GwinnettForum | Number 25.96 | Dec. 12, 2025
THE ROWEN FOUNDATION has announced that Holder Construction has been selected as the construction manager at risk (CMAR) for the Rowen Convergence Center, a landmark 10,000 square foot facility that will serve as the front door to Rowen and an innovation hub for interdisciplinary collaboration across the region’s leading institutions and companies in agriculture, environment and medicine. The Convergence Center, located at the heart of the 2,000-acre Rowen knowledge community, will anchor the property and function as a flexible, multi-use convening space designed to bring together researchers, entrepreneurs, industry leaders and community partners. The facility will host a wide range of programming, accommodating scientific research, community gatherings, innovation showcases, student and workforce engagements and public events. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 with completion in 2027.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Ga. Tech students propose Peachtree Corners redesign
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Bill Atkinson joins the world of nonagenarians
SPOTLIGHT: Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District
ANOTHER VIEW: Advocates teaching African-American history
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
UPCOMING: Heintz is new director of Curiosity Lab
NOTABLE: County approves 4 percent pay raise for many
RECOMMENDED: The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Perry owns first Atlanta black film studio
MYSTERY PHOTO: Rosy red lighthouse awaits identification
LAGNIAPPE: Gwinnett groups get grants from Foundation
CALENDAR: Ebenezer Scrooge’s Christmas Show playing at Lionheart
Ga. Tech students propose Peachtree Corners redesign
A team of Georgia Tech engineering students has designed an innovative intersection redesign for Peachtree Corners Circle and West Jones Bridge Road to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety. Their proposed displaced left turn intersection would be the first three-leg design of its kind in Georgia, reducing delays and conflict points while adding critical safety features for pedestrians.
The project aimed to solve the unique challenges at this intersection, located near a school, YMCA, and church, where children often cross diagonally due to missing crosswalks. The redesign adds a new crosswalk and expands pedestrian refuge space, making crossings safer and faster.
Key highlights:
- Addressing a critical need: The intersection is on Peachtree Corners’ Comprehensive Transportation Plan because of failing service levels and rising traffic.
- Innovative solution: Displaced left turn design allows left turns and through movements to occur simultaneously, drastically reducing delays.
- Pedestrian safety: Adds a missing crosswalk and extends the median for better refuge space.
- Budget-conscious option: A minimal build alternative offers a lower-cost solution with improved signal timing and a new crosswalk.
- Meeting update: City officials praised the team’s models and videos and expressed strong interest in the minimal build option if funding limits prevent the full redesign. Financial feasibility discussions are underway.
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Atkinson joins the world of nonagenarians
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
DEC. 12, 2025 | Gwinnett County gained another nonagenarian recently, as Bill Atkinson of Lawrenceville turned age 90 on November 29. Bill served for four years as chairman of the Gwinnett County Commission (1972-76), and remains most active as president of the Gwinnett Livestock and Fair Association, which puts on the Gwinnett County Fair each fall.
For 67 years (on December 23 it will be 68 years), he has been married to the former Betty Gunnels of St. Mary. The two met when in college.
The couple have four children:
- Karen is married to Attorney Larry Still and they live in Lawrenceville.
- Debbie lives in Los Angeles, and is also married to an attorney, Gary Fine.
- Jeff lives in Lawrenceville and is married to Lee, a housewife. He is retired from Gwinnett County governmental operations and now specializes in wastewater operations.
- Jayson has a Bethlehem address, and specializes in heavy equipment. He is married to Stephanie, also a housewife..
Betty and Bill have three boys as grandchildren.
This new Gwinnett nonagenarian was born in 1935 on a farm off what was then Atkinson Road near the present day Sugarloaf Mills.
He graduated in 1953 from what was then Bethesda High School, which was the first year that Gwinnett had 12 grades of school. He then went to Berry College in Rome. But he came home to help at home and farm, and worked at General Shoe for two years. He returned later to Berry, where his job there was to care for the college’s Angus cattle. That’s where he met Wayne Shackelford, who also worked with the Angus herd, who was two years ahead of him. Shackelford later was named the Gwinnett County Agent.
Bill says: “Later on, when I was chairman of the county commission, we hired Wayne to be the assistant to the county commission, where he served many years before becoming the commissioner of the Department of Transportation.”
Meanwhile, Bill was joining General Motors in Doraville in the parts department. He ended up retiring from GM after 32 years of service, as the parts department supervisor.
Back in those days, with the United States drafting men for military duty, Atkinson was sent for six months training at Fort Jackson, S.C., and then served for 7.5 years in the Army Reserve.
It was while at GM that Atkinson started farming, raising pure bred Angus and Simmental cattle. He owned 100 acres and rented another 100 acres in the Harbins community. He says: “I have farmed my whole life, starting out by helping on my parent’s farm.” About three years ago he got out of the cattle raising business altogether.
It was in 1970 that Atkinson first ran for election, winning a seat on the Lawrenceville City Council. That followed his running in 1972 for chairman of the county commission, where he defeated Dudge Pruitt of Buford for a four year term. He did not seek re-election in 1976, when Wayne Mason became chairman.
Atkinson for years was a volunteer at the Gwinnett County Fair, working with the livestock area. Later he joined the Fair board, where has served for over 30 years.
Bill had another avocation: he was a Georgia High School Association basketball referee for over 20 years. He refereed for several years tournament games. “Back then, many schools did not have football teams, but even the smallest schools had basketball games.”
Welcome to the world of a nonagenarian, Bill Atkinson!
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Gwinnett Place CID
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s underwriting sponsor is the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District (CID). It is a self-taxing district that uses additional property taxes to accelerate infrastructure improvements, security enhancements and economic development initiatives. The CID is leading the effort to expedite mobility, quality of life and job creation strategies for the benefit of businesses, employees, and visitors to Gwinnett’s central business district. Through partnerships with Gwinnett County Government, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the State of Georgia and others, the CID has a proven track record of improvements that are transforming Gwinnett Place. While the Gwinnett Place CID comprises less than one percent of Gwinnett County’s landmass, the area has a $15.9 Billion annual economic impact on the state of Georgia. Representing seven percent of all Gwinnett County jobs, the district’s 2,054 companies and 28,688 workers produce $7.5 billion in sales each year and $2.1 billion in earnings (wages + benefits). For more information, visit GwinnettPlaceCID.com and VisitGwinnettPlace.com.
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Advocates teaching African-American history in Georgia
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | After much controversy, the teaching of African American history has been found to be permissible under Georgia law. I believe these courses should be mandatory for Gwinnett County (and all Georgia) high school students.
Many well-meaning and normally fair Gwinnett County citizens think that they are not racist when they are. If you heard your parents talk about an African American with such terms as “One of the good ones,” then children believe that all the rest are the “bad ones.” When this biased attitude is reinforced by your social groups (“They are all lazy”), the child grows up with a negative, skewed point of view.
In the ‘70s, I worked with a retired colonel who stated there was no need for affirmative action (sound familiar?). The Civil Rights Act was passed in the 60’s and everyone was now on equal footing and should simply compete.
Recently, I had a disturbing conversation with another vet … a sincere, caring and bright person … who took the same anti-DEI position. Per him, “We do not need affirmative action. Blacks can just work harder.”
Both of these people were brought up in Georgia public schools. Both had a simplistic view, ignored history, making it easier for them to justify their own bigotry and deny being racist. There are others just like many in the anti-DEI movement.
Analogies are often the best way to achieve understanding. The analogy I use is that of a foot race.
If one runner has his feet tied together for the first half of the race, one cannot expect him/her to be competitive. That is the situation regarding African Americans. Even if we accept the totally incorrect assumption that African Americans were suddenly treated equally after the 1964 passage of the Civil Rights Act (they were and are not), they still had an uphill climb just to catch up.
Under slavery and afterwards, African Americans faced nearly insurmountable odds. They had no assets or inherited wealth. They never got the 40 acres and a mule the government promised.
They were strongly discouraged from getting an education. In the ‘70s I saw young black children picking cotton in Woodville, Miss instead of being in school.
Segregated schools that they attended prior to the ‘70s were grossly substandard. Blacks could not get employment in many jobs even when they were qualified.
For example, in the ‘70s when I was an industrial management engineer, I was consulting in a North Carolina mill with profitability issues. The manager of one area indicated to me that one line worker was better than the rest. He was black, as were all the line workers. I suggested he be considered for an opening as supervisor.
The manager told me that he could not promote him because he needed someone who the other workers would respect. He said that black line workers would never accept a black supervisor. Historically, this situation happened time and again over the decades. The real problem here is that the white manager’s racial background and understanding was keeping him from recognizing the benefit of having a black supervisor.
There is just no easy answer to the riddle of how to eliminate racism, a long-standing American dilemma. But to some extent racism does result from white children not knowing true black history.
That is why I am advocating that an accurate black history course be mandatory in all Georgia high schools. It is a small step, the way all long journeys start.
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Heintz is new director of Curiosity Lab
Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners has announced the appointment of Emily Heintz as its new executive director. Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment as Curiosity Lab accelerates its smart city deployments and prepares for the next chapter of its Innovation Campus expansion.
Peachtree Corners City Manager Brian Johnson and member of the Curiosity Lab Board of Directors, says: “Her mix of executive experience, strategic insight and ecosystem-building leadership positions us well for this next phase of growth. Emily understands how innovation actually scales in real-world environments. She will help strengthen our partnerships, expand our reach and elevate our role as a global leader in smart city technology.”
With more than 15 years of experience, Heintz has built a career at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship and public-private collaboration. She will oversee strategic partnerships across public and private sectors, guide campus expansion initiatives, strengthen relationships with current members and collaborators, and advance Curiosity Lab’s global presence.
Heintz says: “Curiosity Lab is at a remarkable point in its evolution, and I am honored to join the team at such an energizing time. Peachtree Corners has created something rare, a real-world environment where technology companies can safely test and deploy innovations that make cities more mobile, resilient and secure.”
Heintz is a native of Michigan, and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Michigan State University.
Heintz joins Curiosity Lab as the organization continues to expand its footprint and impact. Since 2019, the Lab has partnered with more than 180 companies ranging from early-stage startups to global corporations. Its deployments now span the community’s 500-acre Technology Park Innovation Campus, and the Peachtree Corners Town Center, enabling companies to test connected mobility, intelligent infrastructure, IoT and smart city technologies in a real municipal environment.
Peachtree Corners seeks comment on trail project
The City of Peachtree Corners will hold a Public Information Open House on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at Peachtree Corners City Hall, located at 310 Technology Parkway, to discuss the proposed Crooked Creek Trail Project. The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m.
This project proposes the construction of a 1.3-mile shared use path along Crooked Creek, with an additional 0.6 miles of spurs and loops providing connections to surrounding neighborhoods and communities. The project corridor begins at Spalding Drive, approximately 350 feet southwest of River Exchange Drive (north terminus), and extends to Peachtree Corners Circle, between Elmside Village Lane and Klinect Court (southern terminus).
The purpose of this open house is to provide residents and stakeholders with an opportunity to view the project plans, ask questions, and submit comments regarding the proposed improvements. No formal presentation will be given. Written statements concerning this project will be accepted until Jan. 31, 2026.
County approves 4 percent pay raise
The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners has approved a 4 percent market pay raise for eligible county employees.
The Board’s action acknowledges that recruiting and retaining talented, highly qualified and dedicated employees is essential to the delivery of superior services within the community and acknowledges that these employees continue to be impacted by inflation. The adjustment is retroactive to October 25.
County Administrator Glenn Stephens says: “Our County’s strong financial position and responsible budget management made this adjustment possible. I’m grateful for the Board of Commissioners’ support for our employees and investment in their well-being with this market adjustment.”
The adjustment raises starting pay and increases the pay ranges in both the current salary structure and the public safety step-structured plans. With this market adjustment and some additional salary adjustments for certain employees, the salary of current active full-time employees will be raised to at least $40,000 per year, meeting a goal of the Board of Commissioners.
237,000 Jackson EMC members get refund checks
Approximately 237,000 current and former members of Jackson EMC will receive their share of a total of $16 million in member refund checks in December.
After this December’s refund, Jackson EMC will have refunded $236 million in member refunds to its member-owners since the cooperative was founded in 1938.
Rodney Chandler, chairman of the Jackson EMC Board of Directors, says: “Member refunds are one of the ways we fulfill our commitment to serve members with integrity and care. Every dollar returned helps reinforce that this cooperative belongs to you.”
Members are refunded for a combination of years, so former, long-term and newer members benefit from belonging to an electric cooperative, like Jackson EMC. This year, member refunds will go to those who received electric service from Jackson EMC in 1999, 2000, 2001 and/or 2024. Each member’s refund depends on how much they paid for electricity during those specific years. Checks are being mailed in December.
The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
From Sara Douglas Burns, Duluth: Sybil, an adopted, aging, divorced, retired attorney, has always corresponded by hand-written letter, even with her family and near-neighbor, Theodore. No email nor Facebook for her. Luckily for us, return messages from her correspondents help us see progress or regression in both Sybil’s and other’s lives. Sybil is direct, even rude, clever as anyone, still grieving over unresolved events from the past, yet warm and helpful to the odd stranger in her universe. She has even created written relationships with her favorite authors, such as Joan Didion, Ann Patchett, and Diana Gabaldon. In the beginning, take notes as to whom you think the less obvious addressees might be, including the mysterious letter she updates periodically. Over the course of eight years, Sybil’s letters allowed this reader to understand just how rich, far-reaching and life-changing a single life can be, even from a writer’s desk. My favorite book in a while.
- 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.
Perry owns first Atlanta black film studio
Tyler Perry, an Atlanta-based writer, producer, and performer, is one of the most commercially successful African American filmmakers in history.
Tyler Perry Studios, which first opened in Atlanta in 2008, is the first major film studio in the nation to be solo-owned by an African American. Perry is best known for his signature character, Madea, whom he has portrayed in both stage plays and films.
Emmitt Perry Jr. was born in New Orleans, La., on September 14, 1969, to Maxine and Emmitt Perry. At age 16 he changed his first name to Tyler to dissociate himself from his abusive father. Perry grew up in poverty and did not complete high school, although he later earned his General Education Development (GED) degree. As a young adult he drifted from job to job for several years. Then in 1992, while watching Oprah Winfrey’s daily talk show, Perry heard the advice that he credits with turning around his career and life. Winfrey told her audience that writing down one’s life experiences could be therapeutic. Taking her words to heart, Perry began to keep a diary, which inspired his first play, I Know I’ve Been Changed.
Later that year Perry moved from New Orleans to Atlanta. Having saved $12,000, he rented out the 14th Street Playhouse, where he directed, produced, promoted, and starred in I Know I’ve Been Changed.
In 2000 Perry introduced Madea, the trash-talking, marijuana-smoking, gun-toting grandmother in his play I Can Do Bad All by Myself. Played by Perry, Madea is a central character in several of his subsequent plays and films.
Critical responses to Perry’s work have been mixed. While praised by some for his comedic characters, topical content, and simple delivery, others claim that his portrayals of African Americans perpetuate problematic traditions and stereotypes.
Viola Davis, an actress who starred in Madea Goes to Jail, describes Perry as a “controversial, complicated figure” in the Black community but notes that he is also one of the few filmmakers making movies about African American characters.
In a 2004 interview with Ebony magazine, Perry acknowledged that some critics believe his plays have “set the Black race back some 500 years.” Still, he insisted that he tries “to build a bridge that marries what’s deemed ‘legitimate theater’ and so-called ‘chitlin’ circuit theater,’ and I think I’ve done pretty well with that, in bringing people in to enjoy a more elevated level of theater.”
Tyler Perry Studios, the first film studio in the country to be solely owned by an African American, opened in October 2008. The 200,000-square-foot facility, was originally located in the old Delta Air Lines headquarters in Atlanta.
In addition to his work as an actor, producer, writer, and director, Perry expanded his business and philanthropic ventures. In 2015 he purchased most of Fort McPherson, a former U.S. Army base.
The COVID-19 pandemic threatened Tyler Perry Studios with a lengthy shutdown, but Perry determined to utilize his studio’s on-site residences (including several livable barracks from Fort McPherson) to isolate and test workers on set. With this and other safety precautions in place, Tyler Perry Studios was again shooting within months.
In recognition of his charitable efforts, Perry received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2021 Academy Awards Ceremony. Later that year, Perry purchased additional land from the former Fort McPherson, bringing his ownership to 368 acres.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Rosy red lighthouse awaits your identification
The design, markings and color of lighthouses are their identifying marks. Here’s another lighthouse, this one a rosy red. Tell us where you think this lighthouse is located. Send your answer to ebrack2@gmail.com, and tell us the city where you live.
Ruthy Lachman Paul of Norcross identified the last mystery. She wrote: “The Davis Needle is a large, kinetic sculpture in Davis, Calif., that moves with wind and provides shade, described as a ‘working piece of artwork.’ Created by artists Mark Grieve and Ilana Spector, the 25-foot tall sculpture sits on Third Street, marking the transition from the edge of downtown Davis to the campus of the University of California at Davis. Kinetic art (from the Greek word for movement, motion) is a genre of visual art whose central element is the real or imagined movement or development of forms in space over time. The movement can be created by utilizing physical forces and factors with or without the viewer’s contact.” The photograph came from Andy Brack of Charleston, S.C.
Also recognizing it were George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; and Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C., who added: “The Davis Needle signifies the city’s deep connection to bicycling, serving as a landmark and gateway on a popular bike route, inspired by historical obelisks like Cleopatra’s Needle in Rome and echoing the Eiffel Tower’s engineering, all while symbolizing a modern, eco-conscious city.”
Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas, added: “The Davis Needle is made up of parts from over 100 donated and salvaged children’s bikes, and was crafted to signify the importance of Davis’s ‘bicycle culture.’ Davis is often called the bicycle capital of the U.S. because it was decades ahead of nearly every American city in embracing bicycles as a serious mode of transportation, especially for students at its university. In 1967, it was the first city in the US to build modern, dedicated bike lanes. Today, some 20–25% of all trips in the city are completed using bicycles, the highest per-capita cycling rate of any American city. In short, the Davis Needle celebrates the city’s commitment to cycling, sustainability, and alternative transportation.”
- 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 groups get $49,612 from EMC
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $79,612 in grants for organizations during its recent meeting, including $49,612 to organizations serving Gwinnett County.
- $10,000 to Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, for its Emergency Assistance Program to purchase food for people in need in Gwinnett County.
- $10,000 to Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries, Norcross, for its Crisis to Career Program to purchase emergency food relief for people in need in Gwinnett County.
- $10,000 to North Gwinnett Cooperative, Buford, for its Family Food Program to purchase food for low-income families in Gwinnett County.
- $5,000 to the Pantry at Hamilton Mill, Dacula, for its Food Assistance Program to purchase food for families in need in Gwinnett, Barrow, Clarke, Hall, Jackson and Madison counties.
- $5,000 to Streetwise Georgia, Lawrenceville, for its Mobile Food Pantry Program to purchase food for families in need in Gwinnett County.
- $4,612 to Urban Recipe, for its Mobile Food Pantry to purchase food for distribution in Gwinnett and Hall counties.
- $2,500 to Hispanic Alliance GA, Gainesville, for its Pantry Program to purchase food for families in need in Hall, Banks, Gwinnett, Jackson and Lumpkin counties.
- $2,500 to Humanity First, Duluth, for its Duluth Food Pantry to purchase food for food boxes to serve more Gwinnett County families in need.
Ebenezer Scrooge’s Christmas Show playing at Lionheart
Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG Norcross Christmas Show is now playing at Lionheart Theatre and will continue through December 21. It is from Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, and directed by Tana Gilmer. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when Dickens’ A Christmas Carol meets the local flavor of Norcross and The Lionheart Theatre Company, then you don’t want to miss this holiday show. Join us for this hilarious mash up of a holiday classic with our own special Lionheart spin. Time for the shows are 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sundays. A December 2 matinee will be at 2 p.m. Go to lionheartteatre.org for more details.
Snellville City Hall will host the 10th Annual Festival of Trees through December 19. Local businesses, churches, schools or residents showcase their creative side by decorating a tree displayed at Snellville City Hall. Stop by City Hall, enjoy the trees and vote for your favorite by donating money, canned or dried food or toys. Each item placed under the tree of your choice will register a vote for your favorite tree. To make a monetary vote, go to the ExperienceSnellville.com website and vote.
The fourth annual Neighborhood Christmas Train is open on weekends until December 21. Kids learn to run their own Polar Express or Harry Potter Hogwarts Express train in the Engineer Training Center. All kids receive a free Hot Wheel car to drive around the neighborhood and take home. For the first time ever, Lionel and LEGO® play together at the Brick Whistlestop. This massive LEGO® City with eight LEGO® trains brought courtesy of the North Carolina LEGO User Group. This is at Peachtree Campus, 3135 Reps Miller Road in Norcross. Hours are Saturday evenings from 5-9 p.m., and Sunday afternoons from 1 to 5 p.m. Purchase Timed-Entry Advance Tickets Save $5 Family 4 or Family 5 Packs. Use Promo Code CITY25. More Info: www.NorcrossTrain.com.
A Holiday Quilt Exhibit is ongoing now through December 31. Presented by Spirited Quilters Guild, this colorful showcase runs through Wednesday, December 31 at the Welcome Center and History Museum, 17 College Street, Norcross. Open hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is free! Marvel at 15+ holiday-themed quilts featuring a variety of materials, techniques, and patterns. Perfect for a festive outing in Norcross, wander through the creativity of local artists and get inspired by the warmth and whimsy of fiber art.
Annie, the Musical featuring the Braselton Players, comes to life at the Civic Center December 12-14. This is a presentation of the Braselton Arts Council. Admission is $20.
Tales, Tunes and Tasties will be presented in Norcross on Saturday, December 13, as one of the first functions at the former Woman’s Club at 65 North Peachtree Street. This will be a relaxed holiday program featuring a reading of excerpts from Julie Rurkowski’s newest book, Bet That Song Was Written for Me. Music will be by Paula Greene Jones and treats will be prepared by Jody Carlyle Houghton. The doors open at 10:30 a.m. and the program is at 11 a.m. Come and enjoy this first of such an event at the building which was Gwinnett County’s first library. There will be baked goods, a raffle and friendly faces. It’s all free.
Book of Life Workshop will be held at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on December 13 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Create your very own Book of Life, a visual representation of your genealogy research just like the one on Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s “Finding Your Roots” on PBS, and take home a tangible keepsake!
The Gwinnett Symphony and Chorus will present Vivaldi Gloria and Holiday Pops on Sunday, December 14, at the First Global Methodist Church in Norcross at 5 p.m. Doors will open at 4 p.m. as attendees can shop for holiday goodies at the Merry Music Market.
Gwinnett Reads Jane Austen series: Jane Austen’s Birthday Party. Celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th birthday! Enjoy cake and light refreshments while playing games with other fans of Austen. This will be at the Five Forks Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on December 16 at 11 a.m.
The next On Topic event with the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce will be on December 17 at 11:30 a.m. Guest speaker Raphael Bostic, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, will share valuable insights on the latest economic updates and trends impacting businesses in the Atlanta area. Register online in advance.
Christ Episcopal Church Players will present The Gift of the Magi on Saturday, December 20 at 5 p.m. at the church at 400 Holcomb Bridge Road in Norcross. The evening will begin with the soaring voices of the Christ Church Choir and the shimmering tones of the St. Cecilia Handbell Choir as they perform a selection of stirring Christmas music. Then, you’ll be transported to early 20th-century New York as the Players present O. Henry’s timeless tale of love, sacrifice, and the true spirit of giving. Because of the expected popularity of this event, please secure your free tickets early at this link.
A solo exhibit of the work of Chitra Ramanathan of Norcross, a teaching artist at Norcross Gallery and Studios, is now going on at the Pinckneyville Park and Recreation Center in Berkeley Lake through January 31, 2026. It is a retrospective, as some early works are included up to current ones, many large in scale.
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