RSPV to attend this free job fair or contact Mr. Mark Goodkin at 678.575.5066.

I continue to write about the Transportation Investment Act and the July 31, 2012 referendum because I believe that the public makes better decisions when they have all the facts. The decision about transportation improvements for Georgia in the next ten years is in your hands. I believe you must consider the project list for Gwinnett County, the projects that directly affect the Dacula area, the projects that directly your quality of life in order to cast an informed vote in the matter.

Consider carefully

I am including a short FAQ ( our Smarter Upstarter piece). SmarterUpstarter. You may download this article and share it with your family, friends, and acquaintances.

On this Memorial Day—a day which the nation has set aside to remember the sacrifices of those who served  or serve in the military—we remember their service and sacrifice, but we also want to remember the average, ordinary Joe and Jane Citizen. Joe or Jane may never have served in the military, may never been in harms way, but Joe and Jane are the everyday citizens that vote, pay taxes, serve on the jury, take responsibility for family, and serve in the community. In other words, Joe and Jane are models for our everyday citizens.

On May 28,  we name this urban space in a way that will honor all our citizens—past, present, and future, and dedicate the new  gazebo in remembrance of former Mayor James Williams, the original honoree of the now demolished old gazebo.

At one time and in this Olde Mill Park place, there once stood a mill, not powered by water but by steam power, whose purpose was to take wheat and mill it into flour—to take corn and mill it into corn meal. These are the staples that give us daily bread. Everyday staples should bring to mind the everyday life of our predecessors, and help us understand the difficulties we currently have, and the intimate family connection with daily living that the simple act of eating several time a day makes to our hopes for the future.

The Olde Mill Park at Historic Downtown Dacula connects us to meeting places  of  the past. The Park helps recall those public places that are now gone and brings forward to the future opportunities to mingle, meet, greet, argue, change the world, or just to get away from the work-a-day grind for a bit.

The Olde Mill Park in Historic Downtown Dacula helps us respect Dacula’s past and helps us look forward to the future. The Park honors all Dacula residents. The City Council and I encourage you to enjoy the Memorial Day activities and urge you to use care during the events.

For information about other Memorial Day events or to download applications, please visit the Memorial Day web site.

Early in the history of this tract of land, the Dacula Milling Company occupied what I guess was the first set of buildings on this property. No pictures exist (to my knowledge). So what we know is that there was a business that milled wheat into flour and corn into corn meal. An article from 1903 mentions that the Dacula Milling Company’s flour and corn meal was “the equal of the northern mills.” And the article noted that the owner(s) operated a ginnery and planing mill also. The gazebo in the park has the original top decoration from the original Mill building.

A News Herald article from February 1904 indicated that a Dacula resident had a frightful accident at the Dacula Milling Company’s gin. His left arm was broken in two places, and Mr. Sockwell, the victim, also lost most of his left hand in the accident.

A public sale notice from January 1904 indicated that all the property and equipment, including a 50 HP Frick engine and boiler would be sold to the highest bidder.  So just like in 2012, one of our earliest businesses found the economic pressures too much.

I’m including a video of a restoration project of a 1904 or 1907 Frick engine (mounted on a tractor frame). I believe the Frick Engine used at the Dacula Milling Company would have been skid mounted.

RedLight

It should be noted that the City receives several questions each year about package stores in the City.

While this is not an initiative of the City, the Mayor and City Council are required to let the legal system work to completion.

As you can see from this featured photo on this web article that the Mayor certainly isn’t a digital photography artist. But Emily is, and her original photograph shows it.

While film photography is still around, a huge argument among artists, art literati, photographers, and others continues to rage over the advantages and disadvantages of either medium. One thing is for sure, almost everyone has a digital phone with a camera capable of taking marvelous images and videos. All that at an affordable price! No wonder we see so many pictures and videos. Most of them are taken by amateurs like me.

Speaking of an affordable price, there is no charge for visiting the display outside of a few minutes of your time. Come out and support our future Dacula artists. While frogs might not be your cup of tea, I’m sure you will be impressed with the images presented by Emily Peele.

Are you good at writing? Are you logical? Do you have great number skills? Can you give a three-minute speech without any notes? If this describes you, your Left Brain may be dominant. On the other hand, if you love music, have a great big creative streak, or have a great imagination, your Right Brain may be dominant.

Curiously enough the left side of our brains controls the body’s right side, and the right brain controls the left side of our bodies.

We are often amazed at how our attitudes and health are augmented by the sound of a good song or the sight of an amazing piece of art. That’s probably because both sides of the brain are working to help make life better and more enjoyable.

Get ready to exercise your Right Brain by visiting the art exhibition at the Dacula City Hall. Beginning April 9, 2012, art works from Dacula High School will be on display in the City Hall. You are invited to visit the City Hall between the hours of 8:30 a. m. and 4:30 p. m. each weekday. Come early for a council meeting and look at the creations of your children and neighbors. Each area school will have a different time to exhibit their creations at City Hall.

In order to provide information on the TIA and the July 31, 2012 referendum, I am including the Gwinnett Project List on which you will be voting on July 31, 2012.

This is the constrained list and includes the projects to be funded, should the referendum pass in the Metro Atlanta Region, for Gwinnett County from the 85% pot of money raised by the TIA. The items shown in green are projects that particularly, directly affect the Dacula Area. You will notice at the bottom of this list there is a discussion of the Dacula portion of the 15% pot that comes directly to local government. This is the current best guess of how Dacula would spend the money from that pot should the referendum pass. Please note that there is not a discussion of what Gwinnett County will do with their portion of the 15% pot. It is my general understanding that a portion of that money will be used to fund portions of the regular 2009 SPLOST project list that had to be cut out because of the poor economy. I’m sure as more information is available, the actual list will be available from Gwinnett County.

Consider carefully

Please feel free to share the following PDF with you family, friends, and acquaintances.

TIADisplay

It has been just over a year since I wrote about high gasoline prices and possible effects on our economic recovery. In that article I made several predictions (guesses). How did I do?

In March 2011, gas prices were about $3.20 per gallon at the pump. Based on consensus of economists then, I guessed that the price might peak out around $5 per gallon by the end of 2011. Thankfully, I was wrong. Here in April 2012, the price is around $3.75 per gallon and some grades of gasoline are over $4 per gallon. I predicted rising cost in every segment of the economy as a result of rising gasoline prices. Unfortunately, I was right on this guess.

I guessed that the average Dacula resident would be out of pocket for gasoline by an additional $55 per week with prices in the $3.75 per gallon range. I think I’m just about right on that number.

Now

OK, why are pump prices so high? Statistics for production and demand are available that show domestic oil production is at an all-time high and demand for gasoline is steadily declining. This is a traditional market model that predicts lower prices at the pump rather than higher. But maybe the traditional economic model doesn’t work right now for these reasons:

• International tensions such as the Iranian controversy.
• Problems with domestic refining capability.
• Moving petroleum products around—domestic pipelines.

Given all the problems that may effect gas prices at the pumps, what can the average Joe do in Dacula to beat the high prices at the pumps. Here are some things to consider:

1. Check with your gasoline retailer to see if a cash discount is available.
2. Use phone apps to locate the cheapest gasoline prices as you travel.
3. Join a warehouse club like Sams or Costco.
4. Get a gas company loyalty credit card that gives a discount on gas prices.
5. Get a cash back credit card.
6. Avoid buying gas along high priced real estate areas like a highway—this takes prior planning.
7. Consider renting a high mileage vehicle for long trips like vacations.
8. Don’t forget vehicle maintenance like oil/air filter changes and tire air pressure.
9. Use carpooling or public transportation.
10. Change our President for someone who cares about the future.

Preview

When we have done all we can to beat high pump prices, where are gasoline prices going? My prediction is UP. I guess we will be paying about $4.90 per gallon before the summer is over.