North Fulton Congressman Tom Price (GA/ R) voted against the Bush Administration's $700B financial services bailout bill yesterday, along with 60 percent of mostly conservative GOP House members. 93 House Democrats also voted against.
In an exclusive interview last night with the Beacon, Price said "At the beginning of this I stated that we needed to adhere to at least three fundamental principles. One: taxpayers need to be protected. Two:private markets, private equity, and private cash need to have an opportunity to assist in this recovery.Three: there needs to be a clear exit strategy with a finite period of time so that we know that a large new bureaucracy will not be created. None of those fundamental principles were satisfied in the bill that came to the floor today [Monday]."
Price said he is looking forward to working with House members to fashion a new bill that will adhere to,"fundamental American principles."
You can read the full transcript of the Price interviewin this week's Beacon or on Beaconcast.com tonight. Price challenger, Democrat candidate Bill Jones, could not be reached for comment yesterday or today. Poll-email us back and let us know how you stand on the bailout bill. Comments and results will be posted on Friday on Beaconcast.com.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Alpharetta Arboretum Opens At Wills Park
Courtesy Appen Newspapers
September 30, 2008 The Alpharetta Arboretum at Wills Park, a living natural museum, was unveiled Sept. 27 with a guided tour of the 26 trees that comprise the arboretum.The arboretum showcases the natural setting and beauty of many native tree species of the southeastern United States and provides an educational perspective on the wide choices of available trees suited for planting in our urban landscape.Alpharetta Mayor Arthur Letchas cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the arboretum."The Alpharetta Arboretum at Wills Park is a tremendous asset to our city and will provide hours of enjoyment and education, as well as opportunities for research, for visitors and residents alike," Letchas said.
The Mayor, along with members of the Alpharetta City Council, Boy Scout Troop 629, the Alpharetta Arboretum Inc., the City of Alpharetta Tree Commission and the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau cut the ribbon to open the Alpharetta Arboretum.David Cox, member of the Alpharetta Arboretum board of directors, said, "The Alpharetta Arboretum was not a one-person or two-person project, but rather a community effort."A plaque beneath a Liberty Elm marks the beginning of the Alpharetta Arboretum trail.
Cory Fica of Boyscout Troop 629 worked on the arboretum to fulfill the requirements necessary to become an Eagle Scout."There's no question that without the help of many partners, this project would never have happened. I'd like to thank Home Depot, Lowes, Publix, Starbucks, Shane's Rib Shack, David Flannery, David Cox and the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau for making the arboretum possible," Fica said.The Alpharetta CVB published a complimentary brochure that guides people through the arboretum. The brochure is available at the downtown Alpharetta Welcome Center. The Alpharetta Arboretum is sponsored by the City of Alpharetta's Tree Commission, the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau and Alpharetta Arboretum Inc., a non-profit organization.
September 30, 2008 The Alpharetta Arboretum at Wills Park, a living natural museum, was unveiled Sept. 27 with a guided tour of the 26 trees that comprise the arboretum.The arboretum showcases the natural setting and beauty of many native tree species of the southeastern United States and provides an educational perspective on the wide choices of available trees suited for planting in our urban landscape.Alpharetta Mayor Arthur Letchas cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the arboretum."The Alpharetta Arboretum at Wills Park is a tremendous asset to our city and will provide hours of enjoyment and education, as well as opportunities for research, for visitors and residents alike," Letchas said.
The Mayor, along with members of the Alpharetta City Council, Boy Scout Troop 629, the Alpharetta Arboretum Inc., the City of Alpharetta Tree Commission and the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau cut the ribbon to open the Alpharetta Arboretum.David Cox, member of the Alpharetta Arboretum board of directors, said, "The Alpharetta Arboretum was not a one-person or two-person project, but rather a community effort."A plaque beneath a Liberty Elm marks the beginning of the Alpharetta Arboretum trail.
Cory Fica of Boyscout Troop 629 worked on the arboretum to fulfill the requirements necessary to become an Eagle Scout."There's no question that without the help of many partners, this project would never have happened. I'd like to thank Home Depot, Lowes, Publix, Starbucks, Shane's Rib Shack, David Flannery, David Cox and the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau for making the arboretum possible," Fica said.The Alpharetta CVB published a complimentary brochure that guides people through the arboretum. The brochure is available at the downtown Alpharetta Welcome Center. The Alpharetta Arboretum is sponsored by the City of Alpharetta's Tree Commission, the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau and Alpharetta Arboretum Inc., a non-profit organization.
Alpharetta Links Artists Together
Courtesy Appen Newspapers
September 30, 2008 Alpharetta's Recreation and Parks Department invites painters to bring their "works in progress" (water color, oils, pastels, charcoal, etc.) and paint with fellow artists on Tuesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Alpharetta Adult Activity Center at North Park (13450 Cogburn Road).This is a great way to meet people with similar interests and to share creative ideas with other artists.For more information, contact Farrell Garth 678-297-6143 or fgarth@alpharetta.ga.us
September 30, 2008 Alpharetta's Recreation and Parks Department invites painters to bring their "works in progress" (water color, oils, pastels, charcoal, etc.) and paint with fellow artists on Tuesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Alpharetta Adult Activity Center at North Park (13450 Cogburn Road).This is a great way to meet people with similar interests and to share creative ideas with other artists.For more information, contact Farrell Garth 678-297-6143 or fgarth@alpharetta.ga.us
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Marietta Turn To Tasers
Advocates call them a lifesaver, but NAACP remains opposed
By MARY MacDONALD / www.ajc.com Monday, September 29, 2008
When a Sandy Springs police officer responded in February to a reported stabbing, he arrived at an apartment complex to find a man bleeding from the head and two women arguing. One of the women held a knife.
The officer drew his gun and ordered the woman several times to drop the weapon. She ignored him, the police report said, waving the knife around and telling him he’d have to shoot her.
A year ago, before Tasers became standard gear for Sandy Springs officers, the incident might have ended that way. But on Feb. 14, the officer holstered his gun and drew a Taser. He fired the electronic weapon, discharging a pair of darts carrying a jolt that put the 19-year-old on the ground, where she was handcuffed.
The incident — one of 30 in which Sandy Springs officers have used Tasers in the first eight months since they received them — is “a shining example” of how they can reduce injury and even save lives, acting Police Chief David Bertrand said. “This is exactly the reason you have Tasers,” he said.
Although the 130-officer department has had a few instances in which Tasers were used inappropriately, and for which officers were disciplined, department leaders are not second-guessing the decision to introduce the electronic weapon.
It is among the smaller forces, including Alpharetta and Marietta, that started using them in the past year.
The device continues to draw controversy locally five years after the first of three deaths of inmates in Gwinnett County, following jolts from Tasers, highlighted concerns about safety. The use of the weapon to subdue children, notably a handcuffed trick-or-treater last year, also has drawn criticism.
The state and national NAACP remain opposed to its use. Edward DuBose, the state chapter president, said it seems to be a weapon of first resort for many police officers.
“In our communities, we have not experienced the benefits of Tasers,” he said. “We just don’t want to open a door for another opportunity for harm to be done to people in our communities.” Despite continuing controversy, several area police departments that once stood on the sidelines have reconsidered the weapon this year.
Fulton County is evaluating whether to expand its distribution of Tasers from specialized officers to rank-and-file officers, said a spokesman, Lt. Darryl Halbert.
Cobb County also is considering introducing the device, and it has community and political support, said Sgt. Dana Pierce, a spokesman for the 600-officer department. Several other large departments remain ambivalent. The Atlanta Police Department allows only its SWAT officers to use them.
Forsyth County has not distributed Tasers to its 300 deputies.
Forsyth Sheriff Ted Paxton remains wary of the lack of independent training and safety standards for the device. Taser International, the manufacturer, trains and certifies officers to instruct others in how to use the device. Paxton wants some form of state certification.
“It’s like we’re relying on them,” he said of Taser International. “What do you expect them to tell us? They’re the ones making it. They’re the ones selling it.”
Marietta gave Tasers to its 136 sworn officers in February. Since then, the electronic weapon has been used to subdue people in 18 incidents, said Officer Mark Bishop, an instructor and department spokesman.
The new weapon has its limits. Although it has reduced officer claims for on-the-job injuries, Bishop said, it’s not a substitute for a firearm if the suspect has one. “To pull your Taser, you’re asking to get killed,” he said.
And the stun gun can be wrestled away from an officer, just like any other weapon. To protect officers, Marietta is testing a shock-proof liner that can be worn under a shirt, Bishop said.
In Sandy Springs, where Tasers were introduced in November, a police sergeant pursuing a theft suspect was punched in the face and had the Taser taken from her after she tried to stun him, according to police records. The device was later recovered.
All city officers are required to undergo eight hours of training. Over the past eight months, with one exception, the department’s internal reviews found police used the weapon appropriately. City policy allows police to use the device to subdue people who are actively resisting, such as by fleeing or fighting, or who pose a credible threat to an officer, themselves or others.
On Feb. 7, two officers attempting to remove a drunken and belligerent man from a local restaurant used the Taser inappropriately and with excessive force, according to an internal investigation.
Officer Perry Baxter, the department’s training coordinator, reviewed data and determined one officer used the Taser 10 times on the man, including nine times in the “drive stun” mode.
The drive stun feature allows an officer to place the weapon directly on someone they’re trying to take into custody. While this causes pain, the stun does not produce enough of an electrical shock to temporarily incapacitate someone, Baxter said.
Under city policy, officers can use the drive stun on someone just two times, unless they are being physically assaulted.
The officer quit after department leaders recommended she be fired, according to police records. The second officer, who applied the drive stun four times, got a three-day suspension.
The incident hasn’t changed department leaders’ view of the technology.
“Anytime a police officer has to put hands on someone, and that person is going to resist them,” the potential exists for injury, Baxter said. “The Taser can stop that, as long as the officer follows their training.”
By MARY MacDONALD / www.ajc.com Monday, September 29, 2008
When a Sandy Springs police officer responded in February to a reported stabbing, he arrived at an apartment complex to find a man bleeding from the head and two women arguing. One of the women held a knife.
The officer drew his gun and ordered the woman several times to drop the weapon. She ignored him, the police report said, waving the knife around and telling him he’d have to shoot her.
A year ago, before Tasers became standard gear for Sandy Springs officers, the incident might have ended that way. But on Feb. 14, the officer holstered his gun and drew a Taser. He fired the electronic weapon, discharging a pair of darts carrying a jolt that put the 19-year-old on the ground, where she was handcuffed.
The incident — one of 30 in which Sandy Springs officers have used Tasers in the first eight months since they received them — is “a shining example” of how they can reduce injury and even save lives, acting Police Chief David Bertrand said. “This is exactly the reason you have Tasers,” he said.
Although the 130-officer department has had a few instances in which Tasers were used inappropriately, and for which officers were disciplined, department leaders are not second-guessing the decision to introduce the electronic weapon.
It is among the smaller forces, including Alpharetta and Marietta, that started using them in the past year.
The device continues to draw controversy locally five years after the first of three deaths of inmates in Gwinnett County, following jolts from Tasers, highlighted concerns about safety. The use of the weapon to subdue children, notably a handcuffed trick-or-treater last year, also has drawn criticism.
The state and national NAACP remain opposed to its use. Edward DuBose, the state chapter president, said it seems to be a weapon of first resort for many police officers.
“In our communities, we have not experienced the benefits of Tasers,” he said. “We just don’t want to open a door for another opportunity for harm to be done to people in our communities.” Despite continuing controversy, several area police departments that once stood on the sidelines have reconsidered the weapon this year.
Fulton County is evaluating whether to expand its distribution of Tasers from specialized officers to rank-and-file officers, said a spokesman, Lt. Darryl Halbert.
Cobb County also is considering introducing the device, and it has community and political support, said Sgt. Dana Pierce, a spokesman for the 600-officer department. Several other large departments remain ambivalent. The Atlanta Police Department allows only its SWAT officers to use them.
Forsyth County has not distributed Tasers to its 300 deputies.
Forsyth Sheriff Ted Paxton remains wary of the lack of independent training and safety standards for the device. Taser International, the manufacturer, trains and certifies officers to instruct others in how to use the device. Paxton wants some form of state certification.
“It’s like we’re relying on them,” he said of Taser International. “What do you expect them to tell us? They’re the ones making it. They’re the ones selling it.”
Marietta gave Tasers to its 136 sworn officers in February. Since then, the electronic weapon has been used to subdue people in 18 incidents, said Officer Mark Bishop, an instructor and department spokesman.
The new weapon has its limits. Although it has reduced officer claims for on-the-job injuries, Bishop said, it’s not a substitute for a firearm if the suspect has one. “To pull your Taser, you’re asking to get killed,” he said.
And the stun gun can be wrestled away from an officer, just like any other weapon. To protect officers, Marietta is testing a shock-proof liner that can be worn under a shirt, Bishop said.
In Sandy Springs, where Tasers were introduced in November, a police sergeant pursuing a theft suspect was punched in the face and had the Taser taken from her after she tried to stun him, according to police records. The device was later recovered.
All city officers are required to undergo eight hours of training. Over the past eight months, with one exception, the department’s internal reviews found police used the weapon appropriately. City policy allows police to use the device to subdue people who are actively resisting, such as by fleeing or fighting, or who pose a credible threat to an officer, themselves or others.
On Feb. 7, two officers attempting to remove a drunken and belligerent man from a local restaurant used the Taser inappropriately and with excessive force, according to an internal investigation.
Officer Perry Baxter, the department’s training coordinator, reviewed data and determined one officer used the Taser 10 times on the man, including nine times in the “drive stun” mode.
The drive stun feature allows an officer to place the weapon directly on someone they’re trying to take into custody. While this causes pain, the stun does not produce enough of an electrical shock to temporarily incapacitate someone, Baxter said.
Under city policy, officers can use the drive stun on someone just two times, unless they are being physically assaulted.
The officer quit after department leaders recommended she be fired, according to police records. The second officer, who applied the drive stun four times, got a three-day suspension.
The incident hasn’t changed department leaders’ view of the technology.
“Anytime a police officer has to put hands on someone, and that person is going to resist them,” the potential exists for injury, Baxter said. “The Taser can stop that, as long as the officer follows their training.”
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Walton Hammers Alpharetta
Raiders appear headed for another title
By MICHAEL ALPERT / www.ajc.com
Alpharetta couldn’t slow Walton’s Michael Boydston Friday night as the Raiders continued to march toward a second consecutive Region 6-AAAAA championship.
The senior running back rushed for three touchdowns and a season-high 335 yards as Walton, a state semifinalist last season, dominated host Alpharetta 42-14 and remained unbeaten (5-0, 4-0) atop the region. Boydston, who had 301 yards and a season-high five touchdowns in a 42-28 region victory over Campbell two weeks ago, enters the second half of the season with 1,054 yards and 14 touchdowns.
“We’ve got a nice little offensive balance of running and throwing,” Walton coach Ed Dudley said of Boydston’s running, combined with quarterback Ray Rayburn’s nearly 700 yards passing. “Michael’s been running really well.”
Boydston had 137 yards and two touchdowns by halftime against Alpharetta (3-2, 2-2). He capped a 13-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, then punctuated a three-play drive with a 26-yard run up the middle to put the Raiders up 14-0 by the break. On the second play of the third quarter, he rambled 64 yards to put the game out of reach, 21-0.
Alpharetta drew within 21-7 on Justin Burns’ 39-yard scoring pass to Jordan Owens, but Walton padded its advantage with touchdown runs by Rayburn and Kyle Vorster and Rayburn’s scoring pass to Patrick Barnette. Alpharetta’s final score came on Mikal Abdul-Saboor’s 54 yard scoring pass to Brenton Godwin.
The start is Walton’s best since 2003, when the Raiders went 11-0 before losing in the second round of the playoffs to Cherokee.
“We felt like we had to be at least 3-2 or 4-1 by this point to be in contention [for the region championship],” Dudley said.
Alpharetta coach Bill Waters, whose team was 3-0 before consecutive losses to Milton and Walton, warned before the game of Walton’s scoring ability. Walton takes an average of 30 points per game into its sixth game against Milton on Oct. 10.
“They’re going to put some points on the board; they’ve been doing it every week,” Waters had said.
By MICHAEL ALPERT / www.ajc.com
Alpharetta couldn’t slow Walton’s Michael Boydston Friday night as the Raiders continued to march toward a second consecutive Region 6-AAAAA championship.
The senior running back rushed for three touchdowns and a season-high 335 yards as Walton, a state semifinalist last season, dominated host Alpharetta 42-14 and remained unbeaten (5-0, 4-0) atop the region. Boydston, who had 301 yards and a season-high five touchdowns in a 42-28 region victory over Campbell two weeks ago, enters the second half of the season with 1,054 yards and 14 touchdowns.
“We’ve got a nice little offensive balance of running and throwing,” Walton coach Ed Dudley said of Boydston’s running, combined with quarterback Ray Rayburn’s nearly 700 yards passing. “Michael’s been running really well.”
Boydston had 137 yards and two touchdowns by halftime against Alpharetta (3-2, 2-2). He capped a 13-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, then punctuated a three-play drive with a 26-yard run up the middle to put the Raiders up 14-0 by the break. On the second play of the third quarter, he rambled 64 yards to put the game out of reach, 21-0.
Alpharetta drew within 21-7 on Justin Burns’ 39-yard scoring pass to Jordan Owens, but Walton padded its advantage with touchdown runs by Rayburn and Kyle Vorster and Rayburn’s scoring pass to Patrick Barnette. Alpharetta’s final score came on Mikal Abdul-Saboor’s 54 yard scoring pass to Brenton Godwin.
The start is Walton’s best since 2003, when the Raiders went 11-0 before losing in the second round of the playoffs to Cherokee.
“We felt like we had to be at least 3-2 or 4-1 by this point to be in contention [for the region championship],” Dudley said.
Alpharetta coach Bill Waters, whose team was 3-0 before consecutive losses to Milton and Walton, warned before the game of Walton’s scoring ability. Walton takes an average of 30 points per game into its sixth game against Milton on Oct. 10.
“They’re going to put some points on the board; they’ve been doing it every week,” Waters had said.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Southern Comforts Grand Opening! Please join as we celebrate the Grand Opening of our newest location in Alpharetta.
Southern Comforts 21 Milton Avenue Alpharetta, GA 30009770-521-5000 Please be our guest as we share some food and cheer from 7:00 to 9:00pm on Tuesday, September 30th
www.southerncomfortsatlanta.com
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