FedEx to Expand Cobb County Operations

FedEx Ground plans to expand its Cobb County distribution center and add 270 well-paying jobs. This initiative will add 85,000 square feet to the state-of-the-art facility.

"This has been one of FedEx's most successful distribution centers," Michael Hughes, Cobb director of economic development, said in a statement. "FedEx enjoys access to a world-class workforce as well as great infrastructure."

The facility manager of the Cobb location credits support received from the county as a major help in making the center one of the most productive facilities. The expansion will provide additional capabilities to aid efficient handling of local, regional and country-wide service.

UGA Inducts 102 Incoming Vet Students

The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine welcomed the class of 2013 during its annual White Coat Ceremony held recently. Sponsored by the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, this event officially recognized 102 members of the incoming class of 2013 by donning them in bright white lab coats to be worn during their veterinary education.

The hour-long ceremony was held in the Mahler Auditorium at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center and Hotel. After the ceremony, Dr. Myron Downs, president of the GVMA and an Athens-area veterinary surgeon, led the two-block recessional of coated students to the College of Veterinary Medicine for a class photo and a reception with their families and veterinary faculty and staff.

This year’s incoming class includes 76 women and 26 men, with an average undergraduate GPA of 3.54 and an average GRE score of 1116.

The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, founded in 1946, is dedicated to training future veterinarians, providing services to animal owners and veterinarians and conducting investigations to improve the health of animals and people. The college benefits companion animals and their owners, food-producing animals and wildlife by offering the highest-quality hospital and diagnostic laboratory services. The college enrolls 102 students each fall out of more than 570 who apply and employs more than 145 faculty members.

UPDATE: Hunt on for Gunman Who Killed 4 in Gwinnett County

Police in Gwinnett County are looking for a gunman who shot 5 people and killed 4 of them.

It happened Thursday night on Clairidge Lane in Lawrenceville which is off Sugarloaf Parkway near the Gwinnett fairgrounds. Police say when they arrived at the home they found 3 people already dead. A fourth was taken to the hospital where they died. A 4 year old was also found with a gunshot wound but alive. She's been taken to a hospital.
A neighbor told CBS Atlanta she helped put the child in the ambulance and that the child told her her family is dead. She says the child was injured and hysterical.An all out manhunt is underway for the shooter.Police say the shooter is driving a black Dodge Intrepid with Georgia tag AZH-7311. According to police the car has a New Orleans Saints sticker on the gas cap cover and is flying a New Orleans Saints Flag.

Courtesy: CBS Atlanta

The Peachtree City Council will hold the last of three public hearings on the millage rate on Thursday, Aug. 27, 6:30 p.m. The millage rate and FY 2010 budget will be adopted following the public hearing.

Staff has proposed increasing the millage rate by 0.237 mills to avoid using any cash reserves for the FY 2010 budget. Based on the proposed millage rate for the City and the other agencies in Fayette County, 16.5% of a Peachtree City resident’s property taxes would come to the City of Peachtree City, with 67.2% going to the Fayette County Board of Education,15.5% going to Fayette County, and 0.7% going to the State of Georgia.

UGA to Dedicate Expansion of Health Center

The University of Georgia will dedicate the addition and renovation of its University Health Center Sept. 1 at 3 p.m. at the facility.

The ceremony, which commemorates the $17 million project that added 30,000 square feet of new clinic and office space, will feature speakers: UGA President Michael Adams; Rodney Bennett, vice president for Student Affairs; Jean Chin, director of the center; and Jasmaine Williams, a fourth-year biology major and member of the Student Health Advisory Committee.

“The completion of the expansion project means the ‘one-stop shop’ health care experience for students is now a reality,” said Chin. “With the Vision Clinic addition, we are offering eye care services to round out our medical, dental, counseling, travel, health education and prevention, diagnostic, and pharmacy services. We have a new training kitchen for students to learn about healthy cooking and an optical shop that carries glasses, contacts, and accessories. This building brings all of these services under one roof. There are few reasons for students to leave campus for health care now.”

In addition, the project expanded the Women’s Clinic and the Dental Clinic, relocated the Allergy/Travel Medicine Clinic to the first floor to improve access, and augmented the pharmacy and waiting area. The Vision Clinic, which opened Aug. 10, serves students, faculty, staff and employee dependents by offering comprehensive eye exams and a vast selection of glasses and contact lenses. The second floor of the center is now dedicated solely to Counseling and Psychiatric Services in order to meet the rising demand for mental health services. The project added more clinician offices, group therapy rooms and testing spaces. The renovation, which was completed in two phases, began in April 2008. The University Health Center is a department within UGA’s Division of Student Affairs.

For more information on the University Health Center, see http://www.uhs.uga.edu/.

Emory Names Grad School After James Laney

The Emory University Board of Trustees has approved naming the Graduate School in honor of President Emeritus James T. Laney, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, who led the university from 1977 until 1994, a time when it emerged as a national research university.

"The naming of the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies honors the vision and leadership of Jim Laney, whose ambitious plan for Emory revolved around graduate education," said Emory President James Wagner. "He understood clearly that the core of great research universities lies in the training of new generations of intellectual leaders for the academy and for the public good."

"Emory's decision to name the Graduate School for me is the greatest honor of my life," said Laney. "From the very first, Emory has been in my heart, and I am deeply touched and humbled to always be associated with the university in such a special way."

Lisa A. Tedesco, dean of the newly designated Laney Graduate School, said that "naming the graduate school is a fitting way to acknowledge President Laney because it recognizes his vision for the central role of doctoral education in establishing and sustaining a great research university at the forefront of discovery in the sciences and humanities."

UGA to Host Social Media Talk Sept. 19

Public relations professionals and academics alike are continuing to talk about how social media are changing what they do. Leading that conversation, the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication will host its third annual Connect conference on public relations and social media on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Miller Learning Center on campus.

The conference, sponsored by Porter Novelli and the Grady College, is designed to bring together public relations professionals and educators to explore how social media is being used in public relations.

“We’ll be talking about whether social media should be integrated with traditional PR and marketing programs. And, if it should, how that might be done,” said Karen Miller Russell, Grady College associate professor of public relations and conference organizer.

Paula Berg, manager of emerging media for Southwest Airlines, will provide the keynote speech on Saturday evening. According to Russell, Southwest is the nation’s leading low-fare air carrier and has been one of the most successful U.S. businesses of the past 30 years.

Panel discussions on Saturday will match professionals and academics discussing important issues and practices within non-profits, business and industry, and government public relations. Speakers include Jeremy Pepper, Dan Greenfield, principal of Bernaise Source Media; Richard Waters, North Carolina State University; and Toby Bloomberg, Bloomberg Marketing/Diva Marketing.

Adding a global perspective will be two speakers joining the discussion via the Web—Melanie James of Newcastle University in Australia and Tom Watson of the United Kingdom’s Bournemouth University.

Saturday’s luncheon will feature Lauren Fernandez, marketing coordinator at American Mensa and popular public relations blogger. Fernandez recently tackled a controversial subject when she questioned whether PR agencies should be executing social media plans for their clients.

Past conferences received rave reviews from participants. “Connect really changed my approach to public relations,” said Melissa Libby of Atlanta’s Melissa Libby and Associates. “I learned it all at the conference. Facebook, YouTube, Yelp and Flickr are now all in a day’s work at our company.” Public relations measurement professional Katie Paine called Connect “a very fun and fascinating discussion of social media.”

“Social media isn’t new anymore,” said Russell. “It’s time for organizations of all types to figure out how to make it part of their overall communication programs.”

Conference registration is $150 with a deadline of Friday, Sept. 11. Space is limited. For more information and to register, see www.grady.uga.edu/connect.

Gwinnett Co. Checking Businesses on Immigration Status

More than 26,000 Gwinnett-based businesses soon will get a letter from the County’s license and revenue office asking for compliance with a new state immigration law.

The County is required to check the immigration status of all applicants for a business/occupation tax certificate, commonly called a business license.

Board Chairman Charles Bannister said the law requires all applicants to be a U.S. citizen, legal permanent resident, qualified alien or a nonimmigrant as defined in the Federal Immigration and Nationality Act. Bannister explained, “We are making sure that Gwinnett County is in compliance with the law.”

All businesses, corporations, LLCs and partnerships registered in Gwinnett will receive the letter over the next few weeks. Applicants are required to return a signed, notarized affidavit before they can renew online or receive a 2010 business/occupation tax certificate. Those who are not U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents must also submit a copy of certain paperwork to establish their status, which the County will verify through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program operated by the federal Department of Homeland Security.

Since 2007, Gwinnett has been verifying the immigration status of applicants for jobs at the County and its primary contractors and subcontractors. The verification program also applies to other public benefits such as housing assistance, certain work permits and adult education.

Athens-Clarke County Police Battle ID Theft, Hold Sept. 2 Event

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department said it has received reports that individuals are being called on their cell phones by people posing as bank representatives.

The victims are being told their debit cards have been compromised. The caller then requests personal information from the card holder. This is an attempt to gain identity information to be used to commit identity fraud.

If you receive such a call and have doubts about the caller, contact your local bank to confirm the activity on your account before giving out any identifying information.

Do not call the number that the caller attempts to give you for that number will ring back to the suspects. Find your bank’s customer service number independent of the caller. Your bank's customer service number should be located on the back of your bank card, on your monthly billing statement, the bank’s web site, or the paperwork received when you opened your account.

Upcoming community meetings to discuss crime problems:

• Wed., Sept. 2
  6:30 p.m.
  Central Baptist Church
  720 Danielsville Rd.

Residents will be able to:

• Discuss crime problems in your community.
• Relay ideas on how to have a better community.
• Learn facts about neighborhood crime.
• Have up-to-date information on Crime Prevention and Crime Prevention tools.
• Address issues on physical condition of the neighborhood.

For information, contact Lt. Terrie Patterson at (706) 613-3358, ext 223, or Nick Aguilar, ext 237.

UGA Gains a Top Ranking in Magazine Report

The University of Georgia is ranked 21st among public universities and tied for 58th overall according to the U.S. News & World Report's 2010 edition of America’s Best Colleges.

UGA also was listed among 25 national universities for 2008 graduates with the least debt.

The undergraduate program at the Terry College of Business is ranked 25th overall—up from 30th last year—and 18th among public business schools. This year’s ranking marks the 11th consecutive year Terry has been ranked in the top 30. Terry’s risk management and insurance program maintained its second place ranking nationally, as did the real estate program, which is ranked third in the country.

“We see continual improvement in the quality of students and faculty in the Terry College of Business, and it is satisfying to have our undergraduate program consistently recognized as one of the very best in the country,” said Dean Robert Sumichrast. “We’re undertaking some curriculum changes this year that will challenge our students in the classroom and make their campus experience even better while they’re students in the Terry College.”

The 2010 rankings are available on-line at www.usnews.com and highlights of the college rankings will be published in the Sept.1 issue of U.S News & World Report, available for newsstand purchase Monday, Aug. 24. The U.S. News & World Report's 2010 edition of America’s Best Colleges guidebook will be available as of Tuesday, Aug. 25.

U.S. News considers several factors in producing the annual ranking. Among those are graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving and peer assessment.

Golf Event Tees-Off Aug. 31

The SafePath Children's Advocacy Center and Cobb Department of Public Safety's 12th annual charity golf classic, "Teeing Off for Kids," will take place Monday, Aug. 31, at the Indian Hills Country Club. Registration is at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start at 10 a.m.

The event is a four-person Ft. Lauderdale scramble golf tournament. The fees are $175 for individual players and $700 for a foursome. Sponsorships start at $300. All proceeds of the tournament benefit the SafePath Children's Advocacy Center, which provides assistance to child abuse victims and their non-offending caregivers. The club is located at 4001 Clubland Drive, Marietta.

Registration is available online at: teeingoffforkids.com.

UGA Math Dept. to Open New Study Area

The department of mathematics at the University of Georgia will formally open a new Undergraduate Study Area in room 308 of the Boyd Graduate Studies Building on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 3 p.m. The public is invited to the event.

“The department has provided the study area Undergraduate Study Area in order to meet our students’ need for a space to study and collaborate in groups while remaining close to their instructors and classrooms,” said Jason Cantarella, an associate professor of mathematics and co-director of the Vertical Integration of Research and Education program, which is funded by a five-year $3.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

The new facility will encourage casual mathematical interaction between students and faculty before and after their classes, Cantarella said. The USA will house personal lockers so students can store books and space where they can work together. It will also host math club meetings and drop-in tutoring hours for all mathematics students.

“The USA is a modern and comfortable space equipped with seating for 25 students to work alone or in small groups, with laptop power outlets, WiFi, a conference room, a reference library of mathematics texts and a coffeemaker,” said Cantarella.

The Undergraduate Study Area was completed with support from the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Office of the Vice President for Instruction, personal contributions from members of the mathematics department, including Jim and Nancy Cantrell, and the National Science Foundation, through the mathematics department’s VIGRE grant. The room was designed by Leslie DiSimone of the UGA Physical Plant. The department of mathematics is part of UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

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.