Stimulus, Other Grants Impact Gwinnett Co.

Just over $4.5 million in federal stimulus and state funds is headed to Gwinnett County after commissioners voted to accept five different grants on Tuesday.

Almost $3.3 million is designated for energy audits, weatherization and appliance repairs to make an estimated 461 homes of elderly, low income and handicapped residents more efficient and affordable. The stimulus funds will come from the U.S. Department of Energy through the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority and the work will be done by the non-profit organization Partnership for Community Action. Another $1.1 million will help build a new Senior Services Center at 567 Swanson Drive in Lawrenceville.

A year of construction will begin this month on the new “green building” that will centralize various programs that serve Gwinnett seniors. Deputy Secretary Ron Sims of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development came to Gwinnett on July 22 to announce the Community Development Block Grant award. Neither of these grants requires matching funds.

Commissioners also accepted a $69,411 grant to provide home-delivered and congregate meals to frail and homebound seniors provided through the Atlanta Regional Commission. The grant requires a 15 percent local match that the County is unable to provide, but the non-profit Friends of Gwinnett County Seniors group has offered to supply the needed $12,248.

Friends President Pam Tokarz said, “We don’t want to lose any opportunity to feed needy seniors in our community, so we’re happy to provide these matching funds.” Gwinnett provides more than 135,000 such meals annually but still has a wait list of more than 200 eligible seniors.

Fire and Emergency Services will receive two state grants through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. A grant of $61,430 will pay for new hazardous materials suits and reference books for the Lawrenceville-based HazMat team that handles incidents like natural gas line breaks, significant gasoline spills, victim retrieval, site decontamination and contaminated victim transport.

Another $25,000 state grant will pay to replace equipment on the department’s Buford-based Search and Rescue truck. Fire personnel use the equipment to extricate victims from traffic collisions, caved-in trenches, confined spaces, machinery entanglements, or collapsed structures using precision cutting, spreading, disassembly, rigging or heavy lifting techniques.

Peachtree City Police Remind Residents to Protect Cars

The Peachtree City Police Department is reminding residents to protect their cars at all times.

On Aug. 14 and 15, between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m., numerous items were stolen from autos and garages in the Heritage Subdivision, located on Highway 74.

There was no forced entry to any of the cars and garages (residents had left their cars and garages unlocked or open). Stolen items included radios, money, a laptop, GPS units, an IPod, wallets, and alcohol.

Peachtree City Police wants to remind residents and visitors of the following tips:

* Keep vehicles and homes locked.
* Do not leave valuable items in vehicles.
* Call the police if you see any suspicious activity, or hear suspicious noises.Be aware of you surroundings.

Thieves will watch areas and will target cars, homes, and people who make themselves easy victims. Keep this in mind when placing packages, purses or valuables in the car – keep them out of sight, or better yet, remember that . . . The safest place for valuables is on your person or secured in your home.

IBBS Moves to Cartersville Facility

Integrated Broadband Services (IBBS) has moved to a new, larger customer call facility in Cartersville, and added 30 employees.

According to a company spokesperson, having the call center in Cartersville allows the company greater access to graduates from several technical schools.

IBBS offers software and services for cable operators and broadband Internet service providers.

Finalists Named in UGA Provost Search

A University of Georgia search committee has recommended four finalists to UGA President Michael Adams for the position of senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.

Each finalist will visit the university and will hold a University Council forum and open public session from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Chapel on the day of their campus visit. The public sessions, which will be open to faculty, staff, and students, will be followed by a brief media availability.

The finalists were announced by search committee chair William Gray Potter, university librarian and associate provost. The 20-member committee began its work in March and is composed of faculty, staff, administrators, students and alumni. The committee was assisted by Shelly Weiss Storbeck, managing partner of executive search firm Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates.

Adams will choose a successor to Arnett Mace Jr., who is scheduled to retire on Jan. 1 after 18 years of service to UGA, with seven of those years as provost. (Mace will continue his leadership role in the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership under the title Special Assistant to the President.)

The finalists are: Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, founding dean of the University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences;Sallie Keller-McNulty, William and Stephanie Sick Dean of the Rice University George R. Brown School of Engineering;Jere W. Morehead, vice president for instruction at the University of Georgia; andRobert D. Newman, dean of humanities and associate vice president for interdisciplinary studies at the University of Utah.

Governor Creates Educational Abuse Study Group

Gov. Sonny Perdue has accepted the recommendations of the Office of the Child Advocate and created a working group to examine policies and procedures that are followed when cases of abuse are alleged in an educational environment.

The Governor’s Working Group on Abuse in the Educational Setting will convene experienced school administrators and leaders along with law enforcement personnel to develop consistent statewide policies and protocols for addressing reports of child abuse by school employees.

The Governor has charged the working group with developing specific child abuse reporting and response procedures that can be adopted by every school system in the state. The group’s recommendations will include specific processes for parents and students to report abuse as well as protocols for school system management to use when taking personnel action involving accused employees and reporting the incident to law enforcement, system leadership and the Professional Standards Commission.

A specific task of the group will include developing protocols for addressing allegations abuse in special settings, such as those involving special educational programs operated by Regional Educational Services Agencies (RESAs).

Gov. Perdue’s formation of the working group comes in response to recommendations from the Office of the Child Advocate. In June, following a disturbing case alleging abuse of a child by school personnel, the Governor charged the State Child Advocate with determining whether Georgia’s laws and policies adequately address issues of abuse in the educational setting.

The first meeting of the working group has been tentatively scheduled for late August. The members of the working group are:

• Matt Arthur, Superintendent, Rabun County Schools

• Emily Lembeck, Superintendent, Marietta City Schools
• Jeannie Edwards, Student Health Coordinator, Dawson County Schools
• Stephanie (Taylor) Williams, Ed.S., Early Intervention Program (EIP), MontgomeryElementary School, DeKalb County Schools
• Jay Fowler, Principal, Rocky Creek Elementary School, Henry County
• Pete Skandalakis, Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney
• Rachael Barron, Parent Representative, Atlanta

The Georgia Review Hosts Dove Oct. 8-9

The Georgia Review, the University of Georgia’s quarterly journal of arts and letters, marks its long association with Pulitzer Prize winner and former U.S. poet laureate Rita Dove by hosting the renowned writer for two days of readings, talks, and informal gatherings in Athens on Oct. 8 and 9.

Scheduled events on Thursday, Oct. 8, include a 3:30 p.m. informal talk at the Tate Student Center Theater, and “How Does a Shadow Shine?” a reading at 7 p.m. at the Morton Theatre, 195 W. Washington St. On Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m., the Athens-Clarke County Public Library auditorium will be the venue for “Cafe au Libris: An Evening with Rita Dove,” a conversation and book signing.

Dove also will meet with students and faculty at Clarke Central High School while in Athens.

Acworth Park and Ride Lot Takes Off

Cobb County leaders recently cut the ribbon for the Cobb Community Transit's newly-expanded Acworth Park and Ride Lot.

About 80 percent of the $2.3 million construction cost was paid for through federal grants, according to the Cobb County Department of Transportation. Another 10 percent was paid for by state grants. The project, which expanded the lot from 274 parking spaces to 499 spaces, also included additional lighting and a covered passenger waiting area. CCT offers eight other park and ride lot locations for the convenience of patrons.

For more information, visit cobbcct.org.

Women's Empowerment Series Hits Atlanta Aug. 20

The Women’s Empowerment Series scheduled for Aug. 20 in Atlanta has added some additional prominent speakers covering topics designed to help women succeed in their personal and professional lives and to support the growth of women in business.

Keynote presentations and break-out sessions during the Women’s Empowerment Series will provide mentoring, education and motivation from accomplished business leaders and female entrepreneurs and offer ideas and insight for succeeding in the changing business environment and economy.

The list of featured speakers and topics includes:

Joyce Bone of MillionaireMom.com will speak on “The Three Keys and the Power of the Millionaire Mom Mentality.”

Bone is the founder and CEO of MIllionaireMoms.com, a Web site helping women master the art of raising a business and a family. She co-founded EarthCare, an environmental company that grew from a $10,000 investment to a $50 million company in 18 months. She is a columnist for eWomenNetwork’s “Glow Magazine” and “Inside Gwinnett” magazine. She has been featured on CNBC’s “The Squawk Box”.

Maritza Parra of MaritzaParra.com will present “Transformation from the Inside Out to Have It All as a Successful Woman”. Maritza Parra, also known as The Product Creation Queen, is an author, speaker, coach, syndicated columnist and Internet marketer. Parra trains and coaches entrepreneurs to use self-empowerment and the Internet to create financial freedom. After being featured on "Oprah & Friends: The Soul Series”, Parra became an expert at creating products quickly via teleseminars, e-books video and other product creation strategies.

Deborah Shane of TrainwithShane.com delivers her presentation, “The 21st Century Businesswoman – Five Keys to Success.” Deborah Shane is a motivational speaker and educator who founded Train With Shane to deliver education, training and professional development in relation to current market conditions and the shifting, competitive business environment. The model for Train With Shane comes from Shane’s collective experience in entertainment, teaching, sales and mentoring.

Lisa La Rochelle of ArdenPublishing.com will speak on “Savvy Marketing by Blending Traditional and New Media”. Lisa La Rochelle is the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Arden Custom Publishing Group which develops and launches multimedia publishing products such as print magazines, video magazines, and multimedia content and video products.

GlowMagazine.org and GirlMogul.com are two of Arden’s products. GirlMogul.com will make a presentation on “Mentorship and Developing Others”. GirlMogul.com provides positive, encouraging messages for Tween girls. YWTF.org/Younger Women’s Task Force, Atlanta Chapter will focus on organizing young women to take action on things that matter to them. This grassroots movement is a project of the National Council of Women’s Organizations. They work to define and develop the next generation of women leaders and create a local and national network for peer mentoring and networking.

The Women's Empowerment Series was created and launched in 2007 in Southwest Florida by Train with Shane Owner Deborah Shane. The series serves to inspire, educate, mentor and encourage women to develop a sense of confidence and self-esteem that will support the growth of women in business. The event will be held from 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at 103 West located at 103 West Paces Ferry Road in the Buckhead section of Atlanta. Registration is Buddy Up 2 for $99 and includes lunch, a Women’s Empowerment Series Gift Bag and more.

To register visit: www.womensempowermentseries.com. For more information, call Deborah Shane, Train with Shane at (239) 985-9844.

Dine Out, Help Kids Stay in School

Residents can help the Marietta/Cobb chapter of Communities In Schools, a dropout prevention program, by participating in the Dining Out for Kids event Thursday, Aug. 20.

Participating restaurants will donate a percentage of sales that day to their local Community in Schools program.

For more information, visit: dineoutforkids.com/involved.php.

Outdoor Market in Hiram Runs Each Saturday

COME SHOP WITH THE VENDORS of the OUTDOOR MARKET, Every Saturday! free to all

LOCATION: 3595 Hiram-Douglasville Hwy (Hwy 92) just at Ridge Rd in Hiram, Ga 30141

HOURS: Begins at 10 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m.

Shop the vendors: Yard Sale Booths (several every Saturday), Crafts, Handmade items, Handbags, Accessories, Pet Items, Jewelry, Jams/Jellies, Great Food and Cool Drinks (Italian Ice, snowcones, etc).

FOR INFO CALL: (678) 567-5198 (call if you would like a vendor space - always FREE)

UGA Tate Student Center Expansion Dedication Aug. 20

The official dedication of the University of Georgia Tate Student Center expansion will be held Aug. 20 at 2 p.m. in the Grand Hall of the facility. The ceremony will feature remarks by UGA President Michael Adams and Vice President for Student Affairs Rodney Bennett.

After the ceremony, participants will move onto the west plaza facing Lumpkin Street for a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Adams and UGA alumnus Holger Weis. As president of the University Union Student Programming Board in 1983, Weis participated in the dedication ceremony for the original Tate Student Center.

Students and other guests will be given commemorative scissors to help cut the ribbon. During the dedication, University Food Services will offer sample menu items from its four new restaurants: Taste of Home Café, Barberitos Southwestern Grill, Larry’s Giant Subs and Hotei’s Asian Grill. Campus Catering will serve dessert items. The UGA Pep Band will play on the plaza.

The Tate expansion opened on June 1 after more than four years of planning and construction. The 96,000 square-foot facility includes enhanced dining options for students, faculty and staff. Meeting and conference rooms for student organizations are available, including the 12,000 square-foot Grand Hall capable of accommodating up to 1,600 guests.

17 Clarke Co. Champion Trees Grow in SBG of Georgia

Seventeen trees growing in the State Botanical Garden of Georgia (2450 South Milledge Avenue) have been named Clarke County Champion Trees by the Athens-Clarke County Community Tree Council.

A Champion Tree is the largest tree of its species recorded within the county. One of these trees, the Carolina Buckthorn, is recognized as the Georgia State Champion Tree for its species. To view information on Champion Trees, see a map and photo of each Champion Tree, or nominate a tree for recognition, see http://www.athenstrees.com/championtrees.php or call (706) 613-3565.

Clarke County Champion Trees at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia include:

Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Red Hickory (Carya ovalis) Pignut Hickory (Carya ovata)
Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa)
American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
Ogeechee Tupelo (Nyssa ogeche)
Hop Hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)
Royal Paulownia (Paulownia tomintosa)
Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
Winged Pistache (Pistacia spp.)
Nuttall Oak (Quercus nutallii)
Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii)
Carolina Buckthorn (Rhamnus caroliniana)
Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) Basswood (Tilia americana)

MARKETING ASSISTANCE NEEDED

GoAtlanta is looking for someone with a marketing background and who lives or attends college in the greater Atlanta area to help market our news blog.

In return for finding advertisers for our site, we will split the profits from those ads with you 50-50.

The work can be done on your own schedule and all we need is someone who can help us in locating some advertisers for the site.

Please email Dave at: eastcoastdt@aol.com with any questions, and thank you for your time!

Peachtree City PD Hosting Fall Certification Class

The Peachtree City Police Department will host a basic Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class beginning Sept. 3.

The classes will be held each Thursday for 10 weeks from 6:30 - 9 p.m. The CERT Program offers valuable insight into the first few critical hours following an emergency or disaster and how people can better prepare to sustain themselves and their families. Applicants (18 and older Georgia Residents) must sign a Waiver of Liability form and undergo a criminal history background check. There is no charge to attend the program, but class size will be limited.

Visit www.peachtree-city.org/police for more information and applications. Applications are also available at the Library, City Hall, and the Police Department.

The deadline to apply is Aug. 27.

Donations Needed Saturday for Teachers

Teacher Supply Storehouse will host an open house for public and private school teachers, as well as parents who home school their children, 8-10:30 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 15, at the storehouse, 440 Glover St., Marietta.

Teacher Suppy Storehouse is a 100 percent volunteer non-profit organization that reaches out to area businesses for materials that can be used by teachers and would otherwise be thrown away. During open houses, teachers can "shop" for materials and take as much as they need. Donations are requested at the back door to help cover the cost of transporting materials to the warehouse.

Last August, more than 500 teachers attended and more are anticipated this year.

Area businesses and manufacturers that have product that will otherwise be thrown away, such as paper of all types, fabric, carpet samples, art supplies, office supplies, instructional toys and books, wood scraps and gardening items, are encouraged to donate.

For more information on the organization and event, visit www.cobbk12.org/teacherssupplystore.

Gwinnett Co. Administrator Notes Retirement

Gwinnett County Administrator Jock Connell has announced he will retire at the end of the year.

First hired in 1986 to oversee the County’s risk management section, Connell briefly left the county to work in the private sector. Recruited back to Gwinnett County to become Assistant Finance Director in 1994, Connell was promoted in 1995 as Finance Director. In 2000, he was appointed as the county’s first Deputy County Administrator. In 2005, the Board of Commissioners named him County Administrator.

Commission Chairman Charles Bannister said, “Throughout his career here, Jock has been a part of the core management team that has guided the county through its most dynamic and challenging period of growth and to a solid triple AAA bond rating. We will miss him.” Glenn Stephens, current director of the County’s Planning and Development Department, has been selected as Connell’s replacement.

Already set to retire in 2010, Connell approached the Board of Commissioners with his new intentions earlier this summer. Connell said, “In a perfect world, the County would have already resolved its solid waste issues, service delivery negotiations with cities, and several other major issues that will play out over the next 18 months. For the good of the organization, I believe the next County Administrator needs to be involved in the resolution of these matters in order to effectively manage the results. I will work closely with Glenn in the coming months to ensure an orderly transition.”

Connell will not accept any of the retirement incentives being offered to other county employees as a part of the current effort to reduce the county’s workforce. His retirement will closely follow those of Deputy County Administrator Mike Comer and Assistant County Administrator Lisa Johnsa. However, most of the county’s senior management will remain intact.

Among the many accomplishments during Connell’s five years as County Administrator, Gwinnett County maintained its triple AAA bond rating, implemented a new stormwater utility, opened 12 new parks, renovated or expanded 17 parks, opened two new libraries, opened five new fire stations and relocated another five stations. The County also added 522 police officers and sheriff’s deputies, opened three police precincts, resurfaced 375 miles of roads, widened several major roads, began construction of the Sugarloaf Parkway extension, and partnered with the state to widen SR 20 and SR 120 and complete the new I-85/316 intersection in this period. Laying the groundwork for future generations during this period, Gwinnett County also adopted the Unified Plan and secured a permit from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to return 40 million gallons of highly-treated wastewater from the F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center back to its source at Lake Lanier.

Connell said, “I have been truly blessed to be able to serve Gwinnett County in this capacity. It has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I will be forever grateful to the commissioners I’ve served, past and present, as well as former County Administrator Charlotte Nash. I’m humbled by their support and the trust they placed in me. “I’m thankful, too, for the support from our exceptional staff, our community leaders and the citizens of Gwinnett County. Gwinnett County will be in good hands. Glenn Stephens is knowledgeable and hard-working, and he has remarkable integrity. He also inherits a solid management team in our department directors and their senior staff. Glenn is certain to put his own touch on the management of the county and the county management team.”

Gov. Perdue Issues Writs of Election for State House Seats

Gov. Sonny Perdue has issued writs of special election for State House Districts 58, 129 and 141.

The vacancies are due to the resignations of Rep. Robin Shipp, Rep. Vance Smith, Jr. and Rep. Bobby Parham.

The special elections to fill the vacancies will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3 in conjunction with municipal elections. Qualifying dates will be set by the Secretary of State’s office.

More than 6,300 new Undergrads to be Enrolled at UGA

The University of Georgia expects to enroll more than 6,300 new undergraduate students this fall, including just over 4,700 new freshmen and 1,600 new transfer students.

Approximately 680 of the new students began their studies during the summer and almost 5,700 will begin classes this August. This is a growth of about 75 new students over last fall. Another 1,000 new undergraduates (200 of them freshmen) are expected to enroll in January for the spring term, bringing the overall total to more than 7,300—an increase of about 300 over the new undergraduates enrolled during the 2008-09 academic year.

Although final statistics will not be available until mid-October, the admissions office has compiled data based on the students who enrolled over the summer or who attended or registered for orientation for fall semester as of the end of July.

The number of applications received for this year’s freshmen class—more than 17,900—is the highest recorded at UGA for a new class, following several years of record applications. Since 2003, applications for UGA’s freshmen class have increased by more than 50 percent. The rigor of students’ high school curriculum continues to be a key factor in admissions decisions, with some 95 percent enrolled in College Board Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes while in high school.

While many of the incoming students have not yet decided on a major, the most popular intended majors (listed alphabetically) are art, biology, business, chemistry, international affairs, pharmacy, political science and psychology, following a similar pattern to previous years.

Although legacy is not a factor in admissions decisions, some 30 percent of the students have parents or siblings who attended UGA. The new incoming transfer students have an earned college GPA of 3.4 on work completed prior to enrolling. They are almost evenly divided between males and females and 19 percent are non-Caucasian. About 92 percent are Georgia residents.

Gwinnett County Wins 6 National Awards

Five departments of Gwinnett County government have won six achievement awards from the National Association of Counties and their accomplishments were honored at the Board of Commissioners meeting recently.

Financial Services’ entry, titled Funding Post Employment Benefits, was not only a winner but it was also named Best of Category. A five-person team developed a sustainable plan to pay for retiree healthcare while meeting new accounting requirements, minimizing cost increases and protecting the County’s triple-AAA credit ratings. Their work led to a new state law allowing the use of trust funds for this purpose.

Fire and Emergency Services had two winners, one for its Youth Firesetter Intervention Program that involves many outside professionals to help reduce juvenile arson cases and the other for its school-based program that certified more than 4,000 middle and high school students in CPR and first aid.

Water Resources won for Drought Relief with Reclaimed Water, which recognizes its innovative uses of highly treated wastewater and its plan to return highly-treated wastewater to its source in Lake Lanier.

Transportation won for its new Traffic Control Center that features 85 miles of fiber-optic links to 400 traffic signals and 50 video cameras to allow real-time remote control of traffic signal timing.

Human Resources won for its EXCEL leadership development class where County employees raised more than $12,000 and volunteered their time to make major improvements at the non-profit Dream House for medically fragile children in Lilburn. They designed and built a backyard pavilion, sidewalk, retaining wall, landscaping and sandboxes for children using wheelchairs.

“These national awards recognize the outstanding work our employees are doing across all County government operations and are a shining example of why Gwinnett is great,” said Commission Chairman Charles Bannister. “With all the budget cuts that have taken place recently, it is significant that our peers recognize we have an outstanding staff and are on the cutting edge in many areas.”

UGA Welcomes Students Back with Week of Fun

The official dedication of the Tate Student Center expansion will headline a week of free events designed to welcome students back to the University of Georgia for the upcoming school year.

Other Welcome Week activities include concerts by comedy-musicians The Dan Band and country singer Kellie Pickler and the first Dawgs After Dark late-night event of the school year. The dedication ceremony will be held on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 2 p.m. in the Tate Grand Hall. All members of the campus community are invited.

Welcome Week kicks off with a performance by The Dan Band on Sunday, Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. on Legion Field. Known for its pop music parodies, the Los Angeles-based band has served as the house band on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Lead singer Dan Finnerty has appeared in the films The Terminal, Starsky & Hutch and The Hangover. Non-student tickets for The Dan Band are $10 in advance and $20 at the gate.

Pickler will take the stage in the Tate Grand Hall on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 7:30 p.m. A finalist on American Idol in 2006, Pickler has released two albums and has toured extensively, appearing in two USO tours in Iraq. Her debut album, Small Town Girl, has been certified Gold by Billboard magazine for sales of more than 500,000 units. Non-student tickets to see Pickler are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

Welcome Week concludes on Friday, Aug. 21 with Dawgs After Dark: Backyard BBQ from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Tate Student center. Activities will include inflatable games, an arcade, and free food. Non-student admission is $5.

All Welcome Week events are free for students with valid UGACards who pay activity fees on the Athens campus. The Dan Band and Kellie Pickler concerts are ticketed events. Students must present their valid UGACards to claim their free tickets at the cashier window in the Tate Student Center which is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information about the Tate Students Center dedication and other Welcome Week events, call (706) 542-6396 or see www.uga.edu/campuslife.