Rally to close school, candidates' forum

A rally to increase support for closing Milford Elementary School will be held at 3:30 Thursday.

Supporters will gather at the corner of Windy Hill and Austell roads, to walk to Milford from Crescent Square Apartments off Austell Road. Parents are concerned about the safety of children walking to the school from the apartment complex -- where about one-third of Milford's 630 students live.

Board spokesman Jay Dillon said the district will continue to provide school bus service to Milford students who live in the apartments. Parents have yet to be notified of the decision, said Christine Able, executive director of Osborne Community Coalition, a sponsor of the rally.

Parents and community leaders want the school closed because  the four-lane highway will funnel tens of thousands of cars a day less than 100 feet from Milford's front door.

The rally will be followed by a Candidates'  Forum at 5:30 p.m.  at Osborne High School. The forum is sponsored by Concerned Youth of Osborne, the Osborne High School PTA and the community coalition.

The group said it had confirmed appearances by several candidates, including candidates for the Cobb County commission chair and  Cobb County School Board posts 2, 4 and 6.