TriCities HS top students sees disadvantages as path to make her "better and stronger."

Olga Lopez-Gomez was the top student in the Class of 2014 at Tri-Cities High School is

In her valedictory speech, “I tried to get across they should endure everything that comes their way, even if it’s very difficult. We’re all living with disadvantages. … That shouldn’t bring them down but toughen them up to be better and stronger.”

In high school, she also enjoyed math club, STEM Academy and the DECA marketing club, where she competed all four years and this year served as club president and school store manager. Club advisor Valencia Parks admires Olga’s gifts and determination.

“She wants so much out of life and she goes full force,” Parks said. “She’s a fireball. … She’s very persistent in whatever it is she’s trying to do. She’s just academically gifted. She’s a leader. … Olga goes above and beyond with everything she does.”

She is profiled in the Georgia Bulletin.

 

 

Live music, relocates to East Point

Live music and food is now here in East Point.

The new place opens on its doors on Saturday, starting at noon to 8 p.m.

The promotion encouraged "musician, actors, poet, singers, all are welcomed" to stop by the open house.

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Downtown East Point eatery opens

Debbie's Delight opened a few weeks ago. Neighborhood Facebook fans gave it high marks so I ordered breakfast there. It also gave me the chance to meet a person who I've followed on FB for some time.

Location:

The diner filled a spot that unfortunately has has a many incarnations of food restaurants, from Thai to a catering service. Its storefront faces East Point Street , a the intersection with White Way, in the heart of downtown.

What does it look like?

There is ample room in this uncluttered, minimalist restaurant. It has wooden floors and planks of blonde wood as paneling. At breakfast, sunlight made the place even more welcoming.

 


 

Food

After getting my coffee, the waitress quickly brought over my quesadilla filled with egg and cheese. I chose the meat option of bacon, because it is bacon. But there was also the option of ??  The meal, which was cut into thirds, came out nicely browned, giving the quesadilla a nice crunch.  It also came with sides of salsa and sour cream.  The salsa added spicy flavor to the meal.

My companion wanted to some food to go, which created a bit of snafu. The menu promoted Coke products, but the waitress said none were available. She also said the turkey sausage  she ordered wasn't so great, but she said that wasn't the restaurant's fault.

The price for the meal:

$9 for the Breakfast Quesadillas

$1.99 for coffee.

Total: $11.87.

The place takes credit and debit cards.

 

Downtown East Point already has two breakfast places, Thumbs Up, with its American diner favorites, and Suszy Qs, a three meats and a side Southern style of restaurant. Debbie's could make a go of it, especially if it extends its hours to Sunday to lure the waiting crowd which spills out of Thumbs Up.

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East Point PD looks to red light cameras at dangerous intersections

East Point is looking at installing red-light cameras at "at various intersections throughout the city that have statically shown high accident rates," according to a city document.

The goal is to curb reckless driving, according to city documents.

At least three of these high-tech camera could be watching traffic and waiting to get a snapshot of scofflaw ignoring a stop signal, according to the request for proposal posted on East Point's website.

The document does not identify which intersections where drivers and cars would be photographed. There also aren't any statistics of car crashes in the city.

But the proposal quotes findings to show these cameras improve safety:

Studies have shown that installation of red-light camera systems save lives. A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found red light safety cameras lowered red-light running fatalities by 24% and the rate of all types of fatal crashes at signalized intersections by 17% in a study of 14 large U.S. cities. Source: “Effects of Red Light Camera Enforcement on Fatal Crashes in Large U.S. Cities.” Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, February 2011.

Here are reports exploring whether the camera are a municipal money maker or safety tool:

• NPR


• A pro and con argument about the cameras


• Governors Highway Safety Association

Sealed bids are due July 9.

Food sugestions cover the Tri-Cities

An question asked Facebook about local places to eat exploded into a list of food establishments - from Vietnamese and Southern meat and 3 sides to Mexican.

Below is a map from the suggestions named in the Facebook comments to help you explore the food landscape in and around East Point, College Park, and Hapeville.  (Here's another link to the map.)

Jefferson Park Neighbors unveils new website

Make sure you bookmark jeffersonparkneighbors.org. That'll keep you up to date on activities that make the neighborhood special.

Farmers Market on Wednesday in East Point

 

Don't forget the market is open for business Wednesday, starting around 4 p.m. until dusk.

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Gardening tips available from people who know

 

Want to make the most of your garden, but don't know where to start?

Talk with Fulton County Cooperative Extension agents. They can assist residents with the how-tos of growing successful gardens and beautifying their yards.

There's an office in East Point on Washington Road.

South Fulton Office - 1757 Washington Road, East Point, GA 30344 - (404) 762-4077

Road race to support a local charter school

[caption id="attachment_442" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Runners gather for the start of The Main Street Academy 10K/5K run-walk[/caption]

Here's the promotion for Saturday's race:

Support innovative public education! SIGN UP for the 5th Annual TriCities RunWalk!10K USATF Certified Course loops through College Park, East Point & Hapeville GA; the 5K loops through Historic College Park; both start and finish in Historic College Park with final lap on a fast surface track! Chip Timing System with Zulu Racing. Parking and the MARTA College Park station are both within walking distance of the event. See website for race rules and other important info.

PHANTOM RUNNERS can sign-up under the 5K or 10K category;

RACE DAY REGISTRATION6AM - 7AM, $30, EXACT CASH ONLY

 

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Yard sales take over Jefferson Park neighborhood

East Point's Jefferson Park is hosting a neighborhood-wide yard sale.

About two dozen homes are selling everything, from vintage furniture and toys to handmade jewelry.

It takes place on Saturday, April 19, from 8 a.m to 3 p.m.

Here's a PDF to print out:  JPNA spring yard sale map 

 JPNA Spring Yard Sale Map in East Point, Ga.

 

 

JPNA Spring Yard Sale Map (1)

Roadway improvements planned in downtown

A nearly $5 million project will redesign streets in downtown to make the area more friendly to bikers and walkers.

East Point Ward B Council member Lance Rhodes posted the details on Facebook about the proposal to improve downtown East Point by redesigning two well-traveled  roads, Main and East Point streets. The plan would make car drivers share the road with cyclists, in addition to enhancements to narrow the roads and reroute a downtown street.

Most of the funding would come from a federal transportation grant and MARTA. The city would contribute about $963,000.

It must be approved by the city council to move forward.

Here's the plan:


 

 

 

A downtown East Point church community looks back

The First Baptist Church of East Point  is an architectural gem in East Point. With its crenellated tower and stone work, the religious community in the city center has been a place for believers to gather for 125 years.  

On Saturday, April 12, nearly 600 past and current members will celebrate the history as the church, on East Point Street, with its aging congregation says farewell to its home.

"The contribution of the individuals and the collective history of this congregation must not be overlooked or forgotten. ... As the future unfolds the unique plan of God for this congregation will be revealed."  (church website.)

Southern Baptists make up one of the largest religious groups in the country. However, their membership has been declining locally. The Association of Religion Association Archives reported in Fulton County between 2000 and 2010, the number of Southern Baptists fell almost 10 percent, in contrast to growth in 29 counties around Atlanta.

The older church community, which is predominately white, found willing partners with the Fellowship Group Baptist Church, which is predominantly black. Fellowship will take ownership of the building.

Hundreds are expected to attend a special event Saturday at the church to mark the occasion.

The pastor James Wallis wrote on the church's Facebook page:

"We are celebrating a rich history spanning 125 years that will continue through the Fellowship Group Baptist Church who will adopt the name First Baptist Church after April 12. I trust that all who come will be in a Celebratory Spirit. We still don't dance in the church even though, it is called for at this time. The palmist speaks of dancing before the Lord. God has blessed our church and we believe we are planting a church through our decisions that will continue to advance the Lord's work in East Point Georgia. It's time to celebrate."

• What is the mood of the community?

The mood of the congregation is a mixture of joy and sadness.  We are sad because we are concluding a 125 year history, but we are glad and joyful that the Fellowship Group will assume the Mission of reaching this community for Christ and the Church.

• How do the eyes of faith help the community understand what is happening?

The church believes that God has led both congregations to both a beginning of one and the conclusion of the other. 

• Will the new church name be the Fellowship Group Baptist Church?

The Fellowship will become First Baptist Church, assuming our incorporation.  It will take a few months to accomplish the name change.

• What will take place on Saturday? I understand a few hundred people are expected to attend?

Saturday will be a Day of Celebration of the first 125 years but the continuation of the Mission through new leadership to continue the journey. It will be a worship service with a choir of present and former choir members, numbering more than 50. Dr. Emmanuel McCall the first pastor and the one who was responsible for the Fellowship Group meeting with us at the present location will speak about the process of our agreement. Rev. Montele Crawford the present pastor of the Fellowship Group will speak about the future, and I will speak on the subject of "Finishing Strong" which will be a survey of the history and mission of the First Baptist Church through it's 125 year history to what I describe as the "Extended work" through the Fellowship Group Baptist Church.

 

 

We have 570 reservations for lunch with more coming just for the worship service that begins at 10:30 with lunch at noon.  We expect 2 for our members above 100 years of age; one 103 and the other 106.

 

 

 

The Fellowship Group assumed ownership of the church with all debt forgiven on Saturday April 12.  We have continued contributing to the upkeep of the church through the years which they have owned the church.  

 

 

 

Present members of the First Baptist Church will chose which church in the community where they live that they will become a member.  Many of those in East Point will likely join the Jefferson Avenue Baptist Church.

 

 

 

 

 

Shorter MARTA wait times on the drawing board

A newly designed interchange at the I-285 and Camp Creek Parkway is on the list of planned transportation projects in a news release from the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Here's the release:

Innovative ARC Transportation Plan Invests Almost $60 Billion in Congestion Relief, Transit, Maintenance over next 25 Years

(ATLANTA – March 26, 2014) Innovative highway solutions and additional investment in public transportation are highlights of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) update to its PLAN 2040 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Many of the improvements around the region will be implemented within the next five years.

The RTP, a $59 billion plan for transportation spending in an 18-county region through the year 2040, was approved by the ARC board at its meeting today. It must now be approved by the board of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) before going to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration for federal approval.

You can read the rest here.

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Combing through the projects, here are programs that may touch East Point residents:

• $11.4 million to reduce MARTA rail wait times from 15 minutes to 10 minutes during morning and afternoon rush hours.


• $9.6 million toward diverging diamond interchanges at I-75 and Windy Hill Road in Cobb County and at I-285 and Camp Creek Parkway in Fulton County.


• $3.6 million to replace diesel MARTA buses with natural gas buses in south Fulton County.

If you see any more projects that affect East Point, leave a comment detailing the project

 

 

 

 

East Point farmers market opens Wednesday with expanded hours

The East Point Farmer's Market reopens this week with new hours. You can pick up fresh veggies and lots more on the first  Wednesday and the third Saturday of the month.

 

From locally grown vegetables and bread to soaps and aromatherapy, seventeen vendors will be selling their goods as the East Point Farmers Market opens for its third season on Wednesday, April 2, at 4 p.m.  (There's a location map at the bottom of the page.)

Sissie Lang, who manages the East Point Farmers Market, answered questions about the new season, the expanded hours and what people can expect at the market.

• 1st Wednesdays of the month from 4 p.m. - dusk (Summer 8 p.m)


• 3rd Saturdays of the month from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

How'd it get started and what has been learned since the first year to grow the event ? 

The Department of Economic Development recognized that the downtown East Point area was a food desert and felt that there was a large demand for a Farmers Market incorporating a variety of vendors and products that primarily focused on offering fresh, local, healthier food choices. This quality of life initiative was then presented as a public/private partnership with the City of East Point, the East Point Main Street Association, with support from an impressive group of dedicated volunteers from the community with a wealth of knowledge and diverse skill sets, a farmer’s market was born!

What do you hope a farmers market brings to downtown East Point?

From an economic standpoint, a farmers market is a great community building gathering that improves the quality of life of the City’s current residents and is attractive to individuals looking for an area to potentially reside. It also supports our local farmer’s and food producers and helps them grow their businesses.
The fact that this farmers market is the closest market to a MARTA Station (only 1 block away!) makes it very attractive to individuals that are choosing to live a healthier lifestyle and may not have access to an automobile. In addition, by bringing individuals from outside the area into the city, we have an opportunity to impress them while they are here, so that they can share their positive experiences with others they interact with outside the City. An added benefit is that they will become patrons of other area businesses while they are in the area (services, gas, restaurants, etc.)

 



How do you make sure the market is affordable and inclusive for everyone?
The East Point Farmers Market is community focused, and being so, wanted to find ways to make shopping for healthier food choices, regardless of income level, more accessible for the community. So the market teamed up with Wholesome Wave Georgia, a private organization, to double SNAP/WIC benefits up to $50/market! So, SNAP/WIC users receive $2 for every $1 of benefit to spend at the market. This not only helps the SNAP/WIC users, but it also helps the market grow by increasing sales for the current vendors, which allows the market to begin adding additional vendors to support the demand.

How many vendors are you expecting this year?
Vendor schedules vary based on season and whether it is a Wednesday or Saturday market, but we are proud to say we have 17 regular season vendors registered this year! There are closer to 30 vendors at the Holiday Markets in November & December when the market is opened up to all local artists to sell their handmade items in time for the holidays.

Any new vendors people may like to check out? (Can you share a list of all the vendors?)

Bakery @Rose Cottage
King of Pops
Savour Your Cake
Mercier Apples
Veggie Chicks
Pearson's Farm
Garlic Clove
Stellas Laundry
Table of Friends Bread & Jams
Breath of Heaven Soap
Wolf's Aromatics
Taylor Organic
Big Daddy Biscuits
Watsonia
P.A.T.C.H.
Café Campesino
CalyRoad Creamery
Pappardelle Pasta

 

Location:

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What kind of products will people be able to find at the market? Is the food organic?
There is a large variety at this year’s market: Seasonal Produce, Meat, Cheese, Bread, Jellies/Jams, Pasta, Coffee, Eggs, Pastries, Sweets/Cakes, Fruit Popsicles, Laundry Detergent, Seasoned Grains, Aromatherapy, Skincare products and more! The primary focus is on local products, organic or sustainably grown, or products that are made with local or sustainably grown ingredients.

What are the hours and days for the market? And why did you decide to open on Wednesday?
The market is open April-December, 1st Wednesdays: 4pm-Dusk (8pm Summer) and 3rd Saturdays: 9am-1pm. This year’s goal for the market was to expand the season, hours and number of days it was offered to the community, which were all accomplished this year. The new date and time was based on previous patron survey data and vendor feedback.

What else would you like people to know about the market?
Please consider supporting the market this year in one of the following ways: help spread the word through work, neighborhoods, church, school, etc. (the flyer can be downloaded online at www.EastPointFarmersMarket.com), consider volunteering at one or two of the markets or simply come out and shop and enjoy the social/community building aspect of the market. Either way, this is your community market and it is dependent on people like you supporting it in whatever way you can!

Donations are encourage for the market! Every sponsor dollar that is given to the market benefits the market only and would greatly be appreciated!!!!

Market Manager: Sissie Lang (contact through www.EastPointFarmersMarket.com)
City Sponsor: Erin Rodgers, Economic Development
East Point Main Street Association: Tal Stanfield, Fitzgerald Smith

Jefferson Park 'Save the Dates'

It's spring, so soon neighbors will start to gather, say hello to new faces, and say, remember when ...

Jefferson Park Neighbors Association shared its scheduled gatherings:

The first is at the mainstay, the Brake Pad.

Saturday, March 29th:

This is a great way to mix and mingle with your neighbors in a relaxed, informal setting.  Hopefully the weather will be nice enough for us to enjoy the patio!  Our friends at the BP will provide a few appetizers for us and you can purchase the beverage of your choice.

(Colonial Hills, Frog Hollow, East Washington, and other neighborhood assocations, send an email to jeffersonparkhub@gmail.com with your mix and mingle dates.)

 Upcoming dates

• April 19 – Spring Yard Sale


• May 17 - Block Party


• June (TBD) JPNA Mixer


• July 12 - Progressive Dinner


• September 13 - Fall Yard


• September 20 – Autumn Rush 5K


• October (TBD) – JPNA Mixer


• October 12 – Atlanta Pride Parade


• November 18 - JPNA Community Thanksgiving Dinner


• December 6 - Progressive Dinner

 

*First Tuesday of every month, JPNA Fundraiser at Oz Pizza, Main St. downtown East Point

*Third Tuesday of every month, JPNA Monthly Meetings, JABC

*Please check Facebook or the web for additional event dates or changes

TCHS students perform "Dreamgirls"

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Performing Arts Center

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Students at Tri-Cities High School are putting on the hit musical "Dreamgirls."

The curtain goes up on March 13 with multiple performances.

Dreamgirls

Detroit, the early 1960s. Curtis Taylor, Jr., a car salesman, breaks into the music business with big dreams. He signs a trio of young women, the Dreamettes, gets them a job backing an R&B performer, James "Thunder" Early, establishes his own record label and starts wheeling and dealing. When Early flames out, Curtis makes the Dreamettes into headliners as the Dreams, but not before demoting their hefty big-voiced lead singer, Effie White, and putting the softer-voiced looker, Deena Jones, in front. Soon after, he fires Effie, sends her into a life of proud poverty, and takes Deena and the Dreams to the top. How long can Curtis stay there, and will Effie ever get her due?

GROUP TICKETS CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED ONLINE!

Box Office Hours 8am - 4pm

Box Office Address:
Fine Arts Magnet Building
2575 Harris Street
East Point, GA  30344

Box Office Number: 404-669-8010

For tickets, go to the website.

Don't make the mistake of getting on the highway Saturday

Reports WSB-TV 2

ATLANTA — Four lanes of the downtown connector northbound will be shut down on Saturday due to road work.

The biggest traffic hotspot this weekend will be on I-75/I-85 northbound through the City and Georgia DOT is urging drivers to plan ahead to avoid significant backups. Four left lanes will be closed on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from Lankford Parkway to Central Avenue for pavement work.

You can learn more here. 

 

City residents get a role in proposed traffic program

A proposal from Council member Lance Rhodes - Ward B:

The City of East Point recognizes the value of public participation when responding to quality of life issues surrounding neighborhood traffic.

The intent of this policy is to provide a uniform methodology to address and mitigate unacceptable traffic conditions occurring within our community. Communication, cooperation and involvement in fostering resident consensus in the identification of traffic related issues and their resolution is an integral component of these policies.

There are proposed petition requirements if neighbors ask for traffic control measures:

 For installation of stop signs and intersection controls, 90% of residents (one resident per address) in a two block radius before the stop sign or intersection controls and two bocks after the stop sign or intersection controls must sign the petition or ¼ mile before the stop sign or intersection controls and ¼ mile after the stop sign or intersection controls (which ever provides the largest number of signatures).

 For installation or removal of no parking signs, 100% of residents who park on the street must sign the petition. This will include no parking signs with specific days and or times for no parking.

For installation of speed humps, all residents within 50 feet of the device must agree to the installation. 90% of residents (one resident per address) in a two block radius before the device and two bocks after the device must sign the petition or ¼ mile before the device and ¼ mile after the device (which ever provides the largest number of signatures).

City of East Point Neighborhood Participation Traffic Calming Controlpolicy

New hours for public library branches in Tri-Cities

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Fulton county leaders cut the hours of Atlanta-Fulton County Library system as part of their solution to deal with a multimillion dollar budget shortfall. (Here's the AJC story.) Libraries are closed two days a week at the three library branches in the Tri-Cities area. The new hours began in mid-February. To see the hours of operation for all the libraries, please click here.

East Point Branch
2757 Main St., East Point 30344
404.762.4842

• Monday 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.


• Tuesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Wednesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Thursday Closed


• Friday Closed


• Saturday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.


• Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Hapeville Branch
525 King Arnold St., Hapeville 30354
404.762.4065

• Monday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.


• Tuesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Wednesday Closed


• Thursday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Friday Closed


• Saturday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

College Park Branch
3647 Main St., College Park 30337
404.762.4060

• Monday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Tuesday 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.


• Wednesday Closed


• Thursday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Friday Closed


• Saturday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

East Point nonprofit wants to train pet owners before having to rescue animals

EAST Point Susan Laskey first rescued a dog when she was just a youngster. Then came Fritzy, a schnauzer, and Scamp, a mutt, not to mention a turtle Timothy and Chester the hamster.

 

Post by Laskey's Lucky Ones & Volunteers.

 

From her passion animals, she created a organization to rescue dogs and cats, and educate owners in East Point and the south Fulton County. She started the Georgia nonprofit in July 2013.

"The discarded pet population is off the charts in these areas," she said in an email.

Laskey’s Lucky Ones & Volunteers (LLOV) is an all-volunteer group in Georgia dedicated to pet rescue and community outreach. Our mission is to provide education, resources and services to existing pet owners within the community, and to rescue and place displaced, neglected and abused dogs and cats in permanent homes. We provide foster care, basic training and socialization, healthcare, spay/neuter services, resources, and education for our foster and adoptive parents, as well as for pet owners within our communities. LLOV serves animals of all breeds within the metro-Atlanta area, with a focus on underserved areas of South Fulton and adjacent counties. Our animals have been rescued from (or have been prevented from going to) high-kill shelters and live in foster homes awaiting their forever families. LLOV also facilitates and promotes reducing the number of feral cats and kittens throuh the humane practice of TNR (trap-neuter-return).

She outlined three of the nonprofit's goals:

• Prevent 75% of dogs found in our target areas from going and/or staying in animal control. The target area is around East Point area because, well, that’s where I and most of the board members and volunteers live.


• Develop a solid community outreach program that reduces the number of unaltered, unvaccinated, chained and/or uncared for dogs.


• Partner with Walker’s Room to create a program for homeless people who have dogs,  currently working on a food, blanket and jackets program

"Believe it or not, homeless people are very good dog owners. They always share their food, they sleep with their pet, and care for them, often before they care for themselves. We want to help people become and stay responsible pet owners. Sometimes it’s just a matter of providing information and resources," she said.

To help out this community organization, LLOV has a wish list with Amazon.  Click here. Or you can make a donation through PayPal. There's an active Facebook page, with close to 600 Likes. Check out the website too.

A few special events are scheduled for the spring,

• Dog wash in March at Intown Healthy Hound in Grant Park


• Wine tasting scheduled for April.

Said Laskey:

The way I see it, rescue isn’t limited to me picking up a dog, rehabilitating it and finding it a forever home, which is a great task in and of itself. Rescue is getting and keeping an owned dog off a chain; making sure an owned dog always has food for his belly, water and a warm place to sleep; it’s helping owned dogs stay healthy and happy. I didn’t choose to get into rescue. No one chooses rescue. It chooses you, and if you try to ignore it, it will know louder and you will never be happy until you throw open the door and embrace it for the change you can make.