City offers ‘Safe Ride’ home New Year’s Eve

“Operation Safe Ride,” which offers free rides home New Year’s Eve to patrons of Woodstock bars who may feel they’ve imbibed a little too much to drive safely, is being offered again this year by the Woodstock Police Department.

Officers will give a free lift to any person in need of a ride from an alcohol-serving establishment inside Woodstock city limits, and who lives within a reasonable distance of the city. The service is available by calling 404-740-4502 from 10 p.m. Saturday, New Year’s Eve, to 3 a.m. Sunday, New Year’s Day.

Taking advantage of the service doesn’t mean leaving your wheels behind. Neese Towing will offer to tow vehicles home free of charge.

Now in its eighth year, “Safe Ride” has provided more than 30 rides home “and has saved an uncountable number of lives,” police said. The department uses its 15-passenger vans and two officers to drive people home. fear the flashing and booming in close proximity, and these displays send most horses into panic, potentially leading to serious injuries or even death,” the city says. “Furthermore, fences, hay, bedding and dry grass are highly flammable items found around many farms.”

Milton asks people to give “a polite heads-up” to neighboring horse owners when planning firework celebrations. It also reminds residents of state laws that prohibit fireworks after 9 p.m. generally or until 11:59 p.m. New Year’s Eve and 1 a.m. New Year’s Day.

No fireworks are allowed on public roads or highways, or within 100 yards of a hospital, nursing home, gas station, fuel tank or electric substation, or a city or county-owned park or other property without a special-use permit; nor can anyone set off fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Information: 678-242-2541 or fire.marshal@cityfomiltonga.us. Brian Tam. All three begin their terms Jan 1.

UPCOMING

American Red Cross Blood Drive. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. Forsyth County Library, 585 Dahlonega Road, Cumming. Register: RedCrossBlood.org/ donating-blood. 770-781-9840, forsythpl.org.

Christmas tree recycling event. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 7. Boling Park, 1200 Marietta Highway, Canton. 770-704-1544, michelle. poole@canton-georgia.com.

Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast: “Inspiring Unity Amongst Division” by Allen Temple A.M.E. Church and the Cherokee County Government. 9-11 a.m. Jan. 14. Free. The Northside Cherokee-Conference Center, 1130 Bluffs Parkway, Canton. Keynote speaker will be former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, the first African-American female mayor of a major Southern city. She is now the Barbara Jordan Visiting Professor in Ethics and Political Values in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin and co-chair of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta’s Regional Commission on Homelessness. Capping the event will be the MLK Scholarship Fundraiser, presentation of the MLK Unity Award and the CommUNITY Service Project “Serve 2 for Cherokee County.” Register: 770-926-6348, tburrell@ AllenTempleAME.org.

Permits for daycare, online business OK’d

Land use permits have received approval from the Cobb County Board of Commissioners for an online home business, temporary residential parking and a daycare business.

Clyde A. Owens and Karla L. Owens received permission to operate an online craft business from home on the southeast corner of Soft Pine Lane and Heards Forest Drive. The business may have no employees, no signs, no deliveries and no pickups.

Jessica Moore will be allowed to operate a daycare on the west side of Shenandoah Trail, south of Landmark Trail, where Julia Frost is the owner.

Until the end of June, Frank and Danielle Marrone may park five vehicles outside of their home - instead of the four permitted by county code - on the northeast side of Westfield Row, east of Wade Green Road. Opposed to the extension was Commissioner Bob Ott. Commissioners JoAnn Birrell, Lisa Cupid, Tim Lee and Bob Weatherford approved of the extension to accommodate the cars of Marrone, his wife, each of their two children and a family friend, all residing at the end of a cul-de-sac.

County agrees to residential rezonings

Cobb County residential rezoning matters concern approval of a senior living facility and two small subdivisions.

The senior living facility will be on the northwest corner of Lost Mountain Road and Corner Road, the east side of McConnell Road and the north side of Pickens Road. Owners are Windsong Properties, including Clarence Luther McConnell Jr. and Gayle L. Norton a/k/a/ Gayle L. Richards.

A subdivision of five houses on 2.15 acres will be built on the northwestern side of Woodlawn Drive, north of Powers Ferry Road. The builder is Capital City View Homes owned by Zia Rahman.

A subdivision of no more than three lots will be built at the northeast intersection of Fricks Road and Cochran Lake Road. James C. Lane Jr. is the owner.

UPCOMING

Lights of Life. 6-10 p.m. through Saturday. $10 per car, $20 per bus. Life University, 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta. Holiday light show. 770-426-2600, life.edu.