The City of Roswell invites all interested parties to attend a public meeting and workshop regarding planning for the 2010 Historic Roswell Criterium on Wednesday, October 21 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Roswell City Hall, 38 Hill Street, Room 220. This informal meeting will give residents and local business owners an opportunity to discuss the Historic Roswell Criterium of 2009, held April 26, 2009, as well as make suggestions for the event for 2010. Some items of discussion will be: location of the route and events, combining Criterium with other events such as local artist/business festivals and ways to improve visibility/marketing of the event to draw more spectators. This will be an open forum meeting. Attendees should be prepared to present ideas and options to the group. For more information call 770.594.6420 or visit our web site at www.roswellgov.com

PAINT OUT ARTISTS' WORKS ON VIEW AT BANK OF NORTH GEORGIA

In August, the Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area with assistance from Roswell Artist Joan Hilliard, hosted the first annual Great Chattahoochee River Paint Out. After three days of painting on-site, the 75 artists displayed their works and competed for awards.

Until November 23, Bank of North Georgia, located at the intersection of Highway 9 and Holcomb Bridge Road, will be hosting the works created by the following Paint-Out Artists:

Ann Alexander

Lin Arango

Terry Brown

Susie Burch

Mikki Dillion, who received the 2nd Place Award

Bob Hamilton

Emily Hirn, who Honorable Mention recognition

Junko Ono Rothwell, who received the Best In Show Award

Amanda Carder

Tina Kirven

Also on display are two works by the artist who inspired the Great Chattahoochee River Paint-Out, Joan Hilliard.

Other exhibits will highlight the work of a group of Paint-Out Artists until all works have been displayed.

All exhibits will be open to the public during banking hours in order to celebrate the success of the 1st Annual Paint-Out and to allow the public to view the works that were created in three days along the Chattahoochee River.

SWEET APPLE VILLAGE IN ROSWELL TO HOLD INAUGURAL FALL FESTIVAL AND FOOD BANK DRIVE

On November 7, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sweet Apple Village, Roswell’s new premiere shopping destination, is hosting a fall festival that will be full of fun activities for the whole family. Come enjoy hay rides, jump houses, crafts, face painting, a fire truck, and balloon creations in addition to giveaways galore and a farmers market. Sample food from Tera Humata, the area’s hottest Mexican restaurant and tequila bar, and The Village Slice, serving exceptional pizza and pasta.

Come see all the new stores Sweet Apple has to offer, including KooKoo Bear Kids, Children’s Dentistry, Carta Bella and many more.

For more information, directions and store directory, visit www.sweetapplevillage.com.

UPDATE ON BRIDGE PROJECTS IN ROSWELL

The City of Roswell Department of Transportation has updated information regarding the completion of three Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) bridge projects in Roswell.

The Grimes Bridge replacement project completion date has been extended to November 30 due to weather delays. The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony date will be announced near the first of December.

The Hembree Bridge replacement project is on schedule and slated to open January 2010.

The Westside Parkway Phase 1 has been completed. Phase 2, which includes Old Roswell Road south of Mansell Road, will be closed for realignment for approximately six months.

For more information call 770-594-6420 or visit our web site at www.roswellgov.com.

ROSWELL'S EXECUTIVE LOCK-UP

More than 100 business and community leaders in Roswell will be “arrested” and hauled off to jail to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Participants (“jailbirds”) will try to raise “bail,” money which will be donated to MDA to help fund groundbreaking research and provide services to local families dealing with neuromuscular diseases. With community support, MDA hopes to raise $60,000 this year. The event includes free food for the participants, networking opportunities, raffle prizes, and a DJ. “Jailbirds” arrive in police cars and are returned to work in luxury vehicles.

Funds raised will benefit over 2,220 families in the Metro and North Georgia areas by providing assistance in the purchase and maintenance of wheelchairs, leg braces and speech communication devices; MDA Clinic visits; and a week-long summer camp for children and young adults living with muscle disorders and much more.

Roswell’s Executive Lock-Up will take place Wednesday, November 18 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at The Fickle Pickle.

AMANA ACADEMY HIGHLIGHTED AS ONE OF THE BEST SCHOOLS IN STATE

Amana Academy has been selected by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education as one of six stops on the 17th Annual Georgia Bus Trip Across Georgia. The bus tour will stop at Amana Academy on October 28, 2009 from 8:00 – 10:15 a.m. showcasing Amana’s best practices in education to over 75 educators, business, government and community leaders from around the state.

Schools are selected as stops have a proven track record of academic excellence, educational innovation and sustained performance. This year the focus will be on innovation that has led to increased student achievement. Amana plans to welcome its guests with the whole school participating in an opening ceremony, 90 minutes of small group observation sessions throughout the campus, a Q&A session and an award ceremony by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education.

Dr. Steve Dolinger, President of the Georgia Partnership, explained that the Amana Academy represents what is right in Georgia’s public education system. “In the case here, our bus trip participants will see a unique charter school program that is using innovation to prepare its kindergarten through eighth grade students for the challenges ahead.”

Amana Academy is a tuition-free Fulton County Public Charter School that serves 460 children in K – 8th grades. Now in its 6th year of operation, the school is located at 285 South Main Street, Alpharetta. Amana’s innovative hands on program emphasizes high academic achievement while specializing in promoting civic and environmental responsibility, equipping students with a firm command of Arabic, and incorporating Expeditionary Learning (EL) into the curriculum. Amana is Arabic for “a trust that needs to be guarded” and connotes “stewardship.”

PAL TO HOST 'SHOP WITH A COP' AT WAL-MART

The Alpharetta Police Athletic/Activities League (PAL) will host the annual “Shop with a Cop” event on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Windward Parkway Wal-Mart.

In the midst of the recent economic downturn, PAL believes this event is more significant now than ever. This year, PAL aims to help more than 70 children in this installment of “Shop with a Cop”. Each child, along with their parent, will be accompanied by a police officer, firefighter, or public safety volunteer as he or she shops for their desired holiday gifts.

“Throughout the year, representatives of the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety come across families who, for whatever reason, face financial challenges,” said PAL CEO Jason Cimino. “These financial challenges often-times carry into the holiday season and impact their ability to buy gifts for their children.”

With the assistance of Wal-Mart, the Alpharetta PAL has chosen to fill the spending gaps experienced by some of our local families and ensure many deserving children are recipients of some holiday cheer.

Each child will be able to spend up to $100. Although this allotment is theirs to spend on items for themselves, often these children elect to spend some of the money on gifts for their parents or siblings. Perhaps the spirit of giving is contagious.

This annual police hosted/corporate sponsored event helps local families in need meet the holiday expectations for their children. At this time, PAL still needs additional sponsors. Wal-Mart and the Alpharetta Rotary Club have already pledged $2,500 and $1,000, respectively. There has also been $300 in individual pledges.

For more information about contributing, please contact Officer Jason Cimino at 678-297-6309 x.1 or jcimino@alpharetta.ga.us.

ONE SHOT AT THE INTERNET

The World Wide Web is a phenomenal tool for information, communication, and connecting with family and friends. If you’ve been too busy to learn how to use the internet to its fullest potential, then the City of Alpharetta has just the program for you!

“One Shot at the Internet” is a 3-hour workshop for people age 50 and over offered by Alpharetta Recreation & Parks Department. The workshop will be held in the computer lab at the Alpharetta Adult Activity Center at North Park on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, from 9:00am to 12:00pm. The cost is $20 per person and participants are asked to register by Tuesday, October 27th. Norma Taulet-Ball will instruct the class.

The workshop will include hands-on experience in setting up an email account, managing your email account, and learning the safest way to use the internet to search and research information. Basic word processing skills will be reviewed as a starting point at the beginning of the workshop.

For more information, call 678-297-6140 or email activeadults@alpharetta.ga.us.

SPOOKY MILL RETURNS TO AUTREY MILL

On Friday, October 30th and Saturday, October 31st from 6 to 9 p.m., visit the park after dark at Autrey Mill’s annual Halloween celebration. There will be FREE trick-or-treating in the Heritage Village buildings, and Spooky Stories in the TiPi. Children can also enjoy a moonwalk, obstacle course, Not-So-Scary Haunted House, face painting, crafts, games and activities. New this year, we will have a Fright Hike at 8:30 for older children and adults. Food, drink, hotdogs and s’mores will be available to grill around our campfire. Parking is limited, and there are ticket costs per activity. This is a safe, fun and wholesome environment where families can celebrate the holiday together! Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center is a non-profit organization committed to providing the public with an educational resource to gain knowledge, enjoyment, appreciation and a sense of stewardship of the natural and historical environment. Special events, programming and membership help support this mission.