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Gwinnett Village, Home Depot work toward
"Village Green"
By
Joel Wascher
Special to GwinnettForum.com
NORCROSS, Ga., Oct. 30, 2007 - - The Gwinnett Village Community
Alliance (GVCA) and the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District
(GVCID), the largest CID in the state of Georgia, have formed a
"Village Green" co-promotion with The Home Depot.
The Gwinnett Village CID announced the Village Green landscaping
initiative in March 2007. The initial phase, which is currently
being installed, is a $810,000 landscaping project for the three
southernmost Interstate-85 interchanges in Gwinnett County: Jimmy
Carter Boulevard, Indian Trail Road and Beaver Ruin Road. Other
projects include landscape maintenance for all major corridors,
median plantings and streetscapes throughout the Village.
The co-promotion will give Gwinnett Village residents and business
owners the opportunity to purchase the same materials used in the
beautification of the I-85 interchanges. "Our goal with the
Village Green project is to enhance the overall quality of life
and property values for Gwinnett Village property owners, business
owners, residents and visitors," says Chuck Warbington, executive
director of the Gwinnett Village CID. "We're now expanding
the project to encourage property owners, business owners, multi-family
residential developers and single-family home owners to embrace
the themes and materials in the Village Green program within their
own landscaping projects to increase curb-appeal and safety in the
area."
Workshops are currently scheduled to be held at The Home Depot stores
at 4136 Jimmy Carter Boulevard in Norcross, 3755 Shackleford Road
in Duluth, and the two Lilburn stores at 4028 Lawrenceville Highway
and 4121 U.S. Highway 78. The promotion will be kicked off with
a workshop for CID business owners and members of the media to be
held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, November 1. The event will take place
at the Lilburn store off of Lawrenceville Highway. On Saturday,
November 3, there will be workshops, open to the general public,
held at each of the participating stores at 10 a.m. Those attending
will be able to receive seasonal planting tips, including general
information on planting materials and tips for dealing with drought
conditions.
With this season's drought in mind, water conservation will be a
focus of the workshops. The "Village Green Collection"
will consist of primarily native and drought resistant plants. A
number of vendors that work with The Home Depot will be on hand
to provide advice on water conservation techniques. Water saving
materials similar to those used in the landscaping of the three
Gwinnett Village interchanges will also be available for purchase.
Re-reg dam on the river would have helped
water shortage
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
OCT. 30, 2007 - - Maron Buice called the other day. The former
Gwinnett county commissioner from Sugar Hill, now living in retirement
in the North Georgia mountains near Morganton, is concerned about
Gwinnett's water supply, and was recalling the efforts years ago
at building a re-regulation dam on the Chattahoochee River.
Brack |
For those who are unaware of the re-reg proposal, the idea was
to build a low-level dam on the Chattahoochee River, some 6.3 miles
below Buford Dam. This dam, estimated at one time to cost $26.5
million, would catch the water being released periodically from
Buford Dam, and provide a constant, slower release to the river.
This would have regulated the flow of the river, instead of continually
seeing the river rise and fall at the daily releases from Buford
Dam.
An additional benefit is that some water in the reservoir at night
between the two dams could be pumped back into Lake Lanier when
low-cost electricity was available. That's called "peak shaving"
of the electrical cost, that is, pumping the water back for re-use
when electrical cost are the lowest.
The dam had major support up and down the river. Central Atlanta
Progress, under contract from the City of Atlanta and from Fulton
County, issued a report giving full support for the re-reg dam.
The report noted that such a dam would provide an interim solution
to the region's water resource problem, and "should be given
to expedient implementation."
The dam was never built. Environmentalists, property owners along
the river, and fisherman opposed the project for their different
reasons. Eventually, the Corps of Engineers failed to give the go-ahead
to the project, letting it die a slow death by bureaucratic inaction.
Now we can look at that re-regulation dam in another way: the storage
of a gigantic amount of water to be able to be drawn down during
periods of drought, such as we are going through now. That's what
Maron Buice was referring to.
He says: "If we had built the dam back then, and we pushed
hard for it, it would have given us water storage today, would have
cost far less than such a facility would today, and would have halted
the river bank erosion and trees falling into the river with the
constant up and down river today. But the Corps of Engineers would
not listen. Ray Gunnin was working hard to get it built, but to
no avail."
During droughts such as we are experiencing now, many communities
get concerned about their water supplies. The communities that thrive
and grow usually take measures during wetter times to make sure
that their water supply will be stable. The City of Loganville,
in 1956, found its wells going dry, with the Georgia National Guard
having to come supply emergency water to its citizens. Another Gwinnett
city, Lilburn, during the 1956 drought, also had a critical water
shortage. These two cities signed on early with then new and being
built Gwinnett Water Department to supply them with water.
Meanwhile, the Gwinnett County Commission, as we reported last
week, bought land in 1999 and 2000 to build a giant water reservoir
north of Buford. However, funding nor permitting has moved forward.
Perhaps the current water crisis will push those governing the Gwinnett
water system to work harder to get that reservoir built. This reservoir
need not become the boondoggles that the re-regulation dam was.
Thanks to Maron Buice for reminding us of the ill-fated re-regulation
dam. If conditions get worse, perhaps this might be a path to consider.
 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
Philharmonic Orchestra. The Philharmonic continues their 2007-2008
concert season with Christmas with the Atlanta
Sacred Chorale at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, December 18. Put yourself
into the proper holiday spirit by experiencing the celestial sounds
of the ethereal Sacred Chorale. Or, purchase the perfect gift with
the Philharmonic's 'Pick 4' Christmas package, which includes all
four of the spring 2008 concerts for just $100: the Family Concert
with 'Peter and the Wolf' and an instrument petting zoo; the thrilling
pops concert with guest artist Mac
Frampton on piano; the extremely popular Side by Side Concert
with the Gwinnett County Public Schools Honor Orchestras; and the
fantastic Sizzling Swing - Big Band Jazz Concert, with the Philharmonic
Jazz. Regular tickets are $28 adults, $24 seniors and $12 students.
To purchase tickets, visit any Ticketmaster outlet, call Ticketmaster
at 404-249-6400, visit the Philharmonic's website or visit the Gwinnett
Center box office between 10 and 5, Monday-Friday. For more information
on the Gwinnett Philharmonic, visit their website at http://www.gwinnettphilharmonic.org.
Be sure to sign up for their e-newsletter while you are there, to
receive timely reminders and inside information on concerts.
Norcross
clean-up is more often than that!
Editor, the Forum:
Regarding the City of Norcross' "bi-annual" cleanup.
"Bi-annual" is once every two years. Since it is mentioned
as being held every spring and fall, it should be termed "semi-annual,"
which is twice a year.
Sorry, the language training I got in junior high school just won't
let me ignore this without commenting.
-- Annette Gelbrich, Norcross
Dear Annette: Ooops. Our editing missed this.
Of course you are right. Twice a year, not once every two years!
Our English teachers would be proud of you. Nice catch. --eeb
Lionheart Theatre presents Laughing Stock
during November
The Lionheart Theatre Company will present Laughing Stock
by Charles Morey, in performances at the Norcross Community and
Cultural Arts Center. The play will be presented Nov. 2-4, 9-11
and 16-18 on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.
The play is a crazy, fun-filled look at backstage life in The Playhouse,
a small New England summer stock theatre with a company on the edge
of a nervous breakdown. From auditions through rehearsals to opening
nights, disaster piles upon disaster as the struggling company copes
with fatigue, technical problems, forgotten lines, and personal
disappointment. Laughing Stock is a farce, but it is also
the story of a group of eccentric people who love to create theatre,
and in doing so, find a family.
The play is directed by Tanya Carroll. Ticket prices are $15 for
Adults $12 for seniors and Students. For additional information,
go to www.lionhearttheatre.org
or call 770-806-0935.
Signature Chefs' Auction
Nov. 8 to benefit March of Dimes
With live and silent auctions, the March of Dimes Northeast Georgia
Signature Chefs' Auction promises to be packed with entertainment
and excitement to raise money for Georgia's babies. The auction
is November 8 at Gwinnett Center's Hughes Ballroom at 6 p.m.
Georgia singer Nick Pallas will be performing as the area's top
chefs will be whipping up miniature versions of signature dishes
for guests to nibble on as they bid on exciting items. Providing
plenty of food to make sure no one is bidding on an empty stomach,
these restaurants will be cooking up delicious bites for guests
to nosh on: 1818 Club, Carino's Italian Grille, Flowery Branch Yacht
Club, Fresh Market, Kurt's, Little Gardens Restaurant, Loafing Leprechaun,
Lowcountry Barbecue, Proof of the Pudding and Sugo. Tickets for
the event are $150.
Richard Tucker headlines
"Success Lives Here" breakfast
Tucker |
Richard Tucker, managing partner of Arlington Capital, LLC, will
share his secrets to success at the November 9 Chamber of Commerce
"Success Lives Here" breakfast at the Sugarloaf Country
Club at 7: 45 a.m.
Tucker was head of the Gwinnett Chamber for seven years before forming
his own company. Cost is $45 for Chamber members; $55 for non-Chamber
members. Registration deadline is November 2. Those wanting to attend
should RSVP to Laurie McKenzie at laurie@gwinnettchamber.org
or call 77-0 232-3000.
Duluth's
Gwinnett Medical Center marks first birthday
Gwinnett Medical Center-Duluth, which opened last fall as north
Atlanta's first all-digital hospital, celebrated its first anniversary
on October 18. The 81-bed facility replaced the more than 60-year-old
Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital, which was the first hospital in Gwinnett
County.
Phil Wolfe, president and CEO of the Medical Center, says: "GMC-Duluth
has been a major success. A great community hospital, Joan Glancy
Memorial, took its caring nature and has become one of the finest
modern healthcare facilities in the Southeast. We've got even bigger
plans - but a great deal of the success of GMC-Duluth is due to
the support we've gotten from the community."
Lea Bay, administrator of GMC-Duluth, says: "We've had a fantastic
first year. Since the day we've opened, we've heard a tremendous
amount of positive feedback for the care provided by our outstanding
staff and physicians in this beautiful 21st century hospital. We
have successfully combined the latest medical technology with the
family atmosphere from the days of Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital."
On
the one-year anniversary of GMC-Duluth, Kathryn Parsons Willis,
GMC board member, stands with Miles H. Mason, III, MD, president
of the GMC medical staff, at the unveiling of a marker to
recognize major donors that helped the hospital become a reality. |
GMC-Duluth was the first step of Project PATH, Gwinnett Medical
Center's vision to transform healthcare in Gwinnett County. A year
later, as a new patient tower is being built in Lawrenceville and
the hospital is seeking to file for open heart services, the impact
in Duluth is being clearly felt.
Compared with 2006 numbers from its predecessor, GMC-Duluth has
shown major statistical increases in its first year, including:
- 44 percent increase in patient days (22,696)
- 76 percent increase in admissions (2,577)
- 61 percent increase in inpatient surgeries (961)
- 70 percent increase in laboratory tests (234,601)
- 58 percent increase in cardiology procedures (16,762)
Gwinnettian is one
of two honored by Children's Healthcare
Amber
Cocks and her son Carter |
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, one of the nation's leading pediatric
health care systems, has been named a 2007 "Working Mother
100 Best Company" by Working Mother magazine for the third
consecutive year. A Gwinnett mother-employee is one of two staff
members named "Working Mothers of the Year." She is Amber
Cocks, senior performance improvement consultant and Gwinnett County
resident. She advises working mothers to find a schedule that works
for them. As a triathlete, she hits the gym every morning at 5 a.m.
so she can spend more time with her 16-month-old son, Carter, in
the evenings.
Her flexible schedule allows her to work 10-hour days Monday to
Thursday and take Fridays off to be with her son. Cocks' husband,
Drew, also has scheduling flexibility in his job as a school teacher.
They rely on the Children's childcare credit, which provides more
than $1,000 annually to subsidize costs.
The couple also keeps the Children's Backup Care program top of
mind in case they have last-minute sitter needs. The program helps
employees who need childcare on an irregular basis or at the last
minute and provides access to 110 drop-off centers and 21 in-home
care agencies in the Atlanta area.
Visit www.workingmother.com
for more information on the 2007 Working Mother 100 Best Companies.
- 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
Darien
key town in early Georgia history
The seat of McIntosh County, Darien
is a coastal tidewater town about 60 miles south of Savannah. Its
origins can be traced to the earliest years of colonial Georgia.
The port town was established on the north branch of the Altamaha
River in 1736 by Scottish Highlanders from Inverness, recruited
by General James Oglethorpe to assist in the defense of the colony.
The Scots were highly capable soldiers, among the finest in the
world. Led by John McIntosh Mohr and Hugh Mackay, the Darien Scots
built a fort to replace the abandoned Fort King George, served with
Oglethorpe at the siege of St. Augustine in 1740, and played a critical
role in the British expulsion of the Spanish invaders at St. Simons
Island in 1742.
The Scots introduced Presbyterianism to Georgia, bringing with
them their minister, John McLeod, from the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
In 1739 the Darien Scots protested the legalization of slavery in
the colony. After the war with Spain many of them established plantations
in St. Andrew Parish, now McIntosh County, an area created in 1793
and named for the family who originally settled the region.
After the American Revolution (1775-83) Darien became a port of
increasing importance because of its position near the mouth of
the Altamaha River. Locally cultivated rice and upland cotton rafted
down the Altamaha from the interior were exported from Darien to
larger ports up the coast. In 1816 Darien was incorporated as a
town by a legislative act. In 1818, because of the rapid commercial
growth of the port, the seat of McIntosh County was moved to Darien
from Sapelo Bridge, ten miles to the north. The Bank of Darien,
which became one of the most influential financial institutions
in the South, was chartered in late 1818, largely because of the
town's cotton trade, and opened in April 1819. Steamboat traffic
on the Altamaha from Macon and the state capital at Milledgeville
made Darien its ocean terminus.
In the 1840s and 1850s yellow pine timber was rafted down the river
to Darien's sawmills in response to an increasing lumber demand
in the North, although the Civil War (1861-65) interrupted this
activity.
Former First Lady suggests
confidence, but toughness, too
"You have to have the confidence in your ability, and then
be tough enough to follow through."
- - Former First Lady Rosalyn Carter , via Catherine Coleman,
Washington, D.C.
Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
or comments on any issue to Gwinnett
Forum for future publication.
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is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible
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