The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • JQ1

By CHRISTOPHER QUINN collection of pumps and pipes has Ball Ground poised for a building boom after 120 years as a bucolic outpost of small- town America. The little community tucked into the rolling hills of northern Cherokee County will get a day sewer system up and flowing this fall. And as Bruce Smith, president of the land division with development heavyweight Cousins Properties, likes to say, is in the growth business. It opens up an area for the kind of development that can put it on the map. Cousins have any projects on the way in Ball Ground, but the one-street town with old-fashioned storefronts is getting weekly inquiries from developers of smaller subdivisions, said Mayor Rick Roberts.

Subdivisions are springing up within a few miles of the town, and business, it is hoped, will follow. The town, however, is not going to throw away its sewer capacity on just any growth, Roberts said. will be kind of selective about what we agree to go he said. Initially, the sewers will allow established businesses, such as the Mustard Seed restaurant, to expand their busi- ness hours, which are limited because their septic systems can handle only so much wastewater. Roberts said he hopes the new capacity will also spur redevelopment of buildings on Gilmer Ferry Road, the main street, some of which have been idle, but not empty.

Several buildings in the heart of the business district are jammed with minerals, gems, fossils and oddities, all visible through the large plate-glass windows. Some of their parking lots are layered in slabs of locally mined marble and bowling ball-size chunks of in Ball Ground on a roll A Sewer system a major lure for new development Photos by FRANK NIEMEIR Staff Ball Ground Mayor Rick Roberts (left) and City Manager Eric Wilmarth welcome the development that is rapidly closing in on their community. But the town plans to be of about who it will court, Roberts says. Neal Waller (bottom), James Triplett (top left) and Tim Betts of Gravley Construction work in the Heritage Oaks subdivision going up near Ball Ground. Please see BALL GROUND, J6 Allatoona riding high above normal By DOUG PAYNE Thinking of heading to Lake Allatoona for Memorial Day? Better pack your rubber boots.

Thanks to abundant spring showers, the lake is up way, way up. As of Tuesday, the surface of Lake Allatoona was close to 848 feet above sea level, compared with the normal this time of year of 841 feet, a level that was maintained even during the drought, which ended, it seems, just yesterday. That was then. Now the lake is so high that gangways out to the docks where boaters moor their yachts, skiffs, runabouts and dinghies are under water. Sailors will be soaked before they ever reach their vessels.

get too excited about the water coming up, as long as it comes up and goes said Paul Steele, manager of the Victoria Harbour Marina. an inconvenience, all I see it as, to my customers who want to come out here to Steele and workers at the seven other private marinas around the lake are scrambling to keep up with extra work caused by the rising tide, ferrying people to their boats, scooping up floating debris and keeping docks anchored in their proper place. Right now, the water is so high that 200 of the approximately 600 campsites are closed. Either under water, or high water has made them inaccessible, said Robert Gentry, chief ranger for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which owns and operates Lake Allatoona.

put a damper on the he said, it may put a damper on the Memorial Day Corps forecasters predict the lake may rise as high as 853 feet above sea level before returning to normal summer pool, around 840 feet, by mid- June or a little earlier. Right now, the water is so high that several worth of vegetative debris everything from tiny twigs to whole trees that had collected on the shoreline has floated out onto the lake, where it could Waterlogged Memorial Day weekend in store, corps says FRANK NIEMEIR Staff Lake Allatoona engulfs a boat ramp at Victoria Beach last week. The lake is expected to return to normal within a month. Please see ALLATOONA, J6 THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION CHECK FOR BREAKING NEWS UPDATES AT AJC.COM THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2003 J3 ON AJC.COM INSIDE TODAY ajc The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Cherokee Congratulate your favorite grad. ajc.com News, events and a guide to your neighborhood.

ajc.com Terrific tearoom Dreams come true for mothers and daughters thanks to Karen Smith (far left) and Kim Kozak. CONTACT US: Clint Williams, editor 770-373-8707 Summer will fly for Air Force recruit By KATHY WAGSTAFF Adam Anderson is one of several hundred seniors at Cherokee High School who will line up in their caps and gowns Saturday for graduation. While many have plans to go on to college or technical school, Anderson has put academia on hold in order to pursue a different path serving in the Air Force. Anderson, who has 3 1 2 years of experience in Air Force JROTC at Cherokee, signed up at a local recruiting office in October. While university students struggle with class schedules and dormitory antics, Anderson will be waking up to reveille in boot camp for six weeks and learning what it takes to be an airman.

Determined and focused, Anderson is looking forward to what he calls new ready to go. This is a new he said. finally getting out of Cherokee County. I love Georgia, get me wrong. got to see what else is out there.

There are things I want to experience. Hopefully, get to experience the The 18-year-old works at Northside Hospital-Cherokee after school and on weekends as a porter, diet aide and cook. He handed in his resignation and will continue working until July 4. That will give him 15 days until he boards a plane and heads for Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. jogging to get in shape and plans to clear out his Photos by FRANK NIEMEIR Staff Cherokee High School JROTC cadet Adam Anderson talks with Master Sgt.

Rocky Leonhardt about his military plans. The Cherokee senior will trade his JROTC uniform for boot camp fatigues. Please see AIRMAN, J4 RZQ0522JQ1FZQ0522JQ1 Thu. Zone 1JQ 1JQ RR RR BlueRedYellowBlack Blue RedYellowBlack.