Loud parties, illegal activity concern board

Forsyth County commissioners are considering abandoning a road leading to the county-owned Barker House on Sawnee Mountain after neighbors complained of loud parties and illegal activity.

During a work session commissioners heard from Chuck Gober, who bought a house near there recently and said the afternoon and night-time activity has included drunks sleeping in cars, “graphic” activity in his front yard on Valentine’s Day and naked photo shoots.

Commissioners voted to tear down the house on the county-owned property earlier this year. County attorney Ken Jarrard explained that abandonment would simply mean that the road would no longer be a public thoroughfare. He said that commissioners could reverse the move if they decided to put another facility on the Barker House spot at some future point. Greenprints trail system and the southern city limits, where a link-up could be made with Cobb County’s Town Center Noonday Creek Trail. The Atlanta Regional Commission has released applications for communities seeking federal transportation funds for projects “that improve access or make a connection,” the resolution says.

If Woodstock is awarded the funds, the resolution continues, and the city would provide the 20 percent local cash match as specified in the program. The measure does not give a dollar value for the project, but documents attached to a related resolution approved recently by the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners say the Noonday Creek Trail Extension would involve $3 million in federal funds.

Information: http://bit.ly/2r7kwEr request, noting that North Point Mall and the surrounding area is zoned commercial, and there are no residential uses in the immediate vicinity. The variance is limited to 16 days a year and is not transferable.

Wade plans to operate the carnival in the parking lot between the Sears and J.C. Penney stores from 5 to 11 p.m. weekdays and 1 to 11 p.m. weekends. The carnival would have 18 to 20 rides, games, food and restroom facilities.

American Girl Doll Club: “Kit Solves the Mystery.” 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday. $8 for members, $10 for nonmembers, $15 at the door. Heritage Sandy Springs Museum, 6075 Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs. Free parking is available on Sandy Springs Place in designated lots. Best suited for ages 5 to 12. Bring your favorite doll. This monthly program lets participants travel through time via the perspectives of the brave, spunky historic characters of the series. Learn this month about the Great Depression. Register: Melissa Swindell at 404-851-9111 ext. 2 or curator@HeritageSandySprings.org.

Inklings Writers Critique Group. 3-5 p.m. Saturday. Free. Ball Ground Library, 435 Old Canton Road, Ball Ground. Individuals interested in joining this new group to support their creative writing are invited to attend on the second and fourth Saturdays. SequoyahRegionalLibrary.org.

School year will begin July 30 or 31, official says

The next school year for the Cobb County School District will begin July 30 or 31.

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said recently “a widespread rumor” has been going around that the new school year will begin on July 16 or 17. “That is absolutely not true,” he said.

Ragsdale said the official start is supposed to be July 31, but he plans to ask the board to move up that day to July 30, a Sunday. This year’s starting date was Aug. 1 for Cobb public schools.

The starting date for Marietta City Schools will be Aug. 3 — as it was for this present academic year.

However, the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce supports a uniform starting date for all Georgia public schools of no sooner than the last Monday in August.

With travel and tourism as the second largest industry in the state and the largest industry in Cobb, the uniform start date would allow Georgia communities to maximize the economic benefit of a longer summer season, according to the Cobb Chamber report.

An added benefit would be greater job and career training opportunities for youths, the report said.

Acworth Memorial Day Ceremony. 10-11 a.m. Saturday. Veterans Memorial, Patriots Point, Acworth. acworth.org/departments/parks_recreation_and_community_resource_department/ veteran_memorial.php.

Powder Springs Memorial Day Ceremony by American Legion Post 294 of Powder Springs. Noon Monday. Powder Springs Veterans Memorial, 4181 Atlanta St., Powder Springs in front of the library or, in case of inclement weather, the Coach George Ford Center behind the library. Post home at 770-439-0956, PublicRelations@Post294.org.

“A Step Back in Time” by The Friends of Brumby Hall. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday. Free. Brumby Hall and Gardens, 500 Powder Springs St., Marietta. Historians and re-enactors will represent life during the mid-19th century with demonstrations of weaving, sewing, military life, playing dulcimers and children’s games. Communications Manager Lindsey Wiles at 770-794-5509 or lwiles@ MariettaGa.gov.