June 21, 2020 — Gwinnett Daily Post

A2 ♦ Sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ gwinnettdailypoSt.com

Nearly two weeks after primary election, results from Gwinnett have been certified

By Curt Yeomans

curt.yeomans@gwinnettdailypost.com

It took a week and a half to get there, but Gwinnett County now has certified results from the June 9 primary election.

The Gwinnett Board of Elections and Registration voted to certify the results of the primary election Friday afternoon.

County elections officials spent more than a week counted absentee-by-mail ballots.

There was also a discrepancy that appeared in the results Wednesday night when vote total from precincts appeared to decrease.

County spokeswoman Heather Sawyer said the issue was the results of an issue that arose during the scanning of emergency ballots that had been cast June 9, but not scanned in until Wednesday.

The discrepancy was discovered and corrected Thursday morning, Sawyer said.

“On Thursday morning, those discrepancies were located and corrected during the standard review of reports conducted in order to confirm that the number of uploaded memory cards matches the number of downloaded memory cards,” Sawyer said.

“The unofficial results once again included accurate counts.”

One of the big takeaways is that Democrats may finally know who will face former county employee Nicole Love Hendrickson in the runoff for the Democratic Party’s nomination for county commission chairman. Lawrenceville city attorney Lee Thompson Jr. just barely edged out former state Sen. Curt Thompson by a margin of 20 votes to face Hendrickson in the Aug. 11 runoff. They are close enough, however, that Curt Thompson could seek a recount.

Candidates who are within 1% of the victor or the person in second place in a race that heads to a runoff have two business days after results are certified to ask for a recount.

Hendrickson received 49.35% of the 103,086 votes cast in the Democratic primary for commission chairman, followed by Lee Thompson with 13.85%, Curt Thompson (13.83%), Demond Nembhard (13.13%) and Andy Morgan (9.85%).

The winner of the runoff will face Republican nominee David Post in November for the open seat.

Democrats may also be choosing between Derrick Wilson and Jasper Watkins in their party’s primary runoff for District 3 commissioner. Watkins was in a close race with

Nicole Love Hendrickson

Curt Thompson

Lee Thompson

John Moye for second place and a shot to face Wilson in the runoff, but the results are so close that Moye could ask for a recount.

Wilson lead the Democratic field with 33.21% of the 34,491 votes cast, followed by Watkins with 20.58%, John Moye (20.46%), Justin Walsh (13.57%) and Roger Marmol (12.17%).

The winner of the Democratic runoff for the seat will face the winner of the Republican runoff between Ben Archer and Matt Dereimer.

Meanwhile, the certified results confirm some things that were already known early on after election day, such as Curtis Clemons and Keybo Taylor will face off in a runoff for the Democratic nomination for sheriff. Clemons earned 33.07% of the 103,134 votes cast in that primary, while Taylor earned 32.16%.

The winner of the runoff will face Republican nominee Lou Solis in November.

Patsy Austin-Gatson defeated Wesley Person in the Democratic primary for Gwinnett district attorney by getting 59.39% of the 103,616 votes cast. She will now face Republican incumbent DA Danny Porter, who is running for a final term in office, in November.

Tarece Johnson was confirmed as the winner in the Democratic primary for the Gwinnett Board of Education District 5 seat, defeating longtime incumbent Louise Radloff with 66.38% of the 13,046 votes cast in that race. There is no Republican candidate, so Johnson has effectively won the seat.

In the Board of Education District 1 race, Karen Watkins narrowly defeated Segun Adeyina in the Democratic primary by getting 50.4% of the 26,351 votes cast, although Adeyina could ask for a recount due to the closeness of the results.

The winner of the Democratic primary for school board District 1 will face Republican incumbent school board member Carole Boyce in November.

In the two contested nonpartisan Supe-

rior Court races, Tamela Adkins defeated incumbent Judge Randy Rich with 57.32% of the 162,919 votes cast in that race while incumbent Judge Kathryn Schrader will head to a runoff with Magistrate Judge Deborah Fluker. Schrader got 37.22% of the 162,219 votes cast in her race, followed by Fluker (20.22%), B.T. Parker (19.45%), Christa Kirk (12.62%) and Kelly Kautz (10.5%).

In the lone contested State Court race, incumbent Judge Shawn Bratton defeated Matt Miller with 66.56% of the 156,766 votes cast.

In the Democratic primary for tax commissioner, Tiffany Porter and Regina Carden appear to be headed for a run-off for the chance to face Republican incumbent Richard Steele in November. Porter got 42.83% of the 101,941 votes cast, followed by Carden, who got 37.22%, and Maureen McIvor, who got 19.95%.

In the 4th Congressional District Democratic primary, U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson held off his challenges to win his party’s nomination for another term in Congress.

Johnson got 68.42% of the 146,765 votes cast, followed by Elaine Amankwah Nietmann (18.3%) and William Haston (13.28%).

Johnson will now face Republican nominee Josie Cruz Ezammudeen in November.

In the highly contested 7th Congressional District race, Republican Dr. Rich McCormick and Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux will face off in November. McCormick won the Republican primary with 55.11% of the 64,012 votes cast, followed by state Sen. Renee Unterman (17.4%), Mark Gonsalves (7.25%), Lynne Homrich (7.13%)Eugene Yu (6.02%), Lisa Noel Babbage (5.21%) and Zachary Kennemore (1.87%).

Bourdeaux won the Democratic primary with 52.78% of the 84,707 votes cast, followed by state Rep. Brenda Lopez Romero (12.39%), Nabilah Islam (12.33%), Dr. Rashid Malik (8%)former Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves (7.73%) and state Sen. Zahra Karinshak (6.76%).

In the 10th Congressional District’s Democratic primary, Tabitha Johnson-Green defeated Andrew Ferguson by capturing 65.74% of the 73,116 votes cast. She will face U.S Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., in November.

There are several seats in Gwinnett’s legislative delegation that had contested primaries on Tuesday.

In state Senate District 9, Democrats Nikki Merritt and Gabe Okoye will face off in a run-off for a chance at facing Sen.

P.K. Martin, R-Lawrenceville, in November. Merritt lead the Democratic primary field by earning 47.73% of the 26,261 votes cast while Okoye got 27.39% and Cheryle Renee Moses got 24.88%.

In the open Senate District 41 race, Kim Jackson won the Democratic primary outright with 53.96% of the 26,520 votes cast.

Jackson was followed by Beverly R. Jones (17.89%), Mohammed Jahangir Hossain (15.27%), and Gil Freeman (12.88%). Jackson will face Republican William Park Freeman in November.

In the race to replace Sen. Renee Unterman in Senate District 45, Republican Clint Dixon and Democrat Matielyn Jones appear to set for a matchup in November.

Dixon got 58.48% of the 19,078 votes cast in the Republican primary, followed by Sammy Baker (31.75%) and Noemi Puntier (9.78%).

In the Democratic primary, Jones got 65.01% of the 19,728 votes counted as of Saturday, followed by Ernie Anaya (22.56%) and Richard Smith (12.42%).

In the Democratic primary for Senate District 48, Michelle Au defeated Josh Uddin with 77.84% of the 20,508 votes cast. Au will face Republican Matt Reeves in November.

In the Democratic primary for state House District 93, Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick held off a challenge from Alfred Reynolds by getting 79.06% of the 13,566 votes cast.

In the open House District 99 race, Marvin Lim defeated Jorge Granados with 61.49% of the 3,534 votes cast. There is no Republican running for the seat, so Lim will take it without further opposition.

In the Republican primary for House District 103, Rep. Timothy Barr held off challenges from Derrick McCollum and Donald Schmidt. Barr got 63.41% of the 7,869 votes cast, followed by McCollum (30.87%) and Schmidt (5.72%). Barr will now face Democrat Clifton Marshall in November.

In the Democratic Primary for House District 104, Nakita Hemingway defeated Andrea Stephenson with 65.15% of the 7,249 votes cast. Hemingway will face Republican incumbent state Rep. Chuck Efstration in November.

In the Democratic primary for House District 106, Rebecca Mitchell defeated Emily Leslie with 59.21% of the 8,530 votes cast.

Mitchell will now face Republican incumbent state Rep. Brett Harrell in November.

Nicole Irish appointed as new Lilburn Middle School principal

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Lilburn Middle School will soon get a new principal.

The Gwinnett County Board of Education appointed Couch Middle School Assistant Principal Nicole Irish as the new principal at Lilburn Middle on a recommendation

from Superintendent Alvin Wilbanks on Thursday night. She will succeed Yvette Nicole Irish A r t h u r a s the school’s leader.

Irish’s full career and educational background infor-

mation was not immediately available during the school board’s meeting. Wilbanks did say, however, that she served as assistant principal at Trickum Middle School prior to working at Couch Middle School.

She has also served as a language arts teachers at several middle schools, Wilbanks said.

Train derails near downtown Duluth

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By Chamian Cruz chamian.cruz@gwinnettdailypost.com

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Buford Highway, just north of Pleasant Hill Road, reopened Wednesday around noon after a train with mixed cargo derailed and caused major traffic delays near downtown Duluth.

The conductor of the train, engineer and a truck driver were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries for further evaluation. A concerned citizen also sustained a minor injury while attempting to help.

Gwinnett County firefighters and multiple agencies responded to the 3600 block of Buford Highway NW at 9:25 a.m., where approximately 20-23 railcars derailed.

Donald Strother, a spokesperson for the Gwinnett County Fire Department, said the railcars jumped the tracks after hitting a truck that was on the tracks.

While officials said two of the derailed railcars carried HAZMAT materials, the HAZMAT team confirmed there were no spills. A diesel fuel leak from one of the locomotives was contained to the railroad right of way.

No immediate or long-term hazards were identified, nor any threats to the surrounding community or the environment.

Norfolk Southern Corporation arrived at the scene, assessed the situation and began implementing plans for cleanup operations. The derailed train was removed throughout the day.

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MEMBER FDIC

photo: gwinnett county Fire department

The Gwinnett County Fire Department responded to a train derailment near downtown Duluth Wednesday morning.

gwinnettdailypost.com ♦ sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ A3 COLUMNIST I KEITH ROACH

WEATHER WATCH

Treatment can help intermittent explosive disorder

TODAY

EAR DR. ROACH: I have a relative who fits the description of intermittent explosive disorder, which I recently read about.

Could you please tell me what kind of therapy a person would need if diagnosed with this problem?

— T.M. ANSWER: Intermittent explosive disRoach order is an impulse control disorder: an inability to restrain behaviors related to emotions. As the name suggests, people with intermittent explosive disorder have periodic bursts of aggressive behavior. The behavior can be verbal or physical, and is grossly out of proportion to the situation. The outbursts are impulsive and unplanned, and importantly, cause distress to the person. I suspect most readers will not find it hard to think of someone who has had these kinds of outbursts, but the formal diagnosis requires the person to meet strict criteria. The diagnosis is usually made by a mental health professional.

There are many risk factors, including family history and prior history of abuse or neglect. Genetics is suspected to cause about half the risk for developing this condition.

It is more common in men.

Treatment may be with medication such as the SSRI fluoxetine (Prozac), with cognitive behavioral therapy or both. Cognitive behavioral therapy encompasses 12-20 one-hour sessions. Alternative medications are available for those who do not do well with Prozac.

While I have heard friends and family members excuse such behavior (“that’s just the way she is” or “he’s always had a terrible temper”), people with intermittent explosive disorder may cause injury to people or animals, cause property damage and get in legal trouble. Most importantly, treatment is usually effective.

DEAR DR. ROACH: My doctor wants to put me on Prolia. I read in a previous column that you didn’t like to prescribe this drug. I would like to share your thoughts with my doctor, but I can’t recall your thoughts. Can you share this information with me again?

— V.F. ANSWER: Denosumab (Prolia) blocks the formation of a cell called the osteoclast.

These cells normally break down bone, and are normally balanced by the bone building activity of osteoblasts. They create new bone.

In older women and men, the activity of osteoclasts is greater than the activity of the osteoblasts. This causes a net loss of bone density and bone strength, leading to fracture risk. The process is common, and proceeds through mild stages like low bone density to osteoporosis.

Bisphosphonate drugs, such as alendronate (Fosamax), also work by decreasing the activity of osteoclasts.

They have much more robust data on effectiveness, so they are the first-line treatment for most people who take medication for osteoporosis.

However, these drugs have their own issues, including adhering to some very specific requirements while taking the drug: fasting, taking the pills with only water, remaining upright for 30 minutes after taking it, etc. For people who can’t do this or just don’t want to, denosumab is a reasonable alternative, even if more expensive than generic alendronate.

A previous column cautioned against using denosumab after a long course of bisphosphonate therapy.

This combination can increase the risk of a complication, atypical femur fractures, and I typically use a medication to stimulate bone growth, such as teriparatide.

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LAKE LEVELS

SOLUNAR TABLES the gwinnett daily post (upsp 921-980, issn 1086-0096) is published wednesday, Friday and sunday by scni, 725 old norcross Road, lawrenceville, ga 30045. periodical postage paid at lawrenceville, ga 30044. postmasteR: send address changes to gwinnett daily post, p.o. Box 603, lawrenceville, ga 30046-0603.

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the solunar tables for lakes are based on studies that show fish and game are more active at certain times during the lunar period.

MAJOR 1:34-3:34 a.m...............2:01-4:01 p.m.

MINOR 6:35-7:35 a.m. ........... 9:26-10:26 p.m.

POLLEN COUNTS trees: none weeds: none grass: Very High

LOTTERY

Lake

Full

Yesterday

allatoona .............(840.0) ..... 840.39 Blackshear .......... (237.0) ..... 236.93 Blue Ridge.........(1690.0) ... 1686.92 Burton...............(1865.0) ... 1865.09 carters..............(1072.0) .... 1071.41 chatuge ............ (1927.0) ... 1925.55 Harding ............... (521.0) ......520.61 Hartwell ..............(660.0) ..... 660.48 Jackson...............(530.0) ..... 528.73

Lake

Full

Yesterday

lanier.................(1071.0) ....1071.43 nottely...............(1779.0) ....1776.92 oconee ...............(435.0) ..... 434.55 seminole................(77.5) .........77.15 sinclair ................(339.8) ..... 339.00 thurmond ...........(330.0) ..... 329.53 tugalo ................. (891.5) ......889.31 walter F. george...(188.0) ......189.22 west point...........(635.0) ..... 635.09

TODAY IN HISTORY

Saturday cash 3 midday: 3-1-3 cash 4 midday: 4-4-3-5 ga. 5 midday: 4-2-9-1-8 Friday cash 3 midday: 1-2-5 cash 3 evening: 1-9-7 cash 3 night: 2-8-5 cash 4 midday: 5-0-0-6 cash 4 evening: 9-6-9-6 cash 4 night: 7-9-9-5 ga. 5 midday: 1-4-6-9-4 ga. 5 evening: 9-2-8-2-4 Fantasy 5: 10-27-28-29-39 mega millions: 11-34-36-52-66, mega Ball: 07 cash 4 life: 20-38-40-47-49, cash Ball: 02

TODAY’S HISTORY: in 1788, new Hampshire ratified the u.s. constitution and became the ninth state. in 1898, u.s. troops captured the island of guam. in 1982, John Hinckley Jr. was found not guilty by reason of insanity for his attempted assassination of president Ronald Reagan. in 1989, the u.s. supreme court ruled that burning the american flag was a form of political protest protected by the First amendment. in 2004, spaceshipone, piloted by mike melvill, became the first privately sponsored craft to carry a human into space.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: al Hirschfeld (1903-2003), cartoonist; Jean-paul sartre (1905-1980), philosopher; mary mccarthy (1912-1989), writer; Jane Russell (1921-

2011), actress; Ray davies (1944- ), guitarist/songwriter; tony scott (1944-2012), filmmaker; Benazir Bhutto (1953-2007), pakistani politician; Berkeley Breathed (1957- ), cartoonist; Kevin Harlan (1960- ), sportscaster; Juliette lewis (1973- ), actress; chris pratt (1979- ), actor; prince william (1982- ), duke of cambridge.

TODAY’S FACT: James Buchanan was the only u.s. president who never married.

TODAY’S SPORTS: in 1997, the first women’s national Basketball association game kicked off the league’s debut season.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “i have found that those who do achieve peace never acquiesce to obstacles, especially those constructed of bigotry, intolerance and inflexible tradition.” — Benazir Bhutto

READER’S GUIDE

Gwinnett Daily Post editor – todd cline main office – 770-963-9205

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Honored as a newspaper of General Excellence

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COLUMNIST I AMY DICKINSON

New dog creates new problems in the family

D

EAR AMY: My wife and I have been married for over 20 years and have three boys at home.

We recently adopted a 3-year-old rescue dog after our previous dog died.

This might seem like a silly question, but my wife is annoyed because sometimes at dinnertime, I will ask whether or not our new dog has been fed.

Initially (unbeknownst to me) she assumed the job of dog feeder and says that others (me) checking to see if the dog has been fed is insulting.

Feeding our previous dog was generally a shared responsibility, so asking whether he was fed was relatively common.

We have other animals for whom inquiries about their feeding status are not insulting.

My wife wants me to stop asking, or to take over all feeding of the new dog.

I have agreed to try to stop asking, but, realistically, it will probably slip my mind (the dog is huge and skinny).

This really isn’t a terribly big issue, but I am bewildered by it.

Any thoughts?

— Confused Husband DEAR CONFUSED: Just spitballing here, but I’m going to take a stab at what might be going on.

When you ask, “Has the dog been fed?” This is what your wife hears: “Why haven’t YOU feed the dog?”

Her interior monologue then goes something like this: “Of course I fed the dog, because I do everything around here. I feed the kids, the other animals, you, the neighbors, my folks, my co-workers... I’m quite the feeding machine, in fact. So don’t you waltz in here and ask if I fed the dog, because you know damn well that I did. Oh, and by the way, did we really have to

get a HUGE dog who, have you noticed, is an eating machine?”

Your family’s life has changed since your last dog died: A pandemic came along and forced the kids out of school Dickinson and (I assume) you and your wife into an entirely different home environment.

Although I have read (and seen) that the extended home-time has brought many previously less-involved men into the domestic fold, it has also tripled the work for many women.

So this really is NOT a trivial issue.

Sit with your wife privately. Look into her eyes. Hold her hand. Ask her if this dog’s presence has put her over the edge. Don’t merely offer to, but (yes) DO take total responsibility for the dog’s feeding and care. Total responsibility. You will then be in charge of assigning various dogrelated jobs to your three sons. Your wife’s only responsibility concerning the dog should be to pet him and to coax him off the couch.

DEAR AMY: My husband is a pastor of a church. We are about to officially reopen for services after being closed for months during COVID-19.

As the pastor’s wife, my husband wants me to go to church. I don’t want to.

I see he is very careless in social distancing, especially when he runs into people from the church. They are also careless, I tell him that they need to social distance and have no physical contact, but I always end up being the bad person.

Just seeing them act this way makes me anxious. That is the reason I don’t want to go. This is causing lots of

problems in my marriage. I don’t know what to do.

— Pastor’s Wife DEAR WIFE: I just attended reopening training for my own house of worship, and the training was extremely specific and very strict. Churches are considered to be potential hot spots for the spread of COVID, and your husband has a duty to his congregation to adhere to mask-wearing, social distancing, and disinfecting guidelines.

Your own denomination should have guidelines, and your husband’s inability (or refusal) to understand and adhere to them is irresponsible, to say the least.

I do think it is possible for you to attend and to stay safe (keep your distance, wear a mask, don’t sing, don’t share printed material, pass the collection plate, or “pass the peace,” etc.), but if you don’t want to attend, then you absolutely should not.

These guidelines are for everyone’s safety. And remember — this, too, shall pass.

DEAR AMY: “Upset” was concerned that her parents weren’t respecting CDC guidelines concerning COVID. She wanted to control them from 3,000 miles away!

What is it with this generation of controlling bratty adult children?

— Disgusted DEAR DISGUSTED: These adult children are anxious, and they don’t know how to let go. Who raised these “brats,” anyway?

You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: ASKAMY@amydickinson.com.

Readers may send postal mail to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068.

You can also follow her on Twitter @ askingamy or “like” her on Facebook.

Evaluate what you have done, what you want to do, and how best to go about reaching your objective. Don’t be afraid to take a different path or to try something new.

Consider the possibilities, the cost involved and the rewards that will come your way if you follow through.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — Say what’s on your mind. Positive change is within reach, but first, you have to make choices and take the necessary action to turn your plan into something concrete.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — Do what feels right and best for you. Put your heart and soul into achieving a physical or personal goal that will result in additional confidence.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You’ll fall privy to inside information if you attend a virtual get-together with people from your past. The information you gather will change your mind about something or someone.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Take a secretive approach to whatever you choose to do. The less information you share with others, the easier it will be to get things done.

Discipline and hard work will lead to success.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — You’ll have a better idea regarding your next move.

Start putting your ideas and plans down on paper in preparation to make your move when the time is right.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) — Making changes at home can be costly if you trust someone else to take care of the details. Don’t let anyone take advantage of you. Take care of matters personally.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) — Live life your way. Make adjustments at home that complement the things you enjoy doing the most. A heart-to-heart discussion and an affectionate gesture will improve a stressful relationship.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — The effort you put into making your surroundings comfortable and user-friendly will pay off. Reward yourself.

Personal improvements will boost your ego. Romance is in the stars.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) — Put more thought into what you want to pursue. Pay attention to detail to avoid making a mistake. Refuse to let anyone take advantage of you physically, financially or emotionally.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — Keep your thoughts to yourself until you are sure you are ready to share. What you say will lead to a change you may not be prepared to accept.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — You’ll be inspired by what someone shares with you. Start a new project that will help you achieve peace of mind. A program that encourages better health, diet and fitness is supported.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — Follow through with your plan. It’s one thing to talk about what you intend to do, and another to physically make it happen. Step up, accomplish your goal and be proud.

Sign up to get Gwinnett Daily Post breaking news alerts and daily newsletters at www.gwinnettdailypost.com/newsletters.

A4 ♦ Sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ gwinnettdailypoSt.com

WORLD & NATION

WORLD

Multiple people injured in stabbing incident in Reading, England A man has been arrested in connection with a stabbing incident Saturday in the English town of Reading that left multiple people with injuries, according to the Thames Valley Police.

“A number of people sustained injuries and were taken to hospital,” the police said on Twitter, urging the public to avoid the area as police investigate the incident, which police said took place at Forbury Gardens.

Police asked that members of the public not to post images or videos of the incident on social media, but instead to report these to the police.

At least two people suffering from stab wounds were being treated at the nearby Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading following the incident Saturday, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Pope warns society against reverting to individualism after the COVID-19 pandemic Pope Francis has warned the world against returning to the “illusion of individualism” after the coronavirus pandemic ends.

Francis made a statement from the Vatican on Sunday, praising health care workers in Italy’s Lombardy region who stood by their patients during the pandemic’s “troubled months.”

Lombardy was Italy’s worstaffected region at the height of the pandemic.

Francis later warned people to “be careful,” and not to allow individualism to again become “the guiding principle of society.”

Francis used the health care workers as an example to make his point, saying their professionalism was “one of the pillars of [Italy].” The Pope described the medical workers as “angels.”

Greta Thunberg: Virus response shows world can ‘suddenly act with necessary force’ The coronavirus pandemic proves the world can “act with necessary force” when faced with a global emergency, teen climate activist Greta Thunberg says.

Speaking on Sweden’s Sveriges Radio, Thunberg said that from a climate perspective there was nothing positive about the coronavirus crisis as changes to daily life had “extremely little similarity” with the extreme action required to deal with climate change.

“The corona tragedy of course has no long-term positive effect on the climate apart from one thing only, namely the insights into how you should perceive and treat an emergency,” she said. “Because during the corona crisis we suddenly act with necessary force.”

The 17-year-old is best known for her environmental activism, leading climate strikes around the world — events that have now gone online.

The pandemic had moved people all over to world to action, Thunberg said.

“All parts of society come together and politicians put their different views aside and cooperate for the greater good of everyone,” she said.

— From wire reports

Nationwide protests coincide with Trump rally in Tulsa, Okla.

By Ray Sanchez and Nicole Chavez CNN

A tumultuous spring turned into a turbulent summer in America on Saturday with potential flashpoints across the nation, from President Donald Trump’s return to the campaign trail in Tulsa to ongoing protests over racism and police brutality.

Trump’s first rally since the coronavirus pandemic began will unfold on a tense Juneteenth weekend in the Oklahoma city where the 1921 Tulsa race massacre left up to 300 Black residents dead and the Black Greenwood District in ruins.

As thousands of people, many wearing MAGA hats and waving American flags, arrived at Tulsa’s Bank of Oklahoma Center arena, the marches and rallies ignited by the May 25 death of George Floyd continued Saturday.

In New York, protesters marched over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan’s Foley Square while groups rallied in different parts of Washington, D.C. and near

NATION

Six Trump campaign staffers working on Tulsa rally test positive for coronavirus Six staffers working on President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, have tested positive for coronavirus, the Trump campaign said Saturday.

Just hours before the president is expected to arrive in the state, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said in a statement that “per safety protocols, campaign staff are tested for COVID-19 before events. Six members of the advance team tested positive out of hundreds of tests performed, and quarantine procedures were immediately implemented.”

“No COVID-positive staffers or anyone in immediate contact will be at today’s rally or near attendees and elected officials,” he said.

Federal judge denies Trump administration’s attempt to block release of Bolton’s book A federal judge has denied the Trump administration’s attempt to block the upcoming publication of a book by former national security adviser John Bolton.

Judge Royce Lamberth of the DC District Court wrote in a 10-page decision Saturday morning that the Justice Department’s arguments weren’t enough to stop the book’s release. He cited how the book, which is scheduled to be released Tuesday, had already been widely distributed, and could easily be distributed further on the internet, even if the court said it could not be.

“For reasons that hardly need to be stated, the Court will not order a nationwide seizure and destruction of

PEOPLE

Actor-comedian D.L. Hughley collapses onstage in Nashville Actor and comedian D.L. Hughley collapsed Friday night on stage in Nashville while performing, publicist Yvette Shearer said.

Hughley, 57, was suffering from exhaustion after working and traveling during the week, she said. He was kept overnight in a hospital for tests under doctor’s order, she said. Shearer tells CNN that Hughley is awake, feeling better and wishes to thank everyone for kind thoughts and prayers.

His credits include “The D.L. Hughley Show,” “The Hughleys,” “Soul Plane” and “The Comedy Get Down.”

Iconic Prince ‘Blue Angel’ guitar is sold for over $500,000 win mcnamee/getty images

Supporters of President Donald Trump gather before his campaign rally at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. the White House.

The demonstrations come one day after Trump warned on Twitter that “protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes” outside his rally could be treated roughly.

The rally aimed at reigniting Trump’s reelection

bid was originally scheduled for Friday, which was Juneteenth — the day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

The president rescheduled the event in response to criticism but has largely remained silent on the issue of systemic racism

and has resisted changes proposed in the wake of the protests.

Hours ahead of Trump’s rally, members of a group called Refuse Fascism stood near the entrance of the BOK center. Similar rallies were planned in at least a dozen other U.S. cities.

potential for violent clashes at the site,” Cooper said in his statement. “Monuments to white supremacy don’t belong in places of allegiance, and it’s past time that these painful memorials be moved in a legal, safe way,” he went on.

The statement said monuments being removed included the remainder of the North Carolina Confederate monument, the monument aFp to the Women of the ConThe Trump campaign confirmed six staffers working on the federacy, and the figure of Henry Lawson Wyatt.

Tulsa rally tested positive for coronavirus. a political memoir,” Lamberth wrote.

The judge’s ruling Saturday quickly dispels a longshot attempt by the Trump administration to stymy the book’s release — an attempt roundly condemned as antithetical to the First Amendment. But Lamberth’s decision also keeps alive major risks for Bolton, such as the administration’s effort to claw back proceeds from the book, including from any movie and TV rights, and other consequences for disclosing classified information.

Lamberth also noted Bolton could still be exposed to criminal liability.

Shooting in Seattle protest zone leaves one dead Seattle police say a “violent crowd” prevented them reaching two shooting victims — one whom later died — inside the city’s autonomous protest zone Saturday.

Officers responded around 2:30 a.m. local time Saturday to a report of shots fired at Cal Anderson Park inside the area referred to as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) or Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), according to a police statement.

“Officers attempted to locate a shooting victim but were met by a violent crowd that prevented officers safe access to the victims,” the

statement reads. Police said they were later informed that CHOP medics had taken the two victims to hospital.

Officers went to Harborview Medical Center where they were told a 19-year-old male had died from his injuries. Police said the other shooting victim — a male — remains in the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The suspect or suspects remain at large.

NC governor orders removal of Confederate statues at state Capitol North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper ordered Saturday that all Confederate monuments on Capitol grounds be removed to protect public safety.

In a statement, Cooper said “monuments to white supremacy don’t belong in places of allegiance.”

On Friday, a protester climbed a statue on a Confederate monument at the state Capitol, wrapped a strap around its neck and pulled it down, according to video from CNN affiliate WRAL. A second statue on the other side of the monument was also pulled down. Protesters then marched down the street and hung both statues from a light post on the street, WRAL reported.

“I am concerned about the dangerous efforts to pull down and carry off large, heavy statues and the strong

Eskimo Pie no more: Ice cream owners will drop ‘derogatory’ name After nearly 100 years, Eskimo Pie ice cream will get a new name.

“We are committed to being a part of the solution on racial equality, and recognize the term is derogatory,” Elizabell Marquez, head of marketing for parent company Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, told CNN in a statement.

The chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bar joins brands such as Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s in overhauling long-used names and marketing strategies considered racially offensive.

The trend comes amid global demonstrations against police brutality and systemic racism following the deaths of George Floyd and other African Americans at the hands of police.

Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream has been reviewing the business for some time, Marquez said.

The name “Eskimo” is commonly used in Alaska to refer to Inuit and Yupik people, according to the Alaska Native Language Center at the University of Alaska. “This name is considered derogatory in many other places because it was given by nonInuit people and was said to mean ‘eater of raw meat.’”

— From wire reports

Prince’s “Blue Angel” Cloud 2 guitar that the late singer played during some of his most iconic moments was sold at auction for $563,500.

The 1984 electric guitar was used by the famous singer on his tours for “Purple Rain” and “Diamonds and Pearls.” Prince also played it during Saturday Night Live’s “15th Anniversary Special,” Julien’s Auctions confirmed in a news release.

“The guitar is considered one of the most historically important guitars played by Prince that has ever come up for auction,” Julien’s Auctions said.

The custom-made guitar was considered lost until the auction house was contacted

by John Woodland, who performs conservation work on Prince’s guitars. After closer examination, it was confirmed that it was Prince’s beloved guitar Blue Angel, according to the news release.

9-year-old, friends have raised nearly $100K to help blackowned businesses A group of friends with big dreams and even bigger hearts started a summer business that is helping black-owned businesses and neighborhoods in Minneapolis affected by the coronavirus pandemic and protests following the death of George Floyd.

Nine-year-old Kamryn Johnson and five of her friends who live in neighboring Chanhassen decided to open a stand selling friendship bracelets.

After a lot thinking about where the money would end up going, the group agreed that the proceeds would be donated to businesses and food banks in Minneapolis.

Led by Kamryn, the group named their effort “Kamryn & Friends: Bracelets For Unity & Justice.” Since setting up the stand on May 30, the kind kiddos have raised more than $90,000 through sales of the bracelets online fundraising and donations, according to Kamryn’s dad, former NFL player Ron Johnson.

“She has a huge heart and simply wanted to be of help in whatever way she could,” Johnson told CNN. While the funds will be going toward helping various businesses damaged during protests, Johnson said the focus is on helping black business owners get back on their feet.

— From wire reports

5 creative ways to celebrate Dad during this pandemic Father’s Day

By Lauren Lee CNN

Like all the other holidays during the coronavirus pandemic, Father’s Day is going to take some extra creativity to celebrate Dad this year.

Here are some ways to make his day one to remember.

Plan a virtual gathering

MUST READ to seeing your dad in person, a virtual celebration is the best way to bring together those who are not in the same household during social distancing.

Have a meal, share a meal

This day usually comes packed with a good hearty While nothing compares meal. So how about also pro-

viding for people facing hunger on Father’s Day? Since the pandemic began, some food banks are seeing a four-fold increase in demand. A donation of $1 to Feeding America could provide 10 meals to children and families in need.

one mourning the death of their dad. Planting a tree is a great way to keep your loved one’s memory alive through a living tribute.

U.S. cities are losing 36 million trees annually, which can significantly impact the climate. You can help combat this problem and honor your Plant a tree in his father’s legacy by planting a Make a house a home tree in your yard or making memory Is your dad always doing a donation to the National home improvement projFather’s Day can be par- Forest Foundation’s tree ects? Consider donating to ticularly challenging for any- planting program.

Habitat for Humanity.

The organization’s “Gift from the Heart” program enables donors to make contributions in honor of friends and relatives. The tax-deductible donations help families build places of their own to call home.

Pay it forward

Consider finding an organization that’s taking on an issue your dad cares deeply about and making a donation in his honor. World Vision has set up a helpful list of ways to “pay it forward.”

The list will help you donate to a cause that aligns with your dad’s interests.

For example, if your father likes the outdoors, you can pay for a “family fishing kit.”

gwinnettdailypost.com ♦ sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ A5

Snellville adopts anti-racism resolution

By Curt Yeomans curt.yeomans@gwinnettdailypost.com

Snellville officials recently took a stand against racism in response to a series of recent incidents where African-Americans have been killed.

The City Council adopted a resolution that condemns racism and commits city departments, including the police department, to ensure a “culture of trust” exists between the city and residents. Fostering that culture is an attempt to improve race rela-

tions within Snellville.

“Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd. People who once lived, worked, played, worshipped, and loved in communities not unlike our own,” Councilwoman Cristy Lenski said. “I am shocked, sickened, and saddened by the shameful ways in which their lives were ended.”

In tandem with the resolution, the City Council establish a Citizens Advisory Council. The new body will be tasked with coming up with ways to address race relations in Snellville.

City officials also recently worked with organizers of a peaceful march in Snellville, where marchers called for better treatment of minorities, to ensure participants were safe and listened to.

“The challenge for us now is to respond compassionately and effectively, to acknowledge the blind spots we may have, and to engage in meaningful conversations with our diverse community, where we truly listen to one another and build bridges of understanding,” Lenski said.

During the question-and-answer portion of the event, the moderators asked about the panelists’ views on calls to defund the police, the recruitment process to attract diversity in the police department, measures they believe are needed to change police behavior and what the Bible teaches about race and ethnicity.

“I am in several unique positions,” candidate for Gwinnett County Sheriff Curtis Clemons said. “Every day before I put on a uniform I am a black man in America. ... As I have told some friends, sometimes I am so black I’m not expected to be blue and sometimes I’m so blue I’m not expected to be black.”

Clemons said he believes the police department needs to work on implicit bias, inclusion, community engagement and fear of the “other,” which can cause overreaction by both law enforcement and the community.

State House Rep. Dewey McClain also suggested implementing better laws such as a law for force data collection so there is a public record of any police officer that does something wrong, as well as the removal of qualified immunity for law enforcement for misconduct or illegal activities.

“If I knew that something was going to happen to me, I may think twice before I do something that I shouldn’t be doing,” McClain said, referring to police misconduct.

However, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Charlotte Nash and Commissioner Marlene

Fosque said they do not see how defunding the police department would be feasible, considering the county’s growing population and individual police departments in addition to the county police department.

Fosque elaborated by saying that defunding the Gwinnett County Police Department would shift some of the responsibility to the city police departments and that if the county then tried to defund the sheriff’s office it could lead to a lawsuit. Nash and Fosque said it was important to look at funding other programs instead.

Because Gwinnett County is becoming more diverse, incoming Gwinnett County Police Chief Brett West said applicants looking to join the police department are also becoming more diverse, but the department still recruits throughout the state and the country.

West said the starting salary at the Gwinnett County Police Department is $39,801, with educational incentives of 3% for an associate’s degree and 6% for a bachelor’s degree. After training and the end of their first year, officers receive another raise, plus benefits.

“We always have to remember that the public are the police and the police are the public,” West said in his closing remarks. “We have to work together to solve our problems. We have to recognize always that the power of police is to fulfill the functions and the duties and that’s dependent on public approval.”

File photo

Ellen Gerstein, poses with Dan Kaufman and Randy Dillinger after accepting the Humanitarian Award on behalf of Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services during the Gwinnett Chamber’s 68th Annual Dinner in 2016. Gerstein said she plans to retire later this year after nearly 30 years of leading the coalition.

GERSTEIN From A1 sector here in Gwinnett that’s very vibrant and contributing to this economy.

“I’m very proud of the work that we’ve done around that.”

While the number of nonprofits that the Gwinnett Coalition works with has grown exponentially over the years, the person leading efforts to assist those groups will soon change. Gerstein, who has been the coalition’s executive director for 29 years, announced Thursday she plans to retire later this year.

“I’ve been here a long time and it’s time for young people to step in,” said Gerstein, 63, who plans to stay in the Gwinnett area to be close to her twin 2-year-old grandchildren.

Right now, Gerstein expects to stay on until her successor takes over, with the plans being for that person to start around the end of this year, or the beginning of 2021. Gerstein said she hopes to have a transition period this fall where she can help her successor get acclimated to the job before that person takes over full time.

During her time as head of the Gwinnett Coalition, Gerstein has seen significant changes in Gwinnett County’s population as it boomed and become more diverse in terms of ethnicity, race, language, religion and gender. Today, the county is home to nearly 1 million people and is Georgia’s second-most populous county as well as a majority minority county.

That has meant the coalition has had to adjust over the years to meet the changing needs of a diversified population.

“I believe Gwinnett has stepped up to the challenges,” Gerstein said. “Early on, one of the things that I’m very proud of that the coalition did is we started a grassroots leadership program called the Gwinnett Neighborhood Leadership Institute.

“That was targeting diverse leaders so that that diversity we were seeing could be highlighted (and the coalition could) train diverse grassroots leaders so they would start to take on other leadership opportunities in the county. And I’m just so proud of a lot of the graduates that have been so involved in this community, and continue to be involved.”

The neighborhood leadership institute has been discontinued as other leadership programs emerged in the county — Gerstein said residents of Gwinnett now have their choice of about 40 leadership programs to participate in — but there have been other signature programs organized by the coalition.

One of those programs is the annual Gwinnett Great Days of Service. This year will mark the 21st year of Great Days of Service, which Gerstein said is the largest volunteer event in the U.S. and has had an estimated total economic impact of $40 million over its first 20 years.

Great Days of Service began as a mutual desire by businesses in the Gwinnett Chamber who wanted get involved in volunteer opportunities and local organizations looking for ways to get more businesses involved with their programs.

“Actually, Paige Havens, who is a community leader, she

was working at the chamber at the time, so she was hearing the side from the businesses and I was the side from the nonprofits,” Gerstein said.

“We basically came up with a couple of ideas about how to make those matches and it evolved into Gwinnett Great Days of Service.

“We modeled it after the Hands On Atlanta group and what they’ve been doing for quite a while.”

Gerstein said the coalition is looking at using this year’s Gwinnett Great Days of Service to focus on COVID-19 recovery assistance, particularly addressing the issue of food insecurity.

“We’ve seen so much food insecurity and need,” she said.

“I mean 40, 50, 60 all the way up to 600% reported from food banks of increases in what they’re giving out in food, so we’re going to do mainly food drives and personal care item drives this year, so we’re very excited about that.”

Gerstein also highlighted the coalition’s role in helping some of the nonprofits and other community organizations that help Gwinnett residents.

“I’m very proud of starting a lot of nonprofits here in Gwinnett, including five of the six cooperative ministries that serve all kinds of needs in Gwinnett,” she said. “We started a low-income affordable housing organization.

It was called the Gwinnett Housing Resource Partnership and changed to the IMPACT Group.”

Additionally, Gerstein has been a big behind-the-scenes supporter of the Homefirst Gwinnett program which the United Way of Gwinnett has spearheaded and houses.

The coalition highlighted some of the other accomplishments it has achieved under Gerstein’s leadership, including: the establishment of the Gwinnett Helpline, which has provided 750,000 referrals for basic needs over the last 29 years; the implementation of a health and human services needs assessment; created a Veterans Resource Center in Gwinnett County; raised more than $2 million to deter youth from substance abuse; developed a comprehensive youth health survey; and helped design health and human services centers in Norcross, Buford and Centerville.

“We are grateful for Ellen’s leadership and dedication to Gwinnett over the years,” said Chuck Warbington, Gwinnett Coalition board chair and Lawrenceville City Manager. “We know she will continue to be a force for good as she enters this next stage. We appreciate her commitment to the Gwinnett Coalition in ensuring the new executive director has a seamless transition.

“As a board, we are excited about the future of the Gwinnett Coalition and look forward to finding a new executive director who is passionate about building upon Ellen’s efforts and accelerating the Gwinnett Coalition’s efforts.”

As for what she plans to do after she retires, Gerstein said she may volunteer for some coalition activities, but will largely stay out of the way to allow her successor room to lead the organization in their own way.

“Here’s the thing though, when you retire from a nonprofit, you don’t really retire,” she said. “You’re just moving on to the next stage of life.”

REFORM From A1 in the mist of this turbulent time that we’re living in and the only thing that I could think of was to have a community dialogue,” Headd said. “... I had already begun to work on a piece called ‘Take a Seat Before You Take The Street’ in response to the protests, so this is just the beginning of that. If you can sit down and have a dialogue to talk about the differences of our culture and build on that, I think we will be better people.”

As a pastor, Headd said he believes it is important to include clergy in the conversation because sometimes churches are not taught inclusive love and so they stay segregated to avoid becoming a part of a larger context of the community.

“His love that he (Jesus) showed us is what compelled us to love each other,” Perimeter Church Pastor Chip Sweney said. “Love is the most consistent theme throughout the Bible, and it’s not just loving those like us but it’s loving those that are different than us as well.”

“The parable of the Good Samaritan is a good example.... Jesus was being very intentional. This is about loving those that are different than us ethnically, as well as social economically and in other ways.”

photo: gwinnett county public schools

Gwinnett County Public Schools Associate Superintendent for School Improvement and Operations Steve Flynt talks about the district’s plans for starting the school year on Aug. 5 during a Gwinnett County Board of Education Meeting Thursday. The district is looking at beginning the school with in-school instruction, but it is not ruling out the possibility of beginning the year with digital learning.

SCHOOL From A1 “There are some areas of focus that we are using to guide that return,” Gwinnett County Public Schools Associate Superintendent for School Improvement and Operations Steve Flynt said. “First and foremost, the safety of everyone involved. Obviously, (that includes) our teachers, our staff, our students and everybody else that works with our students.

“Next would be teaching and learning effectively, and the tools that go with that. What will that need to look like and what will that look like whether we return face-to-face

JUNETEENTH From A1 United Ebony Society President Marlene Taylor-Crawford said, adding that the society celebrates the holiday each year with a festival at Rhodes Jordan Park. “... We wanted to still bring the community together so everyone can safely join the caravan.”

Most people drove their cars, decorated with signs and messages, but a group of about six people walked the 2.5 miles down Lawrenceville Highway to Rhodes Jordan Park. As they walked, several drivers who passed by honked their horns and raised their fists out of their car windows in solidarity.

“For the walkers, we did it!” Jasper

or digitally.”

One of the issues Flynt said the district would need to address is equity and access to instruction since some families with less financial means than others may not have access to computers.

“We know we had some access issues and we’re continuing to look at ways to solve some of those and improve across the district,” Flynt said.

Another issue that the school system would have to look at, particularly if the school year has to begin with digital learning, is making sure students remain engaged. Flynt said the district has learned that teachers can end up losing students if the pupils are not engaging with their instructors and classmates.

That can lead to the students not making progress in their classes, Flynt said.

The school system has been following orders issued by Gov. Brian Kemp concerning operations as well as guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Guidance from the Georgia Department of Education on returning to school is being looked at as well.

Flynt said the district is also working with health officials at the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale Health Departments district and the Georgia Department of Public Health to access whether in-person instruction will be possible in August.

“There’s a lot of input into what this looks like,” he said.

Watkins, a member of the United Ebony Society, said. “The support and the love we had for those 2.5 miles was evident. People understand — they know. ... Everybody out here is trying to do something productive for Gwinnett County.”

Watkins said it was a little disheartening that in a county of almost 1 million people, with almost 400,000 people of color, only about 50 people showed up to the celebration in Lawrenceville. However, he said, “it had to start somewhere and it started with us.”

At Rhodes Jordan Park, the caravan read “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to pay homage to their African American ancestors and also held a minutelong moment of silence.

Two girls, ages 3 and 5, spoke about their understanding of Juneteenth. Laura Rahmaad, a member of the United Ebony Society, said she thought one

of the great things about the celebration was that it was creating awareness about Juneteenth so that their children and their children’s children know about it.

“I never knew about Juneteenth until I came to the South,” a caravaner at Rhodes Jordan Park said. “It was about three years ago. So in my adult years I’m just learning about the fact that this day should be celebrated, and that should not be the case.

“Now, we recognize that Juneteenth is showing what has happened in our past. ... And that’s what’s been happening to us as a people, as a culture. Justice has been delayed in many ways, but we want to make sure that justice will not be denied, which means we have to continue doing what we’re doing now by raising our voices, challenging and demanding change.”

A6 ♦ Sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ gwinnettdailypoSt.com POLITICAL NOTEBOOK|CURT YEOMANS

Islam endorses Bourdeaux in 7th Congressional District race

By Curt Yeomans curt.yeomans@ gwinnettdailypost.com

With this fall’s matchup of Republican Dr. Rich McCormick versus Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux set for the 7th Congressional District, one former candidate is already weighing in on the race.

Nabilah Islam, a former Democratic Party candidate for the seat, endorsed Bourdeaux this past week after an influx of counted absentee-by-mail ballots made Nabilah the Georgia Islam State University professor her party’s nominee without a runoff.

Islam finished third in the June 9 Democratic Primary for the 7th Congressional District seat.

“I got into this race because this district is my home and I couldn’t stand by another moment and watch my friends, my family, and my neighbors continue to struggle,” Islam said in a

statement. “I feel incredibly good entrusting the future of this district in the hands of Carolyn Bourdeaux.”

Islam was the first former opponent of Bourdeaux’s in the primary to throw her support behind the party’s nominee. The seat is open this year because of U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall’s decision to retire after his term ends later Carolyn Bourdeaux this year.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has made the 7th District seat one of its main targets for this fall’s election. Republicans have also

been paying attention to the the sheriff’s office, anrace, however, as they try nounced he to hold onto the seat past is endorsing the end of this year.

Taylor in the Bourdeaux, in a staterunoff. After ment, praised Islam, who the primary, is the daughter of immigrants from Bangladesh, Ben Haynes Haynes said both Clemfor the campaign that she ons and Tayran for the seat.

“I thank Nabilah for run- lor had reached out to him ning her campaign with to ask for support during courage and clarity, and the runoff.

“I take the decision to pubfor the bright spotlight she licly endorse has provided on the issue a former opof healthcare in this camponent very paign,” Carolyn Bourdeaux seriously,” said. “Nabilah and her famHaynes said. ily know the struggle that “I believe so many people in our comthat the best munity face to access qualchoice for the ity, affordable care.” citizens of Keybo Gwinnett is Taylor Haynes endorses to elect KeyTaylor in Democratic bo Taylor as Sheriff. Like myself, Keybo is a man of runoff for sheriff faith and family. He has With Curtis Clemons and lived in Gwinnett County Keybo Taylor in a tight race his entire life and is dedifor the Democratic nomi- cated to its citizens. nation to be sheriff, Taylor “I have spoken with Mr. has already picked up sup- Taylor several times since port from one of his former the primary election. I am opponents. confident that he shares Ben Haynes, who finished my vision of restoring inthird in the June 9 Dem- tegrity at the Sheriff’s Ofocratic Party primary for fice, ensuring public safety,

and reforming the inmate education program.”

Haynes said his campaign team will work to support Taylor’s team ahead of the Aug. 11 runoff election.

Hice withdraws support of controversial 14th District candidate A Republican running for the 14th Congressional District seat in northwest Georgia can no longer count U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., among her supporters in light of a Politico report about controversial statements the candidate has Jody Hice made over the years.

The report detailed statements by Marjorie Taylor Greene that have been described as racist, anti-Semitic and Islamophobic. Hice had endorsed Greene, who is facing a runoff for the Republican nomination in

the 14th district, but he pulled that support in an announcement posted on his Facebook page Marjorie Taylor Thursday.

Greene “As conservatives, our message is one of hope and liberty — and, as a former pastor of 25 years, my aim has always been to bring Americans of all backgrounds together in a shared love of God,” Hice said in the post. “In the midst of these difficult times, it is more important than ever before that we have leaders in Washington who can heal our nation, not divide it further.

“I find Marjorie Taylor Greene’s statements appalling and deeply troubling, and I can no longer support her candidacy in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District.”

Political Notebook appears in the Sunday edition of the Gwinnett Daily Post.

Gwinnett schools continue planning in-person graduations starting July 13

By Curt Yeomans curt.yeomans@ gwinnettdailypost.com

File photo

Grayson Wahl greets a pit bull dog at the Gwinnett County Animal Welfare shelter in this file photo. The shelter, which suspended pet adoptions because of the COVID-19 outbreak in April, reopened June 15.

Students in Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Class of 2020 may still get a chance to walk across a stage and receive their high school diplomas.

School system Associate Superintendent for School Improvement and Operations Steve Flynt told the Gwinnett County Board of Education on Thursday that the district is still looking at holding in-person graduation ceremonies, most of

them at the Infinite Energy Center, in July for seniors who graduated this spring.

The district held online graduations last month, but has held out the possibility that in-person ceremonies could also be held this summer.

“We are planning on a face-to-face graduation during the week of July 13-17,” Flynt said. “We’re going to be sending out information to students, requesting whether they would like to participate in that or not, and if they do, we’ll get those numbers and plan accordingly.”

File photo

Gwinnett School of Math, Science and Technology students receive their diplomas in this 2018 file photo.

Gwinnett animal Standardized tests for Georgia students shelter reopens on chopping block again amid COVID-19 for limited visitors

By Beau Evans

By Chamian Cruz chamian.cruz@ gwinnettdailypost.com

This week the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter reopened for limited walk-in guests looking for a new pet, opening after a two-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The shelter’s adoption fees are waived at this time, and several procedures are in place for the the safety of visitors and pets alike.

The shelter is following all guidance provided by the CDC and the National Animal Control Association in response to COVID-19.

According to shelter officials, there is a maximum occupancy of 25 people, gloves are being provided, masks are encouraged and visitors should adhere to the posted signage.

The shelter is also offering an online adoption/foster application to help speed up the process of meeting with

potential new pets. There are no holds of animals, however, at any time.

Family members and current pets are welcome to visit the shelter to meet and greet potential new pets, but visitors are encouraged to be mindful of the maximum capacity and others waiting their turn.

As always, all adoptable pets have been spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.

When visiting the shelter, patrons should follow CDC guidelines such as practicing social distancing, washing hands frequently and using hand sanitizer, practicing coughing and sneezing etiquette, and staying home if feeling sick or exhibiting symptoms of illness.

The shelter is open Monday through Thursday noon to 6 p.m. and Friday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

It is located at 884 Winder Hwy. in Lawrenceville.

Staff Writer Capitol Beat News Service

Georgia students may get another pass on standardized tests next school year after year-end testing was scrapped this spring amid the coronavirus pandemic.

School officials and Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday they plan to seek a waiver from the federal government to allow local public schools not to administer the Georgia Milestones tests for the 2020-21 school year.

Kemp and State School Superintendent Richard Woods also aim to suspend annual teacher evaluations for the upcoming school year, according to a news release Thursday morning.

Resuming the oft-dreaded tests would both complicate classroom learning already challenged by social distancing restrictions and hurt the budgetary bottom-

line for local schools, said a joint statement by Kemp and Woods.

“In anticipation of a return to in-person instruction this fall, we believe schools’ focus should be on remediation, growth and the safety of students,” reads the statement. “Every dollar spent on highstakes testing would be a dollar taken away from the classroom.”

The move to do away with testing comes after Georgia received federal approval in late March allowing more than 2,200 public and state schools to be exempted from 18 requirements under state law.

Those exemptions included the Milestones test and other student exams, teacher performance evaluations and course curriculum for the coronavirus-impacted 2019-2020 school year.

School districts across Georgia totaling around 1.7 million students shut down

in-person classroom activities in March as concerns mounted over coronavirus. They remained closed throughout the semester as students and teachers pivoted to online classes.

Local school officials were handed guidelines earlier this month on how to safely reopen classes for the upcoming school year, with plans outlining steps schools should take to prevent the highly infectious virus from entering classroom environments and to curb its spread if an outbreak occurs.

The bid by Kemp and Woods to suspend testing for a second school year in a row also comes as legislation works its way through the General Assembly to permanently scrap several standardized tests in Georgia.

Senate Bill 367, sponsored by Senate Education Committee Chairman P.K. Martin, R-Lawrenceville, would get rid of five year-

end tests including exams in American literature, geometry, physical science and economics.

It passed out of the state Senate in March but is poised for changes in a House committee as the legislative session speeds toward its conclusion.

The bill has drawn support from local teachers’ associations but skepticism from some state lawmakers concerned that less testing could inspire students to slack off.

On Thursday, Kemp and Woods said their request for another federal waiver from testing is in step with their push to ease stress for teachers and students by reducing tests.

“These efforts are in line with our longstanding shared belief that assessment has a place and a purpose in education, but the current high-stakes testing regime is excessive,” their statement read.

Driver involved in Lawrenceville hit-and-run turns himself in to police

By Chamian Cruz chamian.cruz @gwinnettdailypost.com

photo: gwinnett county police department

Gwinnett police previously said they were looking for the driver who had pushed a 30-year-old Lawrenceville man across several lanes and partially ejected him from his motorcycle.

A Lawrenceville man turned himself in to the Gwinnett County Police Department Friday for his involvement in a hitand-run accident in early June.

Christopher Johnson, 32, contacted Gwinnett police and told officers he was involved in the hit-and-run. Johnson eventually met with the lead investigator and was later booked into the Gwinnett County jail.

He is facing charges of hit

and run (serious injury), duty to report an accident, no valid insurance and suspended registration.

Police previChristopher ously said they Johnson were looking for the suspect, who had pushed a 30-year-old Lawrenceville man across several lanes and partially ejected him from his motorcycle.

The accident occurred June 10 at around 6:45 a.m. at the

intersection of Duluth Highway and Sugarloaf Parkway in unincorporated Lawrenceville.

According to the preliminary investigation, the motorcycle and a red or maroon late-model Ford Mustang collided when the Mustang made a right turn from Duluth Highway onto Sugarloaf Parkway.

The driver of the motorcycle was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. Witnesses reported that the driver of the Mustang, now identified as Johnson, fled the scene in the direction of Interstate 85.

gwinnettdailypost.com ♦ sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ A7

PERSPECTIVES

Gwinnett Daily Post www.gwinnettdailypost.com

Todd Cline,

Editor and SCNI Vice President of Content todd.cline@gwinnettdailypost.com

LOCAL COLUMNIST|DARRELL HUCKABY

Knee-jerk reactions will diminish history for us all

H

Not so fast, my friend. Let me tell you istory.

My first-grade teacher, Miss Ruby the rest of the story. Please, hear the truth.

Jordon, taught me that “history” Joel Chandler Harris was the son of an Irish means “his story,” the story of mankind immigrant, born in Eatonton in 1848. He — and even though this was 1958, she as- never knew who his father was and was sured the girls that by “mankind” women raised on his uncle’s cotton plantation. were included, too.

Unfortunately, in today’s climate, I have always loved history bethe fact that an author was raised cause I have always loved stories. on a plantation is enough to get My daddy was my first storyteller, his work discredited forever, but and he was a good one. The books there is more to the story. he taught me to read soon supBecause he didn’t have benefit of planted him. After almost seven a father, Harris was ostracized by decades I still read and seek out the other white children in Eatonhistorical truths, which continue ton and often played hooky from Huckaby to offer great insights into manschool to hang out with the black kind and who we are. children of slaves on the farm. He I study history, guts, feathers and all, and and his playmates would listen to the older it is not always pretty because it is about men on the plantation tell stories. Now humankind, and humankind is flawed. I here is the history part, so pay attention. blame it on Eve eating that apple. History Many of the stories they told were what is also very, very complex, and when they historians call “African trickster tales,” oral began to dumb down education and gave folklore brought over from West Africa, by up teaching critical thinking in order to way of the Caribbean, and passed down incorporate memorizing answers for stan- from generation to generation. These stodardized tests, true understanding of his- ries had a common theme. In them, a small tory was one of the first casualties. weak creature — representing the slaves, Colonel Wheeler Davidson warned me themselves — would constantly outsmart it was about to happen in 1982 when they and get over on the larger, stronger creatold him at Clarkston High School that he tures — representing the slave owners. was no longer teaching history, but rather It was the slaves’ way of saving face social studies. He was a seer. and developing pride in themselves, right So now we are in a season in our country under the nose of their owners — thus where everyone — and I mean everyone proving the point of the stories by their — is falling all over one another to pan- very telling. der to people who are making demands Harris listened intently, and when he right and left in an effort to erase history. was grown and became first a reporter Monuments are falling, traditions are be- and eventually the editor of the Atlanta ing exterminated and perceived guilt is Constitution, he preserved this African overriding thoughtful discussion, critical oral history by writing the fables down thinking and common sense at every turn. on paper, in dialect, which is as imporAnd in our rush to prove that we are not tant as the stories themselves from a hisracist oppressors, we are making cosmetic torical aspect. changes that will not improve the quality of His “Tales of Uncle Remus,” about anyone’s life and will, in fact, create more Brer Fox and the other creatures, is the resentment and ill feelings down the road. only reason these important stories are And we are throwing the baby out with still around — and now people are trythe bath water in many instances. We need ing to erase them from society, dooming to put on brakes. We need to stop the knee- the literature of the slaves themselves to jerk reactions, take a deep breath and think. permanent extinction.

We need to learn our history.

This is one example of thousands and For instance, Walt Disney World is un- thousands of knee-jerk miscalculations der attack and “they,” whoever “they” are, based on pandering and ignorance hapare demanding that Disney completely re- pening across the country at this very work Splash Mountain because a ride that moment. depicts the cartoon characters Brer RabLet him who has ears hear — includbit and Brer Fox and Brer Bear cutting ing the imagineers at Disney Corporaup capers is obviously a part of a deep tion. Splash Mountain isn’t a problem. and sinister effort to somehow harm the Destroying it will be destroying African sensibilities of black people. They know culture. All of us — black, white, brown, that the characters appeared in a movie, pink, green and gray – will suffer because “Song of the South,” and having South in the stories are entertaining and insightthe title is sinful enough. But the stories ful and just plain fun. We all need more about the creatures were told by an en- “zippity-doo-dah” days — not fewer. slaved black man named Uncle Remus, even though he isn’t depicted in the ride, Darrell Huckaby is an author in Rockdale County. Email him at dhuck008@gmail.com. so Splash Mountain has to go.

COLUMNIST|DICK YARBROUGH

Remembering dad on his special day

L

et us pause a moment from the end- saw how hard he worked and observed his less angst and anguish over racial is- integrity, his honesty and his ability to dissues, the uncertainty of the status of cern right from wrong which no amount COVID-19, faulty voting machines and who of rationalization could change — and beis to blame, political campaigns that seem lieve me, I tried. to have no end, a hemorrhaging state budHe wasn’t all business all the time, howget and no Major League baseball. ever. Like most dads, his jokes were corny Today is Father’s Day. What better time and oft-repeated even though he acted as to pay homage to a special group of unsung if he was telling them for the first time. heroes — dads.

We played along with him. He enI used to say that without dads joyed his own jokes too much to there would be no moms, but givspoil the fun. en a world I increasingly don’t unLike our national anthem and derstand, I guess somebody has the American flag, respect for dads probably figured out how to make has been in a decline for some time. babies without dad’s help. I really Watch television commercials. Have don’t want to know. you noticed that it is usually the faIt is on Father’s Day I find myself ther who is the bumbler, only to be measuring my accomplishments as Yarbrough rescued from his bonehead mistakes a father against my own dad’s. I alby a patient and understanding wife ways fall short. Far short. and their two bemused kids? It is after we When my dad died in 1984, he owned a dads have been properly demeaned that little five-room house valued at $12,000 and the advertiser tries to sell us something. an $800 life insurance policy. That was his I’ve never quite grasped the logic of that. total estate. This, after having worked for I guess they think we are too dumb to see one company — Railway Express Agency the irony.

— for 49 years and 4 months.

I am always struck by the surroundings He worked outside and at night most where dad goofs up — usually a very nice and of those years right up to his retirement. well-appointed home, sometimes even with In that time, which I calculate to be 2,596 a swimming pool. I wonder how the famweeks, he missed exactly 3 of those weeks ily ended up in such a place, if not through and not one day more due to being hospi- dad’s hard work. Or did Mom inherit the talized for an appendectomy. Today, that place from her own goofy father? Plus, if would probably be an outpatient proce- her husband is so inept and she is so smart, dure, if they even do such things anymore. why did she marry him in the first place?

Clearly, he was not financially astute. I In a time when racial equality is on everysuspect he had a lot of opportunities to in- one’s minds, I am pleased to report that I vest in the stock market or buy real estate or am beginning to see black dads doing dumb set up savings accounts over his lifetime. He stuff in television commercials while their did none of these things and I never knew own families shake their heads at their foiwhy. I think had I asked him, he would bles. That’s a relief. For a while I thought have said that financial investments were only white guys could be the ignoramusnot as important to him as investing in his es. Watch out, Asians, you could be next. family, which he did to the max.

I guess in today’s stifling politically corWhile he had only a seventh grade edu- rect world, dads are about the last target cation and a hard-scrabble upbringing, he left that we can twit without righteous inlived long enough to see both his boys grad- dignation from special interest groups or uate from college and go on to successful social media protests. There is no Dads’ careers in their respective fields. That was Lives Matter or #dad,too. We’re just plain investment enough for him. old dads. And proud of it. Happy Father’s He was a great role model for my broth- Day to all. er, Bob, and me. Our dad wasn’t a touchyfeely guy but we knew how much he loved You can reach Dick Yarbrough at dick@ dickyarbrough.com; at P.O. Box 725373, us even if he didn’t say it. We didn’t go fishAtlanta, Georgia 31139 or on Facebook at ing with him or play pitch in the backyard www.facebook.com/dickyarb or take family camping trips. Instead, we

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS: EmAil: letters@gwinnettdailypost.com mAil: 725 Old Norcross Road Lawrenceville, Georgia, 30046

GUEST COLUMNIST|DAVID GOO

Dear parents: We’re still here treating pediatric emergencies during COVID-19

A

s health care providers, our focus is on providing patients safe, compassionate, high-quality care – whether related to COVID-19 or another condition.

We’re here to pull you and your children through this crisis and each one after that.

I am the medical director of the Children’s Emergency Center at Northside Hospital Gwinnett, and recently, I’ve noticed a concerning trend. Many children are presenting with life-threatening illnesses that would have been diagnosed earlier had they sought immediate care.

Our group of specialized pediatric emergency providers is seeing so many children with serious non-COVID-19-related conditions. We have cared for children with brain infections, ruptured appendicitis, dehydration and breathing problems that could have been avoided if parents sought the appropriate care at the right time. These more severe conditions are

likely the result of parents delaying a mask. We are also enforcing socare because of fear of contracting cial distancing policies within the COVID-19. hospital to keep patients and proHowever, even during a panviders safe. demic, it is not safe to delay care.

The Children’s Emergency CenIt is important for our community ter has been a trusted and highly to know it is safe to seek care at the regarded place to receive care for emergency department. Whether more than 20 years and remains a Goo your child has suffered burns or community resource for pediatric traumatic, a painful injury like patients regionally. In the past two broken bones or cuts, you can seek treat- months, we have continued to treat chilment with our specialized pediatric unit. dren with seizures, infections, leukemia Hospitals have always been a safe, ster- and many other serious and life-threatile environment in which to receive care. ening illnesses.

During this pandemic, we have taken exWe are here to care for you 24 hours a tra precautions to maintain clinical qual- day, 365 days a year. Until the next time ity and safety while preventing the spread you visit us, please stay safe and encourof COVID-19. Our group adheres to strict age your family to follow these simple isolation, testing and screening policies. guidelines to maintain your health and We wear the appropriate personal protec- well-being: tive equipment at all times and require ♦ Wash your hands frequently for at everyone who enters the hospital to wear least 20 seconds, the equivalent of sing-

ing the ABC song ♦ Disinfect surfaces regularly ♦ Exercise social distancing ♦ Wear a mask in public places ♦ Call 911 if you are experiencing an emergency ♦ Contact your doctor or visit the emergency room if you need care ♦ Remember it is unsafe to delay care Your health is important. I, along with my team, am proud to serve you, your loved ones and the Gwinnett community.

Dr. David Goo is board certified pediatric emergency medicine physician with Envision Healthcare. He currently practices at Children’s Emergency Center at Northside Hospital Gwinnett, where he has served as the medical director of the Children’s Emergency Center for the past seven years. He has provided emergency care to young patients and their families for more than 30 years.

A8 ♦ Sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ gwinnettdailypoSt.com

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gwinnettdailypost.com ♦ sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ A11

CLOSE TO HOME

John McPherson

FAMILY CIRCUS

Bill Keane

Today’s Solution

BEETLE BAILEY Mort & Greg Walker

BLONDIE Dean Young & John Marshall

DILBERT®

Scott Adams

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE Chris Browne

Zits Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

PEANUTS

GARFIELD Jim Davis

POOCH CAFE Paul Gilligan

Charles M. Schulz

PICKLES Brian Crane

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same numSolution to today's Sudoku ber only once.

WHATZIT SOLUTION:

Today’s Answer: Rock and Roll

A14 ♦ Sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ gwinnettdailypoSt.com

C4 ♦ Sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ gwinnettdailypoSt.com

LIFESTYLES

The importance of Tupperware

COLUMNIST|RONDA RICH

W

hen I was 13, I mind to something, she’d b e g g e d M a m a make a success out of it, no to let me have a matter what it took. We sold Tupperware party. so much Tupperware It took some work that night that we got, but finally she agreed. as hostess gifts, both Out in the country sets of bowls, meawhere we lived, peosuring cups, popsiple tended only to socle trays, a lettuce cialize at church becrisper (a pure genius cause they were too invention), a deviled busy making a living Ronda Rich egg carrier (my niece to dilly dally. I had just still uses it despite reached the age where I had its color being out-of-date tremendous zest for cooking harvest gold) and salt and and all things related to it. pepper shakers.

Mama was still using leftThat party marked the over loaf bread wrappers, beginning of my lifelong Cool whip bowls and tin foil love of Tupperware. Now, to store leftovers. stores sell cheaper, knockoff I, though, wanted a pretty brands but I remain loyal set of three seal-and-serve to Tupperware. bowls, which came in orSeveral years ago, my ange, harvest green and niece, Nicole, hosted a yellow. And, if possible, Tupperware party to help a set of Wondelier bowls. a church friend who had just We scrubbed the house, started selling it. I was the invited everyone from church first to arrive. The Tupperand close by, then Mama ware representative did a made punch, a fresh coconut game of Tupperware trivia cake and deviled egg sand- which I easily won. wiches. Once Mama set her When she asked who was

“

every piece of tupperware i ever bought — or inherited from mama — i still have and use. it has a lifetime guarantee so i know that if i contacted them, they would replace the onion keeper (another genius idea) because the lid brokeaway from the bottom. But it still works fine...

the woman who came up with the marketing idea of Tupperware home parties, I answered before the question was finished.

“Brownie Wise.”

Disbelief covered her face and someone asked, “HOW do you know the answers to all these?”

“I just watched a PBS documentary about Tupperware,” I replied cheerfully.

“Who watches a documentary on Tupperware?” someone asked sarcastically.

For the record, that doc-

umentary called “Tupperware!” won a George Foster Peabody award, the most prestigious honor in television. It’s excellent.

Every piece of Tupperware I ever bought – or inherited from Mama – I still have and use. It has a lifetime guarantee so I know that if I contacted them, they would replace the onion keeper (another genius idea) because the lid broke away from the bottom. But it still works fine and, besides, it’s a vintage

piece that was one of my first purchases.

In the Clint Eastwood movie “Richard Jewell” about the poor man who endured severe law enforcement scrutiny in conjunction with the Atlanta Olympics bombing, the FBI stormed into the apartment where he lived with his mama. She, played by Kathy Bates, fretted tearfully as they hauled away her Tupperware.

I understood her agony.

When the FBI terminated their investigation, all that had been seized was returned to them including the Tupperware. With a black magic marker, each piece had been numbered as a piece of evidence. (That had to be done by a man because a woman would never have been so irreverent).

Then, she really cried, knowing that the marker would never come out so she wailed about 30 years of Tupperware being ru-

ined. Kathy Bates should win awards for the apt depiction of such agony.

I shudder to think of such.

Jewell, fittingly, won settlements from some who cast shadows on his name. His mama continued to worry about her Tupperware and pursued it. According to the book, Suspect, she received a $2500 check from the federal government to compensate for the Tupperware and other ruined items.

But you know, you just can’t place a price on the memories that cling to 30 years of Tupperware. Those are priceless.

The ironic twist in all of this? Kathy Bates was the narrator of the PBS documentary.

I think that seals it up real good.

Ronda Rich is the bestselling author of Let Me Tell You Something. Visit www. rondarich.com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter.

COLUMNIST|TIM DALY

Powdery mildew disease troubling some plants R esidents have been call- slow down or prevent disease ing the UGA Extension spread and applied to every leaf Gwinnett office to repeatedly, which can be inquire about a strange difficult or impossible. fuzzy white material that Use cultural practices as has appeared on some of a control method. Many their plants. What they times the disease will go are observing is powdery away by itself. mildew, which is a type of You may be able to igfungus. The plants that it nore the disease until it affects are roses, squash, disappears.

Daly crape myrtles, dogwoods On squash, cucumbers and some herbaceous plants. and other vine crops — try to prePowdery mildew infects the vent powdery mildew by plantleaves, branches, and even flowers ing in a spot receiving at least six of most plants, and unlike most hours of sun a day. Some varietfungi, it can also be a problem ies may be resistant — read the even in dry weather. The fungus seed package. will cause leaves to be curled, Apply water twice a week with and they may turn red, yellow, one-half of an inch of water each or brown. It can kill some veg- time, and do so before noon. Apetables, annuals, and perenni- ply the water to the root zone als but not trees or most shrubs. and try to keep the foliage as Fungicides should not be the dry as possible. An application first choice in control. They only of a fungicide will help slow the

disease but will not eradicate it.

The leaves of dogwoods will curl and turn yellow or red when infected with powdery mildew.

Seeing the fungus on the leaves may be difficult. The fungus will not kill the tree, and no treatment is required — plant dogwood trees in a shady location in well-drained soils. Full sun will weaken the trees and will cause them to be more likely to suffer.

Apply one inch of water once a week and cover the root zone of the tree with two to four inches of fine-textured organic mulch such as pine straw or pine bark.

Crape myrtles, like dogwoods, will not die if they get powdery mildew. Ones with a severe infection will reduce the tree’s ability to bloom by keeping the flower buds from opening. Several varieties have resistance to the disease, such as “Natchez,” “Muscogee”

and “Arapaho.” Plant them in full sun with well-drained soil. In the winter months, do not prune severely, which causes increases in plant stress that increases the likelihood of disease.

The golden euonymus gets severe cases of powdery mildew repeatedly. It also is troubled by scale insects that can cover the plant. These pests can be so severe that they cause the plant to deteriorate and die. Due to their susceptibility to these problems, avoid planting them and remove them if already present.

Some annuals and perennials will also contract powdery mildew, such as zinnias and phloxes. Some varieties have disease resistance. Plant them in open, sunny areas. Doing so will help the leaves should dry faster after rain and be less susceptible to disease.

Treat plants if needed with a fungicide labeled for doing so.

Remember, follow all label directions when using pesticides.

Many species of powdery mildew exists. The one that attacks crape myrtles will not infect other plants or vice versa. Do not be concerned that one affected plant will threaten the whole landscape.

In most cases, the disease will run its course and avoid causing serious harm. Apply pesticides’ as a last resort.

Please check my blog out at http:// gardeningingwinnett.blogspot. com/. It has information on a variety of horticultural topics and is updated frequently.

Timothy Daly is an Agricultural and Natural Resource Extension Agent with UGA Extension Gwinnett. He can be contacted at 678-377-4011 or tdaly@uga.edu.

COLUMNIST|ROB JENKINS

No, my safety is NOT your first priority

O

f all the annoying things as everyone knows, sitting I’ve encountered dur- is what causes people to get ing this pan-panic — COVID-19. Oh my gosh! and there have been We’ve been sitting many — the most anon our couches for noying are those nothree months solid! tices on the doors of We’re all going to die! businesses and other But you already knew establishments prothat.) claiming piously, “Your The “safety first” safety is our first pribromide is annoying ority!” because, first of all, it Jenkins (The second-most isn’t true. If our safety annoying thing is that you really was your first priorcan’t sit down anywhere oth- ity, big-box store that shall er than your own home. You not be named, you wouldn’t can’t sit at McDonald’s. You be running adds to entice can’t sit at Chick-fil-A. You us out of our perfectly safe can’t sit on the patio furni- homes and onto the highly ture at Walmart. Because, dangerous local roadways

just to come and purchase your wares.

If our safety really was your first priority, you’d have armed guards meet us in the parking lot and escort us inside, with paramedics standing by just in case one of us keels over from a heart attack. That’s unlikely, to be sure, but statistically more likely than dying from coronavirus.

You’re not fooling anybody. Our safety is not your first priority — nor should it be. As a big-box store, your first priority should be to make a profit by selling us overpriced stuff we don’t need. If you’re a fast-

food restaurant, your first priority is to turn a buck by making me a sandwich (please!).

Hopefully, my safety is at least a secondary concern, which may occasionally override the first. I don’t want a chair that’s going to collapse or a hamburger laced with botulism. But the reason such issues rarely arise is not that you care about me personally but because it would be bad for the bottom line.

And that’s fine. As a consumer, I’d much rather rely on the old-fashioned profit motive than on the presumed

benevolence of people who don’t even know me.

Meanwhile, I’m even hearing schools, of all places, claiming virtuously that students’ safety is their first priority.

No, it isn’t. Your first priority is, or at least ought to be, providing an education.

If you genuinely cared about students’ safety ABOVE ALL ELSE, you would literally never open. There are so many bad things that can happen to students while they’re on your premises or en route — and coronavirus is among the least dangerous, statistically speaking

— you could not in good conscience allow them to show up.

In short, you’d all be out of a job.

So yes, commercial and educational establishments, please take reasonable precautions to ensure my safety. I’m glad you care, even if your motives aren’t entirely altruistic. Just stop signaling your virtue with transparent nonsense.

Rob Jenkins is a college professor. The views expressed here are his own. You can email Rob at rob.jenkins@ outlook.com.

COLUMNIST|LISA MCLEOD

Why your work model may be feeling more uncomfortable these days

I

s this really who I was life is measured in KPI’s. I meant to be? As a wom- tried to make that model my an in leadership, I often own, softening it, infusing felt like things were empathy, bringing just a bit off. in beauty, and othDespite decades er qualities to make of acting the way I my leadership more thought I was suphuman and inviting. posed to act and doWhen you’re working all the things I ing with a model that thought I was supisn’t in tune with the posed to be doing, it true essence of who McLeod never felt quite right. you are, softening the For years I thought the thing structure may lessen the pain that wasn’t quite right was of the moment, yet it does me. I’ve come to realize, it not solve the larger probwasn’t me. It was the lead- lem. The larger problem for ership model I was trying me was that my leadership to emulate. template was based on a I grew up with an old school model designed by men, for command and control, hi- men, and I am not a man. erarchal, financially-driven I am a strong leader, a vimodel of leadership, where sionary leader in fact. It takes

a lot for me to say that. As women we’re trained from birth that self-promotion is icky. We’re taught to hold back and lift up others This is a false choice. It’s rooted in the traditional hierarchal leadership model that tells us, only one person stands at the top.

This model is not working any more. It’s certainly not working for women, and truth be told, it’s not working very well for men either. There is another way.

There is a more powerful model of leadership available, a model rooted in the deep truths of abundance, gratitude, and vision. Make no mistake, this new model of leadership gets result in

a traditional marketplace.

In fact, it gets better results because it is more inclusive and holistic.

The new model differs from the old hierarchal model, because it starts from within.

It draws upon your vision, your heart, your creativity, and your intuition, an intuition that may have been long suppressed because you were trying to morph yourself into something that you are not. It is your intuition that is telling you, the way you have been doing it is not working any more.

We’ve long been led to believe that if we worked hard enough and long enough, putting our nose the grindstone and squelching our

emotions, we would become successful. We were told, to “Man up.” Many of us did so, in some cases for decades, assuming that if we finally became good enough, we would be rewarded with happiness, and a greater sense of meaning and purpose.

In the end, the traditional model did not deliver on the promises that we expected.

The happiness, meaning and purpose we were hoping to find at work still eluded us, or they came in such small doses that we could never sink into them.

It doesn’t have to be this way. There is a growing chorus of leaders ushering us into the new model

of work, where vision, creativity, and even selfcare become important tools for driving results. In my work as an advisor to senior leaders around the world, people often confide in me.

Through this, I’ve learned that all of us, women, men, young, old, people of every race and background have one thing in common: We want our lives to matter.

You weren’t put on this earth to play small. You have a bigger purpose here, we all do. It’s time for you to start living it. Enjoy the ride.

Lisa McLeod is the author of the best-sellers “Selling with Noble Purpose” and “Leading with Noble Purpose.”

gwinnettdailypost.com ♦ sunday, June 21, 2020 ♦ C5

Lifelong friends provide lunches to kids in their community

By Chamian Cruz chamian.cruz@ gwinnettdailypost.com

As tech giants battle it out, two local friends partnered to provide Gwinnett County residents a food delivery service that has remained largely untouched — school lunches.

Tyler Walton and Jarod Slaven grew up in Suwanee, where they often played baseball together. Over the years they have ventured into several business opportunities, but now they are bootstrapping the launch of their prepackaged school lunch subscription service, Lunchy Club, to deliver school lunches to the community.

“Jarod and I are dreamers,” Walton said. “And when we first started with this idea the inspiration was centered around, ‘How do we create something to help the most people?’”

“We want this idea to create more joy and time available for families to spend together. We hope that this saves them considerable effort each day to make time to be more actively involved in their home and communities.”

Slaven said the Lunchy Club website will launch in August. From there, customers will choose weekly or monthly deliveries of pre-selected or customizable

school lunches. All lunches, however, will include a sandwich, two different snacks, fruit and a drink.

“We know Gwinnett County has the largest school system in Georgia,” Slaven said.

“Food delivery is also on the rise, and especially with the pandemic and everything going on in schools and kids having to stay at home or parents working from home, this is a great option for them because they’re not going to have to stop in the middle of their day to make lunches.”

As students prepare to physically return to school in the fall, Slaven added that the pre-packaged lunches will allow students to go without machine-washed utensils or needing to microwave their food amid the COVID-19 pandemic and worries over the spread of the virus.

“As we’ve gotten older and seen the times change and as people have become more open to food delivery, we got pulled back to this idea,” Slaven said. “I have a daughter who’s about to be 4 years old, and I know how much time it can take preparing a meal. You work a long day and then you get home and have to make dinner or clean up the dishes.

This is just an option to save parents a little bit of time throughout the week.”

Slaven and Walton said they are excited to give back to the

special photos

Jarod Slaven and Tyler Walton are the co-founders of Lunchy Club, a pre-packaged school lunch food delivery subscription service that provides lunches that require no microwaves or ovens. community where they grew up. In 2006, Slaven graduated from North Gwinnett High School and Walton graduated from Mill Creek

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High School.

“My business partner and I are lifelong friends,” Slaven said. “We’ve always been the entrepreneurial type of

people. We’ve always had that in common. Now we’re starting this from scratch with our own money. We want to make sure that we

focus on customer service and that what we’re doing is beneficial to everybody and we’re not leaving people out to dry. Our goal is to start small, and so we want to start in our own hometown — the area that we know and we grew up in.”

Slaven and Walton plan to be at Woofstock in Suwanee to answer the community’s questions about Lunchy Club. Interested customers can also sign up for a month subscription and receive a free two-week trial before the website launches.

For more information, visit Lunchy Club is a pre-packaged school lunch food delivery www.lunchyclub.com or follow Lunchy Club on Facebook. subscription service that is launching in Gwinnett County.

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