.

Power Realty Alpharetta Listing Of The Week!

2010-12-15T17:30:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Power Realty

445 Chattahoochee Street Roswell, GA 30075

Five bedroom / four bath brick and frame home with a two car garage.

Located in Manor at Chattahoochee Commons subdivision.

Beautiful bank-owned new construction in the heart of Historic Roswell. Great floorplan, large bedrooms, tons of upgrades and full unfinished basement. Charming home on quiet side street close to restaurants and shops. A must see!

To find out more about this Milton Georgia home, go to http://www.powersoldit.com/ today! Alpharetta Office - 770-888-7653 - fax 678-990-5565 178 S. Main Street, Suite 300, Alpharetta, GA 30009

Alpharetta High's Andrew Jeschke Wins First Road To Safety Competition.

2010-11-15T20:04:00.001-08:00

By Temura Bly; Accessmilton.com

The first "Road To Safety" Video competition was held this past Thursday at Alpharetta High School in the media center at 6pm.

With a crowd of an estimated 25 plus, familiar faces were in attendance including Milton Principal Jones, Alpharetta Principal Dunn, and Milton City Council Member Longoria.

A friendly wager was placed between the two competing principals with the loser buying the winner lunch...Congratulations to Mr. Dunn!

Two videos were submitted from Milton High School and two from Alpharetta High helping to kick of the "Road To Safety" inaugural event.

With the help of the Fulton County Board Member Katie Reeves, Protectmilton.com's Lisa Cauley, and Tim Enloe of Accessmilton.com, the competition plans on including all North Fulton High Schools north of the Chattahoochee River in 2011.

Every single video submitted for this year's competition was impressive and the judging intense.

From a fictional safe driving character dubbed "Safety Sam" to a shootout with special ops, every student involved poured their heart and soul into the project. Each approaching the topic in a unique way while still driving the message home.

If you would like to view the videos, awards will be presented and videos shown at Alpharetta City Hall on December 6th. Milton City Hall will showcase the videos on December 20th.

In the weeks to come, Accessmilton.com and Accessalpharetta.com will be showcasing all four videos along with the wondeful sponsors as well.

John Albers for State Senate.

2010-03-22T11:33:00.001-07:00

Double Click To Enlarge Image.

NOTE: Accessalpharetta.com encourages all candidates running for office both locally and state wide to share information with us on their campaigns. This type of information does not mean that Accessmilton.com is endorsing one candidate as opposed to another. Here, all are treated equally and with respect.

Help Recreate Milton County!

2010-03-22T11:29:00.001-07:00

Engage With Us! Phone Bank for the Re-creation of Milton County!

Greetings Belle Isle Supporters!

This week is do-or-die for the legislation to Re-create Milton County in 2010. Of all the legislation currently being considered this piece will directly affect our way of life in a positive way! We need to encourage 20 Democratic legislators to vote for H.R. 21 to ensure its passage into law. We need your help!Please join us to call the legislators and encourage them to vote yes!
We will meet Tuesday March 23rd, 2010 at 9:30 AM until 11:30 AM at:

Belle Isle Law Group
178 S. Main St. Suite 250
(corner of Hwy 9 and Old Milton Pkwy)
Alpharetta, GA 30009

We have a list of the legislators that need to be called and a script you can read from if your not sure of what to say. I'll put the coffee on and we will have some bagels and pastries to keep you going.If you need more information or directions call me at 770-572-1570.

Thanks!
Belle Isle Campaign

____________________________________

www.belleisleforsenate.com

The gift limit is $2,400 per person or company, but all contribution levels are welcome! Checks should be made payable to "Belle Isle For Senate" and mail to:

178 South Main Street
Suite 250
Alpharetta, GA 30009

NOTE: Accessalpharetta.com encourages all candidates running for office both locally and state wide to share information with us on their campaigns. This type of information does not mean that Accessmilton.com is endorsing one candidate as opposed to another. Here, all are treated equally and with respect.

John Albers for State Senate.

2010-03-22T07:53:00.001-07:00

Milton County News!

Last Friday, 3/19 another legislative educational session was held downtown. John Albers, leading candidate for State Senate once again represented North Fulton residents. As the first speaker to the committee, Albers reminded legislators why 234 years ago we declared our independence – taxation without proper representation. The facts are clear and the time for Milton County has come. For more information, please contact us at www.votealbers.com.

Jones Is Pulling Out All The Stops For Milton County.

2010-03-19T22:09:00.001-07:00

Courtesy John Fredricks / Beacon Media

House Speaker Pro-Tem Jan Jones (R-Milton) is the Joan of Arc of re-creating Milton County.

Hopefully, she'll end up with a better result than the famous French national heroine did.

The resolute Jones is determined to make sure of that. And she's pulling out all the stops to get the 125 votes she needs in the House next week to insure her constitutional amendment -- HR21 --gets to the senate.

Jones, speaking before a record crowd this morning at the annual Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce Expo breakfast in Alpharetta, said she is a handful of votes short of the two-thirds majority she needs -- as of today. "We have been working the other side of the aisle, and we have picked up considerable Democrat house support," Jones said. "We've closed the gap considerably in the last several days." Earlier this week Jones stated, "Good governance and economic efficiency is non-partisan and slices thourgh party affiliation." She says Fulton County cannot be fixed. "The only way to fix it is to eliminate it," Jones argued. The North Fulton legislator maintains that the resolution is good for all Georgians. "It [HR21] is gaining momentum as more House members review the facts behind it," she claimed. Jones says she needs about 20 Democrat votes to get it over the top.

REPUBLICAN BAILOUTS

Jones' Milton county supporters got thrown for a loop last week when her Majority Whip, Rep. Ed Lindsey (R-Buckhead) came out against the resolution and tacked on an amendment at the last minute to stall it from getting out of one obscure house committee. His Kamikaze bid failed, 9-7, but his opposition forewarned trouble ahead

One veteran North Fulton Representative vented his disgust with the Lindsey stealth bombshell, referring to Atlanta's only Republican representative as "Judas."

BIG GUN CALLED IN

Jones countered the Lindsey defection by rolling out her big gun: Rep. Mark Burkhlater (R-Johns Creek). The former Speaker Pro-Tem, who has staked his political career on making the re-creation of Milton County a reality, delayed several business trips to help Jones and her North Fulton legislative team round up votes. Burkhalter, immensely popular in the Gold Dome with deep ties to many Democrat house colleagues, has been working feverishly to gain support for the resolution, sources say. "He's made great progress, as our entire team has," Jones said.

DO OR DIE IN RULES NEXT WEEK

Jones says she is confident the resolution will make it out of the Rules committee next week. Once accomplished, the gnostic house leader said the historic floor vote would then get on the docket. But Jones warned that she would not bring the resolution to the floor if she didn't have the votes. "If we are not successful in this session, I will bring it back next year," Jones vowed. "It's not a matter of 'if' for Milton County," she predicted. "Its a matter of when."

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

Police seize 10 pounds of pot, arrest six after Alpharetta burglary.

2010-03-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

By Marcus K. Garner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Police scored a major drug bust Sunday trying to arrest burglars.

Alpharetta and Gwinnett County police tracking suspects of an Alpharetta home invasion found 10 pounds of marijuana when they served a search warrant in Gwinnett, authorities said.

This came after arresting the sixth person apparently connected to an alleged band of house thieves.

Sunday around 6 p.m., police responded to the report of burglars inside a home on Broadwell Oaks Drive, where a teen and a 10-year-old were hiding from the intruders, Alpharetta police spokesman George Gordon said.

"Officers engaged in a foot chase which resulted in two males being taken into custody," Gordon said, saying that Danny Mosquera, of texas, and Eric Glen Bierd-Rivera, of Louisiana were arrested.

Witnesses identified two vehicles seen at the home, and police began a search for a dark-colored Nissan Maxima and a gold Honda Accord.

Later Sunday evening, police spotted the Nissan on Wills road. After a short car chase, Omar Rodriquez, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., was arrested.

Gwinnett County police stopped a gold Honda around 9 p.m. as part of a felony traffic stop, and arrested the two men inside after finding evidence tying them to Bierd-Rivera, Rodriquez and Mosquera, Gwinnett police spokesman Brian Kelly said.

Officers conducted a search warrant in Gwinnett at an address connected to the Honda, and there found the marijuana and a woman wanted by police, authorities said.

The driver of the Honda, Joselyn Rodriguez, and the woman, Lucy Cabral, both were charged with marijuana possession with intent to sell. The second man in the car has not been charged, Kelly said.

All three were taken to the Gwinnett County jail.

Bierd-Rivera, Mosquera and Rodriquez are being held without bond at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta, authorities said.

The investigation continues.

Residents Help Break Burglary Ring.

2010-03-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

Courtesy WSB

Six people have been arrested following a home invasion in Alpharetta. And police say residents of the neighborhood deserve a lot of the credit in tracking them down.

Two of the suspects were nabbed immediately after neighbors saw them kick in the back door of a home on Broadwell Oaks Drive. One neighbor recorded the suspect's car on his cell phone while another neighbor wrote down the tag number. Danny Pierce tells Channel 2 Action News they look out for one another in their neighborhood.

"I think it proves you don't want to mess with our neighborhood, you know. We're a tight neighborhood and we stick together," said Pierce.

A 10-year-old and 17-year-old were at home at the time of the break-in. They ran upstairs, hid and called 911.

Danny Mosquera of Texas, and Eric Glen Bierd-Rivera of Louisiana were arrested at the scene. A short time later, a third suspect, Omar Rodriquez of South Carolina, was taken into custody.

Three more people were arrested in Gwinnett County, two of them while driving a second suspected car.

Gwinnett County Police Officer Brian Kelly tells WSB the vehicle was spotted in Gwinnett and two men were arrested. When police went to the apartment linked to the vehicle, they executed a search warrant and discovered more than ten pounds of marijuana.

Joselyn Rodriguez and Lucy Cabral have been charged with one count of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Kelly says they're still working on how this is all linked. More charges and arrests are possible.

Forgehouse Names Christian Negri President, Ending Leadership Vacuum - cbl

2010-03-16T20:06:00.001-07:00

By citybizlist Staff

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - Forgehouse Inc. (OTC BB: FOHE) has named Christian Negri as president, treasurer and director, ending a vacuum in its leadership since the resignations late last year of founder CEO John Britchford-Steel, director Jose Alonso and CFO Jose Vargas, according to an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

On March 12, Philip Mann, the sole director and assistant secretary, named Negri, 41, a six-year veteran in the Alpharetta-based software company, to the positions. Negri owns 12 million shares.

Britchford-Steel and Alonso held board seats until their resignation Dec. 29.

Neenah Paper completes sale of timberlands for C$82,500,000.

2010-03-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

Courtesy What They Think

Alpharetta, GA. - Neenah Paper, Inc. today announced it had completed the previously announced sale of its remaining 475,000 acres of timberlands in Nova Scotia for C$82.5 million to Northern Pulp Nova Scotia, through their affiliate, Northern Timber Nova Scotia. Cash received at closing was used to reduce debt. A pre-tax book gain on the sale of approximately $75 million will be recognized in the first quarter as well as a non-cash gain of $88 million for the reclassification of deferred foreign currency translation gains from accumulated other comprehensive income. Both of these gains will be recorded as income from Discontinued Operations.

Mad Hatter Service Company Giving 10% Discount on Firemagic and LYNX Gas Grills.

2010-03-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Your Story. Org

Alpharetta, GA , 16 March 2010 : The trusted name for chimney cleaning, Mad Hatter Service is giving a discount of 10% on the range of LYNX and FireMagic gas grills to buyers. The offer has already benefited the company, as it is receiving lot of queries and orders from new & the existing clients.

“We always come up with discount offers on the products and services we offer. A lot of clients have been benefited with these money saving deals, and our new offer is yet another effort to provide better deal to customers. The products we sell are the best in terms of quality and our team ensures that a discount offer does not affect the durability & efficiency of the product at any cost,” said, Marketing Head of the Service Company.

Mad Hatter Service is a renowned name for carrying out chimney sweep Atlanta, air duct and fireplace cleaning tasks. The company also gives a workmanship guarantee of 12 months and ensures that all the cleaning work delivers 100% satisfactory experience to clients.

Apart from selling a variety of chimney and gas stove accessories, Mad Hatter Service also provides outdoor kitchens Atlanta design and build projects. The team of designers working at the company makes sure to come out with designs that match the exact requirement of the customer.

Bank Chief Accused of TARP Fraud.

2010-03-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

Courtesy The Wall Street Journal

By LINGLING WEI And CHAD BRAY

A lifelong banking-industry executive was arrested Monday on numerous charges, including allegations of defrauding regulators in connection with what prosecutors said was his desperate effort to save his New York bank from failing.

Charles J. Antonucci Sr., the former president and chief executive of the Park Avenue Bank of New York, made false statements to regulators in an effort to obtain about $11 million from the U.S. government's Troubled Asset Relief Program, prosecutors said. He is the first person to be charged criminally with attempting to defraud TARP, the bank bailout program passed as the nation teetered on the verge of an economic meltdown in 2008, prosecutors said.

Park Avenue Bank, a lender with more than $500 million in assets that specialized in commercial-real-estate loans, failed on Friday after piling up more than $27 million in net losses last year. Bad real-estate loans shrank the bank's capital to just $3.3 million at year's end, down 87% from two years earlier, according to filings the bank made with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

"The bank was broken, so, in October and November 2008, [Mr.] Antonucci methodically went about pretending to fix it," said Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, at a press conference.

Prosecutors charged Mr. Antonucci with 10 counts of fraud, bribery and other crimes, including accepting free plane rides from a bank customer and stealing $103,000 from pastors of a church in Coral Springs, Fla. He could face up to 30 years in prison for each fraud and embezzlement charge. The bank's four branches were taken over by Valley National Bank.

Mr. Antonucci was taken into custody by federal agents at 7 a.m. at his home in Fishkill, N.Y. Unshaven and bespectacled, he sat quietly next to his lawyer and said little at a bail hearing Monday. He wore a red St. John's University hooded sweatshirt, blue track pants and brown loafers.

Bail was set at $2 million, to be secured by his home in Fishkill and his wife's apartment in Queens, N.Y. "These charges are what they are," said Charles Stillman, a lawyer for Mr. Antonucci. "We're going to study them and consider what our appropriate response to the charges will be."

The criminal charges against Mr. Antonucci come as regulators are ratcheting up their efforts to hold bank executives responsible as more financial institutions succumb to bad real-estate loans and other problems.

In January, a former executive at Omni National Bank, a failed bank in Atlanta, pleaded guilty to charges he overvalued bank assets in a bid to hide mortgage fraud. The former executive, Jeffrey Levine, is scheduled to appear before United States District Judge Jack Camp on March 23 for sentencing in his case.

The lending practices at Integrity Bank, an Alpharetta, Ga., lender seized by banking regulators in 2008, are under investigation by the FDIC. Lawyers for bank executives have declined to comment.

Mr. Antonucci held numerous positions in the banking industry before organizing a group of investors in 2004 to invest more than $10 million in Park Avenue for about 85% of the common stock, according to a person familiar with the matter. The bank, named after its location on Park Avenue, was struggling at the time, and Mr. Antonucci touted to investors his experience at working with regulators and turning around troubled banks, the person said.

The lead investor was real-estate developer David Lichtenstein, best known for his ill-fated acquisition of the Extended Stay Hotels chain, which is operating under bankruptcy protection. Mr. Lichtenstein hasn't been accused of wrongdoing.

Under Mr. Antonucci, the bank increased assets to $500 million from $100 million at the end of 2004, making loans throughout the region to commercial-real-estate owners, and to a racetrack in the Catskill Mountains. But like many other small banks across the country, Park Avenue saw its soured loans jump after the financial crisis hit in 2007.

According to Foresight Analytics, a banking research firm in Oakland, Calif., delinquencies on commercial property loans held by the bank jumped to 23% at year's end, up from about 18% a year earlier and 7.7% at the end of 2007. In September 2008, the FDIC declared that the bank was "undercapitalized."

This growing stress led to one of the schemes alleged in the criminal compliant. In the fall of 2008, Mr. Antonucci announced he had shored up the bank's capital base by investing $6.5 million of his own money, according to the complaint. But, in fact, the money came from the bank. Mr. Antonucci had set up a series of fraudulent transactions to make it seem like it was coming from him, the complaint states.

The federal investigation of Mr. Antonucci began about five months ago, when the Ecuador office of the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement learned of a person interested in engaging in an illegal business deal with Mr. Antonucci, according to James Hayes, the agent in charge of ICE's New York office. He declined to elaborate.

The complaint also alleges Mr. Antonucci used a bank-consulting firm he owns to funnel Park Avenue Bank's money to himself. In addition, according to the bank bribery section of the indictment, he received free flights on more than 10 occasions in 2008 and 2009 on the private plane of a bank customer, including to the Super Bowl, Panama and the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga.

Federal prosecutors alleged Mr. Antonucci arranged for Park Avenue to lease space from three properties he owned, causing the bank to spend more than $1 million to improve, lease and pay expenses on the properties, the complaint says. The bank used only one of the properties, according to the complaint.

Mr. Antonucci also was accused of stealing more than $103,000 from pastors of a church in Coral Springs, Fla., by offering to pay four times their investment through a purported bond, according to the complaint.

The money was deposited in an account he controlled at the bank and never repaid, according to prosecutors. Instead, Mr. Antonucci divided the money with an unnamed co-conspirator, according to the complaint.

Park Avenue Bank of New York isn't affiliated with Park Avenue Bank in Georgia.

Jury Awards $15 Million in Accident Case, Clears Lawyerless Chrysler.

2010-03-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Law.com

A Georgia state court jury has held an alleged drunk driver responsible for $15 million in damages to a girl injured in a car accident, but the plaintiff likely will get only a fraction of the award because the driver has few resources and the designer of the girl's seat, which broke during the wreck, was cleared by the jury.

Complicating matters, according to the plaintiffs lawyers, was the bankruptcy-mandated dismissal of what was then DaimlerChrysler Co. from the case. Jurors faced a verdict form containing a line allocating blame to Chrysler, but no one represented the automaker at trial.

"The jury wanted to attribute some portion of the liability to Chrysler, given that Chrysler had designed the vehicle," said Law & Moran partner E. Michael Moran, who spoke to the panel after the Feb. 17 verdict (pdf) was released. "But as they were working through that, they had concerns about the fairness issue, because Chrysler didn't have a lawyer there defending them."

Chrysler went into bankruptcy protection last year, and the bankruptcy court approved its sale to Italian automaker Fiat last June; its new incarnation, Chrysler Group LLC, is protected from liability for cars manufactured prior to its bankruptcy declaration. But, in accordance with Georgia's 2005 tort reform law, Chrysler was still listed as a non-party defendant on the verdict form, which provided a space for apportioned damages.

"Under the law, Chrysler would not have had to pay anyway," said Moran. "We attempted to explain to the jury how it worked, but it's a bit complicated, and I guess we didn't do a good enough job explaining it."

The case began Jan. 1, 2007, when a Honda Accord driven by Joseph J. Covert ran a red light in Alpharetta, Ga., and hit the right side of a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee carrying Michael and Jacqueline Maybaum and their daughters, Jennifer, then 5, and Erica, then 11.

Erica was in the rear left-hand seat and wearing her seatbelt, according to the pretrial order. The impact caused a hinge pin at the base of her seat to pop out and she was pitched backward into the cargo compartment.

According to the pretrial order, Erica's head struck "something hard" with such force that her skull was dislocated from her spine, and she suffered "catastrophic brain injuries that have permanently compromised her endocrine and pituitary systems, as well as her bodily hormone balance."

The other three seats remained upright, and Moran's partner Peter A. Law said the other passengers in the Jeep, also named plaintiffs in the case, suffered "no significant injuries at all."

The complaint in the original suit, filed in April 2007 by Law and Jason L. Crawford and Peter L. Daughtery of Columbus, Ga.'s Daughtery, Crawford, Fuller & Brown named Covert and DaimlerChrysler as defendants. It claimed that the automaker "has been on notice for years that many of its seats and seating systems, including the seat and seating system in this case, are defectively designed and inadequate at keeping occupants restrained from rearward movement in foreseeable collisions."

Six months later, Johnson Controls, which designed and manufactured the seats, was added as a defendant to the suit.

Chrysler initially expressed interest in taking the case into mediation, but broke off talks as its financial situation deteriorated, said Moran. The automaker was eventually severed, then re-entered as a non-party at-fault defendant for trial.

In the defense portion of the pretrial order (pdf), Johnson Controls argues that the seats it provided "met and exceeded Chrysler's performance requirements, were tested and approved by Chrysler, and exceeded all Federal Motor Vehicle Standards."

Following a seven-day trial before Fulton County State Court Judge Patsy Y. Porter, the jury took about four hours to find Covert liable for $15 million in damages to Erica Maybaum; $10,000 to her sister, Jennifer; $15,000 to Michael Maybaum and $60,000 to Jacqueline Maybaum.

Johnson Controls was represented by Richard K. Wray and Tracy G. Ferak of Chicago's Reed Smith and Ronald D. Reemsnyder of Cumming's Ragsdale, Beals, Seigler, Patterson & Gray, who served as local counsel.

Ferak said post-trial conversation with jurors indicted that they had little trouble finding for her client.

"They said they reached a unanimous verdict [on Johnson Controls] on the very first ballot, then moved on to Chrysler, which was more mixed," she said.

Ferak said the panel was particularly impressed with the testimony of Timothy Brademyer, a Johnson Controls engineer.

"They said he just seemed very honest," she said, telling jurors, "'Look, I'm the engineer, here's how we do it.' And I think they thought some of the plaintiffs' experts were just not as believable."

"They also said our presentation style was more credible; they used the term 'classy.'"

William T. Casey Jr. of Marietta, Ga.'s Hicks, Foster & Casey, who represented Covert, said via e-mail that his client "admitted negligence and causation on all but the catastrophic injuries of Erica Maybaum. His policy limits were offered long ago.

"The Plaintiffs and co-defendant could not have tried a better case," added Casey. "I tried to push some blame onto the co-defendant without appearing to run from my client's culpability. The jury simply did not think the injuries were caused by the seat manufacturer and returned a verdict against Mr. Covert only. I do not anticipate an appeal on behalf of Mr. Covert."

Moran said that Covert's insurance and the Maybaums' underinsured motorist coverage would cover some of the judgment, but "nothing close" to the total award. Covert, whose DUI charges are still pending, has few assets to go after, he said.

"We got such a great trial from Judge Porter, there's little chance that we'll appeal," he said.

Law said Erica Maybaum has since recovered well, although she had to have a steel rod and screws inserted to reconnect her skull to her spine.

"She does really well," he said. "She plays softball, or has played softball; you wouldn't be able to tell she's had such a traumatic injury."

Lichdom announced; will use CryEngine 3

2010-03-16T19:17:00.001-07:00

Crytek seems to be busy licensing their new CryEngine 3 graphics technology that will be used for their own upcoming game Crysis 2. Crytek has also announced that CryEngine 3 will be used by new game developer Xaviant for their just announced game Lichdom. There's little info on the game itself in the press release other than it will be an action game with RPG elements and that it will be released for the PC and other platforms. No release date was announced.

There's also little info on Xaviant itself. The developer is apparently based in Alpharetta, Georgia and their web site is not only Flash heavy but provides little info on their company (although the cryptic messages are fun).

Lichdom announced; will use CryEngine 3 originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST.

Bruder Healthcare to expand Thermalon line.

2010-03-16T19:14:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Drug Store News

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (Mar. 16) Bruder Healthcare Co. is looking to extend its line of Thermalon heat therapy products into the cough/cold arena, the company noted recently.

A recent sinus compress (covering the eyes and nose) test-marketed in the allergy set generated three-times the sales as compared to a similar SKU merchandised alongside other hot/cold therapies, the company shared with Drug Store News. The moist heat helps relieve sinus pain and congestion.

Kyocera supplies Georgia’s largest commercial solar array.

2010-03-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Brighter Energy

Kyocera Solar, Inc., has supplied photovoltaic modules for the largest commercial solar array yet developed in the state of Georgia.

The 144.48 kilowatt rooftop array is located at flooring retailer USFloors in Dalton, in the north of the state.

It was designed and installed by United Renewable Energy LLC, a photovoltaic integrator based in Alpharetta, Georgia.

The system comprised 672 of Kyocera’s 215GX PLU solar modules, spanning 14,500 square feet of roofspace.

Kyocera, which has its headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, said the array should generate 171,216 kilowatt-hours of power each year, the equivalent of an electricity supply for 14 homes.

It will provide all of the building’s current electrical needs, allowing for cost savings that should preserve company jobs.

Steve Hill, president of Kyocera Solar, Inc., said: “This solar project demonstrates Kyocera’s commitment to sustainable energy. Kyocera strives to help organizations achieve their sustainability goals—we are pleased to work with companies such as USFloors and United Renewable Energy LLC who share Kyocera’s commitment to the environment.”

Grants

United Renewable Energy said US Floors was taking advantage of a 30% federal grant and a 35% state tax credit for its system. Excess power will be sold at a premium to the North Georgia EMC.

The system developers said that ownership of solar power systems meant business owners had the opportunity to hedge against “dramatic” energy price rises.

William Silva, President of United Renewable Energy LLC, said: “USFloors continues to show leadership in sustainable manufacturing practices and job growth. This solar power system is impressive in it’s size alone, but more importantly because this is the largest commercial solar photovoltaic installation in Georgia since the 1996 Olympics.”

Cox Wants To Raise Lottery Ticket Prices To Fund State's Schools.

2010-03-14T18:36:00.001-07:00

Kathy Cox

Courtesy Beacon Media

State schools Superintendent Kathy Cox says lottery ticket prices should be raised to help pay for K-12 education in Georgia.

Cox said during an appearance Friday on CNN that hiking the price by just 50 cents per ticket could raise $350 million to help fill a massive hole left by state budget cuts in the last two years. Cox said raising prices would ensure K-12 got money while also preserving funding for the HOPE college scholarship and state's pre-kindergarten program.

The state constitution already allows lottery revenue to go to technology and buildings for elementary and high schools, but lawmakers stopped allotting that money to K-12 in 2003. Cox said the state's education budget has been slashed by nearly $3 billion in the last 19 months.

Cox, a Republican, is running for her third term as state school chief.

A lottery spokeswoman said she would have a comment early next week.

Fulton anti-burglary task force asks have citizens ‘had enough, already?'

2010-03-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

By Marcus K. Garner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Fulton County's district attorney is fed up with burglaries.

So Paul Howard Jr. is joining with the Fulton County Sheriff and police chiefs throughout the county to form a multi-jurisdictional burglary task force that aims to reduce home break-ins by 30 percent over the next two years.

The team formed in December, with chiefs from south Fulton police departments meeting to share information about a growing number of burglaries.

As more departments began responding to more and more break-ins, they came together to begin a formal cooperation against crime.

Since then, the task force has busted a $2 million Internet-based burglary ring with three arrests.

Eight jurisdictions -- East Point, Sandy Springs, Fulton County, Alpharetta, Atlanta, Johns Creek, the Fulton Sheriff's office and the DA's office -- will share a $20,000 federal grant intended to fight crime.

The burglary-reduction strategy will engage a public weary of what has been deemed an increase in home and business break-ins across the county.

The "Had Enough Already" campaign will team with the Atlanta Police Foundation and Crime Stoppers Atlanta to offer increments of up to $2,000 for credible burglary tips or for information on stolen property, authorities said.

Howard will unveil the plan Monday at 10 a.m. at the J.R. Crickets Sandtown at 5819 Campbellton Road in Atlanta.

Robbins Umeda LLP Announces Investigation of Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc.

2010-03-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Market Watch

SAN DIEGO, Mar 14, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Robbins Umeda LLP has commenced an investigation into possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law by certain officers and directors at Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. ("Schweitzer " or the "Company") /quotes/comstock/13*!swm/quotes/nls/swm (SWM 45.88, +0.89, +1.98%) . Schweitzer manufactures and sells paper and reconstituted tobacco products to the tobacco industry, as well as specialized paper products for use in other applications. The Company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Robbins Umeda LLP's investigation concerns whether the Company's directors and officers caused the Company to issue materially false and misleading statements. Specifically, the investigation will determine whether these directors and officers misrepresented the strength of Schweitzer's competitive position in the United States and its ability to withstand European competition.

The alleged material misstatements and omissions may have caused Schweitzer's stock to trade at artificially inflated prices, reaching a high of $83.63 per share on January 14, 2010. It appears that inflation in the Company's stock price allowed them to complete a secondary offering of 1.8 million shares of its stock at $60 per share in November 2009.

On February 10, 2010, after the market closed, Schweitzer reported its fourth quarter and 2009 financial results, as well as the filing of a patent infringement action alleging that certain foreign companies infringed on Schweitzer's U.S. patent. Upon this news, Schweitzer's stock fell $23.58 per share to close at $46.65 per share on February 11, 2010, a one day decline of nearly 34%.

A lawsuit alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 has been filed on behalf of shareholders who purchased or otherwise acquired Schweitzer stock between August 5, 2009 and February 10, 2010 against the Company and certain of its officers. Securities class actions like this can potentially cause additional damage to the Company.

If you purchased your Schweitzer stock prior to August 5, 2009, continue to hold your shares, and would like more information about your rights as a shareholder, please contact attorney Lauren Levi at 800-350-6003 or by e-mail at llevi@robbinsumeda.com.

Robbins Umeda LLP is a California-based law firm, which has significant experience representing investors in shareholder derivative actions, securities fraud class actions, and merger-related shareholder class actions. For more information about the firm, please go to http://www.robbinsumeda.com.

Silicon Valley VC invests $25M in implant provider.

2010-03-14T17:59:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Atlanta Business Chronicle

An Alpharetta-based health-care services firm has raised about $25 million from Silicon Valley-based Sequoia Capital and plans to create 150 white-collar jobs.

Implantable Provider Group Inc. (IPG) plays in the relatively untapped medical device benefit management space. The company buys medical implants, such as pacemakers and knee replacements, for hospitals and surgery centers and files reimbursement claims with insurers.

By doing the purchasing, IPG saves hospitals from tying up limited capital and spares them the complexity and financial risks associated with the billing and reimbursement process. Insurers, who contract with IPG, benefit from lower claims costs — about 15 percent to 20 percent— since IPG buys the implants in bulk. Device manufacturers, meanwhile, get a distribution channel for their products.

“Our primary value proposition is generated toward the payer,” CEO Jay Ethridge said. “Of all the dollars that an insurer spends on an implantable device procedure (i.e. physician fees, facility overhead, etc.), the cost of the device is the largest part.”

Letter To The Editor.

2010-03-13T16:39:00.001-08:00

Should South Fulton suffer again for a Milton County?
by James Reese

Most people arguing for and against Milton County don't know the full story beyond the Depression consolidation of Campbell County (South) and Milton County (North)into Fulton County. Several facts are being skated over by lies and deceit.

The first lie and tale of deceit surrounds the notion that Sandy Springs was part of the Old Milton County. Sandy Springs once known as Hammonds has always been in Fulton County. The fact is the Chattahoochee River served as the old county line between what was once Milton and Fulton County. Representative Jan Jones and Representative Willard are trying to pull a fast one by sliding in language that slips Sandy Springs in their definition of reconstituted counties. Stop and think,better still look it up. Sandy Springs is south of the Hooch and has it's origins in Fulton County.

South Fulton has suffered enough for Sandy Springs to allow it to walk away easily.Read closely you are not going to read this information in ANY article written about reconstituting Milton County. Sandy Springs prosperity didn't happen by itself. During the late 1960's through early 1980's Fulton County's jewel was Fulton Industrial Boulevard (FIB) in South Fulton County. At one time, Fulton Industrial Boulevard was the largest industrial park east of the Mississippi River. With that came untold millions of dollars in property taxes and sales taxes. Where did Fulton County spend those dollars? Sandy Springs... The vast majority of it went into building Sandy Springs infrastructure and aid the white flight north that has made it one of the richest communities in the nation. South Fulton suffered through the 1970's and 1980's while it's northern cousin received favored treatment and money from South Fulton in an effort to keep Atlanta and it's annexation plans at bay.

Very little of the FIB money was spent in South Fulton that is why it remain rather rural to this day. There lies the other lie from those who constantly repeat the mantra that North Fulton is paying for South Fulton.

If it was my choice I'd say allow the state-wide vote for the Old Milton County WITHOUT Sandy Springs because it was never a part of the Old Milton County. Sandy Springs owes a large debt to South Fulton and the resources it imparted upon her.

Tell Representative Jones and Willard to stop telling lies and pull the plug on HR21. The people of South Fulton and Atlanta should let their representative know the truth. South Fulton is responsible for Sandy Springs and subsequently the balance of North Fulton's properity.

NOTE: Many thanks to James for sharing his perspective on the Milton County issue. When it comes to letters to the editor, Magnolia Media does not necessarily agree with or argue against the opinions shared. However, we do support any citizen who would like to share their opinion with our readers provided there is ownership to the letter published.

Alpharetta grandmother $500,000 richer.

2010-03-11T16:38:00.000-08:00

By Mashaun D. Simon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When Nancy Hitchcock stopped by the local RaceTrac to pick up a soda, she could not have imagined she would be a half-million dollars richer.

Hitchcock, 63, of Alpharetta played the Georgia Lottery instant game Jumbo Jumbo Bucks and won the $500,000 top prize. Just a week prior, she had walked away with a $1,000 win.

“I’m still in shock,” said Hitchcock, a medical transcriptionist.

She purchased the winning ticket at the RaceTrac on McFarland Parkway, along with a Coke, and scratched the ticket in her car.

A grandmother of four, she plans to help her family with her winnings and possibly take a Disney vacation.

“Everyone who wants to go,” she exclaimed. “We’re going to go to Disney.”

Alpharetta Methodist presents 'Jesus & Passover'.

2010-03-11T16:34:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

March 11, 2010 ALPHARETTA – What do the Jewish celebration of Passover and Jesus’ Last Supper have in common?

Alpharetta First United Methodist Church will delve into that 7 p.m. Sunday, March 14, in a special program called “Jesus in the Passover.”

Jesus’ last meal on earth was the Passover celebration, one of the most significant of all Jewish holidays. In it, the “Jesus in the Passover” service will focus on the Jewish roots of the faith in Jesus. The program will show how the Jews celebrate Passover today, how the symbolic food of Passover show God’s redemption and how Jesus is foreshadowed in the Passover celebration.

Murray Tilles of Light of Messiah Ministries will lead the program. The public is invited. The church is at 69 N. Main St., Alpharetta, one block north of Alpharetta City Hall. For information contact Mary Ann Gilbert, 770-475-5576.

Majority Whip Ed Lindsey Poised To Sink Milton County in 2010.

2010-03-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Maggie Lee / Beacon Media

With Friends Like Rep. Ed Lindsey, Who Needs Enemies?

Talk about teamwork.

He's the only Republican House member that represents part of Atlanta.
He got elevated to Majority Whip in January, with the enthusiastic support of Speaker Pro-Tem Jan Jones (R- Milton).

But now Rep. Ed Lindsey (R-Buckhead) is poised to single-handedly sink the hopes for Milton County -- at least in the 2010 General Assembly.

A hearing in an obscure committee attracted north Fulton's state legislative heavyweights, only to divide them in a tight vote on the idea of recreating Milton County.

By 9-7, the House State Planning and Community Affairs Committee passed a resolution that would trigger a statewide referendum on the question of reconstituting old counties.

That's a long way from the two-thirds super majority Jones needs to get the resolution through the House.

The committee has only 14 members; but using their privileges as House officers, Jones and Lindsey also voted. On opposite sides of the House Resolution 21, that is.

The two-hour hearing began with Jones and Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs) again outlining their vision of Milton County: a place governed more efficiently than Fulton County, saving Fulton taxpayers millions of wasted dollars in the long run.

LINDSEY'S PLAN TO STRANGLE THE NEW COUNTY

The substantive opposition to Milton County actually came in the form of a surprise amendment from Lindsey.

HR21 envisions the entire state voting on a constitutional amendment that would allow for the recreation of former counties. If the amendment carries statewide, then North Fulton voters would be required to approve Milton County before it could be chartered. But Lindsey said all of Fulton County should have to approve it -- not just potential new Milton county residents. Lindsey's amendment to HR21 would have likely proved a death knell for the new county's hopes. However, Lindsey's bid failed.

FULTON COUNTY GOP FISSURES

In another shocker, Fulton County Republican Party official Brad Carver, speaking on the behalf of the Buckhead Coalition and Cousins Properties, testified against the new county, furthering the divide in the North-South Fulton County GOP camp. Carver, who is expected to run for Fulton County Republican Party Chairman when incumbent Shawn Hanley leaves the post, is sure to draw North Fulton GOP opposition from Roger Bonds, a party leader from Milton. Bonds has a better than two to one edge in members.

FEDERAL DOJ MAY STRIKE IT DOWN, ANYWAY

In any case, it's not clear that the federal Department of Justice would allow a Milton-only vote given the racial demographics; excluding south Fulton from the ballot box approval process is also apparently contrary to state code.

Lindsey's amendment didn’t carry despite the alleged legal problems with the HR21's current language.

The Buckhead legislator plans to reintroduce the amendment on the House floor. His language may doom Milton independence, as the question would go before the entire population of Fulton south of Sandy Springs.

Jones' next task is to guide the bill through the Rules Committee for a place on the House debate calendar. Then she's got to marshal two-thirds of the vote -- without her Majority Whip -- to pass the resolution.

With friends like Lindsey on your leadership team, who needs enemies?

The noose around Milton's neck is tightening -- and fast.

CloudBlue Introduces Next Generation of Electronic Scrap Management.

2010-03-11T11:13:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Recycling Today

Company sees rapid growth with unique approach giving enterprises highest security and professional service; secures additional capital.

CloudBlue Technologies Inc., headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga., announces that it has added 25 Fortune 500 customers in the last 12 months in the financial services, healthcare, insurance, media, and manufacturing industries. “It’s not just about scrap recycling anymore. The next generation of e-Waste management merges social responsibility with a professional services-oriented approach that allows enterprises to outsource the complexity and risk associated with disposing of electronics in multiple geographies throughout the world,” says Ken Beyer, CEO of CloudBlue. “We’re focused on solving the global problem of e-Waste. Companies are demanding auditable solutions that meet growing compliance requirements, are greener and more secure; and our business model delivers all of those.”

CloudBlue has 16 facilities throughout the world, including locations in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The company manages all of the logistics of IT asset disposal, from pick-up to transportation to destruction or recycling.

The company also says that it is an e-Stewards recycler certified by the Basel Action Network (BAN).

“We have a program in place to ensure that no hazardous electronic waste is exported to developing countries. As an e-Stewards recycler, CloudBlue has been qualified as upholding the highest standard of environmental and social responsibility,” says Jim Puckett, BAN’s executive director.

The company also notes that it has recently secured Series B funding from the private equity firm Riverwood Capital that will allow CloudBlue to expand its professional services globally.

Bill would let more back yards be like barnyards.

2010-03-11T11:06:00.001-08:00

By Nancy Badertscher
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Some barnyard animals could be moving into back yards under a bill that cleared a House committee Wednesday.

The bill would allow homeowners to have chickens, milk goats and rabbits -- as well as sizable fruit and vegetable gardens -- so long as the goal would be to feed their families.

Local governments wouldn’t have much room to object, unless they have complaints about things like noise or odor that they're willing to take to court. Subdivision covenants would still apply, said Rep. Bobby Franklin (R-Marietta), sponsor of the “Georgia Right to Grow” bill.

“If Michelle Obama can grow food at the White House, then no Georgia family should be denied the right to grow their own food,” Franklin said.

Last year, some cities in north Fulton pressed homeowners to get rid of their backyard chickens. Some of the homeowners balked, and, in December, Roswell changed its backyard chicken ordinance to allow six birds in yards of one-third to one acre and a maximum of 36 birds with even bigger acreage.

Officials representing cities and counties -- including Atlanta -- told members of the House Agriculture Committee that the bill would usurp local control.

“These decisions are best made locally,” said Tom Gehl, deputy director of governmental relations for the Georgia Municipal Association.

Committee members were split 6-6 on whether to pass the bill, and committee Chairman Tom McCall (R-Elberton) cast the tie-breaking vote.

Cuts would hurt lives, Fulton school board told.

2010-03-11T10:29:00.001-08:00

By Gracie Bonds Staples
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Fulton County school counselors and psychologists added faces to the proposed budget cuts as the system seeks to pare $120 million from its 2011 budget.

Speaking before the county board of education Tuesday night, counselors provided stark examples of students at risk: three elementary-age children who were left to fend for themselves while their parent was strung out. A 14-year-old who was being recruited by gangs. A fifth-grade girl whose mother didn’t believe she was molested by her step-father.

“How do we educate that child without a school social worker to intervene on his behalf,” Stephanie Schuette asked the board.

Schuette, a 38-year-old mother and school social worker, was one of nearly a half dozen school employees and parents to address the board before an overflow crowd. Board president Linda Bryant assured the audience it would take the comments under consideration.

Parents and employees had been bracing for an additional $28.9 million in cuts recommended by Superintendent Cindy Loe.

Those recommendations come after the more than $35 million in cuts that the board approved Feb. 18, when it voted to increase class size to the state maximum across all grades. The board also agreed to eliminate the pre-kindergarten general fund, the summer CRCT retake program and reduce the school calendar from 180 days to 177 days.

The board is expected to vote on the more recent recommendations – the elimination of 1,000 positions – at its March 18 meeting.

Nearly half of those positions are teachers. Others included are 100 are custodial jobs, 26 social workers, 37 counselors, 28 psychologists, 42 instructional support teachers and 59 positions in the district’s popular band and orchestra program.

Unlike other budget items, Loe said the district does not we receive state funding for its band and orchestra programs.

“Anything we cut is straight savings to the bottom line,” she said.

A big proponent of band and orchestra, Loe said it was difficult for her to recommend cutting the programs, which could save the district $4.1 million.

Board members indicated they had all lost sleep over the issue and not just the cuts.

“South Fulton needs social workers, counselors and psychologists,” Bryant said to applause.

Loe said she has the backing of elementary school principals who say they favor dropping band and orchestra over staff reductions. But she added, “If we do this, we should have an after-school program and that is part of my recommendation.”

More than 4,000 parents have signed an on-line petition urging the board to reconsider before the March 18 vote.

Schuette recommended the board raise the millage rate by two mills rather than cut school counselors. She also said social workers responded to over 29,000 referrals of crisis intervention.

“The proposed budget cuts would have 50 percent fewer social workers, leaving only 28 people to respond to a projected 35,000 referrals,” she said. “It is not possible to meet such expectations.”

Bruce Moody, a parent, told the board that while he is happy to hear about the money the board will save.

"But who will save our children,” asked Moody, vice president of the PTA at Creekside High School in Fairburn and grandfather of two Fulton high schoolers Quoting Malcolm X, Moody said that education is the door to the future.

“Right now, it seems like it’s closing,” he said.

Other recommendations by the superintendent included scaling back on school resource officers (police officers) to one in north Fulton high schools and two in south Fulton high schools, which could save $1 million. And another $5 million could be saved by halving the number of school counselors and psychologists.

Employees who lose their jobs will be notified no later than April and will remain on the school system payroll through June 30, said Toller.

Milton County proposal could get House vote next week.

2010-03-11T10:17:00.001-08:00

By Jim Tharpe
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A controversial proposal that could lead to the re-creation of Milton County out of what is now north Fulton County could be voted on by the state House of Representatives in a week.

The proposal, HR 21, won approval from the State Planning and Community Affairs Committee on Thursday by a 9-7 vote, clearing the way for its consideration by the House Rules Committee and the full House next week.

Pushed by House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones (R-Milton), the resolution would put the Milton County proposal on the November ballot in the form of a constitutional amendment. If that passed, residents in the proposed county would still have to approve the plan.

But the road to the November ballot is a long one. Proponents would need a two-thirds vote in the House, meaning Republican backers would need to pick up 15 Democratic votes, an uphill task for any piece of legislation in the partisan chamber. And if it passed the House, it would have to pick up a handful of Democratic votes in the Senate.

“They have some very steep hurdles to overcome to get this on the ballot,” said state Rep. Billy Mitchell (D-Stone Mountain), who opposes the proposal.

Proponents, however, point out that they overcame similar obstacles with the creation of the cities of Johns Creek and Sandy Springs in recent years.

Milton and Campbell counties were merged with Fulton County during the Great Depression as a cost-cutting move. Since then, however, northern Fulton’s population has exploded. Some north Fulton residents contend that the county's Board of Commissioners has become increasingly unresponsive to their needs and an inefficient steward of their tax dollars.

Opponents of a re-created Milton County argue that dividing Fulton County would hurt Atlanta and the entire region. Some opponents have alleged that race is an underlying motivation for the proposal -- south Fulton is predominately black, while north Fulton is majority white.

Supporters of the new county have steadfastly denied any racial motivation, contending their primary aim is a more efficient county government closer to the people it serves.

Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves on Thursday called the 1932 merger of Fulton with Milton and Campbell counties a “marriage” that Milton County proponents are trying to tear apart.

“This divorce would have a disastrous impact on all parties involved,” Eaves said. “It’s a lose-lose situation.”

But Roswell Mayor Jere Wood said during the committee hearing that divorce is sometimes necessary. In this case, he said, it might cause some short-term pain, but the long-term benefits would be worth it.

“The divorce is because it’s not working out,” said Wood, a major backer of Milton County whose city would be within its boundaries. “I see irreconcilable differences.”

Alpharetta Youth Softball Association 3rd annual Jamboree.

2010-03-10T21:33:00.001-08:00

Date: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Location: 13450 Cogburn Road, Alpharetta Georgia

Alpharetta Youth Softball Association 3rd annual Jamboree. Food, Carnival Games, Rides, Helmet Painting, T-shirts and Softball! Come out for a fun day at the park and check our girls, ages 4-18, and some exciting softball

GPS momentum builds across U.S., Canada.

2010-03-10T18:51:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Baptist Press

Posted on Mar 10, 2010 by Adam Miller

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Like many Southern Baptist congregations, Calvary Baptist Church has been involved in outreach efforts in the past. But this spring will see the congregation join others in its Baptist association touching the community in a way never attempted.

Known nationally as God's Plan for Sharing: Across North America, the effort is designed to touch every household with the Gospel in anticipation of Easter Sunday services, April 4.

"In our county we've got 42,000 homes that we are attempting to touch," said David Gifford, pastor of Calvary Baptist in Bowling Green, located in southwestern Kentucky. "Our church couldn't do that by themselves ... but when we break this up and we see the body of Christ working together, man it's exciting to be on board with that."

That's the idea behind Across North America and the multi-year God's Plan for Sharing, an initiative facilitated by the North American Mission Board with the participation of state and associational Baptist leaders. By linking evangelism efforts across national, state and associational levels, churches are able to plug into the larger cause and accomplish things that would have been difficult otherwise.

In all, state conventions have ordered or produced 17 million pieces of literature to be placed on each door in neighborhoods throughout the United States and Canada. In addition, NAMB has coordinated the purchase of more than 25,000 television ads, more than 7,000 radio spots and additional exposure through newspaper ads, billboards, yard signs and banners.

NAMB produced the ads and sent $1.2 million to state convention partners for the purchase of airtime and print space. State partners have contributed more than a half-million dollars to the purchases, bringing the total media buy to more than $1.7 million.

Advertising will direct people to a website, www.findithere.com, where they can view a Gospel presentation and a phone number, 1-888-JESUS20 (1-888-537-8720), to interact with a spiritual encourager.

In Kentucky, evangelism leader Ross Bauscher said he and his staff became excited about the possibilities of God's Plan for Sharing in early summer 2008. By December, the Kentucky Baptist Convention voted to proceed full steam ahead. The result: Detailed plans are now in place to touch up to 1 million homes with prayerwalking and packets that include a Gospel tract and church literature.

AN ADAPTABLE APPROACH

Southern Baptist churches across 43 state conventions will begin in March to prayerwalk and canvas their communities in the weeks leading up to Easter. Through such saturation, boosted by the media outreach strategies, the churches, their Baptist associations and state conventions will reach millions of homes, sharing the Gospel and inviting people to Easter services.

Each region has adapted GPS to its own strategy and context. A church in Alaska, for example, will do outreach differently than in more temperate climes.

"In 10 degrees and 25 mph winds, prayerwalking is more like prayer driving," said pastor Bruce Rowell of First Baptist Church in Palmer, a suburb of Anchorage, one of the state's few urban areas. In the surrounding Matanuska-Susitna (Mat-Su) Valley, GPS may look a little different than it does in the lower 48. Hanging bags on doors or mailboxes, for example, becomes problematic, as most people have to drive to the post office to pick up mail. So churches in the Mat-Su Valley benefit from the flexibility of the GPS strategy, adapting GPS resources toward meeting their unique challenges.

"This is exactly what we needed," Rowell said, underscoring how a common effort such as GPS can unify and mobilize churches in an area as frozen and spread out as Alaska.

First Baptist was able to partner with 10 churches situated along easily driven highways in the Mat-Su Valley Baptist Association, which covers more than 600 miles, encompassing some churches accessible only by plane. Building momentum through various pre-Easter events, the 10 churches will rally at First Baptist in anticipation of what God will do in their region.

Southern Baptist churches in Alaska plan to distribute more than 40,000 pieces of God's Plan for Sharing materials. People who respond to literature and media spots will be directed to websites, telephone numbers and eventually a contact at a local church, and they'll hear Gospel presentations all along the way.

Rowell said he's anticipating a harvest on Easter Sunday. "We hope to double our attendance that day through our outreach," the pastor said. "And each person there gets their own EvangeCube. We ordered around 400."

EARLY RESULTS

Flashback to early last spring in a Philadelphia neighborhood where Christian Cesar, pastor of Haitian Evangelical Baptist Church, showed up about 9 a.m. to coffee, pastries and more than a dozen church members sorting literature-filled bags into piles of 20. This was part of a pilot phase of the GPS initiative in 2009.

Within the next hour, church members were halfway through the task of visiting every home in the neighborhood with GPS materials and information about their congregation.

"Over the past year we've seen our community brighten," Cesar said. "Not as many drugs, not as much darkness and more people look to our church as a haven."

Situated near major intersections in a low-income area, Haitian Evangelical Baptist Church sits in a strategic location for building its community. Following last year's initial outreach, contact and communication have increased between church and its community.

At least three people accepted Christ during the initial outreach. Many residents showed up to the majority-Haitian congregation on Easter Sunday and many continue to attend.

An invitation like the ones being extended via GPS/Across North America can lead to life change among people not normally interested in church.

Gary Taylor, state director of missions for the Missouri Baptist Convention, noted, "We are told that 80 percent of unchurched people in America would be open to attending church on Easter Sunday if they were invited.

"This is so huge for the state of Missouri and little towns where people are going to share and saturate their towns with the Gospel," Taylor said.

Missouri churches ordered 750,000 GPS pieces, and merely talking about it to their congregations has given pastors a chance to lead people to Christ.

"A 70-year-old man came up after a service saying he needed what the pastor was talking about. Another church shared a similar story," Taylor reported. "It excites me to no end. We're already seeing fruit and we haven't even distributed the first piece!"

More than 40 Baptist associations in Missouri, encompassing some 1,000 churches, are participating. Television and radio ads are hitting the major hubs of St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield, with ads playing during the Final Four basketball tournament, "The Bachelor" and "Oprah." Churches in Jefferson City, meanwhile, have prayerwalked their communities.

Churches on the West Coast, meanwhile, hope to gain similar traction.

The California Southern Baptist Convention has ordered 1.5 million pieces covering English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese people groups. To illustrate how simple it is, Mark Beigle, pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in Moreno Valley, Calif., had a door set up near his pulpit on a Sunday morning. He took a bag, hung it on the doorknob and said, "There. You've been trained."

The California convention also will broadcast Find It Here advertisements more than 3,000 times through local television stations. The 42 other state conventions will use, in addition to television spots, billboard ads, radio spots and yard signs to send people in their communities to online or telephone-based opportunities for Gospel presentations.

LONG-TERM STRATEGY

GPS is a long-term strategy rolling out over the course of 10 years with the goal of every believer sharing, every person hearing by the year 2020.

"We are experiencing unprecedented cooperation from our state partners, associations and churches," said Jerry Pipes, GPS coordinator for the North American Mission Board. "We see this as a long-term effort, but we are sprinting right from the start with Southern Baptists excited to be a part of something that could dramatically influence life in North America."

The first step in the initiative, Across North America, is the first of six two-year campaigns that will carry GPS through 2020. This first leg of the vision is to saturate localities with the Gospel message through four primary strategies:

-- A three-week targeted media saturation taking place March 20 – April 11 (TV, radio, billboards, newspapers, etc).

- Prayerwalking in communities on the weekend of March 20.

-- Churches distributing clear plastic bags March 27 containing a Find It Here Gospel drop-in piece and an invitation to Easter services to each home in their surrounding neighborhoods.

-- Churches conducting a five-week follow-up process after Easter.

"It's been the best buy-in from our associations and churches of any evangelistic effort we've undertaken," said Sammy Gilbreath, director of evangelism for the Alabama State Board of Missions. "From small and large rural churches to inner-city churches, it's the best received of anything like this we've ever done."

Adam Miller is a writer for the North American Mission Board. James Dotson also contributed to this report. To find out more about Across North America, visit www.gps2020.net. Share your GPS story or video at www.namb.net/gpsstories.

Touchmark Banchsares Chairman Thomas Persons, Sr. Quits, Citing Board Split - CBL

2010-03-10T18:47:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Citybizlist

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - Thomas Persons, Sr., the chairman of Touchmark Bancshares Inc. (OTC BB: TMAK), has stepped down citing a major split in the board of Touchmark National Bank's holding company,, according to an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

In his resignation letter dated March 3, Persons, 65, said he could no longer "support many of the recent actions" by the board and would not allow the Alpharetta-based regional bank "to go through an expensive and nasty proxy fight under my leadership."

"I am exhausted with the split in our board. Our legal cost for the management review that is being conducted has already cost our bank much more than was ever necessary," he added.

Persons, who was a member of the company's audit and executive committees, expressed the hope that his successor "could promote more cohesive board action at the company and the bank."

Alpharetta Historical Society Presents1800’s Men & Women’s Period Clothing

2010-03-10T18:42:00.001-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

Date: Thursday, March 18, 2010
Times: 7:30 PM
Phone: 770-475-4663
Location: 1835 Old Milton Pky Alpharetta

This month’s program will be a presentation and display of Authentic 1800’s Period Men & Women’s Clothing, its purpose, development and history. The program will be presented by Phillip and Janine Whiteman of Alpharetta, long time Civil War Re-enactors and Presenters.

Flood Watch For Alpharetta.

2010-03-10T18:40:00.000-08:00

Courtesy WSB-TV

A flood warning continues for Big Creek near Alpharetta until Saturday morning. It could rise to 9.6 feet by early Friday then fall below flood stage on Saturday.

Rain began falling in metro Atlanta Wednesday morning and more is expected over the next few days.

“I expect just scattered showers Thursday afternoon with another round of storms likely Friday afternoon,” said meteorologist Brad Nitz.

High temperatures on Thursday will be in the mid 60s.

Children's Easter Egg Hunt

2010-03-10T18:38:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

Date: Sunday, March 28, 2010
Times: 1:30 PM
Phone: 678-297-6140
Location: 13450 Cogburn Road Alpharetta

Alpharetta Recreation and Parks will host their annual Children's Easter Egg Hunt at North Park on Sunday this year. Complimentary photos with the Easter Bunny will be available! The hunt begins at 3pm. Thousands of plastic eggs and candy will be hidden for children age 10 and under. Fields 1 - 4 will be dividied into different age groups. Alpharetta Golden Age Club will co-sponsor.

Alpharetta lacrosse raises $2,750 for Wounded Warrior Project.

2010-03-10T18:34:00.001-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

March 10, 2010 Members of the Alpharetta Junior Raider Men’s Lacrosse team raised more than $2,750 for the Wounded Warrior Project through a charity event in the memory of Capt. John Hallett III, a member of the U.S. Army who was killed in action last year while serving in Afghanistan. He was the cousin of Cal Swanson, a member of the AHS lacrosse team.

The Junior Raider team, composed of students in middle school, conducted a 12-hour “lacrosse-athon” on Feb. 6, playing non-stop lacrosse through sleet, rain and snow from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Players solicited donations from neighbors, friends and family for the Wounded Warrior Project after learning of the connection between Swanson and Hallett.

Hallett was a member of the United States Army, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 6th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

Job Transition Networking Meeting- Alpharetta FUMC.

2010-03-10T18:32:00.001-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

Date: Thursday, March 18, 2010
Times: 6:30 pm
Phone: 404-784-3310
Location: 59 Main Street, Alpharetta, GA

Please join us for a great night of networking and sharing of ideas to help you in your job search.Free resume reviews beginning at 5:45 pm followed by round table networking at 6:30 pm, our industry guide program and guest speaker LynnMarie Earl. In this presentation, LynnMarie will discuss The Seven Steps of Sales as they apply to your job search. All our welcome and we suggest you bring a fellow networker who has never been to our meeting before.Contact Jeff Ivan at 404-784-3310 for more information.

Georgia-based medical device startup Carticept raises $20M.

2010-03-10T18:27:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Local Tech Wire

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A startup focused on developing treatments for cartilage and osteoarthritis has closed on $20 million in new venture funding.

Carticept attracted a new investor, SonoSite, as well as repeat investors New Enterprise Associates and Domain Associates.

The funds will be used to launch Navigator Delivery System, a computer-controlled fluid delivery system for automation of medication delivery.

Carticept also plans to continue enrollment of patients in a clinical trial for its Cartiva product, which is a synthetic cartilage implant.

The company had raised $25.5 million in earlier rounds, according to PE Hub.

“This additional funding provides further validation of Carticept’s leadership in the development of innovative treatments for patients with osteoarthritis or cartilage damage,” said Timothy Patrick, Carticept’s chief executive officer.

Stevi B's Hires Three.

2010-03-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

Courtesy QSR Magazine

[2010-03-10] Stevi B's Pizza announced the hiring of Peter Klein as director of real estate and Bray Buckley and Lee Zimmerman as franchise sales representatives.

As director of real estate, Klein will oversee all Stevi B's real estate transactions, including site selection, broker services, store development, and the identification of potential franchisees through real estate avenues. A seasoned real estate professional with previous executive roles with Security Capital Group, Equity Investment Group, and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Klein has more than 20 years of real estate development and property acquisitions experience. Klein earned his bachelor's degree from Drury University and resides in Alpharetta, Georgia.

"The director of real estate position is a newly formed role at Stevi B's Pizza and Peter deemed a perfect fit as he has extensive experience earned in diverse roles in real estate development and property acquisitions," says Matthew Loney, president of Stevi B's Pizza.

Franchise sales representatives Buckley and Zimmerman will focus on franchise sales activities with the objective of maximizing Stevi B's growth. Buckley most recently served as an associate with Grubb & Ellis Company, where he specialized in office tenant representation. Buckley earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama and resides in Atlanta.

Zimmerman joins the Stevi B's team having most recently served as site specialist with New South Properties, overseeing site selection and land acquisitions for the development of retail shopping centers. Zimmerman earned a bachelor's degree from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. He resides in Atlanta.

"We are thrilled to welcome Lee Zimmerman and Bray Buckley to the Stevi B's team," Loney says. "Both bring exceptional experience to our concept and we look forward to working with a group dedicated to Stevi B's value and franchise growth."

Time for Milton County.

2010-03-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

Pictured: John Albers, Mayors’ Jere Wood, Joe Lockwood and Mike Bodker.

John Albers, the leading Republican candidate for State Senate District 56, was the ONLY State Senate candidate to attend a legislative committee meeting and education session regarding House Resolution 21 (Re-Creation of Milton County). North Fulton mayors, city council members and community activists packed the room.

Said Albers, “Putting politics aside, it is deeply concerning others running for the same office I seek did not make the time to attend this important session. The families of North Fulton have suffered from a lack of quality services from Fulton County for years and have my complete support. I will dedicate myself and time to re-create Milton County so our citizens can be best served.”

“Chairman Eaves of the Fulton County Commission presented his case for keeping Fulton united, but it failed quickly when Representatives Willard, Jones and Geisinger pointed out the decades of poor service and continuing mismanagement. North Fulton Mayors and Commissioner Lynne Riley set the record straight on how the North Fulton cities are better governing locally and decades of poor service from Fulton continue to loom. Senator Dan Moody also echoed the call for Milton County and as your next Senator; I’ll continue his bold leadership. I continue to hope for success this session with a positive vote and referendum. However, if not, I’ll lead a parallel process beginning immediately; to begin systematically separating key services including a separate North Fulton school district. Measures such as these will provide a quick impact until such time as we have a new Milton County and Milton County School system.”

“Being a State Senator takes a substantial commitment of time and energy, I make that commitment. I have consistently demonstrated involvement in our community. Once elected, I will work tirelessly to serve the families in North Fulton and make Milton County a reality. I look forward to being North Fulton’s customer service State Senator.”

For additional information, please contact John Albers at john@votealbers.com or (770)280-6061. www.votealbers.com

NOTE: Accessalpharetta.com encourages all candidates running for office both locally and state wide to share information with us on their campaigns. This type of information does not mean that Accessmilton.com is endorsing one candidate as opposed to another. Here, all are treated equally and with respect.

The Steve Miller Band adds 2010 tour dates.

2010-03-09T22:04:00.000-08:00

Courtesy The Rock Radio

The Steve Miller Band has announced its full spring and summer itinerary, kicking it's 23-date tour off on May 21st in Henderson, Nevada and winding things down on August 8th in West Allis, Wisconsin. Fans are in for a treat when Peter Frampton teams up with Miller for a special, double bill on July 30th in Alpharetta, Georgia and July 31st in Orange Beach, Alabama. Miller says that there's no great science as to why his music still receives so much radio airplay and crowd reaction in concert.

Although Miller is considered a world-class blues guitarist, he says that it all come down to the songs: [ Click to listen if you have a backstage pass] "I think the reason my songs are still around is that they're simple on the first blush, they seem to be fairly simple tunes. There's a lot of harmony, a lot of harmony singing parts, and then when you go through the layers of the lyrics, they have meaning to people. And I think the main thing is that they're positive lyrics (laughs) and people like to sing."

Spelling Bee.

2010-03-09T22:02:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

Date: Friday, March 19, 2010
Times: 11:00 a.m.Friday, Mar. 19, 11:00 a.m.
SKID-e-KIDS.com, an Alpharetta-based non-profit organization that operates a free social networking website for children, is sponsoring the Georgia Association of Educators' (GAE) 48th Annual Spelling Bee at 11:00 a.m, Friday, Mar. 19, 2010 at Georgia State University. SKID-e-KIDS will donate cash prizes of $50 to each student who participates in the spelling bee. The runner up will receive an additional $500 and the winner will receive an additional $1,000 from SKID-e-KIDS. For more information, go to SKID-e-KIDS.com.

NAMB corrects missionary count data to GCR Task Force

2010-03-09T21:58:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Florida Baptist Witness

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (NAMB/BP) — The North American Mission Board has informed the Great Commission Task Force that data it provided last summer regarding the geographic distribution of missionaries in North America contained a significant error. The NAMB error resulted in incorrect data being published in the Feb. 22 "progress report" issued by the GCRTF.

The progress report depicts on page 19 how Southern Baptist resources are distributed throughout the United States. That data indicates that at the end of 2008 3,515 missionaries served in the 14 states considered to be where Southern Baptists are strongest and only 1,735 missionaries serving in the remaining states across the US. In the GCRTF report, the 14 states are depicted in blue and the others in red.

In actuality, 2,573 missionaries, or 48 percent, served in the 14 blue states in 2008 and 2,733, or 52 percent, served in the remaining red states.

Another 133 NAMB missionaries serve in Canada. If Canada is included in the overall numbers, 2,866 of NAMB's missionaries serve outside the blue states, making the percentage 53 percent in North America serving outside the 14 blue states.

The error was discovered by NAMB staff on March 5 while responding to an inquiry from The Tennessean, the Nashville daily newspaper.

"As soon as we discovered the mistake, we notified the GCR Task Force," Richard Harris, NAMB's interim president, told Baptist Press.

"We will leave it to the GCR Task Force members and others to determine the significance of these new numbers. We just wanted to provide this information as soon as we discovered it so the rest of the discussion can include the correct data," Harris said.

Ronnie Floyd, GCRTF chairman and pastor of First Baptist Church in Springdale, Ark., told BP the change in missionary numbers did not alter the major concern of the task force.

"[W]e spend 2/3 of the Cooperative Program dollars on 1/3 of the population and conversely spend only 1/3 of the Cooperative Program dollars on 2/3 of the population in the United States," Floyd said.

Floyd told BP the online manuscript of the progress report available at www.pray4gcr.com has been updated with the corrected NAMB information.

The error occurred when NAMB double-counted the states of Texas and Virginia. Both states have two, independently operated state Baptist conventions with which Southern Baptists are affiliated. The data spreadsheet used listed each of those state conventions with their individual subtotals and also an overall total from the state. Both the subtotals and the totals from those states were added when the overall missionary count was computed, leading to a double-count for the two states.

NAMB's 2009 data shows 2,454 or 46 percent of missionaries serving in the 14 states depicted in blue on the GCRTF's report and 2,850 or 54 percent serving in Canada and the remaining states depicted in red.

NAMB uses funding formulas developed in cooperation with state convention partners to determine how much funding it will send to a state to pay for missionary salaries, benefits and ministry initiatives. Because Southern Baptists have a much stronger presence in the South and parts of the Southwest, NAMB's funding portion is much lower in those states. Conversely, NAMB's portion is as high as 95 percent in Northeast and Northwest states where Southern Baptists have significantly fewer churches.

The GCRTF's progress report states that Southern Baptists "spend $316.6 million on reaching the 108.7 million people" living in the 14 South-Southwestern states depicted in blue on the page 19 map. Of this amount, $10.2 million came from NAMB in 2008 in the form of Cooperative Agreement money to the states. The rest, presumably, is money provided by churches in those state Baptist conventions.

The progress report states that Southern Baptists "spend $71.5 million on reaching 195.3 million people." These are states depicted in red on the page. Of this amount, $34 million came from NAMB in 2008 in the form of Cooperative Agreement money to the states.

In addition to money from Cooperative Agreements, NAMB sends money to state conventions through missionary benefits and national ministry funds. When these items are added, more than three-fourths, 77 percent, of the $62 million NAMB distributed throughout the US and Canada in 2009 went to areas where Southern Baptist church presence is the least. These are the 36 states depicted in red on page 19 of the GCRTF's progress report, plus Canada. Less than a quarter, 23 percent, of NAMB's spending occurred in states where Southern Baptists are strongest. These are the 14 states depicted in blue in the progress report.

Carticept Medical(TM) Announces $20 Million Series B Financing.

2010-03-09T21:56:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Market Watch

ALPHARETTA, Ga., Mar 09, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Carticept Medical, Inc., a developer of innovative products for the treatment of cartilage injuries and osteoarthritis, today announced that it has completed a $20 million Series B financing round. New investor SonoSite, Inc. joined existing investors Domain Associates and New Enterprise Associates. The financing will provide funding for the expected commercial launch of the Company's Navigator(TM) Delivery System, an integrated, computer-controlled, fluid delivery system designed to automate the delivery of medication for the benefit of both the patient and physician, as well to complete patient enrollment in the clinical study of the Company's Cartiva(TM) Synthetic Cartilage Implant.

"We are excited to add SonoSite to our group of existing investors that have provided strong support to the Company," said Timothy J. Patrick, President and Chief Executive Officer. "This additional funding provides further validation of Carticept's leadership in the development of innovative treatments for patients with osteoarthritis or cartilage damage."

About Carticept Medical, Inc.

Based in Alpharetta, Ga., Carticept Medical, Inc. is a privately held medical device company established in 2005 to develop innovative solutions for patients with osteoarthritis or cartilage damage. Major investors include Domain Associates and New Enterprise Associates. Additional information is available on the Company's web site at www.carticept.com.

Teen wounded in Alpharetta shooting.

2010-03-09T21:52:00.000-08:00

By Mike Morris
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alpharetta police Tuesday were trying to unravel the circumstances behind an overnight shooting that left a teenager nursing a gunshot wound to the arm.

The incident happened around midnight Monday on Wedgewood Drive, according to police spokesman George Gordon.

Gordon said the 17-year-old victim initially told police that he and three other males were sitting in a Nissan in the cul-de-sac at the end of the street when a white truck pulled up and someone in the truck randomly opened fire with a handgun.

"His buddies took him to the hospital prior to officer arrival on scene," Gordon said in a statement early Tuesday. The teen was in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the arm.

Gordon said police recovered three shell casings on the roadway.

He said that police had not yet confirmed the teen's version of what happened.

Gordon later told the AJC in an e-mail that the details released earlier "are not completely accurate."

Two neighbors interviewed by WSB-TV told the station that they did not see or hear any vehicles fleeing the scene after the shooting.

Pro & Con: Should the Legislature allow Milton County to be re-created?

2010-03-08T19:57:00.000-08:00

YES: Fulton is too big and too mismanaged to serve its citizens.
By Jan Jones

In the movie “Groundhog Day,” Phil Connors (Bill Murray) wakes to relive one of the worst days of his life over and over again.

A million Fulton County residents wake each morning to their equivalent of Groundhog Day. They face a cycle of government squander that repeats itself, no matter how citizens try to change it.

Despite its infamy as the highest tax-and-spend county government in Georgia, Fulton County’s record of local service provision falls short — very short.

Elections management? Thirty violations in the 2008 general election are currently under investigation by the Georgia secretary of state. This follows on the heels of fines assessed for improper handling of voter information in 2007

Library services? An earlier settlement of a discrimination lawsuit cost taxpayers $20 million. Today, the library system costs double the state’s per capita average with no corresponding increase in service or usage.

Tax assessors office? A 2005 audit of the county’s Board of Assessors found multiple deficiencies, most of which remain uncorrected. Among other things, the county delayed updating valuation of nonresidential real property for 15 years.

Asset management? In 2008, audits showed the county had no asset inventory, no oversight of purchasing and tracking and an inability to locate roughly $160 million in asset purchases.

Perhaps most damning, the county taxes and spends double per capita that of neighboring Cobb and Gwinnett counties. A 2009 University of Georgia report showed Fulton spends more per capita in every comparable department than other metro counties. Regardless, service delivery remains inept.

Why can’t it just clean itself up? Because “local control,” relying on seven commissioners, is meaningless in sprawling Fulton. The county’s population exceeds that of six individual states and runs 80 miles from one end to the other. No wonder it was once three separate counties, not one.

Just as with the federal government, when the elected become far removed from the electorate, politicians and bureaucrats resort to one-size-fits-all solutions. Costs increase, efficiency declines and customers aren’t served.

Over the years, many have tried to intervene. Multiple blue ribbon committees, joint legislative study committees and targeted task forces have piled up reports. Candidates over the years have called for consolidation, municipalization, lower taxes, government reform and every iteration in between. So what to do?

Split off the northern third back into Milton County. Give Atlanta the option to eliminate Fulton County altogether through consolidation, like Athens-Clarke, Augusta-Richmond and Columbus-Muscogee. Allow south Fulton to re-create Campbell County should its citizens choose or retain its cities as part of a consolidated Atlanta-Fulton.

For the fourth year running, I will offer an alternative for the Legislature to consider through a constitutional amendment. It would allow historically merged counties to be recreated. Only two fit this definition, both within Fulton, since all other merged counties were subsequently decoupled.

Voters would make the final decision, both statewide and within each area of Fulton seeking a recreated county or consolidation.

Prior obligations, including MARTA and Grady Memorial Hospital, must be honored and managed together. The process would take several years and considerable work.

But without bold and real change, we’ll wake up to repeat Fulton County’s history — our own Groundhog Day. And we’ll keep talking about the same, tired problems with little prospect of improvement.

State Rep. Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta) is House speaker pro tem.
____________________________________________

NO: Fulton has held costs down; creating more government is costly.
By John Eaves

Everyone is aware that this legislative session is one in which Georgia legislators will have to make some very tough decisions because of these challenging economic times.

The citizens of our state have expressed the need for various important services that state and local government provide, including quality education, affordable health and trauma care, improved transportation, and water, to name just a few.

In the midst of their deliberations on these important quality of life issues, there is also HR 21, proposing a constitutional amendment that could pave the way for splitting Fulton County.

Certainly, HR 21 is legislation that is fueled by very strong emotions on both sides of the issue. There have been many things said and written to influence lawmakers’ and the public’s thoughts and opinions.

In particular, Fulton County government and the effectiveness of its operations have been frequently discussed.

One of the arguments is that Fulton is too big. I contend that the “too big” argument is not the real issue.

Experts have long said that the real issue statewide is related to “too many.” Georgia has too many counties already, 159 to be exact, nearly three times more than California.

There has been talk about the library system, that Fulton County is unwilling to create libraries in north Fulton. This is simply not true.

In July 2008, the Board of Commissioners approved a Library Facility Master Plan that included three new libraries in north Fulton as well as renovations for four — which was approved by voters countywide.

There have even been complaints related to the parks in north Fulton when the reality is that Fulton County only operates parks in unincorporated areas of Fulton — and not in any of the newly formed cities.

One of the most disturbing arguments used for the creation of a new Milton County is that Fulton County operates in an inefficient and ineffective manner.

This fiscal year, Fulton County managed to stave off a $77.1 million shortfall with no tax increase, keeping a reserve balance at nearly 7 percent, with no furloughs for staff and a reduction in force of less than 40 full-time, permanent employees.

We also increased grant funding for services to our most vulnerable citizens, our seniors and youth. That’s a far cry from inefficiency and ineffectiveness, especially in these times.

All these arguments are used to take away from the real problem, HR 21. There are several key issues with this legislation, including compliance with the Voting Rights Act requirements, vagueness of the constitutional amendment language, and consideration of capital costs, vesting of school board property, sales tax disbursements, long-term pension obligations, intergovernmental agreements and bond obligations — to name just a few.

While this legislation only takes into consideration the wants of a few, it does not take into consideration the needs of many. Homeowners will face major increases in residential property taxes. Impact on Fulton County businesses, including those in the city of Atlanta, could include a significant increases in commercial property taxes.

Given that 1 in 5 jobs in the state of Georgia is in Atlanta, any negative impact on Atlanta businesses could be disastrous for the entire region.

In a time where there is a great need to be fiscally conservative and we are furloughing and laying off educators, state and local employees, and needing to invest in our transportation infrastructure and in health and trauma care, can you really say that it is more important to spend the $6.3 million and probably more that it will cost taxpayers to create a new county so that Georgia can say it now has 160 counties?

I don’t believe the citizens of this state would think so.

John Eaves is chairman of the Fulton County Commission.

Alpharetta's Cross named Rising Star

2010-03-08T19:55:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

March 08, 2010

ALPHARETTA – Briskin, Cross & Sanford LLC partner Michael D. Cross Jr. has been named by Georgia Super Lawyers magazine to its list of Rising Stars for 2010.

His practice focuses on representing entrepreneurs, investors and privately-held companies. An adjunct professor and advisory board member for the North Fulton Center of Reinhardt College, Cross also has taught business law, ethics, media law, entrepreneurial law, and organizational leadership since 2001.

Cross also serves as chairman on the Economic Development Authority for Alpharetta and on the lpharetta Public Safety Foundation board.

The Refinishing Touch Expands Touch Textiles Brand with New All-Weather Upholstery Line.

2010-03-08T19:51:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Earthtimes.org

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - (Business Wire) The Refinishing Touch, a specialist in on-site furniture refinishing, reupholstery and modification services, has expanded its Touch Textiles collection with a new line of weatherproof upholstery fabrics designed to withstand UV rays, sunlight and the effects of cleaning agents.

The new line includes hundreds of colors, patterns and textures and is suited to indoor and outdoor upholstery projects of all kinds. It complements existing and potential reupholstery projects The Refinishing Touch has across the hospitality, government and university sectors.

Certified by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute as it is manufactured with low chemical emissions, the new all-weather fabrics undergo a special dyeing process which creates no harmful wastewater and it consumes less water and energy than traditional processes. Furthermore, the fabrics are designed to last up to ten times longer than standard fabrics, reducing the effects of cotton production on the environment.

Touch Textiles’ new line will be comprised of three fabric categories: shadow, sheer, and sling. Specially constructed with an open weave design, shadow fabrics have a unique flow-through finish for a lighter makeup. Sheer fabrics combine high quality materials with high quality designs for a low-maintenance and light structure. Sling fabrics use a vinyl yarn composition to be sleek yet strong.

Mario Insenga, founder and CEO of The Refinishing Touch, said, “We are seeing an increase in the demand for sustainable materials from our clients across the hospitality, university and federal industries. We originally launched Touch Textiles, back in 1990, in response to demands from our clients to cut operational costs and complexities. Again, we are responding to market demand by bringing this new line of environmentally friendly products to market, while providing the quality finishing and standards our customers expect and deserve.”

About The Refinishing Touch

The Refinishing Touch® is a world leader in on-site environmentally safe and sustainable furniture refinishing, reupholstering, armoire modification, and EPA and OSHA TV recycling for private and public organizations. Through its Touch Textiles division, it provides eco-friendly indoor and outdoor fabrics that complement its portfolio of materials, such as granite and quartz, to offer a one-stop service to its clients.

To date, the company has transformed over 1.5 million rooms of furniture, preventing the equivalent of approximately two million hardwood trees from being sent to landfill.

With clients in the government, hospitality and university sectors, The Refinishing Touch enables environmental and sustainability best practices while reducing spending by up to 80%.

Long term clients include: The White House, The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, US Department of Justice, US Congress, US Department of Defense, US Military and Coast Guard, Hyatt, Marriott, Wyndham, Hilton, IHG and Starwood plus a number of top universities. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia.

The Refinishing Touch has been recognized by the US General Services Administration with its Evergreen Award for innovative environmentally friendly practices.

Alpharetta restaurant donates to Haiti drive.

2010-03-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

March 08, 2010 ALPHARETTA – Alpharetta's Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant helped Haiti's earthquake victims by donating 20 percent of its Feb. 2 lunch and dinner proceeds to the drive sponsored by St. Brendan's Catholic Church in Cumming. They donated $2,400 to the relief effort.

Casa Nuova is owned by Antonio and Maria Fundora, who felt touched as Haiti is a neighbor to their native Cuba.

"As people of a Caribbean nation and as human beings, our hearts go out to the men, women and children of Haiti who have lost everything in this disaster. Our prayer is to help in whatever small way we can to relieve their suffering," said Maria Fundora.

They are also members of St. Brendan's Church, which is still accepting monetary and other donations for the earthquake drive.

The restaurant regularly donates to local charities and holds its own annual drive to fund pancreatic cancer research.

North Fulton Pest Solutions Opens New Corporate Office and Training Center

2010-03-08T19:45:00.000-08:00

Courtesy PCT Online

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — North Fulton Pest Solutions (NFPS) announces the opening of their new office location in Alpharetta, Georgia. The new 6,600 square foot facility will house their corporate operations, as well as the Alpharetta branch. This new complex will also be home to the new 1,500 square feet training center, set to open this summer.

Joey Edwards, CEO of NFPS, stated “We are proud of our new state of the art facility. This now positions NFPS to expand our operations and to broaden our services both related to the pest control industry, as well as the implementation of new services outside the scope of our industry. We have exciting plans regarding the future of NFPS, to be released later this year.”

North Fulton Pest Solutions is celebrating its’ 40th anniversary serving the Atlanta metro area and surrounding counties. They currently provide services for termite control, pest control, mosquitoes, moisture control, wildlife exclusions & animal removal, insulation removal & installation and gutter caps.

InfoMentis Announces New Offering at Sales 2.0 Conference

2010-03-08T19:41:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Marketwatch.com

Dealmaker Sales Performance Automation Opportunity and Account Management Suite

SAN FRANCISCO, Mar 08, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- InfoMentis, Inc., the global leader in revenue through collaboration announced the availability of their newest offering--Dealmaker Sales Performance Automation Opportunity and Account Management Suite. The Dealmaker Opportunity and Account Management Suite is designed to help sales professionals maximize the opportunities from key accounts, increase opportunity win rates, get accurate sales forecasts and improve sales performance through on-demand sales best practice learning and application, resulting in sustained, predictable and profitable revenue growth.

The solution incorporates world-leading methodologies (TAS and InfoMentis), a step-by-step sales process, on-going insight and analysis through Dealmaker Performance Coach and continuous best practice learning through the Dealmaker Virtual Learning System. Currently in use by 15,000 sales professionals worldwide, Dealmaker is integrated with Salesforce.com, Oracle CRM On-Demand, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 and combines proven sales methodology and processes with effective, on-demand sales training.

"From impossible to possible--Dealmaker is the most exciting technology to hit the sales effectiveness industry in 10 years," said Wendy Reed, CEO of InfoMentis. "Dealmaker uses an algorithm based on a sales methodology to calculate close dates and probability of close--which I didn't think was possible. Dealmaker eliminates the pain associated with forecasting, allowing sales management to focus on performance coaching, which ultimately impacts revenue."

"The integration of account and opportunity management components from InfoMentis introduces the customer collaborative aspect of methodology to Dealmaker," said Donal Daly, CEO, The TAS Group. "This is of real value to customers, and enhances the value users get from Sales Performance Automation."

About InfoMentis

InfoMentis is a global training, consulting and performance improvement company providing configurable programs to help clients attract and retain customers. InfoMentis' configurable courseware, e-Learning modules, web-based and on-premise instructor-led training, consulting, services and collaborative productivity tools are designed to be adapted for role-based behavioral change for anyone in marketing, sales, services, support and management that have contact with their customers and prospects throughout the entire customer lifecycle.

Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, InfoMentis has helped industry leaders around the world understand and embrace the value of determining predictable revenue streams. Founded in 1996, InfoMentis has provided performance improvement strategy, consulting and coaching in 66 countries on six continents.

John Albers for State Senate.

2010-03-08T07:40:00.001-08:00

NOTE: Accessmilton.com encourages all candidates running for office both locally and state wide to share information with us on their campaigns. This type of information does not mean that Accessmilton.com is endorsing one candidate as opposed to another. Here, all are treated equally and with respect.

2 Men Stabbed In Alpharetta Fight.

2010-03-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Wsb

ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- The Alpharetta Department of Public Safety is investigating a fight that lead to two men being stabbed by each other.

According to investigators, the incident began with officers responding to the 100 block of Sedalia Court regarding a barking dog noise complaint at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday. When officers arrived at the location, a 21-year-old was found stabbed, investigators said. The victim was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with a non-life threatening injury.

Officers said they found the second victim, also 21, at a Waffle House on Old Milton Parkway at Morris Road shortly after the first victim was found. The second victim was transported to North Fulton Hospital with a non-life threatening injury.

The officials continue to investigate.

North Fulton cities organize "Bulky Trash Day"

2010-03-04T19:00:00.001-08:00

By Andria Simmons
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The cities of Milton, Alpharetta and Roswell are offering residents a chance to clean out their garages, basements and attics on "Bulky Trash Day."

From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 20, citizens can bring unwanted items to the Roswell Public Works Division at 1810 Hembree Road for disposal. Items to be accepted include automobile tires (off the rim), furniture, appliances and electronics. The cities will not accept paint, household hazardous waste including motor oil and anti-freeze, household batteries, construction and demolition materials or yard waste.

The Atlanta Furniture Bank will collect items in good condition and offer donation receipts upon request. For more information, contact the Milton Grows Green Committee at miltongrowsgreen@cityofmiltonga.us or call the City of Milton Public Works Department at 678-242-2500.

John Albers for State Senate.

2010-03-04T18:23:00.001-08:00

Serving your community…

By- John Albers

Volunteering in the community to serve others is a passion of mine. It is an honor and privilege to use my God given talents for the sake of others. North Fulton is a great community and the opportunities to get involved are abundant. I serve on dozens of charitable organization boards and find an intense joy making a positive difference.

As a fourth generation volunteer firefighter, I serve side-by-side with my fellow public safety professionals protecting life and property. Active firefighters have to complete continuous training, physical fitness, time and effort. It is a unique opportunity to give back. You do not have run into burning houses to help. Others support our firefighters and police officers with our Public Safety foundation by raising money and taking care of our heroes in their time of need. No matter your talent or desire we have a place for you.

Both of my sons are scouts. My older son Will is working on his Eagle Scout project. This is a tremendous accomplishment of which we are proud. His project will benefit a local Roswell charity and bring benefits for decades to come. My younger son Ryan is helping to earn his world conservation badge by cleaning the river and stream banks. It is never too early to get your children involved with serving others and the community. Volunteering as family is time very well spent and builds life memories. I volunteer to lead by example and help continue Scouting for generations to come.

I have enjoyed serving at church since my childhood. Decades of serving has ranged from delivering meals, providing medical care, building houses, coaching, mission trips, computer help, governance, fundraising, painting, teaching and simply listening. I am blessed to be a member at Roswell United Methodist church and encourage you to explore your faith and service to others.

You may be asking, why would I want to spend my spare time helping the community? A better question would be, why not? You will never regret missing an hour of TV, but you will treasure positively impacting your community. You will network, learn new experiences and become a better person. Believe it or not, you will be the biggest benefactor of your volunteer time.

In summary, please consider serving others joyfully and more often. If you are looking for ideas, please drop me a line at john@votealbers.com.

I look forward to serving you as your next State Senator (www.votealbers.com).

New, Revitalized Look for Ageless Remedies Medical Spa of Alpharetta, GA

2009-11-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

Courtesy PR-USA-Net

Ageless Remedies, Alpharetta medical spa, is pleased to announce the launch of a new website – http://www.AgelessRemediessAlpharetta.com. The new, informative website provides a great overview of anti-aging medical skin care services and products offered at Alpharetta medispa.

Ageless Remedies Medical Spa of Alpharetta opened in August 2007 and is still a new concept bridging the gap between a day spa and a plastic surgeon. Ageless Remedies strongly believes in educating clients about advanced skin care services, treatments and procedures. That’s why their new website includes links to educational presentations, before & after photos, and videos to provide in depth information to take away some of the mystery.

Besides explaining treatments for different skin care concerns, the website has pre and post care recommendations, links for additional information, forms to request appointments and ship products as well as Specials of the Month. The visual presentations and links for detailed background material allow clients to have as much information as they would like.

Ageless Remedies offers several lines of prescriptive and medical skin care products. In order for their clients to get the optimum results, they need to be using the key ingredients in the right products. Ageless Remedies combines these products with advanced skincare services.

Their medical teams of professionals are trained and certified to provide clinical treatments for clients regarding dull, tired and sun damaged skin. The Ageless Remedies Medical Spa currently employs three physician assistants and two medical estheticians that perform services ranging from facials, chemical peels and microdermabrasions to laser treatments, Botox and filler injections. Their medical professionals have extensive backgrounds and credentials. Ageless Remedies Alpharetta Medical Spa offers the finest combination of medical expertise in a comfortable setting, blending a doctor’s office and a day spa.

For More information about Ageless Remedies Medical Spa, visit their website www.agelessremediesalpharetta.com.About Ageless Remedies of Alpharetta

Ageless Remedies is a full service Alpharetta medical spa providing anti-aging medical skin care products and services. Ageless Remedies of Alpharetta, is known for laser hair removal, Botox, acne & anti-aging treatments, scar removal & more.

Prospect Park project will continue, developer says

2009-11-19T08:18:00.000-08:00

By Rachel Kellogg / Neighbor Newspapers

Plans to develop Alpharetta’s Prospect Park will go on, despite the reported bankruptcy of its developer Fourth Quarter Properties XLVII.

According to Stanley Thomas, founder, chairman and CEO of Thomas Enterprises, Prospect Park’s lender attempted to foreclose the property, but the company filed for bankruptcy to reorganize its finances.

“Wachovia was advertising that they were going to [foreclose], but we prevented them from doing that by filing Chapter 11,” he said.

Thomas said he is still “100 percent” in moving forward with plans for the mixed-use development, but he was not able to provide a timeline for when construction might take place.

“We’re in the process of some loans,” he said.

Alpharetta’s Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard said the city attorney is still obtaining a copy of the bankruptcy petition from the bankruptcy court.

“Until we see it, I don’t know how it’s going to affect the city,” he said.

Councilman Doug DeRito said he sees the company filing for bankruptcy as a good opportunity to finally see the project through.

“The city has always been supportive of this project,” he said. “The fact that they are able to file for bankruptcy gives us hope that they may be able get the project moving again.”

DeRito said he gives Thomas credit for trying to save the project, and he said he hopes to see Westside Parkway completed soon.

Free day of dentistry this weekend

2009-11-18T15:09:00.001-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

November 18, 2009 Jones Bridge Dental Care will offer the community one free day of dentistry on Saturday, Nov. 21. For one day only, fillings, extractions, and cleanings will be free. Patients will be taken on a first come first serve basis starting at 7 a.m. (one procedure per person). For the past eight years, Dentistry From The Heart has served more than 10,000 people.Patients must be at least 14 years of age, and accompanied by a parent if under 18.Patients who need ongoing care, or have problems that cannot be fixed in one day, are referred to community clinics where they can receive ongoing treatment at low or no costs.All parking will be at Jones Bridge Professional Center, 11925 Jones Bridge Road, Suite 200, Alpharetta.

Alpharetta Police Explorers take bronze

2009-11-16T14:48:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

November 11, 2009 Alpharetta — The Alpharetta Police Explorers competed at the Metro Atlanta Championship for Explorers Oct. 17 against 18 other regional Explorer posts from Georgia and earned third place overall, including first place trophies in two of the five events.

Explorers Joey Carrico, Jacob Sanderson, Laurieann Cayel and Brenden Coaloa represented the Alpharetta Post 919 and competed in a myriad of real-life police scenarios, including high-risk warrant service, felony traffic stops and building searches. The team earned top honors in the domestic dispute and crime scene processing events.

Established in 1993 under the direction of Master Police Officer Charles Fannon, the Alpharetta Police Explorers is a non-profit, community-based program offered through the Alpharetta Police Department.

For information on becoming a police explorer, contact MPO Charles Fannon at cfannon@alpharetta.ga.us.

WWII vets honored by historical society

2009-11-16T14:30:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

November 16, 2009 Alpharetta- The Alpharetta Historical Society and Somerby of Alpharetta will celebrate "America's Greatest Generation" Thursday, Nov.19 at 7 p.m. to commemorate WWII veterans.

The event will begin with registration for military veterans and an opportunity to view exhibits, including a 20 by 9 foot hand-crafted replica of the USS Battleship NC.

Opening ceremonies honoring WWII veterans will take place at 7:30 p.m. Following the ceremonies, Denver Peardon will offer a special presentation.Refreshments and hor' dourves will be served at 8:45 p.m. along with an opportunity to meet, greet, and thank the veterans.

Off Broadway Children's Theater presents 'Alice in Wonderland, Jr.'

2009-11-12T14:55:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

Alpharetta – Off Broadway Children's Theater invites the community to its upcoming musical production of Alice in Wonderland, Jr.

This fast-paced musical features such classic Disney songs as "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" and "I'm Late."

The cast is comprised of more than 40 area children ages 8 to 18. Space is very limited so reservations must be made in advance by calling 770-664-2410.

PAL to host 'Shop with a Cop' at Walmart

2009-11-12T14:46:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

Alpharetta – The Alpharetta Police Athletic/Activities League (PAL) will host the annual "Shop with a Cop" event on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Windward Parkway Walmart.

In the midst of the recent economic downturn, PAL believes this event is more significant now than ever.

This year, PAL aims to help more than 70 children.

Each child, along with their parent, will be accompanied by a police officer, firefighter or public safety volunteer as he or she shops for their desired holiday gifts.

"Throughout the year, representatives of the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety come across families who, for whatever reason, face financial challenges," said PAL CEO Jason Cimino.

"These financial challenges often times carry into the holiday season and impact their ability to buy gifts for their children."

With the assistance of Walmart, PAL has chosen to fill the spending gaps experienced by some of our local families and ensure many deserving children are recipients of some holiday cheer.

Each child will be able to spend up to $100. Although this allotment is theirs to spend on items for themselves, often these children elect to spend some of the money on gifts for their parents or siblings. And they are as likely to buy clothing as toys.

This annual police hosted/corporate sponsored event helps local families in need meet the holiday expectations for their children.

At this time, PAL still needs additional sponsors.

Walmart and the Alpharetta Rotary Club have already pledged $2,500 and $1,000, respectively. There have also been $300 in individual pledges.

Business owners will try their hands at governing

2009-11-10T23:01:00.000-08:00

By Rachel Kellogg; Neighbor Newspapers

Now that campaigning and elections are over, Alpharetta will have two new faces when Mike Kennedy and Chris Owens join the city council in January.

Kennedy has lived in Alpharetta for 11 years, and he moved from the Houston, Texas area to Atlanta in 1990 when he was offered a job giving radio traffic updates.

“Flying around in a helicopter doing traffic reports is the most exciting thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “But I tend to stay on the ground more now that I have three young children.”

He and his wife Randi have been married for 12 years, and their children are Tyler, 11, Brandon, 9, and Rachel, 7.

Kennedy owns North Point Financial Advisors, but he was not always interested in investing.

“I started as a TV weatherman and was a news anchor on TV and radio,” he said. “When I moved to Atlanta, I started dabbling in investments and started doing it for other people.”

When Kennedy is not working or spending time at Wills Park, he is involved with the Georgia chapter of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation.

“My oldest son has Angelman Syndrome,” he said. “We do things educationally and financially for kids in Georgia who have it.”

When he starts on council, Kennedy said he is most looking forward to learning the ropes.

“You don’t want to be the new guy who acts like he knows everything,” he said. “There’s a lot to learn before you jump in and start proposing new things.”

Kennedy and Owens both said they plan to help maintain and improve the community feeling of Alpharetta once they take office.

“I get a sense of community and a sense of home from this city,” Owens said. “The next natural thing is to try to maintain that feeling.”

Owens, who grew up in northwest Georgia, has called Alpharetta home for four years.

“I took my first job out of college as a city employee for Alpharetta,” the Southern Polytechnic State University graduate said.

Owens worked in the engineering and public works department and now owns Lowe Engineers where he runs the engineering department.

“I enjoy the client service aspect of my job,” he said. “I love to help people solve their problems.”

Owens has been married to his wife Jennifer for 15 years, and they have two children, 10-year-old William, and Lauren who turned 13 last week.

“My family and I, this past summer, just started going to the Greenway,” he said. “I love that we have so many opportunities to do fun things here.”

Owens also enjoys camping with his family and said he loves to go hunting in cooler weather.

“My closet sport that I enjoy is NASCAR,” he said. “I usually go to one or two races a year.”

Owens said he is looking forward to taking office so he can help plan a future for the city where citizens have everything they need.

Tough Questions: Poison In Our Parks?

2009-11-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

Wendy Saltzman, CBS Atlanta Investigates

ATLANTA -- An exclusive and in-depth CBS Atlanta investigation uncovered metro Atlanta parks contaminated with arsenic.

CBS Atlanta chief investigative reporter Wendy Saltzman asked tough questions about why lumber treated with this dangerous chemical is still being used in the parks where your kids may picnic or play.

Arsenic used to be a common wood preservative used to kill bugs, in a combination with Chromium and Copper, called CCA. CCA-treated wood was banned voluntarily by the lumber industry, and at the recommendation of the EPA in 2003 because of the potential health effects on humans. LINK: EPA Answers Questions About CCA

But as we uncovered, that doesn't mean that arsenic-treated wood has been removed from playground and picnic areas you use. Any wood still on store shelves or already in use was exempt.

"The public needs to know, and we need to stop it," warned Wayne Dawsey. "I mean it could be fatal."

Dawsey provided us with home video he took at the plant where he worked which used CCA to treat wood.

"It will kill you, it will destroy your life. Look at me. Look at me and see what it has done to me," Dawsey said.

Dawsey, once a healthy runner, is now bound to a wheelchair. He said his multiple sclerosis-like symptoms are a direct result of his exposure to arsenic.

"I am a quadriplegic with brain damage," Dawsey told us. "And it is more dangerous for a child. It is just devastating what it could do to a child.”

CBS Atlanta News wanted to see how much danger your kids are in from the arsenic potentially seeping from this CCA treated wood. So we conducted a series of extensive tests checking for arsenic in wood playgrounds and wood parks across metro Atlanta.

Matthew Parker of ATC Associates helped us test for arsenic using both an x-ray gun to detect arsenic inside the wood, and a wipe test. We found arsenic leeching from picnic tables in 8 of the 9 parks we tested.

Piedmont Park, Central Park, Grant Park, Candler Park, Lucky Shoals, Shorty Howell, Wills and Murphy Candler Park all tested positive for arsenic.

"Arsenic in very large doses can interfere with your heart pumping correctly, it can give you sever digestive problems and ultimately bad diarrhea, and ultimately it can kill you," warned Dr. Robert Geller of Emory University and the Georgia Poison Control Center. "In small doses our biggest concern is does it increase the risk of certain kinds of cancer."

Geller said those effects are likely the result of long term exposure, but cautions parents to still take precautions just in case.

"In general, it is an avoidable exposure, and so I think we should take steps to minimize that exposure," Geller said.

And it only takes one look at Wayne Dawsey to see the very real effect the poison can have on a family.

"If you could live a day, or maybe a week in my shoes, you would understand that it is very dangerous," Heath Dawsey, Wayne's son told us.

And the number one place where we found the highest concentration of arsenic is possibly the place kids are most likely to be susceptible to that exposure. At a playground in Alpharetta called "Wacky World."

"It was good you brought this story forward, because quite honestly we didn't know there was a problem," Alpharetta Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard told CBS Atlanta News.

Both the City of Alpharetta and Gwinnett County Parks responded to our investigation immediately.

"We took those tables out and have them out of service," said David Clark, the Deputy Director of Park Operations for Gwinnett County. Within 24 hours both Clark and Drinkard pulled picnic tables that we exposed were seeping arsenic in their areas.

"If we find any that may test positive then we will take those out of service immediately," Clark continued.

Both Gwinnett County and Alpharetta also told us they are going to start testing for arsenic themselves on all wood picnic tables and playgrounds in their areas.

"We weren't following what was apparently the recommended processes, so we will put those in place, and we will go the extra step of doing the annual wipe test," Drinkard said. "So that we have a comfort level that our parks are as safe as we think they need to be."

Alpharetta will also be sealing all of the wood in "Wacky World" and testing it for arsenic on an annual basis.

"If we can't meet that standard, in fact is we can't beat that standard, then we have to look at taking those structures down and replacing them," Drinkard continued.

And while Alpharetta and Gwinnett are taking steps to protect our kids, it seems the City of Atlanta is not.

Remember, 4 of the 8 poisonous parks we tested were in Atlanta. In a written response Atlanta Parks Commissioner Harnell Cohen says the city "Regularly maintains [their] Picnic tables, including using a sealant that is painted over the wood ."

But our tests found that sealant isn't preventing these tables from leaching arsenic. Atlanta's response: Don't place food directly on the tables, and wash your hands. They didn't want to talk about it, and didn't want to answer our Tough Questions.

And DeKalb County, home to Murphy Candler Park, says they'll start replacing the tables, but they are giving themselves 6 months to pull poisonous structures in their parks. They say they'll seal tables annually, but they need funds to repair or replace those tables.

And do you have an old wood play set or deck in your own backyard? You could also have CCA treated wood at your home. There are several wipe-test kits on the market you can use to test wood in your own home. Healthy Building Network sells one, and the testing company we used was EMSL Analytical.

And if there's a wood playground in your area you think needs to be tested, email me at wendy.saltzman@cbsatlanta.com and we'll check it out.

Alpharetta/FOTAL Library Monthly Sale

2009-11-10T22:24:00.001-08:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

Date: Saturday, December 05, 2009
Times: 10:00a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: 238 Canton St

Held outside the library. Rain or Shine. Proceeds from the sale go directly to the Alpharetta Library.

Apago Introduces PDF Shrink 4.5 for Windows

2009-11-10T22:19:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Whattheythink.com

Alpharetta, GA -- Apago Inc., a software technology company that provides innovative solutions to transform digital documents, today introduces PDF Shrink 4.5 for Windows, bringing the award-winning and popular Mac utility to Windows users. PDF Shrink is a must-have for consumers and small businesses that need to produce PDFs at a quality and file size appropriate for use with smartphones, on the Web, as email attachments, or for onscreen reading. PDF Shrink can reduce most PDF files-including those created by Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, and other common software-by as much as 90% of their original size. PDF Shrink 4.5 for Windows retails for $35 is available for purchase today at Apago's online store.

"One of the major complaints with PDF is file size," states Dwight Kelly, president of Apago Inc. "PDF Shrink has been extremely well received on the Mac and we've had a demand for a Windows version for some time. We are pleased to respond to the need of many consumers and businesses by delivering an affordable, easy-to-use windows utility for reducing the size of PDF files."

Free PDF Shrink Online Tutorial

Apago will hold a free online tutorial, which will provide valuable tips and tricks for using PDF Shrink 4.5 for Windows. The webinar will be held on Friday, November 13, 2009 at 11 a.m. EDT. To register, send an email to sales@apago.com or visit www.apago.com.

How PDF Shrink Works

"PDFs are often created from documents and applications where PDF is an afterthought. We see a lot of PDFs created by enterprise systems with an inefficient structure, redundant or unneeded elements, and images that are much larger than necessary," explains Barry Bowden, product support manager at Apago. "Even software specifically designed for PDF creation can be a challenge to setup properly without a thorough understanding of all technical options. PDF Shrink is designed to allow everyday users to optimize PDFs created by any application without having to learn new technical jargon."

PDF Shrink provides four common settings and an easy-to-use "wizard" for creating customized settings. The software allows for multiple settings in order to prepare PDFs for different uses, such as one for preparing documents to send to colleagues via email and a higher-quality setting to prepare files for storage in a content management system.

To shrink a PDF, simply drag and drop a single PDF file, or a group of PDFs, onto one of the settings. PDF Shrink analyzes the PDF(s) and identifies elements that can be optimized, often without changing the quality of the images. The software can remove embedded fonts and delete unused elements, including metadata, thumbnails, and duplicate data. Keeping up with the latest release is also easy with PDF Shrink's auto update feature.

Images frequently make up the largest portion of a PDF's size. PDF Shrink provides control over the size and quality of images to meet different requirements. Apago includes support for common compression methods, including the sophisticated JPEG2000. PDF Shrink can also protect PDFs with industry-standard encryption to prevent unauthorized access or to restrict users from changing, printing, or extracting content.

PDF Shrink 4.5 site licenses are available for $875 and an enterprise license covering all locations sells for $3,500. PDF Shrink is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2003 and 2008. Prospective users can download a fully functional, 10-day demo version from the Apago web site at www.apago.com. All Apago products can be purchased online at www.apagostore.com. For more information, visit the Apago Web site or call the company at 770-619-1884.

Flood warning issued for Cobb, Alpharetta

2009-11-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

By Megan Matteucci
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A Cobb County creek is at its flood stage and an Alpharetta waterway is almost there, the National Weather Service said.

Residents in Cobb, North Fulton and Forsyth Counties should be prepared for possible flooding tonight.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning Tuesday evening for Allatoona Creek near Mars Hill Road in Cobb County. As of 5 p.m., the creek had reached its flood stage at 13 feet, meterologist Jessica Fieux said.

Earlier Tuesday, the Weather Service issued a flood warning for Big Creek in Alpharetta.

"We're on the lookout for minor flooding tonight and it should continue to rise near 9.6 feet early Thursday," meteorologist Brian Lynn said.

The flood stage for Big Creek is 7 feet, according to the Weather Service.

The Weather Service recorded 2.23 inches of rain at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport from 7 p.m. Monday to 4 p.m. Tuesday. About 1.85 inches of rain fell at the Peachtree-DeKalb Airport during the same time period.

The rain, brought by the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida, is expected to continue Tuesday night and will begin to diminish Wednesday, forecasters said.

The Weather Service said there is no need for residents to evacuate, but warned homeowners to keep an eye on their basements and back yards.

A flash flood watch remains in effect for north and central Georgia, including Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, Cherokee, Forsyth and Henry counties. The watch remains in effect through Wednesday morning.

Heavy rain also caused problems on metro area roadways Tuesday afternoon.

The Georgia Department of Transportation urged drivers to be on the lookout for standing water and low visibility.

Police responded to several wrecks on the interstates in metro Atlanta, along with an overturned tractor trailer that forced all lanes on I-75 closed in Bartow County Tuesday afternoon.

Unitiv Announces Annual Toys for Tots Toy Drive

2009-11-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

Unitiv, a Professional Provider of Enterprise IT Solutions, Is Pleased to Kickoff Its Annual Toy Drive for Toys for Tots

ALPHARETTA, GA--(Marketwire - November 10, 2009) - Unitiv is pleased to announce its annual toy drive for the Toys for Tots Foundation. The primary goal of the Toys for Tots Foundation is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. Unitiv is pleased to be a partner in this goal.

To donate any new, unwrapped toy, please drop off at Unitiv's corporate headquarters:

Unitiv Toys for Tots Toy Drop-off
6225 Shiloh Road
Suite D
Alpharetta, GA 30005

Please have all donations in by December 8, 2009.

About Unitiv:
Unitiv, Inc. is a professional provider of enterprise IT solutions. Unitiv delivers its services from its headquarters in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA, and its regional office in Iselin, New Jersey, USA.
Unitiv provides a strategic approach to its service delivery, focusing on three core components: People, Products, and Process. The People to advise and manage complex technical solutions. The Products to design and build customized IT solutions. The Process to develop and manage post-implementation operations. For more information, please visit www.Unitiv.com.

Alpharetta Girl Nearly Falls into Well.

2009-11-09T19:11:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Fox 5 Atlanta

Edited By: Leigha Baugham myfoxatlanta.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (MyFOX ATLANTA) - An Alpharetta mother discovered a hazard in her own backyard when her little girl nearly fell into an abandoned well.

Vicki Brown said her 4-year-old daughter nearly fell into the well when the dirt gave out beneath her and she fell forward.

Brown said she heard rock and dirt falling into the well below. The Alpharetta woman said the well was nearly 15 feet deep and she had no idea it was there.

The Browns said they are now trying to contact the developer to see if the company knew about the abandoned well.

Five candidates vie for 'open' Alpharetta Council posts

2009-09-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

by Bob Pepalis / Appen Newspapers

September 02, 2009

Alpharetta - Two new faces will be on Alpharetta City Council next January, and they will come from the five candidates who qualified for the November election today.

Posts 2 and 3 on City Council drew two and three candidates respectively, as the ease of winning against other challengers seems less daunting than taking on an incumbent. Several potential candidates even stated they were waiting to see if any of the Posts would have opposition, preferring an easy win as sole candidate. But that didn''t happened.

For Post 2, Mike Kennedy and Aubrey Osteen have qualified to fill the vacancy created with the end of Jim Paine's term. Paine has reached his term limit under City Code. John Monson announced he would not seek re-election to his Post 3 seat as he took a job with CH2M Hill.

Three candidates have qualified for that seat: John Keim, Tom Miller and Chris Owens.

Municipal Judge Jim Matoney had yet to see opposition in his bid to retain his seat. And Councilman Doug DeRito's Post 1 seat also seems secure since no opponent has filed against his re-election bid. However, city residents still have two hours to qualify.Alpharetta was the only city with qualifying ending on Wednesday. Other local municipalities allow potential candidates to qualify as late as Friday.

Teacher Rescues 4 in Fire

2009-07-22T19:53:00.000-07:00

By Jon Lewis / WSB News

(WSB Radio) A teacher is being credited with rescuing four women from a huge fire in Alpharetta.

Officer Jennifer Howard with Alpharetta's Police Department tells WSB a fire broke out Tuesday afternoon at a duplex-type home in the Seasons Subdivision on Memories Drive, off Rucker Road. Steve Kehoe, a teacher, arrived in the knick of time.

"The gentleman came home who lives there in the summertime with his mother, who is 80-years-old, and found the house was full of flames. She was in the shower and didn't know. He got her out, and from what I understand, he went next door and helped some other folks out, one of whom was in a wheelchair, and her mother also," said Howard.

Howard says although the building was badly damaged, it could've been a whole lot worse.

"I don't know what the situation was with their smoke detectors; but certainly - if that first unit where the fire started - if she didn't have a working smoke detector and couldn't go alert people, you know, who knows what she would've come out of the shower and found," said Howard.

"I think he could be conceived as a hero, and I hope that anyone would do that too. If you find a situation, I hope you'd help people get out of the building and try as help as many people as you can. I think he I guess, exemplifies what we hope most people are," said Howard.

Besides Alpharetta, firefighters from Milton and Roswell helped put out the blaze.

No one was injured. The cause is still under investigation.

Roswell, Alpharetta give gardeners beds to plant

2009-07-16T20:06:00.000-07:00

by Hatcher Hurd / Appen Newspapers

July 15, 2009 No one knows who, back at the dawn of time, figured out you could grow the food you want to eat by planting some seeds and giving them some water and a little TLC. But it has been popular ever since.Many folks who grew up in a small town take growing some fresh vegetables in a family garden patch for granted — but no longer. In suburbia, with its smaller lots, too much shade, homeowner association covenants, and more townhouses, condos and apartments, there are many people who would like to garden but don't have the space. Now they do.In Roswell and Alpharetta, this spring saw the rise of community gardens – one in Alpharetta's Wills Park and one in the Leita Thompson Park on Ga. 92 in Roswell. A community garden is simply plots of soil leased out to give people a place to grow vegetables or flowers.It has been an immediate hit. Roswell has all 42 of its plots — 32 square feet a piece — at the park spoken for. More than 200 originally inquired.Alpharetta's Wills Park doubled its allocation of plots to 42 and still has a waiting list. Both gardens are on city property, although in Alpharetta it is the non-profit Alpharetta Arboretum which oversees that city's program. North Fulton County Extension Agent Louise Eastabrook and the Fulton Master Gardener Program lend support as well."The popularity of the gardens has been unprecedented," said Eastabrook. Julie Hogg, president of the Alpharetta Arboretum, said her organization is ready to teach classes in community gardening."Anybody can start one – senior communities, churches, schools, homeowner associations. We will help anyone who wants to start," Hogg said. "We brought the idea to the Alpharetta City Council and they bought it right away and let us have the use of some land in Wills Park."Both community gardens also reserve some garden space for donation beds. These beds are maintained by the gardeners, and the bounty raised goes to North Fulton Community Charities and others for distribution to families.Evelyn Dennis, a Roswell community gardener, said the idea appeals on several levels. First, it is a social activity, because you are always meeting the other gardeners. Secondly, it is educational, because the county Cooperative Extension office forbids all herbicides and insecticides except those that are organically acceptable.It is also usually a family activity giving inter-generational contacts a chance to flower as well. The oldest gardener at the Roswell site is 87. For Shirley Colquitt, who grew up on a north Georgia farm, it is a chance for a "country girl" to get some dirt on her hands and some fresh vegetables.Roswell Mayor Jere Wood said community gardening has been so successful, he plans to approach the Recreation Commission and the City Council to sponsor more gardens next year, at least one on the east side of Ga. 400."It is a great way to build communities, and the cost to the city is almost nothing. I think it is a wonderful program, and I'm sure council will agree," he said.For information contact Eastabrook at the North Fulton Exention Office at 404-613-7670 or laesta@uga.edu.

Alpharetta makes Money’s high-income list

2009-07-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

By LARRY HARTSTEIN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alpharetta ranks 19th on a list of high-income towns included in Money magazine’s Best Places.

The magazine noted that a “hometown style permeates Alpharetta, but it’s no sleepy Southern town.”

A city of nearly 50,000, Alpharetta “offers seven shopping districts, 150 restaurants, 23 hotels and a burgeoning art scene,” the magazine said, adding praise for the Big Creek Greenway.
Median family income is $117,002, and the median home price is $297,450.
Holmdel, N.J., topped the list with a median family income of $159,633.

CITY OF ALPHARETTA Legal Notice

2009-07-13T23:16:00.001-07:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

The following items will be heard at a public hearing held by the Planning Commission on August 6, 2009 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 South Main Street, Alpharetta, Georgia. Items forwarded by the Planning Commission will be considered by the City Council on Monday, August 24, 2009 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 South Main Street, Alpharetta, Georgia.a. Z-09-05/PH-09-01/Z-09-05 Big Creek Overlook/Mark GilreathConsideration of rezoning an approximately 20.64 acre site from RE to AG. The applicant also seeks to modify a condition of zoning which required the property to remain common area shared by four lots in order to permit the property to be under one ownership. The applicant also seeks a variance from Sections 1.3.3 and 4.4.7 of the Unified Development Code in order to obtain an address for the 20.64 acres. The property is located behind lots on the Big Creek Overlook cul de sac and east of Big Creek and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 46, 47, and 86, 1st District, 1st Section, Fulton County, Georgia.b. V-09-11 Alpharetta Southcare (City Council Only)Consideration of a variance to the front sign setback. The property is located at 2260 Old Milton Parkway and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 748, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.c. PH-09-07 Total Wine and More (City Council Only)Consideration of amending a previous condition of zoning that required shopping carts to remain inside the building and not to be stored outside of the building. The property is located at 380 North Point Circle and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 741, 742, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within two (2) years immediately preceding the filing of this request, and who desire to appear at the public hearings in opposition to the application, shall, at least five (5) days prior to the hearing, file a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 South Main Street.

Alpharetta WR Brandon Terry commits to ACC school

2009-07-13T23:13:00.000-07:00

by Michael Carvell / The Atlanta Journal

Alpharetta High School is loaded with big-time wide receivers this year. Brandon Terry committed to Wake Forest on Monday, joining his teammate and fellow wide receiver Michael Bennett (committed to UGA) as major-college prospects.

“Brandon visited Wake on Sunday, and did really well at their camp,” Alpharetta coach Jason Dukes told the AJC. “He really likes Wake. That’s the place he wants to be.”

The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Terry was also considering offers from Iowa, Wisconsin, Central Florida, Tulane, Mississippi State, Purdue and Connecticut, and had generated serious interest from Tennessee and Vanderbilt. Last year as a junior, Terry had around 22 receptions for 500 yards and four touchdowns.

“Brandon is a very long and lean kid, who is good at getting separation [from the defensive backs] while running down the field,” Dukes said. “He has really sure hands, and is can take a lick and keep going.”

“With both he and Michael Bennett, it gives us a lot of options with what teams have to do to defend us all over the field.”

Fleeing woman captured while trying to light crack pipe

2009-07-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

Arrest follows Sandy Springs car chase

By MIKE MORRIS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, July 09, 2009

An Alpharetta woman who led Sandy Springs police on a high-speed chase Wednesday night was allegedly trying to light a crack pipe even as officers broke out a window of the vehicle to arrest her.

The chase began in the 7800 block of Roswell Road after a tag check on a 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe revealed that the registered driver’s license had been suspended for driving under the influence, Sandy Springs police Lt. Steve Rose said.

When the officer attempted to stop the Santa Fe, Lisa Beth Solanik, 43, made a U-turn and sped northbound on Roswell Road.

Rose said officers deployed “stop sticks” at Dunwoody Place and Roswell Road, deflating two of the suspect’s tires.

“The car then drove onto Verdun Drive off Roberts Drive, where it struck one of the police vehicles,” Rose said. “The suspect’s car was then cornered and pinned to a stop by two Sandy Springs police vehicles.”

Rose said that as officers were breaking the side window of the Santa Fe to take Solanik into custody, she was “in the process of trying to light what appeared to be a crack pipe.”

Solanik was charged with obstruction of a police officer, fleeing and/or attempting to elude a police officer, disorderly conduct, driving under the influence of drugs and eight traffic charges. She is in the Fulton County Jail, awaiting an initial court appearance on Friday.

Rose said one Sandy Springs police officer was treated and released for a minor injury sustained during the chase.

State adds $34 to city tax bills

2009-07-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

by Bob Pepalis / Appen Newspapers

City Council recently approved the first reading of its millage rate, keeping it at 5.75 mills for the next fiscal year.However, with the state legislature removing an $8,000 homestead exemption, another $34 will be added to every Alpharetta residential property owner's tax bill.

The state had funded the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant. Alpharetta, like most cities and counties, gave every homeowner a credit on his or her tax bill. Later in the year, the state would send a check to the city to cover it."We wait for the state to give us that check. That's about $400,000," said Finance Director Tom Harris.Council members were concerned that city taxpayers would assume Alpharetta raised taxes, when it had nothing to do with this change.

Alpharetta bank robber sought

2009-07-01T14:04:00.001-07:00

Courtesy Atlanta Journal Constitution

Alpharetta police are investigating a robbery that occurred at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the SunTrust bank branch inside of Publix at 4305 State Bridge Road. The suspect handed a teller a note demanding money and left with an undisclosed amount of money. He was a slender white male in his 20s wearing sunglasses and a dark-colored baseball cap with the number 67 on the front.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to contact the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety at 678-297-6318.

CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

2009-06-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

The following items will be heard at a public hearing held by the City Council on Monday, July 20, 2009 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 South Main Street, Alpharetta, Georgia.a. V-09-07 North Point Commons - SignageConsideration of a variance to the Unified Development Code sign setback requirements in order to permit a 2’ setback for two monument signs located within North Point Commons shopping center located at Georgia Lane and North Point Drive. The property is legally described as being located in Land Lots 754, 796, 797 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.b. V-09-08 The Arbors - ParkingConsideration of a variance to the Unified Development Code parking requirements in order to permit a reduction of required parking in order to accommodate a restaurant use. The property is located at 800 North Main Street and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 1111 2nd District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within two (2) years immediately preceding the filing of this request, and who desire to appear at the public hearings in opposition to the application, shall, at least five (5) days prior to the hearing, file a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 South Main Street.

ASO magnificent outdoors

2009-06-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

Orchestra’s offering more articulate than forced banter.
By Pierre Ruhe
For the AJC
Monday, June 29, 2009

My car’s dashboard thermometer read 94 degrees on the way to the Atlanta Symphony’s “Magnificent Mozart” concert Saturday at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, in the north Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta.

A hot evening for a concert, yet Encore Park is favored by what winemakers would call a good terroir: the site’s unique mixture —- artistically and geographically speaking —- of nutrients and cultivation and the slope of the hill. So long as there’s a light breeze and the humidity isn’t too punishing, the terroir allows the 12,000-seat pavilion to overcome all sorts of limitations to a good concert. It’s got an enviable sense of place.

It helps, too, that the ASO musicians don’t slump for these outdoor performances, but play with the same vitality and care that they would for indoor gigs at Symphony Hall.

Saturday’s guest conductor, Grant Llewellyn, is a gray-haired Welshman who leads the North Carolina Symphony and is principal conductor of Boston’s venerable Handel and Haydn Society. For reasons unknown, he introduced himself from the podium, microphone in hand: “You might have guessed I’m not from around here,” he observed helpfully in his Welsh accent, while throwing in a few “y’alls” to prove he’s no Euro-snob.

Is it an ASO marketing strategy to address the audience as inanely as possible at Encore Park? As an intermission feature, ASO program annotator Ken Meltzer, a smart guy who knows music, offers similarly “lite” banter, as if afraid the audience will bolt if the discussion rises above what local TV anchors give between news reports. It felt forced, not organic.(If they want to entertain at intermission, I’d rather hear the evening’s soloist play a Mozart sonata or something.)

Fortunately, the music spoke more eloquently than the professionals. Llewellyn and crew dispatched “The Marriage of Figaro” Overture with pep and crisp lines.

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20, the sublime D-minor masterpiece, is all about touch and balance, storm and pathos. It is performed frequently but can be interpreted so many ways that it remains fresh.

Bosnian pianist Pedja Muzijevic, an interesting musician, was here making his ASO debut, as was the conductor. Although his touch at the keyboard sounded acidic and tinny —- the fault of microphone placement or audio engineers twisting knobs, most likely —- he crafted an uncommonly compelling role for the piano, as a personality in direct communication with the orchestra.

He ornamented his singsongy phrases neatly, and with Llewellyn’s assistance, brought the middle movement, almost a garden serenade, to a gorgeous, peaceful ending.
In this concerto, most pianists play Beethoven’s cadenzas —- those extended solo passages that offer the soloist a flight of fancy —- since Mozart’s own have been lost.

Muzijevic instead played cadenzas composed by Paul Balascora (in the first movement) and J.N. Hummel (in the third). It was a small point but well taken: Muzijevic is a thinking musician, eager to go his own way.

Mozart is often thought of as an 18th-century urban creature, but Llewellyn found in his last symphony, the Olympian “Jupiter,” a pastoral quality, lifting flute flutters to the stature of birdcalls. The Andante Cantabile slow movement evoked a mood that was fragrant and idyllic —- music that seemed to cool a hot summer evening.

Alpharetta puts City Center on hold due to economy

2009-06-23T20:20:00.000-07:00

By RALPH ELLIS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The economy has forced Alpharetta to put a big downtown redevelopment project on hold. The city had a partnership with Solomon Holdings to build the Alpharetta City Center, which would have included a new City Hall, 80,000 square feet of retail and office space, an underground parking garage, a town green and a 5-acre passive park.

Alpharetta Mayor Arthur Letchas said in a statement that the sour economy hurt the project. “While we do believe that Alpharetta City Center will in the future be a viable project … that viability cannot be realized as things now stand,” he said.

Jim Drinkard, the assistant city administrator, said the city staff had been negotiating with Solomon Holdings since April. During that time the economy got worse. “We could not come to a point where Solomon was comfortable, the city was comfortable and it was the right deal for everybody,” he said.

The city planned to use $24 million in bonds to finance the project, which would have been on nine acres bounded by Academy Street, Ga. 9 and Haynes Bridge Road. The city owns the land. The City Council would have had to decide by August to put the bond question on the November referendum.

Al Holbrook of Solomon Holdings said in a statement that his company would be open to working on the project in the future.

Charles Petrakopoulos, whose family owns the Alpha Soda restaurant, said he was disappointed by the news.“We were looking forward to it because we feel that center corridor has been neglected,” he said. “It needs to happen someday.”

Church collects double-stuffed care packages for troops

2009-06-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

By Caroline Gray
cgray@neighbornewspapers.com

A fortuitous meeting on an airplane has led to a church crusade to send some All-American treats to troops abroad.

Thinking he was just flying to a golfing vacation in Scottsdale, Ariz., Alpharetta First United Methodist Church Senior Pastor Don Martin discovered he was in for more than just teeing off. Seated next to an Army captain who was just returning home from service in Iraq, Martin quickly struck up a conversation with the young soldier.

Martin learned the captain was trained to use robots to detonate improvised explosion devices before they could hurt soldiers and then use the forensic evidence to find suspects in surrounding villages. He then asked the soldier a usual question, but received an unusual answer.

“I asked him, ‘What’s the one thing you missed most while you were in Iraq?’ And without any hesitation he said, ‘Oreos. Double-stuffed.’ Well, I thought that was so funny I promised to ask the congregation to bring in Double Stuf Oreos to send overseas,” said Martin.

The idea that started out of admiration for a soldier who risks his life to save other soldiers’ lives has caught on like wildfire at the church. Martin said he has already collected 150 packs of Double Stuf Oreos from church members and hopes to collect 1,000 packs to send to Iraq.
“I wish I could take a pack of Oreos to every soldier in the Middle East myself and thank them for their service,” said Martin. “But at least that’s one of the neat things about Oreos – they travel well.”

Sunbelt Office Products has offered to supply all the packing materials, trucks and drivers to deliver the Oreos to be shipped. The receiver and Oreo distributor will be Command Sergeant Major Frank Leota in Diyala, the first province north of Baghdad.

The main collection day for the Oreos will be Sunday at the church’s annual patriotic service. All members have been asked to bring as many packs of Double Stuf Oreos as they can to be donated to the troops.

Martin said he still has hopes that Oreo manufacturer Kraft Nabisco will get in on the action and agree to match the congregation’s donation. And they need not worry that Martin will be tempted to sample the cookies himself.

“One member brought a box of Oreos and said it was just for the office staff, so we’re eating those,” he said. “Besides, I have promised myself not to touch one donated Oreo that is meant for the troops.”

Alpharetta First United Methodist Church is at 69 N Main Street.
Information: (770) 475-5576 or
www.afumc.org.

Meeting set for Alpharetta Elementary addition

2009-06-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

By Caroline Gray
cgray@neighbornewspapers.com

Alpharetta Elementary School will be free of portable classrooms following an addition set to be finished August 2010.

The school will hold a public meeting tomorrow at 6 p.m. to discuss the 14,000-square-foot addition and renovations to the school. Construction will begin this summer, but will mostly occur during the school year after hours and during school breaks and finish up next summer.
Principal Pat Reed said she is eagerly anticipating the new additions and improvements to the existing building. The school uses twelve portables with two classrooms each.

“At the meeting we’ll show the new architecture and how it blends nicely and the design of the new classrooms,” said Ms. Reed. “We’ll also be going over the new renovations to the school.”

Renovations range from infrastructure improvements like a new heat pump, ceiling tiles and lighting to a new floor and air-conditioning for the school gym. Several renovations are planned for the special education wing, said Ms. Reed. Sports impact flooring will give the special education classroom floors some cushion and new ramps and secure doors will also be installed.
Ms. Reed said a parking study will also be conducted to reconfigure the school’s existing land because parking area is an area of concern for her.

Overall the improvements are an exciting development for the school. “We’re an older school in historic Alpharetta and by adding on we’ll be better than ever,” she said.

The meeting will be held in the cafeteria at Alpharetta Elementary School, 192 Mayfield Road in Alpharetta.

SADDLE UP: Equestrian remains big draw in north Fulton

2009-06-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

By Ryan Peck

rpeck@neighbornewspapers.com

Equestrian events and horse show exhibitions receive plenty of support in north Fulton. Matt Casey – Director of Equestrian at Wills Park in Alpharetta – said his park stays booked with shows for much, if not all, of the season.

“We pretty much have horse shows, that’s our main staple,” said Casey. “The majority of our horse shows are free, for people to come out and watch. We stay so busy out here. About every one-and-a-half days we have an event.”

Casey added Wills Park caters to about 75,000 spectators on an annual basis, and hosted another horse show just last weekend. Casey said the majority of shows are of the hunter-jumper variety, where contestents are judged based on eloquence over minimal jumps (hunter) and speed and clearance of higher fences (jumper).

“At the end of May we had a jumper show where City League International – [entrants] from all around the world – came to compete,” he said. “Obviously, north Fulton is always known for equestrian activities. That’s still strong.”

Richard Fritzler, who owns and operates The Horseback Riding Barn off Shallowford Road in Roswell, has sent past riders and horses to shows at Wills Park, among other hot spots. His land, while a bit on the smaller side by Fritzler’s account, provides a haven for local youths to learn skills and responsibilities in caring for and riding horses, as well as life skills, in general.

“It’s a place where people can come, who like to be around animals and horses,” said Fritzler, who was raised as a western-style rider in Colorado and has been training riders for 15 years in the north Fulton area.“When on a horse, the natural and logical consequences of their own [the rider’s] actions come right back to them immediately. For people or kids that really need that kind of integrated experience, horseback riding does that. This [location] offers team sport activity, but it really is a lot more personal thing.”

His two daughters, Katherine and Emily – both 22 years of age – “occasionally” compete, according to Fritzler. They continue to contribute on their father’s barn, as well as working towards college degrees.“It’s a wonderful place,” said Mary Flynn, whose granddaughter, Taylor, spends time at The Horseback Riding Barn. “It’s more than just about the riding. It’s about training young people to keep responsibility and have a good time. As a neighbor, this place is a fantastic place for young people.”

Bicyclist pinned under truck in Alpharetta

2009-06-04T06:47:00.001-07:00

By MARCUS K. GARNER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, June 03, 2009

An Alpharetta man is recovering Wednesday night after a pick-up truck ran him over on his bicycle, police said. Police are still uncertain how the bicyclist, who has not been identified, came to be trapped beneath the truck.

The bicyclist was pinned beneath the truck for 20 minutes after being run over by the vehicle sometime after 6:30 p.m., Alpharetta Police spokesman George Gordon said.

“The bicyclist [was] talkative, responsive and alert,” as emergency crews used a hydraulic lift to rescue him from beneath the truck, Gordon said.

The bicyclist suffered cuts and abrassions, and was taken to North Fulton Regional Hospital in Roswell where he is being kept for observation, Gordon said.

No charges have been filed against the driver of the truck, police said.

Belk store at North Point Mall to close

2009-06-03T15:56:00.001-07:00

By Rachel Tobin Ramos
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, June 03, 2009

The Belk store at North Point Mall will close, the company confirmed Wednesday.
Belk got space in the mall after acquiring a Parisians store in 2006. The store later took over a larger space that had been occupied by Lord & Taylor.

Even with the closure, Atlanta will remain Belk’s largest market, with 21 stores.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Belk opened new stores in Newnan and Winder in March, and has spent more than $32 million on its stores in the area over the last two years.
In company earnings released last week, Belk said sales declined in the first quarter to $760.9 million, from $817.3 million in the first quarter 2008. The company blamed “continued weakness in consumer retail.”

Same-store sales — a metric that measures stores open more than a year — fell 7.7 percent.
The company eked out a profit of $500,000 for the quarter, compared to $5.1 million in the first quarter of 2008.

North Point Mall is managed by General Growth Properties. Other anchor tenants include Dillard’s, Macy’s, JCPenney and Sears.

Alpharetta police chase ends in ATL

2009-05-31T18:26:00.000-07:00

By Kent A. Miles
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, May 31, 2009

Alpharetta Police arrested two home-invasion suspects following a high-speed chase Sunday that ended in Atlanta.

Suspects identified by police as Demarcus Graham, 20, and Demarkus Jamal Grier, 18, were in a stolen Cadillac Escalade that crashed on Old Bankhead Highway and burst into flames.

Graham and Grier were arrested at the scene and charged in connection with the home invasion robbery. They are being held without bond.

A third suspect in the robbery remains at large, police said.

Police received an emergency call just before 7 a.m. Sunday that three masked men entered a Club Court home and robbed a family at gunpoint.

The gunmen stole televisions, jewelry and cash before two of the suspects fled in the homeowner’s Cadillac Escalade, according to police. The third suspect left in another vehicle.
A Milton Police officer saw the Escalade on Ga. 400 near Windward Parkway and alerted authorities. Alpharetta and Milton police chased the Escalade for 25 miles southbound on Ga. 400 at speeds exceeding 100 mph, police said.

The pursuit continued until the driver of the Escalade lost control and crashed in Atlanta.
Investigators believe the suspects stole from another, unoccupied house on Club Court prior to the home invasion.

Fulton County Sheriff’s Office records show that Grier was released on bond from the Fulton jail May 9. He had been charged May 7 with receiving stolen property, discharging a firearm and reckless conduct.

Gas Line Break Closes Alpharetta Road

2009-05-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

www.cbsatlanta.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- A large gas line break forced the closure of a busy Alpharetta highway Tuesday afternoon.

Old Milton Parkway had to be shut down completely from Haines Bridge back to Westside parkway for a couple of hours.
Old Milton parkway has reopened.

CBS Atlanta Sky Eye flew over the scene where a construction crew hit a gas main.

BlackBerry developer to add 200 jobs in Alpharetta

2009-05-26T19:05:00.000-07:00

By Alexis Stevens
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The company that developed the BlackBerry is planning to expand its Atlanta operation, a move that could bring 200 jobs to Alpharetta, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Research in Motion has apparently identified a 40-acre site near North Point Mall. Plans include high-tech jobs that will earn annual salaries of around $70,000, according to the Chronicle’s report. The Chronicle did not name its source.

RIM, based in Waterloo, Canada, has offices in North America, Europe and Asia, according to the company’s Web site.

The company did not reply to a request for information.

Northside Singers perform at Alpharetta Presbyterian May 31

2009-05-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

May 20, 2009 The Northside Festival Singers, under the direction of Don Brainerd, will present their season finale concert Sunday, May 31 at 4 p.m. at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, 180 Academy Street, Alpharetta.Tickets are $10 and may be purchased online at www.festivalsingers.org or at the door the day of the performance. The Northside Festival Singers is a member group of the William Baker Choral Foundation, dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and the joy of singing. Visit www.festivalsingers.org for more information.

Atlanta man pleads guilty in $25M Ponzi scheme

2009-05-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

By BILL RANKIN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, May 21, 2009

The head of an Alpharetta firm that claimed hefty profits from trading Japanese and American currencies pleaded guilty Thursday to his role in a Ponzi scheme.

James G. Ossie, 48, of Atlanta, defrauded more than 100 people out of more than $25 million in a nine-month period, according to federal prosecutors.

Ossie pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Bill Duffey in Atlanta. He is to be sentenced July 30.

Ossie and his company, CRE Capital, offered investment contracts of at least $100,000 that guaranteed the investor’s deposit plus 10 percent interest within just 30 days.
Instead of making profits, Ossie lost millions of dollars. During the time the currency fund operated between April 2008 and this past January, it lost more than $12 million in its foreign currency trading accounts, prosecutors said.

Ossie only repaid some investors, but the scheme was unsustainable and shut down by the Securities and Exchange Commission in January, prosecutors said.

“The damage done by this fraudulent investment scheme is extensive, leaving a trail of victims in its wake,” Gregory Jones, FBI special agent in charge said.

Flat-screen TV thieves busted, Fulton police say

2009-05-20T19:44:00.000-07:00

By MEGAN MATTEUCCI
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Police say they have busted a burglary gang that targeted businesses with flat-screen televisions.

Fulton District Attorney Paul L. Howard Jr. is scheduled to announce a 69-count indictment against “The Old Virginia” burglary ring Thursday morning.

Yvette Brown, Howard’s spokeswoman, said she could not release the indictment, the number of arrests nor identify the suspects until Thursday. A press conference is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday.Brown described the gang as a “small group of criminals targeting businesses with flat-screen electronics.”

The arrests and indictment are the result of a joint investigation between the Alpharetta, Sandy Springs, Roswell and DeKalb County Police Departments, Brown said.

DeKalb and Roswell Police said they could not release any information. Alpharetta and Sandy Springs Police did not immediately return phone calls Wednesday.

Police across the metro area have reported a rise in flat-screen television burglaries this year.
In March, a multi-jurisdictional police task force arrested four alleged Clayton County gang members on charges they broke into dozens of businesses throughout metro Atlanta and stole more than 200 flat-screen televisions.

Campaigns begin for Alpharetta municipal election

2009-05-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

By Caroline Gray /Neighbor Newspapers

Several seats will be in contention in November in the city of Alpharetta.

Alpharetta City Councilmen John Monson and Doug DeRito have announced their intentions to run again but Councilman Jim Paine’s seat will be completely open due to term limits. Alpharetta Municipal Judge Jim Matoney said he plans to seek his seat again. The judge who served before Matoney, Scott Childress, said he does not plan to run again.

Matoney served 12 years on city council and said he still keeps abreast of politics in Alpharetta but refrains from commenting publicly. He said although local politics I can be mired in controversy, when taking his role on the bench his biggest goal was to keep things running smoothly.

“There was a lot of controversy within the court and various departments in the city,” said Matoney. “My intention was to eliminate the controversy and keep Alpharetta out of the news. There was a wonderful staff who wanted to work for the public but things had become an embarrassment.”

Matoney said some improvements he has made include a user-friendly computer system and working with the police department to minimize officers’ time in court.

Although Alpharetta City Council discussed changing to a system of appointing judges, for the time being the judge will still be elected by the public. Matoney said he plans to visit citizens door-to-door and post signs as he ramps up his campaign.

Monson, who serves as the council’s primary liaison to the department of engineering and public works, said transportation remains a top priority.

“In the 2009/2010 fiscal year we will complete over $6 million worth of transportation infrastructure projects. I am very proud that we continue to leverage Alpharetta’s funds for transportation projects at a current rate of 280 percent return on taxpayer dollars,” said Monson.

He also mentioned contributing to the city’s conservative leadership and helping to provide additional homestead tax relief and a balanced budget with reduced revenues among his accomplishments.

Although the economy has caused several of the city’s projects to stall, he said in the meantime the city must do all it can to position to rebound quickly when liquidity returns to the capital markets.

Alpharetta HS donates patrol car

2009-05-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

May 14, 2009

Fulton County School Resource officers at Alpharetta High School accepted a donation April 27 from the city of Alpharetta: a 2002 Ford Crown Victoria police interceptor. Previously used by Alpharetta fire marshals, the vehicle has 84,000 miles and serves as a step up from the 1997 Crown Victoria previously donated to the school by the city in 2006. That vehicle provided the school with about 37,000 miles of service.

With 74 acres of school property to cover at Alpharetta High School, and much of it on a hilltop, resource officers are thankful to get the vehicles."We are extremely grateful," said Fulton County School Resource Officer W.M. Stanley. "It does speak to how well we've worked together over the years."It definitely makes our jobs easier and hopefully it will help Alpharetta officers as well who may need a backup," he added.

New Milton County Legislative Advisory Committee

2009-05-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to J.D. Easley / House Communications Specialist GA General Assembly for providing this information.

ATLANTA - Representatives Mark Burkhalter (R- Johns Creek) and Jan Jones(R-Milton) announced today an initial Milton County Legislative Advisory Committee. The Committee will assist and advise Representatives Burkhalter and Jones as they proceed forward with historic legislationto allow the re-creation of Milton County.

Rep. Burkhalter first introduced legislation to facilitate Milton County's re-creation over 15 years ago. This January Rep. Jones authored House Resolution 21 to allow the re-creation ofpreviously-merged counties. Rep. Burkhalter and other north Fulton representatives co-sponsored the resolution.

Two counties remain that were merged in the 1930s, Milton County in north Fulton and Campbell County in south Fulton. North Fulton legislators will push to bring HR 21 to the House floor for a vote inthe 2010 Georgia General Assembly session.

"The Milton County Legislative Advisory Committee will evaluate,collaborate with and make recommendations to the north Fulton delegation," said Rep. Jones. "I look forward to working with the Committee to addressing issues identified in the recently-released study performed by the University of Georgia and Georgia State University on the re-creation of Milton County."

The primary areas to be evaluated by the Committee relate to separating the counties' functions, establishing a new school system and addressing judicial services and tax concerns. The Committee will serve through March 2010.

The Committee will consult and engage north Fulton citizens with expertise in specific areas being evaluated. It will also serve as a conduit for information and input with other north Fulton elected officials, including school board members, judges, mayors and city council members. The Committee will be composed of: Tom Campbell, Fulton County Superior Court Judge; former State Representative Randall Johnson, Johns Creek City Council MemberJim Paine, Alpharetta City Council Member, Mayor Pro TemRusty Paul, Sandy Springs City Council Member, Mayor Pro Tem; former State Senator Robert Proctor, Tax Attorney, north Fulton resident Katie Reeves, Fulton County School Board Member Lynne Riley, Fulton County Commissioner Ashley Widener, Fulton County School Board Member Ex Officio Mark Burkhalter, State Representative, Speaker Pro TemEx Officio Jan Jones, State Representative, House Majority Whip.

Group Holds Public Meeting Supporting GA 9 Library Site

2009-02-26T06:13:00.000-08:00

by Jason Wright / Appen Newspapers

February 25, 2009 A group of Alpharetta and Milton citizens believe they have the perfect site for the proposed 25,000-square-foot Alpharetta Library slated to replace the existing facility on Canton Street — and to prove it they held a public support meeting Feb. 19 at North Park's Adult Activity Center.

The site, which is 6 acres and sits on Ga. 9 at the corner of Main Street and Winthrope Park Drive, is one of a few being considered for the new library including the proposed City Center and old Milton High School.

Library Director John Szabo also said it has been proposed the collection be housed in the old Ingles building in the Stoneview Commons shopping center, but that is unlikely.Zainab "Zee" Mirzaie, who lives in Winthrope Park subdivision abutting the site, helped organize the meeting with Friends of the Alpharetta Library (FOAL) board member Doug Davisson. She said she decided to get involved after receiving notices in the mail that the county was planning on making a decision on where to put the new site.

She decided to take a grass roots approach, which Alpharetta Councilman Jim Paine, who was in attendance, lauded."The addition of a library at 495 N. Main Street will greatly enhance the positive environmental quality and charm to the surrounding area, and add great pride to the community with the display of an impressive structure for everyone to see on a major thoroughfare," she wrote in an e-mail sent out to surrounding residents."There are other choices," said Davisson, who was acting on his own behalf and not in any official capacity for the FOAL board. "But we believe this is the best site."

At the meeting Szabo and Scott Graham, head of staff for Fulton County Commissioner Lynne Riley, took prepared questions from e-mails and some from the roughly four dozen audience members in attendance.

Szabo said of the eight new libraries planned after the November passing of the library bond referendum, only three have definite sites. All those have been donated, he said, so the system must look at a number of sites for the other facilities. And that means public input."Our ears are wide open," he said. "[At this point] it's not about numbers or votes. The best thing to do is talk about the positive aspects of the site."Szabo said the site should be selected by the fall, and is recommended to the Library system's Board of Trustees, who then make recommendations to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.They vote on the ultimate site.Graham said the best thing for citizens to do is to be vocal — starting at the Board of Trustees meetings."Make your opinions known there, then make your way to each and every Board of Commissioners board member, as they all vote."Szabo concurred."We need to know why this site would be the best for Alpharetta," he said.

That prompted one audience member to speak up."Because I would prefer a library to a mini mall," he said. It got a hearty round of applause.Graham also warned folks to maintain their support and energy, because the wheels of government move slowly."This is a marathon, not a sprint," he said. "This is not going to be a decision that's made in 30 days."

Mirzaie welcomed the challenge and promised the community's support even after the new facility is built."You've got a group of people here who are willing to volunteer and be a part of the new library community," she said.

Party Marks Opening of 911 Center

2009-02-01T07:54:00.000-08:00

publication date: Jan 31, 2009

By Jonathan Copsey/ STAFF

Something big must have happened Monday night to warrant two fire trucks and police cruisers to come out in force, lights blazing, to the Alpharetta Public Safety Building. Turns out it was a party.Finally, after more than two years of planning and construction, Alpharetta’s Command and Control Center (C3) was officially opened with as much fanfare as could be mustered, with the doors flying open for guided tours of the new center complete with food hot off the grill. The foyer was packed with well-wishers and the curious eager to see the newest addition to Public Safety’s mighty arsenal. Housing all emergency functions for both Alpharetta and Milton, the C3 has the ability to track all police and fire vehicles within north Fulton and all Rural Metro EMS services, have direct video feeds from emergency vehicles and view traffic conditions through cameras at busy intersections. It truly is a one-stop-shop for emergency planning.

The ribbon cutting was attended by most of the Mayor and council, along with Fulton County Commissioner Lynne Riley and members of the City of Milton’s Public Safety Department. “Everybody said we could not do this for $500 thousand. We did it for less,” said Alpharetta Director of Public Safety Gary George. A proclamation was granted to George and his department by Governor Sonny Perdue, praising him for accomplishing such a feat.

‘Initiated by the City’

Who would have thought that there would be such confusion around four simple words? At last week’s Alpharetta Council meeting, Community Development Director Diana Wheeler presented a change to the Unified Development Code (UDC), the manual of how the city works. Those four words had Council split in the interpretation, leading to the item being tabled for further discussion. The UDC change largely outlined how changes to the code that are initiated by the city can be brought before Council, requiring that in the future, there must be two public hearings with the Planning Commission in attendance. After the two hearings, the Commission may make a recommendation on the change and present it to Council. While Council members all agreed that having at least two public hearings was a good idea, Councilman Doug DeRito raised issue with those four words: what does “initiated by the city” mean? Does it mean the Council? Does it mean the Planning Commission? Does it mean city staff? “

‘The city’ could be anyone in the city,” said DeRito. “I think there’s a real bright line between the policymakers of the city and the management of implementing those policies.”According to DeRito it would be possible for a member of staff – such as in the Community Development Department – to devise a change and present it to the elected officials without having it go through a public vetting process. Not only would that be cause for concern, but the very fact that they had presented a change was overstepping their role in the government. That power is reserved for elected officials. “I don’t want any employee of the city setting policy for the city,” said DeRito. “That’s not their role. That’s not their function.”

The other council members were largely confused by this thinking, arguing that even if a staff member made such a change, it would still have to come before both the Planning Commission and the Council for approval.

“We have to vote on it anyway,” said Mayor Arthur Letchas. “We hire these people to make recommendations. They can make their recommendation and we don’t have to accept it.”By and large, the other council members sided with the Mayor, although they said they understood DeRito’s concerns. Councilman David Belle Isle said that a change to the UDC was not the place to be having the discussion and made a motion to pass the originally presented change with a few minor modifications. DeRito was still not happy, and he made another motion to table the issue so council can discuss it further. That motion passed with all council members except for Letchas voting in favor. Councilwoman Cheryl Oakes was absent from the meeting.

N. Fulton Joins Nation Wide Homeless Census

2009-02-01T07:44:00.000-08:00

publication date: Jan 31, 2009

By Jonathan Copsey / STAFF / Beacon Media

The bitterly cold morning of January 23 saw two men walking through woods looking for something that turns out to be very rare in North Fulton. They were looking for the homeless.

As a part of the bi-annual Homeless Census Count, a national survey of the homeless, Alpharetta Police office Terry Joyner and Thomas Capitano, who works for Fulton County Human Services, visited many of the areas Joyner knew the homeless to live. For Capitano, this was his second year taking part in the census; he began helping in 2007 after he read “Homeless for the Holidays,” The Beacon’s article that year detailing the homeless camp near North Point Mall.

“I was floored,” said Capitano. “I honestly had no idea that there were homeless people living in the woods. These individuals are truly homeless. They are living in places not made for human habitation.”

It should perhaps be considered a blessing that the night had only five homeless people documented, although there was evidence of many more. “There was a tunnel where a female was living but no one has seen her in two weeks,” recounted Capitano. “We went to the tunnel and saw cushions and different junk that you could tell someone was living in it.”

Under census guidelines, only people seen by the counters can be counted. Also, unless accompanied – as Capitano was – by an officer no one was allowed out of their cars. It was a purely visual survey. This can create problems with the count, such as people living in areas not visible from the street, or those who are living in their cars. The woman who lived in the tunnel could not be counted because she was not seen. Despite the low numbers and fairly uneventful night, Capitano was pleased to have taken part. “It’s a great experience,” he said. “It really puts things in perspective. There are people here who don’t have the luxuries of life that we take for granted… I’ll definitely be doing it again next time.”

Alpharetta Eyes Eliminating Property Taxes

2009-01-30T16:45:00.000-08:00

By DOUG NURSE / Atlanta Journal

Friday, January 30, 2009

The city of Alpharetta is studying a way to eliminate property taxes in the future.

It would take an act of the General Assembly to make it happen, so its prospects are uncertain. But Alpharetta is doing its homework in advance on the so-called municipal option sales tax, or
The sales tax rate would remain the same, so residents would not see any of their taxes increase. But the way the sales tax revenue is allocated would change.

As envisioned, the city would be allowed to opt out of a countywide one-cent sales tax, and keep all the sales tax revenue generated within the city limits.

With North Point Mall and other commercial centers, officials believe a city-based sales tax would surpass what the property tax brings in, about $16.6 million. The city has $56.5 million general fund budget.

The reason Alpharetta wants out of the county sales tax, called a special local option sales tax or SPLOST, is because all sales tax revenue is put in a county pot and distributed by population. City Councilman Doug DeRito, an advocate of a MOST for Alpharetta, said the city is 60 percent commercial but has a small population. He said that means Alpharetta is losing money.
“We’re being penalized for creating a favorable commercial climate,” DeRito said.

However, the city faces an obstacle in the Legislature. A general bill allowing cities to enact their own sales taxes has already been filed, but it requires the cities to apply the proceeds to water and sewer projects. Alpharetta’s water and sewer service is provided by Fulton County.
Currently, only Atlanta has been allowed to enact a MOST, which is dedicated to repairing and upgrading its own water and sewer systems.

Gesher L'Torah celebrates opening in Alpharetta

2009-01-30T05:02:00.000-08:00

by Jennifer Chapman / Appen Newspapers

January 29, 2009 You could tell by the smiles on their faces that the members of Congregation Gesher L'Torah were excited. The newly constructed building which houses their sanctuary, preschool and social rooms unlocked its doors for a grand opening celebration Jan. 25.Members gathered at the site on Kimball Bridge Road for the building dedication celebration, followed by remarks from distinguished speakers.

Congregation Gesher L'Torah has about 130 member families, according to Jill Sorkin, vice president of marketing. The construction was made possible through donations from members and other fundraising efforts."Now we're all home...we're just so proud," said Sorkin.

Members previously met for services in trailers at the same location as well as at the North Metro Jewish Community Center.The building also houses a piece of history - a Holocaust Memorial Wall that is located toward the rear of the building. The nine large, interconnected walls have enough space to hold the names of 6,000 Holocaust victims on engraved bricks.Congregation Gesher L'Torah is located at 4320 Kimball Bridge Road, Alpharetta. For more information, call 770-777-4009 or visit www.gltorah.org.