Brian Vanderhoff's North Fulton Real Estate Blog

The Real Housewives of Atlanta have been introduced to homes across America through the reality TV show of the same name, which is aired on Bravo. The drama, action and high style of the ladies makes them one of the most popular casts on the air.

When Ebony magazine needed a location to shoot a fall fashion spread of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, it turned to the model home of Courtyards Hapeville, constructed by ChesapeakeBuilt. Though it is an amazing opportunity to showcase the model home, Brendan Murphy, president of ChesapeakeBuilt, was just pleased to be able to show off Hapeville.

Courtyards Hapeville is an exclusive community with only 13 homesites. Each home will range in size from 1,800 to 4,200 square feet and revolve around the luxurious courtyard. Courtyards transform into outdoor oases with water features such as a pool, spa or fountain. Additions of fire pits and outdoor fireplaces let residents enjoy their courtyards year-round.

ChesapeakeBuilt has a keen eye for detail, with features such as pot fillers, tumbled stone backsplashes, carriage-style garage doors and granite countertops available.

Visit the ChesapeakeBuilt website for more information on these amazing homes, and be sure to pick up the November issue of Ebony magazine to see all the beautiful photos.

Labels: Atlanta, REal Housewives

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Labels: Atlanta, atlantic station, ATLofts, Foreclosures, Real Estate

The man accused in the alleged beating death of the ex-fiance of a "Real Housewives of Atlanta" cast member appears in court for the first time Tuesday.




Frederick Richardson is charged with voluntary manslaughter.



The man charged in the death of 34-year-old Ashley "AJ" Jewell is behind bars after being taken to the Fulton County Jail straight from Grady Memorial Hospital.



Bruised and battered, Frederick Richardson is charged with voluntary manslaughter after a fight Friday night outside the club Body Tap.



While neither side disputes the fight, defense attorneys for Richardson said the charges are premature since it still isn't known what exactly killed Jewell.



"They don't know cause of death...they don't know how he died," said defense attorney Dennis Scheib.



The fight happened out of the view of the club's surveillance cameras but police said several witnesses have the same recollection of the one-on-one fight and report that Jewell threw the first punch.



The club opened for the first time Monday night since the fight and while club officials have no comment, investigators said the two men had an on-going dispute about business matters concerning the club.



Richardson worked at the club and Jewell was reportedly attempting to buy part or all of the establishment.



But police said whatever started the fight, once Jewell went down, he was unable to defend himself and therefore the charges aren't likely to change.



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Brian and Jennifer Vanderhoff
North Fulton County REALTORS
Vanderhoff Real Estate
(770) 888-9269
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Milton, GA Real Estate, Condos, Homes for Sale
North Fulton County, GA Real Estate, Condos, Homes for Sale
Forsyth, GA Real Estate, Condos, Homes for Sale
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Labels: Atlanta, atlanta housewives

Expansion of a dolphin exhibit has led Georgia Aquarium officials to ship their three beluga whales to Texas for a few months.




Aquarium spokeswoman Meghann Gibbons says the whales were shipped to Sea World San Antonio, Texas on Sunday. They are expected to return to Atlanta in December.



Gibbons says the aquarium's animal husbandry department has been monitoring the belugas, which are extremely sensitive to sound, since construction began more than a year ago near their habitat.



She says aquarium officials decided to eliminate the risk and send the whales to a quieter place until the loudest

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Brian and Jennifer Vanderhoff
North Fulton County REALTORS
Vanderhoff Real Estate
(770) 888-9269
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Milton, GA Real Estate, Condos, Homes for Sale
North Fulton County, GA Real Estate, Condos, Homes for Sale
Forsyth, GA Real Estate, Condos, Homes for Sale
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Labels: Atlanta, georgia aquarium, whales

School boards are looking for ways to cut costs. Teachers and students are feeling pressure to show head-way on standardized tests. And a downturned economy has left its mark with employee furloughs, sluggish to no enrollment increases and generally smaller staffs and budgets.

Here's a snapshot of the major school districts heading into the 2009-2010 school year:


Atlanta Public Schools
Projected enrollment: 47,789, down from 48,147 in 2008-2009 year.

Staff: 3,434 teachers, down from 3,562 last year; and 6,128 total employees, up from 6,038 last year.

New schools opening: 3 – Springdale Park Elementary School at 1274 Ponce de Leon Ave.; Brandon Annex, 2845 Margaret Mitchell Dr.; Smith Annex, 4141 Wieuca Road.

Major changes: Frederick Douglass and Washington high schools become small learning communities. Douglass will offer communications and journalism; hospitality, tourism and marketing; business and entrepreneurship; and engineering and applied technology. Washington will offer banking, finance and investment; early college; and senior school. Hill and Hope elementary schools have merged, and Hope will be host for the newly named Hill-Hope Elementary School.

The single-gender middle school academies – B.E.S.T Academy for boys and Coretta Scott King Young Women's Leadership Academy for girls – are to move into new facilities in September and January, respectively. APS' Campus Portal for Parents will provide access to class schedules and attendance records.

The costs: Budget is $652.5 million, compared to $661.5 million for FY 2009.

Starting teacher pay: $44,312

Average teacher pay: $61,365. Teachers are getting step raises.

The leadership: Dr. Beverly L. Hall, superintendent; Kathy Augustine, deputy superintendent of instruction; Sharron Pitts, chief of staff; Chuck Burbridge, chief financial officer; Millicent Few, chief human resources officer; Suzanne Yeager, chief communications officer; Veleter Mazyck, general counsel; Dr. Alexis Kirijan, chief strategy officer; Joyce McCloud, special assistant to the superintendent.

Source: Atlanta Public Schools


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Clayton County Public Schools
Projected enrollment: 47,200, down from 51,830 last school year.

Staff: 3,611 teachers, down from 3,819 last year, and 7,956 total employees, down from 8,232 last year.

New school opening: 1 – Charles Drew High School

Major changes: Uniform dress kindergarten through grade 12, new superintendent and new high school.

The costs: Budget is $574.1 million, compared to $613.8 million for fiscal 2009.

Starting teacher pay: $40,624 (bachelor's), $45,438 (master's)

Average teacher pay: $51,655.19. Eligible teachers are getting their state step, but their local supplement is being adjusted so their 2009-2010 salaries remain the same as last year's salary.

The leadership: Dr. Edmond Heatley, superintendent and as yet-to-be-announced leadership team.

Source: Clayton County Public Schools


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Cobb County School District
Projected enrollment: 104,929, down from 105,956, although officials say they believe an enrollment drop seems unlikely.

Staff: 7,632 full-time teachers, down from 7,914; 534 projected part-time teachers, down from 569; 15,229 total employees, unchanged from last year.

New schools opening: 0

Major changes: Hayes Elementary will be divided into a "school within a school," as Hayes Primary and Hayes Intermediate.

The costs: Budget is $907,466,771, down from $940,018,024 last year. Per-student spending will be $8,648, down from $9,036. Full-step salary increases are being delayed half a year for eligible employees.

Starting teacher pay (with bachelor's): $38,958

Average teacher pay range (with bachelor's): From $38,958 to $58,457

The leadership: Fred Sanderson, superintendent; Dr. Steven Constantino, associate superintendent for leadership and learning; Dr. Gordon Pritz, associate superintendent for operational support; six area assistant superintendents responsible for regional administrative support.

Source: Cobb County School District


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DeKalb County School System
Projected enrollment: 99,000, unchanged from 2008-2009

Staff: 6,775 full-time teachers, down from 6,941, and 13,500 total full-time employees, down from 13,944.

New schools opening: 2 – Arabia Mountain High School (only Silver LEED school or energy-efficient public school in Georgia) and Dunwoody Elementary School, serving 4th/5th grade academy.

Major changes: America's Choice Program, focusing on literacy and mathematics in 40 schools with the goal of changing patterns of low performance and of closing longtime achievement gaps. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds of 2009 will be used for this project.

The costs: Budget is $851.1 million, down from $894.1 million in the original FY 2009 budget.

Starting teacher pay (with bachelor's): $41,628

Teacher pay ranges from: $41,628 to $82,104. Teachers are not getting step raises.

The leadership: Dr. Crawford Lewis, superintendent; nine members of the Board of Education.

Source: DeKalb County School System


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Fulton County Schools
Projected enrollment: 90,057, up from 88,184 last year.

Staff: 6,459 projected full-time teachers, down from 7,096; and 12,191 total projected employees, down from 13,134. Nineteen part-time teachers in critical needs, such as speech language and orthopedically/hearing impaired, down from 275.

New schools opening: 6 – Birmingham Falls Elementary, Milton; Ison Springs Elementary, Sandy Springs; Cliftondale Elementary, College Park; Johns Creek High, Johns Creek; Langston Hughes High, Fairburn; and Hapeville Charter Career Academy, Union City.

Major changes: The Fulton Institute of Technology and Project LIFT, funded with a $5.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, for Banneker, Creekside, Tri-Cities and Westlake high schools to increase the graduation rates and the likelihood of students going to college.

The costs: Budget is $856,442,124, down from $857,388,301 in the last fiscal year.

Starting teacher pay: $39,132

Average teacher pay: $68,536 (this includes the 3-day furlough salary reduction). Teachers are being awarded experience credit for another year of service, but are not receiving a related pay increase.

The leadership: Dr. Cindy Loe, superintendent, two deputy superintendents and six assistant superintendents.

Source: Fulton County Schools


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Gwinnett County Public Schools
Projected enrollment: 158,963, up from 157,219 last year.

Staff: 10,536 teachers, down from 10,587, and total employees are 21,306, up from 20,933.

New schools opening: 9 – North Gwinnett Middle School, Sugar Hill; White Oak Elementary School, Buford; Archer High School, Lawrenceville; Mountain View High School, Lawrenceville; Twin Rivers Middle School, Buford; Starling Elementary School, Grayson; Bay Creek Middle School, Grayson; Couch Middle School, Grayson; Woodward Mill Elementary, Lawrenceville.

Major changes: IE2 being implemented, new schools opening.

The costs: Budget is $2.001 billion, up from $1.859 billion in FY 2009. Starting teacher pay: $38,895 (with a bachelor's degree).

Average teacher pay: $55,795, with 11 years of experience.

About 10,000 or 95 percent of the 10,536 budgeted teachers, are getting step raises that are projected to cost a total of $16.8 million, including $12.1 million that comes from the state.

The leadership: J. Alvin Wilbanks, CEO/superintendent; Gwinnett County Board of Education; and Dr. Steve Flynt, chief academic officer.

Source: Gwinnett County Public Schools

*All of these school systems operate on a fiscal year that started July 1 and will end June 30, 2010. The budgets referenced are meant to cover general operating expenses.

Labels: Atlanta, fiscal, Milton High School, North Fulton, schools

Atlanta officials say two northbound lanes on Roswell Road between Wieuca and W. Wieuca roads will be closed to traffic between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. through Saturday.

Labels: Atlanta, Bank Owned, Bank owned properties, foreclosure, Foreclosures, roswell road, Wieuca

The Georgia Department of Transportation is checking the lanes this morning to ensure debris has been removed and expects to reopen the closed lanes as soon as possible, according to Crystal Paulk-Buchanan with the DOT.

Only the HOV lane has been open on the northbound stretches of I-75 and I-85 as road crews build a ramp from the Connector at 14th Street to the 17th Street Bridge. DOT crews had to move a total of 40, 130-foot beams, Paulk-Buchanan said. By early Sunday, all had been moved, she said.

DOT’s work has been completed earlier than anticipated. Three northbound lanes were originally expected to be closed until 5 a.m. Monday.

The DOT urged drivers to take Interstate 285 – if possible – to get around the city. And apparently, they’ve listened.

“It’s a sign that the traffic moved really well,” Paulk-Buchanan said. “It’s a tribute to folks showing patience.”

For at least 10 weekends, crews will be repaving the section north of 10th Street to where I-75 and I-85 split near 17th Street, the final leg of a project started last summer.

That project was not completed last year because repaving that leg of the highway would have interfered with the replacement of 14th Street Bridge. But the bridge contractor, C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., is now ready to finish repaving the Connector.

Last summer, there were epic traffic jams when crews ground up the Connector and laid new asphalt between University Avenue and 10th Street.

Labels: 10th street, Atlanta, connector, georgia dot

Residents and businesses in north Atlanta, including the Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza malls, are being asked to boil water after a power outage at the Northside Pumping Station.

The area under the advisory is West Wesley Road to the south; the DeKalb County line to the east; Northside Drive to the west and Wieuca Road, Loridans Drive and Churchill Downs to the north. City officials could not estimate how many customers were affected.

City officials said the power outage happened about 5:30 a.m. and was restored approximately two hours later.

Officials are maintaining the advisory as a precaution to prevent anyone from getting sick from potential bacterial contamination.

Officials said the water should be boiled for at least one minute after it reaches a boiling point.

Labels: Atlanta, boil, water

The state Department of Public Safety said 19 people have been killed in Georgia traffic accidents during the July 4 holiday weekend.

The number was three less than the department had predicted.

The 2,490 wrecks far more than the 1,874 that had been forecast. There were 682 injuries.

Labels: 4th of july, Atlanta, car accidents, fourth of july, Georgia, weekend wrecks

For first time in Peachtree Road Race history, a runner has been disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The incident happened in the final 30 meters of race.

Ethiopia's Tadese Tola and Kenyan runner Boaz Cheboiywo were racing side by side and it appears that Tola shoves Cheboiywo just before crossed finish line.

Cheboiywo filed a protest, video of finish was reviewed and three race officials confirmed they saw the incident.

Tola was disqualified.

Tola had 24 hours to appeal. He did not and so the disqualification upheld.

Cheboiywo was awarded 4th place finish and $2,500.

Labels: Atlanta, disqualify, officials, peachtree road race, peachtree runner

Tax assessors across Atlanta’s five core urban counties say homes and businesses lost almost $5 billion in real estate value last year due to the continuing recession.

That’s right, billion.

Still, property owners in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties are complaining that assessors haven’t gone nearly far enough to account for a real estate slump that has houses in some communities for sale at less than the price of a decent used car.

R.J. Morris, an investor in rental real estate, said assessors dropped the tax value on a rental home he bought last year in East Point from $137,800 to $107,000 — a 22 percent decline. However, he paid just $5,000 for the house in late 2008.

“It’s obvious all they did was say they are going to take [some random percentage] off,” Morris said. “In 2008, that’s when we really drove off the cliff. It was definitive. There is no way you can say values didn’t go down. Anything south of I-20, values have just been destroyed.”

The losses are being recorded now as assessors prepare their tax digests and submit values to the state and local governments that will use them to collect 2009 taxes. Assessors in the five urban counties have or will send about 350,000 notices lowering taxable values for 2009.

And when values fall, governments struggle unless they raise tax rates to compensate. Numerous school systems, cities and counties across metro Atlanta have been debating tax increases and service cuts over the past several months. Tax digests also give a glimpse into the state of the economy, real estate markets and development.

They catalog changes in value, new construction, expansion and property divisions.

For example, in 2008 the same five counties counted a nearly $23 billion increase in real estate values even thought it was a down year. So, for assessors, any kind of drop in value is a dramatic change.

“In my 30 years assessing in Georgia, this is the first time I’ve seen anybody’s digest go down,” said Steve Pruitt, chief appraiser for Gwinnett. “The market has always been flat or increasing. We’ve not ever seen an appreciable devaluation. This is the first really mass effect I’ve seen.”

The greatest drop by percentage is in Clayton, where assessors reported real estate values fell by $1.2 billion, or 6 percent. The greatest dollar drop came in DeKalb, where assessors cut $2 billion in taxable value from the county’s digest.

And, even though Clayton cut properties by the greatest proportional amount by far, the county still got slammed with nearly 6,000 appeals from property owners who say it should have done more.

Rodney McDaniel, Clayton’s chief appraiser, said the appeals are the greatest number he can remember getting, even with his county’s aggressive efforts to lower values.

“We got hammered,” McDaniel said. “I’m not going to lie. I thought we were pretty fair. Naturally, not everyone’s going to agree with us.”

Cobb and Fulton both reported drops of about 1 percent in real estate values. However, chief appraisers in both counties said large drops in residential values were offset by increases in commercial values, new construction, additions and property divisions.

Burt Manning, Fulton’s chief appraiser, said Fulton has sent or will send about 130,000 notices to residential property owners that will lower values by a total of $2.75 billion, an average of about 12 percent.

The digest, he said, also had about $600 million in losses among some commercial properties.

However, he said, there was about $3 billion in growth from other parcels, netting Fulton a $300 million loss.

“I’m surprised by how much new parcels and new growth we added,” Manning said.

The biggest controversies over assessments so far have been in Cobb and DeKalb.

In Cobb, legislators sent a letter of protest to the Department of Revenue complaining that thousands of taxpayers will pay more than they should in property taxes because assessors there are lowering only about 20,000 or 30,000 parcels, the fewest in metro Atlanta.

DeKalb actually sent two rounds of notices after admitting the first lowered only a handful of values because assessors failed to count foreclosures and distressed sales even though state law required them to do that.

The new round of notices, sent in May, lowered five times as many properties but still didn’t stop the county from being sued.

And the county racked up more than 8,300 appeals for an appeal period that ended Friday.

John Woodham, the lawyer who filed the lawsuit, said he suspects DeKalb’s 3 percent drop would be much greater but assessors were reluctant to cut appraised values as low as bank-owned sales dictate.

He said there are dozens of neighborhoods where houses are priced in the range of $20,000 to $30,000, but tax appraisals average three times as much even after being lowered this year.

“You can’t just take last year’s overly inflated number and hack off 20 percent,” he said. “That’s not statutory. They are required to get to fair market value.”

Labels: Atlanta, clayton county, dekalb county, Fulton, Gwinnett, property values, take a hit

Hundreds lined up at the Georgia Dome to begin their shot at being the next American Idol.

Registration for season nine of the hit show began Tuesday morning and runs through Wednesday.

A producer at the Dome said registration will run all day and night with a cutoff of about 8-9am Thursday. The auditions begin Thursday, June 18.

If you feel you are the next American Idol, head down to the Dome!

Audition Information!
Atlanta registration for Season 9 auditions will take place on Tuesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 17, and auditions will take place on Thursday, June 18. Both registration and auditions will take place at the Georgia Dome.

Georgia Dome
1 Georgia Dome Dr. NW
Atlanta, GA 30313
(404) 223-4636
www.gadome.com

Front Of Line: Gate D Entry
Parking: Area parking at varying rates.
American Idol is not responsible for any parking rates or rules.

Labels: American Idol, Atlanta, Auditions

Take the average Starbucks and expand it by almost 1,200 square miles and you have the biggest wireless Internet hot spot in America. And right now, that’s Atlanta.

Or that is the boast of Clearwire Communications, which Tuesday officially launches its Clear 4G WiMAX service in Atlanta, though the system has been operating without publicity for about six weeks.

There are still holes in the huge footprint, which covers everything inside I-285 and more. Service is not yet available in parts of the Northside around Dunwoody and Sandy Springs and DeKalb County around Decatur. A complete network of transmitters that will close those gaps is still being installed, according to the company.

And there’s the sticker shock. Unlike wireless Internet offered largely free at almost 900 sites in metro Atlanta, Clear has a fairly steep price of entry.

To hook up a laptop requires a special USB modem, which goes for $59.99. There’s also a $35 activation fee and service subscription rates that start at $10 a day and go to $50 a month.

However, the system moves wifi service a step closer to making high definition, high speed internet programming — videos and streaming telecasts — as clear on remote laptops as internet and cable TV reception at home.

Rival AT&T plans to roll out its own 4G technology later this year as TV networks increasingly seek to channel their programming onto laptops and cell-phones through the Internet.

This is the third market for Clear, which has launched systems in Baltimore and Portland, Ore. But Atlanta is by far the biggest hot spot footprint, nearly twice the footprint size as Portland or Baltimore, which is about 700 square miles.

The Atlanta coverage area stretches to northern Cherokee County, to southern Henry County, and east on I-20 past Wesley Chapel Road and west on I-20 as far as Six Flags.

4G WiMAX technology, said Benny Bing, a research scientist at the Georgia Tech’s Broadband Institute, is faster than the 3G wireless air cards that many now use to access the Internet remotely.

With slower 3G, it’s more difficult to access streaming videos.

“The high-definition capability is the killer application [here],” said Bing, “because you can view it [videos and TV] everywhere you want, in the backyard, in the park, even in your car.”

During a demonstration last week, the system seemed glitch-free as a reporter watched streaming video on a laptop in an SUV while he and Clear publicists were driven around downtown Atlanta.

Clear executives declined to say how much they have invested in the Atlanta market, where they’ve been quietly installing towers and transmitters for the past two and a half years.

CEO William T. Morrow said the network would “change life in Atlanta” by giving residents unfettered access to the Web. But it’s still not perfect, said Atlantan John Jowers, who has been using the system about two weeks.

“I was up in Sandy Springs yesterday and couldn’t get a signal,” he said. “And I would not get rid of my AT&T 3G air card because there are places where Clear doesn’t go, like Birmingham or far outside Atlanta.”

But Clear enabled Jowers to download and watch a Netflix video remotely, “which I couldn’t do with my AT&T air card,” he said, as well as make overseas phone calls using the Skype Internet system, which he said wouldn’t work with his 3G air card.

Jeff Kagan, an Atlanta-based telecom analyst, said the system simply expands the universe of Wi-Fi from the small bubble of a Starbucks, for instance, to the bubble of “an entire city.”

Yet for all the mobility and speed of WiMAX — which is three or four times as fast as 3G air cards — there’s room for improvement, said Paul Kapustka, editor of Sidecut Reports, which tracks the telecommunications industry.

“This technology is as fast as DSL and you can get access remotely, but it’s not as fast as cable internet hookup,” said Kapuska. “It’s sort of the third choice between them.”

Labels: Atlanta, clearwire communications, Georgia, wifi, WiMax, wireless hotspot

Witnesses who watched a car carrying three teens spin out of control and wreck are blasting Atlanta police -- saying officers did not do enough to help.

Two of the teens died and witnesses said they were being chased by an Atlanta police officer at the time.

A crumpled mess is all that is left of a car witnesses said was involved in high speed chase with Atlanta police.

Just after midnight witnesses said a single officer with his blue lights on was chasing the car north on Lawton Street in southwest Atlanta.

When the car reached the back of Jones Elementary School just south of Fair Street, the driver lost control.

The car crashed through a fence and ended up wedged between four pine trees on school property.

Two people inside died, the other survived the crash.

It took rescue crews about 90 minutes to extricate them from the vehicle. Identities were not immediately available.

Police said the car had been reported stolen Monday afternoon.

Police at the scene didn't talk to reporters but did tell witnesses that the officer was chasing a stolen car with three teens inside.

Those witnesses were also critical of the department's response once the wreck took place.

According to the witnesses it was residents and not police that called for an ambulance.

They also said people in the neighborhood used their own flashlights and personal tools hoping to free the victims -- all of this while the officers allegedly just watched.

Witnesses said speeds reached 60 to 70 miles per hour down residential side streets.

Police officials said officers broke off the chase when it got too dangerous.

Labels: Atlanta, police chase, teens dead

Marietta National Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony – Monday, May 25 at 12:00 p.m. (Guests are advised to arrive early because parking will not be available on the cemetery grounds).

Seventh Annual DeKalb Memorial Day Service, Liane Levetan Park – Monday, May 25 at 9:00 a.m.

Roswell Remembers, Roswell City Hall – Monday, May 25 at 10:00 a.m.
Memorial Unveiling, Woodstock City Park – Monday, May 25 at 10:00 a.m.

City of Milton Memorial Day Service, Milton City Hall – Monday, May 25 at 10:00 a.m.

Sixteenth Annual Dacula Memorial Day Parade, starts on Dacula Road at Hebron Baptist Church – Monday, May 25 at 10:00 a.m.

City of Smyrna Memorial Day Ceremony, Smyrna Village Green – Monday, May 25 at 10:00 a.m.

Peachtree City Memorial Day Celebration, the Gathering Place on McIntosh Trail – Monday, May 25 at 8:30 a.m.

Labels: Atlanta, Events, Memorial Day Weekend

The 2008 housing report held a surprise for those looking for all gloom and doom. More than two dozen zip codes across 20 counties, with 10 or more home sales, experienced increases in sales prices. Even more surprising than that, there were a handful of zip codes that saw sales volume and price increases.

Metro-wide, fewer new and resale homes and condos sold, causing a 27 percent drop in sales volume in 2008 from 2007. Additionally the price of homes and condos sold in 2008 slid 13 percent from 2007, in the metro area. There were significant variations in many of the counties when sales volume and price were factored out by zip code.

The largest price drop was in Clayton County, 43 percent, twice the decline of the next lowest county, Rockdale, which saw a 20 percent decrease.

Fulton County had the fourth largest drop of 18 percent, just behind Douglas County, which declined 19 percent.

Labels: 2008, Atlanta, Georgia, home sales report

Georgia’s biotech industry expects to soon grow healthier.

Four of Atlanta’s leading health care and research organizations will announce Tuesday the creation of a medical research “innovation center” to speed to market medical devices.

Georgia Tech, St. Joseph’s Translational Research Institute, Piedmont Healthcare and the Georgia Research Alliance will each put up $100,000 to launch the Global Center for Medical Innovation. The center will be housed at Technology Enterprise Park, alongside Georgia Tech.

Gov. Sonny Perdue will formally unveil the research and business incubator this afternoon at the huge — and hugely important to Georgia — 2009 BIO International Convention at the Georgia World Congress Center. The conference is expected to draw 15,000, beginning Tuesday.

Emory University also will share some news: the establishment of a “new drug discovery institute” to be located on campus. In addition, the school will form a partnership with Australia’s Queensland Institute of Medical Research to develop vaccines, said David Stephens, vice president of research in the Woodruff Health Sciences Center at Emory.

Research and hospital officials talked excitedly Monday of the “innovation center,” which will initially focus on bringing cardiologic, orthopedic and pediatric devices and technologies to the marketplace.

The not-for-profit business incubator, which they label the first in the Southeastern United States, is expected to attract investors and medical-device companies — and keep Georgia-based inventors from taking their business, jobs and profits elsewhere.

“This will move us to the application stage of development, beyond the laboratory and the invention stage,” Michael Cassidy, president of the Georgia Research Alliance, said Monday. “We’ll be developing the ideas and ability to really scale up capacity so that [the inventions] will be attractive to industry.”

The initial $400,000 investment will be used to establish the center’s business plan. Investors are expected to pony up “several million dollars” later this year, Cassidy said, to create a “prototyping center” where medical devices will be test-driven.

Dr. Jay Yadav, chairman of the Piedmont Healthcare Center for Medical Innovation, said the public-private research and development center will pair doctors — who invent 80 percent of all medical devices — with engineers.

Doctors “are on the front line of taking care of the patient,” said Yadav, a cardiologist and CEO of a medical device company. “They understand the key problems and solutions. What’s missing is the engineering help, however, to turn these ideas into devices.”

Georgia is not synonymous with biotechnology, the use of biology to create products for medicine, food and the environment. California, Massachusetts and North Carolina all count more biotech investment, companies and prestige.

Georgia’s industry consists of mainly smaller, early-stage companies that haven’t registered as many biotech breakthroughs as the competition. Venture capitalists, the main financial source for startups, don’t typically invest in Georgia either.

Yet biotech and ancillary businesses are among the state’s fastest-growing industries, with more than 60,000 jobs responsible for billions of payroll and tax dollars, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Yadav, citing Atlanta’s renowned universities, hospitals and airport, said the innovation center should stamp Georgia firmly on the world’s biotech consciousness. “There’s no reason companies from Europe and all over the world can’t come to utilize this setup,” he said.

Labels: Atlanta, biotech research center, Georgia, Georgia Tech, piedmont healthcare, st. joseephs translational research institute

Our mothers have done so much for us, and there’s no way we can repay them with just one day a year. We can give it our best shot, though, and this Sunday is the day. If you plan to take mom to a Mother’s Day brunch, check out the Best of the Big A’s list of favorite mom-friendly brunch spots chosen by readers and our staff.If you’re looking for other ways to entertain mom, try these events.

Shirley Caesar, Kirk Franklin and James Fortune. Some of gospel music’s most formidable talents join forces for a Mother’s Day weekend celebration. 8 p.m. May 8. $43.50-$48.50. Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center, 395 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta. 404-523-6275, www.atlantaciviccenter.com.

Komen Atlanta Race for the Cure 2009. Includes a 5K run/walk and one-mile walk, breast cancer survivor recognition ceremony and an expo of race sponsors. Benefits the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Greater Atlanta Affiliates. 6:45 a.m. registration; 7:45 a.m. one-mile family walk; 8:30 5K; 9:15 a.m. survivor ceremony. May 9. $35; $30-25 advance. Additional fund-raising encouraged through Web site. Atlantic Station, 171 17th St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-459-8700, www.komenatlanta.org.

25th Annual Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour. Twelve gardens are featured on the tour. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 9-10. $30; $20 advance. Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-876-5859, www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org.

Build a Birdhouse With Mom. 10 a.m. May 9. $5 per house. Scottsdale Farms Garden Center, 15639 Birmingham Highway, Alpharetta. 770-777-5875, www.scottsdalefarms.com.

Colors Festival of Arts. This annual festival — now in its 19th year — takes place every Mother’s Day weekend and includes original crafts, performing arts, children’s activities and festival foods. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 9-10. Free. Historic Roswell, Canton Street at Norcross Street. 770-640-3253, www.cvb.roswell.ga.us.

Mother’s Day Crafts. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. May 9. $8; reservations required. Autrey Mill Nature Preserve, 9770 Autrey Mill Road, Alpharetta. 770-360-8844, www.autreymill.org.

20th Annual Indian Festival and Pow Wow. Celebration of mothers and Mother Nature includes American Indian dance competition, warriors on horseback, buffalo show, primitive skills demonstrations, living tipi village, reptile show and arts and crafts vendors. Native cuisine includes gator tail, buffalo, Indian fry bread and pima wraps. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. May 9; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. May 10. $9; $5 children; ages 5 and younger free. Boling Park, 1162 Marietta Highway, Canton. 770-720-7674, www.rthunder.com.

“Simon Kidgits Super Duper Mini Chefs.” Hands-on activities include food-related arts and crafts projects, prize giveaways and a local food drive. 2-4 p.m. May 9. $5. Gwinnett Place Mall, 2100 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth. 770-476-5160, www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=205.

Homemade Spa Gifts for Mother’s Day. Easy to make gifts to pamper mom include bath fizzies, herbal bath teas, and salt scrub - made with natural ingredients such as oatmeal, herbs, salt, and pure essential oils. 3-5 p.m. May 9. $20. Oakhurst Community Garden Project, 435 Oakview Road, Decatur. 678-642-4977, www.oakhurstgarden.org.

Mother’s Day High Tea. Also, free admission to Bulloch Hall, Barrington Hall and Smith Plantation Home. 4 p.m. May 9. $35. Bulloch Hall, 180 Bulloch Ave., Roswell. 770-992-1731, www.bullochhall.org.

“Mozart for Motorheads” Vintage Car Show 2009. Certainly one of the more unusual ways to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend, this event combines a Mother’s Day arts and crafts fest with classic cars and music from the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra. Picnics and blankets encouraged. 4-8:30 p.m. May 9. Free. Stone Mountain Village, Main Street, Stone Mountain. 770-498-7334, www.stonemountainvillage.com.

Mother’s Day “Walk to Empower.” A 5K walk around the golf course. Meet at Blue lot (corner of Powers Ferry Road and Stella). Benefits Breast Cancer Network of Strength. 6:30 a.m. registration; 8 a.m. walk. May 10. Participants are encouraged to fund-raise through the website (minimum $100 for T-shirt) . Chastain Park, 135 West Wieuca Road N.W., Atlanta. 1-877-963-7223, https://walk.networkofstrength.org.

Mother’s Day High Tea. Teas and delectables. Reservations required. 11 a.m., 1, 3 p.m. May 10. $50; includes garden admission. Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-876-5859, 404-370-0856, www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org.

Historic Home Tours. Bulloch Hall, Barrington Hall and Smith Plantation Home offer free tours for Mother’s Day. 1-3 p.m. May 10. Free. Bulloch Hall, 180 Bulloch Ave., Roswell. 770-992-1731, www.bullochhall.org.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: How the Gimquat Found Her Song. A Mother’s Day special in which an imaginary creature explores musical history from Gregorian chants to jazz. Platypus Theatre joins conductor Jere Flint and the orchestra for this family concert. 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. May 10. $15-$20. Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-733-5000, www.atlantasymphony.org.

Mother’s Day Gospel Concert. With Swanee Quintet, Lil Dave and the Soulful Knights. 5 p.m. May 10. $15; $12 advance. College Park City Auditorium, 3631 Main St., College Park. 404-669-3773, www.collegeparkga.com.

Bobby Womack, Charlie Wilson and Joe. Three R&B greats come together to serenade Atlanta’s moms. Womack is a legend of soul who was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Wilson is the former lead singer of the Gap Band, now a solo artist. Columbus-born Joe is an R&B balladeer of more recent vintage who is probably best known for his No. 1 duet with Mariah Carey, “Thank God I Found You.” 8 p.m. May 10. $66-$76. Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center, 395 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta. 404-523-6275, www.atlantaciviccenter.com.

Labels: Alpharetta, Atlanta, Cumming, Events, Georgia, mothers day, Roswell, Woodstock

The State Capitol in Atlanta will be the backdrop for the Atlanta Tea Party Rally on April 15. The rally will be part of a nationwide network of tea party rallies occurring across America to communicate anger and opposition to the irresponsible budget and tax policies currently proposed and discussed by politicians in Washington, D.C.

Labels: april 15, Atlanta, atlanta tea party, rally, tax day

Schedule
Sat, 4/18 12 Noon - 10:00 pm
Sun, 4/19 12:30 pm - 8:00 pm

A weekend to celebrate natural resources and learn about environmental concerns. Food, art, environmental expo, beer and live music. 5K Run/Walk April 18. Benefits the Candler Park Association.

Candler Park
1500 McLendon Ave. N.E.
Atlanta GA

Cost: Free - Free admission. $5 wristband for ages 21 and older who want to purchase beer

Labels: Atlanta, candler park, earth day celebration, Georgia, sweetwater 420 festival, sweetwater brewery