GwinnettForum | Number 26.11 | Feb. 6, 2026
THIS IS ONE IMAGE of Bad Government. There are more, and they seem to be proliferating these days, especially nationally. Bad Government is the subject of Elliott Brack’ Perspective below today. Via perchance.org
TODAY’S FOCUS: Liddell family knew Satellite Boulevard as “Politick Road”
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Cranky old Bad Government just keeps on smiling
SPOTLIGHT: Heaven and Alvarez, LLC
ANOTHER VIEW: Here’s another military temporary duty story
FEEDBACK: Felt weight removed when Nixon resigned
UPCOMING: Gwinnett Chamber plans 78th annual dinner Friday
NOTABLE: Gas South District planning Chalk Arts Festival
RECOMMENDED: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
OBITUARY: Jack O’Kelley Baggett
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Yazoo land fraud did much to shape Georgia politics
MYSTERY PHOTO: Classic lines distinguish this architectural gem
CALENDAR: Officer Pradeep Tamang funeral at 12Stone Church Saturday
Liddell family knew Satellite Blvd. as “Politick Road”
By Michael Green
(Second in a series)
MILTON, Ga. | Would Sallie Duncan Liddell recognize the Liddell farm in 2026? Of course not. Though the remnants of first growth timber were already scarce when she farmed; continued timbering projects had left few old growth trees. Sawmills had been erected onsite to make cash profits from the forests. The first growth trees that remained were in the ravine that bisected the original land grant.

In 1980, I saw the three-foot diameter stump of a once-giant tree. Someone trespassing had foolishly tried to fell it. New hardwoods, scrub growth, and pines reforested the fallow fields. The topography of the land would change so dramatically as to become unrecognizable.
Acres of asphalt and enormous warehouses would cover the rich soil that had produced cash crops and vegetables and fruits for home use. The fertile ground had often yielded the arrow points of the Creeks who lived on the land before the Liddells. Even this dark ground would disappear.

Men in suits had been wandering off the expressway for several years. They would follow the dirt lane that is now called West Liddell Road and end up on the cement driveway of the 1957 Liddell House. Dan and Nellie would receive their guests on the screened porch where they would listen to excited promises of profits from the sale of land.
Around 1967, Harold Liddell, youngest grandson of the matriarch, and two other men paid a call. Harold introduced Dan and Nellie to W.R. (Dudge) Pruitt, Gwinnett County Commission chairman, and another man from the county zoning department. Dan Liddell, a fellow with a dry wit and a man wary of politicians, later called the road that eventually came out of this meeting, the “Politick Road.”
We know it now as Satellite Boulevard. Politick Road was created on acreage cutting through two miles of Liddell property. In its first phase, Satellite Boulevard, originally called Davidson Industrial Boulevard, was over two miles long, starting at Beaver Ruin Road and ending at Pleasant Hill Road adjacent to the site of Gwinnett Place Mall. About 80 percent of the road easement that ran parallel to I-85 cut through Liddell property. It has become the major north-south route of commerce in Gwinnett County.
After the death of Nellie Mae Mills Liddell in 1984, the 1957 brick ranch house was sold, jacked up from its foundation, and moved to a site miles away in Lawrenceville. Gwinnett Place opened on February 1, 1984. The Realtors who had been sending interest checks for over a decade to the grandchildren of Sallie Duncan Liddell decided that one of the last large properties fronting I-85 would be sold. The Matriarch’s senior citizen grandchildren gathered at the site of the 1840 house and said their goodbyes to the home place. Only seven acres of the Lower Place remained in the hands of a Liddell grandchild. These acres would, with some interesting irony, become a Harry’s Farmers Market, the precursor to Whole Foods. As West Liddell Road terminates near I-85, that land is now home to Costco.
- Have a comment? Click here to send an email.
Cranky old Bad Government just keeps on smiling
By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher
FEB. 6, 2026 | The cranky old fellow, Bad Government, must be smiling happily these days. He knows that his element will probably carry the day from here on out, as fewer citizens will be aware of what is going on in the cities, towns, state capitols and even in Washington.
He knows the Good Government people will essentially be shut out about the goings on in the various governments, for the simple reason that few independent professional news sources will be covering the routine government meeting.
There’s a reason. There are fewer independent news sources today than even before.
For instance, here in Georgia there are 17 counties that have no newspaper today. But even worse, in Gwinnett County, with over one million people, there is only one newspaper still publishing, the Gwinnett Daily Post, and today it publishes in thin editions only twice a week.
Considering Gwinnett even more, and remembering that the county has 17 cities, how much reporting of the deliberations of these city councils ever gets newspaper coverage? The answer is seldom.
Then the two giant governments in Gwinnett County Commission and the School Board, spend millions of dollars each year with little spotlight on them.
Some say that the local governments are the closest to the people. Yet when the people get little information from the sparsity of independent media, the interactions of that government and the people is virtually nil. The citizens don’t know what’s going on. The governments run their own courses virtually unchecked.
And Bad Government keeps on smiling. And Good Government has few happy days.
We’re not criticizing our elected officials. Most of them carry on their offices in an upstanding manner, of course, with the eye for getting re-elected. It’s not their fault that we have fewer professional and independent media covering their activities. Most of them will be acting in what they feel is the best interest of their governmental entity.
But Bad Government will simply smile and hang around, knowing few media people are watching.
On the national scene, 3,200 local newspapers in the United States have closed or merged since 2005. More than one-third of all newspapers that existed two decades ago are no longer in operation. The rate of closure is over two per week, mostly impacting weekly, community-focused publications, transforming hundreds of areas into “news deserts.”
Bad Government was smiling this week when The Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced it is laying off approximately 50 employees, representing about 15 percent of its workforce. For a firm that recently stopped printing a daily paper edition, that is a major cost savings to the paper. Now cutting its news staff is a slap in the face to the community. How can the paper expect to have more digital readers when it is producing less news for the community?
Nationally, the Washington Post announced recently it would drastically cut its staff. Hundreds of reporters will no longer cover news. The Post specialized in covering politics and national news, so Bad Government smiles again.
The irony of the Washington announcement is that the Washington Post is owned by Jeff Bezos, one of the world’s richest men. Most of the nation contributes to his largess daily by using his Amazon service. He’s got piles of money he could put into the newspaper and help the nation. But no. He serves our country less by cutting back.
Sorry, Good Government.
- Have a comment? Click here to send an email.
Heaven and Alvarez, LLC
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Heaven and Alvarez, LLC is a certified public accounting firm working with their client to provide solutions for success. They are located at 4720 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Suite 201, Berkeley Lake, Georgia. They work in partnership with their clients to address the financial and accounting needs of their businesses, develop tax strategies, and develop plans for their clients regarding estate planning, business succession planning, and benefit and retirement planning. They can be reached at 770-849-0078.
Their web site is www.heavencpa.com
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Here’s another military temporary duty story
By George Graf
PALMYRA, Va. | As an enlisted Army draftee, I, too, have a few crazy Army stories. Enlisted soldiers are rotated on a duty roster for whatever chore needs to be done.

One week I was on the duty roster working at a classified underground bunker back in the early 70’s in Germany. I was an E-4 (corporal) and tasked to courier a top secret computer reel-to-reel tape to Washington D.C. and make a transfer in the old National Airport to two soldiers from our headquarters who I had known. I was issued the tape in a locked container and also issued a military .45 caliber pistol in a shoulder holster plus a copy of my courier orders.
I was told the airport managers were notified of my travel purpose, and me and my weapon would be escorted around the metal detectors. All went fine on my departure and subsequent arrival at National Airport. The transfer of the tape went without problems after the soldiers and I showed ID cards, signed papers and made the delivery. The two soldiers then went on their way and I made my way up to my departure gate in Roanoke, Va.
Here’s where things got crazy. When I got to the gate with a metal detector, I told the security guard my name and he told me to step through the metal detector. I told him I was supposed to be escorted around the gate but he kept insisting for me to walk through the detector. He had no instructions for the contrary.
When I told him I could not since I was on a military mission and was carrying a firearm, he immediately called over more security guards who pinned my arms behind me and the original guard pulled my weapon out in front of everyone waiting at the gate. (Those who were at the gate all gasped with eyes bulging while staring at me.)
I was then escorted to the airport manager’s offices with the guards and me in tow and the manager said he was not informed of my predicament. The manager summoned his secretary who said a sealed military envelope arrived a few days ago for him, and the manager didn’t open it from the safe since he was off duty a couple days. After retrieving and reading the sealed document, he apologized to me and told the guards to escort me back to the gate and around the metal detector. When that finally happened, all the passenger’s gazes were locked in on me again and the whispers were rampant.
I finally got on the flight and sat in the far back seat while everyone was watching me. Upon destination arrival and making my way back to the bunker by Army vehicle an officer greeted me and asked how it went.
I said “Fine” without details since trouble may have ensued if I told the story. When I got back to my Army billeting, I finally told my Sergeant about the trip problems and he just laughed. I think now that top secret couriers have to be accompanied by another soldier in case of problems.
- Have a comment? Click here to send an email.
Felt weight removed when Nixon resigned
Editor, the Forum:
That was an interesting op-ed about Richard Nixon. (GwinnettForum, February 3, 2026). I can agree with you that, in comparison, Nixon was more honorable than President Trump, which isn’t saying much. A big difference is that in that time the House and Senate didn’t abrogate their responsibility, no matter the party affiliation.
I was in the Air Force at that time and also in a college history class in fall of ‘72. The instructor and I were astounded that nobody but the two of us thought there was more to the Watergate break-in than a simple burglary.
I also remember, after Nixon’s resignation and Ford becoming president, feeling like a great weight had been lifted off our country. Ford took tremendous heat for the pardon but I think his motive was correct. We needed to move on from Watergate.
I think the corrupt weight on our country now is tremendously more than at that time. In that manner, I agree with your comment on Nixon. I’m actually more conservative than most people believe when they find I will rail against Trump. I just know that when you put known evil people in charge, you shouldn’t be surprised when they do, or allow evil actions. That was done in the 1930’s, but too many people think this time is different. It isn’t.
Thanks for the opinion piece. It would be nice if it made enough people think about what you are saying.
– Ed Hurley, Peachtree Corners
Remembers Nixon was shorter than he, but he’s tall
Editor, the Forum:
The time I saw Richard Nixon in person was when he was running for president in 1968. He was much shorter than me, but I’m 6’ 3”.
– Don Balfour, Norcross
Never considered not following policeman’s instruction
Editor, the Forum:
When did it get to be OK to not follow a police officer’s instructions? I never considered that this is an option.
Our police are charged and empowered to uphold the law. If you are illegally detained, you will be brought before a judge to decide the legality. You do not have the right to have a physical altercation. I wonder if your parents thought it was OK to fight police if you disagreed. I doubt it.
Grow up people. Protest if you feel compelled but do it legally.
– Ron Purvis, Norcross
Dear Ron: Yes, we agree with you. However, sometimes it appears these ICE agents seem above the law. But you better not cross them, for they react instantly. What some are doing seems illegal, and simply not right as they are wearing masks. –eeb
About that well-regulated militia
Editor, the Forum:
The Second Amendment has been knocked around time and time by the courts. It reads as below. The important thing in reading it is in that line; there is nothing in it that says that Tom, Dick, or Harry can carry guns. The purpose of the amendment is to make sure that there is a “well-regulated militia.”
In those days, there was no standing Army, Marine Corps, or Navy. For the nation’s defense, the country had to depend on the militia of each state separately. Every family would have a gun, most probably, if it was there only to hunt.
The Second Amendment reads: “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
– Raleigh Perry, Buford
Look how Portugal dealt with drug control
(Editor’s note: the author is retired from the U.S. Public Health System. –eeb)
Editor, the Forum:
In 2001, the country of Portugal shifted drug control from the criminal justice system to the public health system, which resulted in decreases in crime, gangs, and deaths, with treatment increasing.
Our government has created a thriving and violent underground economy. Prohibition in the 1920’s demonstrated that the insatiable desire to change the way one feels cannot be decreased with incarceration. Our culture tolerates the most lethal drug of death, nicotine, with 400,000 deaths a year, plus alcohol, a catalyst for bad behavior. Drug use has not declined since the War on Drugs was enacted in 1971, despite spending more than a trillion dollars.
The United States has the greatest incarceration rate per capita in the world, more than Russia, China, and Iran. Our government has enabled the creation of gangs of all sizes including cartels, Venezuela gangs, and drug gangs. All of the violence that is being perpetrated by our government is rationalized for fighting drugs. This is not about supporting drug use, but addiction and deaths would be addressed more effectively in public health than the prison system.
The purpose of the 1971 “War on Drugs,” as revealed in the memoir of Nixon’s chief of staff, John Erlichman, was to demonize his enemies, Blacks, and anti-war hippies. His strategy was to get the public to associate hippies with marijuana and Blacks with heroin, and then criminalize them heavily.
The 1920-33 prohibition movement is acknowledged as a colossal failure. With the profound negative effects on our contemporary culture, it’s mind-boggling how we could repeat the colossal failure.
– Bruce Leonard, Lawrenceville
- 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.
Gwinnett Chamber plans 78th annual dinner Friday
The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce will celebrate 78 years of progress at its Annual Dinner on February 6, 2026 at the Gas South District Grand Ballroom. This special event, presented by Northside Hospital, will recognize the year’s business success while honoring a dozen leaders who have made a legacy-defining impact on Gwinnett.
The 2026 honorees include:
- Citizen of the Year: John Michael Levengood, Law Office of J. Michael Levengood, LLC;
- Public Service Awards: Jim Brooks, Evermore Community Improvement District; State Rep. Chuck Efstration, District 104; T. Lanier Levett, Gregory B. Levett and Sons Funeral Homes and Crematory; Joy M. Mitchell, Office Creations; and Ginger Powell, Gwinnett Hospital System Foundation and Northside Hospital Gwinnett;
- D. Scott Hudgens Humanitarian Award: Street Grace;
- James J. Maran International Award: Price Industries;
- R. Wayne Shackelford Legacy Award: Robert “Bob” Baroni, former manager of the City of Lawrenceville; Randall W. Dixon, founder and former board chairman of Precision Planning, Inc.; and Dick Goodman, former chair of Gwinnett County Public Library Board and former council member of the City of Suwanee; and
- Ambassador of the Year: Lisa Thompson, Thompson Hypnotherapy, LLC.
The event will be emceed by President and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett Nick Masino.
Gas South District is planning chalk arts festival
Gwinnett will see a chalk arts festival in March. Gas South District, in partnership with Sugarloaf Community Improvement District and the Hudgens Center for Art and Learning, will host Draw the District: A Chalk Arts Festival on Saturday, March 7. It will bring a free, community-wide celebration of art, culture, and creativity to the area.
The festival will transform outdoor spaces at Gas South District into an open-air gallery featuring live chalk art from students, individual artists, businesses, and organizations. Participants will compete in a juried chalk art competition with prizes awarded across multiple categories.
In addition to live chalk art, Draw the District will include a small artist market, food vendors, and family-friendly interactive elements. The event will also feature live
performance moments throughout the afternoon. Draw the District will take place alongside several major campus areas, creating an engaging, high-energy atmosphere throughout the day. Draw the District is free and open to the public. Artist registration details, performance announcements, and additional event information can be found by clicking here.
That same weekend, the 2026 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament games and Fan Fest activities will be underway at Gas South Arena, while Gwinnett Ballet Theatre presents Cinderella at Gas South Theater with two performances.
The Woman in the Library, by Sulari Gentill
By Karen J. Harris, Stone Mountain: In the beautifully appointed Boston Public Library, four people are sitting near each other when a scream rings out. While security takes charge, the four people begin tentative conversations wherein friendships are forged. They each have a unique reason for being in the library and one of them may be a murderer. Sulari Gentill’s Woman in the Library is a series of stories within a story that while initially disconcerting, makes the story challenging and engaging to the reader. There are many twists and turns in this story which will lead the reader in one direction while then catapulting them in a different direction. Though the ending is surprising, it was not fully satisfying to me. If the reader is a fan of Sulari Gentill, they will enjoy it. A new reader will enjoy a change of pace mystery story.
- 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.
Jack O’Kelley Baggett
Jack O’Kelley Baggett Jr., 76, of Lawrenceville, passed away on Friday, January 23, 2026, at Arbor Terrace Assisted Living at Hamilton Mill where he had been living for the past three years. He was surrounded by family, Arbor Terrace staff and Agape Hospice Care (both to whom our family owe a debt of gratitude for their excellent care, love, and warm humor).

Jack enjoyed fondly bantering with his care team with his unique wit and leading them on exciting hunts to Aldi’s. At Arbor, he found enjoyment in painting in the art class. Jack was a fun-loving, charming, charitable gentleman who will be remembered for his perseverance and his lively sense of humor.
He was a member of Central Baptist Church where he served as a deacon for many years, and he was known for his fervent faith in Jesus Christ. One of his favorite Bible verses from childhood was, “what time I am afraid I will trust in thee” (Psalms 56:3).
Jack was dedicated to his life’s work in real estate and investing. A favorite place where Jack drew spiritual inspiration was in Ridgecrest, N.C., where he hiked trails in the Blue Ridge Mountains, attended Bible Conferences at Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly, and hopped trains to Old Fort. There he enjoyed fun and fellowship with family and Central Baptist friends at our family cabin.
Jack found joy from his seasonal garden and watching the various birds and wildlife that it attracted. He later enjoyed collecting colorful hand-carved birds that he enjoyed showing to others.
Some of his favorite snacks were a good hotdog from the Varsity or Gunter’s BBQ, rock shrimp from Dixie Crossroads, and yellow cake with chocolate icing.
Jack had a deep interest in apologetics and theology and loved the pursuit of knowledge which he instilled in his nephews and nieces. Jack would jokingly tell them that the reason that he would rest his head on a book while napping was to “obtain knowledge through osmosis.” He continually challenged them to be truth seekers and defenders of the faith.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Rebecca (Otwell) Baggett; brother, Roy Baggett, and sister, Virginia (Jenny) Baggett. He is survived by his sisters and brothers-in-laws: Becky (Howard) Torbett, Peggy (David) McCleskey, Judy Baggett and Jill (Rick) Jackson; nephews and nieces: David (Jennifer) Torbett, Dan (Beth) Torbett, Josh (Zulie) Torbett, Elizabeth (Nate) Loyd; Becca McCleskey; Eric (Emily) Jackson, Jack Jackson, Sarah Jackson, Mary (Caleb) Eppling and Ryan Jackson.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: Georgia Right To Life, P.O. Box 2665, Norcross, Ga. 30091; 770.339.6880; grtl.org/donate; AnswersInGenesis.org/donate.
Jack’s funeral visitation and celebration services will be held at Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 300 Simonton Road, Lawrenceville. Visitation will be Thursday, February 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, February 7 from 9 to 11 a.m. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday. After the service, the family invites guests to join them for a light luncheon at Lawrenceville First Baptist Church, 165 South Clayton Street. Arrangements by Tim Stewart Funeral Home of Lawrenceville.
Yazoo land fraud did much to shape Georgia politics
The Yazoo land fraud was one of the most significant events in the post–Revolutionary War (1775-83) history of Georgia. The bizarre climax to a decade of frenzied speculation in the state’s public lands, the Yazoo sale of 1795 did much to shape Georgia politics and to strain relations with the federal government for a generation.
Georgia was too weak after the Revolution to defend its vast western land claims, called the “Yazoo lands” after the river that flowed through the westernmost part. Consequently, the legislature listened eagerly to proposals from speculators willing to pay for the right to form settlements there. In the 1780s the state supported two unsuccessful speculative projects to establish counties in the western territory and in 1788 tried, again without success, to cede a portion of those lands to Congress. In 1789 the legislature sold about 25 million acres to three companies, only to torpedo the sale six months later by insisting that payment be made in gold and silver rather than in depreciated paper currency.
Pressure to act continued to build on legislators until, by mid-November 1794, a majority reportedly favored the sale of the western territory. On January 7, 1795, Georgia governor George Mathews signed the Yazoo Act, which transferred 35 million acres in present-day Alabama and Mississippi to four companies for $500,000. To achieve this successful sale, the leader of the Yazooists, Georgia’s Federalist U.S. senator James Gunn, had arranged the distribution of money and Yazoo land to legislators, state officials, newspaper editors, and other influential Georgians. Cries of bribery and corruption accompanied the Yazoo Act as it made its way to final passage. Angry Georgians protested the sale in petitions and street demonstrations. Despite the swelling opposition, the Yazoo companies completed their purchases.
Learning of the circumstances surrounding passage of the Yazoo Act, Georgia’s leading Jeffersonian Republican, U.S. senator James Jackson, resigned his seat and returned home, determined to overturn the sale. Making skillful use of county grand juries and newspapers, Jackson and his allies gained control of the legislature. After holding hearings that substantiated the corruption charges, Jackson dictated the terms of the 1796 Rescinding Act, which was signed by Governor Jared Irwin and nullified the Yazoo sale.
To prevent those claiming lands under the Yazoo purchase from receiving a sympathetic hearing in a Congress dominated by Federalists, Jackson and his lieutenants blocked any cession of the western territory until the Republicans were in control. Then, in the Compact of 1802, commissioners from Georgia, including Jackson, transferred the land and the Yazoo claims to the federal government. The United States paid Georgia $1.25 million and agreed to extinguish as quickly as possible the remaining claims of Native Americans to areas within the state.
Georgia politicians used the “Yazoo” label to bludgeon opponents for almost twenty years following the congressional settlement. A more tragic legacy of the Yazoo fraud grew out of the 1802 cession to Congress. As cotton culture spread across Georgia, the national government proved unable to extinguish Creek and Cherokee claims to land quickly enough for white Georgians, who were rapidly laying claim to inland tracts through the land lottery system. Anger over this matter fueled the development of the states’ rights philosophy, for which Georgia’s leaders became notorious in the 1820s and 1830s as they continually prodded the United States to complete the process of Indian removal. In a sense, the Yazoo land fraud helped lead to the Cherokee “Trail of Tears” in 1838.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Classic lines distinguish this architectural gem
Today’s Mystery photo is a building with strong classic lines. See if you can determine what and where this is. Send your ideas to ebrack2@gmail.com, and tell us your hometown.
The most recent mystery may not have been recognized by many residents who pass by it often, since the angle used in the photo by Bruce Johnson of Lawrenceville was so distinct.
Let Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas, pick the story up: “Today’s mystery photo is of the First Baptist Church of Lawrenceville, Ga. It is one of the oldest congregations in Gwinnett County and was officially constituted on May 2, 1849. Today’s sanctuary was completed in 1962 and has undergone significant renovations and major architectural updates since that time, including the addition of the prominent steeple and bell tower that were completed in 1999.”
Others recognizing the mystery included David McClesky of Lawrenceville; Charles Anderson of Hartwell; Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; and George Graf, Palmyra, Va.
- 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.
Tamang funeral at 12Stone Church Saturday
The Celebration of Life service for Gwinnett County Police Officer Pradeep Tamang will take place on Saturday, February 7 at 12Stone Church, located at 1322 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville. The service will begin at 10 a.m., with attendees asked to be seated by 9:30 a.m. The parking lot for 12Stone Church will open at 8 a.m. Overflow parking will be available at Gate City Church at 1446 Calvin Davis Circle in Lawrenceville. After the service, there will be a procession to Tim Stewart Funeral Home at 300 Simonton Road in Lawrenceville.
Learn more about authentic representation and preservation of Black Americana decorative arts and explore the inspiration behind Precious Black Jewels by Tanzy Ward. This event will be held on February 11 at 11 a.m. at the Hooper-Renwick branch of Gwinnett Public Library in Lawrenceville.
The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber will host a Thursday Thought Leaders Luncheon on February 12 at 11:30 a.m.. at Hilton Atlanta Northeast. The guest speaker will be Roger C. Tutterow, Ph.D., professor at Kennesaw State University. The topic is “The Economic, Political and Business Climate.” Registration is required and closes February 10.
Bestselling author Lynn Cullen discusses her newest historical fiction novel, When We Were Brilliant, on February 12 at 6:30 p.m. the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public library. The book is about the determination and friendship of Marilyn Monroe and Eve Arnold.
Hydroponic gardening is the topic of the next meeting of the Gwinnett Master Gardeners. The meeting will be at 12:30 p. m. on February 16 at the Bethesda Senior Center, 225 Bethesda Church Road. The speaker will be Christine Todd, who will share how to grow a wide variety of plants hydroponically, including pineapples, tomatoes, peppers, wildflowers, strawberries and herbs. The Gwinnett Master Gardeners meetings are free. Join the group for lunch and bring a dish to share.
Novelist talk: Radha Lin Chaddah discusses her novel, And the Ancestors Sing, a multigenerational story of sacrifice, survival, and the unbreakable pull of home, set against the rapidly changing backdrop of post-Cultural Revolution China. This will take place on February 17 at 12:30 p.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library.
The Peachtree Corners Garden Club will hold a seed swap on February 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the City Hall Community Chest Room. Lynda Pollock will speak about seed starting, including vegetables and native plants.
Acclaimed author Terah Shelton Harris discusses her newest novel, Where the Wildflowers Grow, a poignant story of survival and redemption that questions what it means to stop existing and start living. This will take place on February 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library.
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:
- Editor and publisher: Elliott Brack, 770-840-1003
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 1365, Norcross, Ga. 30091
- Work with us: If you would like to learn about how to be an underwriter to support the publication of GwinnettForum as a community resource for news and commentary, please contact us today.
Subscriptions to GwinnettForum are free.
- Click to subscribe.
- Unsubscribe. We hope you’ll keep receiving our great news and information from GwinnettForum, but if you need to unsubscribe, go to this page and unsubscribe in the appropriate box.
- © 2026, Gwinnett Forum.com.



