Tucker Observer: Tucker Middle recognized; Stone Mountain gets $1.9 million
Standing/on screen L to R: Kylie Slone, Rebecca Larkin, Elizabeth Gates, Kayla Armstrong, Anant Yoganathan Kneeling L to R: Lindsey Wilson, Anusha Sharma, Katelyn Nawyn. Photo provided by Tucker Middle School
Here’s a look at news from the Tucker Observer, a new website from Decaturish covering Tucker, Clarkston and Stone Mountain.
Tucker Middle named finalist in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest
Tucker, GA — Tucker Middle School is one of 10 finalists in the annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, a national contest for grades six through 12.
It challenges students to use science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to address local issues, a press release says.
Tucker Middle School designed a device for airplane bathrooms that alerts the flight crew of a human trafficking victim on board, while dispensing an adhesive RFID tracker chip to the victim, the press release says.
To read the full story, click here.
Stone Mountain getting $1.9 million in new COVID-19 relief
City of Stone Mountain Municipal Building. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Stone Mountain, GA — More pandemic help is on the way as the COVID-19 relief bill signed into law last month will deliver $1.9 million to Stone Mountain, $3.9 million to Clarkston, $11.5 million to Tucker and $147.2 million to DeKalb County.
Meanwhile, local officials are busy digging through the restrictions in how the American Rescue Plan Act funds can be spent and what to spend them on.
Stone Mountain will receive its share of the money directly from the state, according to City Manager ChaQuias Miller-Thornton.
“So DeKalb County will not serve as a pass-through for those funds like the CARES Act funds were,” she said at the Stone Mountain City Council’s monthly regular meeting on Tuesday.
To read the full story, click here.
Clarkston City Council adding sidewalks on Rowland and Rogers Streets
Clarkston City Hall. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Clarkston, GA — The Clarkston City Council approved three changes to the Rowland Street pedestrian enhancements and trailhead project to add more sidewalks, modify curbing and do repaving work.
On Jan. 12, the city approved the project and awarded the bid to Sol Construction in the amount of about $1.08 million. The associated cost of the changes is $760,004, bringing the total project cost to about $1.84 million. The majority of the funding for this project comes from the city’s current special purpose local option sales tax, City Manager Robin Gomez said.
The changes include adding a sidewalk on Rowland Street from North Indian Creek to Lovejoy.
On the south side of Rowland Street, the engineering firm, Collaborative Infrastructure Services, plans to reset the granite curb and raise it by a few inches, said Larry Kaiser, an engineer with Collaborative Infrastructure Services, at the March 30 work session.
To read the full story, click here.
Tucker apartments sold for $75 million
The location of the apartments at 1310 Wood Bend Drive
Tucker, GA — An 977-unit apartment property in Tucker has been sold for $75 million, according to a press release.
“Berkadia has brokered the $75 million sale of East Ponce Village, a 977-unit, garden-style multifamily property in Tucker,” the press release says.
To read the full story, click here.
Clarkston dissolves the Clarkston Development Authority
Clarkston Mayor Beverly H. Burks. Image obtained via the city of Clarkston
Clarkston, GA — The Clarkston Development Authority has been dissolved. The City Council made the decision in a 4-1 vote during the March 2 regular meeting and the measure passed the Georgia General Assembly on March 31.
The plan is for the city to activate a standard downtown development authority.
In 2017, the City Council established the Clarkston Development Authority which had seven members, three of which were council members. The CDA was enacted by the state legislature as it was different from a standard development authority that all cities in the state have the automatic right to create. The standard version only allows one city council member to serve on the board.
To read the full story, click here.
Pine Lake’s ‘Pandemic Porch Portraits’ photo wall opening on April 11
Pamela Poole, poet and spoken-word artist. Photo provided to Decaturish
Pine Lake, GA — The city of Pine Lake’s Municipal Arts Panel will launch a new photo wall at Pine Lake Park on April 11, a press release said.
“Pandemic Porch Portraits,” by Cindy M. Brown, features portraits of Pine Lakers posing with their families, pets, plants, and creative projects, to document how one community has survived and thrived during the current pandemic.
To read the full story, click here.
(PHOTOS) SMV Market opening in Stone Mountain
Annette Barber, on right, looks over the selection of produce during the SMV Market soft opening pop-up mobile market at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Stone Mountain on Saturday April 3, 2021. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Stone Mountain, GA — SMV Market held the second of two soft opening pop-ups on April 3, gearing up for the grand opening of its new mobile farmers market at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Stone Mountain’s historic Shermantown Community.
The opening is set for Saturday, April 17 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
SMV Market is a nonprofit organized around 3-4 years ago whose goal is to ultimately have a brick-and-mortar community farmers market in Stone Mountain Village according to President Mary Sommers.
To see the full story, click here.
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