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TODAY'S ISSUE
Atlanta Marriott Gwinnett Place hotel to mark 20th birthday
By John Prince
Special to GwinnettForum.com

SEPT. 29, 2006 -- Today, Gwinnett is an urban and fast growing county. In 1986, when Atlanta developer Dick Stormont built the Atlanta Marriott Gwinnett Place hotel, it was the tallest building in the county. And it was surrounded by farms.

Today the hotel is still the county's tallest, as it marks its 20th anniversary. But the farms have long disappeared.

A center of county business and social life for two decades, the hotel took shape in Stormont's mind when he was vice president of franchising at Marriott. "We had a site picked out for the hotel near the new Gwinnett Place Mall," Stormont recalls.

"Then in May 1985 I met with developer John Williams and during lunch there was a full eclipse of the sun. We laughed: Do you suppose there's a message here?"

Williams offered 11 acres across Interstate 85 in his development for the hotel site. "That was twice the size of the Mall property. We shook hands," Stormont relates. "By Saturday the deal was done."

The grand opening, early in June 1986, included plenty of food and VIPs, and the release of helium-filled balloons. It also introduced "Gwinnett - Coming Together in Harmony," a song commissioned by the hotel, composed by Atlanta songwriter Jackie Daughtry, and recorded by Billy Joe Royal.

The hotel was a success from day one. Katherine Johnson recalls the popularity of Buttons, the hotel bar named for Button Gwinnett. "People waited in line, even with a cover charge. Everyone was there: ordinary people, politicians, developers, businesspeople. Some met their future spouse in Buttons. Then got married at the hotel." Careers were started, too. Johnson was the gift shop manager when the hotel opened; she is now general manager at the Emory Conference Center Hotel.

Paul Stolarik, the hotel's first general manager, remembers, "When we opened you couldn't serve alcohol in the county on Sundays. We had to close the bar at midnight on Saturday." The hotel supported the very controversial and successful referendum, arguing that Gwinnett County would gain additional tax revenue from the Sunday liquor sales.

But, 20 years of constant, hard use take a toll. "We've just spent more than $7 million. The entire property has been completely renovated and updated," says current general manager, Marcy Adams.

Come Monday, October 2, County Commission Chairman Charles Bannister will lead guests and dignitaries in a rededication of the hotel. There'll be speeches and toasts and "the Gwinnett song" will be played more than once.

People will recall that the county SWAT team used the tower to practice rappelling; that the 17-story tower is still the tallest building in Gwinnett County; and, allegedly, someone once filched an original copy of Button Gwinnett's biography from the bar. They'll talk about the big deals that went down and the romances and the tough times.

The next time you're having lunch, attending a meeting or a wedding at the Marriott Gwinnett Place, check the walls. There might be new wallpaper and paint, but underneath, if you listen closely, you'll hear the fascinating stories and history of Gwinnett County, and Gwinnett County people, over the past 20 years.

ELLIOTT BRACK
California taking its energy strategy in right direction
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

SEPT. 29, 2006 -- You will be happy to learn that some good may be coming out of California. (OK, we'll admit a certain prejudice on our part toward that state.)

For though the movies, the lifestyle, and even some of the utterances of its politicos may be unappealing out of California, recently we like what we heard out of the state.

Californians, you see, have made major inroads in the last 30 years on the use of energy. Since the mid 1970s, energy consumption by Californians has been virtually flat, while the rest of us in the United States have increased our energy usage by 50 per cent! That is a major accomplishment out of California, and at the same time, a rather pitiful statement about the rest of us Americans.

It all comes out of the strict regulations that California has imposed on itself about the way its inhabitants use energy.

These are just a few of the many measures California has been pro-active in taking, which has caused the state's energy consumption per capita to be the lowest in the nation.

Now other states are beginning to take notice. Georgia, for sure, should be watching with interest. You see, though the state ranks ninth in population, it is No. 40 in energy consumption per capita. About the only thing lower for Georgia is our SAT scores.

Yes, Georgia residents use typically about 25 per cent more electricity than the national residential average. A report from Morris News service tells us that while Georgia's population has jumped by 50 per cent in the last 20 years, its energy use has gone up 76 per cent. We're getting worse, it seems, each year, in energy consumption.

The problem, as we see it, is that the solution and improvement may be years away. That's because of two reasons: (1) our own wasteful habits; and (2) so much of our energy consumption is driven by machines that we seldom replace, like refrigerators, air conditioners, automobiles, etc. There usually isn't a fast turn-around on these products.

Hopefully, some direction may be forthcoming. Georgia this week had a new energy task force on a five city tour that ends next week, to get input and come up with ideas on ways Georgians could save energy. Called the State Energy Strategy, the idea is for Georgia to have a long-term energy strategy, which we hope will show us how we can take effective steps to save.

This task force can take lots of notes on what is happening in California, which offers an ongoing approach to solving the energy crisis. That state recently began telling out-of-state energy suppliers (utilities mainly) that no matter where the energy is actually generated, it must meet California standards to be sent into that state. While some people see this as overstepping their bounds, others, such as environmentalists, applaud these measures.

Or take the energy used to re-charge your cell phone. There is lots of energy wasted when the charger remains plugged in. Now innovators have developed chargers that can use far less energy. Just think of the savings in energy when other devices are engineered with the idea of saving energy.

One final California suggestion: requiring that new homes have optional solar energy units built into the roofing tiles. One homeowner with such a device found in a 2,400 square foot house that a month's electric bill was $74.27 by generating some of the power from the roof. The last10 days of electricity in his previous same-size home cost him $103, which amounts to a significant savings!

We look for the new Georgia Energy Strategy to create generating ideas that will show dramatic energy savings for us as individuals, and our state as a whole. We need to move away from being No. 40 in the nation in per capita use of energy.

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is the Gwinnett County Public Library, named Library of the Year 2000. GCPL currently operates 13 branches throughout the county. The Dacula Branch opened on April 15, and Grayson will the 14th when they celebrate their grand opening on October 28. Library hours are: Monday - Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 6 p.m. GCPL offers traditional books, magazines, CD books, downloadable audio, music and video, plus online databases such as Morningstar, Science Resource Center, LitFinder, and Heritage Quest. GCPL also offers Live Homework Help for students in 4th-12th grade. It is available online 2 p.m. until midnight daily, with homework help available for math, science, language arts and social studies. There is no charge for the service and it is available remotely. Many online resources are available remotely by computer. All library branches except Centerville (due to service availability) offer wireless Internet, serving as a remote office via your computer. Visit a Gwinnett County Public Library Branch today, www.gwinnettpl.org, or call 770-978-5154.

I was surprised to learn from Sunday's AJC that there are academics who apparently specialize in the art of apologizing or at least critiquing the apologies of others. While there are a number of situations that a sincere heartfelt apology is both appropriate and required, I think that our obsession with political correctness greatly diminishes the impact of most apologies.

I think we have lost sight of one of the basic tenets of leadership. If you have a driving need to be liked, then you should not aspire to be a leader. Effective leaders realize that they are going to gain willing followers to a given course of action as well as others who oppose, sometimes violently, that course of action. That is why George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are effective national leaders and someone like Jimmy Carter wasn't and isn't as effective.

Personally I see nothing wrong with publicly taking the position that there is a correlation between world wide terrorism and Islamic extremists. I also think the same link exists with Christian extremists and violence within the Right to Life movement. In neither case have I included all Muslims nor Christians. If some people find those positions offensive, it is really their issue and does not require apology from anyone who actually believes in those positions.

In the end, each of us has a position on religion, politics, education, the environment and a variety of other topics. Not one of us will find universal agreement on any of our positions. So perhaps we should become more comfortable with our own positions and worry less about political correctness. That way we could eliminate the need for professional apologists.

Thoughtful, considerate, decisive people can agree to disagree without the need to apologize for their differences.

The Lawrenceville Kiwanis Club will host its 32nd pancake breakfast on Saturday, September 30, from 7:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville.

Tickets for the event are $5.00 each, and may be purchased at the door the day of the event or from any Lawrenceville Kiwanis Club member or Key Club member from Central Gwinnett High School.

In previous years the Club has arranged for gifts, food and a visit from Santa Claus - for more than 300 local children during the holidays. In addition, the Club annually sponsors several Key Clubs for area high school students, and provides college scholarships to deserving Key Club members.

The Lawrenceville Kiwanis Club is one of the oldest service clubs in the community with more than 80 years of continuous service. Traditionally, the pancake breakfast draws a crowd of more than 300 attendees and is a major fundraiser for the Club.

Groundbreaking of the seventh branch of Brand Banking Company will take place Wednesday, October 4, at 9:30 a.m. The new branch will be located at 2255 Buford Highway in Buford Village.

The groundbreaking of the Buford Branch continues Brand's 100 years of service to the community. The new branch will also bring Brand Bank services to additional customers in the western part of the county, a new geographic service area for the area's oldest locally owned bank.

To learn more about the Brand Bank's new Buford Branch, contact Missy Johnson at 770-963-9224 or visit www.TheBrandBank.com.

Just in time for the Halloween Season, the Aurora Theatre offers an expanded schedule of Lawrenceville Ghost Tours every night in October.

Highlighting the most vivid stories of the strange and supernatural, a costumed guide will lead ghost tour groups every night on a 90-minute adventure. The macabre tales will send a chill down your spine.

The Tours on Sunday -Thursday will be at 8:30 p.m., while the Friday and Saturday tours will be at 7 and 9 p.m.

Georgia Gwinnett College President Dan Kaufman announces that GGC will begin offering a bachelor's degree program in Information Technology starting in fall 2007. The decision to add an IT degree was made in response to conversations with key community leaders who identified Gwinnett County's growing need for college graduates possessing the skills and knowledge required for these quality jobs. The addition also makes GGC the first and only University System of Georgia institution to offer an IT degree with a focus in software development.

Gwinnett County has been one of the nation's fastest growing counties for over a decade, and has experienced job growth that has outpaced the Atlanta metro area and the state of Georgia, according to a July 2006 report commissioned by the Partnership Gwinnett initiative. Experts predict that Gwinnett will become Georgia's largest county in less than five years.

Kaufman adds: "This degree will help raise the number of IT professionals in the county and will boost the economic development in this area. The jobs are available and GGC graduates will be prepared to fill them."

The degree will be offered with three separate tracks. A business track will be available to students who want an interdisciplinary focus in business, science and technology. A systems and security track will be available, as will a track in software development.

As an IT-enriched learning community, GGC provides numerous opportunities for IT students to work part-time and receive hands-on experience in the field while attending classes.

GGC's Vice President for Educational Technology Lonnie Harvel says that "students will be able to take advantage of learning IT in the classroom and in real-world experiences."

Georgia Gwinnett College is a four-year, high-tech state college serving the higher educational needs of Gwinnett County and the northeast region of Georgia. Leading advancements in education through innovation and technology, the mission of GGC is to develop versatile, creative and critical thinkers who can adapt to the intellectual, professional, and ethical challenges that will confront them throughout their lives.

The Brand Banking Company has announced the formation of Brand Mortgage Group (BMG), to be led by Greg Shumate, president and managing partner, according to CEO Bartow Morgan, who said:

"This signals our commitment to mortgage banking and our desire to offer our customers the best mortgage products, the most competitive rates, and the highest level of personal service in the market. We've always provided mortgage lending, but are now expanding our efforts and resources to better serve homebuyers and lenders in our fast-growing area."

With more than 20 years of mortgage lending experience here in Gwinnett County, Shumate brings a wealth of career experience, lending know-how and market leadership to us, Morgan said. "I've known him for years and I'm delighted that he's now on our team."

A Gwinnett County native, Shumate has been in mortgage banking for more than two decades. Most recently, he directed Southeastern operations for Opteum Financial Services. Shumate has first-hand experience as a Brand customer. "My first loan, as a teenager, was with Brand Bank!"

Active within the industry, Shumate is one of only two lenders to have received the Mortgage Bankers Association of Georgia Gold Award for 15 consecutive years. He is a member of the Gwinnett Board of Realtors, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the Gwinnett Council for Quality Growth, Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful, and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. He makes his home in Grayson, with his wife, Tammy, and their two children.

Brand Mortgage Group operations will be headquartered in the new Brand Bank building now under construction at I-85 and Sugarloaf Parkway, while mortgage loan officers will continue to work throughout the Brand Bank branch network.
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For railroad buffs in Georgia, this new book by Loganville's Bob Hanson will prove a valuable source on The Atlanta and West Point Rail Road and The Western Railway of Alabama. The railroad was 225 miles long, and ran from Atlanta to Selma, Ala. The book traces the history of the route, and comes with oodles of pictures, some in color, of West Point rail activities over the years. The book is a companion to Hanson's earlier book on the Central of Georgia Railroad. The large format book of 189 pages can be purchased from area chain book stores, or ordered from Hanson. It is available for $43.95 and is available from Trainmaster Models in Duluth, or from Hanson at RHanson669@aol.com. Add $3 for shipping. Hanson will have a book signing at the Railfest at the Southeastern Railway Museum on Saturday, Sept. 30 in Duluth. He will also speak at Railfest at 3 p.m. (eeb)

The Chief Vann House, built between 1804 and 1806 by the Cherokee leader James Vann, is called the "Showplace of the Cherokee Nation." It is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 76 and Georgia Highway 225 in Murray County, on the outskirts of Chatsworth in northwest Georgia.

Vann's father, James Clement, was a Scottish trader who left South Carolina in the 1700s to settle among the Cherokees. Vann's mother, Ruth Gamn, was a Cherokee. His father founded Spring Place Plantation, on which the Vann House eventually would be built.
Vann, a Cherokee chief, was known to be a well-educated man, though it is unknown where he received a formal education. He invited Moravian missionaries to the area to teach young Cherokees, including Elias Boudinot, Stand Watie, and John Rollin Ridge, who would become leaders in the Cherokee Nation.

In addition to providing an education to local Cherokees, the Moravians contributed to the building of Vann's two-story brick house. Vann had the opportunity to enjoy his mansion for only a few years; he was fatally shot in 1809 by an unknown assailant.

The Georgia land lottery-an attempt by whites to gain possession of remaining Cherokee lands-included a provision stating that land held by a Cherokee would be forfeited if he broke any state law. Vann had hired a white man as overseer of his plantation and, in doing so, had unknowingly violated a law making it illegal for an Indian to employ a white. Although Vann and his family lost their home and property, he later sued for the loss and was awarded $19,605 by the government as compensation.

Through the years, the Vann House has had 17 different owners. In 1952 J. E. Bradford, a physician who had purchased it in 1920, sold the house to the Georgia Historical Commission. A restoration project, which took six years to complete, included the repainting of the mansion according to its original color scheme of blue, red, green, and yellow.

Today the Chief Vann House is administered by the State Parks and Historic Sites Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

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