Smyrna Vinings
The
YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS
Bright Side
TM
Smyrna and Vinings’ Community Newspaper
Volume 7, No. 6
JUNE 2011
At Farmers Atlanta Road Market, A.J. Bray, center at left, offers pole beans as father Andy Bray looks on; Alex Szecsey bundles arugula, center; at the Smyrna Fresh Produce Market, peaches, tomatos and salad greens are abundant. More vendors and more fresh produce will be available each wek as the season goes on.
FRESH SEASONAL PRODUCE IS ABUNDANT AT AREA FARMERS MARKETS TY BELCHER IS SMYRNA BUSINESS PERSON OF YEAR
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Ty Belcher, a District Sales Manager at Mutual of Omaha, was named Business Person of the Year for 2011 by the Smyrna Business Association. The presentation was made at the June 2 lunch meeting of the SBA at the Smyrna Community Center. “Every year the Smyrna Business Association selects one individual exemplifying community service and business savvy,” said Russ Lutterby, SBA Past President in presenting the award. Belcher has served on the SBA Board of Directors for four years, chairing the annual golf tournament and other special events. He is a resident of Smyrna and holds a bachelors degree from Penn State University and an MBA from Kennesaw State University. With more than 30 years of professional customer service, sales and account management experience, he is a Power Core Team
Ty Belcher, left, accepts SBA Business Person of the Year Award from Russ Lutterbie. Coordinator and has worked with Mutual of Omaha Insurance for five years. “Since joining the SBA in 2008, his efforts have helped raise more than $10,000 for community projects through the associa-
tion,” Lutterby said. “This is a unique association and I want to thank you for this honor,” Belcher said. “Everyone here is just regular people doing great things.”
GREETING THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT
Dr. Michael Hinojosa, the Cobb School Board’s choice for Superintendent, chats with Denise McGee, left, newly named Principal at Campbell High School at a meeting with community leaders at the school. Dr. Hinojosa has served as superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District, the nation’s 14th largest school system with more than 150,000 students, 21,000 employees and a $1.2 billion annual budget since 2005.
Locally grown produce is available throughout the Southern Cobb area as Farmers Markets open for the season. Tomatoes, beans, watermelon, peaches, peas, corn, okra, squash, and so much more await the buyers who have waited patiently for these crops to come to market. The markets are not only about finding fresh produce; they are a social occasion as well. There are neighbors greeting neighbors; families with strollers; individuals with dogs; all enjoying shopping and camaraderie. The Smyrna Fresh Produce Market is held every Saturday in the parking lot of the First Baptist Church on King Street. Open from 9 a.m. to noon vendors sell fresh produce, fresh bread, soaps, plants and more. Liz Cochran was buying tomatoes as she visited the Smyrna Fresh Produce Market the first time. “They have the best prices,” she said. Other vendors offer salsas, bread, rum cakes and organic produce. Rebecca Lineberger was selling a table full of hostas she had grown in her Smyrna garden -- including So Sweet and Savannah Grey -- while offering tips on how to plant and keep them healthy. Tony Ashcraft of Tony’s Fresh Produce, sets up in the first seller’s booth each week. In addition to his job as chef with Mother’s Finest Catering, Ashcraft farms two and a half acres in Austell, growing tomatoes, melons, and other produce. The booth also offers pickles and local honey. His crop of Early Girl tomatoes will start coming in over the next couple weeks. St. Benedict Episcopal Church holds FARM -- Farmers Atlanta Road Market -each Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the church parking lot off of Atlanta Road. Dane Lorio, a member of St. Benedicts, helped organize the market, now in its third year. “I’m big on local food and excited that there are two markets in Smyrna,” he said. On a recent Tuesday, Johnathan Szecsey of Winston was arranging baby arugula along with fennel, onions and other greens. “It sells quickly; the best goes early,” he said. Among the offerings from the 14-20 vendors each Tuesday fresh peaches (the cling style is in and freestone arrives in the Continued on Page 4