County applies for DUI grant

Fayette County has applied for a grant from the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to help support its DUI Court program. The Board of Commissioners vote 5-0 earlier this month to authorize the application for FY2018, which would award up to $137,300 and include a local match of $13,730.

State Court Judge Jason Thompson spoke in favor of the program, which he said benefits offenders and their families in Fayette, Spaulding, Upson and Pike Counties by promoting sobriety. Thompson said the program has already saved the community $110,000 so far this year.

The first program graduates were recognized in Thompson’s court on March 15.

School system scales back redistricting

Fayette County decided Monday not to redistrict approximately 34 Peachtree City students living off South McIntosh Trail out of Huddleston Elementary. The county had proposed shifting feeder patterns to alleviate crowding, but encountered strong opposition from parents. However, starting next year, Huddleston will no longer acccept open enrollment or special permission transfer students.

Spot redistricting will still occur in Fayetteville, where new students in LaFayette Park will be sent to Fayette Elementary rather than Spring Hill. Residents of the new Meridian at LaFayette apartments will also attend Fayette Elementary, while children living at the new Oakleigh Manor subdivision will attend Spring Hill.

City approves permit for wine, spirits event

The College Park City Council recently approved a request for an off-premises/special events permit application from the Hotel Indigo, 1776 Harvard Ave., to host the fifth annual The King’s and Queen’s Glass, which is a wine, spirits and imported beers tasting event scheduled to run 7:30 to 11 p.m. April 5.

The city council also approved a request for the Resurrection House for All Nations to conduct an Easter parade/motorcade in downtown College Park through Main Street at 4 p.m. April 16.

Other requests approved by the council include:

the replacement of the sanitary sewer line located near Lakeshore/Glenda Drive;

sanitary sewer easement clearing totaling about 12,000 feet, which will allow access for inspections

UPCOMING

Using Essential Oils as Healers. 3 p.m. Thursday. Free. Hapeville Branch, 525 King Arnold St., Hapeville. Bwshena Gadhafi will teach about the healing properties of essential oils such as to ease inflammation and help the immune system. 404-762-4065, afpls.org.

Teen Driving Safety Class. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Free. East Point Branch, 2757 Main St., East Point. The Malcolm Omari Hill Scholarship Fund, Inc. presents this safe-driving class. 404762-4842, afpls.org.

Jazz with Prodigy and Friends. 3 p.m. Saturday. Free. South Fulton Branch, 4055 Flat Shoals Road, Union City. Enjoy an afternoon of jazz with Rosemary Roberts and friends. 404-613-3092, afpls.org.

Survey seeks input on grade configuration

In determining whether to reconfigure its elementary grade structure, City Schools Decatur held a community meeting last week where 219 showed up to weigh in on two options.

Option 1 splits the system into five K-2 schools, and three 3-5 Academies, including a new one on Talley Street. Option 2 keeps the current split, with six K-3 schools (including a renovated College Heights) and a new 4-5 Academy on Talley added to he current 4-5 Academy at Fifth Avenue.

CSD is not considering a return to the pre-2004 model of K-5 elementary schools.

The school system’s posted a follow-up survey soliciting additional feedback at http://bit.ly/ EngageCSD2017. A 30-person steering committee will present information from the survey and meeting to the board at its April 11 meeting. The survey closes at 11:59 p.m. March 26.

Superintendent David Dude admits he likes the K-2/3-5 model.

“I think it’s a more natural split,” he said. “You have a balance where students spend three years at each elementary school. And there are natural curriculum changes where, for instance, in K-2 you learn to read, and starting in the third you read to learn.”

Dude hopes construction starts on the Talley Street school this fall, with a projected opening of May 2019.