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Hog Mountain survey seeks early Fort
Daniel artifacts
By
Shannon Coffey
Special to GwinnettForum.com
DACULA, Ga. Aug. 17, 2007 -- The Gwinnett Archaeological Research
Society (GARS) is conducting an archaeological survey at the traditional
site of one of Georgia's earliest frontier forts, Fort Daniel, near
Hog Mountain, Gwinnett County, on Saturday, August 18, 2007.
What could remain of the fort or forts? Even though the area has
been cultivated and such things as metal and ceramic artifacts would
have been moved around by tilling, the plow zone would not have
been deep enough to erase subsurface features like stockade wall
postholes or trash pits, which can provide valuable information.
New study of old documents shows that Fort Daniel was not original
to the site, but rather constructed in 1813 to replace an earlier
fort dating to at least 1799 if not earlier. The traditional site
of the second fort is located on a four-acre parcel of private land
that is currently for sale and may be subject to commercial development.
With the owner's permission, GARS is conducting limited archaeological
investigations on a portion of the property to establish the existence
of archaeological remains dating from this period, and to determine
what those remains represent.
The research design for this investigation includes several phases
which must be carried out in succession. That includes clearing
the lot of underbrush, saplings and dead trees; placing a grid over
the approximately 0.8-acre area to be investigated; mapping all
surface features; and carrying out an intensive metal detection
(MD) survey to be followed by a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey.
Based on the results of those surveys, then comes carrying out
limited archaeological excavations. All recovered artifacts must
be provenienced and registered in the field and then cleaned, stabilized,
analyzed and curated. The results of this investigation along with
historic research that is being conducted concurrently will then
be published in a technical report as well as journal articles and
public presentations.
Partnering with GARS in this ambitious project are members of the
Gwinnett Historical Society, TRC (Norcross) which is providing artifact
curation, and the Student Association of Archaeological Sciences
(SAAS), a student-run organization loosely associated with The University
of Georgia. SAAS is primarily a forum for students of geology and
archaeology to exchange ideas and learn how to use science in archaeology.
Occasionally SAAS will use remote sense equipment on Georgia archaeological
sites for student training and to help characterize and preserve
these sites before they are lost forever.
Local members of a metal detecting club will also help to identify
the Fort Daniel and its predecessor's sites. Along with a deep appreciation
of archaeology, these members are greatly concerned with the loss
of local history. Because of the large amount of iron at historical
sites, metal detectors and "detectorists" are great assets
to archaeological investigation.
Often, because of their numbers and the many hours spent by these
dedicated individuals, metal detectorists are the first to report
undiscovered archaeological sites. Interaction with archaeologists
at the Fort Daniel project will help the club maintain a connection
with local archaeologists and learn about proper preservation.
Saturday's survey will be conducted from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at
2505 Braselton Highway. For further information, please contact
project Principal Investigator, Dr. James D'Angelo, RPA, at (w)
770-270-1192 x125 or (c) 404-580-2079.
Republican proposals for taxing are not conservative
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
AUG. 17, 2007 -- Statewide Republican leaders are intent on replacing
the way Georgia counties and cities have collected taxes for years,
and scraping it for a system based entirely on a sales tax.
Brack |
What! Can you believe it? Here we have the so-called conservative
Republican leaders in Georgia asking for a most radical change in
government since the county unit system was outlawed?
Can you also believe that these Republicans, who were elected as
conservatives, are asking for more Big Government? For instead of
property taxes being collected at the local (county and city) level,
now these radical Republicans would want all tax money in Georgia
to be sent to the State Treasury…..and for it to re-distribute
the money back to the county and cities?
This is conservatism and less government?
No, this is simply way-out radicalism.
How these Republican can even think that their formula amounts
to conservative politics is beyond us.
The plan being advanced by far-out Republican House Speaker Glenn
Richardson is not dissimilar to another Republican's plan calling
for more and larger Big Government. It reminds one of Gwinnett Congressman
John Linder's misnamed Fair Tax plan wanting everyone to pay 22
per cent (or more) sales tax on everything they buy to replace the
national income tax.
Again, this radical approach to funding the federal government
is nothing more than an effort to create bigger government, in that
all the monies would go to the National Government on every sales
transaction in the nation. It would not be unlike the high "Value
Added" taxes being imposed in the European community.
Both the Richardson plan and the Linder effort gains support from
some Republican elements, in that it eliminates the property tax
and the national income tax. Radical, radical, radical are both
these proposals. After all, it completely remakes the tax base,
and makes it much less stable, dependent on sales, not property
or income.
Yet many Americans are suckered into the Linder plan saying it would
be better since all would pay the same rate of tax on every transaction.
What they fail to see is that those making less money would pay
a far higher percentage of their income in taxes than the super
rich. That's not fair at all.
As for the Richardson radical change, he proposes to impose a sales
tax on all services that professionals apply in the state. So, if
you went to your lawyer for advice, added to the bill would be four
more per cent as tax. A $100 legal bill would be $104, or a $1,000
legal bill would become $1,040. And that would also apply to transactions
for accounting, health care, pest control, electrical usage and
every transaction between businesses. This tax would be extended
to lawn care, haircuts, babysitting, and the like.
Meanwhile, the state of Georgia would collect the tax, and return
what is needed to cities and counties.
Yeah.
Sure.
You bet.
What is particularly wrong with these proposals is that they want
us to send our monies to Big Government, instead of us paying our
property tax to our counties and cities, the lowest level of taxation
right now. And we can influence our city and county officials on
how to spend this money.
What's wrong with us keeping government at the lowest possible
level? Why send money first to Atlanta, or Washington? What happened
to the idea of the government closest to the people is the best
government?
Perhaps now you get a glimpse of why this new Republican plan is
so radical. It sure makes you wonder how this idea could ever come
from the party which likes to think themselves conservative. Watch
out for radical Republicanism!
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Another reason for starting school after Labor
Day
Editor, the Forum:
Your article
about school starting early hits right at home for those of us that
remember when school started after Labor Day and ended before Memorial
Day and we turned out pretty well. I am sure that students today
can learn as much within that timeframe.
One reason you did not list which I have always thought was a factor
is that many families now have dual incomes or a single parent raising
children and if the students were out of school more it would mean
someone would have to pay for babysitting or day care services.
And how is it after all these years, we cannot get a handle on building
schools to accommodate incoming students, I do not know the exact
number of trailers at our schools but at one time, I was told it
was over 1,000. When do we catch up?
-- Lee Baker, Hog Mountain
Brings up adding more
fumes to atmosphere in August
Editor, the Forum:
I totally agree with you that starting school in Mid-August is
idiotic. In addition to the reasons you cite I would add one more:
It makes no sense at all to send hundreds --- yea, thousands ---
of exhaust-spewing, diesel-powered school buses out on the streets,
not to mention all the mommies driving their kiddies to school,
when we are already in a red-alert ozone situation.
That's like putting out a fire with gasoline.
-- Bob Hanson, Loganville
Wonder if little organisms
can grow on Ayers Rock
Editor, the Forum:
In your story about Ayers Rock, you compared it to Stone Mountain.
Any chance Ayers Rock has the little tiny shrimp in the holes on
top of the rock when it rains as Stone Mountain does? Just curious.
-- Shirley Holmes, Lawrenceville
Dear Shirley: It would be hard for me to think
there are living shrimp or any other organism on that desolate,
dry place they call Ayers Rock. However, there are periodic depressions
in it. With a microscope, perhaps something can live in such a
dry place, where they usually get a significant rain once a year.
But remember: it is also quite cold there now, and in summer,
it is a scorcher! --eeb
Rethinking favorites
Another great cartoon by Bill McLemore:
Department seeks input from citizens for Bay
Creek Park
Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation will hold a public meeting
to get input and suggestions to assist in the design of Gwinnett's
newest skate complex planned for Bay Creek Park in Loganville. The
meeting will be held on Wed., Aug. 22, at 6:30 p.m. at Grayson High
School.
A continuing drive behind the vision of GCPR is citizen involvement
and participation in all areas of park planning. GCPR is working
to offer a balanced and variety of programs at different locations
in its inventory of 35 open parks, with more than a dozen planned
to open over the next four years.
GCPR's top three priorities in providing quality parks and leisure
activities are to maintain a high level of community involvement,
maintain and provide safe programs and facilities, and develop more
high quality parks and facilities to meet the demands of a growing
population. For more information, call 770-822-8840.
UGA moves programs
from new college to Sever Road
The University of Georgia has received approval from the University
System Board of Regents to relocate its graduate academic and continuing
education programs in Gwinnett to a new facility at 4350 Sever Road
in Lawrenceville. The University plans to move its Gwinnett programs
in May 2008 from the campus it currently shares with Georgia Gwinnett
College to the new location just off Interstate-85 at the Sugarloaf
Parkway exit. UGA will occupy 60,000 square feet of the building,
known as the Intellicenter when it was constructed in 2006.
UGA has offered graduate degree programs at several different locations
in Gwinnett since the mid-1980s, but increased the number and variety
of programs in recent years. Current offerings include an evening
MBA program, master's and specialist's degrees in education, and
master's degrees in such fields as public administration, food technology,
and social work. There are 600 students in these graduate degree
programs in Gwinnett.
The Small Business Development Center office in Gwinnett and the
Education Technology Training Center operated by UGA's College of
Education in Gwinnett also will relocate to the new facility.
Newer programs include a master of internet technology offered
by UGA's Terry College of Business and certificate and master's
degree programs in regulatory affairs offered through UGA's College
of Pharmacy and designed to fill an immediate need of local Georgia
companies.
Gwinnett
Tech reaffirmed with accreditation standing
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools has reaffirmed Gwinnett Technical College's accreditation
standing. After two years of preparation, Gwinnett Tech underwent
intense reporting and review by a team assigned by the Commission
on Colleges from March of 2006 (off-site evaluation) through October
of 2006 (on-site evaluation). Re-affirmation will not be required
again until 2017.
Gwinnett Tech was one of the first technical colleges in the Technical
College System of Georgia to seek and be awarded accreditation.
The college has been accredited since 1991.
Gwinnett Chamber names
two new vice presidents
Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce has named two new officers.
Johnson |
Larry Johnson has been promoted from chief financial officer, getting
the additional title of vice president.
Johnson has been the financial architect and a major participant
in the structural re-organization of the Gwinnett Chamber over the
past four years.
His past experience includes five years with Annandale at Suwanee,
being a general contractor for several years, and another 30 years
in the financial arena. He is a graduate of Georgia State University.
DeSilva |
Vince DeSilva is new vice president of member services for the
Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. He comes to the post with 10 years
of experience from The Home Depot.
As vice president of member services, DeSilva will oversee all sales
and business development, membership services, and member retention
efforts for the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, including managing
a sales and membership staff of seven.
DeSilva is a graduate of Jacksonville University with a Bachelor
of Science degree in Marketing and Management.
Oconee County resident
creates new Suwanee Day logo
Artwork of Amanda Savage, a 2007 Oconee County High School graduate,
will be featured on this year's official Suwanee Day t-shirt and
other festival promotional materials. Savage won the 2007 Suwanee
Day design competition with her fun, colorful entry. A Watkinsville
resident all her life, Savage created the design as part of her
Commercial Design III class taught by Susan Burger. The Suwanee
Day Committee received 57 entries from 44 individuals through its
annual design competition. As the winner, Savage received $500 and
will participate in the Suwanee Day parade. T-shirts are available
for free to festival volunteers or for $10 at Suwanee Day on September
15 or at Suwanee City Hall after Labor Day. For more information
about Suwanee Day, visit www.suwaneeday.com.
Whitaker named Northeast
Realtor's first Good Neighbor
The Northeast Atlanta Metro Association of Realtors has named Sandra
Whitaker as their first Good Neighbor Award Recipient for July 2007.
The Association requested nominations from NAMAR members who had
made exceptional contributions to improve the quality of life in
their community.
Whitaker |
Ms. Whitaker is licensed with Solid Source Realty and has been
active in real estate for more than 23 years. She became heavily
involved in Special Olympics of Gwinnett County and Advocacy for
the Handicapped working with Senator Joe Burton. She is a past board
member of Hi Hope School in Lawrenceville which works with pre-school
and post-school clients. 1991, Sandra and her husband were elected
Parents of the Year by the special needs community. Other organizations
that Sandra supports and participates in include Happy Club of Gwinnett,
Tai Kwon Do Seoul, Alley Kats Special Needs Bowling League and Hidden
Miracles of Hebron Baptist Church.
Recipe:
Cold soup for summer
Soup usually congers up cold weather, and warm food. But think
of soup in another way during summer, served cold. Today with the
modern blender, you can whip up a tantalizing array of cold soups,
involving often fruits. And it's rather quick and easy.
One recent soup turned out beautifully bright reddish-pink, with
strawberries, raspberries and peaches the major ingredients. Here's
how:
Take a handful of sliced strawberries, one peach, orange juice
to the top of the fruit, 2-3 tablespoons of yogurt, and on top put
a half cup of frozen berries. Put all in the blender and pulse until
mixed up thoroughly. Remove and enjoy. Makes 2-3 servings. Adjust
ingredients to make more. Some like to add a frozen banana instead
of berries..
- 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
Georgian
was music talent, ran Cleveland Institute of Music
A multitalented musician, Georgia native Beryl
Rubinstein achieved success as a piano virtuoso, music educator,
and composer. He taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music in Cleveland,
Ohio, from 1921 until his death, serving as director of the school
for the last two decades of his life.
Rubinstein
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Beryl Rubinstein was born in Athens on October 26, 1898. When Beryl
was six, his father discovered his extraordinary musical talent.
From 1905 to 1911 Rubinstein toured the United States as a child
prodigy. On December 31, 1911, the 13-year-old made his New York
debut at an evening concert at the Metropolitan Opera House. For
the next several years, Rubinstein studied in Berlin, Germany. Upon
his return to the United States, the young artist gave his "second
debut" in the form of a recital at New York's Aeolian Hall
on October 13, 1916.
In 1921 Rubinstein joined the piano faculty of the Cleveland Institute
of Music (CIM), which had been founded the previous year. In 1925
he became head of the piano department, in 1929 he was chosen to
be dean of faculty, and in 1932 he became director of CIM, a post
he would hold until his death two decades later. In 1925 Rubinstein
married a Cleveland native, Elsa Landesman. The couple had a daughter,
Ellen, and a son, Beryl David.
Despite his administrative and teaching duties at CIM, Rubinstein
was an active performing musician and composer. Although most of
his works as a composer were for solo piano, he also tackled larger
forms, creating works for piano and orchestra, as well as an opera.
Soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, which precipitated
the United States' entry into World War II (1941-45), Rubinstein
joined the U.S. Army with the rank of captain. As a member of the
army's Fifth Service Command, he had the responsibility of coordinating
that unit's wartime musical activities. From 1942 to 1944 he traveled
20,000 miles and participated in seventy-five concerts for servicemen
in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. After the war Rubinstein returned
to Cleveland to resume the directorship of CIM, which expanded greatly
over the next decade.
In May 1952 Rubinstein visited his home state, performing in Athens
and Atlanta. He died in Cleveland only a few months later, on December
29, 1952. In its obituary, the Cleveland Press lamented the loss
that Rubinstein's death represented to the musical life of that
city, praising the late musician for "his artistic idealism
and perfectionism."
Sometimes you are "that
close" and don't know it
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how
close they were to success when they gave up."
-- Inventor Thomas Edison, via Patrick Malone, Snellville.
Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
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Forum for future publication.
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is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible
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