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Courier finds savings by switching
to hybrid delivery vehicles
By
Diane Bates
Special to GwinnettForum.com
ATLANTA, GA., May 30, 2007 - - The problem is dependency on fossil
fuel.
An Atlanta courier company is working on a creative solution. Jay
Holgate, owner of Green Express---the first courier in the country
to move its fleet to hybrids---says: "When gas hit $3 a gallon
last year, we knew it was time to start buying hybrid electric cars."
Holgate |
Holgate sensed that companies in Metro Atlanta, and especially
those in busy Gwinnett, would share his commitment to reducing their
own use of imported oil and a desire for cleaner air. And he was
right. The response has been tremendous all over Metro Atlanta.
With gas prices at an all-time high, Holgate's hybrids are delivering
significant savings. Green Express estimates that his hybrids cars
used 46 percent less gas than traditional cars since the first of
the year. His drivers travel at least 2,500 miles every day delivering
packages throughout Gwinnett and Metro Atlanta's other 15 counties.
Green Express hybrids average 47 miles per gallon, while their traditional
cars get just 25 miles per gallon.
Plus, the hybrids are zero-emission vehicles while idling or going
below 30 miles an hour. At higher speeds, they put out one ton of
greenhouse gases to every 3.4 tons spewing from traditional cars.
Holgate and his team all have young children, which for him was
another motivator to go green. He notes that "With Atlanta's
frequent smog alerts, we have more cases of childhood asthma than
any city in the country. Reducing air pollution matters, it matters
to our kids, and it matters to our customers."
So far, 35 new customers have come on board. As the idea continues
to take off, financial partners are prepared to roll out the green
concept nationally.
Operating as Georgia Couriers for seven years using traditional
cars, the company was renamed Green Express in January this year.
In addition to buying hybrid cars, Holgate's staff vowed to reduce
the company's environmental impact in every aspect of the business.
Environmental groups like the Georgia Conservancy and Atlanta Botanical
Garden have switched to Green Express. So have environmental attorneys
Morris, Manning and Martin, which has offices in Suwanee and Duluth.
Once Green Express took the leap of going green, it looked at other
ways the company could go green. Green Express now uses the most
advanced GPS mapping technologies to route drivers to alternate
roads to avoid congested roads. One wrong turn can waste a gallon
of gas every day times 10 cars; that's at least 2,200 gallons a
year. "We also advise our customers on the best times for pick-ups
and deliveries to use gas more efficiently," Holgate adds.
You can learn more about the company at www.greendelivers.com.
New Aurora portends new arts enthusiasm for
Gwinnett
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com
MAY 30, 2007 -- After 10 years of eight foot ceilings, the new
Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville positively dazzles its audience
with its 30 foot ceiling. No longer do audiences feel cramped with
the ceiling literally, immediately overhead. It's wonderful.
Brack |
But the ceiling is only one of many distinctive aspects of this
new jewel in Gwinnett's theatre wardrobe. Among the new wrinkles:
- Thinking outside the box, again literally. When Architect Jeff
Seeley of Norcross viewed the former Methodist Church for the
theatre, he realized the limitations of the building itself, and
came up with the idea of setting the stage and audience in an
adjacent new building, giving the possibility of "doing it
right." That resulted in the expansive stage, the high ceiling,
the tiered seats, and even a balcony.
- The adjacent parking deck, smack-dab up against the theatre,
allowing patrons to step handily from their auto, under cover,
and enter the theatre from the rear. Parking was never so convenient!
And yes, in case you are wondering, this is the first parking
deck in Lawrenceville, and will be a godsend to those shopping
and working in the refurbished downtown area.
- There's not a bad seat in the house. No longer do you have to
look around poles, nor are you seated too close to people in front
of you. Instead there are theatre-style, comfortable seats, slightly
curved around the stage. Now expanded to 250 seats, the Aurora
can comfortably double its audience from its size previously.
- Other amenities: the expansive reception area, the Black Box
theatre, offices for the theatre with windows; and even a large
rehearsal area. Both audiences and employees of the Aurora will
be pinching themselves to make sure they aren't dreaming!
Best of all, perhaps, is the way that the theatre has found its
new home in modern settings, yet has refurbished a building of long
standing. The architects and contractor saved many of the former
Methodist building architectural features, the columns and cornices
for instance, and incorporated them into the building.
It took quite a team of people working together to make the new
Aurora happen. Much of the credit must go to Emory Morsberger, for
his understanding of what the Aurora could do to the revitalization
of downtown.
And of course, the board of the non-profit Aurora, headed by Randy
Foster, took a giant leap when it voted to move to Lawrenceville.
They were making a leap of faith…and it was pulled off.
The late mayor Bobby Sikes of Lawrenceville also deserves significant
credit, since he was one who was behind the project from the beginning.
Add to that the entire City Council of Lawrenceville, and their
staff, for getting behind the project. The downtown sprucing up,
plus the Aurora's revival, both signal that the once-drowsy City
of Lawrenceville is coming into its own, a fitting change for the
largest city and county seat of Gwinnett.
Anthony
Rodriquez in Camelot |
The opening of the new Aurora Theatre portends a new season for
the arts in Gwinnett. We welcome its arrival, and look for a variety
of show-stopping performances and a wave of new enthusiasm for the
theatre and Gwinnett in the future.
* * * * *
By the way, the Aurora presents its first play in the new theatre
space for the public on Thursday as it presents Camelot!
For more details, go to www.auroratheatre.com.
 The
public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com
to you at no cost to readers Haven Trust Bank is a supporter
of GwinnettForum. Originally "Horizon Bank," the bank
became "Haven Trust Bank" in December of 2005 so not to
be confused with an out-of-state bank expanding into Georgia using
a similar name. From a single branch in the Duluth/Sugarloaf area
of Gwinnett, to a second branch in Decatur, the bank opened a third
location in the Johns Creek-Alpharetta area in June, 2006. With
assets of over $280 million, Haven Trust Bank is one of the top
10 lenders in Georgia of federal government Small Business Administration
(SBA) funds. Charles Yorke, bank president, says: "We have
the ability to identify with small businesses. Our personal and
responsive attitude toward them has elevated us as a leader in the
community. We're different and - we make all our decisions quickly
and locally. That enables us to make a real difference in the lives
and businesses of our customers." Visit its web site at www.haventrustbank.com.
Suggests
teaching languages at elementary school level
Editor, the Forum:
Our world grows smaller each day. Our neighbors grow more diverse.
Of course we want our new immigrants to learn English, but it is
also past time for American citizens to join much of the rest of
the world in being competent in more than one language.
Research shows that learning a new language encourages the brain
to build new connections and actually makes other things easier
to learn. The best years for learning language are in childhood,
when the brain is wired to learn language anyway. And yet most public
school students have no opportunity to study a new language until
at least middle school.
Several private schools and a few charter schools in the metro
Atlanta area offer immersion programs, but there is no public elementary
school language program in Gwinnett. Nor is there any structured
way to encourage immigrant children not only to learn English, but
also to retain and become literate in their first language.
I am a teacher. I understand the ever-increasing demands on the
public school system, and the expenses involved in developing such
programs. I realize we need to start small.
I dream of an elementary charter school with immersion programs
in several languages. All students would be taught the Georgia curriculum
in English for half the day and in some other language for the other
half.
Such a dual-immersion program would give English-speaking children
a chance to learn another language and to help their classmates
who were learning English. At the same time, children whose primary
language was something other than English would have a chance to
learn English----and to be taught half the day in their primary
language. This would help them academically and allow them to help
their classmates who were learning that language. Teachers would
work full time but would cover the same material with their morning
class and their afternoon class, allowing the teacher precious time
for planning, grading, record-keeping, and conferencing individually
with students and parents.
We would not have to invent our elementary immersion program. Fairfax
County, Virginia has elementary immersion programs in many languages
and could serve as a valuable resource. Also, our local private
and charter schools could help us make sure we were covering the
Georgia curriculum.
Would anybody out there like to help me work on this idea?
-- Carrie Mook Bridgman, Lilburn
Two
artists featured at historic courthouse exhibit
The Pinckneyville Community Center and the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse
will sponsor an exhibit of two-dimensional work by Ingrid Bolton
and Sherri Hale entitled "Inspirations in Color." The
event will be featured at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse in Lawrenceville
from May 25 - August 22.
An opening reception will be held on May 31 from 7-9 p.m. Exhibit
hours are Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and on Sat. 10 a.m. until
2 p.m.. Admission is free. Works featured in this exhibit are in
different mediums from oil to mixed media.
Parks department seeks
input of citizens at five meetings
Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation needs your ideas! The department
will hold five public meetings in June to begin the process of refining
the five-year plan for parks and recreation facilities. Come to
one of these public meetings to share your thoughts on new parks,
improvements to existing parks, and new amenities and recreation
programs.
The meetings are:
- June 11 (two locations):7 p.m., Centerville Community Center,
3025 Bethany Church Road, Snellville; and Pinckneyville Park Community
Center,
4650 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Norcross.
- June 12 (two locations) 7 p.m., Rhodes Jordan Park Community
Center, 100 East Crogan St., Lawrenceville; and George Pierce
Park Community Center,55 Buford Highway, Suwanee.
- Wednesday, June 13, 10:30 a.m., Gwinnett Senior Center at Bethesda
Park, 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville.
Monteith Brown Planning Consultants is working with county staff
and a citizen steering committee to update the 2004 master plan
and propose specific spending priorities for 2008-2012. The citizen
steering committee is made up of the members of the Recreation Authority,
a nine-member volunteer board appointed by the Board of Commissioners.
They will also study historic data, demographic trends, and existing
facilities before developing their recommendations. For more information
on GCPR's public meetings, call 770-822-8840.
Sorority to observe
public wellness day at mall June 9
The Gwinnett Pearls of Service Foundation, Inc., (the charitable
arm of Upsilon Alpha Omega Graduate Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Incorporated) presents a family fitness day that is designed
to encourage and shape Public Wellness on Saturday, June 9, 11 a.m.
at Discover Mills Mall in Lawrenceville.
Free to the public and the first of its kind by a Gwinnett County
Greek-letter organization, Public Wellness Day was designed to promote
healthy lifestyles for African American families of Gwinnett County.
Scheduled activities include a one mile mall walk, kiddie mall walk,
dance aerobic workout, Yoga demonstration, kids fun-n-fit activities,
a nutrition workshop, namely, Scooping the Fat", Sickle Cell
blood testing, and an Acupuncture Q & A.
"Healthy living is our priority," said Pandora Robinson,
Gwinnett Pearls of Service Foundation. "We hope that not only
African American families, but all families will embrace a healthier
lifestyle and join us for this empowering occasion."
For more information or to schedule an interview with event organizers
contact Bettina Benoit Durant at 770-985-1499 or BettinaBDurant@aol.com
Suwanee plans full
weekend of music and art in the park
On Friday, June 1, guitarist Eric Essix and trumpet player Joey
Sommerville will perform at the Suwanee Town Center stage. This
concert begins at 7 p.m.
A multifaceted artist, Eric Essix has concentrated recently on
recording and performing his own guitar-flavored instrumental and
vocal compositions for audiences throughout the country.
Like Essix, Joey Sommerville's early performances were in his church.
Sommerville has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists,
including Phish, and also was the featured instrumental soloist
on the Cirque de Soleil Grammy-nominated and Juno Award-winning
album Alegria.
* * * * *
Suwanee's annual Arts in the Park program, presented this year
by BB&T, will take place from 1-8 p.m. Saturday, June 2, at
Town Center Park.
Nearly 20 arts and crafts exhibits and demonstrations by those
skilled in basket weaving, painting, pottery, stained glass, wood
crafts, and more will be featured. In addition, several make-and-take
craft activities will be available for children and families. Among
the items that can be made are bookmarks, butterflies, ceramic magnets,
frames, puppets, and sand art sculptures as well as a community
mural.
Sandra Nissen, 2007 Art on a Limb artist, will exhibit her work.
The leaf-themed tiles she created for the annual arts program will
be available for purchase for $25.
Arts in the Park is free and open to the public. The park is located
at the intersection of Buford Highway and Lawrenceville-Suwanee
Road.
CCCS
opens new Gwinnett service center on Sugarloaf
Consumer Credit Counseling Service Executive Vice President Mark
Cole, left, of Suwanee, CCCS Bilingual Financial Educator Beatriz
Mauersberg of Suwanee and Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Economic
Development Vice President Nick Masino "open the door"
to a toy house during a grand opening ceremony at the new CCCS Gwinnett
Service Center at Sugarloaf. The new facility in Sugarloaf Corporate
Center offers online and telephone housing and foreclosure prevention
counseling in English and Spanish. (Photo by George A. Clark.)
Grace Butler recognized
as top student at Gwinnett Tech
Gwinnett Technical College honored more than 150 students for academic
excellence and achievement at the college's annual May Awards Ceremony
held at the Busbee Center on Gwinnett Tech's campus last week.
The Gwinnett Tech Foundation awarded 39 scholarships totaling $30,850
at the ceremony, recognizing students for various achievements in
merit, scholarship, vocational and occupational skills, and overall
leadership and teamwork.
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Butler
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The culmination of the Awards Ceremony program was the naming of
Gwinnett Tech's 2007 Distinguished Student. Honored for her educational
goals, community involvement and values, Grace Butler was recognized
as the 2007 Distinguished Student Award recipient and received an
award and a check in the amount of $500. Butler is enrolled in the
respiratory care program at Gwinnett Tech.
- 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
Tybee Island
Lighthouse was first on the coast of Georgia
Located at the mouth of the Savannah River, the Tybee
Island Lighthouse was the first on Georgia's coast.
Erected in 1736 and standing only 90 feet high, this structure
served as a day mark for ships coming into the port of Savannah.
It was, unfortunately, built too close to shore and was toppled
by a severe storm in 1741. Rebuilt in 1742 again too close to the
sea, this second structure suffered the same fate.
A third tower, 100 feet high and constructed of brick, was completed
in 1773 at a site farther back from the ocean. In 1790 the Tybee
Lighthouse joined the federally operated U.S. Lighthouse Establishment.
Using large candles with large metal discs as an illuminate for
the lantern room, Tybee changed its status from day mark to lighthouse.
In 1822 a second, shorter lighthouse was built on Tybee Island
adjacent to the first. By sailing to a position where the two lighthouses
were aligned, a mariner could accurately approach the Savannah River
channel. This system of two lights is called range lights.
By 1857, a second-order Fresnel lens was installed in the main
lighthouse. Invented in 1823, the Fresnel lens produces a bright
beam by concentrating and magnifying light, which can be seen up
to 18 miles out to sea. First- and second-order lenses (the largest)
are used on seacoasts and are called landfall lights; third- and
fourth-order lenses signal harbor entrances; and fifth- and sixth-order
lenses (the smallest) mark rivers and channels.
The light produced by the Fresnel lens was so brilliant that in
1861, when Union troops occupied Tybee, Confederates stationed nearby
at Fort Pulaski were sent to burn the lighthouse's wooden stairs
and landings. The Union soldiers repaired the damage, however, and
used the tower until the surrender of Fort Pulaski in 1862. Four
years later a new lighthouse was built, using the lower sixty feet
of the 1773 structure as a foundation. Activated in 1867, this 154-foot
tower was reclassified as a major aid to navigation and required
three keepers to staff the station.
Once the light was converted to electricity in 1933, there was
no longer a need for three keepers. Maintained by the U.S. Coast
Guard until 1987, this lighthouse remains one of America's most
intact light stations, with all its historic support structures
still on site. The station is now maintained by the Tybee Island
Historical Society and is open to the public.
Another way to say
you should strike when iron is hot
"On the Plains of Hesitation bleach the bones of countless
millions, who, at the Dawn of Victory, sat down to wait, and waiting."
-- Author and quipster Sam Ewing, via Rick Rae, Loganville.
Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
or comments on any issue to Gwinnett
Forum for future publication.
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MORE: Contact Gwinnett Forum at: elliott@gwinnettforum.com
© 2007, 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.
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