What Does a Box Turtle Sound Like in Sandy Springs?

April 30, 2008 at 10:46 pm | In Uncategorized | 1 Comment
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This post might be a little out there. I saw on my blog stats that someone had searched Sandy Springs Box Turtle Sounds and came across my blog. It got me thinking. What does a turtle sound like? I really have never heard one. I did some research and found out that turtles do not have vocal cords so they do not have auditory sounds like other beings. Please follow this link to hear turtle sounds. If you learn one thing new a day, have it be today from this blog post.

Volunteer For A Better Sandy Springs Day A Huge Success!

April 29, 2008 at 5:26 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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I am back after a short hiatus!

The 2008 Volunteer For A Better Sandy Springs, sponsored by Leadership Sandy Springs, was a huge success. We had over 650 people turn out to give a few hours to help our community of Sandy Springs. Last, year we had 380 volunteers and ten sites thoughout the city. The weather was good and the rain held off until the evening.

The volunteers gave over 1900 hours back to their community. According to national statistics, a volunteer hour in Georgia is worth $18.77. On that measure, VBSS gave back over $35,000 in volunteer value. We painted, cleaned, entertained, pruned weeds, organized, etc, through out the city. Everyone who participated received a colorful t-shirt and a lunch sponsored by Arby’s. This was my second and final year as chairman of the event. I feel I left it in better shape than when I got it.

Here is the article from the Sandy Springs Neighbor before the event.

Last Chance to Register for Volunteer For A Better Sandy Springs

April 18, 2008 at 12:46 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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My blogging activities have slowed down this last week and will pick up with full steam on Monday, April 28. Between working with clients, family matters, and planning for VBBS, I find little time to devote to blogging.

Nevertheless, you still have a chance to sign up for the 2008 Volunteer For A Better Sandy Springs day on April 26, 2008. There are over 14 sites to choose from to volunteer. Each volunteer will receive a colorful t-shirt and a llunch at Hammond Park. Volunteers work from 8:45 AM to 11:45 AM, and then come to Hammond Park for a celebration lunch. Please visit www.leadershipsandysprings.org, and click on the VBSS link. You can download a brochure to register. It looks like we will have ovr 500 volunteers out on the day. My goal was to give back 1500 hours to the community. It looks like we will accomplish the goal!

I hope to see you all out there.

How Good Is Your Sandy Springs School?

April 14, 2008 at 12:06 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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This is my 101st blog post and I hope you have found my topic selection interesting, useful, and entertaining.

Choosing a school for your children is a very important aspect for your family, especially if someone is looking for a new home. The decisions are difficult and are often based on antedoctal information from friends, relatives, and neighbors.

The Georgia Public Policy Foundation publishes a useful yearly report that ranks all the Georgia public schools in the state. They have a category for elementary, middle, and high schools. The study uses the following criteria to ranks the schools: the percentage of students who meet or exceed the math and reading portion of the CCRT test, the percentage of those who exceed the same criteria for the CCRT, the percentage of students who at the poverty level as defined by those who qualify for the free meal programs, and finally, how the school does with those students at the poverty level. This is a nice study that lets you compare schools within the county and between counties.

There are flaws with the study, but it gives the parents a snapshot at how the school is performing. Parents should use the results to supplement other ways to determine if the school is right for their children.  A visit and talk with the faculty is also very important.

Home Values are Increasing in Sandy Springs!

April 11, 2008 at 11:38 am | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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Almost every encounter I have with someone when we discuss real estate is that they ask how much have home values gone done. The media has painted a dreadful picture of how all homes have drastically decreased in value. In fact, in 4Q07, the national average for home depreciation has been .68%(less than 1 %). In 4Q06, the national appreciation was 5.69%. So, there really has been a decease in the increase which is not all that horrible like the media has led us to believe. The study went on to forecast that there will a 28% chance that on a national average home values will decrease. Even though this a bit troublesome, you must remember that all real estate is local. So on that note, the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta area has done well compared to other major metropolitan areas. For instance, in 4Q07, the homes in this area appreciated by 1.63%, while the homes appreciated in 4Q06 by 4.01%. The study goes on to predict that there is 3.5% chance that homes will depreciate over the next 2 years. The study was done by a PMI, a major mortgage insurance company. You can see the complete study here.

What are your thoughts?

They Are Paving Roads In Sandy Springs!

April 9, 2008 at 11:54 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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Since Sandy Springs has become a city the government has been trying its best to justify its existence. One of the good things they have done other than not fix the storm drainage problem that floods my yard (I have called several times but to no avail) is to start paving the roads. I have taken notice since they have been working on the roads in front of my subdivision. The paving project is called the Capital Paving Project. Sixteen miles of roadway are set to be paved by spring 2008. The project will involve both day and night paving. I like it. It is better money spent than the money Mayor Eva Galambos throws away in legal fees fighting the adult book stores. Also, the roads will be better for me to run barefoot over (that is another post altogether!). Click here for more information about the project. Now maybe we can get the government to put more sidewalks in and forget about the adult stores!

Is There History In Sandy Springs?

April 8, 2008 at 10:26 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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Sandy Springs actually has a nice colorful history. Much of it can be found at Heritage Sandy Springs. HSS is located in the heart of Sandy Springs. The mission of Heritage Sandy Springs is to preserve and promote the historic and cultural identity of Sandy Springs. The non-profit organization presents programs and events on behalf of the community throughout the year. The organization also runs Heritage Green which includes the Sandy Springs Historic Site, Williams-Payne House Museum and the Sandy Springs Society Entertainment Lawn. These activities are accomplished by a small staff in collaboration with many, many dedicated volunteers. They also have a small park to learn about how people lived in the area.

If you are interested in volunteering at HSS for the 2008 Volunteer For A Better Sandy Springs, please click here for more information.

Ed Dodd, Mark Trail, and Sandy Springs

April 6, 2008 at 12:12 am | In Uncategorized | 1 Comment
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The famous cartoon strip, Mark Trail, was written by long time Sandy Spring’s native Ed Dodd. Ed Dodd was a big proponent of the natural environment. Dodd’s Lost Forest, the fictional home of Mark Trail, was patterned off the 130 acre tract of land on Marsh Creek in north Sandy Springs. He purchased the land from the Brandon family in the 1950s. Dodd built a beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright designed home overlooking the creek. The home site is located in the Brandon Mill area of Sandy Springs. This area is just west of Roswell Road off Dalrymple Road. The following site has some great information about Ed Dodd and Mark Trail.

Take a 62-mile Bike Ride through Sandy Springs

April 5, 2008 at 12:29 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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For all you cyclers out there, on May 4, 2008, you will have an opportunity to ride 62 miles through Sandy Springs. Sandy Springs Challenge, a local group who wants to promote sporting events in Sandy Springs, is sponsoring the Sandy Springs Cycling Challenge. This event is an opportunity to ride have a nice ride in the area. You will finish during the Taste of Sandy Springs and then watch the finish of the finale of the Southern Crit Biking Series. There is also going to be a race between the Sandy Springs Fire Department and Police Department. See you there and remember to wear your helmets.

Are you a Sandy Springs Greeniac?

April 3, 2008 at 8:52 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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Green is the new red, white, and blue. This is the new buzz phrase that is floating about. Are you concerned about the environment? Do you try to do little things that can help the environment? Are you worried about global warming, but do not want to throw yourself in front of a bulldozer or vote for the most liberal candidate running for office. You may be a Greeniac. A Greeniac is a person who is concerned about the environment but does not want to radically change their lifestyle. There is a great website for Greeniacs. Here you can learn about being Green without chaining yourself to a tree. Are you a Greeniac?

 

Is Sandy Springs Still Hot?

April 3, 2008 at 1:50 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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Since Sandy Springs became a city, there has been some debate as to whether the area has become more or less desirable. I personally think it has improved the area, although I find some of the city’s services lacking. Also, I think the Mayor and City Council are starting to make some decisions that are not in the best interest of th citizens. For instance, they want to buy the North Fulton County Service Center and convert it into a police station. If they do that, we will have to go downtown for various county services. Check out this article about if Sandy Springs is still hot.

 

Do you think the newness has rubbed off in Sandy Springs?

 

How Old Are The Homes In Sandy Springs?

April 2, 2008 at 9:12 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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There are not a lot of new homes in Sandy Springs. Most homes have been built between 1980 and 1989 (31.14%). Only 3.65% of homes were built between 1999 and October 2005. Fewer than 10% percent of the homes were built before 1959. Only .75% of the homes were built before 1939, while .85% of the homes were constructed between 1940-1949.

 

 

Sandy Spring’s Tossed Out Treasures

April 1, 2008 at 5:57 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
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On April 4-6, 2008, the Sandy Springs Society, will hold its annual Tossed Out Treasures sale. This is the much awaited premiere event where folks can buy high quality slightly used stuff for bargain basement prices. All proceeds raised will go to fund grants for non-profit organizations in the Sandy Springs area. The event will take place at the North River ShoppingCenter just south of the Chattahoochee River. Click on the above link for more information. This is a must attend event for anyone in the area.

Let me know what you find.

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