Sometimes, it seems like there isn't a day at City hall where there's something new and exciting going on. Take a look at this month's newsletter. August is a big month for Milton, and there's a lot happening in the next 31 days. So I'm just going to jump into everything happening and let you know what to expect:

Cogburn Road bridge: First off, on Aug. 3 at 4 p.m., we will officially open the Cogburn Road Bridge for motorists. It's been closed since May, and I know the detour has been a pain. But I think you'll all be pleased with the end result - a well-built, spacious bridge complete with sidewalks and tie-ins to our future trail system. 

And, I'm happy to report, the project happened on time and on budget, even with the huge amount of rain we had during construction. A big thanks goes out to our Public Works Department and Hitson Construction for a job well done. 

 Read the entire message.

August 1 was a night to remember in Cambridge history. A crowd of fans, students, parents and Cambridge High School supporters gathered to see the football team for the first time under the stadium lights. The atmosphere was similar to a Friday night game complete with music, cheers and plenty of Bears spirit throughout the stadium.  

Head football coach Craig Bennett lead the way as the Bears took to the field when the clock struck midnight. Bennett and several assistant coaches ran the players through drills until around 2:30 a.m. There are more than 100 players who have signed up to play with the Bears this season.  

Following the practice, the team went back inside the locker room to change into their shorts and t-shirts and came back on to the field to hear the coaches talk about team building and leadership lessons. The Touchdown Club was on hand to serve breakfast to the players in the early morning hours around 5:00 a.m. before everyone headed home.  

It was also a chance for the public to get a first look at the new stadium at the school, which will open Monday, Aug. 13. The Bears open at home with their inaugural game against Riverwood at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 31.

For more information about Cambridge High, click here.

The Cogburn Road bridge, which has been closed since May 19, is scheduled to re-open at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3.

Prior to the opening, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. to mark the end of Milton's first major construction project. When the bridge opens, motorists will be able to travel Cogburn Road unimpeded, and all detours will end. However, work will continue on the shoulders and motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling through the work zone.

Carter Lucas, public works director for Milton, said the new arched culvert is far superior to the previous dilapidated bridge structure that spanned Cooper Sandy Creek between Bethany Bend and Webb Road. The bridge's replacement had been identified as a top priority in a 2009 inventory of city infrastructure because it bore the load of more than 10,000 vehicles a day.

"It's wider, more stable and easier to navigate," said Lucas. "Additionally, there are sidewalks and tie-ins for the city's future trail system."

Lucas kept residents up-to-date with the project by offering weekly blog posts and photos on the city's Web site and social media platforms. To view the project's completion week by week, click here.

Oxford-based Hitson Construction, Inc. brought the project in on time and within the approved budget of $478,020.39. 

For more information, contact Angie Kapijimpanga, Public Works citizen responder, at 678-242-2562 or angie.kapijimpanga@cityofmiltonga.us.

"Puss in Boots," the third and final film in the city's free summer family movie series, will be shown at dusk Saturday, Aug. 4 at Northwestern Middle School. Festivities will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Northwestern Middle School is located at 12805 Birmingham Highway (click here for directions).

As with the other films in the "Movies in the Park™ - City of Milton presented by Southern Outdoor Cinema, Sponsored by Northside Hospital Forsyth" series, "Puss in Boots" will be shown on Southern Outdoor Cinema's huge, two-story inflatable movie screen in high-definition. Before the film there will be a fun, festival atmosphere with face painting, an inflatable moonwalk and tons of children's activities.

Concessions will be available, so just bring your lawn chair, blanket and bug spray.      

For more information on "Puss in Boots," click here. For more information on the summer movie series, visit www.gamoviesinthepark.com or contact Special Events Coordinator Angela Thompson at 678-242-2530 or angela.thompson@cityofmiltonga.us.

The City of Milton Police and Fire departments are partnering with the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety to host the 29th Annual National Night Out event Tuesday, Aug. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Wills Park Equestrian Center in Alpharetta.

The Wills Park Equestrian Center is located at 11915 Wills Road in Alpharetta (click here for directions).

This year's event includes three bounce houses for kids, an interactive fire safety house simulator, displays of police and fire vehicles and SWAT demonstrations. There will also be firefighter scenarios, technical rescue operations, police K9 dog scenarios and numerous other police and fire activities.

Milton and Alpharetta police and firefighters will serve hundreds of hot dogs and hamburgers, sodas and ice cream sandwiches in addition to donated food from Chick-fil-A and Vinny's New York Pizza & Italian Grill. Longtime event sponsor Target will also be on hand offering giveaways and free eye exams.

"This is a very popular and fun event," said Milton Community Outreach officer Ara Baronian. "We're glad to participate with our partners in public safety from Alpharetta."    

Now in its 29th year, National Night Out is a unique crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, an organization dedicated to building safer and better neighborhoods through community involvement. More than 15,000 communities nationwide participate in National Night Out, ranging from community block parties, to cookouts, to parades and flashlight walks.  

 For more information on National Night Out, visit http://www.nationalnightout.org.

Attention all Milton dog owners: On Saturday, Aug. 11, a community "Pet Trick Day" will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Dog Wash Café in Crabapple - and every dog that does a trick will get a prize.

The Dog Wash Café is located at 12635 Crabapple Road, Suite 230 in Milton (click here for directions).

The event is the brainchild of 13-year-old Northwestern Middle School student Thomas Eller, who, along with his older brother Zack, runs Woof 'Em Down Dog biscuits, a non-profit company that raises money for homeless pet shelters.

Eller applied for and received a mini-grant for "Pet Trick Day" from the Better Together: Real Communities - Milton Mini-Grants Initiative, which has also funded landscaping projects at Milton Fire Station No. 43, a community art installation, an adapted riding stable and two "Living Room Conversations."

Better Together is funded in large part through the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities' (GCDD) Real Communities Initiative: Milton. The grants support neighborhood improvements, promote neighborhood connections and fund projects that bring community members together.

Currently, GCDD provides Milton a little less than $20,000 in federal funds and the city matches just less than $5,000.       

For more information on this event, contact Thomas Eller at 678-630-5179 or woofemdown@bellsouth.net. For more information on the Better Together: Real Communities - Milton Mini-Grants Initiative, click here. For more information on Woof 'Em Down Dog Biscuits, visit http://woofemdown.com.

Milton is now officially registered with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) after completing a lengthy application process supported by City Council and staff.  

Next meeting Aug. 15
The next NWF committee meeting will be Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Executive Conference Room of City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway, suite 107G.  

The meeting will concern the start of a NWF demonstration garden, updates on the project as a whole, and will be followed at 7:30 p.m. with a "Tree Care Workshop."

Get certified
There are currently 85 properties approved in Milton as wildlife habitats, but to achieve national certification the city needs a minimum of 65 more homes and points in other categories such as educational workshops and a demonstration garden.  

The good news is most Milton properties qualify immediately for NWF certification, or with minimal work.  

To learn more about this project, become a volunteer or to certify your property, please visit the city's Web site or e-mail wildlifehabitatproject@cityofmiltonga.us.

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, Aug. 15 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. to attend the tree care workshop conducted by City Arborist Mark Law, City Planner Michele McIntosh-Ross and Chris Heim, regional manager for Davey Tree Company.  

This meeting will be held immediately after the National Wildlife Foundation committee meeting in the Executive Conference Room of City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway, suite 107G. 

This meeting will include an overview of the Milton Tree Inventory, Assessment and Management Plan project. There will also be a presentation on proper tree care and pruning, as well as selecting trees and shrubs that thrive in Georgia while attracting wildlife.  

Bring your questions for the experts!   

For more information on this meeting, please contact Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Cindy Eade at 678-242-2509 or cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

Funds for this project were provided by the Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program administered by the Georgia Forestry Commission.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (SDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and maital or family satus. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-A, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

The final day of collection in the Muscular Dystrophy Association's (MDA) "Fill the Boot Drive" will be Friday, August 17, the Milton Fire Department announced.  So far, firefighters have raised $58,177.  

C shift will hold the extra day of collections due to being cut short July 6 because of extreme heat. The department is trying to top its 2011 total of more than $60,000, which was second in the state in fundraising.

Over the last five years, the City of Milton Fire Department has collected $226,631 from generous citizens for local children and adults fighting muscular dystrophy.  In 2011, the Department raised $60,854, the most in metro Atlanta and the second most in the state.  

For more information on the City of Milton Fire Department, click here. 

The popular Crossroads at Crabapple Antiques & Art Festival will be held Saturday, Oct. 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in historic downtown Crabapple.

A tradition since 1969, this one day only, rain or shine, outdoor festival features 50 local juried artists and 50 American Country Antique Dealers from six states.

The City of Milton is a presenting sponsor of this community event coordinated by the Crabapple Community Association.  

For more information for this event, please visit www.crossroadsatcrabapplefestival.com or contact Amanda Quintana at 770-241-1125 or by e-mail at crossroadsatcrabapple@gmail.com. 

For the past few months, you might have noticed Milton firefighters receiving training in the use of specialized ropes, knots and other technical rescue hardware.  

While incidents requiring this kind of specialized training occur relatively infrequently, eventually firefighters will assist in removing patients from ditches, ravines, towers and multi-story buildings. The skills will also be used in the privately-funded Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue unit's operations, which often include the use of ropes and pulleys to move animals.  

Additionally, these skills can also be used in stabilizing overturned vehicles, moving heavy equipment on fire scenes, and conducting rescue operations from the roof or upper floors of a burning residence. Internally, the training increases firefighter safety during ladder operations where ropes and knots provide the means of ensuring that no one is injured or killed in a fall.  

Upon completion, Milton's fire department will receive national certification in the skills.

For more information on the City of Milton Fire Department, click here. 

Local parks advocate Jim Cregge has been named the City of Milton's interim parks and recreation director, City Manager Chris Lagerbloom announced. He begins his tenure Aug. 7.

Cregge, a familiar face to a number of Milton residents, has spent the last 17 years as a volunteer, board member and former president of the Hopewell Youth Association (HYA), the non-profit group that schedules baseball activities at Bell Memorial Park.

Additionally, he has spent the last nine years on Alpharetta's Parks and Recreation Commission, where Cregge has served as chairman for the last six years.

Prior to Milton's incorporation, Cregge served on the Parks and Recreation Subcommittee of the City of Milton Interim Government Commission and participated in  Fulton County's citizen committee that ultimately produced the Birmingham Park Master Plan.

In 2005 he was named the Georgia Parks and Recreation Association's Volunteer of the Year after being nominated by Fulton County for his work.     

For more information on Milton's Parks and Recreation Department, click here.  

For more information, contact Tom Gilliam at 678-242-2519 or tom.gilliam@cityofmiltonga.us.

The City of Milton has collection containers available at the Community Development entrance (13000 Deerfield Parkway, suite 107F), for recycling these items:  

• copier toner and ink cartridges
• batteries (alkaline and rechargeable)
• cell phones for Verizon Wireless' HopeLine program 

City Hall is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This program is part of Milton's Green Communities Certification. 

For more information, please contact Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Cindy Eade at 678-242-2509 or cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

Thank you to those who took the time to complete Milton's solid waste survey, which ended Aug. 1.  

Results are being compiled and will be available online soon.  

Additionally, thank you for your patience as answers are found for questions generated from the survey. 

The North Fulton Evergreen Schools Program and the Chattahoochee Nature Center present the 2nd annual Environmental Education Resource Fair Open House on Wednesday, Sept. 5 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road in Roswell.

The event is open and free to everyone - including all school (public and private) personnel, PTAs, parents and children.

There will be loads of environmental vendors with information for starting or enhancing your Evergreen school program, including curriculum materials, recycling, fund raising and more. Refreshments will be provided by Harry's Farmers Market. 

For more information, please contact Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Cindy Eade at 678-242-2509 cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us or the Chattahoochee Nature Center's Tom Howick at 770-992-2055 x235 or t.howick@chattnaturecenter.org.

Zack Eller, a rising senior at Milton High, recently won the Atlanta Humane Society's Mariel Hannah Humane Heroes Award for his work benefitting homeless pets. 

Eller is the founder of Woof 'Em Down Dog Biscuits, which he runs with his brother Thomas. Zack and Thomas donate all profits from the sale of their homemade dog biscuits to pet rescue and so far have raised $13,000 and donated more than 1,000 pounds of pet food to local animal shelters.

The award is named after 18-year-old Mariel Hannah, an animal lover who was tragically killed in a 2006 home invasion. 

The Ellers have racked up a number of awards for their work. In 2006, Zack earned the President's Volunteer Service Award for his hours spent helping homeless pets. Zack and Thomas both earned the President's Volunteer Service Award in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

In 2008, Zack and Thomas were chosen by Disney's Wondertime Magazine and the nonprofit Points of Light Foundation as Grand Prize winners in the "Littlest Volunteers" contest. That same year, they were awarded the "Shining World Compassion Award" in recognition for their efforts.  

Additionally, in 2008 Zack was named the middle school State Honoree in "The Prudential Spirit of Community Award" program, which is the United States' largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service.
Zack was awarded the 2009 Young Hero of North Fulton Award from the Roswell Rotary Club and the Teaching Museum North.  He also received the DAR Citizenship Award. 

But it didn't stop there. Zack was a finalist for the 2010 Humane Teen of the Year Award.  He received an Honorable Mention for his exceptional contributions to animal protection from the Humane Society of the United States. Additionally, in 2010 he was the local store winner in the Kohl's Kids Who Care contest. 

For more information on Woof 'Em Down Dog biscuits, visit http://woofemdown.com.

This list is compiled from business license records kept by the city's Community Development Department. If a new business receives a license within the month proceeding the newsletter, it will be listed.

The appearance of a business on this page is not intended, nor should it be construed, as the City of Milton's or Milton City Council's endorsement, sanction, promotion or advertisement of any particular business. Identification of businesses on this list is for informational purposes only. Citizens interested in retaining or conducting business with any of the companies or agencies listed in this item should conduct their own review and investigation of that business.

Access MD, LLC 12600 Deerfield Parkway Suite 100

D Squared Development 3105 Bethany Bend 

CrossFit Silos, LLC 12635 Crabapple Road Suite 130  

For a continually updated list of current businesses in Milton via the city's Web site, click here.