Brian Vanderhoff's North Fulton Real Estate Blog: October 2007

DENVER -- They celebrated a mile up on major league baseball's loftiest infield, sky high again, a repeat of that raucous night at old Busch Stadium in St. Louis a few years ago. Boston is baseball's bully, the example other teams seek to emulate. "Damn Red Sox," anyone? Three years after they ended the Curse with their first title in 86 years, now the curse is on everyone else.

What a tale to tell. Those decades of frustration that left their faithful doubting if their day would ever come are distant memories, stored up in the attic with sepia-toned photos from the original Red Sox dynasty, which won five World Series titles from 1903-18.

On another night to remember back at Fenway Park, Faneuil Hall and all over New England, Boston became World Series champions for the second time in four years by beating the Colorado Rockies -- flattening them -- in a sweep that ended with a 4-3 victory Sunday night.

"Pretty darn heavy," Jon Lester said after lifting the trophy that all of baseball had sought since pitchers and catchers reported to Florida and Arizona last February.

Lester was one of the stars, a 23-year-old who overcame cancer, returned to the Red Sox and won the World Series finale by pitching 5 2-3 scoreless innings in his first start since Sept. 26.

There was Mike Lowell, the World Series MVP, who hit .400 with four RBIs, including a solo homer in the finale that pushed the lead to 3-0. There was baby-faced Jacoby Ellsbury, who led off the game with a double and scored the first run.

There was the old guard from 2004, Manny and Big Papi, Curt Schilling and Jason Varitek.

And there were new faces such as closer Jonathan Papelbon, who got the final five outs to preserve the slim lead, then threw his glove up so high it seemed as if a gusher had splashed it toward the heavens.

"It took all 25 of us to get the job done," Papelbon said. "It's just phenomenal."

In the clubhouse, players wore blue goggles to keep the celebration spray out of their eyes. Daisuke Matsuzaka, who in Game 3 became the first Japanese pitcher with a Series win, bowed out on the field, celebrating with his own native style.

They came together from several corners of the world to represent a city that obsesses over its baseball like no other, and in a contest between Boston lobster and Colorado beef, the shellfish left the meat charred and scarred. Colorado, fourth in the NL West in mid-September, had a remarkable run of 21 wins in 22 games to reach the Series for the first time. But after an eight-day layoff, the Rockies were rusted and got routed.

With the second-highest average in Series history behind the 1960 New York Yankees, Boston outhit them .333 to .218, outscored them 29-10. Maybe any of the four American League playoff teams would have swept any NL champion. Sure seemed that way.

Colorado, in its 15th season, has not nearly the pedigree of Boston, which has been around for more than a century. Somehow, even though they failed to win a game, the Rockies seemed satisfied.

"No reason to hang our heads. We accomplished a lot this season," Todd Helton said. "They outplayed us. We have no reason to be upset. We made the World Series. We did a lot this year. We came a long way."

Boston was a loss from elimination when it trailed Cleveland 3-1 in the AL championship series, then finished with seven straight victories, a streak that dwarfs that of the Rockies' in significance if not length.

Lester, undergoing chemotherapy for cancer at this time last year, handed a 2-0 lead over to his bullpen. Ellsbury scored in the first on Ortiz's single, and Lowell doubled in the fifth -- one of 18 by the Red Sox -- and came around on Varitek's single. Lowell's homer off Aaron Cook, whose career was sidetracked a few years ago because of blood clots in his lungs, made it 3-0 in the seventh.

The towel-waving fans at Coors Field didn't get down. They kept screaming, hoping the Red Sox rooters who brought brooms to the ballpark would be denied, at least for one day.

Brad Hawpe's leadoff home run in the bottom of the seventh got the Rockies a run, but Bobby Kielty made the most of his first appearance in this Series, connecting for a pinch-hit homer in the eighth against Brian Fuentes and raising both arms triumphantly. Garrett Atkins' two-run shot off Hideki Okajima made it close in the bottom half and Boston brought on Papelbon, who pitched 10 2-3 scoreless innings over seven postseason appearances.

He got five straight outs for his third save of the Series, as automatic as Mariano Rivera was back when the Yankees -- remember them? -- won three in a row. And when it was over, Varitek ran to the mound, jumped into his arms and raised his right arm in jubilation.

"This team's got a lot of heart," Varitek said. "We worked really hard. We just beat a very, very good team, an excellent team. We had to do the little things."

While the Yankees owned the 20th century, the Red Sox are the first team to win two titles in the 21st. In this era of parity, they are well on their way to becoming the team of the decade.

"It's premature. It's nonsense," team president Larry Lucchino said in a corner of the clubhouse, trying to stay dry as his cell phone kept interrupting. "We're the team of 2004 and 2007."

Notes: Of the seven postseason series this year, five ended in sweeps. ... Varitek is giving the ball from the final out to the Red Sox. Three years ago, Doug Mientkiewicz kept it for awhile, sparking a snit that ended when the team took him to court and he later agreed to give it to the Hall of Fame. ... Boston's Terry Francona is the first manager to start 8-0 in the Series.

Labels: Boston, Red Sox, World Series

It's a Friday afternoon at about 4:30 p.m., the time when most kids are watching television or playing neighborhood pick-up games after a trying day of school. But in the Eller household, the coming weekend means one thing – time to bake up some dog biscuits.

As soon as their backpacks hit the floor, Milton brothers Zack and Thomas Eller, 12 and 8 respectively, get busy rolling out the dough for their homemade Woof 'Em Down dog biscuits. The boys sell the treats at local community events and online, then donate all the profits to pet rescue charities. In the past month, they've raised $700 for Aiding and A'petting, an Atlanta-based pet adoption group.

The Ellers, who are usually joined by volunteers Alex Makrides and Savannah Bailey, have got to make at least 40 individual biscuits for the coming weekend to fill their orders. That's not counting the thousands they're stockpiling for the upcoming "Hound-A-Ween" event Oct. 27 at Hipbone, an organic pet food store in Midtown Atlanta.

"They stay very busy," said their mother, Tracy Eller.

The boys' charitable streak started when Zack was only 6. For his birthday that year, he asked everyone to bring pet food in lieu of gifts. He then took the kibbles to the Humane Society in an effort to help the roughly 6 to 8 million homeless pets in U.S. shelters.

"It was like, 'Wow, that felt good,'" said Zack.

Thomas asked the same of his friends soon after – to date, they have donated more than 1,000 pounds of food.

"But our birthdays only come once a year," said Zack. "So we started making the dog biscuits and everyone liked them. They were like, 'Make more.'"

To make the treats, Tracy found a simple and healthy enough recipe online consisting of corn flour, peanut butter and applesauce. It was slow going at first, but after the requisite mishaps Zack and Thomas got the hang of cranking out the treats. Now they can yield 75 biscuits a batch. From start to finish the process takes about an hour.

"It took a looooong time [to work out the kinks]," said Thomas.

In the spring of 2007 the Ellers set up a Web site for the boys to sell the biscuits and the business has taken off from there.

Zack and Thomas said no one at school makes that much of a deal about their extra curricular activities. Sure, their friends know, but mostly it's teachers who are excited to hear about the charity work.

"[Our friends] never really go there," said Thomas.

When asked why they work so hard to help pets, the boys offer a simple and profound answer.

"Our mom always tells us to be part of the solution, not the problem," said Zack.

Labels: Charity, milton, School

There's a storm brewing in northern Milton over water - but unlike the rest of the state, it's not over the lack of it. On Pritchard Mountain, water pressure is the issue.

The fight is over a proposed elevated water tank near the under-construction Hampshires subdivision, located west of Freemanville Road near the intersection of Mountain Road. If built, it would tower over existing homes in the area.

And that's what sets off Wayne Super. He lives less than 100 feet from the proposed site and has started an online petition to stop construction of the tank, which petitioners say will adversely affect properties. At press time, he had 71 signatures.

In its place, he proposes the construction of a low-rise pumping solution that will, according to himself and experts with whom he was worked, fulfill all the requisite safety requirements for adequate, reliable water service.

"We're trying to create a positive solution," he said. "We're not opposing something for safety."

Though Pritchard Mountain is really just a big hill, it is the highest point in the county, said Mike Rachelson, project manager for Fulton County.

That means the existing homes and those proposed for development in the area would be higher the 1,150 feet of elevation cap for water service without a gravity tank, said Chris Browning, Deputy Director of Public Works for the county. But Pritchard Mountain is a pretty small area.


"Therefore, the long-range plan was to serve that area using a separate pressure zone when the area developed," he said.

In 2005, the county entered into an agreement with developers who wanted to put homes at those areas of higher elevation than water service would allow. Under the terms, the builders put in a $3.7 million water booster system for temporary service until a tank could be constructed, said Browning.

So now, the plan is to build a 500,000-gallon tank with an overflow elevation - the maximum height of the water in the tank - 105 feet higher than the existing Freemanville Road tank to ensure no chance of failure. The tank simply uses gravity, no mechanical means that might fail.

The new tank would increase the available water pressure for most residents to about 60 pounds per square inch -- the county minimum -- and cost approximately $1.2 million. It will be housed on existing county-owned property beside the existing Freemanville Road tank.

Super said the 150-foot tank is an unnecessary and unpopular means of redundancy.

"We have reasonable reliability [with the low-rise solution], not perfection," he said. "There is a cost associated with perfection, and the constituents don't want it."

Super also said there are a number of other factors that could decrease the need for the high-rise tank. Many homes are on well water, for instance.

Browning countered and said that were the pumping station to burn down, there would be no water service to the homes that need it. And the county is not willing to risk that.

"The likelihood of a widespread water outage are much less when customers are served by a gravity water system," he said.

Labels: Fulton, Fulton County, water, Water Restrictions, Water Tower

NEW YORK -- Tony Pena delivered a simple message when he finally got his chance to talk to the New York Yankees about their managerial opening.

He believes he can lead the Yankees to a championship next season -- no grace period needed.

"With the talent that we have, I think we can do it with this team next year," Pena said. "There's no question in my mind that we have the capability and we have the talent to go and do the job."

After spending two seasons as New York's first-base coach, Pena interviewed Wednesday to replace departed manager Joe Torre. Team officials spoke with Yankees broadcaster Joe Girardi on Monday and bench coach Don Mattingly on Tuesday.

New York was going to consider five or six candidates but Hank Steinbrenner, son of owner George Steinbrenner, said Wednesday the team wasn't planning any more interviews.

"We're very impressed with all three candidates," he said. "I told you it would be a tough decision. Tony, I would describe him as a motivator. A high-energy motivator. That's the way he came across."

The Yankees' baseball operations executives will meet, probably on Thursday, and come up with a recommendation to the team's top officials. That recommendation is likely to carry a lot of weight.

"I don't see any reason not to go with their decision," Hank Steinbrenner said. "It's been an in-depth process. You've got to respect the opinion of your experts."

General manager Brian Cashman declined comment through a team spokesman. Girardi, speaking at a charity dinner, refused to answer any questions about the search.

"The only thing I'm going to comment about the Yankees situation is what I said a few days ago," Girardi said. "I had a great interview. And it's an honor for whoever gets that job."

Teams aren't allowed to make major announcements during the World Series but if New York wants to make an announcement Friday, commissioner Bud Selig probably would give his permission.

Hank Steinbrenner said the team hadn't made any contact with Major League Baseball about making an announcement before the end of the Series.

Declaring any time he gets to talk about baseball a great day, an upbeat Pena became the latest candidate to plead to his case.

"The main message that I wanted to tell them is that I'm capable to manage this ballclub and I'm capable to take this ballclub to the final line, which is winning the World Series," he said.

Pena has the most managerial experience of the candidates, having led the Kansas City Royals for more than three seasons. He was voted AL Manager of the Year in 2003 after the Royals went 83-79, their first winning season since 1994.

Pena quit in 2005 after an 8-25 start that left his record with Kansas City at 198-285. He joined the Yankees later that year and learned a lot working under Torre.

"One thing about Joe, he never was up and he never was down," Pena said. "I learned to establish myself, I learned to be myself a little bit more. I learned to give more people responsibility and things like that."

Torre took over for the 1996 season and led the Yankees to four World Series titles in his first five years but none since. He left after 12 seasons -- and 12 postseason appearances.

Hank Steinbrenner cautioned that success might not come immediately for the next manager.

"I think the most important thing is whoever we hire, give 'em a chance because he's not getting the '96 Yankees. He's getting an even younger team or for the most part a team in transition. Give him a little while," he said. "We want to win the World Series every year. We're not stupid enough to think we can do it. Of course, we'd love to win the World Series next year."

Pena, a five-time All-Star catcher, said he would be open to staying on the Yankees coaching staff next year if the team chooses a different manager.

Labels: Baseball, Manager, New York, Sports, Yankees

WASHINGTON -- Sales of new homes posted an unexpected gain in September although the improvement came after sales had fallen to the slowest pace in more than a decade.

The Commerce Department reported Thursday that sales of new homes rose by 4.8 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 770,000 units. That level of activity was still 23.3 percent below a year ago, indicating that housing remains in a steep downturn.

Analysts had been expecting sales would fall by 2.5 percent last month from an August sales pace that had originally been reported as 795,000 homes. However, that figure was revised sharply lower in the new report to show a sales rate of just 735,000 in August, the slowest sales pace in 11 years.

Meanwhile, orders for big-ticket manufactured goods dropped an unexpected 1.7 percent last month following an even bigger 5.3 percent plunge in August. The first back-to-back declines in factory orders in more than a year raised new worries about how much harm would be inflicted on the economy from a severe housing slump and credit crunch.

In a third report, the Labor Department said that the number of newly laid off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits fell by 8,000 last week to 331,000.

The report on home sales showed that the median new home price in September -- the point where half the homes sold for more and half for less -- rose to $238,000, up 2.5 percent from August, which had seen prices fall to the lowest level in nearly a year.

The rebound in home sales was led by a 37.7 percent surge in the West. Sales were also up 0.5 percent in the South. But sales of new homes fell by 19.5 percent in the Midwest and 6.6 percent in the Northeast.

The September drop in orders for durable goods reflected weakness in such areas as autos, fabricated metals, computers and electronics products, and electrical appliances.

That decline followed several other reports showing economic weakness, including continued steep slides in sales of existing homes and reports from banks and investment houses that they were having to take big write-offs due to losses in such areas as mortgage-backed securities.

Losses that began in investments on subprime mortgages, where deliquency rates are soaring, had caused a severe credit crunch in August as the market for many kinds of investments nearly dried up.

The concern is that if the economic disruptions become serious enough, they could drag down overall economic growth, which has already slowed under the impact of the steep downturn in housing.

Many analysts, however, believe the economy will still be able to avoid an outright recession because the Federal Reserve, which cut a key interest rate for the first time in four years, will keep cutting rates to stimulate economic growth. The Fed meets again next week.

In a new report released Thursday, the congressional Joint Economic Committee estimated that 2 million subprime mortgages could go into foreclosure over the next 18 months as initially low introductory rates reset at much higher levels. The JEC report said that states will lose $917 million in property tax revenue as housing values are depressed by the wave of foreclosures.

"State by state, the economic costs from the subprime debacle are shockingly high," Sen. Charles Schumer, chairman of the JEC said in a statement. "From New York to California, we are headed for billions in lost wealth, property values and tax revenues."

Schumer called on the Bush administration to more more aggressively to help families find ways to avoid going into default on their home loans.

The report on durable goods showed that orders for transportation equipment fell by 6.3 percent last month after an even bigger 12.3 percent fall in August.

Demand for commercial aircraft did rebound, rising by 18.2 percent in September after a 40.2 percent plunge in August as demand picked up at aircraft-maker Boeing Co.

But orders for autos fell by 2.9 percent after an even bigger 8.2 percent drop in August, reflecting the continuing troubles for domestic automakers struggling with foreign competition and consumers' shift away from gas-guzzling vehicles.

Orders for military aircraft were also down a sharp 37.3 percent in September after having surged in August.

Excluding transportation, orders for durable goods would have risen by 0.3 percent following a 1.8 percent drop in orders outside of transportation in August.

Labels: Home Sales, New Homes, Real Estate

MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) -- Five more Atlanta area students have been diagnosed with antibiotic-resistant staph infections.

The latest cases were reported Wednesday and involve two students at North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, two students at Osborne High School in Marietta and one student at Southside High School in Atlanta.

Cobb County schools spokesman Jay Dillon says cleaning crews already have sanitized classrooms where the infected students had been, as well as gyms and locker rooms. And he says this weekend, the schools will be completely disinfected, including desks, tables and lockers.

Atlanta Public Schools spokesman Joe Manguno says a similar cleaning took place at Southside High School.

Staph infections, including the serious MRSA strain, have spread through schools nationwide in recent weeks.

MRSA is a strain of staph bacteria that does not respond to penicillin and related antibiotics but can be treated with other drugs. The infection can be spread by skin-to-skin contact or sharing an item used by an infected person, particularly one with an open wound.

Labels: Disease, School, Staph Infections

LOS ANGELES -- Countrywide Financial Corp., the nation's largest mortgage lender, said Tuesday it will begin calling borrowers to offer refinancing or modifications on $16 billion in loans with interest rates set to adjust by the end of 2008.

But as defaults and foreclosures snowball, the mortgage industry is under increasing pressure to do even more to help financially strapped borrowers hang on to their homes.

"People are talking about it, saying it might be necessary, but there's not a lot of it going on," said Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance, an independent trade publication.

The Mortgage Bankers Association is currently surveying its members to determine how many mortgages have been modified in recent months.

Moody's Investors Service recently surveyed 16 mortgage servicers that accounted for 80 percent of the market for subprime loans made to borrowers with shaky credit histories.

It found that most of those companies had modified only about 1 percent of loans with interest rates that reset in the first half of this year.

The bankers association said the survey was flawed because it didn't include other ways that borrowers are being helped, including temporary reductions of monthly payments or spreading delinquent amounts over future payments.

"It is important to understand that the (loan) modification is only one means of helping a borrower who is behind on their payments," said Steve O'Connor, the association's senior vice president.

So far this year, Calabasas, Calif.-based Countrywide said it has completed about 20,000 loan modifications -- a figure that represents less than 5 percent of the more than 500,000 loans the lender reports were behind in payments as of last month.

The figure amounts to about 24 percent of the roughly 82,000 loans the company said were in foreclosure.

Countrywide said the statistics can be misleading.

"The number is not small when you sort down to the people who are seriously in trouble." said Steve Bailey, CEO of loan administration at Countrywide, which has 8.9 million loans valued at $1.45 trillion,

On Tuesday, the company said it would discuss possible loan changes with borrowers who are current on loans but face pending interest rate resets. The lender said it intends to refinance about $10 billion in loans and modify another $4 billion.

It also plans to contact holders of loans totaling some $2.2 billion who are late on their loans and struggling because of recent rate resets.

Countrywide said it has already helped more than 40,000 borrowers and would reach out to 82,000 more to provide some kind of relief.

Countrywide shares fell 63 cents, or 4.02 percent, to $15.05. The shares have traded in a 52-week range of $14.40 to $45.26.

Many lenders have only recently began ramping up their loss mitigation departments after years when the booming housing market let many borrowers who fell behind on mortgages sell their homes for more than the value of their mortgage.

Another problem has been investors balking at interest rate cuts that could eat into their profits.

Earlier this year, Seattle-based Washington Mutual Inc., with a mortgage servicing portfolio valued at $713.3 billion, said it would refinance up to $2 billion in subprime loans to discounted fixed-rate loans for borrowers who are current on payments.

Wells Fargo & Co., with a mortgage servicing portfolio of $1.41 trillion at the end of June, declined to say how many home loans it has modified.

The San Francisco-based bank reported that less than 4.5 percent of its loans were delinquent at the end of June, while 0.56 percent had entered foreclosure.

"We work hard to keep customers in their homes, whenever possible, when they experience financial difficulties," bank spokesman Jason Menke said in a prepared statement.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America Corp., the nation's second-largest bank, said it modified 3,200 home loans representing $240 million during the eight months ended Aug. 30 and had just 192 homes in foreclosure as of Sept. 30.

The bank declined to break out how many mortgages made up its loan servicing portfolio, valued at $377 billion at the end of September.

"We believe we're already doing an excellent job helping our borrowers avoid foreclosure," spokesman Terry H. Francisco said in a statement.

Despite industry efforts, relief remains out of reach for many borrowers such as Carlos Ortiz, who says he's on the verge of losing the four-bedroom home he bought for $580,000 in suburban Rancho Cucamonga, east of Los Angeles.

Like other buyers at the height of the housing boom, he got a loan that kept his monthly payments low for two years and counted on being able to refinance before the rate adjusted sharply higher.

When he didn't qualify for a new loan, he tried to get his mortgage servicer to restructure his existing one.

"I told them I cannot afford it, you have to help me to refinance or modify my loan," Ortiz said. "They don't want to work with me."

The mortgage industry will likely face growing pressure to alter loans in the coming months, as some 2 million adjustable-rate loans begin resetting to higher monthly payments.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has called for Congress and mortgage lenders to move more quickly.

Meanwhile, Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., suggested that mortgage service companies consider doing broad conversions of adjustable-rate loans to fixed-rate loans if the borrowers are current on their payments and living in the homes.

Kevin Stein, associate director of the San Francisco-based California Reinvestment Coalition advocacy group, said the best way for lenders to help distressed borrowers is to lower long-term interest rates before they adjust higher. Rate cuts for a year or two are little help, he said.

"That's akin to getting another bad loan that's going to adjust in a year and be unaffordable," he said.

The coalition noted the most common outcome for borrowers seeking to modify loans is either foreclosure or a short sale, meaning the home is sold for less than the amount owed on the mortgage. That often leaves the borrower facing an income tax hit.

Paul Leonard, director of the California office of the Center for Responsible Lending, acknowledged that some borrowers simply can't be helped.

"There are going to be some that should never have gotten a loan, and no matter what you do are probably not going to be able to afford homeownership," he said.

Still, he estimates that roughly 40 percent of subprime borrowers would qualify for a prime-rate refinance loan, and another 40 percent could make the monthly payments if their lender would adjust their loans to a lower rate.

Some people do manage to hold on to their homes.

Patsy Brinson, 52, was in danger of losing her home in Victorville, Calif., last year.

The registered nurse bought it two years ago for $218,000 but fell behind on payments because of problems with other debts.

Her loan servicer, American Servicing Co., tried various workarounds to get her current, including making bigger payments every month to catch up on what she owed.

That made it worse, pushing her monthly payment from around $2,000 to more than $2,700, she said.

In June, her loan servicer modified her terms from an adjustable rate to a 40-year, fixed at her original rate of 7.99 percent, she said.

Along the way, she had to pay around $4,000 in fees.

"I'm not happy with it, but I figure if I had waited two years and it had adjusted, it would have gone up higher," Brinson said.

Labels: Countrywide, Forclosures, Home, Loans, Mortgage

NEW YORK -- Wall Street pulled back Wednesday, sending the Dow Jones industrials down more than 130 points on Merrill Lynch & Co.'s severe credit-related losses and a sharp September drop in existing home sales.

The market got one of its most-feared scenarios: Not only is the housing implosion dampening corporate profits, it's accelerating.

Merrill said it wrote down $7.9 billion in fixed-income instruments called collateralized debt obligations and from defaulting subprime mortgages -- more than the $5 billion writedown the investment bank estimated earlier this month. The result was a net loss for the quarter of $2.3 billion.

The worse-than-anticipated loss indicated the financial sector may be in a more dire situation than anticipated because of the credit squeeze that was triggered in part by spikes in mortgage defaults. In a conference call with investors, Merrill CEO Stan O'Neal pointed to "renewed signs of volatility and weakness" in the market environment. Merrill shares dropped $4, or 5.9 percent, to $63.12.

The sinking housing market could aggravate the financial sector's troubles. The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales fell in September for the seventh straight month by a larger-than-expected 8 percent -- the largest decline in records dating back to 1999.

Merrill's writedown and the plunge in home sales combined to create fear of a recession among investors, said Al Goldman, chief market strategist at A.G. Edwards. But he said he thinks the fear is overblown; so far 185 of the S&P 500 components have reported, with 65.6 percent showing upside surprises.

"Volatility has increased substantially primarily because we have a very nervous market," said Al Goldman, chief market strategist at A.G. Edwards. "If there is good news, the market pops up. If there is bad news, it falls."

The Dow fell 135.92, or 0.99 percent, to 13,540.31, giving back gains made earlier in the week. The blue-chip index briefly fell more than 200 points in late afternoon trading.

Broader stock indicators also dropped. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 19.80, or 1.30 percent, to 1,499.79, while the technology-dominated Nasdaq composite index lost 53.89, or 1.93 percent, to 2,745.37.

The tech sector lost the momentum it had earlier the week. The biggest loser among the 30 Dow companies was Nasdaq-traded Intel Corp., which suffered a blow after several chip companies, including Broadcom Corp., reported disappointing results late Tuesday. Intel fell $1.08, or 4 percent, to $25.72 while Broadcom slid $7.51, or 17.9 percent, to $34.55.

And Amazon.Inc. said late Tuesday its quarterly profit more than quadrupled, but it only beat per-share estimates by a penny. Investors didn't see enough reason to bring the Internet retailer's shares, already at their loftiest level since 1999, even higher.

Amazon plunged $15.32, or 15.2 percent, to $85.50.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies was down 18.73, or 2.29 percent, at 799.80. While large established companies can usually manage to operate in tight lending environments, small start-ups have a harder time because they rely on loans to grow their businesses.

Treasury bond prices rose on the prospect of a worsening housing market. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to the price, fell to 4.34 percent from 4.40 percent late Tuesday.

The Federal Reserve meets next week to decide whether to lower interest rates to help loosen up the credit markets. But investors are unsure a rate cut would solve the many ills affecting debt, and furthermore, a rate cut might not even happen if inflation appears to be too much of a risk.

After retreating from last week's record highs, crude oil resumed its climb after a surprise drop in inventories. December crude jumped $1.33 to $86.60 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The dollar was mixed against other major currencies, while gold prices fell.

Declining issues on the New York Stock Exchange outnumber decliners by nearly 5 to 1, where volume came to 651.2 million shares.

In Asian trading, Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.56 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 0.15 percent. In European trading, Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.49 percent, Germany's DAX index fell 0.18 percent, and France's CAC-40 fell 0.56 percent.

Labels: Dow Jones, Stocks, Wall Street

Turns out the confrontation between Roush Fenway Racing teammates Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth was more than just a clash in the heat of the moment.

It's been festering for a while.

Following Sunday's race at Martinsville, Edwards grabbed Kenseth, from Cambridge, Wis., pushing him down pit road. In videos posted on YouTube, the two are seen arguing before Edwards climbs over the pit wall.

Before walking away, Edwards balled his right hand into a fist and raised his arm as if to strike Kenseth, who noticeably flinched.

During a conference call Tuesday, Edwards quickly went into damage control.

"First of all, I was definitely wrong for showing my anger and putting on an aggressive display towards Matt Kenseth after the race at Martinsville," he said. "I definitely want to apologize to my fans, to Office Depot, to Matt Kenseth, to DeWalt, to everyone at Roush Fenway for letting it come to that. That was definitely the wrong thing to do."

Then Edwards got to the root of the problem.

"What led up to the deal that happened after the race of me confronting Matt, it was not a one-day deal," he said. "It wasn't just Sunday's on-track incident where I bumped into Matt and he bumped into me harder and I got madder all day. You know, as a team, we need to do a better job working together.

"I've won three races this year in the Nextel Cup Series. When I win, people call and congratulate and people are happy for me. It's just the wrong people. I've got Jimmie Johnson calling me every time I win to say good job. And my teammates aren't the ones doing that."

The confrontation between teammates, who are struggling in the Chase for the championship, looks particularly bad in contrast to the good will exhibited between Hendrick Motorsports teammates and friends Jeff Gordon and Johnson, the drivers currently out front in the title battle.

Edwards agreed with that assessment.

"Hendrick Motorsports, and those people that we compete against do a better job of having team spirit than we've done lately at Roush Fenway," he said. "I'm just as guilty of that as anyone. "

There is precedent for Sunday's blowup between Roush Fenway teammates.

Previously this season, Edwards and Kenseth argued following a Busch Series race in Kansas.

"I don't really feel like I did anything wrong," Kenseth said at that time. "My job's not to get out of his way all of the time. We're supposed to race each other like we always race each other, and race each other with respect."

Teammate Greg Biffle agreed when asked about the undercurrent on Monday night's Inside NASCAR Cup show on SPEED, saying at one point: "... If you dish it out, you got to be able to take it."

Edwards said he hopes the team, including teammates Jamie McMurray and rookie David Ragan, can work on mending fences and getting along, both on and off the track.

"I think that, obviously, leadership from somewhere is needed, but I think most importantly it comes from within," Edwards said. "You know, (former teammate) Mark Martin was very good at communicating when he wasn't happy with something. Trust me, I've been on the receiving end of that deal. But somehow we managed to work through it.

"I think it's more up to us drivers, you know. It's very frustrating for me that it came to this. I know, for me, I'm going to do everything I can to make it work."

Labels: Nascar, Roush Fenway Racing

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- A man who sold a champion pit bull to suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick's dogfighting operation pleaded guilty in Virginia Wednesday to a federal dogfighting charge.

Oscar Allen entered the plea to conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce to aid in illegal gambling and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting. That's the same charge to which Vick and his three co-defendants in the Bad Newz Kennels operation pleaded guilty. Vick is expected to be sentenced in December.

The 67-year-old Allen -- who lives in the Williamsburg area -- is scheduled to be sentenced January 25, 2008. He faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He was released until sentencing with conditions, including a prohibition on buying or selling any dogs.

Allen admitted in a statement that he sold a female pit bull named Jane in 2001 to Bad Newz Kennels in rural Surry County and traveled with Vick's dogfighting associates to Jane's fights.

Labels: Atlanta Falcons, Dog Fighting, Falcons, Michael Vick, Mike Vick

Lake Lanier continues to shrink in level. The water level is now about 15 feet below normal.

Labels: Drought, Lake Lanier, water, Water Ban, Water Restrictions

ATLANTA - Governor Sonny Perdue today directed the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to modify current surface water and groundwater withdrawal and drinking water permits to achieve a 10 percent reduction in withdrawals for permit holders in the 61 North Georgia counties covered under the Level 4 drought designation. Permit holders will be required to reduce water withdrawals by 10 percent compared to the permit holder's water usage of the last winter season (beginning of December 2006 through end of March 2007). The new restrictions are effective when the EPD director notifies all permit holders in writing. The permit modifications apply to all non-farm permit holders.

"In this unprecedented drought, we all have to pitch in and find ways to conserve our most precious resource," Governor Sonny Perdue said. "A 10 percent reduction in water use is a first step, and we will continue to evaluate our drought response and encourage additional conservation as needed."

The revised permit restrictions will be in place beginning November 1 and will continue as necessary. Georgia EPD will enforce permit restrictions and impose fines for noncompliance.

"Many communities already have successful conservation programs in place," said Governor Perdue. "I encourage all Georgians to make their dry lawns and dirty cars a badge of honor. By making individual conservation efforts, along with reasonable solutions from our federal government, we can collectively help to ensure that our water supply is sufficient."

The 61 counties included in the Level 4 drought declaration include: Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Heard, Henry, Jackson, Jasper, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison, Meriwether, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Rockdale, Spalding, Stephens, Towns, Troup, Union, Walker, Walton, White, Whitfield and Wilkes.

This directive is the latest step taken to help Georgians through the worst drought in the state's history. The northern third of Georgia is under Level 4 drought restrictions, or a complete outdoor watering ban. Georgia's major federal reservoirs, such as West Point Lake and Lake Lanier, continue to dwindle as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sends billions of gallons of water downstream every day despite the impact their actions will have on Georgia's water supply and its citizens.

On Saturday, October 20, Governor Perdue signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency in 85 counties in Georgia due to the historic drought. Governor Perdue also sent a letter to President Bush outlining steps the state has taken to minimize the impact of the drought and emphasizing the increasingly severe threat to Georgia businesses, industry, economic stability and the health and safety of Georgia citizens. He requested President Bush to temporarily exempt the state of Georgia from the Endangered Species Act to reduce the flows from Georgia reservoirs and preserve Georgia's precious water resources.

On Friday, October 19, Governor Perdue filed a motion for preliminary injunction in the Middle District of Florida Federal Court requiring the Army Corps of Engineers to restrict water flows from Lake Lanier and Georgia's federal reservoirs.

Labels: Sonny Perdue, water, Water Ban, Water Restrictions

NEW YORK -- Comcast Corp. actively interferes with attempts by some of its high-speed Internet subscribers to share files online, a move that runs counter to the tradition of treating all types of Net traffic equally.

The interference, which The Associated Press confirmed through nationwide tests, is the most drastic example yet of data discrimination by a U.S. Internet service provider. It involves company computers masquerading as those of its users.

If widely applied by other ISPs, the technology Comcast is using would be a crippling blow to the BitTorrent, eDonkey and Gnutella file-sharing networks. While these are mainly known as sources of copyright music, software and movies, BitTorrent in particular is emerging as a legitimate tool for quickly disseminating legal content.

The principle of equal treatment of traffic, called "Net Neutrality" by proponents, is not enshrined in law but supported by some regulations. Most of the debate around the issue has centered on tentative plans, now postponed, by large Internet carriers to offer preferential treatment of traffic from certain content providers for a fee.

Comcast's interference, on the other hand, appears to be an aggressive way of managing its network to keep file-sharing traffic from swallowing too much bandwidth and affecting the Internet speeds of other subscribers.

Comcast, the nation's largest cable TV operator and No. 2 Internet provider, would not specifically address the practice, but spokesman Charlie Douglas confirmed that it uses sophisticated methods to keep Net connections running smoothly.

"Comcast does not block access to any applications, including BitTorrent," he said.

Douglas would not specify what the company means by "access" -- Comcast subscribers can download BitTorrent files without hindrance. Only uploads of complete files are blocked or delayed by the company, as indicated by AP tests.

But with "peer-to-peer" technology, users exchange files with each other, and one person's upload is another's download. That means Comcast's blocking of certain uploads has repercussions in the global network of file sharers.

Comcast's technology kicks in, though not consistently, when one BitTorrent user attempts to share a complete file with another user.

Each PC gets a message invisible to the user that looks like it comes from the other computer, telling it to stop communicating. But neither message originated from the other computer -- it comes from Comcast. If it were a telephone conversation, it would be like the operator breaking into the conversation, telling each talker in the voice of the other: "Sorry, I have to hang up. Good bye."

Matthew Elvey, a Comcast subscriber in the San Francisco area who has noticed BitTorrent uploads being stifled, acknowledged that the company has the right to manage its network, but disapproves of the method, saying it appears to be deceptive.

"There's the wrong way of going about that and the right way," said Elvey, who is a computer consultant.

Comcast's interference affects all types of content, meaning that, for instance, an independent movie producer who wanted to distribute his work using BitTorrent and his Comcast connection could find that difficult or impossible -- as would someone pirating music.

Internet service providers have long complained about the vast amounts of traffic generated by a small number of subscribers who are avid users of file-sharing programs. Peer-to-peer applications account for between 50 percent and 90 percent of overall Internet traffic, according to a survey this year by ipoque GmbH, a German vendor of traffic-management equipment.

"We have a responsibility to manage our network to ensure all our customers have the best broadband experience possible," Douglas said. "This means we use the latest technologies to manage our network to provide a quality experience for all Comcast subscribers."

The practice of managing the flow of Internet data is known as "traffic shaping," and is already widespread among Internet service providers. It usually involves slowing down some forms of traffic, like file-sharing, while giving others priority. Other ISPs have attempted to block some file-sharing application by so-called "port filtering," but that method is easily circumvented and now largely ineffective.

Comcast's approach to traffic shaping is different because of the drastic effect it has on one type of traffic -- in some cases blocking it rather than slowing it down -- and the method used, which is difficult to circumvent and involves the company falsifying network traffic.

The "Net Neutrality" debate erupted in 2005, when AT&T Inc. suggested it would like to charge some Web companies more for preferential treatment of their traffic. Consumer advocates and Web heavyweights like Google Inc. and Amazon Inc. cried foul, saying it's a bedrock principle of the Internet that all traffic be treated equally.

To get its acquisition of BellSouth Corp. approved by the Federal Communications Commission, AT&T agreed in late 2006 not to implement such plans or prioritize traffic based on its origin for two and a half years. However, it did not make any commitments not to prioritize traffic based on its type, which is what Comcast is doing.

The FCC's stance on traffic shaping is not clear. A 2005 policy statement says that "consumers are entitled to run applications and services of their choice," but that principle is "subject to reasonable network management." Spokeswoman Mary Diamond would not elaborate.

Free Press, a Washington-based public interest group that advocates Net Neutrality, opposes the kind of filtering applied by Comcast.

"We don't believe that any Internet provider should be able to discriminate, block or impair their consumers' ability to send or receive legal content over the Internet," said Free Press spokeswoman Jen Howard.

Paul "Tony" Watson, a network security engineer at Google Inc. who has previously studied ways hackers could disrupt Internet traffic in a manner similar to the method Comcast is using, said the cable company was probably acting within its legal rights.

"It's their network and they can do what they want," said Watson. "My concern is the precedent. In the past, when people got an ISP connection, they were getting a connection to the Internet. The only determination was price and bandwidth. Now they're going to have to make much more complicated decisions such as price, bandwidth, and what services I can get over the Internet."

Several companies have sprung up that rely on peer-to-peer technology, including BitTorrent Inc., founded by the creator of the BitTorrent software (which exists in several versions freely distributed by different groups and companies).

Ashwin Navin, the company's president and co-founder, confirmed that it has noticed interference from Comcast, in addition to some Canadian Internet service providers.

"They're using sophisticated technology to degrade service, which probably costs them a lot of money. It would be better to see them use that money to improve service," Navin said, noting that BitTorrent and other peer-to-peer applications are a major reason consumers sign up for broadband.

BitTorrent Inc. announced Oct. 9 that it was teaming up with online video companies to use its technology to distribute legal content.

Other companies that rely on peer-to-peer technology, and could be affected if Comcast decides to expand the range of applications it filters, include Internet TV service Joost, eBay Inc.'s Skype video-conferencing program and movie download appliance Vudu. There is no sign that Comcast is hampering those services.

Comcast subscriber Robb Topolski, a former software quality engineer at Intel Corp., started noticing the interference when trying to upload with file-sharing programs Gnutella and eDonkey early this year.

In August, Topolski began to see reports on Internet forum DSLreports.com from other Comcast users with the same problem. He now believes that his home town of Hillsboro, Ore., was a test market for the technology that was later widely applied in other Comcast service areas.

Topolski agrees that Comcast has a right to manage its network and slow down traffic that affects other subscribers, but disapproves of their method.

"By Comcast not acknowledging that they do this at all, there's no way to report any problems with it," Topolski said.

Labels: Blocks Internet, Comcast, Internet

Space shuttle Discovery and a crew of seven rocketed into orbit Tuesday in pursuit of the international space station, where a formidable construction job awaits them.

Discovery blasted off at 11:38 a.m., ducking through clouds. It carried a giant Tinkertoy-type link that must be installed at the space station before European and Japanese laboratories can arrive.

Despite a forecast calling for rain right at launch time, the weather ended up cooperating.

A chunk of ice on plumbing between the external fuel tank and Discovery — 4 inches by 1½ inches — was deemed too small by NASA to pose a serious launch hazard. It appeared to be melting as the countdown entered its final minutes.

Launch director Mike Leinbach wished the crew good luck and Godspeed just before liftoff.

"We're ready to take Harmony to her new home," replied commander Pamela Melroy, referring to the new space station compartment aboard Discovery.

Discovery's fuel tank was modified following the last mission to prevent dangerous ice buildup from the super-cold liquid hydrogen and oxygen, and reduce the potential for launch debris.

The patch of ice that had NASA scrambling less than two hours before launch cropped up on a pipe that carries the hydrogen from the tank into the shuttle, and was stuck mostly to a baggy material.

It appeared to harmlessly break loose at the moment of liftoff, as NASA suspected it would.

At least six pieces of foam insulation fell off the fuel tank during liftoff, but it was well past the crucial first two minutes and therefore posed no risk to Discovery, said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's space operations chief.

The shuttle wings, however, were not altered in any way, even though a safety engineering group pressed for a delay because of concern over three panels with possible flaws.

Melroy, only the second woman to lead a shuttle mission, expressed her confidence late last week about flying Discovery, as have many of the senior managers who decided to skip wing repairs.

A possible cracking problem with the protective coating on three of the wing panels was deemed an acceptably low risk.

A hole in the wing brought down Columbia in 2003, the result of a strike by a slab of fuel-tank foam insulation at liftoff.

Discovery and its crew are embarking on a two-week mission that is considered the most challenging and complex in the nine years of orbital assembly of the international space station.

The shuttle is carrying up an Italian-built live-in compartment, about the size of a small bus, that the astronauts will attach to the space station.

The name Harmony was the choice of schoolchildren who took part in a national competition. About 130 of those youngsters traveled to Cape Canaveral to witness the launch.

Also on hand for the launch was "Star Wars" director and writer George Lucas. Packed aboard Discovery is the lightsaber used by the character Luke Skywalker in 1983's "Return of the Jedi" to mark the 30th anniversary of the first "Star Wars" film.

Europe and Japan's laboratories will link up with Harmony once they are launched by shuttles over the next few months.

The European lab, named Columbus, is targeted for a Dec. 6 launch. Discovery's on-time departure Tuesday kept the Columbus mission on track.

"Congratulations everybody. The beans are on," an animated Leinbach told his team once Discovery safely reached orbit. NASA has a postlaunch tradition of celebrating with beans and cornbread.

"Let's get on to the next launch in December," said Christopher Scolese, NASA's No. 2 man.

After they arrive at the space station on Thursday, Discovery's astronauts also will move a massive girder and set of solar wings from one part of the orbiting complex to another.

That work will involve extending radiators as well as the folded solar wings — 240 feet from tip to tip when outstretched.

In all, five spacewalks are planned, four to complete this construction job and one to test a method for fixing damaged shuttle thermal tiles using a caulking gun and high-tech goo.

The demonstration with sample tiles was added after Endeavour suffered a gouge to its belly during the last launch in August from a piece of flyaway fuel-tank foam.

Once Discovery leaves, the three space station residents — one of whom will be dropped off by the shuttle — will face even more construction work to prepare for the European lab's arrival.

Astronaut Clayton Anderson, who will return to Earth aboard Discovery after a five-month station stay, shook a white towel and did a backflip after watching the launch live on a computer.

Discovery's crew includes an Italian astronaut making his first spaceflight, Paolo Nespoli.

"It's nice to be in space," he radioed minutes after reaching orbit.

Labels: Discovery, NASA, Space Shuttle, Space Station

Rob Cohen has started shooting the third installment of "The Mummy" films starring Brendan Fraser in a desert valley north of Beijing.

In a blog entry on his "Mummy" Web site, Cohen says he's filming a battle scene between a family of explorers and a resurrected ancient Chinese emperor, played by Jet Li, and his 5,000 terra-cotta warriors.

He will later shoot a scene featuring the Chinese emperor racing through Shanghai's famous waterfront Bund in 1946 in a chariot drawn by four bronze horses.

Fraser is reprising his role as explorer Rick O'Connell in "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor." Maria Bello plays his wife, Evelyn, and Luke Ford is son Alex.

Michelle Yeoh will portray a sorceress, and Russell Wong is one of the Chinese emperor's enemies brought back from the dead.

Cohen said the China shoot, which involves a crew of 2,000 people, has been helped by good weather.

The film is expected to be released next summer.

Labels: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Mummy Movie, New Movies

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street ended an erratic session with a big advance Tuesday as investors uneasy about the economy were reassured by solid earnings from blue chip names including Apple Inc. and American Express Co. The Dow Jones industrial average rose more than 100 points.

Technology stocks were among the biggest gainers after Apple surpassed analysts' expectations with a 67 percent jump in fiscal fourth-quarter profit on strong sales of Macintosh computers, iPods and iPhones. Two component companies of the Dow Jones industrial average -- American Express, one of the largest credit card companies, and chemicals maker DuPont Co. -- posted better-than-expected profit gains as well.

But comments from DuPont CEO Charles O. Holliday Jr. that the company doesn't expect a recovery in the housing market next year reminded investors of the still uneasy forecasts for the economy. Holliday's remarks helped pull the major indexes down from their session highs before the indicators rebounded in afternoon trading.

"Housing is obviously still a big concern, and the question is how much does it spill over into the rest of the economy," said Alexander Paris, economist and market analyst for Chicago-based Barrington Research. "I think the trend for the market is down unless investors see something positive, and the market drifts back up again."

He said investors were also adjusting their positions ahead of key housing data this week. On Thursday, the National Association of Realtors will release its existing home sales report, while the Commerce Department reports new home sales a day later.

According to preliminary calculations, the Dow rose 109.26, or 0.81 percent, to 13,676.23.

Broader stock indicators were also higher. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 13.26, or 0.88 percent, to 1,519.59; the Nasdaq composite index rose 45.33, or 1.65 percent, to 2,799.26.

Labels: Earnings, Stocks, Wall Street

ALPHARETTA (AP) -- The city of Alpharetta has tightened its water restrictions, making them stricter than those mandated by the state.

The City Council approved a measure Monday that bans the watering of newly installed landscaping on residential or commercial property, even if the landscaping was installed by a professional.

The new ordinance allows Alpharetta police officers to issue criminal citations. It also empowers officers to inspect property to make sure people are complying with the watering ban.

To cope with the epic drought, Georgia officials in September banned virtually all outdoor watering in the northern part of the state and have warned that more restrictions could be coming.

Labels: Alpharetta, water, Water Ban, Water Restrictions

10th largest city in Georgia celebrates 1st birthday Dec. 1


by Caron Cooper


Johns Creek officially became a city Dec. 1, 2006, and the hard work has continued ever since.

So to honor the city's creation and those that have worked tirelessly to make it happen, the city will celebrate the first Founders Day Dec. 1.

The day's activities will begin with a parade, starting at Morton Road and State Bridge Road and ending at Ocee Elementary School.

Children and car-lovers alike will enjoy the 20 classic cars, monster truck, two antique fire trucks, motorcycles, convertibles and various floats, along with high school marching bands and JROTC, a Marine color guard, Shriners, clowns, a drum line and more.

Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker has challenged area high schools to create the most spirited float.

After the parade, a fire truck with Santa Claus will be driven to Newtown Park. Parents and children are encouraged to bring their cameras to take photos, perfect for holiday cards.

The day will be wrapped up with a holiday lighting ceremony at City Hall beginning at 4 p.m., complete with hot chocolate. Various elementary school choirs will perform along with other local bands.

Come celebrate Johns Creeks' first birthday and kick off the holiday season with your neighbors.

Citizens, civic groups or businesses interested in contributing a float or participating in the events should contact Grant Hickey at grant.hickey@johnscreekga.gov.

Labels: Birthday, City, Georgia, Johns Creek

CNC's Discover Center planned as interactive teaching venue


by Hatcher Hurd


The Discover Center at the Chattahoochee Nature Center will be the interactive nerve center for visitors who come to visit the rambling 127 acres on the Chattahoochee River.

Seven years ago the Chattahoochee Nature Center Board of Directors began to plot a bold new course for the 127-acre preserve to claim its place for the 21st century, Board President Jose Creamer announced Oct. 12.

The first two years were to plan and design the Nature Center's new museum, Discover Center, and the Discover Pavilion as the CNC embarks on a $9 million makeover campaign, Creamer said.

The last five years, the Board of Directors has quietly raised $8 million of the fund needed. Now the community is asked

to help make that last push to secure the $1 million needed to finish the job.

The Discover Center will be the jumping off point for the 100,000 annual visitors (half of them students) to learn and understand the fragile relationship of the forests, rivers and wetlands of Georgia's piedmont.

The museum will tell about the need for conservation of both the natural beauty of Georgia's wildlife and plants and its natural resources, the latter brought home most notably with 2007's yearlong drought.

In that respect, the Nature Center's mission of education and interpretation of the area's natural resources has never been more critical, said CNC Executive Director Ann Bergstrom.

"The water level at Lake Alatoona is just six feet above the intake valve. When it falls below that, Cobb County will be out of water. The Ga. Environmental Protection Division director predicts Lake Lanier has a three-month supply of water. It is incomprehensible that we have gotten to this situation, but nevertheless, here we are," Bergstrom said.

She made the comment while announcing the new plans for the Nature Center, but she felt is was an appropriate time, because it is obvious to her there is a disconnect between Georgia's people and their environment – one that the Nature Center is working to turn around.

"This is a wakeup call for all of us. There is a point where population growth and limited resources intersect. We had better know where that point is," she said. "The Nature Center is all about these issues."

The Chattahoochee Nature Center, a private, non-profit facility strategically located midway on the Chattahoochee River, is evolving and expanding to meet the growing and changing needs of the region.

Once known solely as an educational facility for children, the Chattahoochee Nature Center is expanding its mission. That mission is to be the interpretive center for the Chattahoochee River.

The goals of the new Discovery Center include:

• Promoting connections between the environment and community issues related to the health of the Chattahoochee River.

• Inviting participation by providing a place where visitors can hear and feel the natural world, encouraging conservation efforts and the preservation of the natural world for present and future generations.

• Heighten community awareness of the relationship between a high-quality environment and a high-quality lifestyle, and inspiring change in visitors by endorsing environmental actions that advance a sustainable future.

The Chattahoochee River supplies Georgia with more than 60 percent of its drinking water, offers Georgians more than 140 miles of river parklands and is the Atlanta region's most immediate connection to the natural world. It is critical to the continued success and prosperity of the region.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, honorary chairman of the nature center's capital campaign, said the Chattahoochee Nature Center promotes a greater understanding and appreciation of the dependence of local populations upon the Chattahoochee River for their growth, and the importance of personal stewardship of the river for future generations.

"If we want to enjoy the way of life that exists today in metro Atlanta, we must tell this story of water conservation to the city's growing population. Thankfully, the Chattahoochee Nature Center exists to tell that story and to teach citizens how to sustain, conserve, and support the Chattahoochee River and its watershed," Isakson said.

The centerpiece of the expansion will be a 10,000-square-foot exhibit hall and museum that will break ground in February of next year and open in April 2009.

The Discovery Center will showcase hands-on exhibits depicting three separate areas of our watershed (river, wetland and forest) and a 65-person theater.

The small, existing Discovery Center will be converted into an open-air pavilion located on Kingfisher Pond that can host special programs ands events. The Discovery Center will also be home to a new series of programs and events geared towards adults who want to learn more about our local environment, and the impact the Chattahoochee River has on it.

Local architectural firm, Lord, Aeck & Sargent, has designed the two-level LEED-certified Discovery Center. Local landscaping company, EDAW, has been signed for site improvements and general landscaping beauty. Exhibit design firm, AldrichPears Associates from British Columbia, is designing the interior space.

"It's an exciting time to be involved with the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Great changes and exciting visions are about to come to fruition," said Creamer. "Atlanta and the entire region are about to be presented with a wonderful new resource for learning."

Citizens can visit the Chattahoochee Nature Center's Web site at chattnaturecenter.com to learn more about the changes or to make a donation.

Labels: Chattahoochee, Nature Center, Roswell, water

Despite nonprofit status, city is unlikely to accept


by Caron Cooper
October 17, 2007


Despite criticism that his intentions were something other than charitable, businessman John Cornetta stayed true to his pledge, donating money to Johns Creek and to the victims' families of the recent fire tragedy.

Mayor Mike Bodker said he could not envision the City Council accepting the donation. And a letter dated Oct. 12 confirmed it.

Cornetta, owner of the adult video store Love Shack, pledged June 4 that his company would donate 1 percent of all sales from its five stores and 2 percent from its Johns Creek location to the memorial fund established for firefighter Felix Roberts and to the city to aide in the establishment of a municipal police and fire department. The stores also set out donation buckets where anyone can donate.

Cornetta sent a letter Sept. 28 to Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker with a check enclosed.

"It is with great pride that I mail you today this check for $2,913 to assist the city of Johns Creek in the development of its fire and rescue services," he said in the letter.

But the check wasn't from Cornetta, it was from his newly formed nonprofit, The Cornetta Charitable Foundation (CCF).


"It is the hopes and prayers of the CCF that the city put this money to good use by way of expediting civil services for Johns Creek," read the letter.

The letter went on to say the foundation raised $5,058 from store sales, plus $768 from employees and customers that was collected in buckets, for a total of $5,825.

Half of that went to the city, the other half went to the victims' families of a fire tragedy in Johns Creek that took the lives of a firefighter and a resident.

"As promised we have already donated $1,456 to the Felix Roberts Memorial Fund and the same amount to the family of John Callahan," said Cornetta in the letter. He and his wife also contributed $500 to each family.

The city is still mum, and it seems to matter not at all that the donation technically came from the foundation, not Cornetta.

"The city doesn't have to accept gifts from anybody. It is always up to the council to make a determination which gifts they wish to accept and which gifts they wish not to accept," said City Attorney Bill Riley.

So then the question becomes – when does the donation come before council?

"It is not on the agenda at this point. Whenever it comes before the council, they will make that determination," said Riley.

Only the city manager, the city attorney and the mayor have the right to place things on the agenda, according to Riley.

"If there is a pending potential donation, I am sure that the council will address it," said Riley.

But it looks like that day will never come. A letter from Director of Finance Monte Vavra was sent to Cornetta Oct. 12. Enclosed was the returned check.

"The city has determined that we cannot accept this check," the letter stated.

Last week, Bodker said he stands by his prior statement that a donation to the city from Cornetta could be interpreted as an attempt to influence City Council.

"It would be wholly inappropriate to consider any gifts while the city is in litigation with Mr. Cornetta," said Bodker.

Cornetta said he isn't surprised.

"It is typical, it is anticipated and it is a nice way to say they can sit on this as long as they want. The money didn't come from me. It came from people who knew that they were donating for those purposes," said Cornetta.

"I find it very ironic that the mayor would accept money from other charitable organizations, in fact help create one with a specific goal in mind to fight a legal business when his job is to promote business, and then to decide arbitrarily which businesses to accept from and not accept from."

And in true Cornetta fashion, the letter to the mayor also came with a challenge – dual dunk tanks at the Love Shack in December – one for Bodker, one for Cornetta.

"Any and all citizens can buy three softballs for $20 and choose whom to throw the ball at and dunk in to the cold water tank," read the letter.

The proceeds would of course go the charity of the winner's choice, whomever had the least amount of balls thrown at their tank.

"This is all in good clean fun and we have a chance together to raise an incredible amount of money for yet another good cause," Cornetta said in his letter.

Bodker had no comment.

Regardless, Cornetta said the show will go on, and he has enlisted Mike South to stand-in for the mayor.

Labels: Donations, Johns Creek, Mayor

The City of Roswell will host the fourth annual Bulky Trash Day on Saturday, November 3 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Roswell residents are invited to bring old, unwanted bulky items to the City’s Sanitation Division on Hembree Road for free disposal.

Items accepted include: all electronics, large white goods, furniture, tires (limit of four per vehicle and automotive only), lawn furniture, grills and junk.

The following items will NOT be accepted: any liquids including paint, construction/demolition debris and yard waste.

Please have proof of residency in the form of a City of Roswell utility bill or a City of Roswell window decal to show volunteers.

For more information please contact 770.641.3715 or 770.641.3961.

Labels: Bulky, Roswell, Trash

Go To: http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergency/anmviewer.asp?a=250&z=1

Labels: Georgia, Health Alert

On Monday, November 5th starting at 7:00 pm, the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System will be seeking public input on its Facility Master Plan. These public forums are taking place at various locations throughout the county from September through November. For the convenience of Alpharetta area residents, the November 5th public forum will be held at the Alpharetta Library located at the intersection of Mayfield Road and Canton Street.

The Facility Master Plan recognizes many inadequacies and needs that have been previously discussed and recognized anecdotally included but not limited to how the current Alpharetta branch does not adequately serve all Northwest Fulton communities.

Alpharetta residents are welcome to attend forums at other locations. The list of these locations can be found at www.afplweb.com. For additional information, you may contact their administrative offices at 404.730.1700.

Labels: Fulton County, Library, Public Library

Thursday, Oct. 18,
7:00 P.M.
Milton City Hall
13000 Deerfield Parkway
Building 100, Suite 107
Milton, GA 30004
View full calendar

Labels: City Council Meeting, milton

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. - An Oregon man won the annual pumpkin weigh-off here, presenting a gigantic gourd that came it at 1,524 pounds. Thad Starr, of Pleasant Hill, Ore., set a contest record with the pumpkin. He'll get $6 a pound, bringing his winnings to $9,144.

"It's the thrill of the victory," Starr said after his pumpkin came out on top. "And it's the fruition of a year's work."

About 80 contestants competed for the first-place prize, according to festival officials.




Pumpkins were lowered by forklift onto a 5-ton capacity digital scale monitored by officials from the San Mateo County Agricultural Commissioner's Office.

The top five pumpkins at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival will remain on display throughout the week.

The 2006 winner weighed in at 1,223 pounds, officials said.

Labels: Contest, Huge Pumpkin, October, Pumpkin

INDIANA, Pa. (AP) — The long-standing rivalry between Coke and Pepsi took a physical turn Friday when a Pepsi deliveryman allegedly punched his Coke counterpart in the face at a western Pennsylvania Wal-Mart, state police said.

The two deliverymen were "apparently bickering back and forth" while unloading their wares at the Indiana County store, police said. When the Coke deliveryman left the store, his counterpart allegedly punched him in the face three times, breaking his nose and giving him a black eye, police said.

No charges have been filed, but police characterized the incident as a misdemeanor simple assault.

Labels: Coke, Pepsi, punched, rivalry

A bad golf swing may have saved the life of an injured dirt biker in central New Jersey. Really.

The man was rescued after spending 17 hours trapped in the woods.

Dr. Vincent Romeo is a good golfer, usually hitting in the low 80s. On Thursday, though, he shanked a shot, clipping his ball way to the right of fairway 8 of New Jersey's Forsgate Country Club in Monroe. That one bad swing led to a hole-in-one for a dirt biker injured in the woods by the golf course. When Dr. Romeo went to his errant golf ball, he thought he heard something, but decided it was the wind.

"I am about ready to hit it again and I hear another cry and I realize … there was somebody," Romeo said.

Romeo then walked over to the woods and called out.

"I yell to the person, 'do you need help?' He yells back, 'I am on the track.'"

Thirty yards in the thick woods along a rarely used railroad track, 46-year-old Marc Franz had crashed his dirt bike. He could not move. Police say he had a broken leg, arm and ribs. He had spent the night in pain. Romeo could not get through the woods and called to the club staff.

Police and EMS came up the railroad track to the injured dirt biker.

"He was in poor condition; he had been there 17 hours and was happy to see us," said Lt. Marc Jimenez of the Monroe Police Department.

Franz was taken to University Hospital in New Brunswick where he is listed in fair condition. Romeo says a big storm hit right after he found the injured dirt biker. He believes the biker might have died from exposure if he was left another night. He said this was better than a hole-in-one.

"I trade a hole-in-one to save a life any day," Romeo said.

The dirt biker would probably gratefully agree.

A golf partner of Romeo's says when he went to get his ball, the wind changed direction carrying the cry for help. Moments before when it was blowing the other way they could not hear the man's groans.

Labels: Dirt Bike, Golf, Hole-in-one, New Jersey

RICHMOND, Va — Dangerous staph infections are on the rise at schools across the nation, officials report.

Several students have been hospitalized.

Schools say the outbreaks of staph infections are occurring mostely among athletes, and the germs include an antibiotic-resistant strain that is sometimes associated with serious skin problems and blood disorders.

The infections have forced districts to call off classes, cancel sporting events and disinfect entire buildings.

Many of the infections are being spread in gyms and locker rooms, where athletes — perhaps suffering from cuts or abrasions — share sports equipment.

In Virginia, a Newport News high school closed its weight room Thursday to be disinfected after at least four students were infected — one with the drug-resistant strain. The drug-resistant patient, a football player, was hospitalized for three days.

On Friday, the high school in Galax, Va., postponed a football game because of an infection on its football team. School officials said they could not clean the equipment in time for the kickoff.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta does not track staph infections but confirmed that the cases seem to be more widespread than in the past.

"Most of these are mild infections," agency spokeswoman Nicole Coffin said. "They can be as simple as a pimple or a boil, or as serious as a blood infection."

The drug-resistant strain, called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain, or MRSA, can be especially stubborn. It resists treatment with penicillin and related antibiotics but can be treated with other drugs.

The potentially fatal germ typically thrives in health care settings where people have open wounds. But in recent years, outbreaks have also occurred in schools.

Virginia public schools spokesman Charles Pyle said the Education Department's health specialist has received about eight calls about the problem since school started. Last year, he received only two calls during the entire fall semester.

"We're not viewing this as something to be overly alarmed about," Pyle said.

He said the department will send information about prevention and treatment to Virginia's 132 school districts for distribution to schools and parents.

MRSA is spread mostly through personal contact, although sharing towels, razors or athletic equipment also can spread the bacteria. Frequent and thorough hand-washing is one of the most important preventive measures, said Coffin, of the CDC.

In neighboring Maryland, more than two dozen staph infections have been reported by four Anne Arundel County high schools over the past three weeks. School officials said cleaning crews have been scrubbing all 12 high schools with hospital disinfectant.

In western Ohio, 800 students at Troy Christian Schools were sent home early Tuesday as a precaution after at least one student contracted MRSA. Superintendent Gary Wilber said classrooms, lockers, student belongings, buses and other equipment were disinfected.

At least three other Ohio high schools disinfected their facilities after students reported staph infections.

Health officials in North Carolina and Florida also noted an increase in staph infections.

Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., reported two cases of MRSA involving athletes last month, and at least two dozen athletes at three New Hampshire schools recently came down with skin infections.

Labels: News, School, Staph Infections, Top Stories

MOSCOW — The Russian government under Vladimir Putin has amassed so much central authority that the power-grab may undermine Moscow's commitment to democracy, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Saturday.

"In any country, if you don't have countervailing institutions, the power of any one president is problematic for democratic development," Rice told reporters after meeting with human-rights activists.

"I think there is too much concentration of power in the Kremlin. I have told the Russians that. Everybody has doubts about the full independence of the judiciary. There are clearly questions about the independence of the electronic media and there are, I think, questions about the strength of the Duma," said Rice, referring to the Russian parliament.

Telephone messages left with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov were not immediately returned Saturday evening.

The top American diplomat encouraged the activists to build institutions of democracy. These would help combat arbitrary state power amid increasing pressure from the Kremlin, she said.

The U.S. is concerned about the centralization of power and democratic backsliding ahead of Russia's legislative and presidential elections in December and March. Putin will step down next year as president. He has said he would lead the ticket of the main pro-Kremlin party in the parliamentary elections and could take the prime minister's job later.

"I talked to people about the coming months and how they see the coming months. How these two elections are carried out will have an effect on whether Russia is making the next step on toward democracy," Rice said after the private sessions at Spaso House, the residence of the U.S. ambassador in Moscow.

Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Friday received a chilly reception from Putin and senior Russian officials on U.S. proposals for cooperating on a missile defense system in Eastern Europe that Russia vehemently opposes.

But as she has in the past, Rice declined comment on Putin's possible political future and said she did not raise the matter in her official discussions.

Although she would not speculate about Putin's ambitions, Rice said there were signs that whatever transition occurs could be smooth.

"To the degree that anyone can predict, it looks like it will be fairly stable," she said. "But, I would just caution that change is change."

Earlier, Rice said she hoped the efforts of rights activists would promote universal values of "the rights of individuals to liberty and freedom, the right to worship as you please, and the right to assembly, the right to not have to deal with the arbitrary power of the state."

In the meeting with business, media and civil society leaders, Rice said she was "especially interested in talking about how you view (the) political evolution of Russia, the economic evolution of Russia."

"Russia is a country that's in transition and that transition is not easy and there are a lot of complications and a lot of challenges," Rice said. "If Russia is to emerge as a democratic country that can fully protect the rights of its people, it is going to emerge over years and you have to be a part of helping the emergence of that Russia."

Participants in the meetings said they outlined their concerns but that she did not offer any judgments about the state of human rights and democracy under Putin.

Lyudmila Alexeyeva of the Moscow Helsinki Group told the Interfax news agency her organization sees "the purposeful construction of an authoritarian society and an onslaught on the people's rights, elections are being turned into farce, and human rights and opposition organizations are experiencing pressure."

Alexander Brod, head of the Moscow Human Rights Bureau, said the discussions touched on "authoritarianism and the crisis of human rights." He said he disagreed with "the opinion that we had a flourishing democracy in the 1990s and that we have a setback now."

"Not all is ideal in America, either. We see protests against the war in Iraq and violations of human rights on the part of security services and violations of human rights in countering terrorism," Brod said.

Vladimir Lukin, the government-appointed human rights ombudsman, was quoted by Interfax as saying he told Rice that human rights should be discussed in a dialogue rather lecturing in a "doomsday" style.

The State Department frequently has criticized what Washington regards as creeping authoritarianism among Putin and other top Russian leaders.

Its most recent human-rights report on Russia notes continuing centralization of power in the Kremlin, a compliant legislature, political pressure on the judiciary, intolerance of ethnic minorities, corruption and selectivity in enforcement of the law, and media restrictions and self-censorship.

Rice and Gates later met with Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov for talks on trade and economic relations, including negotiations for Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization.

Moscow and Washington signed a trade agreement last November that removed the last major obstacle in Moscow's 13-year journey to join the 149-member group. Moscow must still conclude other outstanding bilateral deals and assuage the European Union's concerns about energy supplies.

The Russian government press service said Zubkov also pressed the Americans to work to abolish the Jackson-Vanik amendment. The 1974 measure ties Russia's trade status to whether it freely allows Jewish emigration.

Labels: Moscow, News, Putin, Russian Government, Top Stories

NEW YORK — Chalk it up to the city's crackdown on graffiti.

A 6-year-old child's chalk sketches on her family's stoop brought her bemused parents a graffiti-removal notice that threatened a $300 fine, the family and Sanitation Department officials said.

"My mom got a ticket for graffiti, and it wasn't even graffiti," first-grader Natalie Shea said. "It was art, very nice art."

But a neighbor apparently didn't see it that way and called the city's 311 complaint line about the blue flower drawn earlier this month on the stoop of Natalie's home in Park Slope, a Brooklyn neighborhood known for being family-friendly.

The notice that arrived Oct. 5 — giving the family 45 days to clean up the "graffiti" — was a form letter sent in response to all such complaints, city Sanitation Department spokeswoman Kathy Dawkins said.

"If people call and complain, we have to follow it up," she said, but noted that the agency "does not consider a child's chalk drawing to be graffiti."

Nor does City Councilman Peter Vallone, who spearheaded a 2005 city law that requires property owners to get rid of graffiti.

"It was never the intent of my law to capture chalk drawings on the sidewalk," he said.

Natalie's mother, Jen Pepperman, said she would wash off the girl's doodles more promptly in future. As for the offending flower, it was erased Thursday by a heavy rain.

Labels: New York, News, Top Stories

McLEAN, VA -- Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.40 percent with an average 0.4 point for the week ending October 11, 2007, up from last week when it averaged 6.37 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.37 percent.

The 15-year FRM this week averaged 6.06 percent with an average 0.5 point, up from last week when it averaged 6.03 percent. A year ago, the 15-year FRM averaged 6.06 percent.

Five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) averaged 6.12 percent this week, with an average 0.5 point, up slightly from last week when it averaged 6.11 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 6.10 percent.

One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 5.73 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 5.58 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.56 percent.

"Mortgage rates edged up this week following the release of the September employment figures," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. "The economy added 110,000 new jobs last month while July and August were revised upwards by a total of 188,000 jobs, reflecting greater strength in the economy during that time than initially indicated."

"Meanwhile, following the release of the September 18th minutes of the Fed’s Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, financial markets reassessed the likelihood of another rate cut at the upcoming October 31st meeting. The market currently is looking for about a 30 percent chance of a 25 basis point rate cut rather than the 50 percent chance that they had previously expected."

Labels: First Time Home Buyers, Home Buyers, Loans, Mortgage, Real Estate

- Patrick Elias scored with :27 left in regulation to break a 5-5 tie and give the Devils a 6-5 win against the Thrashers at Philips Arena ... Atlanta's record now stands at 0-5-0.

- Darren Haydar, who was recalled from Chicago (AHL) on Thursday, scored his first-career NHL goal at 2:21 of the first period ... Haydar added one assist to give him a two point night in his second game with the Thrashers this season.

- Ilya Kovalchuk tallied two goals and now leads the team with four points (three goals, one assist) on the season ... Kovalchuk's second goal of the night, at the 16:40 mark of the third period, tied the game at five goals apiece.

- Rookie Brett Sterling recorded his first NHL point with an assist on Haydar's first period tally ... Sterling has appeared in the Thrashers first five games this season, posting 14:30 of ice time in that span.

- Kari Lehtonen made his second consecutive start, making 29 saves in the loss.

- The Thrashers are back in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Philadelphia ... That game can be seen live on VERSUS ... Atlanta returns to Philips Arena next Thursday for its last home game of October against the New York Rangers.

Labels: Alpharetta, Atlanta, Hockey, Thrashers

Church buys 51 acres on Webb Bridge
by Bob Pepalis.


October 10, 2007
Downtown Alpharetta won't look the same in several years, with Alpharetta First Baptist Church's move 2½ miles east to a much larger property next to Big Creek on Webb Bridge Road just the latest change.

Church members overwhelmingly voted buying 51 acres of land on Webb Bridge road just west of Big Creek and across the street from Alpharetta High School. The 102-year-old church plans a worship center, school, daycare, recreation center with baseball and soccer fields on the site.

Church board member Richard Wernick told Alpharetta Planning Commissioners Oct. 4 that it will take at least three years before the first dirt is turned at the new site.

"Right now our focus is on purchasing the land, then have a fund raiser help us to build the buildings," he said.

The church plans a 1,750-seat worship center, more than double what its Academy Street building can hold. That's important for the 1,800-member congregation, which is growing.

The planning board, led by its chairman, Mike Tomy, offered strong support for the church's plans. Tomy said he advocates larger churches being built in larger master-planned areas rather than shoehorning them into densely populated downtown areas.

The Planning Commission recommended approval for Alpharetta First Baptist's rezoning request. City Council will consider the application Oct. 22.


A connection to Edison Drive on the back of the Webb Bridge property must be gated under a condition approved by the Planning Commission in answer to concerns of the Windward Homeowners Inc. (WHI).

Butch Dumbleton was the first WHI representatives who said while group strongly supports the church's plans, it wants the city to forbid any connection to Edison Drive from the church property which they fear could become a new link between Windward Parkway and Webb Bridge Road.

"We do have a major concern about the access road to Edison Drive. We are trying to prevent any kind of cut through project," Dumbleton said.

Tom Miller, WHI president, chimed in with the opposition. He said even circuitous routes do little to prevent cut-through traffic. Any gate should be a significant structure and secure, he said.

But Wernick said the Edison Drive connection is important, especially to members reaching the church from Windward Parkway. Cut through traffic concerns the church as it is a problem at its existing Academy Street site. A gate may be acceptable, he said.

Alpharetta First Baptist has much work to do before it can move the 2½ miles down Academy Street to Webb Bridge Road.

"We would have to sell our existing facility. Obviously get more detailed plans done, architectural drawings, costing – it just takes time to do all that," Wernick said.

He said preliminary estimates are that the building process will take 18 months.

The church began discussing the property with the seller in May or June. It did not become available until August. Three weeks ago church members voted to buy the land.

Church leaders and members wanted to stay in Alpharetta.

"I think the thing that this site does for us is it keeps us in Alpharetta. We really want to be known as a church that is doing something for the community," he said.

Labels: Alpharetta, Church, First Baptist Church