51 animals removed from Myrtle Beach home

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by Brianna Smith



Myrtle Beach Animal Control removed 51 animals from a home Monday.Thirty six dogs and 15 cats were taken from what owner Ruth Griffin calls a rescue organization.Griffin was charged with not having a business license, not having proper vaccinations for the animals, and not kenneling them properly.However, Griffin says that she loves the animals and she was born to help them, "well it's been my dream, when I was a small child, I wanted to be a veterinarian."Myrtle Beach Police and animal control say it was their turn to save the animals from Griffin."The condition that they were kept in, the condition of the house, that was not only a safety concern for the dogs, but for the occupants of the residence," says Captain David Knipes.Griffin doesn't deny she was housing the animals. "Dozens, dozens have been coming through here, and it's true," she says.Animal control says those dozens of animals were not being cared for properly. Knipes says they were "standing with feces and urine all over them, more than two to a crate, not even being able to turn around. That's why the animals were taken, for their own protection."..."  More & video

Humane Society gets 87 animals in one week

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by Brianna Smith



n the past week, 87 cats and dogs were taken from two homes in Myrtle Beach. The owners were charged with mistreatment of animals. Those pets are now the responsibility of the Grand Strand Humane Society."So we've received in a weeks time almost 100 from hoarding instances," said Sandy Brown with the Grand Strand Humane Society.Police seized 51 cats and dogs from a home last week and 36 cats Monday from another home.The humane society is now overrun with animals, housing them in hallways and conference rooms."We can't say no," said Brown.And that's the problem for people considered to be hoarders, they can't say no...."  More & video

Craig Grant, Caboodle Ranch - Florida

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Jun 26, 2012:  Ponte Vedra man charged with animal cruelty won't regain custody of Caboodle Cats

By Dan Scanlan
The Ponte Vedra Beach man charged with animal cruelty after his cat sanctuary was raided Feb. 27 won’t regain custody of most of the 691 felines seized, according to a judge’s ruling.
Judge Gregory Parker’s eight-page ruling states the cats seized from the Caboodle Ranch in Lee are remanded into the Madison County Sheriff’s Office’s custody. They will stay under the care of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Jacksonville until the criminal charges against Craig Grant are heard in August.
Grant had gone to court in May to regain custody of the cats he cared for after their owners gave them up over the past few years. The Caboodle Ranch’s Facebook page calls Friday’s judge’s decision “the beginning of our biggest fight,” urging fans of the ranch to respectfully “protest this unconscionable decision” and ask Parker to overturn his Friday decision.”
Grant’s attorney, David Collins, said they will consider an appeal as they prepare for the criminal trial on multiple animal cruelty charges.
“It was tough for us to take. Quite honestly, we totally felt that we were right and the government was wrong, but we have to respect the court,” Collins said. “ ... I haven’t spoken to him [Grant] yet, but I am sure he is dismayed. But we haven’t given up and we feel very, very good for our chances on appeal and in the criminal matter.”
The society states it has spent about $1.2 million to care for the cats since they were “rescued from the dire conditions” at the ranch in February, according to a June 11 letter to Parker.
That includes ongoing medical treatment for respiratory infections, lymphoma, blindness, polyps and bowel disease at a Westside Jacksonville site, and preparations for adoption if Grant loses..."  More

After PETA operation, hundreds of cats await rescue

By Leonora LaPeter Anton


One day last September, a woman arrived at Caboodle Ranch, a fenced sanctuary for more than 500 cats in the middle of a northern Florida pine forest.The woman offered to help the owner, a lonely man named Craig Grant. She cleaned out litter boxes and laid out bowls of food and water for the cats that meandered though a miniature village with a doll-sized post office, town hall and Walmart.Unbeknownst to Grant, the woman was an investigator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. She took video of wheezing and sneezing cats with oozing eyes and drippy noses. She showed cats that could barely lift their heads, lying in vomit and feces. She documented a fridge of medical supplies crawling with maggots.On Monday, Madison County sheriff's deputies arrived at Grant's property in Lee and charged him with one count of felony animal cruelty, three counts of cruelty to animals and one count of scheming to defraud. His bond was set at $250,000..."  More




Watch PETA's undercover video:

 

Video: Hundreds of Cats Rescued from Caboodle Ranch

New law could create more hoarders like Caboodle Ranch

by: Noël McLaren
They came to this sanctuary to be saved but instead investigators say a Ponte Vedra Beach man left hundreds of cats to die.

Craig Grant's Caboodle Ranch in Lee, Florida was raided because of overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. Grant was hoarding nearly 700 cats. Some of those cats are being taken to shelters in Jacksonville. Shelter workers in our area are calling it a disgusting crime.

"It is the antithesis of what it is we're working for that's for sure," said Denise Deisler, executive director of the Jacksonville Humane Society.

"It's a sad situation," said Rick Ducharme, director at First Coast No More Homeless Pets. The organization operates a no kill adoption center in Mandarin. He says pet owners didn't get what they bargained for at Caboodle Ranch..."  More & video
Caboodle Ranch's Website:  here
Facebook page dedicated to exposing the Ranch:  here

Can't we all just get along?

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I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Holiday and stuffed themselves! I traveled to NC and was the center of attention at the holiday family gathering. Everyone loved me and said what a great dog I was ... Heck Yeah! :)

I was exhausted after all the travel, and when I got home I was ready to just hang with my buddy Pickles. Here we are on a lazy, dreary Sunday morning. awwwwwww now why can't we all just get along like this... side by side and squishy faced!?

I hope you all are geared up for the holiday season. Please be safe if you are traveling, and enjoy your friends and family! I know I will!!

AND Don't forget to book your holiday pet care needs with Buckhead Pet Pals - the sooner you book the better! :)

Ciao for now!
Rocky

I'm a lucky boy

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Hey Everybody -

  I'm a lucky dog you know.  During the school year and I'm at home during the day without any human company, I have my best buddy Mr. Pickles to hang out and play with.  And we really do play together.  My girls think its really funny to watch us playing, I just know its a ton of fun.  And in the summer time my brother and sister are home to hang with me, which makes me that happiest.

And on the occasion, I tell mom in the morning that I'm coming to the office with her.  That's where I get to see Catherine, Tiffany and play with Mr. Bill and my huge dog bone.  I mean, it really doesn't get any better than that.

Here's a pic of me and Mr. Pickles together.  Somedays when I come back from my midday walk with Laurie, Mr. P is hanging out on my bed waiting for me.  He might pretend like he doesn't enjoy me licking his head, but I know he loves it.

Hope all of you have as many great adventures during your days as I do!  And if you need a midday walk during the day like me, tell your humans to call Buckhead Pet Pals - they can help!

Peace out -
Rocky

Gardening Offers Authentic Learning Experiences

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One sunny afternoon this spring a group of Orion School students walked down the street to work in the Piedmont Park Community Garden. At the same time another group worked on gardening day projects at the school. Primary learning activities like gardening make a multitude of valuable academic connections that cannot possibly be made sitting at a desk in a classroom. Visiting community gardens expands an understanding of the community we all live in.The Orion School is a special needs school offering an intensively supportive education for students who have social and emotional conditions like ADHD or Aspergers. Our students may or may not have additional learning differences. Our students all benefit from a curriculum rich in high interest, high concept learning modalities. 
One of our ongoing goals is to expand our ability to offer even more opportunities for authentic experiential learning for our students. One way we are meeting this goal is through our Greenspacewith Grace outdoor classroom project. We are energized to become the first special needs school with a green focus since this has always been our sensibility. We have had a worm bin for years…now we will add a worm factory. We hatch chicks each spring….now we will keep and care for some of them. We have always recycled...now we will add a rainbarrel and compost tumbler. We have always gardened in some form…now we will formalize our commitment to a sustainable garden that will feed Orion students as well as eventually give our students the chance to give back to others who need it.

Camp Orion as an Outdoor Classroom

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This week the theme of Camp Orion was Science FUNdamentals. It was only natural for one day to be devoted to exploring science concepts outside. Thanks to our Greenspace with Grace outdoor classroom project we now have even more ways to use our space in this way. Walking around this afternoon it was evident that our efforts are paying off.Camp Orion campers were:

*cutting up watermelon pieces to add to the worm bin

*sorting out worms to feed to the chickens

*moving mulch to garden paths a

*adding plants to our herb garden

*decorating new plant markers

*creating garden wind chimes

*harvesting coriander to put in hand decorated seed packets

*checking out our new compost tumbler and

*using individually made solar cookers to make s’mores.A fundamental tenant of the Orion School  program is that high interest experiential activities and projects are necessary to increase participation for children who have neurobehavioral challenges including ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome. Today is was clear that Camp Orion campers also benefit from this approach.

Jean Day for Orion at Deloitte!

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This Friday we are thrilled to have Deloitte associates in Atlanta supporting us through their Jeans Day. THANK YOU to Deloitte! Thank you also to Jennifer Lockridge who is an Orion School supporter as well as the Deloitte employee who suggested the Orion School receive the donations from Jeans Day! It is only with community support that The Orion School is able to continue offering the quality education we do for complex students.

Why Build with Marshmallows and Toothpicks?

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Surprisingly, one of the most popular activities at Camp Orion this week was open ended building with marshmallows and toothpicks. Campers were even heard asking to forgo “free time” to continue finishing their creations!  On reflection, it is no wonder this was so in demand…this old school staple is rock solid in terms of child development for children of all ages.
 This activity encourages open ended critical thinking skills, hands  on experimental inquiry, and creative problem solving. It also helps campers explore the principals of structural engineering, physics, design and mathematical concepts including 3-d geometry. Visualization and memory are expanded as campers explore ways to create structures.
 Of course marshmallow toothpick building is perfect for Camp Orion because it addresses the sensory and motor needs of many of our campers. Fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, hand eye coordination, visual spatial skills and tactile discrimination are just some of the areas addressed with this deceptively simple activity. It was a delight to watch one of our younger campers explore the texture of the marshmallows by  smelling, feeling, and then tasting them with  great interest.


The Orion School and Camp Orion both serve children with neurobehavioral  challenges including ADHD, Asperger’s and anxiety...so all our campers benefit from high interest activities that encourage attention. Depending on age, campers were so engaged in building that they were able to extend their patience and attention to create structures that ranged from simple to uber complex.
Campers practiced social skills as they shared materials and talked about each other's structures. Although each structure was individual, building was a small group activity that generated many interesting conversations! In addition, campers evidenced the self confidence and self esteem that comes from accomplishing a goal as they used their imagination to create!  This entire week of Camp Orion was filled with dozens of activities like the marshmallow-toothpick building that were also designed to work on different areas of development.  We just keep quiet on this fact for all the campers who just think they are having fun...it is after all summertime :)  

How We Make GAK at Camp Orion!

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This week at Camp Orion campers are exploring senses during a week of experiential discovery. Many of the children who attend The Orion School and The Orion Camp have sensory integration disorder in addition to other neurobehavioral conditions including ADHD and Asperger's. It is only natural that we offer activities that address these developmental differences for all the programming we do.  


The process of making GAK gave campers an opportunity to explore and learn about the sense of touch with new textures, improve sensory processing, address bilateral coordination development, and help executive functioning by following multistep directions. Of course campers did not seem to notice there was any benefit to this activity other than having FUN!

Many campers asked if they could make GAK at home --- below are the directions for how to make this always popular non-Newtonian polymer ;)GAKTips: Follow the direction in the order stated. This is important when making GAK. I am not sure why, but if you do it in any other order or change things up in any way, the GAK does not form the correct consistency and ends up being a sticky mess. Do not double GAK….more is not better and will impact the end result negatively. Also note that GAK is terribly difficult to get out of fabric and hair.



Materials Needed:
Elmer’s glue – This is the standard brand. Any variation will be close, but just not cut it J
food coloring – Neon food coloring makes a particularly striking GAK
20 Mule Team Borax – This is a soap which is found in the laundry detergent section of the supermarket. There is no substitute.  
two bowls – Use containers that you do not use for food.
measuring cup and teaspoon – Use measuring cups and spoons that you do not use for food.

Directions:
Part One:·       Mix together until combined -
1 ½ cups warm water
2 cups Elmer’s glue
food coloring
Part Two:·        Mix together until dissolved -         4 teaspoons of Borax
         1 1/3 cups warm water

Directions: 1)    Pour Part One into Part Two
2)  DO NOT MIX. There will be liquid around the edges. This is fine.
3)  Use hands to lift a handful of GAk out of the container and knead to form a mass. The more you knead it the less sticky and more solid it will be come. There will be liquid remaining in bowl that you can throw away.
4)  You can pull, stretch, roll, cut and squish GAK! 
5)  Store in a sealed plastic bag or container.

Veterinary Trips: Can You Handle It?

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Is a Veterinary Volunteer Trip Right For You?

How do you determine if this program is right for you? 

If the majority of your answers are YES, you should feel confident about your choice. If the majority of your answers are NO, you may want to look into other opportunities.  

Are you interested in interacting with very different

 Are you open minded about accepting new ways of communication and activities? 

Do you thrive in natural environments? 

Can you see yourself in remote areas with limited or no electricity and/or communication? 

Can you see yourself in remote areas where sanitation and hygiene standards may be drastically different from those you are accustomed to? 

Are you willing to respect the rules and protocols established by Amazon CARES? Are you ready to work very hard? 

Are you excited about getting involved and being hands on with community projects? Do you enjoy physically challenging activities? 

Do you have an adventurous spirit and enjoy exploring and learning from other people? 

                 

Buckhead CID courts West Village property owners with list of potential infrastructure improvements

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The BuckheadCommunity Improvement District sponsored a meeting Wednesday (June 20) withabout 30 merchants and commercial property owners to discuss infrastructureimprovements that could be made to an area Buckhead commonly called West Villageif it votes to come under the CID umbrella.
TheCID had approved on May 29 expenditure of $20,000 to have Lowe Engineering assessexisting conditions and provide recommendations for infrastructure improvementsto the area that lies primarily lies between RoswellRoad and Paces Ferry Place and East Andrews Drive and Irby Avenue.

This overhead view of the West Village area of Buckhead shows the initial
proposed infrastructure enhancements outlined by Lowe Engineering. For
an explanation of the various color markings, refer to a paragraph down
in the story. (Click on the photo for a larger image and then you can make
detail areas larger by manipulating the size on your computer.)

The study alsoincluded Andrews Drive between Paces Ferry Place and West Paces Ferry Road andnorth along Roswell Road past Andrews Drive to include the immediate commercialshopping areas.
Among the recommendedenhancements that Lowe came up with in just a few weeks were: Newsidewalks, updated handicap ramps, street trees, decorative lighting, street furniture,landscaping, stone retaining walls, refacing of walls in disrepair, replacefencing and additional on-street parking. 
Also recommended were:restriping of East Andrews; mill, repave and restripe Irby, Paces Ferry Placeand Cains Hill Place; add crosswalks, curbs and gutters and roll curbing;improve drainage and replace and adjust utility covers where they are not evenwith the sidewalks.
The area involved inthe study includes 61 commercial properties and is included in the updatedSPI-9 zoning and development standards adopted by the Atlanta City Council Oct.4, 2010. Those standards are designed to produce a more walkable urbancommunity with greater emphasis on greenspaces and streetscapes as well asdevelopment conformity.

Jim Durrett

The West Village areastudied, while part of the SPI-9 update that was largely funded by the CID,does not presently fall within the CID’s boundaries or jurisdiction. However,the CID would like to expand to include the area if the property owners agreeto it.  The remaining part of theBuckhead area covered by SPI-9 presently already falls within the CID’sjurisdiction.
Buckhead CID ExecutiveDirector Jim Durrett, who made the Wednesday evening presentation at theBuckhead Theatre described the group of about 30 who attended as “veryinterested” in what was presented. He characterized those attending as beingabout half merchants and half commercial property owners.
Durrett said the proposed infrastructure improvements would increasethe West Village  property values  and make the area “walkable, safe, invitingand attractive.” And, he hopes it will encourage the property owners in thearea to want to join the CID. 
It is the commercial property owners who will have to decide ifthey wish to become part of the CID. Durrett needs a super majority, or 75percent vote, of the property owners in the area for it to be included in theCID’s jurisdiction. And, that vote by the property owners includes a commitmentto pay an additional property tax of $3 for every $1,000 of commercial propertyvalue. The CID estimates that would provide about $60,000 in additional CIDrevenue annually.

Proposed view along Roswell Road between Irby Ave. and Andrews Drive
if infrastructure enhancements were made as suggested.  

The full West Villagestudy authorized in May by the CID is expected to be completed within six weeksand will include both short-term and long-term recommendations forinfrastructure improvements. Costs will be generated for each street and/orarea based on proposed improvements and then further by parcel and by privateand public domain.

The same area along Roswell Road as it looks today before enhancements. 

CID Executive DirectorJim Durrett explained to the board members that it was always the intention ofthe CID to incorporate these pockets within the SPI 9 (special public interest)district.  
Earlier he said thepurpose of the June 20 meeting was to answer questions of those property ownersinvolved. "We want to demonstrate the sorts of improvements that we wouldbe able to make in short order in this area," he said. "We wantto bring the whole area up to a certain standard that folks would like inthis area."
Specifically, what waspresented to the 30 who attended the Wednesday meeting was a Power Pointpresentation that included an overhead view of the area with recommended  improvements indicated for each street, andsome before and after photos of areas along Roswell Road, etc.
On the overhead viewof the area, the grey lines along the streets indicated sidewalks (some ofwhich are new and some would be repaired); the green lines along the streetsindicated landscaped area; green circles indicate street trees (most of whichwould be new plantings); red X indicated trees that are in the way ofimprovements and would be removed.

Proposed view along Paces Ferry Place after large trees are replaced with
smaller, healthier trees and "pedestrian lighting" is added. 

Most of the existingtrees along Paces Ferry Place would be removed and replaced with smaller,healthier trees.
Blue dots on theoverhead view indicate new pedestrian lights along the streets. The lights,which would be atop 8-10-foot posts, would be every 40 feet on center alongRoswell Road and every 60 feet on center along Andrews Drive, Paces FerryPlace, Cain Hill Place and Irby Avenue.
The proposal presentedwould add 25 metered on-street parking spaces along Cains Hill Place and 25parking spaces along Roswell Road, just south of Andrews Drive. Durrett toldBuckheadView that it was discovered that there is enough width to Cains HillPlace to move the center line of the road to the east side of the road andcreate the 25 new parking spots along the west side of the road.
New designatedcrosswalks have been added at important intersections and mid-block areas atRoswell Road and Irby and Andrews, along Andrews Drive and on Irby Avenue.

Photo shows area along Roswell Road just south of Andrews Drive after
roll curbing is installed (to allow cars to cross over0 and new parking
spaces are marked off in front of retail establishments. 

Durrett alsoemphasized that the recommended improvements along Roswell Road “will make itmuch more welcoming to pedestrian traffic” with improved sidewalks, theadditional of landscaping and street furniture and the pedestrian lighting duringnighttime hours.
After a brief presentation at Wednesday’s meeting, Durrettanswered questions about the proposal and stressed the benefits of joining theCID.
Asked whether the tax would be permanent, Durrett explained thatthe tax would last as long as the CID lasts, but the CID’s board votes everysix years on whether to continue or disband. The last time the CID voted was inSeptember 2011, when it agreed to continue operating. The next vote will comein September 2017.
Durrett told BuckheadView most of the questions centered aroundhow the CID makes its decisions and who is involved in those decisions andwhether most of the improvements would be made in the existing right-of-way orwould involve private property.
Durrett emphasized that this was just the first meeting withthese business people and that follow-up meetings will be required—most certainlywhen Lowe Engineering makes its final report following its $20,000 study.

Randolph-Lucas House tiff faces 3 zoning reviews

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The 2500 Peachtree Condominium Association Inc. wants to demolish thehistoric Randolph-Lucas House, built in 1924 and located at the intersection ofPeachtree Road and Lindbergh Drive (at 2500 Peachtree Road), claiming it is inpoor condition.

The historic Randolph-Lucas House at 2500 Peachtree Road

The 2500 Peachtree Condominiums were built in 1997 behind theRandolph-Lucas House on that property after the condo association was thenunable to get the house torn down. Now the condo association is trying again.
But the Buckhead Heritage Society is fighting its request,stating the association is not honoring the agreement it made when thebuilding's current owner purchased the property and promised to maintain thehouse as long as the condos were in existence.

The association will bring its case before theZoning Committee of Atlanta's Neighborhood Planning Unit-B Tuesday night at 7p.m. at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Buckhead. Then it likely will be onthe agenda of the full NPU-B board meeting Tuesday, July 3, at 7 p.m. at thesame location.
A zoning hearing with the city's Board of Zoning Adjustment is set forJuly 12 at noon.All of the meetings are open to the public.
Everett Catts, news editor of the Northside Neighbor newspaper haswritten a piece that is well worth reading. Go to http://neighbornewspapers.com/view/full_story/19083552/article-Condo-association--preservationists-fight-over-historic-Buckhead-house?instance=all.
And, former Atlanta Mayor and President of the Buckhead Coalition SamMassell has written a letter to the attorney for the condo association, whichBuckhead View printed Friday, which suggests a win-win situation for allparties. Read that letter at http://www.buckheadview.com/2012/06/sam-massell-offers-randolph-lucas-house.html.