GwinnettForum | Number 25.45 | June 3, 2025
2025 FOOTBALL KICK-OFF: Opening of the new $62 million Philip Beard football stadium in Buford will be on Thursday, August 14 in the first game of the new season, to be broadcast on the nationwide ESPN network. Buford’s opponent will be Milton High School, who has won three state titles, while Buford has won 14 state football championships. Milton won the 5A title game in 2024. Construction of Buford’s new stadium includes a massive video board, full press box, multiple luxury suites and a concourse that displays the trophies won by the Buford Wolves. The stadium is located across from the new Buford High School.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Primerica supporting Home of Hope for 11 years
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Two PSC special election seats face voters June 17
SPOTLIGHT: Gateway85 Community Improvement District
FEEDBACK: Cemeterian of Sugar Hill maintains its historic cemetery
UPCOMING: Project in Lilburn to be named Porchline
NOTABLE: Former OFS in Norcross has new name: Lightera
RECOMMENDED: Send us your review
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Folk opera Heaven Bound first performed in Atlanta
MYSTERY PHOTO: Soaring spires may help solve today’s Mystery Photo
CALENDAR: Rock the Park to be June 7 at Lilburn City Park
Primerica supporting Home of Hope for 11 years
By Maureen Kornowa
BUFORD, Ga. | Kathryn Kieser’s commitment to philanthropy began in the toy aisles of her local store. Now she’s leading the charge to benefit her community as president and board chair of The Primerica Foundation, a longtime Home of Hope partner.
For Kathryn, generosity has been “ingrained” in her from a young age.
“I grew up in a philanthropic family, so giving back to the community and being involved in this part of the business is very rewarding,” she explains. “My mom was a school teacher and always knew of the families that were in need — and at that time, there weren’t necessarily services set up for them.”
When Kathryn’s mother noticed these children in need, she sprang into action, modeling generosity and compassion for her own children.
“Over the holidays we would go shopping with my mom for the kids. We didn’t know who they were, but mom would make sure that the families were taken care of with food, clothes and toys,” Kathryn says.
As an adult, she’s followed her mother’s example of compassion as she personally and professionally gives back to the community. Kathryn says: “Primerica donates approximately $2 million a year to about a hundred nonprofit organizations (NPOs) — predominantly focused on helping families in Gwinnett County become more self-sufficient
“We continuously assess the critical needs within our community and often support local NPOs that are positively impacting underserved areas, like Home of Hope. Over 2,000 children have identified themselves as homeless through the Gwinnett County Public School System, so there’s a huge need here.”
The Primerica Foundation first connected with Home of Hope 11 years ago and has been a committed supporter since. When Kathryn took over as president of The Primerica Foundation, she stepped into a pattern of giving to Home of Hope that has expanded over the years.
Recently, The Primerica Foundation granted $15,000 to benefit the mothers and children at Home of Hope!
Home of Hope especially wants to thank: Fusion Sleep, We Work Well Events Conference at Chateau Elan, Mountain Park United Methodist Church Women’s Group, and Ivy Creek Elementary School Junior Beta Club, Classic Auto Rides and Gwinnett Citizens of Georgia Power.
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Two PSC seats to be voted on in special election June 17
By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher, GwinnettForum
JUNE 3, 2025 | Yeah, we agree: special elections are not fair to anyone. Georgia Voters will nominate three members of five persons on the Public Service Commission (PSC) on June 17. The primary is a key election, in that the PSC members regulate public utilities, including power, energy, and natural gas, plus broadband and railroads. But the June 17 voting is only the primary. (If needed, a primary runoff will be July 15, 2025.) The General Election for the PSC will be November 4, 2025.
PSC elections were last held in 2020 and have been on hold since 2022 due to a federal lawsuit alleging the election process for commissioners violates the Voting Rights Act. Recently the courts ruled the election may be held.
There are times when special elections are necessary, particularly to fill unexpected vacancies. Yet often people come to office through special elections and have not had the scrutiny that they would normally get as a candidate if the election was at normal times.
Special elections are not fair:
- To the voters: Usually special elections are hurried-up, since the vacancy in the office has come through death or resignation. The people have had little time to look closely at the candidates. The media sometimes knows little about the candidates, and has not had much time to check out their background.
- To the candidates: Again, suddenly the possibility of running for office has come up, and there is little time between the vacancy in the office and the date to qualify to run for that office. Some potential candidates just can’t react that quickly.
- To the office: Few qualified people may apply, meaning that the elected office-holder could win without having the background for the office. Unfortunately, the voters may not get highly-qualified office holders. Some candidates more unqualified for office may choose to run, and horrors!, they could win.
Regardless of the above, Georgians will vote on public service commissioners next month.
Those running for office are:
- District 2 Democrats: Alicia Johnson of Savannah.
- District 2 Republicans: Lee Muns of Harlem and Tim Echols of Hoschton.
- District 3 Democrats: David Blackman of Atlanta, Keisha Sean Waites of Atlanta, Peter Hubbard of Atlanta and Robert Jones of Brookhaven.
- District 3 Republicans: Fitz Johnson of Atlanta.
The three other current members of the PSC board are Jason Shaw of Lakeland, Ga., Lauren “Bubba” McDonald of Cumming, and Tricia Pridemore of Marietta, all Republican members.
For more details about this special election, we suggest that GwinnettForum readers click on this detailed report from The Decaturish Voter’s Guide online report.
While GwinnettForum normally makes recommendations on which candidates to vote for, it will not endorse individual candidates in these PSC races. However, GwinnettForum notes that in the past the PSC has been composed of only Republican office holders. For that reason alone, we will suggest readers consider adding diversity to this body by nominating Democratic candidates.
Early voting began on May 27 and ends on June 13. Polls are open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Polls will be open on June 7 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and June 8 from 12-5 p.m. Besides voting at the Elections Office on Grayson Highway in Lawrenceville, four other sites will be open for this voting. They are at George Pierce Park in Suwanee, Pinckneyville Center on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Berkeley Lake, Fire Station 20 in Loganville, and Centerville One Stop off Bethany Church Road.
CORRECTION: The Norcross city cemetery has 55 burial plots available, Michael Jones of the Norcross Public Works Department, says. However, no plots are for sale currently, awaiting approval of prices by the Norcross City Council. There are 851 bodies buried in the cemetery. GwinnettForum incorrectly reported in the last edition that “….the city has no map of the cemetery showing where people are buried, or how many are buried. The city has no way to determine where there are open spaces for future burials.” We regret the error.
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Gateway85 CID
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Gateway85 Community Improvement District is a self-taxing district that includes just over 800 commercial property owners with a property value of over $1.7 billion. Gateway85 includes the southwestern part of Gwinnett County including properties along Jimmy Carter Boulevard, Buford Highway, Indian Trail Road and Beaver Ruin Road. Gateway85 is one of five CIDs to be created in Gwinnett County and is one of the largest CIDs in the state. The community is an economic powerhouse that helps fuel the regional economy. More than 3,000 businesses employing roughly 47,400 people call Gateway85 home. The jobs in the district account for almost 16 per cent of Gwinnett County’s total employment. Gateway85 provides $27.5 billion in economic output for the County and $36.4 billion economic output for Georgia. Gateway85’s mission is to improve property values through increased security, decreased traffic congestion, and general improvements to the curb appeal and infrastructure of the area. Gateway85 CID’s office is located at 6305 Crescent Drive, Norcross, Ga. 30071. For more information visit https://www.gateway85.com/ or call Emory Morsberger at 770-409-8100.
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Cemeterian of Sugar Hill maintains its historic cemetery
Editor, the Forum:
The City of Sugar Hill cemetery is managed and preserved by the city. The city employs a part-time cemeterian to oversee the Historic Cemetery under its Facilities Department.
Its cemetery, which is located diagonally across from City Hall, at the intersection of West. Broad and Church Streets, and has been part of the city’s downtown area for over 135 years. The cemetery, established in 1886, contains over 1,500 burials, continues to have interments, and offers grave spaces for purchase through the city. The city organizes Community Clean-Up Events in maintaining the grounds and grave sites. These usually occur around Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
The city partners with the Suwanee Creek Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and Wreaths Across America every Christmas Holidays, placing wreaths on the graves of veterans.
The city makes special efforts to honor the veterans buried in the cemetery. Most recently, a Veterans Administration Stone was placed at the grave of Benjamin Franklin McClure, a World War II U.S. Navy Veteran. Mr. McClure’s grave had a damaged funeral home marker at his grave site. After researching Mr. McClure’s service records, the cemeterian applied for a marker from the Veterans Administration. Mr. McClure’s marker was unveiled at the Sugar Hill Memorial Day Commemoration.
– Kathryn A. Badkin, chair, Sugar Hill Historic Preservation Society
Tom Wages had special way to find empty grave plots
Editor, the Forum:
Funeral director the late Tom Wages was often asked to help find old graves or empty spaces for burials. I had heard Mr. Tom talk about how he did this. When U.S. Highway 78 was being explained by the Snellville Historical Cemetery, Joe Snell called Mr. Tom and asked him to determine if there were unmarked graves which needed to be moved.
With a long pole, Mr. Tom proceeded to check the area. He would tuck the pole into the ground. If it sank in, there was a grave. If the stick barely penetrated the ground, there was no grave there.
Mr. Tom maintained that the dirt never truly compacted hard over a grave.
– Marlene Ratledge Buchanan, Snellville
USA gets no balanced media reports about Gaza
Editor, the Forum:
Media reports about Gaza need to be balanced. Unfortunately, we in the United States don’t get a full picture of the destructive influence of Hamas.
Hamas was an outgrowth of the Muslim Brotherhood focused on Palestinian nationalism. In 2006 Palestine voted Hamas to govern Gaza. They broke from the Palestinian Authority that had governed both Gaza and the West Bank. Their primary focus written in their constitution is the destruction of the state of Israel.
Unfortunately, they have pursued this goal at the expense of the Palestinian people. They have taken money that should have been used to build a beautiful country and used it to create a military designed to destroy Israel. Today Hamas has prevented every effort by the international community for resolving the conflict that is destroying Palestine.
– Alan Schneiberg, Sugar Hill
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New project in Lilburn to be named The Porchline
A name has been released for a new housing mixed-use development in Lilburn.
This project, which is to be named The Porchline, is a public-private partnership between the City of Lilburn, the Lilburn Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and RangeWater Real Estate. The inspiration behind the project’s name, Porchline, is rooted in Lilburn’s being a place where front porches and rail lines shape the rhythm of everyday life.
Located just steps from the City of Lilburn’s Main Street, this development will include 269 luxury apartments and a public-private parking deck, including approximately 700 spaces for residents and public parking. The community will feature amenities including a boutique gym, swimming pool, outdoor grills, pocket parks, a resident bar and more.
Mayor Johnny Crist says: “This is a catalyst project that will continue to move the City of Lilburn forward and make our attractive city even more desirable. The project will be the beginning of continued growth and an impetus for more smart development in the future.”
Deadline near for Georgia Veterans Hall of Fame
Nominations are being accepted for the Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame (GMVHOF). It is a non-profit organization with the mission of honoring Georgia Veterans and is currently accepting nominations for 2025. If you know any Veterans, please consider nominating them to this statewide hall of fame. Deadline for nominations is July 31, 2025.
Veterans are eligible if they have been born in the state or lived in Georgia at least ten years, or entered the service when in Georgia, whether living or deceased and have served in one of the five branches of military service .
So far, 177 veterans have been inducted in its Military Hall of Fame, at the State Capitol.
For additional information about the GMVHOF, please go to: www.GMVHOF.org and for questions concerning the nomination packet process, please contact: President Rick White, GMVHOF at his call phone, 678-427-0915 or by email at RickWhite4750@Gmail.com.
Former OFS in Norcross has new name: Lightera
A new name is now part of a Gwinnett County firm. OFS, a manufacturer of light guide cable, is now named “Lightera.” The new name unites Furukawa Electric’s fiber operations around the world under one visionary brand. The name reflects a renewed focus on clarity, speed and connection.
The Norcross facility was the first major modern industry to open its doors in Gwinnett County. It came to Gwinnett in 1969 under the name of Western Electric, and at that time manufactured copper telephone cable. At one time it employed 3,800 people at the Norcross factory, which was on land at Crescent Drive at Jimmy Carter Boulevard.
It was out of the Western Electric Bell Labs in Norcross that the first fiber optic cable technology was patented in the early 1970s. That innovation changed the world — and it happened right here in Gwinnett.
Lightera continues to lead the charge in global telecommunications and high-speed connectivity, all while creating jobs and driving economic growth.
Lawrenceville police wins state recertification again
The Lawrenceville Police Department has been officially recertified by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP), marking a significant professional milestone. The GACP State Certification is awarded to agencies that demonstrate the implementation of sound policies and procedures aligned with professional standards.
State certification is a voluntary process that helps law enforcement agencies evaluate and enhance their operations. It provides a structured framework to ensure departments are aligned with current best practices in policing, with a strong emphasis on transparency, accountability, and community trust.
Out of 1,205 law enforcement agencies in Georgia, the Lawrenceville Police Department is proud to be among only 139 agencies across the state to have earned this prestigious recognition. This achievement reflects the department’s ongoing commitment to building a safer Lawrenceville through community engagement and Professional Police Services. The city’s police force was first certified by GACP on March 28, 2022.
GGC experiencing record summer enrollment
Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) is heating up this summer – and not just from the rising temperatures. The college is experiencing a major enrollment boost, continuing its trend of consistent growth for the eighth consecutive semester.
This summer, 5,300 students are enrolled at GGC – over 600 more than the 4,698 students enrolled during summer 2024. And with Summer B classes starting July 15, officials expect that number to keep climbing.
Kimberly Jordan, interim vice president for Enrollment Management Services and executive director of Financial Aid Services, says: “More students are taking advantage of summer courses to stay on track and graduate sooner. It’s clear that GGC’s flexible summer offerings are meeting student needs.”
GGC’s summer terms are fast-paced, with most courses condensed into five-week sessions – ideal for students looking to accelerate their studies or catch up on core requirements. Classes began May 19 and run through July 22.
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Folk opera Heaven Bound first performed in Atlanta
Heaven Bound, an African American folk drama that portrays the struggles and pitfalls of a group of pilgrims striving to reach the gates of heaven, was first performed on February 17, 1930, at the Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Atlanta. It was hailed soon after as “the first great American folk drama” by the Theatre Guild and has been performed annually ever since.
Lula B. Jones and Nellie L. Davis, Sunday school teachers and choir members at Big Bethel, wrote the play specifically to aid their financially ailing church.
The first performances were largely ad-libbed, and included 34 players and ten pilgrims. The common church folk who made up the cast interpreted their characters—”The Striver,” “The Hypocrite,” “The Wayward Girl,” and others—using the faith, humor, and resilience that brought them through the Great Depression. Performed in pantomime, the play depicts the conflict between the pilgrims and Satan, who is the main character. Each pilgrim, singing a hymn or spiritual appropriate to the character and the struggle being portrayed, symbolizes one of life’s predicaments or a Christian virtue such as Faith, Hope, or Determination. A beguiling Satan waylays the pilgrims and raises the tension between good and evil. The last pilgrim, a “Soldier in the Army of the Lord,” kills Satan in a heated clash, bringing the play to a climactic end.
Heaven Bound pioneered Black theater in the South, building its reputation on the power of Black spirituals and the lure of Black folk mimicry. Because Black people were shut out of mainstream traditional theater, the play maintained its home base at Big Bethel. The church’s high Gothic arches, its huge white chancel, and its projecting pulpit-in-the-round made an impressive setting for “heaven” and became an integral part of the play.
With critical acclaim and popular demand at a peak during the 1930s, the play toured cities and towns throughout Georgia and the Southeast. By 1939 it had crystallized in form and become a southern institution. The Heaven Bound choir, cloaked with fame during the depression years, sang for President Franklin D. Roosevelt at his Little White House in Warm Springs.
Although Big Bethel’s financial emergency gave rise to Heaven Bound, the play had deep cultural roots in the Black experience. Its real inspiration was the historical, heaven-focused pilgrimage of African Americans from enslavement into the 20th century.
The feverish pace of hundreds of performances during the 1930s slowed considerably in the early 1940s. Because the cast had sustained injuries from stage sets built hastily in unfamiliar places, Big Bethel restricted the cast to two performances a year. Typically these were staged in the church’s large sanctuary. The popularity of Heaven Bound continued, however, as evidenced by a 1953 pictorial essay in Life magazine. By 1971 the play had seen almost 800 performances and more than one million ticket sales since its debut. Five years later the New York Times cited it as “one of Atlanta’s most enduring traditions.” By the turn of the century Heaven Bound had become one of the longest continuously running theater productions in the nation.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Soaring spires may help solve today’s Mystery Photo
Check out the soaring spires of this gothic church. In trying to identify where this photograph was made, it might surprise you. Try your hand at solving this mystery, then send your answer to ebrack2@gmail.com, and include your hometown.
In the previous edition, Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas, recognized this photo: “Today’s mystery photo is of the Christ Prayer Chapel, currently located on the grounds of the Macedonia United Methodist Church (part of which is visible on the right side of the mystery photo) at 402 N. Main Street in Mullins, S.C.
‘The Christ Prayer Chapel was built in 1913 and originally known as the Christ Episcopal Church. It was officially consecrated on December 5, 1920 and continued to serve the Mullins community as part of the Episcopal Diocese for over five decades. However, by the mid-1970s, the congregation had diminished significantly, leading to the church’s deconsecration on August 28, 1976.
“In 1979, the Macedonia United Methodist Church purchased the building for $1.00 and relocated it from its original location (across from the Mullins Hospital – now the MUSC Health Primary Care – at 511 S. Main St.). Once restoration of the chapel was completed, it was repurposed as Christ Prayer Chapel, maintaining its role as a sacred space for prayer and reflection, but now for the Methodist community of Mullins.”
The only other person to recognize this photo was George Graf of Palmyra, Va. The photo came from Jay Altman of Columbia, S.C., and was his childhood church.
- 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!) Click here to send an email and please mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Rock the Park to be June 7 at Lilburn City Park
Snellville Commerce Club will meet on Tuesday, June 3, at noon at the City Hall. Speaking will be Michael W. Davis, associate director of prevention for GUIDE (Gwinnett United in Drug Education). Reservations are required, so use the link to reserve your place.
Norcross PDC (People Drinking Coffee) meets Wednesdays from 8:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. at 45 South Cafe to discuss current events that are political, educational and community-focused. Speaking on June 4 will be Stan Hall, president/CEO of Gas South District. No dues or membership fees; anyone can attend.
Author talk: Join scholar and author Karida L. Brown at the Snellville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on June 5 at 7 p.m. She will discuss her book, The Battle for the Black Mind, about the history of education in the U.S. Books will be available for purchase.
Rock the Park will return to Lilburn City Park on June 7 beginning at 7 p.m. There will be live music and food trucks nearby. Attendees are welcome to bring their snacks and chairs, blankets, etc. Outside alcoholic beverages will not be allowed but they will be available at the event to purchase.
Retirement Flag Ceremony: Boy Scout Troop 26 will be conducting a flag retirement ceremony at Christ Church Episcopal, 400 Holcomb Bridge Road, Norcross, on Flag Day, Saturday, June 14, starting at 7:30 p.m. on the graveled parking lot. Join this patriotic service for our country. Bring a chair, some water, and any U.S., State, or military flags in need of retirement. If you are bringing a flag, please arrive early so it may be properly prepared for retirement. Flags can also be left at the church office for pick up prior to the retirement ceremony.
Hydrangeas 101: Have you tried growing Hydrangeas? Are you confused about old wood, new wood? Pink or blue? Sun or shade? How much to water? Learn more about this plant and others when Jennifer Petritz speaks at the Gwinnett Master Gardeners meeting on June 16 at 7 p.m. at the Bethesda Senior Center. In this talk, Jennifer will demystify hydrangeas once and for all! Learn about the four major types of hydrangeas you are likely to find at your local garden center, and how to plant and care for them to ensure a bounty of blooms. These meetings are free and open to the public. If you join for dinner, come at 6:30 p.m. and bring a dish to share.
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