GwinnettForum | Number 22.86 | Dec. 5, 2023
SMILING WINNERS in the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce 2023 Small Business Award include, from left, Danielle Hudson-Laughin, Candi Todd, Joy Monroe, Tim Minard, Mark Farmer, Colleen Japuntich, Shara Ryan, Charbel Aoun, Bin Liu, and Chamber President Nick Masino. Not pictured is another winner, Dr. David Kunz. For more details, see Notable below.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Reflecting on the life of First Lady Rosalynn Carter
EEB PERSPECTIVE: U.S. courts don’t operate for the convenience of defendants
SPOTLIGHT: PCOM Georgia
FEEDBACK: Feels four more words needed in author’s statement
UPCOMING: Peachtree Corners beginning work on expanded amenities
NOTABLE: Chamber recognizes ten Small Business winners
RECOMMENDED: Fargo, streaming on Hulu
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Author Michael Bishop’s books often set in Georgia
MYSTERY PHOTO: A photo from the past; now, tell us where it was taken
LAGNIAPPE: Colorful tree
CALENDAR: Christmas train continues on Reps Miller Road in Norcross
Reflecting on the life of First Lady Rosalynn Carter
Rosalynn Carter chairs a 1977 meeting of the President’s Commission on Mental Health. Via Wikipedia.
By Emory Morsberger
LILBURN, Ga. | There are moments in a lifetime when the unique set of circumstances present themselves in an overwhelming way. This has been the case in mourning the death of First Lady Rosalynn Carter. The praises that have been reflected in news reports here in Atlanta, across the nation and around the world, have told the story of a woman more magnificent than we all realized, even though we have known her for so many years.
Morsberger
We have been drawn to the news reports, to the stories of her strength, to the images of her childhood in Plains, Georgia, and her lifelong commitment to her husband. We’ve read that Jimmy Carter’s mother helped with her delivery and her best friend was Jimmy Carter’s sister. But all of this is only part of the story of her life and impact.
I was fortunate enough to have been included in a reception the evening before her memorial service in Atlanta at Glenn Memorial Methodist Church on the Emory University campus. As we gathered among the holiday lights in Atlanta Botanical Garden, I was reminded of how our community does pull together at momentous times such as this.
When I entered the reception, I immediately realized that I was among friends from 40 years that I had not seen in so long. I caught up with Keith Mason, Judge Annie Hunt Burriss, and Keegan Federal. Among us were people who were in the Georgia legislature, people who worked on Carter’s presidential campaign, and even some who worked on the gubernatorial one. We reminisced, we hugged, we shared our stories about our relationship with the Carters.
I am fortunate to be a member of the Board of Councilors for the Carter Center, where we attend meetings four times a year to learn more about their work around the world. In so many of these meetings, both President Carter and Rosalynn were there sitting in the front row, or Carter sitting on the stage to wrap up the meeting with his own comments and to take questions from the audience.
These have all been precious moments, moments to savor and realize that we in Atlanta and Plains who’ve had the blessing to get to know the Carters as friends have shared in these special moments of tribute.
The Carter Center and staff have done a magnificent job in handling every detail. We watched it on television. We’ve read about it, and we’ve shared our own stories.
We pray for President Carter and the entire family for their loss, but we also thank them for sharing Rosalynn Carter with us.
The advocate, the mountain climber, the hero for so many, as she elevated awareness of mental illness and fought for its support and her work through the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. We realize more today the impact she has had on so many lives. And it is our job now to carry on her missions, which were all embraced with compassion, intelligence, energy, and determination.
Yes, I am blessed to have had an opportunity to know her. I am blessed to have reunited with a community based on love and friendship. We will miss her, and we will hang on to her legacy for years to come.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Courts don’t operate for the convenience of defendants
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
DEC. 5, 2023 | Ever occur to you that the United States court system does not operate for the convenience of the defendants, civil or criminal?
Donald Trump and his attorneys seem to think otherwise.
That’s what we deduce from the statement of his lead attorney in Georgia, Steven Sadow.
He said last week: “Can you imagine the notion of the Republican nominee for president not being able to campaign for the presidency because he is, in some form or fashion, in a courtroom defending himself?” Sadow added: “That would be the most effective election interference in the history of the United States.”
How can a respected attorney like Mr. Sadow sink so low as to adopt the thinking of the bullheaded and not-too-smart Mr. Trump, who seems to feel that he should be treated differently from ordinary citizens?
Others who are indicted by grand juries make their appearance in court at the time the court orders them, no matter how big a private business owner they are, or even no matter how big a crook or crime syndicate leader they are. We’re thinking of anyone from Al Capone, to Snoop Dog, Billie Sol Estes, Leona Helmsley, to Bernie Madoff and even Martha Stewart.
But there is one guy in the United States who seems to think he should be given special consideration from appearing in court because he is running again for president. He now essentially seeks delay upon delay, hoping that he will be elected president again, which he feels should exempt him from appearing in court to face charges, since he would be president.
In effect, he is seeking to grasp the idea that delaying court matters will keep him above the law from being convicted for the time being. But we feel that most Americans agree with the philosophy that “justice delayed, is justice denied.” The sooner we can get Mr. Trump tried before the four different courts where he is charged, the better it will be for the American people.
Mr. Sadow used the term “election interference” in making that statement. How could he consider appearing before the courts as election interference and caused by the courts? After all, it was the actions of Mr. Trump that started these indictments to be brought. With that the case, it would appear Mr. Sadow is recognizing that since all this hullabaloo started from Mr. Trump, that would make Mr. Trump the instigator of the so-called “election interference.” Is there anyone else that could have started all this except Donald Trump?
There’s also another consideration. Donald Trump has put out the word that should he be elected president again – that he could not be tried for any act from his past actions. We doubt that. There’s nothing in the Constitution that we can see that says people, even the president, are immune from anything he has done in the past. The tenet “all are equal before the court” comes to mind.
The sooner Donald Trump comes before the courts, the better, no matter where our country is during its political campaign. But exempting someone, anyone, because he is running for president? That’s ludicrous, that is, “foolish, unreasonable, ridiculous!”
We reiterate: “…the United States court system does not operate for the convenience of the defendants, civil or criminal.”
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
PCOM Georgia
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Established in 2005, PCOM Georgia is a private, not-for-profit, accredited institute of higher education dedicated to the healthcare professions. The Suwanee, Ga., campus is affiliated with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, a premier osteopathic medical school with a storied history. Doctoral degrees in Pharmacy (PharmD), Physical Therapy (DPT) and Osteopathic Medicine (DO) are offered at PCOM Georgia. Graduate degrees at the master’s level can be earned in Biomedical Sciences, Medical Laboratory Science and Physician Assistant (PA) Studies. Emphasizing a “whole person approach to care,” PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the wider community. To learn more about how PCOM Georgia is shaping the future of health, visit www.pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500.
Feels four more words needed in author’s statement
Editor, the Forum:
Let me say that I wish the author of the Israel/Hamas article would have said, “… we stand with Israel AND THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.” Hamas does not reflect the values of the Palestinian people. There is a definite two-class system in Israel and Palestinians dominate the lower class.
I believe that the only road to a long-standing peace will be the creation of two-states. The Palestinian people were ripped from their ancestral home in 1948 when the United Nations created the State of Israel. To make way for new Jewish settlements, over 650,000 people were herded into refugee camps… where tens of thousands still reside.
– Gary Christensen, Chamblee
Part of the problem is brainwashing
Editor, the Forum:
On Jack Bernard and the Racism Article that appeared in the GwinnettForum recently, let me say:
- As a preface, his editorial content is decidedly left, and being of an editorial nature, is of course only opinion.
- I agree if that if three white men, (albeit of any race race) attacked a boat owner or captain, unprovoked, then charges are due. (The circumstances in this case, I have no further information.
- His statement regarding blacks’ intelligence ought to offend.
- I appreciate the fact that he is free to broadcast his Trump Derangement Syndrome and voice a desire to convey that thinking other than his, in politics and morality, is a result of brainwashing, as perhaps the case could be his problem.
– Ron Baker, Stone Mountain
Dear Ron: Let me add: aren’t we all victims of various brainwashing, primarily coming from different elements of television?—eeb
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, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net.
Peachtree Corners beginning work on expanded amenities
The City of Peachtree Corners has commenced an expansion project for the Town Green and its associated amenities.
Throughout the winter months, certain sections of the Town Green will be closed as a result of the ongoing expansion. This expansion initiative encompasses enhancing the Town Green and introducing additional amenities to the area.
The first project will be installing drainage upgrades and laying new sod in the park.
Another addition to the Town Green will be the City’s new Tot Lot Playground. This playground, themed around space exploration, will be situated nearest the townhomes and is designed for children up to the age of six. As part of this project, the current sliding hill and two existing jungle gym features will be replaced. The playground is designed to be fully accessible, ensuring that all children can enjoy its offerings.
Presently, the construction of the City’s off-leash dog park is underway. Situated behind the CineBistro building, this facility will span approximately 9,000 square feet and will be divided into sections for smaller and larger dogs. It will boast both natural and artificial turf areas. Additionally, there will be a plaza featuring a shade sail, water fountains, pet waste containers, shaded benches, and enhanced landscaping.
During the construction phase, access to the park will be limited. However, the existing playground and fitness path can still be accessed through the park entrances located between Taqueria Tsunami and Jinbei West, between Jinbei West and CineBistro, and via the multi-use path behind CineBistro.
Chamber recognizes 10 Small Business winners
The Gwinnett Chamber has recognized winners of its annual Small Business Awards. The ten recognized winners were among 100 finalists for business practices and entrepreneurial excellence.
Nick Masino, president and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett, says: “Ninety percent of our members have 50 employees or less,making small business a vital industry to our organization and an important one to recognize and celebrate. We are honored to have these amazing individuals innovating and leading our business community and would like to congratulate them on their incredible success.”
Rikki Klaus, producer for CNN, emceed the awards program sharing each winner’s compelling story of ingenuity, creativity, and success. Winners were announced in real time as follows:
- Community Contributor Award – SPARC (Single Parents Alliance and Resource Center), Joy Monroe, Norcross;
- Culture Creator Award – Eclipse Gaming Systems, Tim Minard, Duluth;
- Emerging Entrepreneur Award – (Georgia First Generation Foundation), Charbel Aoun, Buford;
- Launch Award – Sugarloaf Wellness Center, D. David Kunz, Lawrenceville;
- Minority-Owned/Woman-Owned Business Award -, (SAGE Business Counsel), Danielle Hudson-Laughlin, Johns Creek;
- Small Business Award (0-5 Employees) – Bring The Crew, Kandi Todd, Lawrenceville;
- Small Business Award (6-24 Employees) – Team Ryan Automotive, Shara Ryan, Buford;
- Small Business Award (25+ Employees) – NEMA, Inc, Colleen Japuntich, Duluth;.
- Support System Award – Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center, Mark Farmer, Lawrenceville; and
- Founder Award – SimpleFloors, Bin Liu, Suwanee.
Jackson EMC returns $15 million in margin checks
Approximately 235,000 current and former members of Jackson EMC will receive their share of a total of $15 million in margin refund checks in December. After this December’s refund, Jackson EMC will have refunded $204 million in margin refunds to its member-owners since the cooperative was founded in 1938.
Rodney Chandler of Madison County, chairman of the Jackson EMC Board of Directors, says: “Jackson EMC operates at cost, which means our primary focus is member service, not profits. Crossing the $200 million mark in returned margin refunds this year shows Jackson EMC’s long history of keeping the cooperative financially strong to deliver safe, reliable and affordable electricity for its members.”
Margins are refunded for a combination of years, so former, long-term and newer members benefit from belonging to an electric cooperative, like Jackson EMC. This year, margin refunds will go to those who received electric service from Jackson EMC in 1996, 1997, 1998 and/or 2022. The amount of each member’s refund check is based on the amount each member paid for electric service during those years.
Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 259,000 meters on 14,900 miles of energized wire.
Fargo, streaming on Hulu
This is an episodic dark crime drama, based on true events in the Minnesota upper country in the 60s and70s, as an established cold-country crime family comes face-to-face with another crime family, from Kansas City, trying to take over a territory. It’s brutal with blood erupting often, as it’s clear these underworld people, in both gangs, care little for humankind, and only want to be the kingpins of crime in this country. A careful listener will hear the distinctive speech of Minnesota and North Dakota, and see their relatively quiet countryside torn apart by the continued combat between these unruly savage criminal elements. New characters are introduced in subsequent episodes, all set in other Midwestern locations, and all stemming from criminal activities. The original series premiered in 2014, and lasted until 2019. These episodes are violent to watch, but ring true to life. See lonely snow-covered Midwestern highways come alive! – eeb.
- An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (150 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Send to: elliott@brack.net
Author Michael Bishop’s books often set in Georgia
Michael Lawson Bishop was the author of several novels and a wide range of stories, essays, and poems. Though Bishop wrote in a variety of modes, much of his work was science fiction and fantasy writing, interweaving satire, comedy, and political commentary. His honors include two Nebula Awards and four Locus Awards—among the top prizes for science fiction. Bishop, who lived in Pine Mountain most of his adult life, was named to the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame in 2018.
Bishop was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 12, 1945, the son of Lee Otis Bishop and Maxine Matison Bishop. Because his father was in the U. S. Air Force, his family moved often during his childhood. When his parents divorced, he lived mostly with his mother during the school year but spent summers with his father in various locations around the world. Bishop earned his Bachelor of Arts in English in 1967 and Master of Arts in English in 1968, from the University of Georgia (UGA).
After teaching in Colorado for four years, he became an instructor in the UGA English department in 1972. His success in publishing stories led him two years later to leave teaching to devote himself full time to writing. Between 1996 and 2012 Bishop was writer-in-residence at LaGrange College.
Although Bishop is mainly remembered as a novelist, his short fiction represents a considerable achievement, both in the number of stories he wrote and in their quality. They have appeared in numerous prominent magazines and journals and have been collected in nine published volumes. His first story, published in 1970, was “Piñon Fall,” a fully mature and accomplished tale about alien invasion that recalls Rod Sterling, Ray Bradbury, and William Faulkner. Georgia is a frequent setting for Bishop’s fiction, which explores alien landscapes as well as more familiar terrain.
Though much of his work incorporates elements of science fiction and fantasy, Bishop’s novels reflect an array of literary influences and traditions. This is true of No Enemy but Time (1982), which won the Nebula Award and is one of his best known novels. The book presents a remarkably realistic account of a young man who travels 2.5 million years in time back to the African past, where he studies and lives with prehistoric hominids. The novel explores the origins of humanity and questions the differences between ancient and modern humans. Bishop revisits these interests in his novel Ancient of Days (1985), in which a prehistoric hominid appears in south Georgia and struggles to assimilate with modern humanity.
Michael Bishop died in November, 2023 at Pine Mountain, at the age of 78 after battling cancer.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
A photo from the past; now, tell us where it was taken
Today’s mystery is a picture from the past. See if you can identify where this photograph was taken. Send your thoughts to elliott@brack.net, and include your hometown.
The most recent mystery was immediately solved by Lynn Naylor of Norcross. “It is “Þrídrangaviti Lighthouse” (transliterated as Thridrangaviti), an active lighthouse 4.5 miles off the southwest coast of Iceland, in the archipelago of Vestmannaeyjar. It is often described as one of the most isolated lighthouses in the world. Þrídrangar means ‘three rock pillars.’ referring to the three named sea stacks at that location: Stóridrangur (on which the lighthouse stands), Þúfudrangur, and Klofadrangur. Þrídrangaviti Lighthouse was constructed during 1938 and 1939. It was originally built by hand without machinery, and it was accessible only by scaling the tallest of the three rocky stacks, whose top is 120 feet above the sea. The lighthouse was commissioned on July 5, 1942.”
The idea for this mystery came from Tom Merkel of Berkeley Lake, sending in a copyrighted photo, which GwinnettForum cannot use. This photograph came from Wikipedia.
Readers also recognizing the photo include Stew Ogilvie, Lawrenceville; Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; Barbara Dawson, Dahlonega; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex, who wrote: “My wife and I visited the Westland Islands during our recent trip to Iceland, and we did see several of these types of basalt rock formations out in the North Atlantic. However, I was not aware that one of them had a lighthouse perched on top.”
Lou Camerio of Lilburn added: “It is the most remote lighthouse in the world. I doubt I’ll ever go there.”
- SHARE A MYSTERY PHOTO: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send to: elliott@brack.net and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
The colors of fall, 2023, are fading fast. This spreading maple tree was captured two weeks ago in its full color. Soon all its branches will be bare, and we’ll await another year to see it blossom again in color.
Christmas train continues on Reps Miller Road in Norcross
The ninth annual Festival of Trees continues through January 2 at the Southeastern Railway Museum, 3595 Buford Highway in Duluth. View beautifully-decorated trees sponsored by local businesses and individuals. This is a project of the Duluth Fine Arts League.
Snellville Commerce Club’s annual Christmas luncheon will be at noon on December 5 at Fratelli’s Restaurant, 1711 Athens Highway. The group is collecting cash, canned goods and non-perishable food for the Southeast Gwinnett Co-op. Reservations are required, and may be made here.
Parents of Gwinnett students receiving special education are invited to a workshop entitled “Behavior strategies to support your child.” It will be presented by Katherine Eisner and Jessica Phillips, behavior specialists with Gwinnett Public Schools. There will be two sessions, on Tuesday, December 5, at 10 a.m. and by Zoom that same day at 6 p.m. For more details contact Dawn Albanese at 678 301 7212, or by email at dawn.albanese@gcpsk12.org.
Join author Robin Allen as she discusses her romance suspense novel, It’s Complicated on December 6 at 7 p.m. at the Lawrenceville branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Opioid overdose intervention training will be held on December 6 from 4-6 p.m. at the Mountain Park Activity Building. State Representative Jasmine Clark of Lilburn, in partnership with the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Public Health Department, will host the overdose intervention training
Travel writer and Atlanta local Paige Watts will talk about her new book, What’s With Atlanta?, at the Peachtree Corners Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library on December 7 at 7 p.m. She dives deep into the history and culture of Atlanta. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Those wanting to attend Braselton’s fourth annual Cravin’ Bacon Walk should order their tickets now. The event will be December 7 from 5 to 9 a.m. in downtown Braselton. There are two levels of tickets: the $35 Squealer ticket, and the $65 VIP ticket, for those over age 21. For tickets, go here.
The 2023 Neighborhood Christmas Train will be the next twoDecember weekends in Norcross at 3135 Reps Miller Road. The 2023 Experience expands and includes multiple model trains whisking past snow villages and cities with an interactive twist: Kids will enjoy the Choo-Choo Challenge uncovering clues to take a prize home; and be eligible to win a Lionel Ready-To-Run Train. Saturday nights create the perfect atmosphere with shimmering villages, rolling trains and festive drinks. Open on weekends in December: 9-10,; 16-17. Hours: Saturday 5-9 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m. Tickets: $5 per person for all over three years; Maximum $20 per family. Proceeds benefit the Neighborhood Cooperative Health Ministry.
Braselton Cookie Crawl will be Sunday, December 10 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Get into the spirit of the season with an afternoon of holiday music and Christmas cookies. The North Georgia Winds will perform its Christmas concert at the Braselton Civic Center at 3:30 p.m. Following the concert, pick up your bags and maps for a sweet adventure that will guide you to four stops for yummy holiday cookies and more holiday music!
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