Gwinnett Forum.com -- Gwinnett County's community forum and idea exchange

Gwinnett Philharmonic announces lineup for 2007-08 season
By Kelly Haggard Olson
Special to GwinnettForum.com

OCT. 2, 2007 -- Tickets are now available for the new season of the Gwinnett Philharmonic. With more full Philharmonic concerts than ever before, the 2007-2008 season includes a classical concert centered on the Romantic works of Mendelssohn, a celestial Christmas concert by the ethereal Atlanta Sacred Chorale, a lively Pops concert and what promises to be a sell-out Swing concert featuring the GP's own Philharmonic Jazz big band troupe.

The season also includes the return of the annual Family Concert as a Saturday matinee, during which the Philharmonic will present the ageless "Peter and the Wolf."

All Philharmonic concerts are held in the Performing Arts Center at the Gwinnett Center, Duluth. Tickets are available online through the Philharmonic's website at www.gwinnettphilharmonic.org or through Ticketmaster.com, or in person at the Gwinnett Center box office.

The Philharmonic will launch the 2007/2008 season on Tuesday, October 23 at 8 p.m., with Magnificent Mendelssohn. The melodic music of Mendelssohn will be given voice by the Philharmonic's own Raymond Leung in the stunning violin solo of the "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E minor, Op. 64."

Next, the Philharmonic will present the inimitable vocal sounds of the Atlanta Sacred Chorale, conducted by Eric Nelson, in Christmas with the Atlanta Sacred Chorale on Tuesday, December 18 at 8 p.m. Gwinnettians are invited to celebrate the spirit of the season and experience uplifting traditional and holiday choral.

The third concert of the season is the always entertaining Family Concert, on Saturday, January 26 at 1 p.m. Children and their families will hear the exploits of the brave young hunter Peter and his animal friends, voiced by the full Philharmonic orchestra, in the well-beloved "Peter and the Wolf" by Prokofiev.

The first concert of 2008 will be the teen-friendly Side by Side Concert: Sensational Strings with the Gwinnett County Public Schools Honors Orchestras again joining the Gwinnett Philharmonic on stage on Tuesday, February 26 at 7:30 p.m. The concert gives our own Gwinnett County honors orchestra musicians the unique opportunity to hone their skills sitting side by side with the professional musicians of the Philharmonic.

Sure to be 'popular,' Philharmonic Plays Pops with Mac Frampton is scheduled for Tuesday, April 1 at 8 p.m. This concert features the full Gwinnett Philharmonic accompanying soloist Mac Frampton in a night of pops, including perennial favorite "Rhapsody in Blue," showcasing the virtuosic skills of Frampton on the piano.

The Philharmonic finishes their '07/'08 season with Philharmonic Sizzling Swing - Big Band Style on Tuesday, May 13 at 8:00 p.m. It features the Philharmonic Jazz, our own big band orchestra, in an evening of big band jazz in the tradition of Frank Sinatra and Count Basie.

The Gwinnett Philharmonic's Season Presenting Sponsors are Primerica through the Citi Foundation and the Scientific Atlanta Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ernest Communications, Georgia Council for the Arts, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Gwinnett News, the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia and the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund. This concert is presented by the corporate and individual members of the Gwinnett Philharmonic Association. Potential members can join online or by contacting 770-418-1115.

Tickets for the concerts are $28 adults; $24 seniors; $22 members; $12 students and are available through Ticketmaster or the Philharmonic's website, and from the Gwinnett Center Box Office in person at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth

College football needs return to old rules on timeouts
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

OCT. 2, 2007 -- College sports should be a game between opposing players. All too often it turns into more like a chess match of opposing coaches.

An incident at the end of the Auburn-Florida game last week is a good example of how coaches have far too much influence over the ebb and flow of the game. It points toward too much coaching influence in the pace of the game.

The score was tied 17-17 with three seconds on the clock, as Auburn sent in a freshman field goal kicker to attempt to win the game on the final play. As the teams lined up for the scrimmage, the television crew alertly picked up what would be the tactics of the Florida coach, Urban Meyer.

As the players crouched to their positions, and just before the ball was snapped for the field goal try, at the last split second, Meyer signaled the umpire on the sidelines for a time out. It was such a late signal, that on the field, the players never saw or heard the "Time out!" call, the ball was snapped, and the young Auburn freshman successfully made a difficult, long field goal…..which was to no avail, since it was ruled that play had been stopped, as time had been called on the sidelines.

That forced having another attempt for the possibly game-winning field goal. The Auburn kicker would, in effect, have to kick two successive 43 yard goals, a formidable feat anyway, and even more difficult since this was a freshman doing the kicking, and it would be the second such effort.

In effect, Meyers was seeking to rattle the kicker with this psychological ploy, allowed because the coach called the time out. Add to the situation that this was a freshman kicker made the task even more formidable.

This rule allowing coaches an ability to call sideline time outs is a recent one. Far better, we think, would be to return to the former rules. Then only the players on the field could signal an official for a time-out. While the same stalling tactics might be employed, at least the coach would have to take the additional step to signal the player, and that player would have to catch the attention of an on-field umpire, before the time-out could be called. This change would at least put control of the game on the field itself, and not allow it to be made from the sidelines.

The young Auburn kicker was apparently unperturbed by these tactics, as he kicked the second field goal even better than the first time, and Auburn upset Florida (again) 20-17. It was the fourth time in the last few years that Auburn had upended Florida's high football rankings. Auburn holds a 42-38-2 edge in the series.

Many lament that college football is far more important on campus than it should be. Putting more control of the game itself on the field with the players would be a small move, but a good one. It would be a step to return to more reasonable rules before.

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is The Community Bank (formerly Bank of Loganville). The bank was organized in Loganville in 1946. It opened a branch in Snellville (and changed its name) in 1999, a branch in Grayson in 2000 and a branch in Covington in 2006. It serves all these communities and is principally engaged in real estate lending, both residential and commercial. You can check out its web site at www.banktcb.com.

On Sept. 23, 2007, renowned Chinese rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng was taken from his home by police. Since then, his present whereabouts are unknown. It is believed that Mr.Gao's arrest is related to the 16-page letter he sent to the United States Congress last week expressing his deep concerns over the worsening deterioration of human rights in China ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Please help to exposure the Communist Party of China's evil action. Please help to rescue intuitive knowledge and righteous justice of our human beings. The Chinese lawyer 's family need you.

American people, verify your firm resolution to uphold world peace now; American people, use both hands to stretch money or human rights this time; American people, can you resuscitate your great tradition in this special chance?

After reading your column on Friday, September 28, questioning recycling at state facilities, I had to share my experience with one of Georgia's state parks.

Five years ago, we started a family tradition -- one week in July on Jekyll Island. We spend time on the beach, cook meals from our childhood, play board games and learn about this wonderful island.

We signed up for a turtle walk and learned about the turtles "honeymooning" off the shore before depositing their eggs in the sand. We now know to cover our flashlights with red cellophane for night walks. The lights are disorienting for turtles making their way to the beach for a night of digging and egg-laying.

We have gone on tours of the Historic District and more fully appreciate the architecture of the cottages‚ and the Clubhouse. We know the history of the island from reading books over the winter and sharing what we have learned on beach walks and bike rides. We have kayaked into the salt marshes, seen schools of dolphins from a sailboat and observed the decline in seagulls. It is a relaxing vacation with enough learning to satisfy the adults, but done in a way that the kids enjoy it.

While Jekyll is in the news about its future, getting very little press are the current recycling efforts. Last year an oyster shell recycling center, a project of the University of Georgia, Marine Extension Service, was established on the island. On the beach this year we noticed fishing line recycling boxes, as the result of a partnership with the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Jekyll Island Authority.

During our week on the island, we recycle. Jekyll Island has a recycling center on the south end of the island which accepts aluminum, newspaper, glass, plastic, bags and boxes. On the last night of the week, after the evening meal is finished, we head to the Recycling Center. This year it was beginning to rain and no one wanted to accompany me and my sister. Approaching the center with our trunk load of recycling, our good citizenship was rewarded with the sighting of a HUGE alligator. Never having seen this impressive reptile outside of a zoo, we were speechless (and camera-less). After sharing our nature experience with the rest of the family, next year two cars may be needed to convey everyone on that last night to help with recycling.

I agree with your Forum comments about the lack of recycling at state facilities. The Governor's remarks were rather benign and "toothless." It's great to have Gwinnett recognized for leadership in these issues, but we need the buy-in of the entire state, starting with government.

Not only that, but with all the issues surrounding the "Water Wars," I'd have liked to have heard more information about what is happening politically and what impact we will experience in Gwinnett, with legal actions pending and such.

I really think Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful could have given that large crowd a lot more information that would have been eye-opening and possibly made a real difference, in terms of the economic value of recycleables, cost of not recycling--landfill cost, environmental impact, etc., upcoming issues regarding the solid waste policy and more). Glad you were there.

How's your vision? Come find out this October! The Lawrenceville Lions Club, in partnership with the Lawrenceville Senior Center, invites you to have your vision tested on October 5, 2007.

As part of Lions World Service Month and the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services' Great Days of Service, local club members will host a kickoff event on Friday, October 5 for seniors interested in learning about eye health issues. The free afternoon vision screening event is open to the public and will be held at the Lawrenceville Senior Center, 225 Benson Street, from 2-4 p.m.

Earlier in the day Dr. Mark Haywood, a Lawrenceville ophthalmologist, will make a special presentation to the seniors who regularly attend the Lawrenceville Senior Center. President Bill Phyfer of Lawrenceville says: "Lions across the world focus on eye health issues, so this is a great opportunity for our club to meet this international goal on a local level."

The Lawrenceville Lions Club is part of the world's largest service organization and is open to all individuals looking to make a local and international impact through volunteerism. For more information, please check out www.lionsclubs.org or contact Lion Vanessa Shoop at 678-407-3793.

"Cultures Across Borders" is a non-profit organization seeking to propagate social harmony through cultural blending. The upcoming Indian Festival of Lights in Duluth is being organized with Mayor Shirley Lasseter as a pre-cursor to a series of initiatives and events bringing synergy with other cultures.

The festival begin at 3 p.m. on November 10. It will include a wide array of activities appealing to all age groups. Both mainstream and an ethnic mix of events have been planned.

The Festival's underlying theme is the victory of good over evil. The Festival of Lights is celebrated in India to commemorate the return of Lord Shri Ram after his 14 years in exile. This exile was connived by his stepmother KeiKei who wanted her son Bharat to Rule the Kingdom. To her woe, Bharat put the shoes of his brother Shri Ram on the throne and ruled on his behalf, while awaiting his return from exile. Upon his return, Bharat welcomed his brother with bright lights, pomp and festivities.

This story has strong message of brotherhood and righteousness. This eight hours of festivities will be a kaleidoscope of color, pageantry, traditional costumes, cultural feast, festive procession, folk lore, fun, international cuisine and frolic.

The Regional Premiere of Bach at Leipzig opens October 4 on the Aurora Theatre stage in Lawrenceville. It will be the first play on the stage, with previous presentations being musicals. Bach at Leipzig is based on the actual events that ultimately led to Johann Sebastian Bach earning the most revered musical post in Europe, the organ master at Leipzig's prestigious Thomaskirche. This period comedy by Itamar Moses has a distinctly modern style that revs up with a witty intelligent charm only to explode into outrageous hijinks.

It has been termed "A great new play, written by an exciting young American author that inspires me to produce theatre," says Aurora Theatre Producing Artistic Director Anthony Rodriquez.

The play runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through October 28. Tickets are $18 - $25. There will also be a Wednesday matinee performance on October 24 at 10 a.m. Tickets for this are $14. For more information call 678.226.6222 or visit www.auroratheatre.com.

Gwinnett closer to returning clean water to Lake Lanier

Gwinnett County moved a step closer to returning reclaimed water to Lake Lanier when the Department of Water Resources received a "Finding of No Significant Impact" (FONSI) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Mobile, Ala.

The document is needed before the County can get an easement to build a pipeline from the F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center to and into Lake Lanier. Frank Stephens, Gwinnett's Water Resource Department Director, says: "The Corps owns the land from Buford Dam Road to and under the lake. We can't build on their property without the easement. We can go forward once the easement is received and accepted by the Board of Commissioners."

It will take about two years to complete the pipeline construction. "We hope to be returning water to the lake in the fall of 2009," said Stephens. "Returning water to Lake Lanier is the foundation of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District's plan for water conservation and supply. We're helping ensure a future water supply for the metropolitan Atlanta area."

Ron Peters, Water Resources deputy director for Engineering and Construction, says that "Construction will be done under two contracts - one on land and one in the lake. The 72-inch diameter pipeline will send about 10 million gallons per day to the lake initially. Reclaimed water from the Hill Plant is now going to the Chattahoochee River near Holcomb Bridge Road."

It has taken 57 months from the initial application to receiving the documents. Gwinnett County is reimbursing the Corps of Engineers for their costs to review the documentation and process the easement.

County opens new animal control facility near Lawrenceville

Gwinnett County now has a new Animal Control Shelter on the Winder Highway, moving from its previous location on Hi-Hope Road.

Present at the ribbon cutting last week were, from left, County Administrator Jock Connell; Commissioner Mike Beaudreau; Commission Chairman Charles Bannister; Commissioner Lorraine Green; Police Chief Charles Walters' Deputy County Administrator Susan Lee' Chief Operating Officer/Deputy County Administrator Mike Comer; Rogers Construction Project Manager Ricky Vickery and Project Superintendent Mark Kennedy; Animal Advisory Council members Clara Seals and Gail LaBerge; and State Court Judge and Animal Advisory Council member Carla Brown.

"Last week I took my Mom who was visiting from out of town and my wife to the Park Cafe on the Duluth Town Green. I had not been there in a while but had heard it was new ownership and was anxious to try it out. We had some of the best food! My wife raved about the Shrimp and Grits and my Filet was of good size, flavorful and cooked just the way I ordered it. I understand that they also serve a Sunday brunch where the Eggs Benedict over Fried Green Tomatoes makes your mouth water. A little pricey, but well worth the cost."

Roswell King, a native New Englander, manager of the Pierce Butler coastal plantations, and industrialist and businessman in Glynn and McIntosh counties, was in his 70s when he founded his namesake town, Roswell. He established the Roswell textile mills in the late 1830s and enticed wealthy coastal families to join his enterprise, thus changing the economy and the population mix of northern Fulton County. The influence of King's late-life accomplishments remains a part of Roswell's historic district.

Around 1830, while on an investigative trip for the bank to the area in north Georgia where gold had been discovered, King came upon the confluence of the Chattahoochee River and Vickery (Big) Creek, which would become part of Cobb County, and saw the power potential of the rushing waters. With his experience in the production of cotton and the sale of it to northern markets, he had long realized the economic and commercial advantages of coupling production and processing, a rare procedure in the South at that time.

After buying Cherokee Nation acreage from white winners in a land lottery, King returned in the mid-1830s to pursue his dream. Two of his sons, Barrington and Ralph, came with him to begin work on a mill complex with the help of their many slaves. With local farms providing most of the cotton, the Roswell Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1839, and its cotton mill soon became the largest in north Georgia. King's wife died in 1839, and King himself died in 1844, a decade before his namesake town of Roswell was incorporated in 1854.

With expansions and additions, the textile mills operated for more than a 100 years, and what was King's little village grew to become one of the ten largest cities in the state. The well-planned town with its central square, mill village, church, and quaint stores-the layout and architecture influenced by his New England background-and the grand mansions of the founding families have continued to bear witness to Roswell.

Major qualification to become top baseball coach

"Coaches are an integral part of any manager's team, especially if they are good pinochle players."

Another invitation: What's your favorite saying? Share with others through GwinnettForum. Send to elliott@gwinnettforum.com.

Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves or comments on any issue to Gwinnett Forum for future publication.

===========================================