Hands Unwashed, Dust Built Up At Alpharetta Restaurant.

An Alpharetta restaurant scored a C after a recent inspection showed an employee not washing their hands after using the restroom.

courtesy By Kathleen Sturgeon, Patch Staff | Apr 10, 2019 2:21 pm ET

ALPHARETTA/MILTON, GA -- Several local restaurants were recently graded on their cleanliness by the Fulton County Environmental Health Department. Scroll down to find scores from Alpharetta and Milton.

April 8, 2019 Score: 91, Grade: A

Barleygarden Kitchen

900 AVALON BLVD ALPHARETTA, GA 30009

April 8, 2019 Score: 91, Grade: A

Chin Chin Silos

270 RUCKER RD STE 115 ALPHARETTA, GA 30004

April 5, 2019 Score: 90, Grade: A

Cookout

11475 HAYNES BRIDGE RD ALPHARETTA, GA 30009

April 8, 2019 Score: 90, Grade: A

Country Club of the South

4100 OLD ALABAMA RD ALPHARETTA, GA 30022

April 10, 2019 Score: 100, Grade: A

Duke's Bar & Grill

12635 CRABAPPLE RD MILTON, GA 30004

April 4, 2019 Score: 93, Grade: A

El Azteca

13800 HIGHWAY 9 N STE W ALPHARETTA, GA 30004

April 4, 2019 Score: 94, Grade: A

Jimmy John's

875 NORTH MAIN ST STE 304 ALPHARETTA, GA 30004

April 9, 2019 Score: 97, Grade: A

Marriott Courtyard

11700 AMBER PARK DR ALPHARETTA, GA 30009

April 9, 2019 Score: 95, Grade: A

Nothing Bundt Cakes

5230 WINDWARD PARKWAY STE 102 ALPHARETTA, GA 30004

April 5, 2019 Score: 100, Grade: A

Oshi Poke Bowl & Sushi

875 N MAIN ST ALPHARETTA, GA 30004

April 5, 2019 Score: 95, Grade: A

Outback Steakhouse

6400 NORTH POINT PKWY ALPHARETTA, GA 30022

April 9, 2019 Score: 97, Grade: A

Pizza Hut

241 SOUTH MAIN ST ALPHARETTA, GA 30004

April 9, 2019 Score: 90, Grade: A

Poke Bar

6410 NORTH POINT PKWY ALPHARETTA, GA 30022

April 9, 2019 Score: 100, Grade: A

River Pines Golf Club

4775 OLD ALABAMA RD ALPHARETTA, GA 30022

April 10, 2019 Score: 100, Grade: A

Rumi's Kitchen

7105 AVALON BLVD ALPHARETTA, GA 30009

April 8, 2019 Score: 91, Grade: A

Stone's Cuisine & Cocktails

3719 OLD ALABAMA RD STE 200A ALPHARETTA, GA 30022

April 10, 2019 Score: 94, Grade: A

Sushi Mania

3719 OLD ALABAMA RD STE 300F ALPHARETTA, GA 30022

April 10, 2019 Score: 91, Grade: A

Taco Mac

875 NORTH MAIN ST STE 306 ALPHARETTA, GA 30004

April 5, 2019 Score: 95, Grade: A

Tapestry House

2725 HOLCOMB BRIDGE RD ALPHARETTA, GA 30022

April 10, 2019 Score: 99, Grade: A

The Nest Cafe

58 CANTON ST STE 101 ALPHARETTA, GA 30009

April 10, 2019 Score: 74, Grade: C

The Real Chow Baby

58 CANTON ST STE 104 ALPHARETTA, GA 30009

April 10, 2019 Score: 93, Grade: A

Wendy's

13794 HIGHWAY 9 ALPHARETTA, GA 30004

April 4, 2019 Score: 94, Grade: A

Rock for Rescues set to return to Milton

courtesy By JOE PARKER joe@appenmediagroup.com

MILTON, Ga. — After a successful inaugural launch last year, the city is excitedly anticipating the return of Rock for Rescues later this month. The unique concert and community event benefits local animal nonprofit groups. Rock for Rescues takes place from 1-10 p.m., April 27 on Crabapple Road in downtown Crabapple.

Around 4,000 attendees came out for festivities last year, and this year’s event will feature an expanded musical lineup. Also new for this year is the addition of a “backstage” VIP experience and reserved tables for eight that can be purchased in advance.

VIP tent access includes covered lounge seating, a private bar, catered food, a “swag bag,” drink tickets and the opportunity to interact with the musicians.

Bands will perform throughout the day, including some crowd favorites from last year, such as A Slow Boat to China and Pony League. Also performing is Sister Moon, Alex Guthrie, Last Chance Riders and the Rock U Kids from North Fulton organization Music Matters.

North Georgia group Walden will headline the event with its performance at 8:30 p.m. The group helped kick off the festival countdown with their “puppy sessions” filmed at the new Furkids property in Cumming (video: bit.ly/2Ux6tHa).

“Connecting local talent with community needs has really been a highlight of this project,” said Milton Community Outreach and Engagement Manager Courtney Spriggs. “All of the artists involved in Rock for Rescues support its mission wholeheartedly, and it shows.”

While the bands rock the stage, attendees can enjoy food, drinks, shopping and other happenings.

“This year we added a huge variety of food, kids’ activities, and more pet-themed retail vendors,” Spriggs said. “Crabapple Market shops will also open with an awesome array of goods to choose from.”

At the heart of the good time is the benefit the festival provides to local animal groups. Five nonprofits have been selected and all proceeds will benefit their initiatives.

Beneficiaries include AWARE Wildlife Center which rehabilitates Georgia’s injured and orphaned wildlife and the Georgia House Rabbit Society.

Three more groups will also receive proceeds from the event for the second straight year. The groups include Canine Cellmates, which works with the Fulton County Jail in a program to reduce recidivism while providing training to shelter dogs, Atlanta-based animal shelters Furkids, and Special Equestrians of Georgia which provides therapeutic riding and other programs.

Vox Artium, creators Rock for Rescues, said the organizations chosen present a wide array of organizations and are all based locally.

“Vox wanted to make sure that the non-profit lineup was complementary in the community, not competitive,” said organization director Laura Jesseph. “No two organizations serve the same mission.”

Leashed dogs are permitted at the event, and Furkids will also have animals available for adoption. Those interested in bringing home a furry friend can start the approval process at furkids.org.

“First and foremost [in importance] is sharing the message of each rescue and giving them all a platform to connect — not just with Milton, but with each other, the artists, sponsors, new volunteers and direct donors,” Spriggs said. “Creating lasting support in all the ways each rescue needs is very important to everyone involved in Rock for Rescues. The event supporting Milton’s love of animals and animal rescues while providing performance opportunities for local musicians makes it unique. Our partnership with Vox has helped so many animals and people.”

Rock for Rescues is free to attend but donations will be accepted before and after the event. All donations will be divided equally among the benefitting groups.

Handicapped parking is available at the Alpharetta Government Center. All other parking is at Milton High School, Northwestern Middle School, Crabapple Crossing Elementary School and Crabapple Baptist Church. Shuttles will run from Milton High School beginning at 1 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to car pool or use ride-sharing options.

For any additional information, contact Courtney Spriggs at courtney.spriggs@cityofmiltonga.us or visit RockforRescues.org.

Burglar removes computer from unattended vehicle

courtesy www.northfulton.com

MILTON, Ga. — A man returning to his car after dining with his family found his car window’s smashed and multiple items missing.

The victim said he and his family arrived at Nahm Thai on Windward Parkway around 9 p.m. on April 1 and parked in front of the restaurant. When the family returned, the man saw his rear passenger window had been broken.

The man reported to police that a MacBook computer, several checks made out to his company, a personal checkbook and tax documents and computer hard drives were taken from the car.

No other cars were burglarized in the parking lot.

Unknown package delivered after fraudulent charges

courtesy www.northfulton.com

MILTON, Ga. — A Milton man’s identity was used to open a credit card which was used to make a large purchase that was later delivered to his home.

The victim said he received an email on March 26 from Discover that said his credit card was declined for a charge of $1,650 to “Octava Health.” The man contacted Discover and said he did not attempt to purchase anything for that amount or from Octava Health. He was told the company had issued him a new account and credit card.

On March 29, the man said he received a package with “Octava” printed on the side and an unknown name was on the shipping label.

Discover cancelled the man’s account and he was advised by police to freeze his credit.

Man walks out of store without paying for TV

Courtesy www.northfulton.com
MILTON, Ga. — Milton police are searching for a man who stole a TV from the Milton Walmart.

An employee at the store said she saw the suspect select two TVs and begin to walk to the garden section of the store. She said when the suspect saw her, he walked away from the TVs and exited the store.

The suspect later walked back into the store, took a 32-inch TV from the shelf and walk out of the front of the store. The employee said the man also made away with a TV mount.

The suspect was seen leaving in a car registered in Florida, but his description did not match the owner of the car.

Community egg hunt slated for this weekend.

Courtesy By JOE PARKER joe@appenmediagroup.com

MILTON, Ga. — Cambridge High School’s football field will be awash in sea of colorful eggs this Saturday for the Milton Community Egg Hunt. Around 30,000 eggs will be scattered across the turf for the family event which will take place from 2-4 p.m.

Egg hunts will take place for children from infant to the fifth grade, including children with special needs, throughout the day. Along with the hunts, the event includes bounce houses, music, face painting, giveaways and an appearance from the Easter Bunny.

Milton hosted the egg hunt for several years at Friendship Park, but due to the city’s limited staff and a need for more volunteers, the event was discontinued in 2017. It has been revitalized, and over 300 volunteers are expected for this year’s celebration.

“We always had a great turnout in the past and hope for an even bigger crowd turnout this year,” said Milton Community Outreach and Engagement Manager Courtney Spriggs. “We do hope there is the potential for growth, as well as an opportunity to bring events to the Ga. 9 corridor of Milton.”

Spriggs said the event would not be possible without the collaboration between the city and Stonecreek Church and she is grateful for Milton’s involved community.

“We build community by giving Milton citizens lots of opportunities to connect and engage with their neighbors, businesses, and other organizations,” Spriggs said. “Partnering with Stonecreek Church and Cambridge High School was an awesome way to make that happen.”

Stoncreek’s Kid’s Pastor Jordan Ledwell said the church has a heart for Milton and its community and wanted to work with the city to expand the event’s reach.

“We knew that together we could do something spectacular,” Ledwell said.

Cambridge’s field will be subdivided into three separate fields with egg hunts beginning at 2:30 p.m. The event is free and no registration is needed.

What the City of Milton doesn’t want you to know.

Courtesy www.northfulton.com

Recently, I received a survey card from the City of Milton.

Not one question was about the dying equestrian community. A question did cover “rural character”, but in today’s Milton, when a new subdivision constructs a black fence at the entrance, such is considered “rural character.”

Upon incorporation in 2006, all emergency vehicles had horse decals showcased. Today, only the fire trucks have it. Fire and police have a horse patch on their uniforms. Watch — that horse patch will drop off soon. There used to be the “Milton Round Up,” a festival with horse themes prominent. It too has died, with “Crabapple Fest” being the annual celebration.

Milton has blocked the presentation of the proposed horse protection ordinance “Liberty’s Law” (libertyslaw.blogspot.com) countless times even though other municipalities that don’t claim to be “an equestrian community” allowed its presentation. Since then, two horses have died due to fireworks and many others are terrorized due to fireworks and harassment.

The recent five year parks plan has no equestrian facilities included. Milton continues to spend millions on land with their Greenspace Bond money. Many of the few remaining horse farms are for sale and not one has been purchased for remaining equestrians hanging on. Check active horse farm listings, they are all open to a developer’s call. Over 70 percent of Milton is subdivisions now.

Economics sway decisions. For most, our property is our biggest asset. An area’s changing of the guard can have a dramatic effect. Horse farms, pastures, and serenity are the exact opposite of subdivisions, manicured lawns, noise pollution and related traffic. One is not better than the other, just completely different. To believe that both can co-exist is not reality.

Milton could have been the equestrian capital of Georgia if the powers offered incentives and related infrastructure out of the gate. Look at how Peachtree City became the golf capital of the state. However, a different road was taken and the end result is today. Have you seen Crabapple lately?

I encourage the dwindling demographic of land owners to unite and look out for one another. The City of Milton is pulling no punches trying to hold onto a falsehood, be it with tax incentives or illegal land rules, killing our property values and futures in the process. They ignore the reality that Milton is Dunwoody — light already with more change to come and not horse friendly. They have refused to give the equestrian lifestyle a voice, protection or support. All they do is wallpaper horse pictures on city letter head, signage and website. With such a facade and facts, why would any horse person want to stay or move here? Life is short and there is cheaper land offering true serenity elsewhere.

— Tim Enloe, Milton

Horses and Fireworks Don't Mix!

While the City of Milton Georgia has not reminded residents about the negative affect fireworks have on horses be it in their July newsletter or on their website, Accessmilton.com believes that such is a necessary notice each July 4th and New Years.

Please remember your equestrian neighbors this July 4th! Do not shoot fireworks off near any equestrian properties! These illegal acts can have horrific results. Milton Georgia DOES NOT need another horse to perish due illegal firework use like this past July 4th! Help protect horses from abuse and harassment. Support Liberty's Law today!

***What Fireworks Are Legal In Georgia?***

Home Grown Pesticide Free Produce For Sale!

By Accessmilton.com

From a garden that once provided produce to the only grocery store in Alpharetta not too long ago, the time has gome again!

Stable Days Farm on Bethany Road now has home grown pesticide free vegetables for sale. From tomatoes to cucumbers to sunflowers, fresh choices are a plenty!

So stop on in at Stable Days Farm, grab some goods, and chat a while or give us a call at 770 653 0552!

Milton team rescues trapped horse.

Milton and Forsyth County fire crews managed to free a trapped horse from a muddy creek bed June 11. The horse was unharmed.

Forsyth, Milton free horse from ditch. Jonathan Copsey; The Milton Herald

June 17, 2014 FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Milton's horse rescue team was called out Wednesday, June 11 to help a stuck horse in Forsyth County.

The four-member crew was called to an area near Stablegate Court in Forsyth County after a report of a horse stuck in a muddy ditch.

A 28-year-old horse had fallen into a creek bed and, due to heavy rains, had become trapped in the mud. This only became worse when a tree branch fell on the animal. Milton Fire Battalion Chief Bill Bourn said the horse may have been stuck overnight.

"He had possibly lain there all night trying to get up and was physically exhausted," Bourn said. "And it was so muddy, he couldn't get his legs under him to stand up."

Firefighters from Milton and Forsyth County placed a harness around the animal and dragged him out of the mud 15 feet to the street, where he could get his footing.

"He was able to stand up on his own after that," Bourn said.

All told, it took about 30 minutes of work.

While many fire departments are trained in large animal rescue, Milton is one of the few departments in the region with equipment capable of helping horses and other large animals out of tight spaces.

Called "Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue," or TLAER, the prevalence of horses in Milton convinced the fire department to invest in horse rescue equipment.

Bourn said the TLAER crew could go months without a call and then get two in two days, but rain is a common factor.

"It presents more of a possibility for a horse to get in a predicament," he said.

Milton has a mutual aid agreement with surrounding cities to respond if they wish to such incidents.

Council honors Memorial Day Essay winner, finalist.

At its June 16 meeting, Milton’s City Council honored the winner and finalists of the 2014 Memorial Day Essay Contest.

Ashleigh Hays, center, a sixth grader at Hopewell Middle School, was the winner. Libby Povlot, a sixth grader at Hopewell Middle School, was also honored as a finalist. As part of her win, Hays read her essay, which you may see here, at the meeting.

Milton’s summer series involves movies, food trucks.

Courtesy Nicole Dow; Neighbor Newspapers

Friendship Community Park in Milton will be the site of an entertaining evening of activity Saturday as the city kicks off its Family, Fun, Flicks and Food Trucks summer series.

Now in its third year for an outdoor movie series, the city has enhanced the events with the addition of popular Atlanta food trucks.

“We’ll have two to three [food trucks] at each movie,” said Angela Thompson, Milton’s special events and projects manager.

The types of food trucks have yet to be announced, she said, adding that the crowd’s response to the first event will help determine what food trucks will be at future movie nights.

“We’re also going to have Olde Blind Dog’s food truck out there, which is amazing,” Thompson said. “I know a lot of our Milton residents will be really excited about that.”

The number of movies shown will be increased from two last year to three this year.

“Again this year they are throw-back movies,” Thompson said. “We decided to go with movies that were really well known from the ‘80s. There’s nothing much better than ‘Back to the Future,’ “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ and ‘The Princess Bride.’ Those are pretty good classics.”

The film Saturday will be “Back to the Future.” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” will be screened July 12 and “The Princess Bride” will be shown Aug. 2. Each night, the event will kick off at 7 p.m. with the movie starting at dusk — about 9 p.m.

Thompson said attendees are encouraged to bring games, balls or Frisbees to entertain themselves before the movie begins.

“The venue’s beautiful,” she said. “The park was almost built to hold an event like this.”

Thompson estimated about 400 to 500 attendees will come out for each movie.

“The movies have been really well received every year,” she said. “We realized after our first year that when it gets dark and the movies start around 9 o’clock, it really makes more sense to turn the movies to a more mature crowd because it is rather late for children to be out when the movie’s not ending until 11 o’clock.”

While the movies are rated either PG or PG-13, Thompson encourages parents to learn about the subject matter and content of each movie before deciding whether to bring their young children to the events.

Summer is busy in the City of Milton.

Friday, May 30, 2014

I can’t believe its June already. The kids are out of school, vacations have started, the temperatures topping out in the 90s.

It seems like just a few weeks ago we were getting ready for Spring Break! Where does the time go? I guess it flies, though, when you’re as busy as we are in Milton this summer.

I mean, just look at this newsletter.

First off, we’ve got some of the most exciting news I think I’ll ever get to share as Mayor of City of Milton – we’re moving forward with our City Hall complex in Crabapple. Council recently secured $10 million in revenue bonds to help pay for City Hall, plus the Bell Memorial Park Expansion and the Court, Fire and Police Complex on Ga. 9. Soon we’ll have plans to share, meetings for residents to gather input – the whole nine yards. Until then, just keep an eye out and we’ll make sure to let you know everything we’ve got coming up with this exciting development.

Next we’ve got photos from our Memorial Day Ceremony. This year’s was our biggest yet, and it was the first one we’ve had at Freedom Park. What an experience. Take a look at the pictures if you weren’t able to make it out there.

Then we’ve got an exciting new blog from our conservation consultant, Milton resident Laurel Florio. She’ll write twice-monthly articles explaining important terms and concepts in the preservation of Milton as part of her “Destination Conservation” blog. I hope you enjoy it.

After that we’ve got our always popular Bulky Trash Day, then articles highlighting the hard work of our dedicated firefighters and our summer movie and food trucks series. This year we’re showing Back to the Future, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Princess Bride in June, July and August – complete with gourmet food trucks.

It should be the perfect summer event for the whole family in our beautiful and safe Friendship Park.

We follow that great news up with another Better Together business connection event – this time at Robeks Juice – tons of summer camp information, and lots of great community features. Just make sure you read all the way to the bottom to learn about our continuing roadwork and the grants MGG recently gave to local schools.

Like I said, it’s a busy summer here in Milton. I can’t wait to see you out in the community.

That’s it for this month. As always, I’ll close by saying your City Hall is always open to your concerns, questions and comments. Be sure to take some time this month to stop by and tell us what you think.

Sincerely,

Mayor Joe Lockwood

Milton secures funding for City Hall, project to open 2017.

Courtesy City of Milton

Milton's City Council in late May approved the issuance of a $10 million revenue bond in order to fund City Hall in historic downtown Crabapple.

The bond means Milton taxpayers will not have to levy additional taxes or fees to build the municipal complex, set to open in April 2017, said Mayor Joe Lockwood. Plus, city funds will no longer be used to lease property taxpayers do not own - an important step to ensuring the most value for resident dollars.

"We're excited to not only be giving the residents of the City of Milton a beautiful, welcoming and functional City Hall complex - we're doing it without adding to their tax bills," said Lockwood. "With smart budgeting and judicious use of our yearly fund balance, we'll be able to bring these projects to fruition without the additional burden of more revenue from property taxes."

The City Hall complex, which will be located between Crabapple Road and the existing Braeburn development (click here to see a site rendering), is slated to include offices, council chambers, meeting areas for residents and a town green for expansion of special events in Crabapple.

Milton paid $900,000 for a little over two acres to be used in the project from the city's land acquisition budget after a unanimous City Council vote in February. Staff continues to negotiate on a small portion of land - about a third of an acre - expected to enhance the final project.

As plans for the project - crafted in house by City Architect Robert Buscemi to maximize savings to taxpayers -- become available, residents will be able to view them and chart the project's progress via the city's Web site and several anticipated public meetings.

The bond will also pay for the 2014-2015 expansion of Bell Memorial Park (for more information, click here) and the construction of a Court, Fire and Police Services complex on Ga. 9 expected to open in 2019.

For more information on the City Hall project, contact the City of Milton Community Development Department at 678-242-2500 or info@cityofmiltonga.us.

Introducing Destination Conservation.

Courtesy City of Milton

Did you know Laurel Florio, a Milton resident and environmental law expert, has joined the City of Milton to help guide the city's land use plans?

Florio brings to the city decades of experience as consultant, legal counsel, land specialist and educator for a host of environmental protection organizations. Among that wealth of experience was six years as an attorney and land specialist for Memphis, Tenn.'s Ducks Unlimited, Inc. the world's leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation.

Every two weeks, Florio writes a blog for the City of Milton in which she discusses important terms and concepts for land owners who wish to conserve their property.

To read the blog, click here.

Florio joins the city's growing list of conservation efforts, including: International City and County Manager Association (ICMA) consultancy on innovative strategies for green space protection from the Leadership ICMA program; a six-month moratorium on rezoning applications across multiple residential districts in the city; and smart growth strategies like form-based coding, transfer of development rights and community-based master planning.

To contact Florio, e-mail laurel.florio@cityofmiltonga.us or call 770-559-4025.

Flicks & Foodtrucks coming to Friendship Park.

What's better on a summer evening than a movie under the stars complete with dinner from a gourmet foodtruck? Nothing!

That's why the City of Milton is proud to present the "Family, Fun, Flicks & Foodtrucks" summer event series all summer long at Friendship Community Park in Crabapple (click here for directions).

All three films are free to the public, and gourmet foodtrucks will be on hand to complete the evening. Just come by, kick back and have a great time!

The events start at 7 p.m., and the films will be shown at dusk (approximately 9 p.m.).

June 14: Back to the Future (click here for more information) July 12: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (click here for more information) August 2: The Princess Bride (click here for more information) For more information on this, or any of the City of Milton's other special events, contact Angela Thompson, special events and projects manager, at 678-242-2530 or angela.thompson@cityofmiltonga.us.

Learn the benefits of nutrition at Robeks June 20,

Courtesy City of Milton

Feeling sluggish? Weighed down? Maybe better nutrition - like healthy real fruit smoothies, freshly squeezed vegetable juices or wheatgrass -- is just what the doctor ordered.

If this sounds exciting, make sure you're at Milton's Robeks Juice Friday, June 20 when Better Together, the city's citizen volunteer committee, holds the second in its series of business connection events.

This free event will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. at Robeks Juice's Milton location, 5250 Windward Parkway, Suite 113 (click here for directions). The entire community is invited, said Wayne Boston, community builder for the City of Milton.

"Our first event was an overwhelming success," he said. "We're looking forward to meeting residents interested in a healthy and active lifestyle."

At this second business connection event, Robeks Juice's experts will give residents the inside scoop on healthy nutrition and the benefits of eating well. Samples will be available for tasting.

Additionally, the first 20 attendees will receive a $10 gift card. There will be drawings every hour for a free smoothie each day for a month, and the first 50 people who attend will receive a mug or similar Robeks Juice gift.

Businesses in Milton are encouraged to contact Boston at 678-242-2512 or wayne.boston@cityofmiltonga.us if they would be willing to host an event in order to introduce their particular product or service to our residents. Better Together will then work with the business to plan an event that will be educational, productive and enjoyable to all.

Better Together is a volunteer organization of Milton residents looking for unique and fun ways to connect with neighbors. If you would like more information on Better Together or any of its activities, please visit the group's Facebook page or contact Boston at 678-242-2512 or wayne.boston@cityofmiltonga.us.

Milton awards two environmental grants.

Pictured at Birmingham Falls Elementary School are, from left, Chris Lagerbloom, city manager of the City of Milton, Tresa Cheatham, assistant principal of Birmingham Falls, Jack Lindon, chairman of Milton Grows Green, Windy Bottoms, principal of Birmingham Falls, and Beth Brock, a fifth grade teacher at Birmingham Falls.

Courtesy City of Milton

As part of the Milton's Evergreen School program, the city recently awarded Birmingham Falls Elementary School and Cambridge High School each $500 grants to further their work in environmental education.

Birmingham Falls is using their grant funds to purchase supplies for a new Adopt a Stream initiative for fifth grade. Teachers and parent volunteers will be trained in biological and chemical water testing by a water department representative from Fulton County.

Educators will be able to assist the students in monitoring the water quality of a stream on the school's campus on an ongoing basis. This project ties in with the Fulton County STEM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and gives students an experiential learning environment to learn scientific methodology for testing water quality and recording data on a State of GA EPA website.

Additionally, some of the funds will be used for the installation of rain barrels in the school's courtyard area.

Cambridge High School was the other Milton school that received the environmental education grant.

To encourage the school to try and reduce the tremendous amount of paper, plastic and cardboard used, a grant was given to Cambridge to expand their classroom recycling program and to fund an organic garden.

For more information on Evergreen Schools, a no-cost program available to all public and private K-12 schools, please contact Cindy Eade, sustainability coordinator for the City of Milton at cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

Burn ban now in effect.

Milton Fire Marshal Matthew Marietta would like to remind the community the state's "burn ban" goes into effect Wednesday, May 1.

The ban, which is enacted because of dry conditions and environmental health regulations, is issued by the state Environmental Protection Division and covers Milton, the rest of Fulton County and a number of other surrounding counties. It lasts until Sept. 30.

The following types of open burning are banned:

Burning of leaves, tree limbs, or other yard wastes Burning of vegetative waste from land clearing Burning over of forest land by the owners of the land Please note: Outdoor fireplaces and other types of fire pits are allowed if constructed and located properly. If in doubt, contact the Prevention Bureau at 678-242-2541 or fire.marshal@cityofmiltonga.us.

Summer camp registration now open.