GwinnettForum | Number 25.59 | August 1, 2025
THESE STREET-SIDE DINING PLATFORMS in Norcross are being completed on heavily-traveled Jones Street, where it dead-ends with South Peachtree Street. Elliott Brack’s Perspective calls them unsafe and a liability for the city, as people have asked, “What was the city council thinking?” when approving and paying for the construction.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Be careful when exercising in these humid dog days
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Norcross creates unsafe dining by heavily traveled street
SPOTLIGHT: Lail Family Dentistry
FEEDBACK: Use “Private Window” and you’ll get fewer spam ads
UPCOMING: Community Foundation Good2Give Event is Aug. 14
NOTABLE: Stripers hire Harrington as general manager
RECOMMENDED: A History of Sautee Nacoochee by Tommy Hart Jones
OBITUARY: Frank Sledge III
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Oglethorpe establishes Trustee Garden as experiment
MYSTERY PHOTO: See if you can pinpoint this beach scene
CALENDAR: Trains, Trucks, Tractors at SE Rail Museum Saturday
Be careful when exercising in these humid dog days
By Teresa Araque
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | Now with the dog days of summer, how do you keep cool? The popular options include spending time in a pool, using fans while sitting in the shade, and of course, staying in air-conditioned spaces. But what should you do when you want to keep up your exercise routine?
Dr. Lauren Tapp, associate professor of exercise science and physical education department chair at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC), says there are things you can do to continue exercising outside and prevent heat-related illnesses.
“First and foremost, don’t exercise during the hottest times of the day, which are typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.” she suggests. “The best time to exercise outside in the summer is early in the morning or later in the evening, when the temperatures are lower.”
Along with exercising when temperatures are cooler, it’s just as important to stay hydrated.
“Make sure you are adequately hydrated before you start your exercise session, drink fluids in regular intervals during your session, and continue to re-hydrate after exercise.” Proper hydration is essential for performance but also to avoid heat-related complications.
“Drinking water is great, but in situations where sweat rate is high, replacing lost salts is just as important,” maintains Tapp. “Since sweat includes loss of electrolytes like sodium, chloride, and potassium, drinking water alone could dilute electrolyte (sodium) concentration, leading to a condition called hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is the result of low sodium in your blood.”
Maintaining electrolyte balance through consumption of a combination of water and sports drinks can help prevent electrical disturbances in the heart and muscle, as well as heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
When the body starts to have difficulty regulating core temperature, heat illness begins, first with muscle cramps, which can then progress to heat exhaustion, and then heat stroke.
She adds: “Some of the symptoms you could experience include muscle cramps, dizziness, weakness, a fast, weak pulse, nausea and vomiting. Your first course of action should be to cool the body as quickly as possible through getting into air-conditioning, or application of cold towels, along with rehydration with an electrolyte drink,” says Tapp. “If symptoms don’t get better, don’t delay in seeking medical attention.”
Heat stroke, on the other hand, is more serious and can’t be treated on your own.
“Heat stroke requires immediate emergency intervention,” says Tapp. “If you don’t get professional medical help right away, it can lead to brain damage and possibly death.”
If you have these symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic, which includes confusion, altered mental status and a high body core temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Additional symptoms can include seizures, dry, red, skin and inability to sweat.
“Don’t delay. Seek help quickly.”
Adjusting to the heat takes time, about two weeks says Tapp. The Cleveland Clinic recommends that when exercising, start gradually with limited activity and then increase your exposure to the heat each day or every other day.
Tapp adds that you should also plan to reduce the intensity of exercise while your body adapts.
“As with anything, it’s important to consult with your doctor immediately if you have any medical conditions that could affect your exercise routine,” she warns.
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Norcross creates unsafe dining by heavily traveled street
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
AUG. 1, 2025 | The most charitable comment was “What were they thinking?”
The subject: the city of Norcross constructing three outdoor dining platforms in front of three restaurants on Jones Street where South Peachtree Street dead-ends.
Recognize that the platforms are built right next to the constantly-used traffic lanes of Jones Street. Diner’s elbows can nearly touch the westward passing vehicles. Only a steel railing separates those dining and the vehicular traffic. The street is one of the busiest in downtown Norcross.
At another location for outdoor dining on the sidewalk on South Peachtree, in front of Mojitos, at least the autos parked diagonally separate the eating patrons from traffic. Not so on Jones Street. Diners can literally touch cars passing by.
Other comments about this construction we have heard:
“Who came up with this lame-brained idea?”
“This is the most stupid decision we have seen out of City Council in recent memory.”
“It’s unsafe. Some vehicle is going to malfunction and injure people there. Perhaps a drunk driver will lose control and crash into the tables. And the city will be sued, have to pay no telling how much for that liability in allowing this construction.”
“You won’t see me dining there.”
“Who wants to eat a meal with nearby exhaust fumes?”
“Wonder who made the motion on the council?”
And the cost paid by taxpayers? Approximately $40,000, one councilman said. The mayor, who did not vote in the 5-0 decision, gave a lower figure, $30,000. No matter how much it cost, it’s a wasteful expenditure and will haunt the council until the platforms are removed.
Norcross officials say that the inspiration for this by-the-street dining came from both Suwanee and Lawrenceville. Yes, both cities allow a limited amount of dining on sidewalks, but not as unsafe as this monstrosity of platforms in Norcross.
You might ask: does this amount to a subsidy for the three restaurants benefitting from this expanded dining area? What will the city do now for other restaurants wanting some “gimme” from the city, to balance out their appropriations to the dining industry?
Oh yes, there’s another consideration. Often talk before the City Council is of the need for more parking spaces from downtown merchants. Here the city now suddenly eliminated four parking spaces to construct the dining platforms. With all the talk of the need for more parking spaces, this move seems ill-advised and counter-productive.
This is the same Norcross council that made Britt Avenue one way eastward, to allow a few more parking spaces. This decision is an unsafe one, since all patrons of the Norcross Library have to exit on heavily-vehicled Buford Highway. With Britt Avenue having two-way traffic, library patrons living west of the library could return home much safer on far-less-traveled Britt Avenue.
Now that the Jones Street platforms have been built, it’s only a matter of time before incidents happen here. Any incidents here will point directly to this unfortunate decision by the city. It would be in the best interest of the city for the Council to recognize what a bad decision this was, and tear down those platforms, have less liability, and allow council members to sleep better at night.
Yes, what were they thinking!
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Lail Family Dentistry
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Use “private window” and you’ll get fewer spam ads
Editor, the Forum:
You are right when you say that Google answers a lot of questions with Ai and with the encyclopedic data base that it is supposed to have. Their Ai often is filled with erroneous information.
Google is more than an information bank for the computer user. It is an advertising bonanza. Even more, it is an information source, not just for looking up your name. They know where you have been in the computer world and they sell that information to virtually anyone or any company that wants to buy it.
Both Google and Safari have private windows which do not keep a file of where you have been. If you go on regular Google and Safari, go to FILE, drop it down and you will see “Private Window.” Click on it and your search will not be recorded by Google. By doing this, it will cut down on the ads you get.
For instance, I was looking for boots and dress shoes. I go to Allen Edmonds shoe site on Safari. I spend a pot of money because Allen Edmonds shoes are expensive. However, within two minutes, I start having advertisements from Allen Edmonds, multiples of the same ad on every thing I look up and on every other web page I go to. This is not just for the day, this barrage of ads continued for over six months and, surprisingly, Allen Edmonds has no control over this going out, except that they paid Google to tell them who was on the site.
Without private messaging, you are inviting Google and others to have your information for sale, and that’s why you get these pop-up advertisements.
– Raleigh Perry, Buford
- Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: ebrack2@gmail.com.
Community Foundation Good2Give Event is Aug. 14
DULUTH, Ga. | The Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia (CFNEG) will celebrate four decades of philanthropy, leadership and community impact during its 2025 Good2Give Celebration, to be held August 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Gas South Convention Center.
What began in 1985 as the Gwinnett Chamber Foundation with just $170,000 in assets has become one of the most impactful community foundations in the state. Now known as the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, CFNEG manages more than 300 donor-advised and nonprofit agency funds and, since its founding, has granted more than $160 million back into the community.
DePriest Waddy, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, says: “This year’s Good2Give Celebration is more than just a moment to honor our past. It marks the beginning of a new era — one where we are blessed with generosity, innovation and community engagement to reach new heights.”
That future includes the launch of a historic partnership with Arts Capital | Atlanta (AC|A) to grow a $100 million campaign to revitalize Georgia’s arts community. CFNEG has been entrusted to manage and steward this effort as part of its continued leadership in funding transformational impact across the region.
Laura Hennighausen, AC|A Campaign Chair, says: “When it comes to funding the arts, Georgia ranks last in the U.S. This campaign will help reverse that trend and protect Georgia’s cultural legacy for generations to come.”
The evening will also honor three distinguished leaders whose vision and dedication helped shape the foundation’s past and future:
- Ethel Andersen, retired partner, Andersen, Tate and Carr P.C.; Legacy Award recipient; CFNEG board member and former board president (2004–05);
- T. Michael (Mike) Tennant, retired partner, Alston and Bird LLP; Legacy Award recipient; CFNEG founding board member and former board president (1988–89); and
- Timothy (Tim) Minard, CEO, Eclipse Gaming Systems; Georgia’s 2024 Entertainment Entrepreneur of the Year; and recently knighted by the Principality of Cappadocia.
Guests will also hear a live performance by Jose Garcia Piano and the Gwinnett Jazz Symphony, a live and silent auction featuring unique experiences such as a four-day Bentley experience, an African Safari excursion courtesy of Hippo Lakes, sporting events and emceeing by Mara Davis — a talent booker, producer and former Atlanta radio host.
Since the appointment of President and CEO DePriest Waddy in 2022, CFNEG has experienced tremendous growth, with assets rising from $69 million to approximately $110 million today — an increase of 60 percent. The foundation has also delivered consistent, tax-free returns averaging nearly 9 percent annually since 2017, helping fundholders maximize their charitable impact.
According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, CFNEG now ranks fourth in Georgia for total revenue among community foundations and is the second-largest in metro Atlanta.
Lake Lanier Association seeking feedback on shoreline
The Lake Lanier Association (LLA) is seeking feedback from interested parties regarding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Lake Sidney Lanier Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) from May through Labor Day.
The SMP is a set of guidelines developed to regulate the federally-managed Lake Lanier shoreline. Those guidelines govern most aspects of the use of the lake and the federal lands surrounding it, including public access, parks, boat ramps, recreation areas, wildlife management and the private use of the shoreline by homeowners with respect to docks, shoreline facilities and land management.
The LLA plans to use the results of this first-of-its-kind, anonymous survey to influence decisions being made by the Corps. Until now, those who are regulated by the SMP have had little input on its contents. After the survey closes, the LLA will advocate for a comprehensive list of recommended changes to the SMP.
Todd Baxter, LLA President, says: “Our SMP survey, the first one we have ever done, is available to you now. It’s really the only collective voice of people who live on and enjoy this beautiful lake.”
The survey is being conducted in partnership with the Corps of Engineers, a longtime partner of the LLA. To take the SMP survey, join the LLA by visiting their website at lakelanier.org.
Stripers hire Harrington as general manager
The Gwinnett Stripers and their ownership group, Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), today announced the hiring of Joe Harrington as the club’s new general manager. He replaces Erin O’Donnell, former general manager of Peachtree Corners, who remains with the Braves as the senior director, social impact and diversity.
Harrington brings over 20 years of management and sales experience in both professional and collegiate sports to the Stripers. He spent over six years as the general manager with the Kennesaw State Athletics Sponsorships through Van Wagner’s College Division from 2019-25.
In joining Gwinnett, Harrington makes a return to both Minor League Baseball and the Atlanta Braves system. From 2016-17 he served as the president of the Florida Fire Frogs, the Braves’ High-A affiliate in the Florida State League.
His career in Minor League Baseball includes two years as the general manager for the Aberdeen IronBirds (Class-A Short Season, Baltimore Orioles) from 2014-16 and five years in ticket sales and inside sales leadership roles with the Lakewood BlueClaws (Class-A, Philadelphia Phillies) from 2008-14.
Currently residing in Woodstock, Harrington is a 1999 graduate of Widener University (Chester, Penn.).
Gwinnett Tech police force wins state certification
Gwinnett Technical College reports that its Police Department has achieved full state certification through the Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Program, administered by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. This recognition is considered the gold standard in public safety excellence across the state.
To earn this distinction, the Gwinnett Tech Police Department underwent an evaluation process, demonstrating compliance with more than 100 professional standards. These standards encompass best practices in professionalism, transparency, ethical conduct, community engagement, and operational integrity.
The certification process involved a comprehensive review of the department’s policies, procedures, and operations. It ensures that the department is equipped to deliver consistent, high-quality law enforcement services tailored to the unique needs of a college community.
Achieving certification reflects Gwinnett Tech’s broader commitment to fostering a safe and supportive learning environment. The college continues to invest in public safety initiatives that align with its mission to serve the community and uphold the values of integrity, accountability, and service.
A History of Sautee Nacoochee, by Tommy Hart Jones
This book, from the University of Georgia Press, goes into vast detail about the settlement of this peaceful valley and rural community and its people in White County, Ga. Written by a retired National Park Service architectural historian, Jones traces its history from Indian days to the present, using numerous maps and photographs. Many a visitor have seen the Indian mound with its six-sided orange roof cupola gracing the area. He recounts the key families in the area’s development. He pays particular attention to the area’s environment, tells of the ways the area has been mined and the mountain areas clear cut for timber at the turn of the century with the coming of the railroad, and delves into the agricultural resources of the area, and how these areas today are being conserved. He also cites the growing recreational and tourism of the valley, particularly about the growth of Helen. – EEB.
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Frank P. Sledge, III
Frank P. Sledge, III, 89, of Hoschton, passed away on June 29, 2025. He is survived by his wife, Earline W. Sledge; sons, Mark J. Sledge and his wife, Robin, Craig R. Sledge and his wife Marci and Chris L. Sledge; daughter, Connie S. Congleton and her husband Mike; grandchildren, Cale, Clint, Jessica & Shelby; seven great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by mother; Lyda R. Sledge, father; Francis P. Sledge II, and brother, Donald V. Sledge.
Frank served his country in the U.S. Air Force, where he was a member of the Titan II Missile Combat crew. He was one of four airmen who were chosen to fly to Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. to launch the first and only Titan II Missile warhead.
He was an insurance agent where he met countless people and made some everlasting friendships. Frank was a member of 12 Stone Church, and a former member of the Gwinnett Rotary Club, of which he was president in 1984-85.
He was always looking for the next big adventure, whether it would be flying a plane, scuba diving where he took many underwater photos, driving the race car that he owned, cruising on his motorcycle or traveling the world, he was never one who liked to stay idle. Frank was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and mentor to all.
A Memorial Service was held on Thursday, July 3, 2025 at Tom M. Wages Lawrenceville Chapel with Stuart Allen officiating.
Condolences may be sent or viewed at www.wagesfuneralhome.com, Tom M. Wages Funeral Service, 120 Scenic Highway, Lawrenceville.
Oglethorpe established Trustee Garden as experiment
General James Oglethorpe established the Trustee Garden in Savannah in 1734, two years after the founding of the Georgia Trust, the corporate body that governed the colony from 1732 until 1752. The garden comprised about ten acres to the east of the area then settled.
Dedicated to botany and agriculture, it reflected the scientific and commercial aspirations of the Trustees and their backers in England; its growth and demise over the next 20 years reflected the realities of climate, geography, and the lack of people on the ground and consistent support from London to further these aspirations.
The garden was to be modeled after the physick and botanical gardens at Oxford and Chelsea in England. The Society of Apothecaries had set up a model garden for medical plants in the 17th century. The garden in Savannah was also intended as an agricultural experiment station for the semitropical products, mainly silk and wine, that Georgia was to provide for its English sponsors and for the crown.
The leaves of imported white mulberry trees were to feed the worms required in silk culture, and imported vines were to bear noble grapes. Other semitropical and Mediterranean products were to be grown as well, ranging from orange trees and capers to cotton and olives. The objective of this experiment was not so much to develop an indigenous economy as to use local labor—settlers and indentured servants—to provide staples and raw materials for goods to be further processed and consumed in England.
More important, the Trustee gardener was to supply sufficient mulberry seedlings for distribution to the settlers, who were required to plant mulberry trees on their plots as part of their land grants. But silk culture was labor intensive and demanded considerable experience and skills in raising the worms, which needed to be fed continuously during the spring before they wound themselves into cocoons. The Trustees therefore imported Italian silk makers to teach the colonists their trade.
Viniculture was promoted in particular by Philip Miller, chief gardener of the physick garden in Chelsea, but the noble grape vines would not flourish, despite the abundance of local grapes. Similar difficulties were encountered in the growth of imported fruit trees, chestnuts, and olives. One of the early gardeners, Joseph Fitzwalter, favored useful crops such as hops for beer and flax and hemp for naval riggings, but little came of these experiments.
One of the major reasons for the lack of agricultural success was the climate. Contrary to the assumptions of the Trustees and their advisors, Georgia was not subtropical but subject to considerable temperature fluctuations, particularly during the early spring. In addition, there was a lack of skilled labor.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
See if you can pinpoint this beach scene
How about this for a gorgeous seaside view, with this sweeping promontory nearby and the bathers enjoying the beach? It is a beautiful, peaceful scene. Your job is to tell us where it’s located. Send our answer to ebrack2@gmail.com and include your hometown. Hint: not along the Georgia beaches.
Tim Sullivan of Mulberry was among those pinpointing the recent Mystery Photo. He wrote: “It is Moore Chapel, built in 1906, currently in Legacy Park, Decatur— formerly the site of the United Methodist Children’s Home. It was originally part of an orphanage campus, now used for weddings, events, and community gatherings. The chapel seats approximately 80 guests.
“The property dates back to 1873, when trustees of an orphanage in Norcross relocated to Decatur. It was constructed as part of the Decatur Orphans’ Home, which later became the Methodist Children’s Home in 1934. In 2017, the City of Decatur purchased 77 acres of the property, preserving Moore Chapel and other historic buildings as part of Legacy Park, a community-focused green space.” The photo came from Rachel Baumann of Lilburn.
Also recognizing it were Molly Titus, Peachtree Corners; Lori Medlock Anderson, Suwanee; Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; Tayna Moore, Norcross; Stewart Ogilvie, Rehobeth, Ala.; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Cindi Hall, Canton, formerly of Snellville; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas, who added: “To pay for the property’s upkeep, the City of Decatur generates revenues at Legacy Park by holding community festivals and concerts. It also promotes the park, with its 34 historic buildings, elaborate gardens, meadows, a lake, trails, barns, and a stone chapel, as an ideal location for film production that requires rural, small-town settings for both period pieces and modern shoots. Die Hart fans who visit Legacy Park may recognize some of the scenes from the 2024 American action comedy film starring Kevin Hart, Die Hart 2: Die Harter.”
- 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.
Trains, Trucks, Tractors at SE Rail Museum Saturday
All aboard for fun! View “Trains, Trucks and Tractors” on Saturday, August 2 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth. Join us on Saturday for the annual tribute to transportation, where the museum allows you to see a vast collection of machines of all types that built America. Great for an outdoor visit just before school starts, and there will be lot of food choices, plus track speeder rides. The museum is located at 3596 Buford Highway in Duluth.
Speaker at the August 5 Commerce Club meeting at noon at the Snellville City Hall will be Stan Hall, president and chief executive officer of the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau (Explore Gwinnett). Reservations are required so, use the link to reserve your place.
Norcross PDC (People Drinking Coffee) meets Wednesdays from 8:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. at 45 South Cafe to discuss current events that are political, educational and community-focused. Speaking on August 6 will be Shameka Allen of the Good Samaritan Health Center. No dues or membership fees; anyone can attend.
Smart Money for Parents will be the topic at the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on August 12, 19 and 26 at 11 a.m. Learn how to budget, save, and plan for you and your children in this three-part series.
Understanding lobbying in Georgia—A Candid Conversation—-will be the subject of the August 14 meeting of the Southwest Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. The meeting will be at the Hilton Hotel Northeast in Peachtree Corners at 11:30 a.m. Panelists will include Lewis Massey, Hunter Loggins, Jamie Lord and Jet Toney. The moderator will be Dale Russell (Cannot accept walk-ups.) This panel is designed to be engaging, accessible, and informative for voters, business leaders, nonprofit professionals, and anyone curious about how government really works. You are invited to attend, ask questions, and walk away with a deeper understanding of one of the most influential aspects of public policy. “Registration is necessary.”
Meet Author Jacinta Howard at the Snellville Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on August 13 at 7 p.m. She discusses her romance novel, When Forty Blooms. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
Grow Your Business: Lunch & Learn with Reference Solutions. Learn how to use the U.S. Business and Consumer Modules to target specific groups of businesses or individuals who may most likely be interested in your products or services. This will take place on August 14 at 11:30 a.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library.
Join author Lo Patrick as she discusses her newest Southern mystery, Fast Boys and Pretty Girls. Books will be available for purchase and signing. This will be at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on August 16 at 5 p.m.
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