Peachtree Corners Tag Office Up and Running

With the relocation of the Peachtree Corners tag office complete, the Gwinnett County Department of Motor Vehicles opened the new office for business on Tuesday.

Kathy Brooks, who has been a Peachtree Corners customer for 19 years, was the first customer for the new location. She was presented with a special certificate of appreciation and a gift basket.

The new office includes eight frontline customer service work stations, a handicapped-accessible work station and a customer service desk all in a spacious 4,000 square foot facility.

A grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting will be held on Tuesday, April 21, at 3:30pm. The office is located in the Market Place Shopping Center on 6135 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 201B in Norcross.

Photo: First Customer Kathy Brooks (Center) is presented with a certificate and greeted by Motor Vehicle Director Anthony Buffum (Left), and Peachtree Corners tag office Branch Manager Tracy Hedrick (Far Right).

Balmer to Speak at Emory University in April

Rev. Dr. Randall Balmer, McDonald distinguished visiting professor at Emory University's Candler School of Theology, will give two public lectures at Emory, April 2 and April 16. Both take place at 4:30 p.m. in Room 102 of Candler.

Balmer's April 2 lecture, titled "So Help Me God: Religion and the Presidency since John F. Kennedy," is based on the most recent of his dozen books, "God in the White House: A History: How Faith Shaped the Presidency from John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush."

The April 16 lecture is "Mistaken Identity: Jimmy Carter, the Abortion Myth, and the Rise of the Religious Right."

A prize-winning historian and Emmy Award nominee, Balmer is professor of American religious history at Barnard College, Columbia University, and an Episcopal priest. He has published widely both in academic and scholarly journals and in the popular press.

An editor for Christianity Today since 1999, his commentaries on religion in America also have appeared in news publications across the country, including the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Slate.

Balmer's 1989 book, "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America," was made into a three-part documentary for PBS. Balmer was nominated for an Emmy for his script-writing and for hosting that series in 1992-93. His second documentary, "Crusade: The Life of Billy Graham," was aired on PBS and also appeared in A&E's Biography series. "'In the Beginning': The Creationist Controversy," a two-part documentary on the creation-evolution debate, was first broadcast by PBS in 1995, then re-edited and broadcast in 2001.

The Alonzo L. McDonald Family Chair in the Study of Jesus and Culture was established at Emory in 1998 by the McDonald Agape Foundation, chaired by Alonzo McDonald, a longtime trustee of Emory. The McDonald Agape Foundation "supports lectures and other public presentations that deal creatively and imaginatively with the person and teachings of Jesus as they shape and form culture." The foundation has established McDonald chairs at Emory and at Harvard University.

The full title of the McDonald Chair at Emory has varied from year to year according to the field of the chosen professor. Balmer holds the Alonzo McDonald Family Chair on the Life and Teachings of Jesus and their Impact on Culture at Candler School of Theology.

Past holders of the visiting professorship in the McDonald chair include historian Jaroslav Pelikan; John Noonan, Ninth U.S. Current Court of Appeals; composer Alice Parker; and art historian Herbert Kessler, among others.

Events:

April 2, 2009 – Randall Balmer; "So Help Me God: Religion and the Presidency since John F. Kennedy," 4:30 p.m., Room 102, Candler School of Theology.

April 16, 2009 – Randall Balmer; "Mistaken Identity: Jimmy Carter, the Abortion Myth, and the Rise of the Religious Right." 4:30 p.m., Room 102, Candler School of Theology.

Forbes Drops Atlanta to 24th Place in Recent Survey

Dropping like a team out of a playoff race, Atlanta fell 18 spots from a year ago (sixth place in 2008) in the latest Forbes list of the “Best Places for Business and Careers” for 2009.

The survey focused on the 200 largest metro areas, those with populations of more than 240,000. Forbes’ rankings were based on 11 factors, including five-year job growth, five-year income growth, the cost of doing business (labor, tax, energy and office space costs), cost of living (housing, transportation and utility costs), crime rate, educational attainment, presence of four-year colleges, cultural and recreational opportunities, income growth and net migration. A pair of new categories added to the 2009 survey were projected job growth and subprime mortgages as a percentage of total originations over a three-year period.

Atlanta ranked highest under the colleges category, placing sixth. It ranked 106th for cost of living, 124th for crime rate, 114th for cost of doing business, 121st for income growth, 49th for job growth projections, 34th for educational attainment, 146th for subprime mortgages and 42 for culture and leisure.

Gov. Issues Emergency Declaration for 6 Counties

Gov. Sonny Perdue has issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in six counties affected by heavy rain and severe weather that passed through Georgia on Friday and Saturday.

The counties are Baker, Colquitt, Miller, Tift, Turner and Worth. The counties requested help from the state after determining that the response to subsequent flooding exceeded local capabilities.

Nine bridges and over 800 miles of roads were damaged in the counties. Nearly 100 homes were damaged. The Tift County 911 Center was struck twice by lightning and 50 residents were housed overnight by the Red Cross.

Assessment teams continue to work to determine the full scope of the damage to businesses, residences and public facilities.

Agencies standing by to assist local communities include GEMA - Office of Homeland Security, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia State Patrol and the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Principal Resigns After Shocking Incident

After reportedly forcing a student to shock themselves with a pen they brought to school, a local elementary school principal has stepped down from her post.

According to school officials, Esther Adames-Jimenez will remain on at Beaver Ridge Elementary School until the end of the school year but another principal will oversee the school. Adames-Jimenez reportedly punished the student for bringing a pen emitting a low electrical current to campus by asking the pupil to turn the pen on himself.

A school spokesperson noted that Roach had been investigated by the state in 2008 for mishandling a national standardized test and a state exam.

Metro Atlanta Chamber Holds Biz Prospect Event April 7

The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce will host a "Leads to Business" gathering on Tuesday, April 7, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., at 235 Andrew Young International Blvd. The event is sponsored by Bank of America.

This lead generation program provides a forum for businesses of all sizes to increase the prospect pipeline. The format provides opportunities for businesses to showcase their products and services through five-minute presentations. All attendees are given time to introduce themselves and their companies followed by an “I Have” section where lead referrals are passed. Come ready to share – you will leave with a lead.

Breakfast will be provided, and the event is free to members and $50 for non-members.

For further information, call ( 404) 586-8429, email: events@macoc.com or visit: http://www.MetroAtlantaChamber.com .

Cobb County Prevention Awards Set for Tuesday

The Cobb Community Collaborative Drug Free Communities Support Program and the Cobb Underage Drinking Task Force will host the Cobb County Prevention Awards and Recognition Reception Tuesday, March 31, at the First Presbyterian Church, 189 Church St NE, Marietta.

The goal of the event is to raise awareness of community substance abuse problems and shine a spotlight on people and groups implementing local solutions with measurable success.

The reception, refreshments and exhibits begin at 6 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m.

Georgia Chosen to Participate in Pew Center Project

Gov. Sonny Perdue announced that Georgia is one of three states selected by the Pew Center on the States to participate as a government “laboratory” for projects that will enable the state to use resources more efficiently.

Georgia will receive $50,000 and intensive management support from Pew experts to assist it in delivering better value through its purchasing power.

Georgia’s project will build a system that collects and analyzes data on the billions of dollars spent by more than 150 state agencies and University System campuses on purchases of goods and services. Departments spend an estimated $6 billion a year – a third of the state budget – on thousands of items to operate state functions, including vehicles, maintenance contracts, computers and office supplies. Georgia will then share its best practices with other states to spur government improvements across the nation.


The Pew Center ranked Georgia’s government in its top tier of best-managed states in 2008. All 50 states were eligible to apply for the program and projects were selected based on the ability to assemble a senior-level team responsible for implementing improvement strategies with results for state taxpayers. Ohio and West Virginia were the other states selected.

The new Management Labs build off the work of Pew’s Grading the States Report. Pew has been examining all 50 states’ management of money, people, information and infrastructure for more than 10 years.

For more information on the report, log onto www.pewcenteronthestates.org/gpp_report_card.aspx.

General Assembly Offers Real Stimulus to Georgians

By Sen. Chip Pearson

ATLANTA (March 27, 2009) – The General Assembly took heed this week to provide Georgia citizens with solutions that will stimulate the state’s economy. Two important sectors of the economy are targeted under measures on their way to final passage: housing and jobs.

As I have said before, fixing housing is the first step to fixing the economy. In the past year, Metro Atlanta has seen a 20 percent decline in home values and 13 percent statewide. If we do nothing, housing values will eventually be set back 10 years at this rate.

Recognizing that immediate action is crucial, the legislature voted in favor this week of revitalizing Georgia’s housing market by offering a $3,600 home buying income tax credit. This incentivizing credit will be available for only six months, encouraging home buyers to act now. This represents the very definition of a true stimulus: a quick thrust that incites activity within the market, producing tangible results. Under House Bill 261, the credit will apply to new and previously occupied homes and condominiums, including foreclosures.

This legislation is a product of the joint Economic Development hearings held late last year on Georgia’s housing market. I was proud to work with Rep. Ron Stephens on the issue and to carry his bill to passage in the Senate. In December, industry experts warned that in Georgia, particularly in our area of Northeast Georgia, the housing market was in a depression. At that point, housing starts had plunged 67 percent.

Though the situation has continued to worsen, we had some good news recently with the unexpected 22.2 percent rise in housing starts for the month of February. While we still face an uphill battle of stabilizing housing, this tax credit will go a long way in incentivizing the market and start providing immediate relief.

The significant job loss throughout our state and across the nation is a direct result of the housing decline. Housing affects a great number of ancillary industries. When people stop buying homes, the local carpenter, painter, hardware store owner and moving man are all put in danger of losing their jobs. Georgia’s jobless rate jumped to a staggering 9.3 percent in February, putting our state above the national average. Our income growth is among the slowest in the U.S. A contributing factor has been the loss of a large base of jobs in the construction industry.

Small businesses, which represent over 90 percent of employers in Georgia, are also struggling to survive. In response to this dismal situation, the legislature is offering a bright spot of hope. Capitalizing on the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of the people of Georgia, not big government, we have passed the most pro-business piece of legislation the General Assembly has ever considered – the Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2009 (JOBS Act).

This tax relief package aims to lower taxes and reduce regulation, as opposed to forcing debt on Georgia citizens with new spending. House Bill 481 and 482 comprise the JOBS Act with HB 481 providing a one-year filing fee holiday for new businesses, a $500 credit toward the unemployment insurance tax for each newly hired employee that was receiving unemployment benefits, a $2,400 income tax credit for each eligible employee hired, the refund of $186 million in state held sales tax deposits, and the gradual elimination of the business income tax for Georgia-based corporations. HB 482 is a referendum to eliminate the state inventory tax on all Georgia businesses.

In other news this week, a bill I authored that clarifies the use of stream buffers received final passage in the House and is now awaiting signature by the governor. Current law requires that a 25-foot buffer be used along the banks of all state waters. Senate Bill 155 exempts ephemeral streams from this requirement, which are areas that temporarily collect water during rainfall, such as a runoff or ditch. Simply put, this bill helps with compliance on where buffers are needed and where they are not. This is a common sense measure that codifies EPD rules and provides consistency with federal laws.

Looking ahead, the legislature faces its final week of the 2009 session. There is still much work to be done, and I am confident that this will prove to be a productive and effective session for Georgians everywhere.

Sen. Chip Pearson serves as chairman of the Economic Development Committee. He represents the 51st Senate District which includes Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Pickens, and Union counties and portions of Forsyth and White counties. He may be reached at (404) 656-9921 or via e-mail at chip.pearson@senate.ga.gov.

Douglas County Woman Killed in Residence Fire

A Douglas County woman was killed early Sunday morning as a fire ripped through the home she shared with a teenage boy.

According to investigators, the woman was 60 years old, however her identity was not released as of Sunday evening.

The fire broke out at the home in the 4900 block of Yeager Road and no one else was injured. A pair of dogs in the home were rescued.

Omni National Bank Closed Down

Yet another local bank has fallen during the tough financial times.

According to banking officials, regulators have closed Omni National Bank in Georgia, with The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. being appointed receiver of the bank, based in Atlanta. The bank reportedly had $980 million in assets as of the end of 2008.

According to The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, losses have depleted the bank of most of its capital and it would have not been able to recapitalize itself without government help.

Skeletal Remains Identified as Those of Missing Woman

Skeletal remains found May 13, 2007 approximately 2 miles west of I-85 in Franklin County have been identified through DNA testing as those of Leslie Adams. Adams had been reported missing to Lilburn Police in October of 2005.

Bone fragments were submitted to the FBI for DNA extraction and comparison to 3 of Adams' family members. After the FBI lab determined the DNA from the fragments was consistent with the DNA profiles of the family members, the FBI results were forwarded to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification for statistical analysis. This analysis determined that the probability that the recovered remains were those of Leslie Adams is greater than 1.12 billion to one.

The remains were found in a swampy area off of GA 320 by local residents. A three-day search of the area was conducted by Franklin County Sheriff's Department deputies, GBI Agents, the Georgia State Patrol Aviation Unit and a human remains detection dog. Franklin County Public Works Department assisted law enforcement during the search by removing the water in the creek and low-lying areas so that a thorough search could be completed.

An investigation into Adams' death is being conducted by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, the Lilburn Police Department, the Gwinnett County Police Department and the GBI Regional Office in Athens.

Anyone with information on this investigation is asked to contact any of the agencies above or the GBI Tip Line at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).

Former Tech Administrator Passes Away

James Edward Dull, an administrator who served Georgia Tech as its dean of students for 34 years, died on March 22 at the age of 80.

In his time at Tech, Dull oversaw virtually every aspect of student life including not only disciplinary processes but also most activities — housing, fraternity affairs and student media to name a few — outside of the curriculum.

Over the course of his tenure, he served nine seated or acting presidents. Enrollment grew from 5,200 to 13,000. Female enrollment grew from 11 to 3,050. He is also credited with finding and purchasing the 1930 Model A Ford coupe, the vehicle that leads the football team onto the field before each home game.

Students who passed through Georgia Tech often cited his ability to connect with everyone, guided by his extraordinary powers of perception.

He also helped produce well-rounded graduates. For 30 years he led an extracurricular enrichment program that introduced students to ballroom dancing. He also organized a national championship-winning Georgia Tech College Bowl Team and trained the Wreckette Dancing and Drill Team.

When he retired in 1991, approximately 80 percent of the living alumni had been students during his career. His passion for and legacy of support for the arts was honored in 1992, when the black box theater at the back of the Ferst Center for the Arts was named for him.

Dull is survived by his wife, Gay, two sons: Dr. John R. Dull and wife, Beth of Atlanta and David A. Dull and wife, Cindy, of Winter Springs, Fla., grandson Grant and granddaughter Taylor.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, April 5, 2 p.m., at Peachtree Christian Church, 1580 Peachtree Street, N.W., Atlanta.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Peachtree Christian Church Columbarium or the DramaTech Scholarship via the Georgia Tech Foundation, 760 Spring Street, N.W., Suite 400, Atlanta, Ga., 30308. A celebration reception at the church will follow the service.

Lithonia Mall at Stonecrest Installing New Rule for Teens

If you are a teenager and you plan on hanging out at Lithonia’s Mall at Stonecrest on a weekend night, better have mom or dad in tow.

Starting next weekend, anyone under age 18 coming to the mall at night will have to be escorted by a parent or legal guardian. The policy will apply on Fridays and Saturdays after 4 p.m.

In what it feels is promoting family values and safety, Stonecrest will become the second mall in the metro Atlanta area to require a parental escort, joining the Arbor Place Mall in Douglas County.

Gov. Perdue Commends Passage of Driving Bill

Gov. Sonny Perdue this week commended the final passage of “Super Speeder” legislation, HB 160, by the General Assembly.

The legislation was introduced by Rep. Jim Cole and will help reduce traumatic automobile accidents and provide funds for trauma care in the state. The legislation passed the House 113-53 and passed the Senate 42-10.

“I commend the General Assembly for passing legislation to discourage reckless driving and increase funding for trauma care in Georgia,” said Gov. Perdue. “The Super Speeder bill will make our roads safer and save lives.”

In 2007, traffic accidents on Georgia’s roadways caused more than 1,600 fatalities. The overall cost of accidents totals $7.8 billion a year.

The Super Speeder legislation will reportedly generate approximately $23 million in Fiscal Year 2010, which Gov. Perdue recommended be spent to improve the state’s trauma care network. This is the second infusion of state funds by Gov. Perdue into the trauma network.

In the Amended 08 budget, the Governor recommended $53 million for the state’s first-ever investment into improving trauma care in Georgia.

The General Assembly eventually appropriated an additional $5 million for a total of $58 million in the Amended 08 budget.

Super Speeder legislation discourages trauma-causing behavior by increasing fines for dangerous drivers. The legislation adds an additional $200 fine for driving over 85 mph anywhere in the state and for driving 75 mph or more on a two lane road.

Super Speeders will also increase driver’s license reinstatement fees for drivers committing a second and third offense for violations that result in a suspended license and for other negligent behaviors.

Metro Atlanta Unemployment up 9.3% in February

According to a report released today by the Georgia Department of Labor, Atlanta's metro unemployment rate increased to 9.3 percent last month, matching the Georgia unemployment rate. The increease was up 4.1 percentage points over February of a year ago.

The jobless rate in metro Atlanta increased 0.7 percentage points from a revised 8.6 percent in January.

The country jobless rate was as follows:

• Cobb -- 8.4%
• Cherokee -- 8.5%
• Clayton -- 10.9%
• DeKalb -- 9.1%
• Douglas -- 10.3%
• Fayette -- 7.9%
• Forsyth -- 8%
• Fulton -- 9.4%
• Gwinnett -- 8.5%
• Henry -- 9.1%
• Paulding -- 9.7%
• Rockdale -- 10.3%

Gwinnett County to Explain Government Purchase Moves

Providers of goods and services who are interested in selling to Gwinnett County government are invited to attend the Purchasing Division’s third annual Supplier Symposium on Thursday, April 16, 2009, to learn about the County’s procurement procedures.

More than 150 vendors are already registered for the symposium. Representatives from various agencies also will be present, including Gwinnett Public Schools, the cities of Lilburn and Atlanta, and DeKalb and Forsyth counties.

“Gwinnett County is a large and consistent buyer," said Purchasing Director Scott Callan. “We’re a stable consumer for businesses and we buy many different kinds of goods and services.”

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville, the morning session will focus on how to do business with the County. In the afternoon, participants will break into smaller groups focusing on construction and capital projects, small business opportunities, and the North Georgia Fuel Cooperative.

“Our commitment to the taxpayers of Gwinnett is to spend their money wisely, so we’re constantly working to increase the number of suppliers vying for our business,” Callan said. The symposium will introduce potential suppliers and vendors to buyers and contracting officers and explain bidding procedures and requirements.

“It’s important to us to encourage more businesses to bid on our contracts,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Charles Bannister, “and this symposium helps show them how.”

Interested parties can find symposium registration information on the county’s home page at www.gwinnettcounty.com. Projects currently open for bidding are also available online along with explanations of bidding procedures under the Purchasing link.

Guilty Verdict in Shooting of Primatologist

The verdict Thursday afternoon in a Cobb County courtroom was guilty for one of two men accused of shooting and paralyzing a primatologist nearly four years ago. The other defendant pled guilty on Monday prior to jury selection.

According to court officials, Elliott Mitchell was found guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault, theft by taking and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime

Three days earlier, Kendall Markell Bolden offered a guilty plea on charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, theft by taking and four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Mitchell and Bolden were accused of shooting and paralyzing Shelly Williams in the back on Nov. 7, 2005, as she visited a tailor shop in a suburban Atlanta strip mall.

Williams headed a preliminary study, "Mystery Apes of the Congo," had just been published and was hailed as a potentially monumental discovery. She said National Geographic had contacted her about a special on her work when she was shot.

Gainesville Man Pleads Guilty to Investor Fraud Scheme

Wendell Ray Spell, 50, of Gainesville, Ga., has pleaded guilty in federal district court to charges arising out of a scheme to defraud investors out of more than $60 million.

According to United States Attorney's Office and the information presented in court, from February 2005 through October 2008, Spell was in the business of buying and selling construction equipment in Gainesville. Spell did business in the names of North Georgia Equipment Sales LLC and Cornerstone International Investments LLC.

In order to keep his failing businesses afloat, Spell sought and obtained from investors the necessary funds to purchase additional construction equipment, which he said he could re-sell to third parties for a substantial profit. Spell reportedly promised some of the investors that he would split the profits with them on a 50/50 basis, and he promised other investors that he would pay them interest at the rate of 36% per year.

Based upon such promises, Spell obtained more than $60 million in investment capital from more than 50 investors in Gainesville and elsewhere. Spell then led the investors to believe that he had used their money to purchase specific pieces of construction equipment, which he knew he had not purchased. Spell prepared and provided to the investors bogus bills of sale and other counterfeit documents to make it appear that he had purchased certain equipment as promised, thereby lulling the investors into a false sense of security and delaying or preventing their complaint to law enforcement authorities, and leading them to invest additional funds in his fraudulent scheme.

Authorities say Spell used a substantial portion of the fraud proceeds to pay phantom “profits” to the investors, to pay his own personal expenses, and to purchase a variety of real and personal property for himself and his family members.

Spell was charged in a Criminal Information with one count of wire fraud, to which he pleaded guilty.

He could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Cobb County Property Owners Have April 1 Tax Date

Cobb County property owners have until Wednesday, April 1, to file a Taxpayer's Return of Real Property with the Tax Assessors Office. The filing allows you to state the value you believe to be the Fair Market Value as of Jan. 1 of this year.

The form is available through the Tax Assessor's Office at cobbcounty.org/tax. Attach any information you feel is supportive of your opinion of value.

The return must be filed in person or by mail (no facsimiles or E-mails). If the assessors disagree with your returned value, you will be sent a change of assessment notice. If you do not agree with the proposed value, you will have 45 days from the date of notice to file a written appeal with the Board of Tax Assessors.

Atlanta-Journal Constitution Eliminating 245 Jobs

In yet another sign of the times for the newspaper industry, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Wednesday it's eliminating 245 full- and part-time postions with cuts being implemented in the newsroom and others parts of the newspaper.

The company also said it will stop distributing the newspaper to seven more outlying counties, reducing its circulation area to 20 metro Atlanta counties, effective April 26. Those counties are: Barrow, Bibb, Clarke, Houston, Monroe, Oconee and Putnam.

Currently, the AJC news staff consists of 323 employees. That figure will be trimmed down to approximately 230 full-time positions. Staff members with five or more years with the company will be offered voluntary buyouts, with layoffs to follow if they don’t achieve the targeted cuts, according to the company.

Tuesday saw 48 part-time staffers laid off. The eliminations in distribution will see cuts for 107 full- and part-time positions in the circulation department.

Computer Model Picks UNC to Win March Madness

Come April 6, Tar Heel fans should have reason to celebrate - providing the math is right.


LRMC (Logistic Regression Markov Chain), the computer ranking system designed by three professors at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has predicted that the NCAA Final Four basketball match ups for 2009 will be the University of North Carolina vs. the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Memphis vs. the University of Louisville.

The computer ranking system designed by three Georgia Tech professors has an impressive track record in forecasting Final Four tournament results. The championship battle, according to LRMC calculations, should pit North Carolina against Memphis with North Carolina emerging as the victor.

Unlike the NCAA tournament seeds released earlier this month, LRMC forecast Memphis reaching the Final Four instead of the University of Connecticut.

"There are a few instances where it disagrees with the seeding,” said Dr. Joel Sokol, operations research professor in the Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech who devised the program. “On the other hand, our system agrees with the awarding of fewer at-large bids for mid-majors than in the past. There just weren’t as many deserving mid-major teams this year.”

If history is any indicator, it’s a promising prognostication.

LRMC, developed by Professors Sokol, Paul Kvam and George Nemhauser, has been proven to be an impressively accurate method to forecast tournament results.

Last year, the LRMC method correctly identified all Final Four participants and heralded Kansas defeating Memphis in the eventual championship.

The LRMC formula includes scoreboard results, which teams are competing, home court advantage and margin of victory in its computational formula. In addition to predicting a potential victor, these calculations can also offer insight into teams that hold more - or less - potential than NCAA seeding indicates.

For example, the 2008 predictions included picking out overrated teams such as Duke, Vanderbilt and Connecticut, which all lost in early rounds. The system also identified West Virginia and Kansas State as potential spoilers. Both teams completed upset victories during last year’s tournament.

As for this year, Michigan State, Boston College and Utah were all poised for potential upsets during the tournament. Conversely, UCLA, Wisconsin, Arizona State and USC were labeled as potential spoilers.

Upsets are always part of the equation but the predictions - barring any shockers - will stand throughout the tournament.

March Madness fans can access the LRMC rankings and analysis at http://www.finalfour.gatech.edu.

Stabbing at The New Schools at Carver Injures Teen

A teen was recovering at Grady Memorial Hospital following a stabbing Tuesday afternoon at The New Schools at Carver.

According to authorities, the teen was stabbed just before 4 p.m. on the school's south Atlanta campus. Police said an 18-year-old male was walking in proximity to the school when he was assaulted by two teens, ages 18 and 16. He reportedly went home and obtained a knife, then returned to the campus and confronted the two attackers. The 16-year-old was stabbed and suffered superficial wounds.

The three teens involved were reportedly facing assault charges.

Cobb Parks Coalition, Gwinnett County PR Win Awards

Park Pride announced the 2009 winners of its inspiration awards in the categories community, government and corporate – honoring the Cobb Parks Coalition, Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation, and Silverman Construction Program Management, respectively.

“The awards not only acknowledge a job well done, they increase the visibility of park issues regionally and inspire others to become more active in building a system of world-class parks throughout metro Atlanta,” said Park Pride Executive Director George Dusenbury.

Peachtree TV’s Jeff Johnson, host of “JJ on Atlanta,” served as master of ceremonies for the awards, which were announced at a luncheon banquet last week, during Park Pride’s 8th Annual Parks and Greenspace Conference at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

“Peachtree TV and Turner Broadcasting are proud to be part of this event. Anything that we can do to educate our audience about the environment and our relationship with it is of paramount importance,” said Johnson. “The Inspiration Awards are exactly that – an inspiration to us all – when it comes to environmental and community stewardship. It is our honor to be associated with this year’s winners.”

The Cobb Parks Coalition was formed in early 2006 to increase the amount of passive parks in Cobb County. With less than 10% of the county’s land undeveloped, time was of the essence. Since that time, the Coalition has waged two successful campaigns supporting $40 million park bond referenda in 2006 and 2008. The Coalition remains actively engaged in an advisory board that ensures the funds acquire property to meet county needs and citizen priorities.

In 1986, Gwinnett County did not have an established countywide park system. That year, the county’s residents voted to increase property taxes dedicated to establishing a County Recreation District. In 1996, voters approved a referendum for a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or SPLOST, that dedicated funding for land acquisition and park improvements, among other infrastructure improvements.

Voters in the county renewed the one-cent sales tax in 2000, 2004, and again in 2008, providing over half-a-billion dollars to build one of the largest city or county park systems in Georgia. The National Recreation and Parks Association gave Gwinnett County the 2008 Gold Medal Award as the nation’s premier park agency.

Chamber Hosts Power Networking Luncheon March 25

The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce will hold a Power Networking Luncheon at the Punchline Comedy Club on Wednesday, March 25, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Participants connect twice a month with fellow Chamber members while eating lunch at some of metro Atlanta’s finest and most fun restaurants. The event allows participants to introduce themselves and promote their company openly.

Those interested can easily pay $12 online or at the door with cash, credit or checks payable to the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. The Non-Member fee is $50.

Bring a promotional gift to raffle off to other attendees and promote your business.

For directions visit: www.punchline.com/contactus.asp. The Punchline Comedy Club is located at 280 Hilderbrand Dr. NE, Atlanta.

For further information, contact Sarah Benson at (404) 586-8429, email: events@macoc.com or visit: http://www.MetroAtlantaChamber.com

Emory Appoints Swanson to Board of Trustees

Bishop James Swanson Sr., resident bishop of the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church, was elected to Emory University’s Board of Trustees during a recent board meeting. He will serve as a term trustee.

Bishop Swanson oversees the Holston Conference, which includes more than 900 churches in Tennessee, southwestern Virginia and northern Georgia. He is an ordained elder in the South Georgia Annual Conference, where he also has served as district superintendent. He was a minister at St. Mary's Road United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ga., from 1997-2001.

Bishop Swanson has taken an active role in communities where he has served. Appointments include: chair of the board of commissioners for the Columbus, Ga., Housing Authority; founding president of the board of directors for the Community Health Center of South Columbus; Candler Hospital Board of Directors in Savannah, Ga.; and a trustee of Andrew College in Cuthbert, Ga., and Paine College in Augusta, Ga.

“Bishop Swanson brings a wealth of expertise and experience to the Board of Trustees,” says Rosemary Magee, vice president and secretary of the university. “He cares deeply about the power of community and the promise of education. Emory will benefit greatly from his contributions.”

The 40-member Emory University Board of Trustees oversees the governance and long-range fiduciary health of the university. New term trustees serve a six-year initial term; a four-year renewable term may follow.

Term trustees are selected by the Governance, Trusteeship and Nominations Committee and submitted to the Board of Trustees for consideration and approval. Final approval rests with the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Pickup Buckle Up Gets Stopped in its Tracks

A key House panel has stopped a measure in its track that would require adults in pickup trucks to buckle up in Georgia.

The House Consumer Affairs subcommittee voted 4-3 against the measure, marking the first time in at least three years a House panel has looked at the issue.

As of now, Georgia is the only state that exempts adults in pickups from wearing seat belts. Proponents of seat belt requirements for pick up trucks say that the state's stance has cost Georgia millions of dollars in federal highway funds.

While the Senate has approved the seat belt changes for the last three years, House lawmakers, worried it would negatively impact rural residents, have blocked the bill.

Man Jailed in Alleged Kidnapping of 12-Year-Old

An alleged kidnapping of a 12-year-old girl near Harper Archer Middle School on Monday has sent one man to jail.

According to authorities, DeJuan Marshall allegedly tried to kidnap the youngster on her way to school. Marshall was reportedly spotted by a school police officer holding up traffic on Fairburn Road.

Marshall, who eventually drove off, was reportedly talking to the student, who was then interviewed by police.

Police later arrested Marshall, who was slated to be in court today.

ING Georgia Marathon, Half Marathon Set for Sunday

With only days until the third annual ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon, excitement has been building as the event approaches another sell-out field of 15,000.

To date more than nearly 12,000 people have signed up to take on the 26.2-mile marathon or the 13.1-mile half marathon on Sunday, March 29. Online registration is available at www.inggeorgiamarathon.com. Registration will close upon sell-out and the field will not be expanded beyond the 15,000 limit.

Beginning at Centennial Olympic Park, the race will travel through 26.2 miles (and 13.1 miles for the half marathon) of Metro Atlanta area’s most interesting and historic areas including the Sweet Auburn District, Inman Park, Midtown, Downtown and the city of Decatur.

Along the way it will pass landmarks including the King Center, and Carter Center, before returning to Centennial Olympic Park for the finish. A limit of 15,000 registrations will be accepted for the 2009 ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon.

County Breaks Ground for Noonday Creek Trail March 24

Cobb County Department of Transportation and the Town Center Area Community Improvement District will host a groundbreaking ceremony for Noonday Creek Trail 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 24. The ceremony will be held at 1955 Vaughn Road, Kennesaw.

Once completed, the Noonday Creek Trail will connect to the "Mountain to the River" trail at Kennesaw Mountain. The full length of the trail will be six miles from Kennesaw Mountain to Bells Ferry Road.

Cobb Parkway at Noonday Creek begins the portion of the trail that extends through the Town Center area to Bells Ferry Road.

Emory Alum, Former NFL Player to Lead Forum March 25

An in-depth look at the ways in which race and sports have been intertwined at Emory University will be held Wednesday, March 25, when the university's Transforming Community Project holds a forum on “Changing the Game: Race and Sports at Emory.” The event begins at 4 p.m. in Cox Hall on the Emory campus and is free and open to the public.

Opening remarks will be given by Emory alumnus Pellom McDaniels III, a seven-year member of the National Football League (1993-1999), as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, and one of only a handful of former NFL players to earn a Ph.D. He also is a poet, artist and a teacher.

Now an assistant professor of history and American studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, McDaniels received both his master of arts degree (2006) and his doctoral degree (2007) in American studies from Emory's Graduate Institute of Liberal Arts with his dissertation “The Angle of Ascent: Race, Class, Sport, and the Representations of African American Masculinity." McDaniels’ publications also include “My Own Harlem’ (1998), “You Want to Be Pro” (2000) and “We’re American Too: The Negro Leagues and the Philosophy of Resistance” (2004).

The forum will be moderated by Emory alumnus Amri Johnson, a member of the Emory Alumni Board and its diversity and community board.

Other panelists include: Tim Downes, director of athletics and recreation at Emory; Lloyd Winston, former head coach of the men’s basketball team (1987-1992) and first African-American head coach at the university; Christy Thomaskutty, head women’s basketball coach; Jason Campbell, a member of the track and field program; and Amelia McCall of the volleyball team.

The panel discussion was made possible through the Transforming Community Project, a five-year initiative begun in 2005 to document the university’s past and confront current challenges around the issue of race, as well as the Caucus of Black Emory Alumni; the President’s Commission on Race and Ethnicity; Public Humanities Race and Difference Initiative; Emory Athletics and the Black Graduate Student Association.

Commissioner Hosts Meeting in District 2 March 26

District 2 Commissioner Bob Ott will host a town hall meeting for his constituents 7 p.m., Thursday, March 26, at Cobb County Police Precinct 3, 1901 Cumberland Parkway, Atlanta.

This meeting is an opportunity to learn about progress made in the area and share your questions and thoughts with the commissioner.

For more information, call (770) 528-3316 or visit cobbcounty.org/boc.

Emory's Johnson Institute Celebrates Launch March 25

The spirit of author, composer, educator and civil rights pioneer James Weldon Johnson will infuse every aspect of the official March 25 launch of his namesake, Emory University's James Weldon Johnson Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies.

Highlights of the event include the reading of a specially commissioned commemorative poem by Emory Pulitzer-prize winning poet Natasha Trethewey, a performance of some of Johnson’s musical arrangements and statements of support from author Alice Walker and others.

“This is our formal introduction to the Emory community and to the community beyond Emory,” says Calinda Lee, the Johnson Institute's assistant director for research and development.

The event will take place on Wednesday, March 25 at 4 p.m. in Cannon Chapel on the Emory Campus followed by a reception in Brooks Common. The event is free and open to the public.

"Our work is to provide a context to explain the ways in which the civil rights movement continues to have relevance,” says Rudolph Byrd, Goodrich C. White Professor of American Studies and the Johnson Institute’s founding director.

As a recent example, Byrd notes the inauguration of the nation’s first African American president as a key outcome of the modern civil rights movement. The first four resident scholars, who are already at work teaching and researching the origins, evolution, impact and legacy of the modern civil rights movement and its impact on other social movements, will be introduced as well.

Visit http://www.jamesweldonjohnson.emory.edu to learn more.

Cobb County Woman Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver

A Cobb County woman is dead after being struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver .

According to authorities, 47-year-old Joyce Bailey was pronounced dead after being hit early Saturday morning on the corner Boulevard and Ralph McGill Boulevard.

Police are reviewing video from a nearby gas station to see if it may be able to provide clues as to the vehicle that left the scene, which reportedly had damage to its windshield and a right quarter panel.

Former Georgia Tech Employee Sentenced to Prison

Michelle Harris recently entered a plea in Fulton County Superior Court to one count of racketeering, a felony under Georgia law.

Attorney General Thurbert Baker indicted Harris in March 2008 after state auditors discovered Harris had used her state-issued purchasing card (P-card) to make numerous personal purchases.

She entered a non-negotiated, or blind, plea, following her decision to withdraw her negotiated plea halfway through the plea hearing in front of Judge John Goger. Judge Goger sentenced her to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of probation. Additionally, the court ordered that restitution would be determined at a later date.

The indictment presented to the grand jury by the Attorney General alleges that Harris, over a period of four years, stole over $170,000 from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Harris was employed as a program coordinator by Georgia Tech’s College of Management. Harris was issued a purchasing card for use in her official duties.

From June 2003 until May 2007, however, Harris illegally used her purchasing card to make personal purchases. The personal charges on Harris’s state issued credit card included car insurance, cellular telephone bills, personal tuition at Georgia State University, college tuition for a member of her family, car repair, tens of thousands of dollars in Sam’s Club gift cards, a diamond ring, and over $4,000 in catering for a wedding reception.

Harris had access to multiple accounts funded with federal and private grants through her position at Georgia Tech, including grants from the National Science Foundation. Georgia Tech has reimbursed those grant accounts for the theft, and all restitution paid by Harris will go directly to Georgia Tech.

FBI, GBI to participate in Documentary Screening

Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Gregory Jones, FBI Atlanta, and Vernon Keenan, director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, will participate in a panel discussion of the upcoming documentary, “Murder in Black and White.”

The 45-minute documentary details the murder of two black sharecroppers and their wives at the Moore’s Ford Bridge on July 25, 1946, in what is considered to have been the last mass lynching in American history.

The screening is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at the Monroe Civic Center, with the panel discussion to immediately follow.

Jones and Keenan will join with area law enforcement executives and community leaders to answer questions and issue statements urging continued public cooperation with the ongoing investigation.

Husband Surrenders in Beating Death of Kimberly Burton

The man wanted for allegedly beating his wife to death will appear in a Cherokee County court on Monday after surrendering to authorities in Mexico this weekend.

Rodney Burton had been the prime suspect in the beating death of Kimberly Burton.

Burton's nude body was discovered in her home Jan. 19 in the 300 block of Arlington Circle in the Rivergreen subdivision, with the cause of death listed as “blunt force trauma” to the head. Burton had been employed in Canton as an optician.

Rodney Burton, 41, who is charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault, had been on the run in Mexico before turning himself in Saturday afternoon. He reportedly spent the last two months in Cancun and Cozumel.

Is Your Web site Accessible?

By Michael Doan, Senior Associate Editor, The Kiplinger Letter

Online social networks are capturing the attention of companies. Large and small, businesses are finding uses for Facebook, LinkedIn and the like, but plenty of headaches as well.

Once limited mainly to teen-agers, these networks are catching on fast with an older crowd. Their use by adults with Internet access grew from 8% in 2005 to 35% in 2008, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Increasingly, it's Mom and Dad using social networking pages to keep in touch with friends and acquaintances and to reconnect with long-lost classmates and others. Now, like personal e-mail, online shopping and games, social networking is migrating from home to the workplace.

On the plus side, such networks make it easier to share ideas among employees, colleagues and contractors, to keep in touch with business contacts and to establish new customers. They're handy tools for making new sales contacts, recruiting future employees and raising a company's profile -- spreading the word through electronic "word of mouth."

Some firms are even trying them out as an in-house communications mechanism. Facebook's newsfeeds -- postings by individual members or groups -- are a convenient way to seek simultaneous input from multiple people and to keep track of employees' progress, eliminating long strings of e-mail. "They let you broadcast what you are working on and allow colleagues to react to it," says Andrew McAfee, associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.

Like any new technology, however, it can take some getting used to. Serena Software of Redwood City, Calif., eased its way into using Facebook as an intra-office system with "Facebook Fridays," in which all communications were done one day a week with social networking to ease into the process.

One manager brought his 16-year-old son to work to give lessons on how to use it. What is it used for? "If I have a meeting scheduled with the CEO, I can see what else he is doing today, such as preparing for a board meeting," says Kyle Arteaga, a Serena vice president (for corporate communications). Another company, a publisher, intends to use Facebook to circulate proposed illustrations among its editorial staff for comments and to make it easy for other staff members to know when colleagues are out of the office.

On the downside, there are some concerns:

Damaging content posted, whether deliberately or inadvertently. Some companies worry about corporate secrets slipping out. Criticisms posted by employees on their personal sites can hurt a firm's public reputation and even potentially become the fodder of lawsuits.

Excessive personal use can lower productivity and tie up valuable computer resources, though most managers concede that personal e-mail and online shopping already carry that risk. And privacy issues can be a problem, especially if supervisors add employees as "friends" and vice versa. Although networking software allows users to control which friends get to see which content, an incorrectly set option could give the boss a view of that wild bachelor party or allow an employee in on a supervisor's private rant.

Having a company policy about social networking sites can help prevent problems down the road. Right now, most companies have no restrictions at all, but as social networking grows, more will adopt them. Some firms install software that prevents employees from accessing social networks at all. "I think that is silly," says Philip Gordon of Littler Mendelson, labor and employment law firm. "Everybody from the mailroom clerk to the CEO uses the PC for nonbusiness purposes, anyway."

Consider having employees use separate pages or accounts for personal and business pages. Or conduct business discussions in a Facebook or other network group that is limited to employees.

Gordon also suggests asking workers to carefully discuss with a supervisor any statement on a blog or social networking site that could have an impact on the company name. They should be advised to be careful not to defame others.

And Serena Software's Arteaga has this simple advice for employees: "Don't post anything you wouldn't send by e-mail to everyone in the company."

For more information on The Kiplinger Letter, visit www.kiplinger.com .

Harrison High Athlete Pleads Guilty in Reed Case

A guilty plea of lying to the police was offered by 18-year-old Matthew Graeff of Kennesaw on Thursday involving the case of an auto fatality.

Graeff, one of three teens charged with lying to Cobb County police, admitted that he lied to police who were investigating the death of Harrison High student and football player Garrett Reed (pictured), 16, who was killed in a two-car accident on Jan. 24. Graeff, a senior at Harrison High, has been a member of the school's varsity baseball team.

According to arrest warrants, the teenagers came up with a plan to lie to officers about how they obtained alcohol and where it was consumed in the hours before Reed’s death. They also advised fellow students to lie, according to the warrants. Reed allegedly had been drinking rum prior to his getting behind the wheel.

Graeff, who pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice under the state's first offender law, has already completed 40 hours of community service, wrote a letter of apology to the police officer who interviewed him and participated in drug and alcohol treatment.

Atlanta Currency Trader Indicted in Ponzi Scheme

James G. Ossie, 49, of Atlanta, the founder and principal of an Alpharetta, Georgia-based currency trading firm, “CRE Capital Inc.,” has been indicted by a federal grand jury on 10 counts of wire fraud. Ossie was scheduled to surrender in federal court on Friday for an initial appearance, bond hearing, and arraignment.

According to the United States Attorney's Office, the indictment and other information presented in court: Ossie and CRE Capital operated an investment fund for private clients focused on options contracts in foreign currencies. The fund operated from approximately April 2008 into January 2009, when it was shut down by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Ossie and CRE offered investment contracts, in amounts of at least $100,000, that guaranteed the return of an investor’s deposit plus 10% interest within just 30 days. Ossie reportedly claimed to be able to pay such substantial monthly returns because he typically made even more than that through his trading activity. Ossie also reportedly claimed that his trading profits allowed him to fund a substantial cash “reserve fund” sufficient to re-pay all investors their deposit plus 10% monthly profit, in case the market deteriorated.

Authorities say Ossie claimed that CRE Capital even hired outside accountants, or auditors, who reviewed and confirmed the accuracy of the numbers.

The indictment also alleges that although CRE hired outside accountants for limited projects, Ossie did not allow any access to the records of the trading accounts that would have revealed his substantial losses.

Ossie made these representations directly to individual investors, through salespersons known as “correspondents,” through the CRE Capital Web site, and in numerous mass conference calls involving groups of investors and prospective investors.

However, the indictment alleges that these representations were all lies. Instead of making profits sufficient to pay 10% monthly returns and fund a “reserve” account, the indictment alleges that Ossie lost millions of dollars. Just during CRE’s 9-month lifespan, the firm lost over $12 million in its foreign currency trading accounts. The indictment alleges that there was no “reserve” account sufficient to repay investors. By the end of 2008, CRE owed over $23 million in pending investment contracts but only had just over $2 million deposited in all of its bank and trading accounts combined.

Because he was making no profits, Ossie was only able to re-pay investors their deposits and guaranteed 10% returns through what is referred to as a “Ponzi” scheme. Specifically, Ossie allegedly paid his debts to existing investors with money recently invested by new investors. When the time came to pay the returns promised to the new investors, Ossie would recruit more investments from still newer investors. This unsustainable scheme was identified and shut down by the SEC in January 2009.

In the meantime, Ossie had raised over $25 million from over 120 investors, approximately half of which was lost in unsuccessful currency trading.

Gov. Perdue Signs Amended Fiscal Year '09 Budget

Gov. Sonny Perdue this week signed into law House Bill 118, the state’s Amended Fiscal Year 2009 budget. The amended budget signed by the Governor stands at $18.9 billion.

“This is a budget that focuses on the core services of government,” said Gov. Perdue. “We have made effective use of federal stimulus dollars and the state’s rainy day fund, which we worked so hard to build up, to lessen the impact of this economic downturn and plan for next year’s budget. Through sound management by our agency leaders and wise decisions by lawmakers, Georgia will endure a challenging economy and emerge ready to prosper.”

Gov. Perdue has taken a number of steps to ensure the FY 2009 budget does not spend more than the state will collect. A year ago, Gov. Perdue reduced the revenue estimate for the budget by $245 million to begin preparations for the slowing economy. In August, amid continuing revenue declines, the Governor announced six percent reductions in state agencies except for education and some health care programs.

In February, Gov. Perdue again reduced the revenue estimate by another $450 million. A total of $2.6 billion, well over 10 percent of the original $21.1 billion budget, has been cut from the spending plan. Those cuts have been softened by strategic use of the state’s rainy day reserve fund and the recognition of funding from the federal stimulus package.

The budget maintains critical services in public safety, healthcare, and education, and includes the pay raises for teachers that were granted at the beginning of this school year. The budget also maintains Georgia’s strong infrastructure in education, transportation, and economic development and takes advantage of the state’s AAA bond rating to save the state $10.5 million through lower construction costs. The AFY09 budget includes $428 million in Homeowner Tax Relief Grants for this year, as required by House Bill 143, which the Governor signed in February.

Certain language contained in HB 118 was included for informational purposes and thus did not constitute an appropriation. Because the language is not an appropriation, it is non-binding.

Couple Jailed Following Toddler's Death

A local couple are behind bars in the Gwinnett County Detention Center after the death of a 2-year-old child in their care Thursday.

According to authorites, the child drowned in a pool at a residence in the 3700 block of Bradford Walk Trail N.E. in Buford.

The care taker, Tanya Sheri Moon, 34, reportedly oversaw a day care center for several children at her home. There were reportedly four children, ranging from 2 to 9 years old, in Moon's care at the time of the drowning.

Moon and her husband, Shawn Moon, 36, were both arrested and charged with two counts of cruelty to children in the 2nd degree and one count of reckless conduct.

The couple, who have five children of their own, were taken to the Gwinnett County Detention Center, while their children were moved to the Department of Family and Children Services.

Safety Project Precedes New School Opening

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners has awarded a construction contract to add turn lanes, a traffic signal and sidewalks along New Hope Road at the new Archer High School.

The traffic signal will be located at the intersection of New Hope Road and Callie Still Road. The left and right turn lanes will improve traffic flow through the intersection and will provide access for vehicles entering the school.

According to the Board, the $1.5 million construction was awarded to Pittman Construction Company, the lowest bidder out of 12 firms. This project is funded though the 2005 Sales Tax Program.

The work will be complete in early August, prior to the school’s opening.