Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are nearly finished, but that doesn't mean you can't still have fun. As always, we've got a positively packed month of informative workshops, fun family events, rewarding charitable work and enriching classes for all ages. 

Let's run down the list real quick:
MADD workshops: On Sunday, Aug. 4 Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) will partner with our police department to provide both parents and youth workshops on stopping underage drinking. What's so cool about the classes is that they take part separately, but end with parents and kids getting together to talk about alcohol and peer pressure. 

Better Together paper drive: Through Monday, Aug. 5 Milton's Better Together community volunteers will collect notebook paper for students in need. It's thanks to a partnership with North Fulton Community Charities, which does fantastic work in the community year-round. 

Have something to donate? Just drop it by City Hall or contact Wayne Boston, who runs Better Together.   

   Read the entire message.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has teamed up with the City of Milton Police Department to host two free workshops Sunday, Aug. 4 aimed at making the community safer through stopping underage drinking.

These workshops will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. in City Council Chambers of Milton's City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway Suite 107E (click here for directions). This workshop is open to the entire community, and parents are encouraged to bring their kids.

The workshops are: 

• The Power of Parents: Parents will learn tips and tricks on how to talk to their kids and youth in their family about alcohol and leave with a handbook they can use for future interactions.

For more information, visit: www.madd.org/underage-drinking/the-power-of-parents/  

• The Power of Youth: Organizers focus on empowering high school and middle school students to not give in to peer pressure, encourage other teens not to drink before they are 21 and not ride with a drunk driver.

For more information, visit: www.madd.org/underage-drinking/power-of-youth/   

Both workshops will be led by MADD facilitators at the same time. After each workshop, parents and their kids will be brought back together to begin having an ongoing and potentially lifesaving conversation about alcohol. 

For more information, contact Samantha Scully, youth program director for MADD, at samantha.scully@madd.org or 770-615-3737 ext. 7354.

Fulton County Schools recently announced open houses for Milton area public elementary, middle and high schools. The events will be held before classes start on Monday, Aug. 12 to welcome students and their families.

Elementary Schools: 

1. Birmingham Falls: Friday, Aug. 9 from 8 to 11 a.m.
2. Cogburn Woods: Thursday, Aug.8 from 8 to 11 a.m.
3. Crabapple Crossing: Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 8 to 10 a.m.
4. Summit Hill: (A-M) Thursday, Aug. 8 from 8:30 to 10 a.m.
   (N-Z) 10:30 a.m. to noon 

Middle Schools: 

1. Hopewell: Thursday, Aug. 8 from noon to 5 p.m.
2. Northwestern: Tuesday, Aug. 6  from 1 to 3 p.m.  (7th and 8th)
   Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. (6th)  

High Schools: 

1. Cambridge: Parents
   Monday, Aug. 5 from 6 to 7 p.m. (12th)
   Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 7 to 8 p.m. (11th)
   Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 6 to 7 p.m. for (10th)
   Thursday, Aug. 8 from 9 to 11 a.m. (9th) 


Students

Thursday, Aug. 8 from 9 to 12:30 p.m. (9th)

Thursday, Aug. 8 from 2 to 3 p.m. (10th)

Thursday, Aug. 8 from 3 to 4 p.m. (11th)

Friday, Aug. 9 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. (12th)


2. Milton: Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to  3 p.m. (12th & 10th) 
   Thursday, Aug. 8 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. (11th) 
   Friday, Aug.9 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. (9th) 

From left, Ryan, Emma and Teri Harrison of Better Together sort supplies at North Fulton Community Charities.

Milton's Better Together volunteer organization is partnering with non-profit North Fulton Community Charities (NFCC) throughout July and early August to collect notebook paper for local children in dire need of school supplies.

Residents who wish to pitch-in may drop supplies off at Milton's City Hall, located at 13000 Deerfield Parkway, Suite 107 (click here for directions), between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., said volunteer Teri Harrison, who is leading the effort.

Residents may also arrange for pickup of larger donations by contacting Wayne Boston, community builder for the City of Milton, at 678-242-2512 or wayne.boston@cityofmiltonga.us.

All supplies must be collected by Aug. 5 to ensure distribution to students, said Boston. 

If you would like more information on Better Together or any of its activities, please contact Boston at 678-242-2512 or wayne.boston@cityofmiltonga.us.

Trial versions of the City of Milton's popular Sperber music education classes are being offered free of charge throughout August for interested parents and children.

Registration is required and space is limited, so visit www.sperbermusic.com to sign up and bring the gift of music into your child's life. All classes will take place at Bethwell Community Center, 2695 Hopewell Road (click here for directions).

Classes offered include:

Music with Mommy (birth to age 3) 

• Monday, Aug. 5: 10:30 to 11 a.m.
• Monday, Aug. 19: 10:30 to 11 a.m. 

Mini Musicians (ages 3-5) 

• Thursday, Aug. 8: 2:15 to 3 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 22: 2:15 to 3 p.m. 

Music & Movement (Kindergarten to third grade)
* Perfect for home-schoolers who want a music class 

• Thursday, Aug. 8: 3:15 to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 22: 3:15 to 4 p.m. 

For more information on Sperber and its programs, e-mail info@sperbermusic.com, call 678-223-3653 or visit its Web site at www.sperbermusic.com.

The City of Milton Police and Fire departments are partnering with the Alpharetta Public Safety Department to host the 30th Annual National Night Out event Tuesday, Aug. 6 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:  

• bounce houses for kids
• interactive fire safety house simulator
• technical rescue operations
• displays of police and fire vehicles along with demonstrations
• police K-9 dog scenarios
• state-of-the-art SWAT bus and active SWAT scenario
• numerous other police and fire activities  

Please note: Some of the demonstrations involve the use of simulated blank gunfire and/or noise-making devices.

Come hungry, because Milton and Alpharetta police and firefighters, joined by volunteers, will serve hundreds of hot dogs and hamburgers followed by ice cream. Special thanks to business partners Chick-fil-A, Target, Dairy Queen and Costco for donating products for this year's event and the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation for donating the ice cream. 

National Night Out now involves more than 37 million people throughout the United States and other countries. For more information on National Night Out, visit http://www.nationalnightout.org.

What's better than a heaping helping of cold, fresh snow on a sweltering August Saturday? Nothing!

That's why the City of Milton is proud to present "Back to School: Snow Tubing in the Park" Aug. 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as part of its "Family, Fun, Flicks & Flurries" summer event series at Friendship Community Park in Crabapple (click here for directions).

Thanks to Snow Kings' amazing technology, kids and adults alike will be able to cool off and slide down run after run of smooth, refreshing snow -- no jacket required!

Trust us: It works, it cools you off ... and it's a blast!

Plus, join in lots of other fun activities with a bounce house from Milton Chiropractic & Massage, face painting from Good Friend Mortgage, and crafts from The School Place of Roswell.

Milton will close out the summer event series Aug. 24 with perennial family favorite "The Sandlot" presented by B 98.5 FM's B at the Movies.

Like The Goonies before it, the film will be shown at dusk. But before hand, there will be all sorts of activities, games and concessions starting at 7 p.m.

It should be the perfect way to end your summer - so come on out and get to know your neighbors.    

For more information on this, or any of the City of Milton's other special events, contact Special Events and Projects Manager Angela Thompson at 678-242-2530 or angela.thompson@cityofmiltonga.us.

The Friends of the Milton library, a non-profit, volunteer group dedicated to enhancing services at the forthcoming Milton Library, will hold its first book sale Saturday, Aug. 10 at the Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Olde Blind Dog is located at 12650 Crabapple Road (click here for directions). 

Proceeds will be used to for a range of programs to benefit the community and to support the library to be built at the corner of Mayfield Road and Charlotte Drive. 

For more information on the Friends of the Milton library, visit their Facebook Page.

Better Together, Milton residents looking for unique and fun opportunities to connect with neighbors, will host a second Communiteen event on Aug. 24 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Bethwell Community Center, located at 2695 Hopewell Road in Milton (click here for directions).

Plans include decorating T-shirts and making magnetic locker hearts. Communiteen promotes and fosters friendship among teens of all abilities while endorsing a feeling of community and togetherness.

Additionally, plans are in place for an update meeting on the new Milton library Sept. 26 at Bethwell Community Center. This session will begin at 7 p.m. and will be led by Friends of the Milton Library President and City Councilman Matt Kunz.

Finally, the public is invited to join state House Speaker Pro-Tempore Rep. Jan Jones on Thursday, Oct. 24 for an update on matters of interest to Milton area residents.  This event will be held at City Hall and will begin at 7 p.m. 

If you would like more information on Better Together or any of its activities, please contact Community Builder Wayne Boston at 678-242-2512 or wayne.boston@cityofmiltonga.us.

The third annual environmental education resource fair open house will be held Wednesday, Sept. 11 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Wills Park Recreation Center, 11925 Wills Road in Alpharetta (click here for directions).  

This event is open to anyone interested in environmental education, including educators (public and private), PTA volunteers and children. 

There will be environmental vendors with information on starting or enhancing your environmental education school programs. 

Refreshments will be provided by Harry's Farmer's Market. 

For more information, contact Cindy Eade, sustainability coordinator for the City of Milton, at 678-242-2509 or cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

The City of Milton Public Works Department and Milton Grows Green are offering residents a bulky trash amnesty day Saturday, Sept. 14, so gather your large items for disposal.

From 8 a.m. to noon, residents of Milton can bring items to the City of Roswell Public Works Division at 1810 Hembree Road in Roswell (click here for directions). Only City of Milton and Roswell residents will be served. Proof of residency will be required, and utility bills are preferred.

Also, bring your gently-worn shoes for a recycling and reuse program to help fund Milton's Community Wildlife Habitat Project (click here for more information on the project).

Some of the items accepted are (reusable items will be donated to Atlanta Furniture Bank): 

• tires - must be off the rim, automobile tires only; limit 4 per car
• sofas
• tables
• refrigerators
• chairs 
• washers
• dryers
• televisions
• deactivated cell phones
• computer equipment and electronics
• mattresses and box springs
• grills
• lawnmowers (with fluids drained) 

The following items will not be accepted: 

• paint
• household hazardous waste 
• any fluids including motor oil and anti-freeze
• household batteries 
• construction and demolition materials 
• yard waste 

For proper disposal of these items, please contact either the Roswell Recycling Center at 770-442-8822 (motor oil and anti-freeze) or Chadwick Landfill at 770-475-9868 (construction and demolition materials).

Materials will only be accepted at the site on the day of the event and only during the hours of 8 a.m. and noon. Please note that the gate will close at noon.

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

This year's River's Alive cleanup will be held Saturday, Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bailey Farms and Gardens, 255 Hickory Flat Road in Milton (click here for directions).

Volunteers will gather at 9 a.m. then clean up identified streams, roadways and school sites to help keep our city and waterways pure and beautiful.

Milton Adopt-a-Road groups are encouraged to have a clean-up during the event and stop by for refreshments and recognition.  

For information or to register for the clean-up as a group or individual, please contact Milton Grows Green at mgg@cityofmiltonga.us or e-mail baileyfarmandgardens@mindspring.com. You may also contact Cindy Eade, environmental sustainability coordinator for the City of Milton, at 678-242-2509.

Roadwork projects continue throughout the city. They are as follows: 

Landrum Road Bridge
In July North Georgia Concrete, Inc. began work on the replacement of Landrum Road Bridge. 

Milton awarded the construction contract to North Georgia Concrete, Inc. in the amount of $150,277. The job is expected to last two months. 

Ga. 140 at New Providence Road
In July, CMES, Inc. began intersection improvements at Ga. 140 (Arnold Mill Road) and New Providence Road.  Plans include redirecting the intersection approach, adding turn lanes and installing a traffic light. 

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) awarded the construction contract to CMES, Inc. in the amount of $1,161,626.92. The job is expected to last one year. 

Ga. 372 at Providence Road/New Providence Road
In August, Bartow Paving Company, Inc. will begin intersection improvements at Ga. 372 (Birmingham Highway) and Providence and New Providence Roads. Plans include redirecting the intersection approach and installing a roundabout.

GDOT awarded the construction contract to Bartow Paving Company, Inc. in the amount of $2,576,297.45. The job is expected to last 18 months.   

Hopewell Road at Francis and Cogburn roads
In August, Baldwin Paving Company, Inc. will begin intersection improvements at Hopewell Road at Cogburn and Francis roads. Plans include installing a roundabout.

The City of Milton awarded the construction contract to Baldwin Paving Company, Inc. in the amount of $786,606. The job is expected to last one year.  

Deerfield Parkway at Morris Road
In September, Baldwin Paving Company, Inc. will install a traffic signal at the intersection of Deerfield Parkway and Morris Road. 

Milton awarded the construction contract to Baldwin Paving Company, Inc. in the amount of $339,955.52. The job is expected to last six months.  

For more information on these projects, visit http://miltonintersectionprojects.com or contact Angie Kapijimpanga, citizen responder for the City of Milton, at 678-242-2562 or angie.kapijimpanga@cityofmiltonga.us.

This fall the City of Milton and Crabapple Community Association (CCA) will team up to bring Milton the biggest fall festival it has ever seen, Crabapple Fest, and limited sponsorship opportunities are now available for local businesses.

The Crabapple Fest sponsorship/vendor packet is now available online and includes everything potential sponsors and vendors need. To download the packet immediately, click here.

The packet is also available on the Crabapple Fest's official Web site, www.crabapplefest.com. As vendors and sponsors come in, their names, logos and links to their Web sites will be added.

Crabapple Fest, held Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in historic downtown Crabapple, will see the City of Milton and CCA combine their two popular events - the 5,000-person Milton Roundup and 10,000-person Crossroads at Crabapple Antique and Arts Festival - into one massive destination festival.

The best from each event will greet the community, including: antiques and art from hundreds of juried vendors; a music and entertainment stage with local and touring acts; games, rides and activities for kids; and, for the first time, beer and wine in the festival grounds.

Organizers expect at least 10,000 residents, so if you are a local business owner, you want to be a part of the festivities.

There are four levels of sponsorship: Platinum ($5,000), Gold ($2,500) Silver ($1,000) and Bronze ($500). Each features its own perks, including company logo placement on all event banners, advertisements and staff T-shirts, prime booth space and links to your organization from the City of Milton's Web site. Please note, however, that specific inclusion and logo placement are based on sponsorship level.

To assure names and logos are included in promotional advertising, sponsors must be in by Aug. 25. Sponsorships will be taken after this date; however, they will only be added to advertisements scheduled after their approval.

Additionally, CCA is accepting vendor applications. If you are interested in taking part, visit www.crabapplecommunityassociation.org, e-mail crabapplecommunity@gmail.com or contact Amanda Quintana at 770-241-1125.

Organizers are looking for 19th century American Country furniture, primitive antiques, shabby chic items and unique pieces of art in all mediums - oils, photography, jewelry, textiles, pottery and quilts. Spaces are limited, so apply early.

Vendor fees are tax deductible as the Crabapple Community Association is a chartered, non-profit organization. Proceeds benefit local community programs, scholarships and non-profit charities.     

For any information on the festival, please contact Angela Thompson, special events and projects manager for the City of Milton, at 678-242-2530 or angela.thompson@cityofmiltonga.us.

Senior Services North Fulton is asking the public to help stock and run its newest facility, the Milton Senior Center located in Community of Christ Church on Francis Road.

The Senior Center, a partnership of Senior Services North Fulton, the City of Milton, Fulton County and Community of Christ, opened June 24 and activities begin July 15, said manager Melinda Ross. In order to maintain quality services to local seniors (ages 60 and up), the public is being asked to donate:

*    Mahjong games
*    Scrabble games
*    Cases of water and sports drinks
*    Napkins
*    Cups
*    Dishwasher detergent
*    Dish washing liquid
*    Large hand sanitizers
*    Arts and crafts supplies
*    Bingo prizes

Additionally, the Senior Center needs volunteers for: 

*    Bingo callers
*    Educational presenters
*    Fitness instructors
*    Arts and crafts instructors
*    Musical entertainers

All donations may be dropped off at the church, located at 3315 Francis Road (click here for directions).      

To inquire about large donations and volunteering, contact Ross at 770-689-8012 or mross@ssnorthfulton.org.

Milton's National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Community Habitat Project is near completion, making Milton just the fourth certified community in the state and 71st in the country. Volunteers need only to certify a few more places of worship, HOA common areas and businesses as wildlife friendly. 

Certification is quick and online (with a $20 donation). For more information, visit  http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden-for-Wildlife/Certify-Your-Wildlife-Garden.aspx.

Additionally, congratulations to Milton resident Laura Cedarquist and The Broadwell Cottage, winners of the bronze NWF habitat garden signs.  

Thanks to the Milton community for your support of wildlife and making properties friendly to butterflies, birds and other animals.

For more information on the project or for a virtual garden tour, visit the Community Habitat Web site.  You may also contact Sarah Ellison, project leader, at nwfmilton@gmail.com.

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

Citizens Government Academy 4

The City of Milton Communications Department has undertaken a monthly, video-on-demand Citizens Government Academy hosted through the city's Youtube page. 

Each month, Communications Manager Jason Wright will discuss a new topic in the two-minute videos. 

Soon, installments will cover virtually every aspect of the city's municipal operations, including sections reserved for hot topics that arise throughout the project.

To visit the City of Milton's Youtube page, click here.  

For more information, contact Communications Manager Jason Wright at jason.wright@cityofmiltonga.us or 678-242-2523.

North Fulton Council of PTAs President Inge Robb congratulates Georgia PTA Outstanding Principals Award winners George Freiberger from Crabapple Crossing Elementary School, Joy Schroerlucke from Holcomb Bridge Middle School, and Buck Greene from Johns Creek High School, with Dove Walker, NFC PTA secretary.

Several Milton schools won awards at the recent Georgia PTA Convention Leadership and Training conference, bringing further prestige to lauded area institutions.  

Crabapple Crossing Elementary School Principal George Freiberger was named an Outstanding Principal, one of just four in the state. The award recognizes principals who provide excellent support of local PTAs by personally participating in the organization and its programs and by encouraging parent participation.  

Additionally, Northwestern Middle School was named first place in Georgia PTA Outstanding Units for middle schools, and Milton High placed second for high schools.  

Milton also received the Georgia PTA Visionary Award for demonstrating an "above and beyond" approach to addressing and resolving community issues and concerns.  

Finally, out of the 26 Georgia PTA councils, the North Fulton Council of PTAs (NFC PTA) was one of two councils with a perfect score and ultimately received the Georgia PTA Top Council Exemplary Award. During the 2012-2013 school year, NFC PTA was the largest PTA membership council within Georgia, representing nearly 15 percent of all Georgia PTA membership.

Three Milton High School students were recently named National Merit Scholars, joining 20 other Fulton County students named winners of the prestigious scholarships. 

The winners were: 

• Hayden B. Arnold
• James P. Nugent
• Diana Xu 

All three award recipients were first identified through exceptionally high scores on the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which they took as juniors. They had a record of high academic performance, were endorsed and recommended by their school principal and earned high SAT scores confirming their earlier qualifying test performance.

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.

Kirk's Electronics of Alpharetta, Inc.: 2165 Birmingham Road 

Hagen Streiff Newton & Oshiro, Accountants, PC: 795 Champions Club Drive 

Franks Electric Inc.: 3410 Serenade Court 

Virtual Management Technologies: 13560 Morris Road, Suite 1000A

Plum Good Bakery, LLC: 125 Kiltirnan Court 

Pretty Teez, Inc.: 3384 Lathenview Court 

Innovation Marketing Group, LLC: 2740 Manor Bridge Drive

Gunby Construction Company Inc.: 13400 Lackey Road

CIO Services, LLC: 13915 Belleterre Drive 

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