Sen. Albers introduces bill to provide health insurance for children with Autism.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jennifer Yarber, Interim Director Shawna Mercer, Sr. Communications Specialist Shawna.mercer@senate.ga.gov 404.656.0028

ATLANTA (February 26, 2013) – Sen. John Albers (R –Roswell) introduced SB 191, also known as “Ava’s Law,” during Georgia Disabilities Day at the State Capitol on Thursday, February 21, 2013. If passed, this legislation would require health insurers to provide coverage for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“The passage of this bill is the right thing to do,” said Sen. Albers. “Unlike many of our neighboring states, Georgia does not have any laws on the books that require health insurers to provide coverage for children with Autism.” As this population continues to grow, it is important we act now to provide funding for the early intervention and long-term care of children living with this disease.”

According to the Autism Society of America, Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability and affects nearly 1.5 million Americans. In fact, 1 out of every 88 children is born with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Over the next 10 years, the treatment of Autism is expected to cost anywhere between $200 to $400 million dollars. However, research indicates that the cost of lifelong care can be reduced by two-thirds with early diagnosis and intervention.

In a study conducted on early behavioral intervention for children with Autism, the lifetime cost of treatment is estimated to be $3.2 million per child. With appropriate treatment and clinical intervention, the state is projected to save more than $1 million per child.

Currently, at least 32 states specifically require insurers to provide coverage for the treatment of Autism, making Georgia one of the only 18 states left to adopt measures that support insurance coverage for autism.

If SB 191 is signed into law, $50,000 per year will be required to cover behavioral treatment, which is currently denied by most health care providers. This amount will be adjusted annually for inflation by the Insurance Commissioner.

SB 191 has been assigned to the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee and is awaiting further review.

# # # #

Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the State Institutions and Property Committee. He represents the 56th Senate District which includes portions of North Fulton and Cherokee counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at john.albers@senate.ga.gov.

Sen. John Albers Introduces Resolution to Re-create Milton County.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jennifer Yarber, Interim Director Shawna Mercer, Sr. Communications Specialist Shawna.mercer@senate.ga.gov 404.656.0028

ATLANTA (February 20, 2013) – Sen. John Albers (R- Roswell) introduced Senate Resolution 273 on Wednesday, February 20, 2013. If passed, this resolution would propose an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Georgia to allow for the re-creation of Milton County.

“I am working diligently with my counterparts to re-create Milton County,” said Sen. Albers. “Many years ago, Fulton County was three separate counties that merged during the great depression. Much has changed since the 1930’s and the time is right for Milton County to rise again and provide responsible and accountable county government.”

Since the Georgia Constitution caps the number of counties at 159, an amendment is required to merge, consolidate or divide local governments. If approved by a supermajority of the General Assembly and the voters, Senate Resolution 273 would simply allow any former counties such as Milton to be exempt from the cap.

“The enormity of Fulton County government, which is larger than six U.S. states, has resulted in ineffective and inefficient service delivery,” said Sen. Albers. “The creation of a smaller government will be more accountable to the residents and the remaining areas. North Fulton and South Fulton schools are also geographically split by a fragile Atlanta school system. Our students deserve better.”

Sen. Albers’ proposed constitutional amendment would allow counties to determine by local referendum what type of government they wish to establish and how it should be funded.

Senate Resolution 273 is currently waiting to be assigned to a Committee.

####

Sen. John Albers represents the 56th Senate District, which includes portions of North Fulton and Cherokee Counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at john.albers@senate.ga.gov.

Opinion: Scandal shines spotlight on murky horse trade

AM NOTE: With abuse and harassment of horses going unchecked in Milton Georgia, the following article shows an even more severe lack of compassion and love for this wonderful animal. Support Liberty's Law and help protect horses today!

By Roly Owers, Special to CNN

Editor's note: Roly Owers is chief executive of World Horse Welfare and a qualified veterinarian with a lifetime of involvement with horses. He is active in working with governments, sport regulators, veterinary bodies and non-profit organizations to improve horse welfare worldwide.

(CNN) -- A welcome spotlight is now being shone on the murky trade in European horsemeat, but the public are still being left in the dark about the brutal treatment and needless suffering of the horses destined for their plates.

Every year around 65,000 horses are crammed into trucks and transported across Europe to the slaughterhouse for what can be days on end in hellish conditions.

Q&A: What's behind the horsemeat contamination scandal?

Roly OwersStressed, injured, exhausted, dehydrated and suffering from disease, these horses are desperate for food, water and rest.

No type of horse is spared: including infirm working horses, foals (foal steak commands a premium among those who eat horse meat) and those bred and fattened to obesity to command the highest prices at slaughter.

Few, if any of them, are fit enough to travel on such long journeys -- a feat which would challenge even the most athletic sport horses. Many thousands of America's horses are also transported vast distances on journeys to slaughter in Mexico and Canada, so this is not simply a European problem.

World Horse Welfare undertakes regular field investigations as part of its campaign to stop these long-distance journeys, and for years we have documented the appalling suffering of these horses. In recent shipments we inspected, 89% of the horses had an injury and 93% showed clinical signs of disease.

Their misery was clear - all were showing signs of exhaustion and depression and many had suffered painful wounds from poorly designed compartments and terrible friction injuries due to inadequate space on the vehicle. No animal should have to suffer this.

The European Commission's own advisors, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have clearly stated that "journey duration should not exceed 12 hours for horses."

First UK tests reveal scope of horsemeat contamination

Yet still the European Commission refuses to change the legislation that allows horses to be transported indefinitely, so long as they are given rest every 24 hours (a rule often broken, in part because it is unenforceable in practice).

Horses' immune systems decline after 10 hours of transportation making them more susceptible to disease. This is extremely unpleasant for the horses and it also poses a real risk to the equine industry of Europe, as horses intended for slaughter, often mix with other horses along the major routes.

We regularly present the findings from our investigations to the European Commission, and share information on breaches of transport law with the authorities. We have also presented a number of recommendations in our 'Dossier of Evidence' of welfare problems caused by the trade and our proposed solutions.

At the center of these recommendations is a 9-12 hour journey limit for horses (in keeping with the view of the European Commission's own scientific advisors), which is perfectly feasible given the abundance of slaughterhouses licenced to take horses, and would actually save money and red tape by harmonising with other laws. Yet the European Commission still refuses to act.

So what we can do to help these horses? First, we can make people aware of this appalling trade and encourage more Europeans to speak out against it. We can also write to our own governments in Europe to call for change.

And we can continue to press the European Commission for the short, maximum journey limit that is recommended by the Commission's own scientific experts. This is not about stopping people eating horsemeat -- that is a personal choice -- it is about fulfilling our basic responsibility to care for horses during their lifetime. >[? Together the louder we can shout to be the horses' voice, the more chance we'll have to put an end to this needless suffering. And that's exactly what it is -- utterly needless, reckless and brutal.

Gold Dome Update: February 11– 15, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jennifer Yarber, Interim Director Shawna Mercer, Sr. Communications Specialist Shawna.mercer@senate.ga.gov 404.656.0028

By: Sen. John Albers (R- Roswell)

The Georgia General Assembly is quickly approaching the halfway point of the 2013 Legislative Session. Each legislative session in Georgia is 40 days long, and Thursday, February 14 marked Day 18. It is also important to note that we’re only 12 days away from Crossover Day, which is the last day Senate bills are able to transfer to the House of Representatives, and vice versa.

The Senate’s committee calendar is quickly filling up for the weeks ahead, and we’re looking forward to considering many bills and resolutions that have been introduced. Although these committee meetings will cover a wide range of issues, the Georgia Senate will continue to focus its efforts on policy that keeps Georgia on the path to economic recovery.

One of my bills, SB 73, was presented this week in the Roads and Bridges Subcommittee of the Senate Transportation Committee. SB73 aims to remove the TSPLOST “penalty provision,” which requires local governments who rejected the TSPLOST to pay more for transportation grants.

This week, several Senate bills hit the floor for a vote. These bills will now transfer to the House of Representatives:

HB 55 allows investigators to conduct wiretapping state-wide regardless of the county in which a warrant was issued. Investigators who do not have the resources to build listening stations within their jurisdiction will now be able to legally conduct wiretapping at any listening station in Georgia, providing they have a warrant.

SB 65 authorizes licensed professional counselors to perform emergency evaluations of individuals who are mentally ill or alcohol or drug dependent and to issue a certificate stating that such a person requires involuntary treatment.

SB 66 amends Title 15 of the state code to increase the penalties imposed for contempt of superior and state courts.

SB 91 repeals the “Emerging Crops Fund Act” since similar funds are already available for farmers.

SB 87 repeals the Roadside Markets Incentive Program. The program was established in 1967. The Department of Agriculture has requested this change due to the program no longer being funded.

Besides passing legislation, we had the distinguished privilege of welcoming newly-elected Senator Dean Burke of the 11th Senate District on Monday. I look forward to serving alongside Sen. Burke as we work to make Georgia the best place for business and an even better place to live.

The Georgia Senate was also honored to host several groups this week, including the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, the University of Georgia, the Georgia Young Farmers Association, the Lupus Foundation of America, and the Girl Scouts, among many others.

Please feel free to contact my office at any time with your questions and concerns, or feel free to visit my social media pages:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/john.albers

Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnalbers # # # #

Sen. John Albers represents the 56th Senate District, which includes portions of North Fulton and Cherokee Counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at john.albers@senate.ga.gov.

God Made A Farmer.

February already?

Courtesy Mayor Joe Lockwood

Here we are, February 2013. It’s hard to believe we’re already into the second month of the new year, isn’t it? Time moves so fast when we’ve got such great things going on in our community.

First, let me give a heartfelt “thank you” to everyone who came out and donated items to the victims of the deadly tornado in Adairsville. I love that we can partner up with our sister city, Alpharetta, and allow our residents to make a significant difference in the lives in our neighbors up north.

And the boys of Cub Scout Troop 1429 learned an important lesson, as well – when tragedy strikes, all you’ve got to do is get to work and help out. Because assuredly we’ll be knocked down by forces out of our control, but what matters is that we keep getting back up and helping others to get back up, too.

Looking at what we’ve got coming up this month, I’m emboldened all our work to build an inclusive, business-friendly, environmentally conscious community is working. All over this city people are getting together, with and without our help, to create the kind of lives they can be proud of.

Maybe they brought bits of their old home towns with them, maybe they grew up here and want to keep things the way they remember – whatever it is, we’re seeing a level of community involvement and input that just isn’t found in other towns.

This month alone we’re holding or a part of three public meetings and events all over town – and this is the shortest month of the year. We’ve got our City Manager, Chris Lagerbloom, talking to residents at the Crabapple Community Association get together, a Ga. 9 planning meeting, of course, my favorite – the Mayor’s Run.

And it’s not going to slow down as we move into spring, with school meetings, bulky trash days, Earth Day and much more.

I’m just glad to be here and have the opportunity to take part in the many fun activities our community promotes – to me, all that activity is proof Milton is doing great. So next time you see me out, let me know what you think. I’d like to hear how you feel Milton’s doing, as well.

Sincerely, Mayor Joe Lockwood

Crabapple Community Association meeting Feb. 7

The Crabapple Community Association, non-profit a resident and business group focused on improving, protecting and enhancing the overall quality of life in Crabapple, will hold its next social Thursday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m.

The meeting will take place at SIP Wine Shop, 12635 Crabapple Road (click here for directions). There will be a wine tasting for $5 for members and $10 for non-members.

City Manager Chris Lagerbloom will speak about the City of Milton and its ongoing projects. For more information, visit the group's Web site at www.crabapplecommunityassociation.org.

Help plan the look of Ga. 9 North Feb. 13.

Interested in how Ga. 9 North will grow and develop over the next decade? Then make sure you're a part of the visioning study of the popular business and residential corridor Wednesday, Feb. 13 at Crooked Creek's clubhouse.

This open public meeting, hosted by the City of Milton Community Development Department, kicks off at 6 p.m. at 14250 Creek Club Drive in Milton (click here for directions).

It will be an interactive exercise during which residents will discuss their vision for Ga. 9 from Bethany Bend to the Forsyth County line.

There will be a follow up meeting and opportunity for feedback Wednesday, March 27 to present what planners create. It will also be held at the Crooked Creek clubhouse.

For more information on this process, call or e-mail Milton Principal Planner Michele McIntosh-Ross at 678-242-2538 or michele.mcintosh@cityofmiltonga.us.

HBC Relay for Life event Feb. 16

Hopewell Baptist Church will hold its third annual Relay for Life Feb. 16 to raise funds in the fight against cancer.

The event features a sit-down dinner of fried chicken and all the fixings, singing groups True Vine and The Servers, a cake and silent auction and an "old fashioned candy shoppe."

Hopewell Baptist Church is located at 15730 Hopewell Road in Milton (click here for directions). The dinner begins at 5 and singing begins at 7.

The dinner begins at 5 and singing begins at 7.

For more information, contact Stephanie Gaddis at Stephie4@windstream.net or 678-654-1306 or Kelly Lorenzen at BKLorenzen@msn.com.

Mayor's Run Feb. 23

Join us at the 2013 Milton Mayor's Run, held at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 23 at the Kohl's on Ga. 9.

To download the participant application, click here.

For the sponsorship application and packet, click here.

To sign up online through Active.com, click here.

For the third year, the Milton Mayor's Run will begin and end at the Kohl's in the Deerfield Place shopping center at the corner of Ga. 9 and Deerfield Parkway (click here for directions). It includes a 5K race, 1K fun run and tot trot. The race will be a Peachtree qualifier.

Cost for participation is $25 if received before Feb. 18 and $30 after. That fee includes a quality, moisture-wicking T-shirt with the logo displayed below and plenty of food and fluids after the race.

Sponsorship levels include packages from $250 to $5,000 for title sponsors. Deadline for sponsorship is Feb. 4 to ensure inclusion in all advertising.

All funds raised by this event will directly benefit The City of Milton Parks and Recreation Department and its efforts to provide citizens with access to greenspaces, parks, trails, facilities, and recreation programs and activities.

For more information, contact Angela Thompson, Milton's special events coordinator, at 678-242-2530 or angela.thompson@cityofmiltonga.us.

Evergreen Schools seminars March 13.

Courtesy City of Milton

The North Fulton Evergreen Schools program will host two grant writing and fundraising seminars Wednesday, March 13 - one at the Alpharetta Arts Center, the other at Centennial High School.

Kim Bailey, Environmental Education in Georgia coordinator, will give a presentation on the grants available to fund environmental education, school gardens and outdoor classrooms, as well as how to effectively write grants.

There will also be brief presentations to explain other fundraising opportunities for your school or environmental program. Both sessions will have refreshments provided by Harry's Farmers Market.

An RSVP is appreciated to ensure enough enough food and space. This meeting is open to all teachers and PTA volunteers.

Alpharetta Arts Center seminar: 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. 12624 Broadwell Road in Alpharetta (click here for directions)

Centennial High School seminar: 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. 9310 Scott Road in Roswell (click here for directions)

Please RSVP to Cindy Eade, sustainability coordinator, at 678-242-2509 or cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

Bulky Trash Day March 16

The City of Milton Public Works Department and Milton Grows Green are offering residents a bulky trash amnesty day Saturday, March 16, so gather your large items for disposal.

From 8 a.m. to noon, residents of Milton can bring items to the City of Roswell Public Works Division at 1810 Hembree Road in Roswell (click here for directions).

Only City of Milton and Roswell residents will be served. Proof of residency will be required, and utility bills are preferred.

For more information, contact Cindy Eade, sustainability coordinator, at 678-242-2509 or cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us

Sponsor the Earth Day Festival April 20.

The fourth annual Milton Earth Day festival will have a new location this year, right in the heart of Crabapple at the new Friendship Community Park!

This fun-filled and educational family event will showcase environmental vendors and businesses along with fun crafts, rides, entertainment and food guaranteed to delight the projected 1,500 visitors.

To have your business connect with this upscale and environmentally friendly community, please consider joining us as a sponsor and/or vendor.

To download the sponsorship/vendor form, click here.

For more information, contact Cindy Eade, sustainability coordinator, at cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

Spring registration ending soon.

Local teens produce road safety videos.

The third annual Road to Safety awards ceremony, held for a contest in which teens from area high schools produce videos extolling the virtues of safe driving, was held at Johns Creek High School Jan. 31.

Courtesy City of Milton

Milton's own Lt. John Borsey served as a judge in the contest.

Pictured are the winners, from left: "Road to Safety" - Centennial High School, 3rd place winner, $400 scholarship -- Nico Alcantara, Paul Elliot (not pictured) and Ryan Mitchell (not pictured); "A Fatal Mistake" - Johns Creek High School, second place winner, $600 scholarship -- Bryan Washington, Jesse McConnico, Sebastian Wetzel, Mark Jackson; Lisa Cauley, Road To Safety director/founder; Jamie Chuven, video production and broadcast instructor, Johns Creek High School; " The Wilted Rose" - Johns Creek High School, Grand Prize Winner, $1000 Scholarship -- Samantha VanSickle, Cara Tripodis, Chase Cappai; and Johns Creek High School principal Buck Greene.

To view the winning videos, visit http://www.road2safety.com/.

The Road to Safety Program is a subsidiary of Protect Milton, Inc., 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

MGG assists community by recycling books.

Courtesy City of Milton

In 2011 Milton Grows Green began a partnership with Better World Books by distributing book recycling boxes at area schools.

To date, there have been:

6,449 books recycled or reused 110 trees saved by recycling paper in books 58,000 gallons of water saved by using recycled paper vs. virgin paper 11 cubic yards of landfill space saved by reusing and recycling books Less greenhouse gas emissions and less electricity required by recycling and reusing instead of throwing out books How can you help? It's easy -- just take your used, or unneeded, books to the Green Better World Book bin at Crabapple Crossing Elementary.

Business license renewals update.

Due to state law concerning the Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act passed by the Georgia General Assembly last year, 2013 business license renewal forms cannot be mailed back to the City of Milton.

Instead, if you renew your business license for 2013, you must e-mail the forms to bl@cityofmiltonga.us or hand-deliver them to City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway Suite 107 Suite F (click here for directions, click here for a map of City Hall).

Additionally, all applicants must submit Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) affidavits along with identification such as a driver's license, passport or legal immigration document. Businesses will receive the E-verify affidavit, SAVE affidavit and credit card authorizations forms in the mail along with instructions on how to file these documents.

These documents are being mailed in early December, said Kathleen Field, Community Development Director for the City of Milton. However, if you are a business owner you may begin the process immediately by downloading the forms below.

New Business License

Business License Renewal

Private Employer Affadavit - (E-verify for business over 11 employees)

Private Employer Exemption Affadavit - (E-Verify for businesses with 11 employees or fewer)

Affidavit of Presence in the United States - (SAVE)

Credit Card Authorization Form

All forms and payments are due by March 31, 2013.

For more information, contact Jamila Jones, permit technician, at jamila.jones@cityofmiltonga.us or 678-242-2521.

Capt. Ryan James named Firefighter of the Year.

Capt. Ryan James was named the City of Milton Fire-Rescue Department's 2012 "Firefighter of the Year" at the agency's awards banquet Jan. 26.

Courtesy Milton Fire Department

The 16-year fire service veteran and married father of two was chosen for the honor because of his eternally positive attitude, outstanding leadership and tireless work ethic, said Chief Robert Edgar.

"I was shocked, completely blown away - I'm still in awe of it," said James. "Truly I had no clue; In fact, I was telling one of my guys he was a shoo-in when they announced my name."

James joined the City of Milton for its initial deployment in May 2007 after two years at the Dawson County Fire/Rescue Division - where he was also named employee of the year - and eight years at Rural/Metro Ambulance as a paramedic.

Edgar said in choosing a firefighter of the year, sometimes it's easy because luck and training dictate who's there when a life is saved. It's years like this when things can get tough, because barring one unusual event, you have to choose one man out of a department of standouts.

"This year that man was Capt. James," said Edgar. "Every shift, he was there, lifting his team up and encouraging them through his example. It's tough to quantify why he was the best, but if you're in this department, if you've met him on a call, you know. Everyone knows."

James said the only reason he was able to be considered for the honor was the outstanding men he works with every day and the culture they're allowed to build in the fire service.

"I work with good, positive people who push me every day," he said. "Seriously, anybody could have gotten this award, and they all make up this team."

Going forward, James said he's aiming for his company to be named "Fire Company of the Year" at the 2014 awards. And he's got a plan, courtesy of his 7-year-old daughter Lacey.

"On the Sunday after I won, she presented me with a poster she made," he said. "It says, 'Don't stop doing your job.' And that's what my company lives by now. No matter what, don't stop doing your job. Everything else will fall into place."

Cambridge Junior Bears clinch region.

Courtesy City of Milton

The sixth grade Cambridge Junior Bears Basketball team beat the Alpharetta Junior Raiders in January to clinch a region title.

The Junior Bears finished the regular season with an 8-1 region record and went 18-5 overall.

Team members are: David Banks - Hopewell Middle School Bryce Boutelle - Northwestern Middle School Jack Filan - Kings Ridge Christian School Donaven Hairston - Hopewell Middle School Sam Hines - Summit Hill Elementary School David Kramer - Hopewell Middle School Spencer Myers - Hopewell Middle School Kamar Robertson - Hopewell Middle School Turner Rosenbaum - Hopewell Middle School Reese Rossi - Hopewell Middle School Byron Kershaw - Head 6th Grade Coach Paul Brown - Assistant 6th Grade Coach

Monthly new business report.

From left, Mayor Joe Lockwood, Councilwoman Karen Thurman and Economic Development Manager William O'Connor welcome representatives from Farmer's Insurance Group at their grand opening for the company's new location on Morris Road Jan. 25.

This list is compiled from business license records kept by the city's Community Development Department. If a new business receives a license within the month proceeding the newsletter, it will be listed.

The appearance of a business on this page is not intended, nor should it be construed, as the City of Milton's or Milton City Council's endorsement, sanction, promotion or advertisement of any particular business. Identification of businesses on this list is for informational purposes only. Citizens interested in retaining or conducting business with any of the companies or agencies listed in this item should conduct their own review and investigation of that business.

Glitzy Shooter: 120 Wood Pine Court 39 Consulting, LLC: 3395 Wolf Willow Close Fortune Technologies, LLC: 3317 Twinrose Place Tribble Law Firm, LLC: 13300 Morris Road, Unit 64 DeCorte Industries, Inc.: 812 Sandringham Drive Talk Trash, LLC: 13085 Morris Road Unit 14110 Pro Airon Service Construction, LLC: 13300 Morris Road Suite 168 Shearly Robin Salon: 12872 Highway 9 Salon Suites Sell-It-Fast-Sell-It-High Homestaging, LLC: 3116 Heybridge Lane 2 By 2 Mobile Veterinary Care: 14721 Wood Road PartsHero, LLC: 15405 Thompson Way Atlanta Concrete Staining: 310 Canonero Court Soga Media House, LLC: 2147 McFarlin Lane

For a continually updated list of current businesses in Milton via the city's Web site, click here.

Two Marietta men die in crash with brick sign.

AM NOTE: The sooner Milton Georgia addresses the speeding in the open road neighborhoods, the sooner all Milton families will be that much safer.

Two Marietta teens died in a single-car crash early Sunday after one of them, driving at a high speed, lost control and struck a brick sign along Sandy Plains Road, police said.

By Johnny Edwards The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Two Marietta men died in a single-car crash early Sunday after one of them, driving at a high speed, lost control and struck a brick sign along Sandy Plains Road, police said.

The 2001 Volvo S60 caught fire, killing the driver, Stephen Nolasco, 19, and his passenger, Matthew Bennett, 18, according to Cobb County police.

Investigators want to know what the two were doing beforehand and are asking anyone with information to call 770-499-3987.

The wreck happened around 3:20 a.m., at the intersection of Sandy Plains and Kinjac Drive. Nolasco was driving north and crossed into southbound lanes before striking the sign.

Friends of the two men told Channel 2 Action News they can’t stop thinking about their final moments.

“It’s just really hard to think about two really close people to me that caught on fire. I just can’t look at that tree and think, those were two close people to me. There’s debris everywhere and bricks,” said Taylor Hill, holding back tears.

Hill said she had dated Nolasco and is a close friend to Bennett. She said Nolasco and Bennett did everything together. She said the men were popular athletes who graduated from Sprayberry High School last year, and were attending Georgia Perimeter College.

Both are being remembered for their positive spirit.

“Stephen would actually walk around school when he was a senior. He would wear signs that said ‘Free Hugs’ and ‘Free Compliments’ and he would change between days because he would just really love to make people smile,’ Hill said. “Matt just always lived life to the fullest. They both were just so caring.”

Liberty's Law Continues To Gain Support!

By Accessmilton.com

Liberty's Law, a proposal which includes both enforcing and enhancing animal protection laws via education, continues to gain support across the net.

Media outlets as well as advocates have continued to promote this issue as well as the story of abuse and harassment that Liberty has endured.

To date, however, no current or past Milton Georgia Council Members or Milton Georgia Officials have come out in support of Liberty's Law.

While this proposal is important anywhere, it is even more important in a city that claims to be all about the horse. Time will tell if action supports the image.