Fulton County Students Will Have Longer Days in 2010

Fulton County students will have an additional 10 minutes added to their school days next year when five half-days are eliminated, resulting in a 177 day calendar for the 2010-2011 school year.

The shorter calendar year will result in $1.1 million in annual savings!

New guidelines allow schools to deviate from the standard 180-day calendar as long as there is no reduction in instructional hours, and there is an 8.85 hour increase in the new calendar year.

In order to reduce the days in the calendar year, the school system has eliminated 5 half days. Although these half days have been eliminated and these days are typically used for teacher meetings and trainings, the staff will still continue to receive both before the school year on scheduled work days.

Critics of this change make a very valid point: Although class days are extended 10 minutes each day, it will not amount to much extra quality learning time as each class period is extended only one to two minutes.

Regardless, the board voted 5-1 to approve the new calendar.

The Fulton County Board of Education was presented with two options for the 177 day calendar. The calendar the board voted against would have students beginning school on August 16th. The board was not presented with a 180 day calendar to vote on.

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Senate Passes Extension of Homebuyer Tax Credit

Senators agreed on Wednesday to extend the popular tax credit for first-time homebuyers and to offer a reduced credit to some repeat buyers.  The current $8,000 first-time homebuyers tax credit is set to expire at the end of November.

The agreement in the Senate extends the existing tax credit for first-time homebuyers while also offering a reduced credit of up to $6,500 tax credit to repeat buyers who have owned their current homes for at least five years.

These tax credits would be available to homebuyers who sign sales agreements by the end of April.  They would have until the end of June to close on their new homes.

September saw a 3.6 percent fall in new home sales…the first time it fell since March.  Many feel that it was the uncertainty of the tax credit that made new home sales fall in September.

It takes 45-60 days to close on a house, making it unlikely that a sale made today would qualify for the current tax credit which has a deadline of the end of November.

About 1.4 million first-time homebuyers have qualified for the credit through August. The National Association of Realtors estimates that 350,000 of them would not have purchased their homes without the credit.

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Will the $8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit Be Extended?

This is a question I’ve been hearing a lot lately…”will the $8,000 home buyer tax credit be extended?”  Unfortunately, I am no fortune teller, neither is H2 Realty’s lead Realtor Aaron Hofmann or any other real estate professionals that I know of.  Here is what I’ve found though in doing some research.

There is no official extension.

Here is where things stand.

• There is bipartisan support in Congress for extending the credit past Nov. 30th.  It is still unclear if it were to be extended, how far it would be extended, the size of the credit and how many more buyers would qualify.
• It is unclear what President Obama’s stance is on the issue.
• The latest idea under discussion is a credit worth up to $8,000 for first-time homebuyers and up to $6,500 for homeowners looking to trade up to a bigger primary residence and who have already lived in their current home for five years.
• Proponents of the credit say that if it is allowed to expire, the housing market and the broader economy will grow moribund again.
• Critics state that of the nearly 2 million homebuyers who will have gotten the credit by Nov. 30th that only about 10% to 20% bough homes solely because of the credit.

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Roswell Attempts to Ban Smoking in City Parks

The city of Roswell is yet again doing something to help promote a more healthy lifestyle; proposing a ban of smoking in Roswell city parks.  Unfortunately, this plan has met a roadblock and the ban has been delayed.

The roadblock came at Monday night’s meeting when council members could not come to a decision as to the meaning of “private vehicle”.  The ordinance states that the only designated area where a resident can smoke is within a private vehicle.  The confusion came when asked if bicycles and motorcycles were considered private vehicles.

Councilwoman Becky Wynn said, “We’re either going to have to ban smoking completely in the park, or we’re going to have to have designated areas in the park itself for smoking.”

Mayor Jere Wood suggested wording the ordinance to allow smoking in city park parking lots, however that was met with criticism because the ordinance’s goal is to promote a healthy attitude and many did not view permitting smoking in parking lots as a way to achieve this goal.

The ordinance originally was developed in response to complaints about residents smoking in the stands during children’s ballgames.

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Roswell City Council Supports Private Dam Loan Legislation

Back on Oct. 12, Georgia Republican Wendell Willard of Sandy Springs asked the Roswell City Council for support of legislation creating a state fund that would issue low-interest loans for privately owned dams.  Today the Roswell city council gave its approval of the legislation.

The legislation came forth as the state wants to ensure dams meet the degree of safety warranted for property and for any lives at risk should a dam fail.

Privately owned dams aren’t necessarily dams owned privately by an individual…the majority of these dams are actually privately owned property by a neighborhood and maintained by its homeowners association.

These dams perform a public service in detention water and flood control.  Therefore, it is in the public’s interest to see that they are preserved and continue to serve those functions.

The city of Roswell has more than 50 private lakes and ponds within its city limits.

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Roswell City Council Votes Tonight About Smoking Ban

The Roswell City Council will vote tonight on an ordinance that if passed would prohibit smoking in city parks.

Smokers would have to be inside private vehicles in order to be allowed to smoke within the parks.

If Roswell approves the law, the city would join other local governments that have banned or put tough restrictions on smoking in parks.  The City of Marietta recently banned smoking in all city parks and Henry and Clayton counties have passed total smoking bans.

The council will vote at 7:30pm tonight at Roswell City Hall at 38 Hill Street.

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Roswell Bridge Closed Due to Flood Damage

The Georgia Department of Transportation has closed the bridge on Riverside Road in Roswell, just east of GA. 9 for safety reasons.

The bridge has been closed after it failed a GDOT test after the recent floods and must be tested further by engineers who must check the footing of the bridge.

The bridge will be closed until further notice.  Drivers who use the bridge are asked to take alternative routes.

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Tips for Winterizing Your Home

Now is a good time to start preparing your home for the winter months. As temperatures begin to drop, your home will require maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape through the winter.

Below are ten tips to help you prepare your home for the winter:

1. Furnace Inspection – Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean air ducts. Be sure that no flammable material is nearby the furnace. Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly. Do what I’ve done and switch out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat. This is an easy task to do and it will help save you on your utility bills.
2. Get your Fireplace Ready – If your chimney has not been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote. Get a supply of firewood and store it in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.
3. Check the Exterior of your Home – Inspect the exterior of your home for cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them. Use weatherstripping around doors to prevent cold air from entering your home and caulk around windows. If your home has a basement, consider covering window wells with plastic shields. Switch out summer screens with glass replacements…if you have storm windows, install them.
4. Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts – Check flashing to ensure that water cannot enter your home. Replace worn roof shingles or tiles. Clean out your gutters and use a house to spray water down the downspouts to clear away any debris.
5. Service Winter Specific Equipment – Drain gas from lawnmowers, replace worn rakes, store summer lawn furniture and gardening equipment, and buy a supply of ice-melt to keep on hand.
6. Check Foundations – Rake away all debris and edible vegetation from around your home’s foundation. Seal up entry points to keep small animals from crawling under the house seeking warm shelter. Tuckpoint or seal foundation cracks…mice can slip through the smallest of cracks. Inspect sill plates for dry rot or pest infestation.
7. Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors – Buy extra smoke detector batteries and change them when daylight saving ends. Install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace and/or water heater. Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work properly. Buy a fire extinguisher or replace an extinguisher older than 10 years.
8. Prevent Plumbing Freezes – Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in case of an emergency. Drain all garden hoses and store them. Drain air conditioner pipes and, if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off. If you leave for vacation, leave the heat on, set to at least 55 degrees.
9. Prepare Landscaping & Outdoor Surfaces – Trim tress if branches hang too close to the house or electrical wires. Ask a gardener when your trees should be pruned to prevent winter injury. Seal driveways, brick patios, wood decks. Move sensitive potted plants indoors or to a sheltered area.
10. Prepare an Emergency Kit – Purchase indoor candles and matches to use during a power shortage. Find the phone numbers for your utility companies and store them near your house phone. Buy a battery back-up to protect your computer and other sensitive electronic equipment.

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Coldbrew’s Sports Bar & Grill Review

I splurged a little this weekend and ate out quite a bit.  The last place I ate at was Coldbrew’s Sports Bar and Grill which is where Ray’s Brick Oven Pizza once resided.  First and foremost, I must confess that I was disappointed and quite surprised when I learned of Ray’s Brick Oven Pizza closing.  Being that I am from Chicago I think I have credentials as an expert pizza reviewer and I really felt that Ray’s offered some of the best pizza in all of Atlanta and most certainly the best in Roswell.  That being said, the place that took over in its place had a lot to live up to.

My friend and I arrived at Coldbrew’s just before Sunday’s NFL kickoffs began.  We were two out of about 15 people in the establishment…a small crowd for a sports bar for Sunday football.

The bartender greeted us and handed us our menus.  She appeared quite busy filling ice, chopping fruits, and doing a variety of other tasks.  When it came time to order food I took her recommendation and ordered the Diablo Burger which was her favorite…it was the burger I was eying…typically anything with the word Diablo in it peeks my interest.  I ordered it cooked medium rare.  In addition, I ordered some nachos for my friend and I.  I’m off the belief that you can judge a sports bar by the quality of their nachos.

While we waited for our food we ordered some alcoholic beverages.  Charlie ordered a Guiness which we were told they were out of so he ordered another beer instead (I don’t recall what).  I ordered a Bloody Mary.  She asked me if I liked my Bloody Mary’s spicy and I told her that I did and said Absolut Peppar is good.  Shortly after receiving the drinks I see a chalkboard on the wall that mentions “Everyday Drink Specials”.  I asked the bartender what the specials were and wouldn’t you know…a Bloody Mary was on special for $3…sweet!  Although, it wasn’t sweet, she informed me that is only for those that are made from “well vodka”.  Now, I understand that when she asked if I liked my Bloody Mary’s spicy I said that I did and suggested Absolut Peppar, but she should have countered back and informed me that if she used well vodka that Bloody Mary’s were on special for $3…instead I ended up paying $7 for my Bloody Mary.

Our food finally arrived.  After taking one bite I notice that my burger doesn’t seem to be cooked medium rare.  I take one more bite further into the beef patty to be sure that indeed I was not mistaken.  My burger was most certainly cooked “well done”.  I inform the bartender of this and she looks at it and agrees with me.  She informs the kitchen and a new burger is brought out to me 10-15 minutes later…by this time my friend had already finished his meal and I had finished the french fries that were originally served with the well done burger.

I bite into the medium rare burger, it’s cooked to perfection…great!  Unfortunately, the burger was nothing special whatsoever and I’m quite sure I’ve cooked tastier burgers myself.  This is a disappointment because a sports bar should be known for their burgers.  If they aren’t known for their burgers then they ought to be cheap…not priced near $10!

Finally, the end of the meal has come…20-30 minutes after my friend had already finished his meal.  I get the check and discover that the Absolut Peppar cost me an additional $4 and not that I expected it, but when similar situations have happened typically the burger would have been comped.  Rojo Taqueria didn’t do anything wrong and yet they acknowledged my unhappiness and turned an unhappy experience into a positive one.  All this being said, I don’t foresee myself setting foot inside of Coldbrew’s anytime in the near future.

880 Holcomb Bridge Rd
Roswell, GA 30076
(678) 639-7297
www.coldbrewsgrill.com

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Rojo Taqueria Serving Gourmet Tacos

Although its address is technically Alpharetta, Rojo Taqueria is close enough to Roswell that I felt it was worth mentioning on this website.  Rojo Taqueria is located just off of Holcomb Bridge Road in Alpharetta near TJs Sports Bar and in the space that previously housed Johnny’s Pizza.  After being recommended by several friends to go to this restaurant and after meeting one of it’s waiters at the East Roswell Dog Park, I decided to give this place a try over the weekend.  Overall it was a positive experience and I will likely go back.

I went with a friend on a Friday night…he has been there several times.  My friend suggested that of anything I order I must have the BBQ Taco.  I followed my friend’s advice and ordered the BBQ Taco, the Bartender (we sat at the bar to watch baseball playoffs) suggested the Fish Taco as well.  I ordered these two tacos and also the Buffalo Shrimp.  I had just been to Hooters a few days earlier and I LOVE their Buffalo Shrimp, so I figured I’d give Rojo Taqueria’s shrimp a try.

While our food was being prepared the bartender engaged us in conversation.  He was a very pleasant individual which made our dining, well…aside from the children running around and screaming (it was early on a Friday night), a very nice experience.

The food arrived rather quickly and I tried the tacos first.  Gourmet tacos…I now understand what is meant by that.  The tacos were excellent!  The Buffalo Shrimp came with french fries…a good thing too because the shrimp were small (about half that of Hooters shrimp).  The shrimp had too much breading and the sauce was nothing unique.  The fries saved the dish.  The bartender asked how I liked the Buffalo Shrimp and I was honest with him.  He informed me it was a offering they were trying out…he also agreed with me that Hooters has some of the best Buffalo Shrimp around.  He told me not to worry, the Buffalo Shrimp would cost me only $3, more than half the price listed on the menu.

I will most certainly visit Rojo Taqueria again…it was a great experience and the service was exceptional.  I would highly recommend this Mexican restaurant to anyone.  Take a look at their menu…prices aren’t bad either!

2850 Holcomb Bridge Rd
Alpharetta, GA 30022-1660
(678) 277-9000
Get directions

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