Full issues

NEW for 8/19: On referendum, Ukraine, best hospitals

GwinnettForum  |   Number 25.64  |  Aug. 19,  2025

THE 2025 FOOTBALL SEASON kicked off last Thursday, with Buford High vs. Milton High — and it was televised nationally by ESPN. This photo is from a drone, capturing this scene when Buford defeated Milton, 20-13.  It was also the opening of the Phillip Beard Football Stadium, shown on the left; the right of the photo shows Buford High School. 

IN THIS EDITION

TODAY’S FOCUS: Councilman explains Norcross homestead exemption referendum
EEB PERSPECTIVE: War in Ukraine changes the way future wars will be fought
SPOTLIGHT: Walton Gas 
ANOTHER VIEW: Be informed: Where are the best hospitals in Georgia?
FEEDBACK: Scientifically finding out how long a smoker can live
UPCOMING: Lanier Poker Run coming soon, to benefit charities 
NOTABLE: GBC among top workplaces for third year in a row
RECOMMENDED: Behold the Dreamers, by Imbolo Mbue
GEORGIA TIDBIT: TunisCampbell key figure in Freedman’s Bureau
MYSTERY PHOTO: This mystery  is no typical Southern home
CALENDAR: Smart Money for Parents at Norcross library soon

TODAY’S FOCUS

Councilman explains Norcross Homestead Exemption referendum

Norcross City Hall

By Matt Myers
City Councilman, Norcross

NORCROSS, Ga.  |  As a member of the Norcross City Council, I believe it is crucial that our residents have a clear understanding about the proposed Norcross Homestead Act. This is a direct response to the rising cost of living and is designed to provide meaningful tax relief to homeowners, particularly seniors on fixed incomes. It’s about ensuring Norcross remains a place where people can afford to live, work, and invest for the long term.

What is the Norcross Homestead Act?

It is a measure that significantly increases the city’s homestead exemptions for property taxes.  A homestead exemption reduces the taxable value of a homeowner’s primary residence, which in turn lowers their annual property tax bill. On Dec. 2, 2024, Norcross City Council voted to approve the Norcross Homestead Act, which the Gwinnett House and Senate members got  passed in the  Georgia General Assembly and was signed into law on May 14, 2025, authorizing a public referendum.

Why would there be a need to increase the homestead exemption for Norcross?

The current homestead exemption for Norcross homeowners—$9,000 for residents under 62 and $18,000 for those 62 or older—has not been updated since 1990. During that time, the average home price in Georgia was $70,700, while Gwinnett was $95,500. Today, the median home sales price in Norcross is as much as $475,000, representing a nearly 400 percent increase. However, at the same time, the exemption amount has remained stagnant.

What are the proposed changes?

The proposal seeks to increase the homestead exemptions as follows:

    • Changes the qualifying senior homestead exemption from age 62 to age 65 to align with Gwinnett County;
    • For homeowners under the age of 62: Increase from $9,000 to $45,000. (400 percent increase); For homeowners 62 to 65: Increase from $18,000 to $45,000 (150 percent increase); and
    • For homeowners 65 and older: Increase from $18,000 to $90,000 (400 percent increase).

How will this benefit Norcross residents?

This will bring tax relief, helping homeowners keep up with the rising costs of living. It will make homeownership more affordable, especially for families and those on fixed incomes.

What is the financial impact on the city?

The current exemptions reduce city tax revenue by approximately $166,500 annually. The proposed increase is estimated to have an additional financial impact of about $667,000. This is equivalent to approximately 0.4 mills at the current millage rate. 

The city will manage this impact by setting the millage rate annually based on the tax digest and may explore budget adjustments, revenue diversification, or grants to ensure fiscal responsibility without compromising essential city services. This initiative is consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan Goal 2, strengthening Norcross as a livable, inclusive and safe environment and Goal 5, which aims to ensure that Norcross residents have a variety of attainable, quality housing options.

What is the process for approval?

For this change to take effect, it must be approved by the voters of Norcross. The final step is a public referendum scheduled for November 4, 2025.

How can you participate?

All registered voters in the City of Norcross are encouraged to learn about this important issue. Understand the Norcross Homestead Act and the impact to your home. Educate your neighbors about the referendum and the benefits of the Norcross Homestead Act. The most crucial step for voters is to exercise their rights by voting in this year’s upcoming election on November 4, 2025.

EEB PERSPECTIVE

War in Ukraine changes the way future wars will be fought

By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher, GwinnettForum

AUG. 19, 2025  |  The major outcome of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is how it has changed the way wars are now fought. That’s the conclusion of Emory Morsberger of Lilburn, who has made three journeys to Ukraine since hostilities began. 

“This war has turned the military structure throughout the world upside down,” Morsberger maintains. It’s happened in the last two years. 

“Today 80 percent of the military structure is  obsolete—worldwide. No longer do you have recognized front lines. Now you can be attacked, by drones, from great distances away.

“No longer are tanks and artillery the key weapons. Battle lines do not routinely face one another.  Drones, on both sides, can rain down on you no matter where you are. And the drones do not have to be guided by a soldier sitting at a desk. Drones are smart now, and can find their own targets.  It is the future of war.”

“More and more of the destruction of war is attack by drones, and at the same time, both sides are constantly trying to prevent drones hitting targets, what they call drone protection. The result is that both sides are trying to jam the airways, and trying to pick off drones as they zoom in on a target. It is the future of war.”

Morsberger

Morsberger also recognizes that drones do not necessarily look like aerial warheads. “Today there are water drones, and land drones which can carry weapons with them. The land drone looks much like a dog, and can run like a dog. These land drones can get in the ditch where there are enemy troops, and cause havoc there. With these modern weapons, the vulnerability of both sides is increased.”

Morsberger says that “Russia gets drones from China. But even most of ours are made in China, and China is passing us.  We are the second or third,  behind China and Ukraine, when it comes to drones.”

Morsberger has so far raised $5 million of medical equipment, generators, and  water purification equipment and other material to the fighting Ukrainians. 

He is also in contact with Ukrainian businessmen who want to set up manufacturing of various products for the  United States markets, to avoid tariffs, since the output would be  made in America.  “The Ukrainians have money to invest here. They are not looking for financing.”

During a recent visit to Ukraine, Morsberger came under heavy bombardment while in Odessa and to a limited degree in Kiev. “There were air raids nightly.  I spent time in a hotel in Kiev in a basement. I had a room on the first floor, and when the bombardment began, you could look out the window and see the light when a drone exploded.  There was smoke throughout the city.

“We were told to stay away from windows, at least to go to the hallway where you would have walls around you. 

“A couple of nights when the missiles got close, we went to the basement. There were about 20 mattresses on the floor.  You just stayed there and tried to sleep until the alarms gave the all clear. Then you got up the next morning, took a shower, and began meeting with people from the Embassy again. Some people arrived late, since it had been a long night. Being under bombardment is a strange sensation, and it gives you something of a feeling of what the British went through during London’s attacks by the German missiles.

“Yet I felt I  should be there in Ukraine, and wasn’t scared. I plan to go back this fall.” 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Walton Gas

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Walton Gas is a local natural gas provider that serves homes and businesses all across Gwinnett – and the greater Atlanta area!  With an office in Gwinnett, they have a rich history of investing in this community – from civic and business groups to non-profit organizations and scholarships/grants for school students and classrooms. They have received the highest customer satisfaction ratings among all of Georgia’s competitive natural gas providers. To learn more about their outstanding value and service, call 770-427-4328 or, visit:www.waltongas.com/gwinnett.

ANOTHER VIEW

Be informed: Where are the best hospitals in Georgia?

“Everyone should have ready access to all necessary medical, hospital and related services.” — President Harry Truman

By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga.  |  With the exception of “medical deserts” in lower income urban and rural areas, most Georgians have “ready access” to a hospital… if they can afford it. But an unacceptable 13 percent of Georgians are uninsured…and in some rural counties (Whitfield, Atkinson, Webster, Candler and Gordon) over one in five are uninsured. (That is a discussion for another time.)

What about those Georgians that do have financial access to a local hospital? It is very difficult to know your area’s hospital quality rating versus others. But without this data, how do you know if you should go there…or drive further away to a better rated hospital? Your health and life could depend on which direction you head.

Thankfully, there is one generally recognized national source for this information – US News and World Report. This publication evaluates data regarding ten procedures and conditions, breaking down hospitals into three categories- “high performing,” “as expected” and “evaluated.” 

Obviously, you would want to take your sick, elderly mother to a facility in the “high performing” category, even if it is inconvenient and means using more gas.

As would be expected, most of Georgia’s ‘high performing” 15 regional hospitals are in the greater Atlanta metro area. 

In order of quality rating rankings, they include: Emory University Hospital,  Emory St. Joseph’s HospitalPiedmont Atlanta Hospital,  Emory University Hospital MidtownWellStar Kennestone Hospital,  Northside Hospital Cherokee, Piedmont Fayette HospitalNorthside Hospital ForsythNorthside Hospital Atlanta, and Northside Hospital Gwinnett.

Facilities outside of the metro area which are also rated “high performing” include (in order of ranking): Northeast Georgia Medical Center (Gainesville), Piedmont Athens Regional Medical CenterAdventHealth Redmond (Rome), Atrium Health Navicent Medical Center (Macon), and  Piedmont Augusta Hospital.

In addition, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is rated as the best children’s hospital in the Southeast, top performing in 10 of the 11 pediatric specialties evaluated.

Notably, some of our more populated areas…such as Columbus and Savannah… do not have any hospitals included on this list of top Georgia facilities. Here is a list of the largest Georgia general acute care (versus specialty) hospitals which did not make this list of top performing facilities- Grady (953 beds) in Atlanta; the Augusta University Medical Center (728 beds); Phoebe Putney (621 beds) in Albany; Piedmont Columbus (583 beds); Memorial Health University Medical Center (594 beds) in Savannah; Piedmont Henry Hospital (383 beds); Wellstar Cobb (367 beds) in Austell; Saint Francis-Emory (325 beds) in Columbus; Doctors Hospital of Augusta (319 beds); Archbold Medical Center (301 beds) in Thomasville; Piedmont Eastside (299 beds) in Snellville; and Atrium Health Floyd (299 beds) in Rome. Individual ratings can be accessed via this website- https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/best-regional-hospitals .

Most Americans are not even aware that this privately developed report exists. One would think that our federal and state governments would want the public to have this type of  information so that patients could make informed decisions about their healthcare. But evidently, that must not be the case. At least the two political parties can agree on something- not upsetting the usual power structure, including hospital administrators, by releasing objective information regarding hospital performance.

FEEDBACK

Scientifically finding out how long a smoker can live

Editor, the Forum:

It was in 1993 when I started going to the VA Hospital with the original diagnosis of PTSD.  In the many years that I have been there, I have met two doctors that were not worth anything.  All of the rest have been better than you would find in their own facilities.  PTSD is a major problem with me, even considering I  have been in active therapy since 1974.  After PTSD came a bunch of problems caused by Agent Orange exposure.  Doctors at the VA have saved my life twice. Most of the doctors that I have seen have been excellent.  But there is always one jackass.

I was a walk-in at a clinic near the house.  After checking the  blood sugar, temperature, blood pressure, etc., I was led into the exam room.  Eventually a doctor came in with my triage results, but he never looked at them. 

As a matter of fact, he never asked why I was even there.  He looked at me and said: “You smoke, don’t you?”  I told him I smoke a pipe but did not inhale.  I went through an hour lecture on stopping smoking. He never mentioned why I was there.  He told me he had a scheduled appointment and at that time I told him that he had asked me all the questions, and scolded me about smoking but he had not asked me why I smoked.  

I told him this: in 1956 I heard that smoking would kill you. Being a man addicted to science and in statistics, I decided to do some research.  I was 15 at the time.  I then told him that I started smoking then and there, knowing that it would eventually kill me, but I wanted to find out how long it would take to put me down. This visit was in 2006, I had been smoking for 50 years and I was not dead yet.  When I told him that, he got sorely exasperated.

Raleigh Perry, Buford 

Thank God for the return of the Oudai Abouassaf family

Editor, the Forum: 

Thank God for your safety of the Oudai Abouassaf family, and everyone in beloved Sweida, Syria, as reported in the August 14, 2025 edition of GwinnettForum. May God have mercy on those who have passed away and help those who went through this bitter experience.

– Mazen Alsaadi, Daytona Beach, Fla.

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

Lanier Poker Run coming soon to benefit charities

This is the docks at LandShark Landing, where poker run participants will wind up at the end of the run.

By Kasie Boling

Setting sail on Friday and September 12-13 will  be the Pirates of Lanier Poker Run, bringing  a wave of changes to this annual event. It supports two charities: K9s for Warriors and Foster Care Support Foundation

Determined to end veteran suicide, K9s For Warriors provides highly trained Service Dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and/or military sexual trauma. With the majority of dogs being rescues, this innovative program allows the K9/Warrior team to build an unwavering bond that facilitates their collective healing and recovery, saving lives on both ends of the leash. 

Foster Care Support Foundation serves a vital and growing need throughout Georgia by providing free resources to displaced children in foster and kinship care. It partners with Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services, private child placement agencies, school counselors, Georgia State University’s Project Healthy Grandparents, and faith-based organizations to identify and verify children in need. 

The man responsible for the selection of charities marks another impactful change to the event. The new “captain” at the helm of the 2025 Pirates of Lanier Poker Run is lifelong boating enthusiast and longtime Poker Run participant, Zach Martin. 

When asked about his choice of charities, he stated, “A few things were needed to meet our criteria for charity selection. One was that we wanted to support veterans. I am a former military member, along with my father and grandfather. Those who served and need support deserve that. As for the Foster Care Support Foundation, it rips me apart to see a child be without the love and support of a family. Georgia does an excellent job with education support, so we are focusing on the child’s livelihood and how to help them become productive members of society. That starts with a stable, loving household.”

Described by Martin as a total revamp, among the changes coming to the Poker Run is a return to its former powerboat event status. “We want the big, bad powerboats,” he explains. “That is what draws in out-of-towners, helps generate revenue locally, grows awareness about Lake Lanier as a top-tier destination, and – most importantly – brings in good money for the charities as well.”

To register for the 2025 Pirates of Lanier Poker Run and view the event schedule – streamlined from a four-day event to two days this  year, prospective participants are encouraged to visit www.LakeLanierPokerRuns.com.

Potential sponsors can also view the various sponsorship levels and gain their sponsorship at the event website. As the event draws closer, Pirates of Lanier Poker Run fans are encouraged to visit the website often as event updates are added, or like the Poker Run Facebook page. To order an event T-shirt, click here.

Lanier Islands Resort has designed exclusive accommodation specials for Poker Run participants. To view the Pirates of Lanier Poker Run accommodation package and make overnight reservations, pirates are invited to visit the Poker Run Lodging Discount Link or call 770-945-8787. Participants can also enjoy 20 percent savings at Camp Margaritaville RV Resort – Lanier Islands.

NOTABLE

GBC among top workplaces for third year in a row

For the third consecutive year, Georgia Banking Company (GBC) has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2025 honor by The Atlanta Journal Constitution. This list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC, a provider of technology-based employee engagement tools.  The survey measures 15 key culture drivers critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution, and connection.

Bartow Morgan Jr., CEO of Georgia Banking Company, says: “Being named a Top Workplace for the third consecutive year is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the incredible culture we’ve built together at GBC. This recognition is especially meaningful because it comes directly from our employees’ feedback. It reaffirms our commitment of fostering a workplace where people feel valued, connected and empowered to grow.”

GBC’s rapid growth has fueled investments in employee development, recognition and community engagement – strengthening our positive workplace culture.  At our core, we’re committed to creating growth opportunities for employees and customers, supporting our communities, and helping businesses and customers thrive.

RECOMMENDED

Behold the Dreamers, by Imbolo Mbue

From Susan J. Harris, Stone Mountain: This is a fast paced and harrowing story about an immigrant family from Cameroon who attempt integration into America.  Jende Jonga is excited and grateful when he gets a job as a chauffeur for a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. He will be making upwards of $35,000 a year, a fortune in his native home. When his wife, Neni, acquires temporary work for his employer’s wife  at the family summer home in the Hamptons, it seems like the family is on its way to a good life. However, when Lehman Brothers collapses, begins the breakdown of the livelihoods of both the wealthy and those whose lives are already lived on the margins. The immigration system is filled with treacherous loopholes. How this family works through their difficulties is heartbreaking. It is a must read for Americans who know little about those who attempt to live in America.

  • 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

Campbell key figure in Freedman’s Bureau

Tunis Campbell was the highest-ranking and most influential African American politician in 19th-century Georgia. Born on April 1, 1812, in Middlebrook, N.J., he was the eighth of ten children of free Black parents. From ages five to eighteen he attended an otherwise all-white Episcopal school in Babylon, N.Y., where he trained for missionary service with the American Colonization Society’s program of transporting African Americans to Liberia. Upon graduation, Campbell joined the Methodist Church and threw himself into evangelical uplift. 

While he preached against  slavery and established schools, Campbell worked as a hotel steward in New York City and Boston. His Hotel Keepers, Head Waiters, and Housekeepers’ Guide (1848) provides practical information for supervising and running a first-class hotel. White employers described Campbell as a man disposed “to elevate the condition and character of persons of his color.”

By 1861 Campbell was married, had three children, and was a co-partner in a New York bakery. In 1863 U.S. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton commissioned the 51-year-old Campbell to work in Port Royal, S.C., where freedpeople were gathering under the protection of the U.S. military.

After Union general William T. Sherman captured Savannah in December 1864, and Congress set up the  Freedman’s Bureau in March 1865, Campbell was appointed to supervise land claims and resettlement on five Georgia islands: Ossabaw, Delaware, Colonels, St. Catherine’s and Sapelo. Georgia planters regained control of these islands in 1866. Campbell quickly purchased 1,250 acres at Belle Ville in McIntosh County and there established an association of Black landowners to divide parcels and profit from the land.

In 1867 Congress ordered a further reconstruction of the South. As vice president of the Republican Party in Georgia, Campbell worked to register voters before being elected as a justice of the peace, and a state senator from the Second Senatorial District (Tattnall, McIntosh and Liberty counties. In the legislature, Campbell pushed for laws for equal education, integrated jury boxes, homestead exemptions, abolishment of imprisonment for debt, open access to public facilities, and fair voting procedures. 

As a justice of the peace, minister, and political boss, Campbell organized a Black power structure in McIntosh County that protected freed people from white abuses, whether against their bodies or in labor negotiations. He headed a 300-strong African American militia that guarded him from reprisals by the Ku Klux Klan or others, even though his home was burned, he was poisoned, and his family lived in constant fear.

After Democrats regained state power in 1871, they began a concerted effort to overturn Reconstruction. Campbell’s legislative seat was taken, and a series of lawsuits kept him in legal trouble. He traveled to Washington, D.C., where he met with U.S. president Ulysses S. Grant and Senator Charles Sumner to urge that the government intervene actively to save Reconstruction. 

Finally, in 1876, while the U.S. attorney general tried to free him, Campbell was tried and convicted of malfeasance in office, taken from a Savannah jail, handcuffed, chained, and leased out for one year to a convict labor camp, Upon release he went immediately to Washington to meet with U.S. president Rutherford B. Hayes and wrote a small book, Sufferings of the Reverend T. G. Campbell and His Family in Georgia (1877). He died in Boston on December 4, 1891.

MYSTERY PHOTO

This mystery is no typical Southern home

You might call today’s Mystery Photo a typical Southern home. Yet it is most different in one regard, and another in who once lived there. Can you solve this mystery?  Send your answers to ebrack2@gmail.com.

Ruthy Lachman Paul, Norcross, recognized St. Michael and All Angels Church on Thornton College Lane, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom.  She says: “The church stands to the north of the village, in the grounds of Thornton Hall of the Day and Boarding Thornton School. Thornton College was founded in 1811. Thornton Academy is an independent, private day and boarding school for girls ages 3-19 years, located between Milton Keynes and Buckingham. The photo was taken in front of the Chapel Library Thornton College and the fountain is on the field before the athletic runner field.” The picture came from Tom Ferrin of Suwanee. 

The regulars came through with the right answer: Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; and Allen Peel of San Antonio, Texas. Peel adds:The church was built in the first half of the 14th century and significantly restored between 1770 and 1800. It was later rebuilt in 1850 by the Gothic Revival architect John Tarring (1806–1875), and retains many of its original medieval features, including the 14th-century belltower, chancel arch, and clerestory, and 15th-century clerestory windows. By the 1990s, the church had fallen into disrepair and was officially vested in the Churches Conservation Trust on April 1, 1993, marking its formal transition away from being used as an active parish church and place of worship.

“The decorative water fountain in the foreground is a ‘cherub fountain., with a historical link to the last days of Imperial Russia. The fountain depicts a pair of young boys, standing on a base of intertwined dolphins, attempting to wrestle an eel which is spouting water into the pond. The fountain originally belonged to Prince Felix Yussupov (1887–1967), a member of the Russian Royal Family who assassinated Grigori Rasputin (1869–1916) in 1916. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Prince Yussupov and his wife Princess Irina fled their homeland and eventually settled in London. To support themselves, they sold off many valuable possessions that they had managed to bring with them – the fountain being one of them. The fountain was purchased by Ivor Samuel Roberts (1883–1947), the owner of the Thornton estate at the time, who had it installed on the grounds.”

  • 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

Smart Money for Parents at Norcross library soon

Are you a corporate professional dreaming of leaving the 9-to-5 hustle to become your own boss? Attend a workshop, “Your corporate escape plan” on August 19 at  6:30 p.m. at the Snellville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. This workshop provides a clear and actionable roadmap to help you confidently transition to self-employment.

Smart Money for Parents will be the topic at the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on August 19 and 26 at 11 a.m. Learn how to budget, save, and plan for you and your children in this three-part series.

Join for a lively conversation with Leigh Dunlap, screenwriter-turned-novelist, as she discusses her debut Southern thriller novel, Bless Your Heart. She will be appearing at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on August 20 at 6:30 p.m. Books 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 August 20  will be Gwinnett Commissioner Kirkland Carden.  No dues or membership fees; anyone can attend.

Churches in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey: Join author Brenda S. Cox for a visual and historical journey through the churches that shaped Jane Austen’s life and novels. Books will be available for purchase and signing. This part of the Gwinnett Reads Jane Austen series will be at the Lilburn  Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on August 21 at 6:30 p.m.

Day of Play in Norcross: the City of Norcross is partnering with Live Healthy Gwinnett to bring you Day of Play on Friday, August 22 from 5-7 p.m. at Lillian Webb Park. Engage for a free day of fun, games and community vibes for all ages. From exciting activities to unforgettable moments, there’s something for everyone. Don’t forget your closed-toe shoes—let’s play the day away! For more information, visit aplacetoimagine.com.

Meet Sissy Goff and David Thomas, nationally recognized speakers, bestselling authors, and co-hosts of the popular Raising Boys and Girls podcast, on Friday, August 22, at 9 a.m. at Greater Atlanta Christian School, 1575 Indian Trail Road, Norcross. The event is free and open to the public with registration link: here.

Jazz in the Alley will be Saturday, August 23 in Betty Mauldin Park in Norcross, from 7:40 to 9:30 p.m. Experience the electric vibes of IAMKHEMESTRY, the genre-bending jazz maverick blending trumpet, hip-hop, funk and soul. Bring your lawn chairs or picnic blankets, savor local bites and relax under the stars

A reading of “Stages of Celebrity” by Pauline Hutchinson will be August 23 at 7 :30 p.m. at the Lionheart Theatre in Norcross. This is a behind-the-scenes night of creativity, conversation and ideas.  The admission is free to all.

The 12th annual Extra Mile 5K and one mile run-walk will be held Saturday, August 23, starting at 7 a.m. at Suwanee Town Center. This benefits Annandale at Suwanee. Participation supports individuals with developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries, while advancing Annandale’s mission to empower every Villager to reach their fullest potential and independence – one gift, one registration, one team and one step at a time.

On Wednesday, August 27, you’re invited to the Norcross to Lilburn Multiuse Trail Study Public Open House to share your ideas on improving safety, mobility and connectivity along the trail corridor. Stop by Norcross Senior Center any time between 4 and 7 p.m. to view concepts, talk with the project team and provide feedback that will help guide the trail’s design and features. Can’t make it in person? You can still make your voice heard by adding comments to the project’s interactive map tool at GwinnettCounty.com/NorcrossLilburnMap.

Join author Ravynn Stringfield as she discusses her newest romance novel, Love in 280 Characters or Less. This will be at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on August 27 at 6 p.m. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Volunteers needed: Looking for a few good men and women to volunteer for the September 6 British Car Fayre in downtown Norcross. Time: between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. If interested, send an email to: Bill Aguilar at:  wcac04@yahoo.com. Include your name, email and cell number.

ABOUT GWINNETT FORUM

GwinnettForum, which has been published online since 2001, is provided to you at no charge every Tuesday and Friday. The publication offers an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.  Learn more:

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