GwinnettForum | Number 19.77 | Jan. 3, 2020
IN CASE YOU ARE WONDERING, here’s a concept of what will one day be the new entrance of the Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville. You may have seen construction now taking place across from the Historic Gwinnett Courthouse. Construction is expected by the end of 2020, with the opening and programming in mid 2021.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Our Nation Is Damaged by Ineptness of Current Impeachment Process
EEB’S PERSPECTIVE: Action Needed in Several Areas To See Improvements in Gwinnett
ANOTHER VIEW: Lionheart Theatre Marks 20th Year With a Roaring 20s Party
SPOTLIGHT: Law Office of J. Michael Levengood, LLC
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
UPCOMING: No Fee Adoption On Fridays in January At Gwinnett Animal Welfare
NOTABLE: New County Transit Plan Aims To Make Travel Safer and Smoother
RECOMMENDED: Educated by Tara Westover
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Pinckneyville Namesake Outspoken in Belief Articles Were Defective
MYSTERY PHOTO: Idyllic Mountain and Lake Scene Is Today’s Mystery Photo
CALENDAR: Peachtree Corners Library Will Soon Mark 31st Birthday
Nation damaged by ineptness of current impeachment process
By Theirn Scott
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | Impeachment and removal from office is supposed to protect the republic from a morally unfit president. The ineptness of Donald Trump’s impeachment will make our republic weaker not stronger. In hindsight, it may have been a mistake.
If ever there were a president worthy of impeachment for “high crimes and misdemeanors”, it’s Donald J. Trump. His actions epitomize the concerns of the Founders and their reasons for using that term in the final draft of our Constitution. But unfortunately, we also have an equally unworthy Congress to prosecute said impeachment.
The Democrats’ decision to not wait for the courts to rule on the subpoenas issued to the executive branch has exacerbated the problems that our republic will face in the future. By not allowing the courts the last word, they’ve given Donald Trump the last word or rather words, “absolute immunity.” Their short-circuit of the process, when combined with the unprecedented and up to now unheard of “absolute immunity” Trump has himself declared for the presidency, and foreshadows an ominous future, a republic weakened by an autocratic presidency.
It didn’t have to happen. The Democrats could have followed the path of previous impeachments; political considerations be damned. The odds are the courts would have, eventually, allowed testimony from John Bolton, Mick Mulvaney, Robert Blair, John Eisenberg or Russell Vought, the testimony from any one of which may have revealed information debilitating to the president. Or the Republicans, or at least some of them, could have done what their consciences (aka, the voice of God?) commanded them to do, impeach and remove this president.
In the impeachment of President Trump, Democrats and Republicans had a unique opportunity to explain to the American people what is and what is not acceptable behavior by a president. Many if not most elected Republicans would, in private, acknowledge his unsuitability for office. His actions that precipitated his impeachment and his actions in response to impeachment are textbook examples of that which the Founders feared in a chief executive. They are the primary reasons for the impeachment clause in our rules. But more important than a civics lesson, successful impeachment and removal of this president would have, at least partially, reversed the damage done to the presidency itself. It’s an opportunity lost forever.
But here we are. The drama that is Congress has culminated in the impeachment of President Trump. Come later, some semblance of a trial will happen in the Senate and the president will be acquitted. The damage to the republic and the presidency, however, will continue.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Action needed in several areas to improve Gwinnett
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JAN. 3, 2020 | The start of a new year is a good time to review what progress has been made in the past year for GwinnettForum’s List of Continuing Objectives. Unfortunately, there has been virtually no progress on this list during the last year.
During December, GwinnettForum emphasized the need for Gwinnett legislators to move quickly once the General Assembly convenes to increase the salary for the chairman of the Gwinnett County Commission. This is our most pressing need at this time.
Here’s why. The election of 2020 will see a new chairman in office, since the current chair, Charlotte Nash, has announced that she will not seek a new term. Therefore, the new chairman, whoever that might be, needs to be paid a reasonable salary instead of the paltry and outdated $58,342 that Mrs. Nash now gets. However, unless legislators act in the 2020 session of the Legislature to increase the chair’s salary, the newly-elected chair will not be eligible for a higher salary for the next four years, and will draw only $58,342 for the full-time position.
So, the onus is on the members of the Gwinnett House and Senate to come together, regardless of party, and agree on a higher salary, and get this passed as a local legislature act before April. That way whoever is elected chairman of the commission will be able to get paid a reasonable salary for the position.
Let’s look at other objectives:
High-quality candidates for elective office in Gwinnett. With this an election year, we are seeing many new names proposed for office. The objective here is to have good candidates in both the Democratic and Republican party. That way, we’ll have good officials, no matter which party prevails. So far in 2020, there have been few Republicans who have announced their intent to run. We wish to see more names put forward by both parties.
Move statewide non-partisan judge election runoffs to the General Election: no action here. It’ll take a forward-thinking legislator to propose this. We urge this action.
MARTA rail for Gwinnett from Doraville station to Gwinnett Arena: the county took a step backward about transit last year. We’re hoping for another proposal for some sort of mass transit in the fall election that will help this important problem.
Banning of tobacco and vaping products in all Gwinnett parks: some cities have moved a little on this. Science is telling us these products may be unsafe. Let’s act locally on this key problem, especially aimed at teens.
More diverse candidates for appointment to local boards: this may become more of a reality as a result from the 2020 election, as more diverse candidates are expected to win office.
Creative efforts to support the arts in Gwinnett: the minds of people supporting the arts must act with bold initiative to get profound change. May these minds be resourceful in the coming year.
Advancement and expansion of city and Gwinnett historical societies: remembering the past can improve our future. May local historians be challenged in this way.
Require establishments that serve alcoholic beverages to halt sales of such products at 2 a.m., and close by 3 a.m. We all know that nothing much good happens in the wee hours. Reducing the hours of operation of bars can improve our community in multiple ways.
Rewrite the rules to require the Georgia Legislature to meet once every two years: it will take a bold legislator to propose such a change. But a better Georgia would be the result, seen in fewer partisan infights.
We encourage those in office and citizens alike to consider these and other ways that Gwinnett County can be improved in 2020.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Lionheart Theatre marks 20th year with a Roaring 20s party
By Tanya Moore
NORCROSS, Ga. | Still thriving in Norcross, Lionheart Theatre Company marks its 20th year of providing high quality affordable theater and education. To celebrate being Gwinnett County’s oldest community theater, Lionheart is doing—-what else?—– putting on a party-Roaring 20s style! The fundraising party will be held Friday, January 10 from 7-10 p.m. in the Norcross Community Center ballroom just behind the theater space at 10 College Street in historic Norcross. Tickets for the event are $25 per person and are available online at www.lionhearttheatre.org.
moore
It’s a one night only, exclusive, adults-only event with a jazz band, Charleston dancers, and some fun and games in a glamorous Art Deco setting. Ticket price includes tasty hors d’oeuvres and two drink tickets to use in the “Speakeasy.” Pose in the photo booth or enter the costume contest. To further support the theater’s efforts, many opportunities for giving such as bidding on silent auction items, games and a Wish List Giving Wall, will be available.
Lionheart Theatre Company produces six or seven full plays every year, special events, ghost tours, numerous kids’ camps and classes for all ages. Since Lionheart’s beginning in 2000, the theatre has offered a safe and fun environment for all to release their inner thespian. Whether a first-timer or coming back after raising kids, it is a wonderful community and all are welcome.
Tanya Caldwell is the founder and producing artistic director of Lionheart Theatre. Tanya is a native of Georgia and a graduate of Georgia Southern University with a BS in Communication Arts and Theatre. Lionheart has its roots in The Church Drama ministry Tanya founded at Norcross Presbyterian Church. It was with the hard work and dedication of a small group of folks there that Lionheart was born and has become one of the first Community Theatres in Gwinnett County. Tanya enjoys producing, directing and acting at Lionheart and hopes that Lionheart will continue to fulfill its mission to enrich, entertain and educate the community by making performance art accessible to the entire population. Caldwell is a mother and grandmother and by day works as a processor for Shelter Mortgage Company.
Home of the Lionheart Theatre
In addition to theatre productions and the desserts the theatre is known from at each performance, Lionheart offers classes and camps all year round. There are summer and holiday camps for children of all ages. Kids can learn all about improv, clowning, musical theatre, production and more when they sign up for camp.
As a non-profit organization, all directors, actors and crew are volunteers but expenses (scripts, costumes, sets, poster and playbill printing) to produce the shows and camps and keep the building open (rent, wi fi, insurance, set storage) are necessary. This fundraising event will support these necessities!
In this anniversary year Lionheart will be commemorating 20 years of productions by bringing back some of the most loved plays of the past starting with “The Man Who Came to Dinner” opening March 6. Tickets are available online, including the popular FlexPass that gives you 10 tickets to be used as you like through the year for just $120. At the January 10th fundraiser, the FlexPass will be on sale at the 2019 price of $100. So, don your snazziest flapper attire, press that zoot suit and join the fun!
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Law Office of J. Michael Levengood, LLC
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s underwriter is the Law Office of J. Michael Levengood, LLC. Before relocating his general civil practice five years ago to Lawrenceville, Mike Levengood practiced law as a partner in an Atlanta firm for almost 30 years, handling a wide variety of commercial and litigation matters for business clients. Mike is a community leader in Gwinnett County where he serves on several non-profit boards.
- Visit this supporter’s web site at https://www.levengoodlaw.com
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Send us your thoughts
We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net
Get no-fee adoption on Fridays in January
Gwinnett Animal Welfare will return with Free Fridays throughout January.
Alan Davis, director at Gwinnett Animal Welfare, says: “We have many dogs at Gwinnett Animal Welfare that are perfect workout partners to help you start the year right and achieve your fitness goals. We have dogs of all sizes, ages and energy levels just waiting to find the right running buddy or the perfect human to guide them through a nice walk at a park. We also have some senior dogs and beautiful cats for adoption for those whose goals include a slower pace.”
If your resolution includes making life a little bit better for a shelter pet, Gwinnett Animal Welfare encourages you to discover the joy of fostering a pet. “Providing a loving, temporary home for a vulnerable pet is one of the most rewarding ways to give back in 2020,” Davis said.
For more information about available dogs and the foster program, contact the shelter at (770) 339-3200.
All pets adopted at Gwinnett Animal Welfare have been vaccinated, neutered and microchipped, and are ready to start the new year with a new family. Dogs that have tested heartworm positive will be treated before going home. The standard adoption fee is $45 for dogs and puppies and $30 for cats and kittens.
Gwinnett Animal Welfare is located at 884 Winder Highway in Lawrenceville. For more information, including available pets, adoption specials and events, go to www.GwinnettAnimalWelfare.com.
New county transit plan aims to make travel safer, smoother
Gwinnett County’s Department of Transportation has finished an innovative plan for making future travel safer and smoother with technology that alerts drivers about key traffic information – such as the approach of emergency vehicles and pedestrians in crosswalks – in real time.
The Connected Vehicle Technology Master Plan was conducted with assistance from Georgia Tech. The plan identifies potential safety and mobility benefits of connected vehicle infrastructure, lays out the groundwork for a Smart Corridor pilot program along Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and provides some guidance for future projects in Gwinnett and metro Atlanta.
As envisioned, equipment mounted on traffic signals or nearby cabinet boxes will monitor traffic and relay timely information to drivers’ smartphones or cars with smart technology.
Gwinnett Department of Transportation Deputy Director Tom Sever says: “This is such an important tool for us to have in our toolbox. It can provide drivers with additional information so it’s safer for them, for pedestrians and for emergency services. Connected vehicle technology is coming and it’s something we should definitely take advantage of, but it’s important that we proceed with a thought-out plan. The Connected Vehicle Technology Master Plan will help us move forward in a smart, coordinated way.”
To help develop the master plan, Georgia Tech selected Gwinnett for one of the inaugural $50,000 Georgia Smart Communities Challenge grants. The program also included research and data analysis by the Georgia Tech faculty. The County also contributed $100,000 in SPLOST revenue for the study.
Many car manufacturers have said they plan to start including smart technology in their vehicles as a standard feature starting in the 2022 model year. The master plan did an assessment of the state of the industry best practices for connected vehicle technology, which is still evolving.
Under a 5-year timeline in the master plan, the deployment of the technology begins along Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in 2020. Motorists driving along this corridor would be able to receive messages about signal timing, the approach of emergency vehicles and buses, construction and maintenance, blocked railroad crossings and pedestrians.
As part of the initial deployment, the County will install equipment on emergency vehicles at fire stations west of I-85 that allows traffic signals to change before the emergency vehicle arrives so that backed-up traffic at intersections can clear out of the way. Transit buses will also be able to change traffic signals, allowing them to better stay on schedule.
Educated by Tara Westover
From Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill: In this book of nonfiction, we accompany the author through a very harsh childhood in the backwoods of Idaho. The brainwashed daughter of a religious zealot and a mother who failed to save her, Tara was dirty, uneducated and not even legally documented ~ part of a rogue, God-fearing family always preparing for ‘the end of days’ and government persecution. Her father’s intense, fanatical beliefs and his incredibly distorted and limited worldview had a stranglehold on Tara’s mind but it was the only world she had ever known. The first part of the book lays out Tara’s isolated childhood situation while the second part tells of her struggle to have both an education and her family’s approval. Could an eventual education break through her lifelong, deeply embedded belief system? Was the price of an education the loss of her family? This is a painful but thought- provoking and worthwhile story.
- An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (100 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Send to: elliott@brack.net
Pinckneyville namesake believed Articles were defective
(Editor’s Note: Where did the name of the Gwinnett County area of Pinckneyville come from? This is the second of three articles about Charles Pinckney. After this series, we will start a series about Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, his cousin. One of the Pinckneys invested in land in frontier Georgia in bygone days, but we know not which one made the investment. —eeb)
(From previous edition)
Making a similar call two months later in the Confederation Congress, Charles Pinckney submitted a plan for amending the Articles of Confederation to give more power to the national government, especially in the regulation of commerce. His plan was put aside, however, when word came from Annapolis that a call had been made for a convention of the states to reconsider the powers of the federal government.
Charles Pinckney
Because of his outspoken belief that the Articles of Confederation were defective and his eloquence regarding the subject, the South Carolina General Assembly elected Pinckney as one of the five South Carolinians to attend the May 1787 constitutional convention in Philadelphia, where he became one of the convention’s most active delegates.
On the third day of the convention he submitted what came to be known as “The Pinckney Draft,” which was similar to the “Virginia Plan” of Edmund Randolph. Pinckney’s proposal called for a strong central government consisting of three “separate and distinct” branches. The legislative branch would consist of a Senate and a House of Delegates. The House would be elected proportionately to the white population, with slaves being counted as three-fifths of a person toward representation.
To fill the Senate, the states would be divided into districts according to size. The larger the size of the state, the more senators it would have. The legislature would be responsible for national defense, “regulating the Trade with the several States as well with Foreign Nations as with each other,” forming a post office, regulating Indian affairs, coining money, “ordering the Militia of any State to any Place within the U.S.,” choosing the president, and “instituting a federal judicial Court.”
The House of Delegates would have power of impeachment, with senators and federal judges holding the power to try the executive. The judicial branch, appointed by the legislature, would hear cases brought against United States officers and settle matters between states and between a state and the federal government.
There would also be a court of admiralty. Judges would be appointed for a term of “good behavior,” although the manner of appointment was not specified. Pinckney even attached a small “Bill of Rights” to his document, which provided for “the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus—the trial by jury in all cases, criminal as well as civil—the freedom of the press and the prevention of religious tests as qualifications to offices of trust or emolument.” Although his plan was not adopted in its entirety, dozens of Pinckney’s proposals found their way into what would become the United States Constitution.
One of the most important moments for Pinckney during the convention came on June 25. Speaking to his fellow delegates, he made a forceful case for the unique quality of America and the importance of seeking original solutions for a new government. The address was redolent with republican ideology, such as calling for a nation led by an aristocracy based on merit, not birth, as well as themes that influenced Jacksonian democracy in the next century.
(To be continued)
- To view the South Carolina Encyclopedia article online, go to http://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/
Idyllic mountain and lake scene is Today’s Mystery Photo
Try your luck in determining where this photo was taken. Hint: while mountainous, it is not in Georgia. Send your ideas to elliott@brack.net and include your hometown.
Maybe it was the holidays, but we expected more answers to the recent Mystery Photo, which was sent in by David Earl Tyre of Jesup. Far-off George Graf in Palmyra, Va. came in first, recognizing : “The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, Blue Ridge, Georgia. This is a heritage railroad in northern Georgia. It follows the former Marietta and North Georgia Railroad line along the Toccoa River north to McCaysville, Ga., and its Twin city of Copperhill, Tenn.”
Other early spotters included David Will, Lilburn; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; Robert Hanson, Loganville;Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; and Tim Sullivan, Buford.
Allan Peel, San Antonio, Tex.: “Today’s mystery photo is a picture of the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad passenger train taken at the historic train depot, located on Depot Street in the town of Blue Ridge, Ga.. The scenic tour is a four-hour, 26-mile roundtrip journey that starts and ends at the depot in downtown Blue Ridge. The initial part of the ride takes one hour, following the Toccoa River through the Chattahoochee National Forest and stopping at the border towns of McCaysville (in Georgia) and Copperhill (in Tennessee). During a two-hour layover, patrons can explore the small shops, local eateries, breweries and historical landmarks located in the two, quaint towns that border the Georgia/Tennessee state line. Passengers then re-board the train for the one-hour return to Blue Ridge.
“Due to the remote nature of the towns in this area, railroads played a vital role in their development between the 1800s and the early 1900s, supporting the mining and timber industries of the area, and ultimately enabling the small towns to become resort communities for folks attempting to get away from the hustle and bustle of more populated areas to the south.
“The original railroad reached Blue Ridge in 1886 from Elizabeth (now part of Marietta), with the depot being built in 1905, thereby starting a passenger rail service in that same year. The last passenger train departed Blue Ridge in 1951 while freight trains continued to use the tracks until 1987. In 1990, a group of Blue Ridge citizens started working on restoring and renovating the railroad, including the Georgia Northeastern Railroad ‘GNRR-4361’ locomotive that is shown in the mystery photo. The Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad opened for business in 1998, offering the ride to the Georgia/Tennessee border towns, about 10-miles to the north. Operating year-round, the most popular times to ride the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad is during the annual Fall Foliage Tours (September-November) and the Santa Express (November -December).”
Meet the writing duo of Iris and Roy Johansen at Peachtree Corners City Hall on Tuesday, January 7 for wine and dessert. This is presented by Gwinnett County’s Public Library. The couple will discuss their new book, Hindsight. The event is free and open to the public. Books will be for sale and signing.
Meet Tax Commissioner Richard Steele, bring your questions, and get the inside scoop on all things Tax and Tag.
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- How to save time and money on your vehicle tags;
- How to minimize your property taxes;
- Why your neighbor, with the same home, might pay less or more in property taxes;
- What you can do online or on your phone – and how; and
- Why sellers receive a tax bill and could be liable for the full year’s taxes (don’t let that be you!).
This talk takes place on Thursday, January 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gwinnett County Public Library Suwanee Branch, 361 Main Street. It is free and open to the public.
Meet New York Times Bestselling author Brad Taylor on Saturday, January 11 at 7 p.m. at the Peachtree Corners Branch Library. He is the NYT bestselling author of over 13 novels. His latest action-packed thriller is Hunter Killer. Autographed books will be for sale.
Bestselling authors Karen White, Lauren Willig, and Beatriz Williams have teamed up again to write a collaborative novel about three women who find refuge at Paris’ legendary Ritz hotel during the dark days of two World Wars through the turbulent years of the 1960s. If you loved The Forgotten Room and The Glass Ocean, you’ll love All The Ways We Said Goodbye even more! Join Gwinnett County Public Library for this author program on Monday, January 13 at 7:30 pm at Georgia Gwinnett College, Kaufman Library Building L, Heritage Room, third floor. Visitor parking is located at Lot 3000 off of Lonnie Harvel Boulevard in Lawrenceville 30043.
Peachtree Corners Public Library will be marking 31 years of service on January 16. Come join Librarian Karen Harris and her staff from 2 to 4 p.m. on that special date. The library will be collecting 31 stories from its readers to mark the 31 years of operation. The library is located at 5570 Spalding Drive.
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