Garden boxes get some TLC

The Alpharetta Rotary Club built a greenhouse and raised gardening boxes for students at The Cottage School, where science teacher Amanda Burke will instruct them about soil testing, adjusting pH and alkalinity, composting, germination, planting, the seasonality of vegetables and herbs and planning a garden. The harvest will provide the culinary class with fresh ingredients as well as the opportunity for the business and entrepreneur classes to market and sell produce at school events. Burke said, “We are excited that these gardening structures will provide opportunities for hands-on, experiential horticultural skills for our students for years to come.” The school serves middle and high school students with learning differences and attention deficit disorders.

Robotics team brings home state title

The Cardinal Crushers robotics team at Crabapple Lane Elementary School in Fayette County won the Presentation Award at the 2017 FIRST LEGO League State Championship at Georgia Tech. One of the competing teams’ tasks was a research project outlining a problem and their solution, fitting the theme “Animal Allies.” The Cardinal Crushers tackled protecting sea turtle eggs from the damage of artificial light. They created a tunnel to put over a nest to block artificial light and allow the newly hatched sea turtles to follow the light of the moon. They even wrote a song to the rhythm of “We Will Rock You” by the band Queen. “The judges liked the song so much that the team was asked to perform it in front of the entire auditorium during the awards ceremony,” said Michelle Redahan, one of the robotics team sponsors at the school. The Cardinal Crushers are Madison Lohr, Ian Gevertz, Emmett Fisher, Wynn McDonell, Will McDonell, Roshan Kolachina, Mark Redahan, Trevor Hall, and Marcus Morrow.

Elementary earns Character designation

A Cherokee County school has been named a 2017 State School of Character for its commitment to character education. Liberty Elementary School is one of 80 schools nationwide and the only one in Georgia to win the designation from the international nonprofit organization Character.org. Recipients are considered models of excellence for teaching students to recognize and develop positive ethical and performance character traits. Liberty will be evaluated for the National School of Character designation, which will be announced in May. “We are so proud whenever our schools are recognized for outstanding teaching and learning, and this award is especially heart-warming,” Cherokee County Superintendent Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.

Frenik Marketing Group opens new location

Frenik Marketing Group, a full-service marketing firm has opened new offices at 4940 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Berkeley Lake. The company has created 20 jobs and plans to double their team over the next three years.

Frenik’s new facility will house their creative and development teams, each specializing in design, print, and brand identity development, as well as having the in-house capabilities of website and mobile application design, internet marketing strategy and software development. Their new location will also have the capacity to provide full video production services.

Information: www.freniklabs. com.

New regulations OK’d for tobacco devices, vaping

Forsyth County businesses selling so-called “non-traditional tobacco products” will be facing tough new regulations in the next 90 days.

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners passed strict licensing and operational requirements. Among them are a $2,000 annual license fee and an additional charge of $250 for each of four lines of products that are advertised as being for tobacco and herbs but which law enforcers contend are frequently used for illegal drugs. Those include grinders, weighing devices and torch lighters. Additional provisions spell out that items for sale have to be kept in a separate, screened room, set distance limits from schools and churches and lay out a laundry list of conditions under which licenses can be suspended or revoked.

The changes also outline out new regulations for “alternative tobacco product” or vape dealers, including a $50 annual permit, a ban on mixing vape juice on store premises and a provision saying that businesses selling vaping devices can’t allow their use on-premises unless the stores are equipped with a dehumidifier to dispel the mist.

Commissioners said the 90-day grace period before the ordinance changes take effect will allow sheriff’s