a capitalization of $37 million, and more than $350 million in assets now. With significant new capital, the bank is making substantial business and personal loans. Its directors include Paul Donaldson, Robert D. Cheeley, John J. Howard, Monty G. Watson (who is chairman), James E. Stephenson, Robert J. Ratliff and T. Michael Tennant. Deposits in The Piedmont Bank are insured by the FDIC. For more information, call 770-246-0011 or visit http://www.piedmontbankonline.com.

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

FEEDBACK
Send us your opinions

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
Local Nutcracker performances to run from Nov. 30 to Dec. 16

Gwinnett Ballet Theatre will present its 17th annual production of The Nutcracker from November 30 through December 16. Under the artistic directorship of Wade Walthall, 11 public shows and five outreach performances are scheduled at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center in Gwinnett Center in Duluth.

As a holiday gift to patrons, GBT has kept the ticket prices the same as they have been for the past several years. With tickets as low as $13.50 to $29.50, GBT's The Nutcracker is an affordable as well as a delightful holiday treat, appropriate for the entire family.

Public performances include eight shows accompanied by the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre Orchestra, Predrag Gosta conducting.

Public performances are Fridays at 7:30 p.m. on December 7 and 14; Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on December 1, 8 and 15; and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. on December 2, 9 and 16. The orchestra accompanies the dancers the last two weekends at each show. Tickets range from $13.50 to $29.50 depending on the individual performance. Student, senior and group rates are available.

Tickets for the public shows are available through any Ticketmaster location, by calling 404-249-6400, or by visiting the Gwinnett Center Box Office.

A scout show will be held on Friday at 7:30 p.m. on November 30. Four school shows offer public and home-school students an exciting field trip. For these shows, please contact the GBT offices at 770-237-0046. For more information, visit GBT's web site at www.gwinnettballet.org. Also visit our Facebook Fanpage.

Santa, parachuting elf to arrive Dec. 1 at Lilburn Yule parade

Join your friends and neighbors December 1 on Main Street in Lilburn for the annual Christmas Parade, sponsored by the City of Lilburn and the Lilburn Business Association. During this year's grand finale, Santa's Elf will parachute into City Park. The parade begins at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church and winds down Main Street to City Park.

Bryan Shepard, owner/operator of the Lilburn Chick-fil-A, will serve as Grand Marshal. Marching bands will be featured along with more than 100 decorated floats, tractors, and classic cars. Santa's Elf will land in City Park at the end of the parade, approximately 11 a.m. Attendees are welcome to take photos with Santa in the park and enjoy music and children's activities. Refreshments will be available for purchase.

Applications for parade participants are available at www.lilburnparade.org. This year each parade group is being asked to donate either $35 or one can of food per participant, with a goal of raising $5,000 in food donations to the Lilburn Food Co-Op. Lilburn Business Association is hosting a "Battle of the Bands" with the local high schools to see which can raise the most cans. Each school will have a designated drop-off date at the Lilburn Co-op. The band with the most cans will win a cash prize for their program.

NOTABLE
Holiday craft fair returns Nov. 17 to Pinckneyville Park

Back by popular demand, the annual Holiday Craft Market will be on Saturday November 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pinckneyville Park Community Recreation Center. This event is free to attend and includes a Kid's Craft room, pictures with Santa, and bakery concessions available for purchase.

Vendors will feature a range of jewelry, pottery, soaps, fragrances, and so much more. Now in its eight year, the event includes one-of-a-kind works created by local artisans. "The artistry is truly remarkable," says Koren Wheeler, program supervisor at Pinckneyville Park Community Recreation Center.

Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation encourages the public to come out and see the variety of art pieces that are showcased throughout the center. Young, budding artists will be able to try their hand in the Kids Craft Room to create crafts, and a make-and-take ornament. There is a special 10 percent discount at select vendors for seniors and some for active military. There will be door prizes and raffles throughout the day. It's the perfect place to get a head start on your holiday shopping for friends and family. For more information or to become a vendor, call 770-417-2200.

Pinckneyville Park Community Recreation Center is located at 4650 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Norcross. The Center holds classes in many different categories, such as dance, cultural arts, wellness, martial arts, fitness, and so much more. This location also includes a dance/aerobics room, pottery studio, large community room with catering kitchen, indoor and outdoor classrooms, and beautiful walking trails that connect to Pinckneyville Park and Soccer Complex. For more information on our facility visit our website at www.gwinnettparks.com.

RECOMMENDED
In the Garden of Beasts
By Erik Larson

"This book is a richly-detailed account of life in Germany during the 1933-1934 period when Nazi leader Adolph Hitler consolidated his power over the country, and started the world down the path to World War II and the Holocaust. The story is told mainly through the eyes of two Americans: William Dodd, a history professor who served as American Ambassador to Berlin during those years, and his 25 year old daughter Martha, who moved with her family to Germany when her father was appointed and then proceeded to immerse herself in Berlin's vibrant social scene. The title is a translation of the German word Tiergarten, the name of a large park in Berlin near the American Embassy that is a key site in the events described in the book, and, on another level, is a metaphor for life in Germany at the time."

-- Gene Ramsey, Norcross

(Editor's Note: this is the second review of this book, from the viewpoint of another person.-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
Three groups lead way in erecting Confederate monuments

(Continued from previous edition)

The construction of monuments began soon after the war, but most communities, financially wrecked by the conflict, had little money with which to honor the fallen. By 1900 three organizations, beginning with the Ladies Memorial Association and followed by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the United Confederate Veterans, had undertaken a movement across the South to honor the veterans. These groups began to raise funds for monuments through bake sales, variety shows, lotteries, publication sales, donations, and socials.

Monuments were originally placed in a town's most prestigious location, such as along a major thoroughfare, on the grounds of the courthouse or city hall, or in a cemetery. Over the years, however, mostly due to changing traffic patterns, many monuments have been moved to safer locations; the monument in Albany has been moved at least four times.

The state's first dedicated monument, constructed to the memory of "Our Boys in Gray," was erected by the Linwood Sunday School in June 1866 and is located at Fort Gordon, outside Augusta. Although at least two other states claim the first Confederate monument, the monument at Fort
Gordon predates both.

Augusta's Confederate Powder Works

One of the oldest monuments in Georgia is the chimney of Augusta's Confederate Powder Works, which was dedicated as a Confederate monument in 1872 to save it from demolition. The first large monument, the angel monument at Stonewall Confederate Cemetery in Griffin (Spalding County), was dedicated in 1869.

About 25 monuments appeared during the 19th century, including those in Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Elberton, Macon, and Savannah. The monument in Elberton helped to begin a multimillion-dollar granite industry.

More than 60 monuments were built and dedicated during the first two decades of the 20th century. These include many of the typical pedestal-shaft-soldier monuments found throughout Georgia. Examples exist in Brunswick, Cedartown (Polk County), Covington, Dublin, Eatonton, Gainesville, and Marietta.

The first Confederate monument to women of the Confederacy was dedicated in Rome in 1910. The construction of new monuments waned in the first half of the 20th century because of the hardships brought by World War I (1917-18), the Great Depression, and World War II (1941-45). From 1920 until 1980 approximately 25 monuments were dedicated in Georgia, including those in Canton, Commerce (Jackson County), Fairburn (Fulton County), and Toccoa (Stephens County), as well as the Confederate totem pole, which no longer exists, in Hall County at Blackshear Place.

A resurgence of interest in Confederate monuments, mainly among local chapters of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, resulted in the dedication of around thirty monuments between 1980 and 2005. Fine examples of the colorful monuments completed during this time period can be found in Colbert (Madison County), Chickamauga, Cumming, and Lawrenceville.

• Click here to access the Georgia Encyclopedia
  

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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
About those who find themselves as president of the U.S.A.

"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."

-- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Author Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001).

CANDIDATE PROFILES
Meet this year's candidates

For the 2012 general election, GwinnettForum asked all candidates facing opposition in Gwinnett County to provide answers to a few questions. You can read the answers of those who responded below by clicking on the links.

Candidates with no opposition are not listed.

• SEE the 2012 general election ballot
  
  
• READ our 2012 endorsements

PROFILE KEY

• (DNR) indicates a candidate did not respond to our survey.
  
• (YES) indicates a candidate has received GwinnettForum's endorsement.

2012 FEDERAL CANDIDATES

U.S. Congress, District 4

• Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. (D) (YES)
  
• J. Chris Vaughn
  

U.S. Congress, District 7

• Rob Woodall (R)
• Steve Reilly (D) (YES)
  

2012 STATEWIDE CANDIDATES

Georgia Public Service Commission, District 3

• Chuck Eaton (R)
  
• Stephen Oppenheimer (D) (YES)
  

2012 STATE CANDIDATES

Georgia State Senate, District 9

• Don Balfour (R)
  
• Scott Drake (D) (YES)
  

State Representative, District 81

• Chris Boedeker (R) (DNR) 
  
• Scott Holcomb (D) (YES)
  

State Representative, District 93

• Christine (Tina) Hoffer (R)
  
• Dar’shun N. Kendrick (D) (YES)
  

State Representative, District 95

• Tom Rice (R) (DNR)
• Brooke Siskin (D) (YES)

State Representative, District 96

• Pedro "Pete" Marin (D) (YES)
• Mark Williams (R)
  

State Representative, District 101

• Valerie Clark (R) (YES)
• Timothy Swiney (D) (DNR)
  

State Representative, District 105           

• Joyce Chandler (R) (YES)
  
• Renita Hamilton (D) (DNR)
  

2012 COUNTY CANDIDATES

Clerk of Superior Court

• Richard T. Alexander (R)
• Brian Whiteside (D) (YES)

Gwinnett County School Board, District 1

• Carole C. Boyce (R) (YES)
• Jennah Es-Sudan (D)

Gwinnett County School Board, District 3

• Mary Kay Murphy (R)
• Jen Falk (D) (YES)

Gwinnett County School Board, District 5

• H.K. Dido (R) (DNR)
• Louise Radloff (D) (YES)

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

THE WEEK AHEAD

24th Annual Eizenstat Memorial Lecture, featuring Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer of the United States Superior Court: 8 p.m., Nov. 7, Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Avenue, Atlanta. The lecture is free and open to the community. Courtesy RSVP requested by email or by phoning 404.355.5222.

Consignment and Estate Sale: Nov. 9-10, Gwinnett Fairgrounds in Lawrenceville, sponsored by the Junior League of Gwinnett and North Fulton Counties. Details: contact by email or call 770-990-2206.

(NEW) HomeSafe Workshop: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nov. 10, Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, Norcross. In cooperation with The Impact! Group and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, this workshop's goal is to provide information to homeowners to prevent foreclosures. Eligible homeowners approved for the program will close on a subordinate loan. The loan will be at zero percent interest for the assistance period. More details: www.theimpactgroup.org.

Veteran's Day Ceremony: 1:30 p.m., Nov. 11, Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville (at the back of the GJAC front parking lot.

Southern Wings Bird Club: 7 p.m., Nov. 12, second floor of the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. Author John Yow of The Armchair Birder will speak on coastal birds. More info.

ONGOING AND COMING SOON

Stitched Art Show by Adele Steele: Through Nov. 30, Chocolate Perks in Duluth. An opening will be November 4 from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with quilt wall hangings, scarves, custom designed jewelry, totes, etc. Proceeds benefit the Gwinnett Women and Children's Shelter.

Gwinnett Technology Forum: 7:30 a.m., Nov. 13, Busbee Center of Gwinnett Technical college. The subject will be Untangling the Invisible Wires of today's Wireless Industry. Panelists will be Glenn Lurie, AT&T; Daniel Foster, Verizon Wireless; and Steve Brumer, 151 Ventures. There is no cost to attend.

(NEW) Buford Business Association Afterhours: 5:30 p.m., Nov. 13, Mirko Pasta, 3265 Sardis Church Road. Information on the holiday season will be presented. BBA board election results will be announced.

(NEW) Population explosion will be the subject at the Sierra Club meeting: 7 p.m., Nov. 15, Berkmar High School. Todd Daniel will be discussing the relationship between population and the environment in his program, "The Global Population Explosion - Here We Grow Again." For more details, email dan3688@aol.com.

Gwinnett Economic Development Summit: 7:30 a.m., Nov. 16, Gwinnett Technical College. Speakers include Dr. Christopher Ray, principal of Gwinnett Online Campus; Dr. Mark Iken, Georgia Gwinnett College; Matt Hyatt, CEO of Rocket IT; Jeff Spence, COO, Innovolt; Stephen Fleming, Ga. Tech Innovation Institute; and Mayor Nancy Harris of Duluth. More info.

(NEW) 15th America Recycles Day: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Nov. 17, Recycling Bank of Gwinnett, 4300 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth. Come for free paper shredding, cash for aluminum cans, free recycling of foam food containers, cash prizes, and recycling of newspapers, cardboard, etc.

(NEW) Another America Recycles Day: 9 a.m. to noon, Nov. 17, Coolray Field, home of Gwinnett Braves. Sponsored by Gwinnett County Solid Waste and Recovered Materials Division. This event will have paper shredding, electronics recycling, and tire recycling. Kid's activities, free food and giveaways are on tap.

Fourth annual Johns Creek Poetry Festival: 10:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., Nov. 17, Northeast Spruill Oaks Library, 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek. Featured speaker will be Judson Mitcham, new poet laureate of Georgia. Details: 770-876-2904.

Wink Art Exhibit: Through Nov. 24, Tannery Row Artist Colony in Buford. Shown will be resident art with a hint of humor, a turn of the phrase or visual twist to make you smile. Details: 678-428-4877, or visit www.TanneryRowArtistColony.com.

Photo Exhibit: Through Nov. 28, George Pierce Park Community Room, Suwanee, during Community Center hours, Monday through Saturday. Frank L. Sharp presents "Israel, the Holy Land," while Wendell Tudor features "Images of the Sea," coastline and landscape images, including photographs from Canada.

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
  

CONTACT US TODAY

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