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Alpharetta charter school opens eco-friendly pond
AMANA ACADEMY/PROVIDED
Amana Academy, a public charter school on South Main Street in Alpharetta, is opening a bioswale to manage stormwater. School officials commemorated the project July 25 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Officials from Amana Academy, a public charter school on South Main Street, celebrated the opening of a bioswale July 25 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The bioswale is a 60-by-60-foot hole in the parking lot that will treat and slow stormwater runoff and improve water filtration for the facility. The bioswale is landscaped with rocks, mulch, cacti and plants. A 60foot bridge will connect the feature to the school. Officials said the bioswale also includes outdoor seating for lessons. Construction of the bridge and 12,000 square feet of landscaping is expected to be completed July 2024. The bioswale marks the first phase of Amana Academy’s green infrastructure program.
Amana Academy officials open a bioswale in the school parking lot July 25 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Alpharetta location of the STEM academy opened in 2005. The school has a second campus in Mableton. Combined, the campuses enroll more than 700 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. — Shelby Israel
Drug enforcement seizures aid Alpharetta police funding By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Every year, the Alpharetta Public Safety Department receives funding from the city for operational costs. But, some of the department’s expenses are also covered through local drug enforcement. These funds are generated through
the Equitable Sharing Program, an asset forfeiture program run by the U.S. Department of Justice that allows assets or proceeds from federal crimes to be liquidated. Assets that are seized from illegal drug activity are managed by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Once these assets are liquidated, Alpharetta Police Lt. Andrew Splawn said the funds can be used for
anything besides salaries, benefits and recurring expenses. This can include weapon accessories, accommodations and supplies — even Yeti cups. In 2022, the department used $102,525 in confiscated asset funding for a range of expenses, including equipment and machinery; employee training and travel; and general supplies and materials. For example, some $21,579 was
used for firearms. Of the $15,425 used for supplies, the department purchased $13,953 in Yeti cups for all Public Safety employees, with the remainder funding miscellaneous items such as magnets, weapon lights and phone chargers. But, before an asset can be converted into real dollars, it must
See FUNDING, Page 11