PHOTO PUZZLE: Here's another photo quiz. In many places around the globe, you get distinctive rock formations. This photo was taken during the late winter in an obvious hardwood forest. Now, who will be the first to reply and tell in where this is located, and what the area is called? Send emails to elliott@brack.net.

Issue 12.82 | Friday, Feb. 8, 2013

TODAY'S FOCUS
:: Two Feb. 17 classical concerts

ELLIOTT BRACK'S PERSPECTIVE
:: Ramping toward new SPLOST

TRIBUTE
:: Remembering Margaret Andrews

FEEDBACK
:: About senators, post office

UPCOMING
:: New sidewalks, Library summit

NOTABLE
:: Interchange; new director

ALSO INSIDE

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
:: The Piedmont Bank

RECOMMENDED
:: Three Dollar Cafe

GEORGIA TIDBIT
:: Atlanta Compromise

LAGNIAPPE
:: Another bulldog

GWINNETT CALENDAR
:: Lots of events on tap

TODAY'S QUOTE
:: Why some things turn out

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TODAY'S FOCUS
Two classical concerts at Gwinnett Center on Feb. 17
By KELLY HAGGARD OLSON
Special to GwinnettForum | permalink

DULUTH, Ga., Feb. 8, 2013 -- On Sunday, February 17, the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will present a romantic Valentines concert entitled Shine, at 5:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Gwinnett Center in Duluth. There will also be a special pre-concert performance by the Gwinnett Symphony Youth Orchestra starting at 4:30 p.m.

Patrons with tickets for the 5:30 performance can enjoy the Youth Orchestra concert at no extra charge; those wishing to attend the Youth Orchestra concert alone may buy tickets for $10 in the lobby before the concert. Tickets for the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and Chorus concert range in price from $13.10 to $31.35, and can be purchased from a chorus or orchestra member, through Ticketmaster or the group's website, www.gwinnettsymphony.org, or in person at the Box Office of the Gwinnett Arena.

The GSOC program will feature romantic works by Sergei Rachmaninov, highlighted by a performance of Rachmaninov's "Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18" with guest pianist Robert Henry.

Henry

Henry has been described as a "consummate artist -- brilliant, formidable, effortless, and the epitome of control and poise." An internationally distinguished pianist, performing throughout the world as orchestral soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician, he is currently artist-in-residence at Kennesaw State University. Since winning the Gold Medal in four International Piano Competitions, he has presented critically acclaimed solo debuts at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall. To learn more about Henry or hear clips of his work, please visit his website at http://roberthenry.org.

GSO Music Director and founding Conductor Robert Trocina will lead the Symphony Orchestra in performing the Piano Concerto, a work for piano and orchestra composed by Rachmaninov between the autumn of 1900 and April 1901. It was first performed with the composer as soloist.

Continuing the Rachmaninov concert theme, the Gwinnett Symphony Chorus will perform Movements 1, 2, 3, and 6 of his "All Night Vigil," also known as "Vespers." This work is hailed as the greatest musical achievement of the Russian Orthodox Church and is widely known for its radically low bass notes which stretch to a low Bb: the third Bb below middle C.

Rick Smith, GSC Music Director, explains: "In 1992, I had the tremendously unforgettable opportunity to travel with Dr. John Ratledge and the Shorter Chorale to Russia and to sing alongside these "countrymen." Our American choir marveled at the low timbre of the voices of these Russian choirs, just as the Russian people praised our high sopranos. I chose the Rachmaninov "Vespers" for this concert for two reasons: we are celebrating the stunningly gorgeous music of the composer, and because, for a rare instance, our choir has within its membership some true bass voices capable of performing this work."

Gregory Pritchard, Director of Chamber and Youth Orchestras, will conduct the Gwinnett Symphony Chamber Orchestra in performing Johannes Brahms' romantic "Serenade No. 2, op. 16."

As a special treat, Pritchard will also lead the Gwinnett Symphony Youth Orchestra in its 4:30 p.m. pre-concert performance, which will include Jenkins' "Palladio, movement 1," Sibelius' "Andante Festivo," Dukas/Balent's "Sorcerer's Apprentice," Meyer's "Cellos Ole!" and the Rimsky-Korsakov/Dackow "Capriccio Espagnol."

Emanuel Hill, 7th grade violist, will make his podium debut as a special guest conductor on the "Sorcerer's Apprentice." Hill won a conducting competition held by the GSYO. The entire cello section of the Youth Orchestra will be featured on the exciting "Cellos Ole!" by Richard Meyer.

ELLIOTT BRACK'S PERSPECTIVE
It's time to start promoting coming SPLOST vote in county
By ELLIOTT BRACK
Editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com | permalink

FEB. 8, 2013 -- In all but one of eight special elections over the years since 1985, Gwinnett citizens have approved a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) vote for infrastructure improvements in the county.

Brack

That one year when the voters turned down the continuation of the penny sales tax in Gwinnett, which was 1995, SPLOST lost by only 329 votes. To rectify that situation, voters returned one year later, and approved re-institution of the SPLOST by more than 10,000 votes.

We bring this historical perspective up since in 2013, the county will put on the ballot another SPLOST proposal. The county is limited to spending on capital improvements with SPLOST money. Not only that, but the county (and the cities) must give the citizens a broad category overview for what the sales tax collection will be spent.

There's always an element within any county who doesn't want to pay reasonable taxes for the services that the county provides. For instance, in Gwinnett in 2008, a total of 121,364 people voted against the continuation of the county SPLOST. Happily that year, 154,995 people thought otherwise, and approved the extension of the sales tax collection.

Especially in a growing county like Gwinnet, having a special tax for improvements and capital projects, such as new facilities and upkeep of roads and buildings, is a major element in the way the county is operated. Again, with many people from other counties shopping in Gwinnett, an estimated 30-40 percent of the sales tax collected is paid by people from other counties. That helps keep the Gwinnett tax burden lower, as people from out of the area who use our roadways, stores, movies, etc., help pay for the capital upkeep of the county.

That's one reason why the educated voters of Gwinnett, in all but one year, have seen the benefit of extending the sales tax collections.

In past years, the cities of the county have also reaped major benefits from the sales tax collections, some $22 million in 2012. (See accompanying table.) It helped the capital budgets of the cities in 2012, such as $4.2 million for Lawrenceville, to as little as $15,586 in Rest Haven. We suspect next year Peachtree Corners will reap major sales tax benefits, though without big ticket items that auto dealers provide in some cities, this newest of Gwinnett cities may not surpass the amount that Lawrenceville gets.

There's one weak spot in the preparation for the sales tax vote that rears its head every year. Each year that there's been a sales tax vote, a group of Gwinnett leaders get together, raise money and promote passage of the tax.

However in most years, this organization tends to be slow in forming, with the major effort coming in the three months immediately before the vote. Such an organization needs to get active now, early in the year, have speakers dispatched to many groups well in advance of the election so that the "multiplier" effect can take place. Convince someone early on that they should support the SPLOST, and in the months prior to the election, that person can convince many others. But wait until just before the election, and people would have less time to tell others of the benefits of such passage.

We urge those who intend to work for the passage of SPLOST to begin their work immediately, which should reap benefits on the referendum in the fall of 2013.

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 a new underwriter, 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 $325 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.

TRIBUTE
Daughter remembers the life of Margaret Parsons Andrews

(Editor's Note: The following is taken from part of the remarks at the funeral of Gwinnett native Margaret Parsons Andrews, who died recently. It was given by her daughter.-eeb)

By KATHY ANDREWS FINCHER

In Parkinson's Disease, there's a term called "Stone Face." The muscles contract creating a scowl and the ability to smile is lost. But my mom, Margaret Parsons Andrews, chiseled away "Stone Face" and fought so she could smile. Her story is one of determination.

Mom had many amazing qualities; I will share two that made her one of the most unique and courageous women I've ever known. She was a "problem solver" with unstoppable determination. She had the idea for the City of Duluth to buy the former First Baptist Church building and use it as our city hall. That idea served our city beautifully for more than 20 years.

Andrews

Mom was born in Duluth, when it was extremely rural; students had a choice to attend school or pick cotton! Unique for the time, Mom, Kathryn and Ann attended high school at North Atlanta Presbyterian School in Atlanta and college at Wesleyan in Macon. Mom studied art at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta then spent the rest of her life trying to get to her easel.

A busy life of retailing stepped in the way. Most every relative worked in one of the many Parsons and related retail stores in the area. It was when mom broke her leg snow skiing that she found time to introduced her sister, Ann Odum, into the world of painting.

When mom finally retired from retailing, life threw her a curve ball. In 1985 she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. She studied her disease and helped to found a Gwinnett Chapter of the Parkinson's Foundation. Her symptoms deteriorated to the point where she could not sit in a chair. At 72, she discovered and joined an exploratory program at Emory, "Deep brain stimulation." The experiment was a success.

Mom joined The Gwinnett Council for the Arts in Lawrenceville and described to a small group of members her grandiose plans of a state-of-the-art fine arts center in Duluth. She sketched a glass pyramid similar to the Louvre, gift shop, gallery, school and sculpture garden. God was good to mom for these women weren't "wall flowers;" they claimed the dream with her! The Hudgens Center for the Arts became a reality thanks to the generosity of Scott Hudgens and other contributors. The center was built in a cow pasture which today is part of the Gwinnett Civic Center and Arena.

Mom was disappointed that a children's Fine Arts Museum did not exist in the area. She learned of one in Vienna, Austria, traveled there, met the director, and recharged the same group of women to build the Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts -- built without a penny of taxpayers' dollars.

I'll miss my mother deeply. But I celebrate that she traded her wheelchair for wings and she has traded "up" for a palate of every color ever made or that will ever be made. Good bye mom, thank you for painting for us such a beautiful life.

FEEDBACK
Others recognize benefits of person to succeed Chambliss

Editor, the Forum:

I enjoyed Elliott Brack's Perspective view this week entitled, "Georgians should think young person for Senate."

In the post, you list the members of the Georgia U.S. congressional delegation who have the potential to fill outgoing U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss' seat . While those members would be the most likely candidates for the seat, could you recommend those who are not in the Georgia congressional delegation?

In the Georgia Legislature, I feel that Sen. Curt B. Thompson and/or Sen. Renee S. Unterman would be excellent candidates to run for U.S. Senate. Indeed, anyone from the Georgia Legislature or business community would need the money, time and desire to jump into such a campaign, but Georgia has a lot of talented professionals beyond the congressional delegation who could serve the Peach State well for many years.

-- Robert J. Nebel, Norcross

Editor, the Forum:

On your list of Georgia Congressmen: I didn't realize this until I saw all their names printed out, is a list of Congress-men. I am not a big women's rights activist, but it is a shame that there is no woman's name on the list...maybe a woman for Senator? A young one!

-- Emily Powell, Lawrenceville

Editor, the Forum:

I was surprised to learn that politics is neither logical or strategic. Additionally you appear to be guilty of blatant age discrimination.

However you can make it up to the EEO if in your next perspective, if you suggest the candidate be a young, bi-sexual, Hispanic, poor, single mother who is missing a finger and was bullied when she was younger.

-- Patrick Malone, Blairsville

Dear All: Thank two of you for straight-forward comments, but thank all who wrote. Granted, there are certainly good candidates for the U.S. Senate who are neither Congressman, nor male. Finding these people capable, willing and electable is the crux of the issue, with Georgia getting an added benefit if they are also young.--eeb

Maintains that most mail you get on Tuesday is junk

Editor, the Forum:

I just have heard that the Post Office is planning to discontinue Saturday mail deliveries. I understand the need to cut back to save money, but why not discontinue deliveries on Tuesdays instead of Saturdays?

Have you ever examined the mail that is delivered on Tuesdays? It is 99.5 percent trash. I usually take the Tuesday mail straight from the mailbox to the trash can as there is absolutely nothing there worth keeping (and certainly nothing that wouldn't wait another day for delivery.)

This is because most mail takes two days (or more) to reach its destination and two days prior to Tuesday is -- guess what? -- Sunday! There are few, if any, items mailed on a Sunday and if there are, they don't usually move until Monday.

Saturday's mail, however, was posted on either Thursday or Friday -- both business days -- and usually contains something of import that just might need to be delivered and/or acted upon promptly.

Now I ask you, what makes more sense? Oh, wait, we're dealing with a government bureaucracy and the rules of logic no longer apply.

-- Robert Hanson, Loganville

• Send us your comments. 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
Mile of new sidewalks coming to U.S. 29 in Lilburn

Gwinnett's Board of Commissioners has awarded a construction contract for pedestrian safety improvements along Lawrenceville Highway/U.S. 29 in Lilburn.

Crews will add just under a mile of five-foot-wide sidewalk along the north side of the highway as well as install curb and gutter and make other improvements to the roadside shoulders. The new sidewalk will fill in gaps between existing sections, creating a continuous sidewalk from Rockbridge Road to Hillcrest Road/Main Street and linking two county parks - the new Bryson Park and Lions Club Park, which is currently closed for renovations.

The project also includes five new transit shelter pads to enhance access to the existing Gwinnett County Transit Local 30 Route. In addition, the traffic signal Holly Ridge Drive/Pine Road will be upgraded for full pedestrian access including crosswalks and pedestrian signals. The city of Lilburn is funding a portion of the signal work.

The contract was awarded to ISC, Inc., the lowest of three bidders at $332,454.25. An American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant is covering the cost of construction, with the exception of the signal upgrades. SPLOST paid for the design and right-of-way acquisition. Construction is anticipated to be complete in late 2013.

Four libraries offering 3rd annual Teen Summit on Feb. 23

The Gwinnett County Public Library will be hosting its third annual Teen Summit on Saturday, February 23. However, because of the recent Zombie Infestation, Teen Summit 2013 will focus on getting teens the latest information on how to survive safely in today's world. Learn important survival techniques in self-defense, first aid, public safety, and more! The summit will take place simultaneously at four locations: Centerville Branch, Collins Hill Branch, Five Forks Branch, and Suwanee Branch from 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Among the participants in interactive safety and law enforcement presentations will be personnel from Gwinnett County, Snellville, and Suwanee Police Departments. In addition, there will be Tae Kwon Do experts on hand.. Learn more about online classes though Gwinnett County Public Schools, and new online resources available to teens through Gwinnett County Public Library.

• For more information about library events, visit www.gwinnettpl.org, or call AskGCPL at (770) 978-5154.
  

NOTABLE
County OKs Jimmy Carter Blvd. diverging diamond project

Gwinnett's second diverging diamond interchange is coming to Jimmy Carter Boulevard and I-85. Gwinnett's first project of this type is currently under construction at Pleasant Hill Road. The project is expected to be complete within a year.

The design uses the existing bridge more efficiently by switching traffic to the left to allow smooth left turns onto the interstate. Pedestrians will use a new walkway in the median. The work involves widening approximately a half-mile of roadway and adding new retaining walls, curb and gutter, sidewalks and traffic signals. In addition, the timing of other signals approaching the intersection will be adjusted to ensure smooth traffic flow.

E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc., of Snellville was the lowest of three bidders at just under $6 million. SPLOST funds will pay for the transportation improvement while the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District will fund project enhancements including fencing and landscaping.

Gwinnett Village CID Executive Director Chuck Warbington says, "The Gwinnett Village CID business community is excited to partner with Gwinnett County on this project. The project will significantly reduce traffic congestion in an innovative way and transform the interchange into a gateway to Gwinnett that will certainly continue the message that this is a great place to invest and do business."

Roberts is new director of Plantation South in Duluth

Farnese Roberts has been named executive director of Plantation South Duluth, a senior living residential community. Prior to this position, Roberts was an executive director at Hearthstone Senior Services in Irving, Tex. and Marietta, Ga.

Roberts

With Hearthstone, she developed an initiative to decrease hospitalizations for residents by conducting quarterly wellness review meetings with the residents, wellness team, physicians, healthcare vendors and families. Roberts is a graduate of Cleveland College in Cleveland, Tenn. in business administration. She also has a Licensed Practical Nurse certification from Dalton College in Dalton, and is a state certified Assisted Living Administrator.

RECOMMENDED
Three Dollar Cafe, Peachtree Corners

"My husband and I tried out the just-opened Three Dollar Cafe in Norcross. We were really impressed. The service was great and our waitress was very friendly. I ordered the grilled grouper sandwich (with broccoli for my side) and it was very tasty. Mark ordered their TDC burger with homemade fries and liked it. The total for both meals was around $18. There are lots of television sets in there to watch sports if you wish. When we go back, I may order the pecan bleu salad. Bon Appétit! They are located at 6050 Peachtree Parkway (near Dick's Sporting Goods) in Peachtree Corners, Ga."

-- Cindy Evans, Duluth

• 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
Washington's "Atlanta Compromise" was key moment

(Part 1 of 2)

On Sept. 18, 1895, the African American educator and leader Booker T. Washington delivered his famous "Atlanta Compromise" speech at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta. Considered the definitive statement of what Washington termed the "accommodationist" strategy of black response to southern racial tensions, it is widely regarded as one of the most significant speeches in American history.

Two years earlier, Washington (pictured at left) had spoken in Atlanta during the international meeting of Christian Workers. That audience, comprising northern and southern whites, responded favorably to his speech, in which he advocated vocational-industrial education for blacks as a means of improving southern race relations. In the spring of 1895 Washington traveled to Washington, D.C., with a delegation of mostly white Georgians to solicit support from Congress for an exposition on social and economic advances in the South.

Washington pointed out to a congressional committee that since emancipation, blacks and whites had made advancements in race relations that should be highlighted in an exposition, and he urged federal support for the event, to be held in Atlanta. This speech, along with his 1893 address to the Christian Workers, prompted the exposition's board of directors to ask Washington to speak at its opening exercises.

Washington's speech responded to the "Negro problem"-the question of what to do about the abysmal social and economic conditions of blacks and the relationship between blacks and whites in the economically shifting South. Appealing to white southerners, Washington promised his audience that he would encourage blacks to become proficient in agriculture, mechanics, commerce, and domestic service, and to encourage them to "dignify and glorify common labour." Steeped in the ideals of the Protestant work ethic, he assured whites that blacks were loyal people who believed they would prosper in proportion to their hard work. Agitation for social equality, Washington argued, was but folly, and most blacks realized the privileges that would come from "constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing."

Washington also eased many whites' fears about blacks' desire for social integration by stating that both races could "be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress." Washington's speech also called for whites to take responsibility for improving social and economic relations between the races. Praising the South for some of the opportunities it had given blacks since emancipation, Washington asked whites to trust blacks and provide them with opportunities so that both races could advance in industry and agriculture. This shared responsibility came to be known as the Atlanta Compromise.

(To be continued)

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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
Ever wonder why some things come out the way people wanted

"People may or may not say what they mean ... but they always say something designed to get what they want."

-- Author and playwright David Mamet (1947 - ), via Lowell Douglas, Atlanta.

GREAT GIFT
Looking for that perfect, unique gift?

Consider a book about Gwinnett history.

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
  
• 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.

Or call me (Elliott Brack) at 770 840 1003 and tell me how to dedicate a book to a friend (or to you) as he adds his signature!

SEARCH GWINNETT FORUM

GWINNETT CALENDAR

Bob, a new play, by American playwright Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, continues through February 10 at the Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville. Armed with nothing but an unfailing optimism, Bob is the epic, fast-paced comedy of one man's desire for greatness. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Call 678-226-6222 or visit online for details.

(NEW) State of Norcross address: 7 p.m., Feb. 11, Paul Duke House of Norcross High School, 5300 Spalding Drive. Hear Mayor Bucky Johnson report on the city's past year, and update on the community vision for 2013.

Bat Conservation in Georgia: 7 p.m., Feb. 11, meeting of the Southern Wings Bird Club, Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. Speaking will be Trina Morris, wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. More: www.southernwingsbc.com.

Kick-Off Meeting for 2013 of Peachtree Corners Business Association: 7:30 a.m., Feb. 11, Atlanta Marriott Norcross. Speaker will be Joyce Bone, entrepreneur and author, who will speak on the state of the economy. Get details by email.

Mind/Body Health Fair: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 16, Norcross High. Presented by the Georgia Psychological Association, the Fair is free and is a collaborative venture between Norcross High School and GPA and is sponsored, in part, by the City of Norcross and Trader Joe's. More: www.gapsychology.org/events or call (404) 634-6272.

Event for Quilters: 10 a.m., Feb. 19, Cannon United Methodist Church, 2424 Webb Gin House Road, Snellville. Meet Marie Bostwick, a quilter who is author of the Cobbled Court Quilt novels. The event is put on by the Gwinnett County Public Library and the Gwinnett Quilter's Guild. There is a $5 charge to attend for non-members of the Guild. For more information, visit www.gwinnettpl.org.

(NEW) Breakfast Networking of Buford Business Association: 8:30 a.m., Feb. 19, Springhill Suites, 3250 Buford Drive (across from Mall of Georgia).

(NEW) Open Meetings and Records Workshop: 7 p.m., Feb. 19, Holy Martyrs of Vietnam Catholic Church, 4545 Timmers Way, Norcross. Speaking will be Stefan Ritter, senior assistant attorney general. The event is free. Details: 678-632-3255.

(NEW) Legislative Update at the Sierra Club meeting: 7 p.m., Feb. 21, Berkmar High. Speaking will be Lobbyists Mark Woodall and Neill Herring, updating about environmental measures being considered by the General Assembly. For more information, contact Dan Friedman.

Meet the Author Series: 7:15 p.m., Feb. 21, Norcross Cultural Arts Center, 10 College Street. Featured will be bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan's widow and long-time editor Harriet McDougal. They will be celebrating the conclusion of Robert Jordan's epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time. They will discuss and sign the new book, A Memory of Light. For more information about library events, visit www.gwinnettpl.org, or call (770) 978-5154

Gun Violence Reduction program: 7:30 p.m., Feb. 21, Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 1025 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs. Join Alice Johnson, Gun Safety Georgia; Kathryn Grant, The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus; attorney Michael Manely; and the Rev. Terry Davis, Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation for a discussion on strategies for "Gun Violence Reduction, a discussion on where we go and what we do post-Sandy Hook."

Caregiver's Conference: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 23, First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville, 395 West Crogan Street. Guest speaker will be Maria Greene, a consultant with the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities. Cost, including breakfast and lunch, is $10. This is a program from the Gwinnett Coalition of Health and Human Services supported by Gwinnett Neighborhood Leadership and Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services. For more information, call 678 964 4838.

"Doors and Portals" is the title of the new exhibit at the Kudzu Art Zone, 116 Carlyle Street in Norcross. Juried art work in a variety of styles and mediums will be on display. The gallery is open Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The current exhibit continues through March 23.

MORE EEB PERSPECTIVE

FOCUS ARCHIVES

4/19: Olson: Gwinnett Symphony 4/12: C. Brack: Barnes Museum 4/9: Havens: Soccer concerns 4/5: Byrne: April 26 banquet 4/2: Hall: PGA tourney here soon 3/29: Duke: STEM education 3/26: Angstadt: Manatee swimming 3/22: Mowrey: Safer neighborhoods 3/19: Olson: Four Hudgens finalists 3/15: Foreman: Technology impact 3/12: Nelems: Community branding 3/8: Cheeley: Grandview development 3/5: Butler: Surprise find in woods 3/1: Hassel: Two garden trees 2/26: Miller: Arena's 10th birthday 2/22: Frazier: Gwinnett vs. DeKalb 2/19: Hall: Pro golf back in April 2/15: Franzen: Madagascar 2/12: Allen, Woodall letters 2/8: Olson: 2 Feb. 17 concerts 2/5: Paul: Write your own book 2/1: Erbele: Winning vineyard 1/29: South: Gwinnett's judges 1/25: Calmes: Ballet semifinals 1/22: Sawyer: State of Gwinnett 1/18: Belfoure: Winton Machine 1/15: Ashley: Disabling phone GPS 1/11: Olson: Black artists featured 1/8: Malone: Gun control 1/4: Nelems: Unintended 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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