On Saturday, August 7, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., the Chick-fil-A restaurant on Hugh Howell Road in Tucker is teaming up with Ingles to bring you the sixth annual Tucker Touch-a-Truck event. During this free event, participants can get an up-close view of several trucks and vehicles and have an opportunity to talk to the people who operate them. Last year, participants got a chance to see a police squad car, fire engines, a cement mixer, ambulances, a school bus, tow trucks and more. This year's event will add several new vehicles to the lineup, including a Spicy Chicken Fire Truck. Plus, the popular Chick-fil-A "Eat Mor Chikin" Cow will be on hand to greet participants and pose for photos. Chick-fil-A will also have an activities tent set up with games, prizes and coupons for children.

Touch-a-Truck will be held in the Ingles parking lot located behind the Chick-fil-A restaurant on Hugh Howell Road. Visit the Chick-fil-A at Tucker Station for a complete list of participants, as new vehicles are still being added. Questions regarding the event should be directed to Chick-fil-A at Tucker Station, 4340 Hugh Howell Rd., Tucker; 770-270-1871.

The Brookhaven Arts Alliance and presenting sponsor Fifth Third Bank bring the community an evening to savor with the celebration of the Taste of Brookhaven's 5th anniversary. The picturesque grounds of Brookhaven's own Conant Performing Arts Center will be the backdrop for this delectable event taking place on Saturday, September 18th from 6-10 p.m. Tickets go on sale August 1st and may be purchased online for $40 per person.

Bringing together some of Atlanta's finest restaurants, the Brookhaven Arts Alliance has assembled a neighborhood dinner party not to be missed. Guests can indulge their taste buds with a sampling of exquisite food and wine pairing from Blue Pointe, Brookhaven Bistro, Eclipse de Luna, Haven, Hudson Grille, Kaleidoscope, Sugar Shack, Terra Terroir and Valenza, as well as partaking of an assortment of wines from Sherlock's Wine Merchants. Representatives from Horné Rum will be on hand with samples of their spiced rum and Cook's Warehouse will delight guests with a wonderful paella cooking demonstration.

The evening will also feature a silent auction with donations from Lilly Porter Jewelry, Walt Disney World, Callaway Gardens, Calphalon, Air Tran and the Georgia Aquarium, to name a few.

There are still opportunities available to get involved with the Taste of Brookhaven and show your support for the Brookhaven community. On a corporate level, this event is a great venue to advertise your company through sponsorship or participation in the silent auction. Log on to www.brookhavenartsalliance.org for further details on sponsorships and the auction.

Additionally, Taste of Brookhaven has volunteer positions available. Put your talents to use on one of the following committees: decorating, silent auction, music, restaurant, sponsorship, or advertising, or volunteer to help with set-up and hospitality tasks on the day of the event. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Christy Murray, christy4thebaa@hotmail.com, for more information.

The Brookhaven Arts Alliance is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization enriching Brookhaven communities by providing arts education and cultural events for residents and visitors. For more information, visit www.brookhavenartsalliance.org, connect with the Brookhaven Arts Alliance on Facebook, or call 404-266-3426.

L.E.A.D. (Learn, Engage, Advance Duluth) is a program that offers an avenue for citizens to become knowledgeable about City operations, services, and the overall essential functions of City government. It features an interactive learning experience, which includes information about City services, programs and responsibilities. Additionally, citizens casually interact with elected officials and city staff. Class participants are afforded the opportunity to ask questions and gain a better understanding of Duluth government and their role in local government.

This leadership program encourages citizens to become engaged in government operations and participate by serving on various boards and committees and explore other opportunities in the community and in the City to become involved. The citizens and business leaders who participate are empowered to create insightful solutions to important community issues and needs. In addition, the program sparks interest in local issues, presents information about important questions facing the City, provides an avenue for residents to help plan the community's future, and gives citizens hands-on experience in City government operations.

The Academy is a 6-week program, beginning Tuesday, September 28th and continuing each Tuesday through November 2nd, from 6-9 p.m. Applications are available online at www.duluthga.net or you may pick up an application at City Hall. The deadline for applications is Friday, August 27th. For more information, contact Alisa Williams at awilliams@duluthga.net or 678-475-3506.

Flat-topped Gambrell Hall, the Emory University Law School building constructed in 1972, serves as a memorial to the parents of former faculty member E. Smythe Gambrell, who provided the gift for the building. It houses a 450-seat auditorium and moot court, a law library, and student lounges as well as classrooms and offices for faculty and staff. The structure was intended to make a profound statement.

According to the architectural firm of Stevens and Wilkinson, Gambrell Hall, designed by Kemp Mooney, "reflects the strength and stability of the law." Indeed, the horizontal building somehow projects solidity and a rule of order that is to be respected. The main entrance on North Decatur Road is framed by staircases on both sides leading to the second level of the building.

Gambrell Hall possesses the classical architectural characteristics of symmetry and formality; still, it is strikingly modernist, with features such as ribbon windows and slender columns. Deep blue-green marble facing contrasts vividly with the white concrete facade of the upper floors. Gambrell Hall at Emory is most appropriate for a fine contemporary School of Law.

Dr. Paul Hudson, historian at Georgia Perimeter College, writes stories for the Decatur Dispatch.

Flat-topped Gambrell Hall, the Emory University Law School building constructed in 1972, serves as a memorial to the parents of former faculty member E. Smythe Gambrell, who provided the gift for the building. It houses a 450-seat auditorium and moot court, a law library, and student lounges as well as classrooms and offices for faculty and staff. The structure was intended to make a profound statement.

According to the architectural firm of Stevens and Wilkinson, Gambrell Hall, designed by Kemp Mooney, "reflects the strength and stability of the law." Indeed, the horizontal building somehow projects solidity and a rule of order that is to be respected. The main entrance on North Decatur Road is framed by staircases on both sides leading to the second level of the building.

Gambrell Hall possesses the classical architectural characteristics of symmetry and formality; still, it is strikingly modernist, with features such as ribbon windows and slender columns. Deep blue-green marble facing contrasts vividly with the white concrete facade of the upper floors. Gambrell Hall at Emory is most appropriate for a fine contemporary School of Law.

Dr. Paul Hudson, historian at Georgia Perimeter College, writes stories for the Decatur Dispatch.

Private producing small farms are throwbacks nowadays, and one of the oldest in Gwinnett is not far from the old town of Lilburn, across the railroad tracks from Main Street. Driving there one Sunday in early June, there was little indication-other than handmade signs with "Vegetables" and "Perennial Plants" on the shaded roadside-that such a charming bountiful old farm stands in the sur-rounding residential area. Entering the dirt and gravel curving driveway, visitors are astounded by the beauty of the place and its fertility.

The farm has a delicious assortment of organically grown fresh summer vegetables, including tomatoes, eggplant, squash, okra, lima beans, cucumbers, green beans and onions. Raspberries are sweet and picked every day. Winter crops include broccoli, cabbage, collards, beets, carrots, turnips and spinach. Fresh eggs are available. Everything is sold at a little store open to the public where customers weigh and pay on an honor system. "A problem with us as a nation is we eat what we want instead of what we have," says Doug Ruling, the Green Thumb who runs the farm. In season produce tastes best.

Dating back to the nineteenth century, the farm emerged when C.L. and Clara Flowers in 1931 built the farmhouse that still stands today. They raised four boys and four girls, including Carolyn Flowers Purcell, now active with Gwinnett Heritage and James Douglas Flowers, who owns the farm today. Educated in the Lilburn public schools -"we didn't attend during spring harvest," he notes- the Flowers were farm children who did daily chores and went without shoes the entire summer.

Family father "Mr. C.L." attended agricultural college in Madison, Georgia, met Clara on a Southern Railway commuter train to Atlanta, inherited land and bought some, becoming a pillar of the community in the Depression era. He was a Justice of the Peace, a bailiff and owned a lumber business, but he loved his farm, and his pond and Rock Garden are still there. At its height there were apple and pecan orchards and an elaborate hog operation with a smokehouse for ham and bacon. Flowers Farm sold its goods and delivered them by trucks as far away as Atlanta.

The schedule of breakfast, dinner and supper at 6:00 am, noon and 6:00 pm is no longer the way for a large family that once lived at Flowers Farm. But productivity still pulsates there with life, love and expert care, reminding us what the Good Earth has to offer.

-Dr. Paul Hudson

Regency Fine Art will host an exhibition, "The Spiritual Journey of Salvador," featuring more than 200 of Salvador Dali's works of art, rare collections and unique sculpture. This extraordinary exhibition by the Spanish master features the complete collection of 99 woodblocks created to illustrate Dante's Divine Comedy.

"The magnitude of Dali's Divine Comedy Suite is difficult to comprehend without seeing the entire collection," states Gallery Director Lester Herbertson. "Then the viewer can experience the spiritual and mystical interpretation of Dante's work."

Additional works in the exhibition include images from Dali's Biblia Sacra and sculptures such as the rare "Framed Black Mirror" adorned with his famous melting clocks and a large tapestry entitled "The Sacred Butterfly."

A Champagne Reception takes place on Saturday, August 14, 4-8 p.m. (RSVP by calling 770-840-7701), and the exhibit opens to the public on Monday, August 16.

Regency Fine Art is located at 6458 Dawson Blvd., Norcross. Gallery hours are Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Phone: 770-840-7701; Web: www.RegencyFineArt.com.?

Having just celebrated Independence Day, we are reminded that every citizen should participate in continuing to make America an even greater Nation. Hatherleigh Press recently released The Hand-book for Americans, which provides citizens with an important reference for understanding their county and their rights to participate in shaping its future.

The Handbook for Americans calls for United States' citizens to participate fully and without de-lay and offers 11 simple ways you can play an active role in building what President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called "a greater, a more stable and a more tolerant America."

1. Vote. By participating in elections at the local, state and national level, we make our opinions heard. Understand the issues. Learn as much as you can about the candidates. Vote responsibly.
2. Stay informed. Read newspapers, magazines, blogs. Talk to your friends, co-workers, neigh-bors. Go online and read current Bills before Congress. An educated American is an empowered citi-zen.
3. Exercise your right to free speech. When we articulately and intelligently state our opinions, popular or not, we truly live up to the hopes and dreams of the Founding Fathers. Freedom of speech is an extraordinary right.
4. Support American businesses. When we buy products labeled "Made in USA", we are supporting our economy and creating jobs for our fellow citizens.
5. Support Americans in need. The Gulf oil disaster. Flash floods. Our neighbors need us. Help your fellow Americans. Donate your time, services or money to those less fortunate than you.
6. Use your time meaningfully and wisely. Volunteer for local charities. Help out at the local school or nursing home. Organize a neighborhood clean-up. Let's all do what we can to support each other.
7. Re-read our founding documents. The principles laid out in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and the Bill of Rights are timeless and essential. This country's founders envisioned a fu-ture we are living out today-and we can turn to these documents whenever our democratic institutions and expectations are challenged and need to be reinvigorated.
8. Look to the past for perspective. Our Nation's history is rich with moments when strength and resilience transcended hardship and adversity. Look to the lives of our great leaders, Presidents, and citizens for inspiration.
9. Teach the next generation. Like anything else, enlightened patriotism comes from education, not ignorance. Teach the children about the special rights and responsibilities we share as Americans, and how they can exercise those rights. Set the example by being a good citizen.
10. Enjoy and protect America's natural resources. Conserve. Recycle. Help clean up a river or plant a tree. Our democracy deserves a home as beautiful as its ideals.
11. Above all else: Bet on Good. Believe in America. Believe that together we can forge a better future and better ways of doing things. Believe it, then do it.

Make every day Independence Day by taking full advantage of your rights and responsibilities as a citizen of the United States. The ultimate success of our democracy rests upon individual citizens who make up this great nation. The Handbook for Americans reminds you that it is easy to get started and celebrate America in a way that fits your lifestyle.

Due to overwhelming interest in this book and the importance of sharing its lessons, the pub-lisher has decided to release The Handbook for Americans in a free downloadable PDF digital version. To download a free copy, visit www.HatherleighBookstore.com and follow the simple instructions.

Building on the Atlanta BeltLine's significant momentum, Sarah and Jim Kennedy/PATH Foun-dation and Kaiser Permanente are each donating $2.5 million to the BeltLine Partnership Capital Campaign to support the building of the Eastside Trail along the Atlanta BeltLine's 22-mile corridor en-circling the city's urban core.

Continuing its longtime support of the Atlanta BeltLine, the Kennedy/PATH Foundation contribution is matched by Kaiser Permanente as a tangible commitment to the long-term health of the community and to celebrate the organization's 25th anniversary. "PATH knows what profound impacts these trails have on physical activity and we are excited to connect with Kaiser to encourage healthy lifestyles through our joint investments," said Mr. Kennedy.

More than 100,000 people live within half a mile of the Atlanta BeltLine, which connects 45 of the city's neighborhoods. According to a Health Impact Assessment conducted by the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2007, the Atlanta BeltLine's 1,300 acres of parks, 33 miles of trails, $45 million in streetscape and intersection improvements, and the expansion of transit creates the opportunity for vulnerable populations to become physically active. The redevelopment will give 11,000 residents direct access for the first time to a park, and it will connect an additional 127,000 people to transit. As a result, it will improve access to employment opportunities, services, healthy foods, and recreational facilities.

"The Atlanta BeltLine will provide access to community and health services in areas that have been previously underserved and will increase economic opportunities, enabling our citizens to lead healthier lives," said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. "The joint commitment by the Kennedys/PATH Foundation and Kaiser Permanente demonstrates the power of the public and private sectors working together to serve the community."

The BeltLine Partnership kicked off a $60 million capital campaign in 2007 to underwrite the early development of key parks and trail segments along the Atlanta BeltLine and to demonstrate the project's potential to transform Atlanta. The BeltLine Partnership has raised more than $35.7 million towards the goal from more than 50 donors, including lead gifts from many of Atlanta's largest foundations and corporations.

"These generous gifts from the Kennedys/PATH Foundation and Kaiser Permanente add to the significant momentum behind the public-private partnership that is moving the Atlanta BeltLine from vision to reality," said John Somerhalder, chairman of the board of the BeltLine Partnership. "A year from now, Atlantans will walk, jog and bike from Piedmont Park to Freedom Park, connecting to what will be the first new Atlanta BeltLine park to open - Historic Fourth Ward Park."