GwinnettForum | Number 25.74 | Sept. 23, 2025
DATING BACK TO 1888, this undated building housed the Loving Aid Society previously on Neal Boulevard in Lawrenceville, a charitable group who helped Black members with funeral expenses when they died. Members formerly paid as little as ten cents each month as their dues. Today there are only three members left, and the organization has sold its property to the city of Lawrenceville and will seek ways to help others perpetually. See Elliott Brack’s Perspective below for more details.
TODAY’S FOCUS: GGC honors faculty with Fall Recognition Ceremony
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Loving Aid Society working to help in the future
SPOTLIGHT: Peach State Federal Credit Union
ANOTHER VIEW: Politically-inspired violence in our country must stop
FEEDBACK: We are the reason we see more deer in our county
UPCOMING: County seeks RFPs for Gwinnett Place Mall area
NOTABLE: Two Norcross officers granted First Responder Award
RECOMMENDED: The Surrender Experiment, by Michael A. Singer
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Cumberland Plateau extends to northeast Georgia
MYSTERY PHOTO: Try to identify where this seaside harbor is located
LAGNIAPPE: Gwinnett Tech continues remarkable growth trajectory
CALENDAR: Roundabout ribbon-cutting this morning in Lilburn
GGC honors faculty with fall recognition ceremony
By Teresa Araque
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | An economics textbook in a cardboard box labelled as a donation for Goodwill changed one professor’s career path, while another, a first-generation college graduate, the love for chemistry is something he shares with his students.
Dr. Jason Delaney and Dr. Ajay Mallia were two of the honorees during the Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) 2025 Fall Recognition ceremony. The annual ceremony recognizes outstanding scholarship, leadership, service and creativity by members of the GGC community.
Delaney, who is a professor of economics recipient of this year’s Outstanding Faculty Teaching award, addressed the audience.
“If you want to learn, come here,” he said. “We will give you the support that you need. My colleagues are similarly invested, and it’s just incredible to be in a place where everyone is so committed to helping people learn and change and grow into an aspiration they don’t even fully understand.”
Mallia, professor of chemistry, received the Outstanding Faculty Mentoring award. He joined GGC in 2016 and has made a name for himself by including students in his research projects and as a mentor to aspiring chemistry students.
“As a first-generation student myself, I clearly understand the impact of mentors,” he said. “I am who I am now because of the guidance of my mentors, and it is my time to give back to the community and help the next generation of professionals. My main goal is to inspire students to meet any challenge confidently.”
Each year, the GGC Annual Awards Committee solicits nominations from members of the GGC community, reviews the submissions, and compiles a list of recommended recipients. The final selections are made by the senior vice president for academic and student affairs/provost.
This year, six faculty and two staff members were honored:
Faculty Awards
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- Outstanding Faculty Teaching: Dr. Jason J. Delaney;
- Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Teaching: Dr. Damarrio C. Holloway;
- Outstanding Faculty Mentoring: Dr. Ajay Mallia;
- Outstanding Faculty Scholarship and Creative Activities: Dr. Seungjin Lee;
- Outstanding Faculty Service: Dr. Rebecca A. Cooper; and
- Outstanding Faculty Student Engagement: Dr. Misael Romero-Reye.
Outstanding Staff Awards
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- Suzann Burgess and Candice A. Stephens.
During the ceremony, 23 faculty members were recognized for earning a promotion:
- Dr. Benjamin Akins, professor;
- Dr. Philip Wesley Routon, professor;
- Dr. Philip Vinson, associate professor;
- Dr. Amanda Wilsker, professor;
- Andres Cardona, assistant professor;
- Joye Cauthen, associate professor;
- Dr. Kristina Groce Brown, professor;
- Dr. David Dorrell, professor;
- Dr. Jason Embry, associate professor;
- Dr. Adam Hutcheson, associate professor;
- Dr. Todd Lindley, professor;
- Dr. Jamye Curry Savage, professor;
- Dr. Hyo-Joo Han, professor;
- Dr. Elisabeth Javazon, professor;
- Dr. Xiaoping Li, professor;
- Dr. Ajay Mallia, professor;
- Dr. Joshua Morris, professor;
- Dr. Simon Mwongela, professor;
- Dr. Elizabeth Sudduth, professor;
- Dr. Binh Tran, professor;
- Dr. Juliana Lancaster, professor emeritus;
- Dr. Michael Gagnon, professor emeritus; and
- Dr. Anatoly Kurkovsky, professor emeritus.
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Loving Aid Society working to help in the future
By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher, GwinnettForum
SEPT. 23, 2025 | A Lawrenceville charitable organization that dates back to 1888 will soon go out of business, but will leave a major legacy in Gwinnett County.
The Loving Aid Society was formed 137 years ago to help Black people when most people in Gwinnett, Black and white, had little money. Its goal: to help people save money, and provide funds for their funerals and care for the sick. Members paid a little each month, and for years, the organization thrived.
The original founders of the Society were Laura Freeman Gholston and Bob Craig. There is little else known about them. But their idea was to “honor the deceased and help their loved ones.”
Its primary mission was to provide assistance for the dignified burial of Black community members and to offer support for those who were sick or impoverished. The society existed as a significant part of the Black community’s self-help efforts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, holding annual gatherings called the “Turn Out.” These gatherings, where members shared recipes, songs, and prayers, helped strengthen community bonds and celebrated their culture.
The Society had a small land plot in Lawrenceville on Neal Boulevard, across from what would become the Hooper Renwick School. (That was in the segregated days when Hooper Renwick was the only school for Blacks in the entire county.)
The Society erected a two-story building on their lot. The lower half was originally a funeral home, and over the years had other uses, including a church and a day care center. Two Masonic lodges held their meetings at the Loving Aid building.
Early members of the Society paid monthly dues of ten cents. The money built up over the years to pay death benefits for members in good standings. Later, the money would also provide some health benefits for its members.
Today only three members of the Society are still alive. They are Mrs. Ruth Summerour, who is 90 years old; Mrs. Glenda G. Abney, 74, and her husband, Moses Abney, 78, all of Lawrenceville.
Mrs. Summerour has been a member of the Society for “at least 50 years. I joined when I married my late husband.” For years, she worked at the Genesco factory in Lawrenceville “cutting shoes.” Before she retired she was a nurse’s aide at the Gwinnett Hospital.
Before Mrs. Abney’s retirement, she worked 43 years with management at Dolco Packaging in Lawrenceville, retiring as its purchasing agent. “I bought all kinds of items for Dolco,” she says.
Her husband, Malcolm (Moses) Abney, an Army veteran (“I was a truck driver in Germany”) worked for years at Saul’s Department Store in Lawrenceville, and continued when Pool’s Department bought out Saul’s. When he first joined the Loving Air Society, “We paid 50 cents a month.”
The City of Lawrenceville on October 10, 2024 paid the Society $497,000 for the 0.23 acre property, to use in the future in a way which has not yet been decided. The city also owns the adjacent property, a 0.92 acre site. There is also an adjacent shopping center.
One of the Society’s projects has been to place a marker in the privately-owned portion of East Shadowlawn Cemetery. The work was finished recently.
The three remaining members are now working on a way to help others in perpetuity with the funding they received.
It is refreshing to hear that the historic work of the Loving and Aid Society will be in a position to continue helping others in the future.
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Politically-inspired violence in our country must stop
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | Democratic Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman was shot in June. There is no room in this nation for politically inspired violence. It must be condemned.
Political violence did not stop when Rep. Hortman was murdered in a politically motivated assassination. Her alleged killer was a right-wing fanatic, Vance Boelter, disguised as a police officer. He shot her, her husband and their dog to death. Boelter was captured and is under arrest.
Instead of condemning right wing extremism, some MAGA oriented people falsely tried to blame the left. Somehow they implicated Minn. Governor Walz, a Democrat having nothing to do with the incident. Be aware that there was and still is clear evidence that Boelter is an extremely conservative evangelical Christian minister and longtime Trump supporter . Further, it was also alleged by arresting authorities that Boelter’s right wing extremist Hit List included numerous other Democratic lawmakers, as well as abortion providers and pro-choice activists.
Following are just a few weird quotes coming out of all this:
“This is what happens when Marxists don’t get their way.” and “Nightmare on Waltz Street”– U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) in an X post.
“Democrats know they are now seen as the party of political violence, so their propaganda agents are trying to shift the blame.’’ – Right wing social media influencer Mike Cernovich.
“(Boelter) decided to murder and attempt to murder some politicians that were not far Left enough for them.”— U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.).
“(…if the killing) ends up being done by an ultra-liberal activist … watch for many on the left to be silent or even justify it.” — Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
“The far left is murderously violent.” — Elon Musk
At the time of the Minnesota shooting, President Trump was strangely silent. He never even called Walz to express his condolences. Instead, he stated- “Why would I call him? …I could be nice and call, but why waste time?”
The president’s Sept. 10 speech to the nation addressing the recent Charlie Kirk murder was not intended to bring our nation together, or to heal our wounds. Hortman was not mentioned, although he did decry the 2017 Congressional baseball field attack by a left winger which wounded House Whip Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La.
Further, he failed to acknowledge that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband (Paul) was assaulted in their California home by a hammer wielding right wing fanatic. Or to regret the arson attack at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s house in Pennsylvania by a right-winger. Or to acknowledge the unsuccessful kidnapping attempt against Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer by a right-wing militia group.
I will not even mention President Trump’s long history of making innumerable violent statements regarding his opponents. It has been extensively documented elsewhere. However, if we really want this plague of politically induced violence to stop, leadership must come from the top. Trump has proven time and again that he is simply not that leader.
The solution to political violence must be non-partisan, focused on what Governor Cox of Utah stated, addressing the youth of America: “You are inheriting a country where politics feels like rage… is the only option. But…your generation has an opportunity to build a culture that is very different than what we are suffering through right now.”
Democratic leaders are speaking out. When will Congressional Republicans in the Senate and House begin to bring statesmanship to the fore and help bring our country together by speaking out on political violence? We need your voices to curtail this trauma in our land.
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We are the reason we see more deer in our county
Editor, the Forum:
In 2003, we moved to the Harbins community of Gwinnett County. In 2003 we hardly saw deer on our property, which is heavily wooded. Now we see them more than once a day, usually in herds of three-four.
We call them “our” deer, and we enjoy seeing them, especially the fawns. It saddens us to see a carcass lying beside the road. We do not feed the deer, and even take in bird feeders at night, and using noise makers to scare deer away from feeders during the day.
Do they eat my plants? Sometimes. Has either of us had a collision with a deer? Yes. The reason for the deer population “explosion” in Peachtree Corners, Harbins, etc., is no mystery. There is no place for them to go, as the forested and open field areas disappear and more and more housing is put in.
The situation is not going to improve; it is only going to get worse. We are intruders in the deers’ natural habitat.
– Elizabeth Truluck Neace, Dacula
Enjoyed article about helping a young man grow up
Editor, the Forum:
Recently I met John Titus when he and his wife followed the rainbow—the photograph by Geoff Hammett that you published last week. He, his wife and I quickly found we had some places and points in common. He mentioned that he wrote for GwinnettForum, but did not tip me off to this lovely piece of writing about his formative years which appeared mere days later.
A friend and I spoke today and shared a hope that we in this country might find a way to return to a sense of communion with one another. What the friends and neighbors contributed to an orphaned young man and how it helped him to a life of meaning and accomplishment, is an example of what we would wish for one another today.
Thank you, John, for your inspiring article.
– Anne Hall, Atlanta; Norcross Gallery and Studios
Constantly see deer frolicking in back pasture
Editor, The Forum:
There is a deer feeder in the pasture behind my house. (I don’t own the pasture). When the feeder is empty, the deer enjoy my hydrangeas and azaleas. As a consequence, I’ve had to remove all the azaleas in my front yard that had been there for over 20 years. At times you can count 15-20 deer frolicking in the pasture.
– Barbara Knox Luckhurst, Duluth
Concerned about big visual art along highways
Editor, the Forum:
It seems that the Sugarloaf Community Improvement District should have better ways to spend its money than to produce giant pieces of “artwork” that are displayed in heavy traffic areas.
Drivers these days are already having to contend with too many other cars in heavy traffic to have outdoor “art” to add to their things they should look at.
– Louise Stewart, Norcross
Dear Louise: Loosen up some. I like to see bigger art bringing a nice visual to our county. It’s often funded by businesses who realize there is more in life than making a dollar.—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: ebrack2@gmail.com.
County seeks RFPs for Gwinnett Place Mall area
Gwinnett County, through its Urban Redevelopment Agency (URA) and in partnership with CBRE, has announced a nationwide request for proposals (RFP) to identify a qualified developer partner to design, finance, construct and deliver the Gwinnett Place Mall site for redevelopment. The eventual redevelopment will improve property values and economic activity in the area, stimulating significant County property and sales tax growth.
Interested proposers may attend an optional pre-proposal conference on October 7 at 10 a.m. either in person at Innovation Square, 446 West Crogan Street, Conference Room 105, Lawrenceville, or virtually through the link provided in the RFP. Responses must be submitted no later than 3 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2025. Following the deadline, the URA will select the developers that best meet the financial, experiential and evaluation criteria outlined in this RFP.
Moratorium in place for four types of development
Gwinnett Commissioners have approved a temporary moratorium on select development applications while proposed changes to the county’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) undergoes public review.
The UDO governs land use, zoning, development and permitting across Gwinnett County. Proposed amendments include revisions to add or modify requirements for certain uses, specifically:
- Crematories (both stand-alone and as an accessory use to a funeral home);
- Emissions inspection establishments;
- Fleet vehicle repair facilities; and
- Landscape supply businesses.
During the moratorium, which will last no more than 45 days, the County will not accept applications for zoning map amendments, changes in conditions, special use permits, land disturbance permits, development permits or building permits for the identified uses.
Two Norcross officers granted First Responder Award
The City of Norcross is honoring Communications Officer Carin Elmore and Police Officer Gabriel Veras, who were awarded the Scottish Rite, Valley of Atlanta Arthur M. Kaplan First Responder Award on September 4 for their heroic lifesaving efforts earlier this year.
Elmore, who grew up in a family of law enforcement professionals, has spent years ensuring residents receive fast and effective emergency response. Veras, raised in Philadelphia and seasoned through service in multiple police departments, has built a career on helping those in crisis with empathy and skill.
Their commitment was on full display on April 7. Just after noon, Elmore received multiple RapidSOS calls from the Rails Way area. Acting quickly, she created a 911 call for service in the dispatch system, sending officers to the area before receiving any information from County 911. Officer Veras arrived to find a three-year-old child unconscious in the front yard. Without hesitation, he began CPR, performing chest compressions and rescue breaths. Thanks to his swift actions, the child regained a pulse, began breathing.
Overlay Review underway for Mountain Park corridor
The Five Forks corridor, including the three shopping nodes at Rockbridge Road, Killian Hill Road, and Oak Road, are now under review by Gwinnett County for a Commercial Overlay, reports the Mountain Park Community Association.
Such a designation would add a set of zoning rules created to preserve the character of this area. Local residents can decide, do they want more gas stations and fast-food drive-throughs, or do they want to encourage more pedestrian developments, high -quality architecture, and streetscape character?
The current proposal would extend and include all of Five Forks Trickum Road from the Kroger shopping node at Rockbridge Road to the Publix node at Killian Hill Road to the Kroger shopping node at Oak Road, and will only affect the non-residential, or commercial areas along the main roads of the area.
The Surrender Experiment, by Michael A. Singer
From Rick Krause, Lilburn: I read with interest, and benefitted from, Singer’s first book, The Untethered Soul, (recommended, Gwinnett Forum, August 26, 2025). That book was ‘how to.’ This chronicles and demonstrates how the author has used the technique he described in his first book. It is a compelling personal story that describes his decision to stop resisting life, and instead to surrender to its flow. His story begins with an experiment in letting go of personal desires and ego and evolves into an unbelievable journey—from solitary meditation in the forest to leading a multimillion-dollar software company. Singer subscribes to the premise that life is in charge and that it knows better than the ego. By relinquishing control and embracing what each moment offers, he experiences profound growth. His story is filled with bizarre turns, spiritual insight, and real-world challenges, all met with his same unwavering commitment to surrender, to let go to life.
- 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.
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Cumberland Plateau extends to northeast Georgia
Located in the northwest corner of Georgia, Sand, Lookout, and Pigeon mountains belong to the geologic province known as the Appalachian, or Cumberland, Plateau. This plateau extends continuously from New York to Alabama and forms the western boundary of the Appalachian Mountains. Only a small segment of the plateau lies in Georgia, and yet this area is one of the most scenic in the state. A visit to Cloudland Canyon State Park, in Dade County, or to Point Park, on Lookout Mountain in neighboring Tennessee, provides spectacular views from the sandstone bluffs that form the edge of the plateau.
The plateau is interrupted by several north-northeasterly trending valleys: Lookout Valley; McClemore Cove; Sequatchie Valley (longest of them all), which stretches further northwest into Alabama and Tennessee; and Wills Valley, which extends into Alabama. These valleys have been eroded into limestones and shales exposed along the crests of great folds. These are the oldest rocks exposed in the plateau country.
The Mississippian rocks are dominantly limestones and house a famous labyrinth of caves that developed as a result of solution weathering by slightly acidic groundwater. The Pennsylvanian rocks, on the other hand, are mainly sandstones and shales. The resistant sandstones protect the high plateaus from erosion. The resulting topography is an exact reversal of the underlying rock structure; the upfolds form valleys, and the downfolds form the mountain plateaus.
Other mineral commodities mined in the area include limestone, still mined for cement and aggregate, and ironstone, long since exhausted. Thus the plateau country offered a similar combination of iron ore, coal fuel, and limestone flux to that found near Birmingham, Ala. In the early 1900s there were thriving blast furnaces at Chattanooga, Tenn., Gadsden, Alaba., and Rising Fawn, Ga. However, although similar in age and origin, the iron seams in Georgia were much thinner than those in Alabama and were soon depleted.
A curious natural feature of the plateau country is the development of rock towns. The most famous is Rock City, Tenn., but the crest of Pigeon Mountain in Georgia is another excellent example. In both cases a jumble of sandstone blocks is separated by a maze of “streets.”. Given a gentle slope and water for lubrication, the sandstones break into blocks that slide slowly apart over the weaker shales. Around the edges of the plateau these blocks have often tumbled down the slopes as immense landslides.
Settlers utilized these gaps for access to rich farm lands in the limestone valleys (Lookout, Sequatchie, and Wills) and generally avoided the plateau country, where the soils were thin and acidic. Apart from a few old coal-mining communities, such as Durham in Walker County, most settlement occurred in such valleys as Trenton Valley in Dade County. This pattern continues to the present day but with increasing housing development along the scenic bluffs overlooking the valleys.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Try to identify where this seaside harbor is located
Here’s a clue to this edition’s Mystery Photo: it is in a far-out location. Figure out where this photograph was taken, and send your answer to ebrack2@gmail.com, and be sure to tell us where you live.
The most recent mystery was solved by Sara Rollins of Lawrenceville: “This is the Flight 93 Memorial in Somerset County, Penn. It is the final resting place of the 40 passengers and crew who stopped hijackers from taking their plane to crash into the Nation’s Capitol in Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001. It’s near Shanksville, Penn., in the quiet fields of Stonycreek Township, that commemorates that horrific scene from one of the worst days in the country’s history. The architect who designed the site, along with the visitor center and the Tower of Voices, was Paul Murdoch. The landscape artist and architect was Nelson Byrd Woltz. He designed a Field of Honor by planting 40 Maple trees, one for each passenger, and he also transformed an old coal mine into a healing center.”
Also recognizing the scene were Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; Matt Willis, Lawrenceville; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas; and Stewart Ogilvie, Rehobeth, Ala., who identified the photo and told of a similar tragedy: “I worked across the street from the World Trade Center in the late 1970’s and 1980’s and transferred to Buckhead in 1988. My company, a primary dealer of the Federal Reserve Bank, where I was an institutional US government securities trader, was shut down by Westpac Bank after heavy losses and I lost my job in 1994.
“Most of my associates took a job at Fuji Securities on the fourth floor of the WTC. Fortunately they escaped the disaster because they were on a low floor. I was offered a job back there after Westpac closed us and declined as I had just moved my family to Gwinnett a few years earlier. I went up to Cantor Fitzgerald often as they were one of our brokers often eating at Windows on the World in the 80’s. They were on the 100+ floors up and the 100+ people all died on 9/11. Who knows what could have happened if I had made a different life choice. The WTC was a magnificent set of buildings both with lobbies larger than a football field.”
- 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.
Gwinnett Tech continues remarkable growth trajectory
Gwinnett Technical College continues its remarkable growth trajectory, reporting 15,689 students enrolled for the 2025 academic year, marking nine consecutive semesters of enrollment increases. This fall alone, more than 12,300 students are enrolled—a 12 percent increase over last year. Additional growth is expected from the upcoming Term C mini-mester in November. The surge follows an impressive 15 percent enrollment increase in Spring 2025. President Dr. D. Glen Cannon attributes this momentum to several strategic factors, including transfer students from four year colleges; high demand programs fully covered by HOPE; affordable tuition and fast-track career pathways; and robust industry partnerships.
Roundabout ribbon-cutting this morning in Lilburn
Ribbon-cutting of the Bryson Park/Hood Road Roundabout is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23 at 10 a.m. at the park, located at 5075 Lawrenceville Highway in Lilburn. Join city and county officials as they mark this milestone that enhances accessibility, boosts mobility and improves safety for all.
The Norcross PDC (people drinking coffee) meets each Wednesday at 8:15 a.m. at the 45 South Café in downtown Norcross. Speaker for the September 24 meeting will be John Dance, executive director of Fully Furnished Ministries of Peachtree Corners. The event is free and visitors are welcomed.
The annual Public Safety Fall Festival is back for a fun-packed day on Saturday, September 27 at Coolray Field. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., meet Gwinnett’s first responders and enjoy food, giveaways, demonstrations, displays, and the Motorcycle Training Challenge with multiple police agencies showcasing the best of motorcycle courses. Kids can also enjoy a touch-a-truck with a SWAT personnel carrier, fire trucks, and other specialized vehicles. For more information, email PDCommunityAffairs@GwinnettCounty.com. Coolray Field is located at 2500 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville.
Alma Mexicana Atlanta will be presented at the Lilburn Branch of Gwinnett Public Library on September 27. Come for a multicultural experience to learn about the folkloric dances and traditions of Mexican culture.
Ground-breaking for an expansion of Rainbow Village in Duluth will be Monday, September 29 at 10 a.m. at 3427 Duluth Highway in Duluth. The expansion will double the size of housing to help bridge the gap between homelessness and housing security.
Gwinnett County will join the nation in honoring the enduring legacy of President Jimmy Carter and his lifelong commitment to public service, human rights, and community building. The tribute will take place on Wednesday, October 1 at 10 a.m. at Best Friend Park in Norcross. The celebration, held in partnership with the Gateway85 Community Improvement District, Gwinnett County Public Schools, and Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity, will bring together students, residents, and community partners in shared reflection on President Carter’s values of peace, unity, and compassion. As a key part of the tribute, the Jimmy Carter Legacy Art and Essay Contest will feature creative works from students in the Meadowcreek and Norcross clusters of Gwinnett County Public Schools.
Join award-winning author Kimberly Belle as she discusses her newest thriller, The Expat Affair, about an American expat’s startling discovery that plunges her into the glamorous but deadly world of Amsterdam’s diamond industry. Books will be available for purchase and signing. The talk will be October 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library.
Have a ‘berry’ good time at the Bluesberry Beer and Music Festival hosted by the City of Norcross on October 4. Enjoy blueberry drinks and treats while listening to soulful blues music at this popular blueberry-focused event. Admission is free. It will be held 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Thrasher Park.
Braselton Medieval Faire will be October 4-5 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. It will be at Medieval Village and Enchanted Forest, 9924 Davis Street, Braselton. Be entertained and educated with living history demonstrations from History Now, hands-on activities, vendors, and live entertainment throughout the weekend! Stroll over to the Enchanted Forest to meet the Queen and check out the gaming room, demos and DIY lectures!
The Snellville Historical Society fall meeting will be October 5 with an open house at its location, 2145 North Road in Snellville. Time will be from 2-4 p.m.
A debate in Norcross for candidates for two city council seats is scheduled for Tuesday, October 7, at 7 p.m. at the Norcross Community Center. Councilman Matt Myers is being challenged by Briana Murray, while Councilman Bruce Gaynor will have Samantha Spitzner as his opponent. Moderator of the debate will be Jim Blum of Peachtree Corners.
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