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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday, March 28,2004
First Lady Perdue “mysteriously” appears at Big Creek
By Nancy Smallwood
Associate Editor
First-grade students at Big
Creek Elementary thought it
was unusual that Georgia First
Lady Mary Perdue did not
arrive at their school Friday
morning in a big black limou
sine. After all, she was the
famous Mystery Reader for
whom they had been waiting
all week.
Perdue visited the school
to read her favorite book,
“Mrs. Tieggley’s Tree” by
Dorthea Warren Fox. to Mrs.
Amber Lamb’s class. The
reading program is just one of
Perdue's campaigns for chil
dren. Her main campaign is to
build community partnerships
for abused and neglected chil
dren. However, since the elec
tion of her husband. Perdue
has visited more than 56
schools statewide to read the
same book to students.
“1 read this book to my
children and now read it to my
twin granddaughters and 8-
Drive-in movie theater considered for south Forsyth site
By Todd Truelove
Staff Writer
There may be a new
drive-in theater in south
Forsyth County by the end of
summer.
Audio/video distributor
Gary Thompson, 47, of
Alpharetta said Thursday he
is looking at several pieces of
property in south Forsyth
after the Alpharetta City
Council on March 22 turned
down his proposal to build a
facility off Westside Park
way.
Thompson said he was
given every indication coun
cil members would approve
his proposal, and that he was
ready to break ground on the
site the next morning.
However, his idea was
shot down after attorneys
representing a nearby office
complex spoke against the
events seminars
Unless otherwise noted,
all seminars are
free
J EVENT
women’s health | Maybe Baby
Shelly Dunson-Allen, MD and Alise Jones-Bailey, MD address issues
for expectant parents or those thinking of becoming expectant parents.
When: Thursday, April 15 at 6:30 p.m
Where: Nonh Fulton Regional Hospital, Second Floor, Classroom B
Call: (770) 751-2660 for registration and information
ONGOING SEMINARS
arthritis | Hip and Knee Pain
Kim Yourick, PT, MBA discusses hip and knee pain, joint pain, arthritis
treatment options, surgery, rehabilitation and nutrition.
When: April 29, May 27, June 24
Where: NFRH Medical Office Building, 2500 Hospital Boulevard, Suite 400
Call: (770) 751-2660 for registration and information
weightloss | Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss
Program Coordinator Belencia White, RN discusses surgical weight loss
options for those 100 pounds or more overweight.
When: Seminars are offered each month.
Where: 11685 Alpharetta Highway, Suite 165, Medical Arts Center Building
Call: (770)751-2660 for registration, dates, time and information
diabetes | Diabetes Self Management
North Fulton Regional Hospital, in conjunction with the Diabetes
Association of Atlanta, host ongoing diabetes self-management programs.
Call: (404)527-7150 for dates, time, location and fees (Medicare and
some insurances accepted)
North Fulton Regional Hospital
- _ senej,
www.n9rthhiltonrafloMl.cem GCOTgid
month-old grandson,” said
Perdue.
The story is about a
strange woman who lives in a
tree and is rejected by the
town but later is cheered as a
hero when a hurricane arrives.
Lamb attended high school
with Perdue’s son and is a
close friend of the governor’s
daughter-in-law.
“I was surprised and happy
when she told me that my
class was placed on the First
Lady’s reading schedule,” said
Lamb.
Lamb’s students recently
completed a learning unit on
government symbols and were
full of unique questions for
the first lady once she com
pleted her book.
“Why do we have govern
ment?" asked one student.
Trying to put government
at a first grade level was easy
for the governor’s wife.
“It keeps society helpful
instead of harmful and keeps
it in order,” said Perdue.
project and convinced city
council members to put the
item back before the plan
ning commission, said
Thompson.
“At this city council meet
ing, at the last minute a
bunch of lawyers stood up.
and the city council started
quaking in their boots,” he
said.
Alpharetta Mayor Arthur
Letchas said Friday there
were some questions about
the site and the viewability of
the theater from city roads.
He said the site had
changed from a previous
location off Mansell Road
and that the new site raised
questions.
“The site was changed,"
Letchas said. “It moved to a
site which is one of the high
est points in the city.”
"The answers were
incomplete as far as what you
“What does the governor
look like?” asked another stu
dent.
“Well.. I like to think he
looks a little like Santa Claus,”
said Perdue. "He has a round
face and rosy cheeks.”
“That must be why they
call him Sonny," said the stu
dent.
Other questions ranged
from what the first lady does
during the day to why she
doesn't get paid. Several chil
dren wondered if the gover
nor’s mansion had an indoor
swimming pool and were
excited when told the mansion
did have an outdoor pool.
"But it is too cold to go
swimming just yet," said
Perdue.
Every Friday the class fea
tures a Mystery Reader for the
children. Parents, grandpar
ents and even a policeman has
visited the children to read.
Mrs. Perdue asked the stu
dents to interact with the story
by chanting the word “tree”
would be able to see from
Westside Parkway," he said.
Though the council con
sidered a motion to deny the
drive-in proposal, Letchas
said instead the council
passed a substitute motion 4-
2 to give Thompson the
opportunity to address ques
tions before the city’s
Planning Com
mission.
“It could
have been turn
ed down," the
mayor said,
"but it wasn't
turned down."
“A lot of
people were
looking forward
The area will bene
fit from [the drive-in]
whether it is in south
Forsyth or north
Fulton.
to having a
drive-in,” he said.
Thompson said that even
though council members did
not outright reject his pro
posal, their action “was just a
■KI” ™ r .
Photo/Audra Perry
Big Creek first graders listen to First Lady Mary Perdue, right.
when signaled.
Perdue and her staff were
led on a tour of the school by
Big Creek Principal Thomas
Davis following the reading.
cordial way of saying,
‘Thank you.'”
“I’m not going to fight
deep pockets," Thompson
said? "The area will benefit
from [the drive-in] whether it
is in south Forsyth or north
Fulton.”
Though he is considering
several sites, because of his
recent ex
perience
which
resulted in
six wasted
months
spent
working
toward the
Alpharetta
project.
Thompson
declined being any more spe
cific than south Forsyth.
And though he has not
met with county government
officials, he remains opti-
BRIAN TAM - CANDIDATE FOR COUNTY
COMMISSION DISTRICT?
HHf 1 > Having Hued in Forsyth County for
" 10 years, I know what a wonder-
jw €*** community this is. With your
B 1 and support, lam committed
f to making sure we maintain our
/ exceptional quality of life in a
community we are all proud to
b° me '
INVOLVEMENT:
& 7 V,: • Co-chairman SPLOST 5 campaign
Rvml ' Lcadersh ‘P Forsyth Class of 2004
B • Cumming-Forsyth County
Chamber of Commerce Small
Business Member of the Year*
award for 2003
• Forsyth County “Apple Award" winner as a Partner in eduction
• Local School Council Business Partner for Settles Bridge Elem.
• Former Chairman Forsyth Restaurant Group
• Partner in education participant with many of the county's schools
• Recreation committee member and Youth choir sponsor at John's Creek United
Methodist Church
• Sponsor of many community events, including Relay for Life and Sawnee Cultural
Arts Center “Outback 5K Corporate Challenge’
• Board Member Cummlng/Forsyth Chamber of Commerce
• Managing Partner of Outback Steakhouse - Recipient of Regional Community
Involvement Award 2002 & 2003
COMMUNITY PLATFORM:
AS A COUHTV COMMISSIONER.! Will:
• Be professional • Be fiscally responsible
• Be a team player • Be accessible and responsive
IQfNHANCE QUR-QUAUTYQF UFA, I WILL*
• Diligently work on the completion of SPLOST projects and to upgrade
our infrastructure • Work to find solutions to transportation gridlock
• Pursue alternative revenue sources to reduce our tax burden,
including recruiting high quality, community committed businesses
to generate jobs and balance our tax digest.
Bring together community resources in a “Team For A Better
Tomorrow,” which will include but not be limited to representation
from the county commission, city government, board of education,
home owners associations, legislative delegation and state transportation
officials. This broad based coalition of diverse groups will
generate ideas to help us more effectively manage our growth.
Paid tor by the Candidate. Brian Tam, 1715 Marketplace Blvd., Cumming, Ga.
Davis described some of the
parent and teacher programs at
the school.
“Forsyth County has a
wonderful school system,”
mistic it will be approved by
the Forsyth County Board of
Commissioners once he
determines the location.
“I've always had plans of
going up there,” Thompson
said. “1 just wanted
Alpharetta to be the first
location.”
He said he thought of the
idea after taking his daugh
ters, Brielle and Savannah, to
a movie.
"I took them to see a
movie last fall —a matinee. I
had three S2O bills when I
went in. and I had $8 when 1
came out," he said.
"Three or four days later.
I'm driving down a road and
see a triangular piece of land
for sale, and a light went
off."
Whether the venture will
prove profitable is another
matter.
said Perdue.
“The schools have plenty
to be proud of and are doing
the right thing with parent and
staff involvement.”
Thompson said he plans
to begin with a single 50-
foot-tall, 100-foot-wide
screen that will be one of the
largest in the nation and
expand from there depending
upon business.
“It’s a business that was
hurt a lot in the 1960 s by
color television and suburban
sprawl," he said, adding
drive-ins are making a come
back especially in the
states of Ohio, Pennsylvania
and Texas where theaters are
being erected so fast it's dif
ficult to find the equipment.
Thompson said he has
already purchased the equip
ment including an FM
broadcast system that enables
customers to tune in to
movies via radio.
He said he also hopes to
build drive-ins in Kennesaw
and Gwinnett County.