City officials are hoping that one day Sandy Springs will indeed become a college town. Now, when we say “college town” we are not referring to places like Athens, GA where the whole city revolves around one of the state’s largest universities. No, in Sandy Springs’ case, the city will  welcome a satellite campus for Gwinnett Technical College. In a public town meeting held on January 18, 2011, Mayor Eva Galambos and other city officials approved a proposal to bid for the new campus with a 4 – 3 vote. It was a close call, but after the heated debate, Sandy Springs is officially in competition with Alpharetta and Roswell to become the new location of a Gwinnett Tech campus.

It will be a while before we find out which city is chosen, but the addition of a college campus could mean great things for the local economy. It would bring more jobs to the area as well as a myriad of daily consumers. Sandy Springs is offering land at the North Springs MARTA station for the campus.

However, despite the economic boost a college campus would give to Sandy Springs, many residents are adamantly opposed to the idea. There is concern about traffic problems as well as the destruction of a beautiful piece of property.

No matter your opinion of the situation, Sandy Springs is submitting a proposal for the tech campus. If Gwinnett Tech does choose Sandy Springs as the site for their new campus, it will mean big changes for the city (both good and bad).

For more information about the proposal, check out this article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

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Act 3 Productions, a youth-community theater in Sandy Springs, is giving you the opportunity to get in touch with your inner actor. Beginning on January 22, 2010, the theater is offering an eight-week improv workshop. In addition to teaching you the foundations for improv theater, the classes will help give you more confidence in your every day life.

These classes are for both girls and boys in high school or older. By taking these classes early in the year, you will be adequately prepared to audition for a full-time improvisation troupe in the fall.

You will also get experience performing in front of a live audience because participants in the program will host a performance that is open to the public at the conclusion of the eight weeks.

With tuition priced at only $100 for the entire eight weeks, these classes are some of the most affordable acting lessons around. Interested participants should send an e-mail to act3productions@aol.com listing name, age, gender and contact information. Break a leg!

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If you are a teenager or young college student that is thinking about pursuing a career in law enforcement, then you will want to participate in the upcoming Explorers Program. The program begins in January 2011, and, although sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America,  is open to both men and women aged 14 to 21. However, there is not much time left to get your applications in. Once the City of Sandy Springs chooses 12 successful applicants, the application process will be closed.

As a participant in program, you will get a real feel for what it takes to be a police officer. You’ll be included in an assortment of police activities including DUI Checkpoints, traffic details and road races or with manpower on other large functions. The Explorers will also be trained in police functions geared towards honing their skills in preparation for competing in national explorer competitions.

There really is not a better way to experience the law enforcement profession without actually being an employee. In addition to the training and practical experiences you’ll receive, the program also emphasizes character development, physical fitness, good citizenship and patriotism. Through your  involvement in the program, you’ll develop an awareness of the purpose, mission and objectives of law enforcement agencies.

To join the Police Explorers Program, contact Officer Corey Begeal at 404-403-9431.

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Sandy Springs’ neighborhoods will join buildings around the globe for World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) annual Earth Hour by turning off non-essential lights on Saturday, March 27, at 8:30 p.m. local time. For 2010, Earth Hour Atlanta seeks metro area commitments to surpass previous participation and to make a lasting impact on energy savings.

The annual global event organized by WWF is held on the last Saturday of March. Households and businesses are asked to do something quite simple-turn off lights for one hour in a call for action on climate change. The collective actions demonstrate what can be accomplished when working together to protect the planet for future generations. Earth Hour 2009 gained support from nearly one billion people in 4,100 cities in 87 countries.

Energy savings affect water supply, air quality and economic development, all critical issues. You can follow the Earth Hour Atlanta project at www.twitter.com/EarthHourATL.

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Following the withdrawal of the Epstein School’s plans for expansion , the Sandy Springs city council voted 4-2 Tuesday to allow Holy Spirit Preparatory School to build an athletics complex, including a football field, on a site near an established neighborhood.

Some residents and opponents to the council’s vote felt the three year old city of Sandy Springs had broken a promise to protect the integrity of the neighborhoods .

“The intention was to provide better representation to the citizens of this area,” said Mark Wolfe, who opposed the project.

Holy Spirit is a Catholic school for children in pre-kindergarten through high school. It already has two academic campuses. The athletics complex will include an administrative building, a combined football and soccer field, seating for 400 spectators and tennis courts.

The site is an eight-acre parcel of undeveloped land off Long Island Drive, just south of I-285.

More than 200 residents and school boosters attended the council meeting Tuesday, spilling over into an adjoining room.

The city planning staff had recommended denial of the project, which needed a special use permit and four variances from city zoning laws. Critics complained it violated the city’s plans for land use.

Advocates argued the conditions imposed — such as limits on the number of games and hours of operation — would mitigate problems with traffic, noise and lighting. The council voted to limit the number of night home games to 12 a year and they would be required to end at 11 p.m.

We want to hear your thoughts, please post comments below.

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The private Epstein School has canceled its plans to expand its campus into a surrounding Sandy Springs neighborhood.

Although residents protested the expansion, the school had planned to move forward with the expansion however a sour economy and poor fund-raising effors has forced the Jewish day school to withdraw its application.

Last summer, school officials sought city permission to expand the school from 650 students to 850 and to expand its campus to include a theater and an early childhood education building.

The campus on Colewood Way would have grown by 4 acres to 15 acres. The project would have required the demolition of several single-family homes, a prospect that angered many long-time residents. Several hundred residents packed public meetings on the project.

As a condition for its acquisition of what had been a public school, Epstein in 1994 agreed to hold its enrollment to 650. Several neighbors said they felt betrayed by the push for growth.

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