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Gwinnett County Civil Air Patrol dates
from 1984 founding
By
Maj. Tom Schmid
Public Affairs Officer
Gwinnett County Composite Squadron
Civil Air Patrol
Special
to GwinnettForum.com
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA., April 4, 2008 -- As Georgia, and the rest of
the nation, celebrates the first century of powered flight, the
Gwinnett Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol also foresees
the next century of flight from their base at Briscoe Airport in
Lawrenceville.
Just one week before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December
of 1941, the Civil Air Patrol was formed. During the war, Civil
Air Patrol volunteers put in over a half million flying hours and
were credited with sinking two enemy submarines...along with rescuing
hundreds of crash survivors. Shortly after the Air Force became
a separate service, in 1948 Congress Passed Public Law 557, officially
making the CAP the USAF auxiliary and naming CAP's three missions:
Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs and Emergency Services.
In 1984 the Gwinnett Composite Squadron was founded. Just a little
over a decade later in 1996, the squadron achieved their dream of
building its own hanger. Previously, they had been meeting in space
provided by the airport. The hangar was completed in 2000 and the
unit moved into its shiny new silver "Quonset hut"...or
as the local pilots like to call it: the "silver blanket".
Gwinnett Composite Squadron, as the name implies, is really two
squadrons in one. One part of the squadron is composed entirely
of adult members dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR), Emergency
Services, and Disaster Relief. There are now 77 senior members who
meet the second and fourth Monday nights for two hours. Nationwide,
CAP pilots fly 85 percent of all inland SAR missions as directed
by the Air Force. They also work with FEMA, GEMA and the American
Red Cross.
The other part of the squadron is comprised of adults and youth,
ages 12 to 21, who meet every Thursday from 6:45 until 9:10 p.m.
These folks form the Cadet Squadron with the adults, known as "senior
members," overseeing the activities of the cadets. The cadets
have their own chain-of-command and progress through a program of
aerospace education, physical training, command leadership, moral
leadership and emergency services. The cadets are also given flying
opportunities in powered and glider aircraft during their time in
the program, which is paid for by the Air Force. Cadets get experiences
that cannot be gained in classrooms. They participate in State and
National CAP activities and training events and meet giants of aviation.
Major Deborah Schmid, deputy commandant of cadets at Gwinnett Composite
squadron, sums it up, "In the last ten years we have had eight
of our former cadets go to the Air Force Academy. We currently have
11 of our former cadets serving in the Armed services. Many of our
former cadets come back and become senior members. Our cadets have
won many honors for the squadron and the trophy case is over flowing."
She adds, "When our cadets see the American flag flying in
the wind, they know why it's flying, and they take great pride in
that fact. In this day and age when kids are looking for a place
to belong, a 'gang' so to speak...colors to wear...send them out
to Briscoe Field. Our cadets wear blue, that is Air Force Blue and
proud of it."
The Gwinnett CAP web site is: http://gawg.cap.gov/GA112.
Visit to Vermont finds temperatures no more
than 32F
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
BURLINGTON, Vt., April 4, 2008 -- The air was clean and clear,
the sun shining, a sharp wind was blowing, and the temperature was
below 32 degrees when three of us from the South stepped off airplanes
in Burlington, Vermont, two weekends ago.
Brack |
Man, it was cold. Yet the sunshine seemed to buoy the spirit of
the Vermonters, who have been through a heavy winter of snow, snow,
snow. It has been a record year, one guy told me, totaling 119 inches.
The previous record was 90 inches.
Therefore, it should not have been a surprise to find in a rental
car a combination brush and scraper to get the snow (and ice) off
the windshield. Lucky for us, it never snowed while we were there,
but we were glad to have the implement just in case.
It was my second trip to Vermont to visit some maple syrupmaking
"sugarhouses." This is a fascinating process, and relatively
simple; boiling the maple sap into the ever-so-light and delicious
syrup. It takes on average 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon
of syrup. You can tell when a farm is "boiling" from the
steam rising out of the sugarhouse.
At one sugarhouse we visited, with the extreme cold outside playing
against the slightly warmer temperature inside, what was created
was an enormous cloud of mist around the boiling vat. It was so
dense that at times you could not see the person standing next to
you. Meanwhile, the process continues without interruption, as the
sap slowly turns heavier, and into syrup. The guys we were watching
were pumping the newly-made syrup into 40-44 gallons drums to haul
off to the bottling plant.
In this 2006 photo, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas attached the
lid to a maple syrup bucket after making the ceremonial "first
tap."More
syrup photos from 2006. |
Yes, of course, we bought some syrup to bring home. But therein
lies a problem. You see, the federal policies won't allow you to
hand-take liquids like syrup into the cabin of an airplane any more.
The only way we could ship the syrup home was in our checked luggage.
Think what could have happened to the baggage while being handled
at the airport: being dropped or bumped and the can spilling over.
To compensate, we packed as best we could with clothes to baffle
the tin container. Yep, it arrived without spilling, though two
of the cans had obvious pressure, and essentially were "bent
cans" of syrup. But not a drop was lost.
While there, we drove over to one of the larger tourist destinations
in Vermont: the Ben and Jerry's ice cream factory. We took the tour
("Mooooo-ve out"), were guided through the ice cream making
process, and ended up getting a sample of the flavor of the day.
Interestingly, after that small-scoop sample, none of us felt like
we wanted, nor felt compelled, to buy a cone for ourselves. Being
frigid March, there was no waiting for the tour. Go during better
weather, and the line can stretch out the door and into the parking
lot.
Vermont is a small state, with fewer people than Gwinnett County.
Yet it's a great place to visit for the fresh air, the neat towns
and villages, the nice people and yes, thankfully, for the good
maple syrup. One more thought: with all that snow, and there was
plenty around, we never saw a snowman. Apparently building them
is passé after a hard winter of heavy snow!
IF YOU PLAN TO GO: Syrupmaking depends on the weather, but
consider going a little later than we did, perhaps in April. There's
more of a chance the sap will be flowing, and the weather should
be a little warmer.
 Today's
sponsor is E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc. of Snellville. Founded
in the 1920s, ERS was built on Christian beliefs with honesty and
integrity leading the way. Specializing in roads, bridges and culverts,
its goal is to build a safe and modern highway system while preserving
our natural environment. Through quality production and high safety
standards, it strives to be the best contractor possible, while
continuing to be a positive influence on its employees and the community.
Internet access is available at www.ersnell.com.
Likes
Forum to read for what others are thinking
Editor, the Forum:
Congratulations on your seven years of publication. You set out
to have a "Forum" focused on Gwinnett and you have accomplished
that quite well as you even allow people like me, whom no one normally
gives an ear, the opportunity to be a part. As is the case in most
forums, those who read it are interested in what others think---not
that they all will ever agree. Thanks and best wishes.
-- Charles Summerour, Duluth
PS- I try to not take offense to the fact that I am continually
"unsubscribed" from time to time---so when I log in
directly as I did today, I am just asking for it!!!!!!!!!
Dear Charles: You give me a chance to offer an
explanation to many people. Like many of you, my home service
is on a bellsouth.net line. For some reason, if you have an email
address that ends in "…@bellsouth.net", the BellSouth
filter does not allow GwinnettForum to come directly to you. I
don't know why, and I have complained to BellSouth, but when anyone
says they can't automatically get the Forum, I first ask if they
have an address with a BellSouth ending. Thanks for your kind
words. Keep a'writing! --eeb
Gwinnett Senior Games
just a little older than Forum
Editor, The Forum:
I cannot remember when you and the GwinnettForum have not been
around. It's even harder to believe our Gwinnett Senior Games is
a year older than the GwinnettForum. Time flies when you're having
fun.
This year Gwinnett Senior Games will be nine years old and growing
like crazy. This is the last year we will be able to hold our grand
opening and closing at the Gwinnett Senior Center. It's just too
small. Last year we had 349 participants and this year we have 409.
Check out our web page www.gwinnettseniorolympics.org. We are on
our way.
I hope you are not thinking of retiring any time soon because some
of us souls really do enjoy your GwinnettForum.
-- Bob Giselbach, Buford, president, Gwinnett Senior Games.
Dear Bob: Thanks for your words. If you keep
growing, you can always rent the Gwinnett Arena for the ceremonies!
And Bob, I am already retired.-eeb
Has suggestion for
even better results when searching site
Editor, The Forum:
Your recently-added search line is nice. You may want to add this
in your explanation of search usage.
If you are using MS Internet Explorer (other browsers are similar),
when you open the archived Forum edition your search has led you
to, go to "Edit" in the menu bar and click "Find".
Type your keyword and hit the next button until you search target
pops up. Since the Forum in produced in one long page (a nice feature)
this "Find" method works great. Of course you can ALWAYS
re-read the entire archive if you wish.
Thought this may help.
-- Jerry Queen, LaFayette, La.
Lemonade
inflation
Another great cartoon by Bill McLemore:
Wireless
access delivery subject of April Technology Forum
You can learn about wireless access delivery at the April 15 meeting
of Gwinnett Technology Forum.
Learn about Access Delivery Framework, the design, deployment and
continual growth of a carrier-grade, future-proof, standards-based
wireless broadband network. Speaking with be Jeff Spence, CEO of
Xiocom Wireless of Duluth. Spence will explain how and why this
technology is the future of global broadband as well as the exciting
ramifications from the United States to third-world countries.
The meeting will be at Gwinnett Technical College's Busbee Center
in Lawrenceville. The networking begins at 7:30 a.m. and the presentation
at 8 a.m. Attendance is free, but those attending should RSVP by
March 16 at Melissa Britt at melissa@gwinnettchamber.org.
Tom Martin speaks
at "Success Lives Here" breakfast April 11
Speaking at the April 11 "Success Lives Here" breakfast
of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce will be Tom Martin, president
and CEO of Gwinnett Community Bank of Duluth.
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Martin
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After 40 years of banking, Martin still is seeing dollar signs,
not only for his bank, but for the betterment of the area through
the development and improvement of Gwinnett's community.
In January of 1999, he began with the formation of Gwinnett Community
Bank. After opening for business in October of that year, the Bank
has grown by extraordinary leaps, achieving profitability for the
bank before its second anniversary and nearly $250 million in total
assets by 2004. Today the bank has assets of $470 million as of
March 31, 2008.
The breakfast is set for Friday, April 11, at 8 a.m. at the Sugarloaf
Country Club in Duluth. Cost is $45 for Chamber members; $55 for
non-Chamber members. Registration deadline is April 9, 2008.
Duluth fire station
to move to Bunten-Old Peachtree roads
Gwinnett County Commissioners have approved a $2.6 million contract
with Ward General Contractors, Inc., to re-locate Gwinnett's Fire
Station 7. It will move from its present location on Duluth Highway
(Georgia Highway 120) to a new, expanded station at 3343 Bunten
Road, at the intersection with Old Peachtree Road. The relocation
will improve both service capability and response time in the area
around Gwinnett Center and the Arena near Duluth.
Fire Chief Steve Rolader says: "The old station was too small
and poorly located for our present needs." The new site is
just over three acres and will feature three drive-through equipment
bays and 49 parking spaces along with a kitchen, dayroom, dining
room, fitness room, 14 bunk rooms, offices and a meeting room that
will be available to the community.
Construction of the new nearly 13,000 square-foot station will
begin in early April with the groundbreaking ceremony scheduled
for May 6. Estimated completion is first quarter of 2009. SPLOST
funds are paying for the upgrade.
Emory Eastside picks
Greene to be chief operating officer
Greene |
Dustin Greene has been promoted to chief operating officer for
Emory Eastside Medical Center, effective March 31, 2008. Greene
has recently served as the associate administrator and has been
at Emory Eastside since February of 2007. He formerly was associate
administrator at Northlake Medical Center in Tucker, prior to joining
Emory Eastside. Earlier he worked as a staff financial auditor and
senior auditor for HCA Internal Audit and assistant controller at
StoneCrest Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.
Kim Ryan, CEO at Emory Eastside says, "Dustin has been and
will continue to be a tremendous asset to Emory Eastside and the
leadership team. This promotion is well deserved."
Greene obtained his Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration
from Samford University, his Master's in Business Administration
from Belmont University and is a CPA. He is also a Fellow in the
American College of Healthcare Executives. He and his wife, Amy,
live in Lawrenceville and have three children; Riley Katelyn, Davis,
and Ellie.
County approves new
268-acre park at Settles Bridge area
A new park along the Chattahoochee River between Suwanee and Sugar
Hill got a go-ahead from the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners this
week. The new Settles Bridge Park consists of 268 acres that adjoin
federally owned property. Classified as a large, open-space park,
the new facility will be accessible from Johnson Road. Phase One
will feature 2.5 miles of natural-surface trails, a multi-purpose
trail, a dog park, picnic pavilion, playground, and a teen area
with basketball courts and a skate park. The construction contract
went to low bidder JHC Corporation for $3.62 million.
Limited watering restrictions
partially lifted by Gwinnett
Watering plants by hand will be allowed by Gwinnett County as it
follows state restrictions announced by the Georgia Environmental
Protection Division in February. The County will also allow existing
swimming pools to be open through September 30 as previously announced.
The decision today allows hand watering of plants between midnight
and 10 a.m. on the even-odd schedule allowed by the state. Such
watering is limited to 25 minutes using a standard spray nozzle
that turns off when released.
Still in effect are limits the Board approved in December that
restrict watering of newly installed landscaping and replanting,
conditioning, reseeding, aerating or other activities to restore
or improve existing turf or landscaping. Those actions are allowed
on 10 of the first 30 days after installation by licensed landscapers,
golf course contractors, and sports turf landscapers. The decision
continues the restrictions, which would have expired at the end
of March, until further notice.
- 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
Progressive
Era seen through country, including Georgia
The Progressive
era refers to a period of varied reforms that took place throughout
the United States over the first two decades of the 20th century.
While much of that change was enacted by the U.S. Congress under
the leadership of three consecutive presidents---Theodore Roosevelt,
William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson---it was also a movement
that generated a variety of changes at the state and local levels
as well.
Most state governments, including Georgia's, generated Progressive
reforms that sometimes coincided with, but sometimes differed from,
those enacted at the federal level. Major areas of economic, social,
and moral reform among southern states included prohibition, woman
suffrage, the regulation of child labor, campaigns to abolish the
convict lease system and reform the penal system, and expansion
of educational opportunities and social services for marginalized
groups.
Paradoxically, the disfranchisement of black voters was considered
a reform by white Progressives in southern states who felt that
it eliminated a major source of electoral corruption; segregation
(or Jim Crow) laws imposed at the same time were also viewed as
progressive by those who saw them as the only means by which racial
peace could be achieved.
Progressives included not only political leaders---governors, legislators,
and mayors---but also academics, educators, businessmen, large farmers,
and both women and black activists. All of these groups shared a
basic belief in "energetic government"; they recognized
both the responsibility and the ability of government, at federal,
state, and local levels, to solve the many social, economic, and
political problems that faced the rapidly modernizing nation at
the turn of the century.
(To be continued.)
Days without laughter
are essentially entirely wasted
"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
-- American poet, painter, essayist and playwright e.e. cummings,
(1894-1962), via Cindy Evans, Duluth.
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
© 2008, 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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