Parents, teachers and other community members have until July 18 to give their opinions on textbooks and other materials Georgia public schools will use to to teach high school math and elementary and middle school English and reading. The items will be on display at the Dean Rusk building, 433 Peeples St., Atlanta from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. A state committee will consider the public's comments as it prepares a recommendation to the Georgia Board of Education for its approval. Schools will use these new items starting with the 2009-10 school year.

Meeting on Beltline update

Atlanta officials are meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday to give their quarterly update on the Beltline plan. The meeting will be held at Atlanta Public Schools headquarters, 130 Trinity Ave. The Beltline is a long-range plan aimed at putting more parkland, mixed-income housing and trails primarily along a railroad line that loops around the center of Atlanta.

AVONDALE ESTATES: Charter members sought

A volunteer group is looking for help to start a charter school in Avondale Estates. The Avondale Education Association has worked for nearly five years to support Avondale Elementary through fund-raising and volunteerism. The group, however, has begun to question staff turnover at the school and its effect on children. If enough people express an interest in exploring starting a charter school, the group will shift its focus to that process. Those interested in joining or wanting more information can contact Laura Leckband at lleckband@hauswerks.net.

COLLEGE PARK: Fire chief recognized

College Park Fire Chief Cedric Scott will be recognized as Chief Fire Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence next month. He will receive the honor Aug. 14 in Denver, during the organization's annual awards dinner, for having met requirements in areas including education, experience, professional development and community involvement. A Macon native and former Waycross fire chief, Scott has been with the College Park Fire Department since 2007. The Center for Public Safety Excellence promotes continuous quality improvement by providing training and career resource information to fire and emergency service agencies.

DECATUR: Short life for bistro

A 75-seat cafe that opened its doors this spring has closed, the victim of the economy and high gas prices. Moxie Java Bistro opened on West College Avenue in March, a family-run eatery featuring specialty coffees, Italian entrees and gelato. On the cafe's Web site, owners Michael and Renee George have asked for any grants that could help them reopen. Linda Harris, who heads Decatur's economic development department, said her office had not received any requests from the owners. Though there is no city program for that kind of help, Harris said the city refers people to the small business resource center at the DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce.

LITHONIA: Lithonia juggles accounts

Lithonia has joined several metro Atlanta cities by moving money from savings or other accounts to cover general expenses this summer. Summer is typically a financially tight time for city governments, who don't start seeing tax revenue coming in until early fall. Last week, Lithonia agreed to move $35,000 from its police and court funds into the general fund to cover expenses. The shift is a one-time move, though future money shifts could happen.

Other cities have made similar loans to themselves, though there is more history to Lithonia's finances. The city teetered on the edge of bankruptcy in 2005 and had to idle its police cars because it couldn't afford auto insurance. The small city has been struggling financially again this year, as a power struggle between the mayor and council that erupted in April lingers.

SOUTH DEKALB: 40 firms expected at job fair

About 40 employers are expected to participate in a job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at New Life Community Center. The event is sponsored by the Georgia Department of Labor and the center, located at 3592 Flat Shoals Road in south DeKalb. Job seekers should be professionally dressed and bring plenty of resumes.

STONE MOUNTAIN: School's garden certified

Stone Mountain Elementary School in DeKalb County became one of the latest schools in metro Atlanta to have its garden certified by Monarchs Across Georgia as a "schoolyard habitat site." The team at Stone Mountain, led by media specialist Laurie Crooks, created areas where caterpillars and other pollinators such as hummingbirds, bees, beetles and moths can find nectar, water and basking sites, as well as shelter including shrubs, logs or brush piles. Monarchs Across Georgia created the certification program three years ago. To find out more, go to www.monarchsacrossga.org.

Contributing: Laura Diamond, April Hunt, David Simpson, Shandra Hill Smith, Kristina Torres