Weber takes 5th in contest

A team from The Weber School posted impressive results in an international safe-cracking contest in Israel, designed to test how well students apply their knowledge of physics. The Weber team placed fifth overall, out of over 100 schools internationally, and was the top U.S. team, in The Weizmann Institute’s International Safe-Cracking Tournament. Weber also had the favorite safe as rated by the student participants. Weber participants included Eric Lieberman, Levi Durham, Becky Arbiv, Justin Cobb and Ross Williams, and faculty advisers Spencer Roby and Sairina Merino Tsui. This competition challenges teams of high school juniors and seniors to design impenetrable safes. Over six months, each team builds a locking mechanism for a standard wooden box, based on the laws of physics. Teams are encouraged to get creative with their designs, adding anything from lasers to water, string, ping pong balls, and other objects to make the locking device “uncrackable.”Each spring the students then travel to the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel, for the final round of the tournament, in which teams compete to unlock one another’s safes by solving the underlying physics riddles. Judges from Weizmann’s Davidson Institute of Science Education score each team based on the originality of the physics concept, how the concept was applied, and the endurance of the safe against break-ins.

Centennial HS students win authors competition

Four Centennial High School students were the high school winners of the Fulton County Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition: Lilly Nguyen, 9th grade; Emma Elmassian, 10th; Maya Schechter, 11th and Camila Carrasco, 12th grade. “We are very proud of our students and their accomplishments,” said Martha Smith, English department chairwoman at Centennial. “And, it was very exciting to see that Centennial High School swept the awards at the high school level in our District as well!”

Whitewater athletic director earns state, national honors

The Georgia Athletic Director’s Association has named Whitewater High School athletic director Mike Vena the 2017 Georgia Overall Athletic Director of the Year. Vena was also selected as the Georgia Region 3-AAAAA Athletic Director of the Year. The award recognizes Vena for making a profound difference for student athletes and coaches at Whitewater High School, in the region and state. Vena’s work was also recognized nationally. He is the winner of the 2017 Hall of Fame Service Award from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, presented annually in recognition of an athletic director’s length of service, special accomplishments and contributions.

City to consider $20M development project

Lawrenceville officials will consider a $20 million redevelopment project at its monthly work session at 5 p.m. April 19 at City Hall, 70 South Clayton St.

Richport Properties, currently under a purchase-sale agreement with the Downtown Development Authority, will present an office space and residential concept to create Lawrenceville’s first mixeduse environment for the downtown area in almost a decade.

The project, referred to as City View, will sit on the former 7.5-acre site of the historic Lawrenceville High School.

Richport properties will propose a 58-unit mix of singlefamily detached homes, townhomes, cottages and office space.

Variances approved for townhouse projects

The Woodstock City Council has approved two developers’ requests for variances that could result in 141 new townhouses for the community.

The Council approved a rezoning and variance application from Venture Homes Inc., Atlanta, for 83 townhouses on about 10.7 acres on the east side of Downsby Lane south of Ga. 92. Variances were allowed in density and setbacks. Conditions included alley screening, front and/or side porches required on all units and no more than 20 percent of the units available for rental at any time.

The Council also approved a variance application for LDS Partners LLC, Atlanta, for property at 7784 and 7849 Main St., 198 Short St. and 100 Henderson St. Fifty-seven townhouses are proposed for the roughly 7-acre site. The developer requested nine variances, including alleys, trees, sidewalks and stream buffers. LDS also has said it is willing to contribute $25,000 to improve Henderson Street.

New ordinance requires city officials’ residency

The Snellville City Council voted unanimously Monday regarding residency requirements for certain board and commission members. Members of the planning commission, board of appeals and the parks and recreation advisory board must all be residents of the city, nominated by the mayor, with confirmation of the city council. Previously, city code made no specific mention of where members should reside. All are volunteer positions.