Full issues

NEW for 6/27: Ukrainian firms, Fire station’s log book, Suwanee plan

GwinnettForum  |   Number 25.52  |  June 27, 2025

NEW THEMED LIBRARY OPENS: Here’s a stunning view of the newly opened Hooper-Renwick Themed Library in Lawrenceville. Once the only public high school for Black students in the Gwinnett County school system, Hooper-Renwick has been reimagined as a powerful space that honors local Black history. Explore the exhibits, community stories, and original features from the historic school building. It is also the only themed library in the southeast.

IN THIS EDITION

TODAY’S FOCUS: Gateway 85 works to help Ukrainian firms in USA
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Log book unfolds history of first county fire station
SPOTLIGHT: Comet National Shipping
ANOTHER VIEW: City of Suwanee kicks off 2040 strategic plan
FEEDBACK: Child psychologist writes about a 79-year-old child 
UPCOMING: Peachtree Corners introduces new tool for its citizens
NOTABLE: Jackson EMC only electric co-op with this award
RECOMMENDED: Women in Love, by D.H. Lawrence
GEORGIA TIDBIT:  Pemberton successful doctor before inventing Coke
MYSTERY PHOTO: Can  you determine just where this waterfront is?
CALENDAR:  PCOM Blaze 5K Run/Walk is Saturday in Suwanee

TODAY’S FOCUS

Gateway85 works to help Ukrainian firms in U.S. market

NORCROSS, Ga.  |  Gateway85 Community Improvement District (CID)  is building a new bridge between Georgia and Ukraine’s growing tech innovation economy. Following a recent strategic mission to Ukraine cities of Kyiv, Odesa and Lviv, Gateway85’s leadership is working to bring high-growth Ukrainian tech companies to the Gateway85 District, offering a stable, cost-effective way to reach the U.S. market.

Morsberger

The trip, led by Gateway85’s executive director Emory Morsberger and community growth director, Olga Gorman, a Ukraine native, included meetings with Ukrainian government officials, defense tech leaders, startup companies, accelerators and representatives from the U.S. Embassy’s Commercial Service. The goal was to create long-term business partnerships and give Ukrainian technology firms a pathway to do business in the U.S. — bypassing wartime export restrictions and avoiding costly import tariffs by establishing operations within the United States and directly in metro Atlanta.

Located northeast of Atlanta, Gateway85 is already home to more than 1,800 businesses across 600 commercial properties, totaling nearly $2 billion in commercial real estate value. Its proximity to major logistics infrastructure, research institutions and a diverse talent pool makes it a natural landing zone for international companies. Ukrainian tech innovators, including DroneUA, Boxo, Skyeton and EcoFactor, are now exploring or initiating steps to establish operations in the district. From drone technology and mobile defense stations to EV-charging infrastructure, these companies want to tap into Georgia’s vast resources to build global momentum.

Morsberger says: “Ukraine has brilliant entrepreneurs who are ready to scale globally, and Gateway85 has the infrastructure, partnerships and resources to help them do it. By working together, we are strengthening Georgia’s economy, creating job opportunities in our district and helping Ukraine build long-term resilience through business expansion.”

In addition to attracting Ukrainian tech and manufacturing companies to locate in Gateway85, the district is also laying the groundwork for existing Gateway85-based companies to do business in Ukraine and participate in what’s expected to be the largest reconstruction project since World War II. Building on the success of the Launch Pad event in March and a strong presence at the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington, D.C. in May, Gateway85 continues to position its business community for international growth.

Gateway85’s economic development strategy is backed by a strong coalition of partners including Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners, Partnership Gwinnett, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Tech and the U.S. Department of Commerce. Together, they can provide hands-on support — from office space and research access to business licensing and federal resources — to help these companies succeed.

Gateway85 is currently planning the launch of a dedicated tech office to serve as a base for incoming Ukrainian and international firms, along with a showcase event later this year to introduce visiting executives to the district’s assets. Outreach is also expanding to additional Ukrainian regions like Kharkiv and Dnipro, with the goal of identifying more companies ready to grow beyond Ukraine’s borders.

As Ukraine moves from emergency response to long-term recovery, Gateway85 is showing how local economic development can make a global impact — starting with one partnership at a time.

EEB PERSPECTIVE

Log book unfolds history of first county fire station

The Norcross station today. Photo via Gwinnett County Fire.

By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum

JUNE 27, 2025  |  It was in an old file cabinet along with many other papers, as I was clearing junk out. At first, the black plastic spiral bound lined paper document seemed of no value. But the title got my attention: 

         “1971 Log Book for Station #1 Gwinnett Co. Fire Department, Norcross, Georgia.”

Looking through the log, it was a day-by-day detail of what went on at the county’s first fire station, replacing the former Norcross Volunteer firefighters.  Included was a roll call of who was on duty, and a note (each day) that the new crew coming on duty made a “truck check out.”

Those who worked the first day (March 29, 1971) included Fire Chief Ray Mattison, Homer Gilstrap, Tom Griffin, Dick Howard and Deputy Chief Richard Garner. The second day, the firemen on duty were Deputy Chief Garner, Jeff Huff, David Roper and Ronald Earwood.

The county fire department came about since the new Western Electric plant at what was then Norcross Tucker Road and Interstate 85 needed fire protection. The county contracted with DeKalb County for this protection for  the first two years, while the county fire department was being formed. Former County Commissioner Ray Gunnin of Norcross wrote legislation to form the department, if approved by voters in the Pinckneyville precinct. He included a way how other county precincts could vote to join the district (without additional legislation).  Later that year, four other precincts joined and soon after others followed. The county had wall-to-wall fire protection by 1980.

That first day of the department,  there were no fire calls. The first visitor to the station was an Allstate insurance agent, Ken Morgan, to see if Edgewood North was included in the district. It was. The other visitor that day was Commissioner Gunnin, stopping by at 10 p.m.

The first fire call came on March 30, at 9 a.m. at 1000 South Buford Highway, where a liquid asphalt truck was on fire, which was extinguished.  On the return to the station, Garner and Roper “cleaned the truck.” Another call came at 1:57 p.m. for a grass fire on Goshen Springs Road. 

While the fire department was to serve the Norcross area, it responded to other emergencies. On April 23, 1972, a driver was trapped in his car on I-85 near the Panasonic building.  Though giving assistance, the driver was dead on arrival at the Duluth hospital.

On August 10, Chief Mattison drove the fire engine to Capitol Ford in Atlanta  for repair on the power steering. Meanwhile, the former Norcross volunteer fire truck was temporarily put in service until Truck No. 1 returned. That same day, the department responded at 3:35 p.m. to a truck hung up on the railroad at the  Holcomb Bridge Road crossing. Apparently  there was no collision, and the fire crew returned to the station at 4:30 p.m.

This log book was full of many mundane listings of the daily activities, and the response to them, even what time each day they had chow.  

So, what to do with this early log of the Gwinnett Fire Department? 

The City of Norcross had built a fire museum in front of Fire Station No. 1, where it housed its former volunteer fire unit’s truck. We handed over the original station log book to the city, to be preserved there for history.

And where did I get the log?  It was from former County Commissioner Minor Corley of Duluth, who gave me a box of his papers from the 1960s. That box of papers proved invaluable when writing the book on the history of the county.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Comet National Shipping

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s sponsor is Comet National Shipping Inc., based locally in Lilburn at  4149 Arcadia Industrial Circle. Comet is your one stop shop to any shipping needs. Their services include but is not limited to moving freight across the nation, warehousing, transloading,  and crossdocking . Comet opened its door in 1992 and had since dedicated itself to becoming an expert in the industry, bringing you cost-saving options such as LTL, Less Than a Truck load, where customers only pay for the space that they need, not a whole truck. Comet offers B2B services as well as B2C.Whatever your shipping needs are – Comet has you covered. Door to door, one hundred pounds or more. Reach out to them at 1-800-831-5376 and of course be sure to let them know that you read about them in the GwinnettForum!

  • For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here. 

ANOTHER VIEW

City of Suwanee kicks off its 2040 strategic plan

By Bonnie Simmons
Communications and Marketing manager, City of Suwanee

SUWANEE, Ga.  |  The City of Suwanee has officially kicked off a major planning initiative to shape the city’s future over the next 15 years. Known as the Suwanee 2040 Strategic Plan, the effort will serve as a community-driven roadmap to guide decisions and investments around quality of life, infrastructure, and city services.

Simmons

The planning process will take place over the next 18 months, with the city actively seeking feedback and input from residents, workers, business owners, and other community stakeholders. At its core, the plan aims to reflect the shared values and priorities of Suwanee’s people and help the city align its efforts accordingly.

The city has partnered with Interface Studio, an urban planning and design firm, to lead research, engagement, and development of the final strategy. Known for their collaborative and creative approach, Interface Studio will work closely with city staff and the community throughout the planning process.

Assistant City Manager Denise Brinson says: “Strategic plans help cities set goals, clarify priorities, and identify the best ways to allocate resources. But this isn’t just a plan created in a boardroom. It’s a collaborative, community-centered vision that will shape how we continue to evolve and thrive as a city.”

Unlike the city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which focuses mainly on land use and managing physical growth, a strategic plan is broader in scope. It addresses everything from parks and recreation to economic development, public safety, youth engagement, transportation, communication, and the arts. The plan also considers the needs of key groups, including seniors, small business owners, and commuters.

This isn’t Suwanee’s first long-range planning effort. The city completed its last strategic plan, Suwanee 2020, in 2012. That plan laid the groundwork for many of the successful initiatives Suwanee residents enjoy today, including expanded green space, new development in the Town Center area, and enhanced community programming. Officials say the new plan will build on this foundation, while also looking ahead to new challenges and opportunities.

Throughout the process, residents will have a variety of opportunities to get involved. In addition to digital outreach and surveys, the city will host several in-person engagement events, including a unique pop-up “Strategic Plan Storefront” exhibit. From August 9–23, 2025, the Suwanee Welcome Center and Arts Center will be transformed into an interactive space where visitors can explore key planning topics, share ideas, and participate in hands-on activities designed for all ages.

Once complete, the Suwanee 2040 Strategic Plan will serve as a living document to guide policy decisions, shape annual budgets, and inform partnerships for years to come. The final plan is expected to be adopted in late 2026.

For more information about the planning process, including updates, engagement opportunities, and background on the city’s past planning efforts, visit www.suwanee.com/strategicplan.

FEEDBACK

Child psychologist writes about a 79-year-old child

Editor, the Forum: 

There is one that an incredible book that came out last year that does the best job outlining  just what a tyrant needs in his bag of tricks.  The book is written by a child psychologist with many publications and hours.  

Only a child psychologist could write this book. It is about a 79-year-old child sitting in the White House, Donald J. Trump, the kid that never grew up.  The author is George G. Bear and the full title is LYING, CHEATING, BULLYING, AND NARCISSISM: The Development of Self Discipline and the Influence of Trumpism.  

It is a well-researched book and fully footnoted.  Although it is a Print-on-Demand book (printed when ordered), it is available through quite a few bookstores.  I recommend Powell’s Books, in Portland, Ore. and Labyrinth Books in. Princeton, N.J. and ABE Books, which is online.  It is not inexpensive, about $50.  I would advise against a hard bound copy, they are over $200.  It is probably available in e-book editions.

A very good thing is that this book is written to be read.  A lot of professors and other scholars who write are writing for professionals and not generally for unprofessional consumers.  

Raleigh Perry, Buford

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:  ebrack2@gmail.com.  

UPCOMING

Peachtree  Corners introduces new tool for citizens

The City of Peachtree Corners is launching CurioCity, a new, fully integrated web chat assistant designed to enhance customer service and streamline communication between residents and city staff.

Developed in partnership with Citibot, a national AI-powered firm for local governments, CurioCity is available 24/7 on the city’s website to help residents get fast answers, submit service requests, and connect with the appropriate department — all in real time.

City Manager Brian Johnson says: “Our goal is to remove barriers and make city government more accessible, responsive, and transparent. CurioCity brings information and assistance to the fingertips of our residents, enhancing how we communicate and serve our community.”

Residents can start chatting with CurioCity by visiting peachtreecornersga.gov and clicking the chat icon located in the bottom right corner of the screen — accessible on both desktop and mobile devices. CurioCity greets users instantly and guides them through their inquiry.

Founded in 2016 in Charleston, S.C.,, Citibot empowers local governments to better serve their communities with AI-powered web chat and text messaging tools that are easy to use and multilingual by design.

With this launch, Peachtree Corners becomes one of the first municipalities in Georgia to implement this platform.

Leadership Gwinnett announces 2026 class members 

Leadership Gwinnett has announced members of its Class of 2026, the latest cohort in its program dedicated to developing and empowering community leaders. For 40 years, Leadership Gwinnett has been at the forefront of cultivating informed, connected, and committed leaders equipped to make a meaningful impact in Gwinnett County and beyond.

The Class of 2026 will begin a nine-month journey learning about Gwinnett in August 2025. To read the names of this new class, CLICK HERE.

 Sparkle in the Park returns July 3 in Lilburn 

Sparkle in the Park returns to the City of Lilburn on July 3, starting at 6 p.m. This will be the 16th annual Sparkle. Join the community for this celebration of independence at Lilburn City Park for a night full of live entertainment, food vendors and a fireworks display.

Shuttles will be available for attendees at no cost for the event. They will run from Lilburn City Hall, Lilburn First Baptist Church as well as at Killian Hill Road and Poplar Street. Accessible parking will also be available on a first come basis at Lilburn City Park on 76 Main Street. Note  that Main Street will be closed to traffic from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on the day of the event. 

The celebration kicks off at 6 p.m. and lasts until 10 p.m. with food trucks, children’s activities and of course, a live music lineup. For the opening act, Atlanta’s dynamic brass band Funk Cake will take the stage for a rocking performance. Next, headlining the event lineup is No Diggity Band, a premier Hip Hop, R&B and Pop tribute band. They play all the hits from the ‘90s to the 2000s for an electrifying performance.

NOTABLE

Jackson EMC only electric co-op with this award

Jackson EMC has once again earned national recognition for its exceptional customer service. The cooperative’s contact center has been recertified by the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), maintaining its distinction as the only electric membership corporation (EMC) in the United States to receive this certification.

The ICMI Site Certification is a globally respected benchmark, awarded to contact centers that demonstrate high efficiency and deliver a world-class customer experience. Jackson EMC first received the certification in May 2023. The cooperative has now successfully completed its first recertification process, underscoring a strong and ongoing commitment to service excellence.

In May, ICMI consultants visited Jackson EMC’s headquarters to conduct a comprehensive audit. This included interviews with key members of leadership, a review of more than 50 performance areas, and a deep dive into operational standards and service metrics. 

Brent Cochran, director of customer service, says: “Our team takes great pride in being responsive, efficient and caring. We earned this certification again because we stay focused on what matters most — supporting our members with the kind of personalized care they deserve.”

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 271,000 meters on 15,440 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.  

Rowen is at epicenter of educational institutions

Rowen is at the epicenter of top universities, colleges and technical schools and has board-level partnerships with some of America’s top-ranked higher education institutions. Within the Rowen Region, there is a 90 percent high school graduation rate and, in recent years, averaged over 50,000 college graduates annually focused on some of Rowen’s key industries: computer science, healthcare and engineering.

RECOMMENDED

Women in Love, by D.H. Lawrence

From Karen J.  Harris, Stone Mountain: This is a classic story of four friends, two of whom are sisters and two best friends, who meet and attempt to work out the tangle of what being in love is all about.   It is a gorgeously rendered story of sisters who meet two best friends, and fall in love.  The two relationships are vastly different from one another. In the background is the erotically charged attraction between two, which never overtly acted upon, looms large in terms of the emotional/spiritual availability of others. The story explores the inner workings of each character, especially their need for relationship and validation or not through relationship. The deeply moving denouement is poignant but is unavoidable as the relationships evolve.  I attempted to read this book 25 years ago but was unable to understand it.  Picking it up now, I inhaled the ideas, motivations and the interior landscape of each character.

  • 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.  Click here to send an email.

GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA

Pemberton successful doctor before inventing Coca-Cola

In his day, John Stith Pemberton was a most respected member of the state’s medical establishment, but his gift was for medical chemistry rather than regular medicine. He was a practical pharmacist and chemist of great skill, active all his life in medical reform, and a respected businessman. 

His most enduring accomplishments involve his laboratories, which are still in operation more than 125 years later as part of the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Converted into the state’s first testing labs and staffed with Pemberton’s hand-picked employees, these labs almost single-handedly eliminated the sale of fraudulent agricultural chemicals in the state and ensured successful prosecution of those who tried to sell them.

Born on January 8, 1831, in Knoxville, in Crawford County, Pemberton grew up and attended the local schools in Rome, where his family lived for almost thirty years. He studied medicine and pharmacy at the Reform Medical College of Georgia in Macon, and in 1850, at the age of 19, he was licensed to practice on Thomsonian or botanic principles (such practitioners relied heavily on herbal remedies and on purifying the body of toxins, and they were viewed with suspicion by the general public). He practiced medicine and surgery first in Rome and its environs and then in Columbus, where in 1855 he established a wholesale-retail drug business specializing in materia me Civil War  (1861-65), he acquired a graduate degree in pharmacy, but the exact date and place are unknown.

The analytical and manufacturing laboratories of J. S. Pemberton and Company of Columbus were unique in the South. “We are direct importers,” the company claimed, “manufacturing all the pharmaceutical and chemical preparations used in the arts and sciences.” Established in 1860 and outfitted with some $35,000 worth of the newest and most improved equipment—some of it designed and patented by the company—it was “a magnificent establishment,” an enthusiastic reporter from the Atlanta Constitution proclaimed in 1869 when the labs were moved to Atlanta, “one of the most splendid Chemical Laboratories that there is in the country.”

Pemberton served with distinction as a lieutenant colonel in the Third Georgia Cavalry Battalion during the Civil War and was almost killed in the fighting at Columbus in April 1865. In 1869 he became a principal partner in the firm of Pemberton, Wilson, Taylor and Company, which was based in Atlanta, where he moved in 1870. Two years later he became a trustee of the Atlanta Medical College and established a business in Philadelphia, Penn., where his own brands of pharmaceuticals were manufactured on a large scale. He also served for six years (1881-87) on the first state examining board that licensed pharmacists in Georgia.

Pemberton was “the most noted physician Atlanta ever had,” according to the Atlanta newspapers, but he is best known for his expertise in the laboratory, where he perfected the formula for Coca-Cola.

(To be continued)

MYSTERY PHOTO

Can  you determine just where this waterfront is?

Today’s mystery is a waterfront. Just what waterfront is it?  Try your skills in making this determination, then send your answers to ebrack2@gmail.com and be sure to tell us your hometown.

The last mystery photo produced quite a few correct answers, although there are always a few incorrect ones, too. 

Sara Burns of Duluth told us:This is Christ’s Church at Frederica, St. Simon’s Island, Ga. My husband and I visited it during the last century after reading Eugenia Price’s historical novels about her beloved island. In fact, she is buried in this Episcopalian cemetery.”

Holly Moore, Suwanee, added: “Founded as a mission, this parish dates back to 1736 and the missionaries, John and Charles Wesley. It became the second church in the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia in 1824 and continues to be an active Episcopal parish today. The current building was built in 1884.” 

The photo came from Rick Krause of Lilburn. Others getting the right answer included: David Will, Lilburn; Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; Billy Chism, Toccoa; Larry Key, Cumming; Bryan Ginn, Evans; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; David Williams, Buford; Susie Duke, Norcross; Virginia Klaer, Duluth; Lori Anderson, Norcross; and Annette Summerour, Duluth. 

Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas, gave us a larger answer, which informed us: Today’s mystery photo is of the Christ Church, Frederica, an Episcopal church affectionately called This Way to Heaven by the locals on Saint Simon’s Island. It was commissioned in 1884 by lumber baron Anson Greene Phelps Dodge Jr. (1850 – 1898) to replace an earlier, ca.1820 wooden church that was heavily damaged during the Civil War. When Dodge Jr. decided to rebuild the church, he did so incorporating as many parts of the original church as possible and dedicating it to his late wife, Ellen Ada Phelps Dodge (1853 – 1879), whose remains lie beneath the altar.

“Much of the church was constructed and carved by shipbuilders that featured a timber roof resembling an inverted ship’s hull. The most cherished features of the church are the 20 Tiffany-style, stained-glass windows. While many people believe that all of the windows are made by Tiffany, there is actually only one authenticated window that is attributed to Tiffany Studios. It is the “Boy Jesus in the Temple”, located on the west wall near the Hampton Street entrance and is clearly marked with “Tiffany Studios N.Y. 1917”.

“Of course, I would be remiss if I did not include a couple of obscure facts:

  • “The Church Was Built by a Body Smuggler: Anson Dodge Jr.’s wife, Ellen, died in 1879 of cholera during their honeymoon in India. At the time, the British colonial authorities had strict quarantine laws in effect that generally prohibited the transport of cholera victims’ remains. Rather than accept a local burial, Dodge Jr. reportedly had her body embalmed, sealed in a lead-lined coffin, and shipped back to the U.S., allegedly without official permission. After completing the church, Anson Dodge Jr. buried her beneath the altar.
  • “’This Way to Heaven’ was literally a sign: At times, the church could be difficult to see from the main road as it was nestled amongst a number of majestic, live oak trees covered in hanging Spanish moss. To help tourists locate the site, locals put up a sign along Frederica Road with an arrow pointing towards the church’s entrance. It was humorously labeled as ‘This Way to Heaven’ and soon became a beloved photo-op spot and quirky attraction, symbolizing both spiritual direction and Southern charm.”
  • 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.

CALENDAR

PCOM Blaze 5K Run/Walk is Saturday in Suwanee

The PCOM Georgia Blaze 5K Run/Walk with students, faculty, and staff of PCOM Georgia will be Saturday, June 28, at Suwanee Towne Center. This event celebrates their 20th year in Suwanee and supports PCOM students through the Sandra and Clyde Strickland Endowed Scholarship Fund. For more details, click here.

Jazz in the Alley in Norcross. This weekend’s got that jazzy spark you’ve been craving! Join us this Saturday, June 28 as Jazz In The Alley turns up the groove at Betty Mauldin Park from 7:30–9:30 p.m. Get ready for the trumpet-slaying, genre-mixing maestro who’s stirring jazz with a twist of hip-hop, funk and soul. It’s smooth, it’s bold—it’s a full-on sound explosion. Bring your blanket, grab some local eats and let’s vibe under the stars. Because this isn’t just a concert—it’s a whole mood.

 Author Talk: Join author Omar Tyree as he celebrates the 30th anniversary of his iconic bestselling novel Flyy Girl. This will be on July 1 at 7 p.m. at the Snellville Branch of Gwinnett County Public LibraryBooks will be available for purchase and signing.

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 July 2 will be Louis Svehla, director of communications for Peachtree Corners. No dues or membership fees; anyone can attend.

Sparkle in the Park: The City of Lilburn will hold its 16th annual Sparkle in the Park this year on Thursday, July 3, starting at 6 p.m. Join the community for this celebration of independence at Lilburn City Park for a night full of live entertainment, food vendors and a fireworks display.

Join art professor Dr. Janet Stephens to explore the history of color in art and the Impressionists’ impact in transforming painting and bringing the arts into the modern world. The talk is entitled Color and the Rise of Modern Art: Impressionism and Beyond.  It will be presented July 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. 

The Park Place Master Plan Recommendations workshop will be July 10 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The workshop will be at 1790 East Park Place Boulevard. Come to share your thoughts on the recommended design framework for Gwinnett’s southwestern gateway! Your feedback will help ensure that the master plan reflects the needs and collective vision to make this community thrive. The Park Place district generally surrounds the intersection of Park Place Boulevard.

Learn about fireflies. Georgia has 50+ different species of fireflies, more than any other state in the country! Join Gwinnett Parks and Rec at Simpsonwood Park on July 10 for Full Moon Friday Firefly Frenzy to witness this summer phenomenon and help record valuable data on these incredible insects. It’s for all ages and starts at 8 p.m. 

A Year with Frog and Toad is the next production of Lionheart Theatre Company in Norcross.  It will be staged from July 17-20. Follow two best friends, the cheerful Frog and grumpy Toad, as they hop, sing and dance their way through a year of adventure. Based on the books by Arbold Lobel. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased online.

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