DISTINGUISHED LOOK: The classic architecture of the Buford Community Center sits proudly adjacent to the Buford City Hall. It's another illustration of the way the cities of the county are supporting the artistic community. Read more about this in Elliott Brack's perspective today, below.

Issue 12.62 | Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2012

TODAY'S FOCUS
:: Gwinnett Tech grad wins honor

ELLIOTT BRACK'S PERSPECTIVE
:: Arts are alive in Gwinnett

FEEDBACK
:: In a "gimme society"

UPCOMING
:: Suwanee streets; Christmas Carol

NOTABLE
:: Eastside art, MLK Jr. celebration

ALSO INSIDE

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
:: The Gwinnett Center

GEORGIA TIDBIT
:: Georgia in War of 1812

LAGNIAPPE
:: Suwanee seeking photos

GWINNETT CALENDAR
:: Lots of events on tap

TODAY'S QUOTE
:: What you ask people you don't know

OUR SPONSORS

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TODAY'S FOCUS
Gwinnett Tech grad wins honor from national children's group
By DANA URRUTIA
Special to GwinnettForum.com | Permalink

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., Nov. 20, 2012 -- James Peas, an early education graduate of Gwinnett Technical College and a preschool teacher at the D. Scott Hudgens, Jr. Early Education Center on the GTC campus, has received the Leader of Men and Children Award from an interest group for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

James Peas working with students.

This national award is given to a man who works directly with children and who has made significant contributions to increase the number of men working with children in educational settings. The award was presented by the MenTeach interest group of NAEYC at last week's NAEYC national convention in Atlanta.

Peas graduated from Gwinnett Tech in 2003 with an associate degree in early childhood education. He earned a bachelor's degree in early childhood education from Mercer University with certification in birth through kindergarten and a Special Education endorsement. He is currently working on his master's degree.

In nominating Peas, Dr. Priscilla Smith, early childhood education program director at Gwinnett Tech, says, "James' leadership skills were evident even as a beginning student. He often accompanied faculty on recruitment visits to area high schools to encourage men to consider early childhood education as a career and was the silver winner of post-secondary SKILLS USA preschool teaching competition for the state of Georgia. He was recognized as the Georgia Association on Young Children Student of the Year in 2007. All of this was done while working full time and attending classes."

While at Gwinnett Tech, Peas also began working as an assistant teacher in a special education class, collaborative with Atlanta Public Schools and Easter Seals, where "his ability to work with at risk children and families was immediately apparent," says Smith.

In 2006 when GTC opened the D. Scott Hudgens, Jr. Early Education Center, Peas was the first teacher hired. The Hudgens Early Education Center, a preschool and child development center open to the public, is Gwinnett Tech's lab school. In only its second year, the center was honored for best practices by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education.

Smith adds: "James was instrumental in those initial years as we helped teachers of young children also learn the skills to be mentors to college students in our early childhood education program." During his time at the Hudgens Center, Peas has worked primarily with the Collaborative Inclusion Georgia PreK class (with Gwinnett County Public Schools) and as a support teacher with the Infant and Toddler Department. He currently is the lead teacher in a preschool classroom of energetic, curious three year olds.

Peas currently serves on the Early Childhood Education Advisory Board for Gwinnett Tech, where he works with fourteen other leaders in the early childhood community to shape the curriculum and experiences so that GTC graduates meet industry needs. Gwinnett Tech offers an associate degree and diploma in early childhood education and certificates for Child Development Specialist. Early Childhood Care and Education Basics, Early Childhood Exceptionalities and Early Childhood Program Administration.

ELLIOTT BRACK
These days, the arts are thriving in most Gwinnett cities
By ELLIOTT BRACK
Editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com | Permalink

NOV. 20, 2012 -- There's a new understanding these days of the importance of the arts in the Gwinnett community. It all started in Buford, but by happenstance.

Brack

Years after the Georgia Highway 20 four-lane had been completed from Ga. Highway 365 (now I-985) to the overpass over the Norfolk Southern railroad bridge, downtown Buford was about to close down. Other than a community drug store, N.W. Buice Department Store, Sanders Furniture, one bank and some smaller offices, many of the larger two-story buildings along Main Street were vacant.

Eventually, several artists realized that the buildings were relatively inexpensive, and the high ceilings made the space great for their work. Thus began the transformation of the once-virtually vacant downtown to a hot spot of artistic efforts. As more artists arrived, eventually there was a need for galleries, then restaurants, without anyone directing it. Today many of the artists now create out of the Tannery Row Art Center, in an old Bona Allen building south of town.

Meanwhile, other cities were turning to pay more attention to the arts. Perhaps the first example was Suwanee, where people there voted to spend public money for outdoor art, with the city now buying one major piece of outdoor art each year. Citizens help decide the best art project for the city to buy.

Other cities are taking action to help the arts community. The City of Duluth has taken several steps, notably the Fall Festival helping pay for a landmark obelisk marking the city's position astride the Continental Divide, something of an artistic effort. Now the city is seeking designs for a major statement at its new round-about near the former hospital, a gateway into the downtown area.

Art has been a major topic in Norcross for several years, with the largest event being an ArtFest festival in the fall, which attracts artists from all over the Southeast. Some 50,000 people attend this festival in downtown Norcross. The city has also remodeled a facility for the arts, and spent money refurbishing a church for a cultural arts center.

Norcross is working on efforts toward an arts council, while there is talk with the new city of Peachtree Corners and Berkeley Lake about combining efforts in the arts, though nothing has jelled yet.

Look at what is happening in Snellville, where the City Hall becomes a venue each month for a different artist to showcase their work.

Then don't forget the new Buford Community Center, the largest such facility of Gwinnett cities. There is seating 290 for theatre, 1,800 for an outdoor event, and it's a beautiful venue. It is to be the new home of the Buford Museum.

Just recently the City of Lilburn has stepped into this artistic arena, announcing this week that it will pay $10,000 for a mural on one of the city's buildings. Lilburn has already started a fund for community art by requiring persons constructing facilities costing more than $750,000 to either set aside money for their own public art, or contribute to a fund for public art.

No doubt there are other cities undertaking similar artistic endeavors. Meanwhile, the many festivals that the cities of the county host annually all have major components of art within them.

This is not to overlook perhaps the efforts of the Hudgens Art Center, which has a competition for artistic creativity with its $50,000 prize awarded to a Georgia artist. The Hudgens recently announced its second such competition, the winner to be announced next year.

Right now, the arts are hot in Gwinnett. Art adds another layer of quality to the community.

SPOTLIGHT
The Gwinnett Center

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's underwriter is The Gwinnett Center, home to four distinct facilities in Duluth: The Arena at Gwinnett Center, Gwinnett Center, The Performing Arts Center, and The Hudgens Center for the Arts. The Arena at Gwinnett Center has had nine years of tremendous success hosting countless concerts, community and sporting events, which include being home to an ECHL Hockey Team, the Gwinnett Gladiators. Some past concerts include American Idol, George Strait, Foo Fighters, Eric Clapton, Katy Perry, Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, James Taylor and Michael Buble. The Arena at Gwinnett Center also hosts many family shows including Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, Cirque du Soleil, Disney on Ice and the Harlem Globetrotters. The Gwinnett Center offers patrons the opportunity to host or attend a wide variety of events; from corporate meetings to trade shows to social occasions. The Performing Arts Center has an intimate capacity of 700 seats and is home to many local events, family shows and even some comedians. The Hudgens Center for the Arts showcases a range of artwork throughout the year along with offering a wide range of fine art classes. For further information visit www.gwinnettcenter.com.

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

FEEDBACK
Feels USA a "gimme society" which eventually cannot survive

Editor, the Forum:

You wrote this next line and a person liked what you wrote when you said: "Voters apparently do not like the Republican inability to sit down at the table and work toward statesmanlike results."

In this month's election, our country has now shown itself to be a "Gimme Society," but those who speak against this new face of America are labeled as unstatesman-like if they do not cooperate with our downfall. A Gimme Society cannot survive. Any open-minded intelligent look at history makes the prior sentence obvious.

A future Prime Minister of Great Britain said after returning from a visit with Hitler in the 1930s, "I rather liked the fellow." Was he a statesman or was he closing his eyes to reality?

-- Alex J. Ortolano, Duluth

• 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
Suwanee streetscaping underway around I-85 interchange

Work is underway in the City of Suwanee on a streetscaping project around the I-85 interstate interchange and along Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road from the new police substation to Sawmill Road. The project is designed to convey to travelers, visitors, and passersby a positive image of the Suwanee Gateway area -- and the larger community.

Small plazas are being constructed and abundant landscaping is being installed, says Planning and Inspections Director Josh Campbell, in order to indicate to travelers that "this is a nice place to stop, it's not just another interchange. They'll see that it's an area where investment is occurring."

Eleven plazas, which will include benches and trash cans as well as landscaping, and two smaller seating areas are being created on each side of the interstate ramps and around the Sawmill/Lawrenceville-Suwanee intersection. In addition, the I-85 ramps will be re-landscaped. In all, the project includes 161 elm, maple, crepe myrtle, and magnolia trees; 6,146 holly, juniper, and rose bushes; 4,255 plugs of liriope; and more than an acre of sod.

The Brickman Group, out of Lawrenceville, has been contracted to do the work at a cost of about $285,000. Funding is provided through the City's general fund, the 2005 SPLOST, and a $50,000 grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Christmas Carol opening is Nov. 30 at New London Theatre

New London Theatre is to present A Christmas Carol, opening November 30 and continuing through December 22. See Dickens' classic brought to the stage in this new adaptation which combines the classic story and words with the modern day.

It's modern day New York City and Ebenezer Scrooge despises Christmas. After begrudgingly giving his assistant Crachit Christmas Day off, Scrooge begins his epic journey. The classic tale follows his transformation through the assistance of the ghosts of Marley, Past, Present, and Future.

A Christmas Carol will be performed Friday and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through December 22. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 on the day of the show. Tickets can be purchased either online through the website or at the theatre box office. Shows are performed at New London Theatre: 2338 Henry Clower Boulevard in Snellville. For additional information about this and future performances, auditions, ticket purchases, volunteering, or donations, visit online or call at 770-559-1484.

Youth gospel choir competition coming Dec. 1 in Lithonia

The Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (GCAC) and Fortitude Foundation, Inc. (FFI) will sponsor a Youth Gospel Choir Competition on Saturday, December 1, to raise funds to award college.

The "Bring the Noise - Psalm 98:4" competition will be held at Stronghold Christian Church in Lithonia, on Saturday, December 1, at 5:30 p.m. The competition is open to youth gospel choirs comprised of at least ten (10) members who range between the ages of 10 and 19. The first place winner will receive a Grand Prize of $1,000, while second and third place winners will get $500 and $250.

School, community, and church youth gospel choirs are invited to participate, with a maximum of 10 competitors. An entry form and event rules can be downloaded from www.gwinnettdst.org. Email here for further information.

NOTABLE
Eastside Medical Center to feature local art in new facility

Eastside Medical Center is calling for entries for an art exhibit that will showcase the artwork of local artists in the public areas of Eastside's new, state-of-the-art patient tower. The art exhibit, "The Art of Healing," will debut at their community-wide, grand opening reception on January 17, 2013, and will feature pieces - some for sale - by local art students, art hobbyists and professional artists.

Gwinnett County residents and those from surrounding areas who would like to submit artwork for consideration should email digital photos of their pieces by December 12. Each person may submit a maximum of five pieces for consideration.

The entire community is invited to the open house event and art exhibit in the new patient tower from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, January 17, 2013. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be provided, as well as tours of the new facility.

Plans underway for annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

The United Ebony Society of Gwinnett County, Inc. is finalizing plans for the 2013 annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration January 20-21, and the annual Black History Month Exhibit during February.

This year's MLK's theme, 'Character and Service,' is a call to the community to answer the passionate words by Dr. King, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is…What are you doing for others?'"

The celebration will begin Sunday, January 20, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. at Meadowcreek High School, with essay readings and performances by Gwinnett County students. On Monday, January 21, a parade begins at 10:30 a.m. Gwinnett Historic Courthouse in Lawrenceville and ends at the Moore Middle School, 1221 Lawrenceville Highway.

There is still time to register parade units, school bands, mounted units, floats, clowns, cars, equestrians and motorcycle clubs, boy and girl scouts groups, and other performers by contacting the United Ebony Society.

RECOMMENDED
The Great Bridge
By David McCullough

"This book is the epic story of building the Brooklyn Bridge, in fascinating detail, by one of Amercia's best storytellers. There was nothing like the bridge before, in its conception and erection, as it employed many new (but today's standard) techniques. The bridge was conceived in the mind of J.R. Roebling, a immigrant wire manufacturer, who died before the bridge began. However, his son, Washington Roebling, also had the ability to understand the problems of erecting the bridge in his mind, though an illness kept him away from the bridge for years. Meanwhile, his able wife, Emily, in an amazing collaboration, became the go-between the engineer and the construction. Overlay this with the politics of the latter part of the 19th century in New York, and the bridge building becomes even more of a great story. The engineering, the brilliance of its originators, and its ongoing problems are wonderfully told by David McCullough. Though he has won two Pulitzer Prizes, this book should have won that distinction, too." -- 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
Georgia's role in War of 1812 goes largely unnoticed

The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and Britain between 1812 and 1815. The causes of the war were many: the impressing of American sailors into the British navy, British trade restrictions to Europe during the Napoleonic Wars, British military posts remaining on American soil long after the end of the American Revolution, and what was perceived by Americans as a British plot to perpetuate continual Native American menace on America's frontiers.

It was inevitable that Georgia, with its long coastline and extensive Indian frontier, would become embroiled in the conflict, and yet Georgia's role in the war has been largely overshadowed. Three main theaters of operation deserve recognition. These are the Creek War of 1813-14, the British blockade, and the British occupation of St. Mary's and Cumberland Island in 1814-15.

Early in the war British officials began arming many allied Native American tribes along the frontier. On August 30, 1813, a strong force of Creeks attacked and destroyed Fort Mims, an American post on the Alabama River, north of Mobile. Georgia figured prominently in the campaign to eliminate the threat posed by the warring Creek tribes. General John Floyd was given command of troops operating from Georgia.

Floyd (pictured at right), who later became a U.S. congressman, was ordered to establish several forts and to destroy all the Creek villages and their crops in his line of march. These actions were intended to culminate in the establishment of a continuous supply line of fortified posts from which the American forces could operate freely against the Creeks without fear of loss of war materiel.

In September 1813 Floyd mustered a 2,000-man to 3,000-man army and gathered supplies for his campaign at Fort Hawkins, in present-day Macon. He deemed his force ready to undertake the operation by November. Floyd established Fort Mitchell, just across the Chattahoochee River, and marched steadily toward the Creek-held territory deeper in present-day Alabama. Floyd's army, bolstered by a friendly Indian contingent, fell upon the Native Americans at the Creek town of Autosse on November 29, 1813. In a desperately fought action, Floyd's men forced the Creeks to retreat after a bayonet charge. This allowed Floyd to destroy Autosse and a second town nearby. Lacking proper supplies, Floyd returned to Fort Mitchell. A long-range effect of the defeat at Autosse was that many of the Creek survivors made their way to the Horseshoe Bend area, where General Andrew Jackson would decisively defeat the Creek Nation the following year.

Floyd suffered from chronic supply problems but decided to take the field once again in January 1814. Floyd's Georgians and their Native American allies began construction of Fort Hull, some 40 miles west of Fort Mitchell. Floyd continued advancing farther into Creek territory. Thirteen hundred Creek warriors mounted a surprise attack against the encamped army on the banks of Calabee Creek on January 27, 1814. The assault was blunted by the Georgians' use of artillery and superior fire. Nevertheless, the attack succeeded in dispiriting the Georgians, and Floyd retired to Fort Hull. Soon afterward, Floyd was forced by his army's enlistment expirations to return to Fort Mitchell, leaving a small garrison at Fort Hull.

The new commander at Fort Hull, Colonel Homer Milton, was reinforced and spent the next several months continuing to harry the Creeks. He established the fortified posts of Fort Bainbridge and Fort Decatur in the disputed areas. Floyd's and Milton's activities ensured supplies that aided in Jackson's successful battle at Horseshoe Bend, which in turn culminated in the defeat of the hostile Creeks on March 27, 1814.

(To be continued.)

• Click here to access the Georgia Encyclopedia

LAGNIAPPE
Snap Suwanee

"Snack Time for Rosie" by Mike Towner was one of the winners in the City of Suwanee photo competition last year. The city is accepting submissions in its annual Snap Suwanee photo contest, which celebrates the Suwanee community and the quick-shutter fingers of those who manage to capture interesting, unique, or reflective moments. Submissions for 2012 are due by December 31. Photographers may submit up to five high-resolution photos each; photos must have been taken in Suwanee and be at least 300 dpi in order to be printed and exhibited. Guidelines and an application are available at www.suwanee.com. The 13 photos selected as winners of the 2012 Snap Suwanee competition will remain on exhibit at City Hall until March. Last year, 129 entries were received from 43 photographers. Winning entries will be exhibited at City Hall through most of next year.

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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.

EDITOR'S NOTE

The next edition of GwinnettForum will be published on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012. Meanwhile, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving for 2012. --eeb

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
Questions people ask newcomers in various places

The story goes that in Atlanta, natives ask newcomers what is your job? In Macon, where do you go to church? In Augusta, what's your mother's family name? And in Savannah, what do you want to drink? Heard on Sirius Radio the other morning: "They ask in my home state of Kentucky, 'Where does your Daddy go hunting?'"

-- Radio Host Bob Edwards (1947 - ).

MORE COPIES AVAILABLE
Gwinnett history book is perfect holiday gift

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

25th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting: 5:30 p.m., Nov. 22, Gwinnett Historic Courthouse in Lawrenceville. Gwinnett Parks and Recreation continues this Great Tree tradition on the former courthouse lawn. Enjoy live performances, music, crafts, food and much more!

(NEW) Canvas Café Painting for the Cure: From 8:30 p.m., Nov. 28, Pinckneyville Park Community Center, 4650 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Norcross. This is to embody the creative spirit through still life painting. Presented in partnership with the American Cancer Society of Gwinnett. For more information on our facility visit our website at www.gwinnettparks.com

ONGOING AND COMING SOON

Groundbreaking of Phase 2 of the Gwinnett Senior Center: 10:30 a.m., Nov. 30, 567 Swanson Drive, Lawrenceville. For more information, call 770 822 7180.

(NEW) Santa in Suwanee: Arriving 6:30 p.m., Nov. 30, on Main Street in historic Old Town. There will be music, hot chocolate, and wish lists awaiting all. Choruses from Riverside, Roberts and Suwanee elementary schools will perform. Santa will be at the Burnett-Rogers Pavilion, while parents snap their own photos. There is no cost to this event.

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.

Stitched Art Show by Adele Steele: Through Nov. 30, Chocolate Perks in Duluth.

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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