A Grant Park resident acted quickly after spotting a city worker pouring cement from a city truck into a storm drain last week at the corner of Atlanta Avenue and Marion Street, Atlanta officials said.

The resident called his council member, Carla Smith, to alert her about the problem. She called city Watershed Management officials to tell them what happened. The worker improperly poured water on the truck's chute to remove the cement in an effort to clean the chute, according to Watershed Management spokeswoman Janet Ward.

The councilwoman said she frequently gets calls from constituents alerting her of possible wrongdoing by city workers and others. "We look out for each other," she said.

ATLANTA

Mayor, baseball legend are teaming up for children

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and baseball legend Hank Aaron are teaming up Monday to raise money for two youth-based organizations.

The two are hosting the 11th annual Mayor's Cup Golf Tournament at Heritage Golf Club in Tucker.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Mayor's Youth Program, which helps with tuition, laptops and other assistance for Atlanta Public School graduates. The other is Camp Best Friends, an eight-week summer camp for Atlanta children ages 6 to 16.

For more information, call Deborah Lum at the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency at 404-658-9675.

DeKALB COUNTY

Police alliance appoints new executive director

The DeKalb County Police Alliance has tapped a county government staffer to be its executive director.

Nicole Blackshear previously was deputy chief of staff to Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones. She was appointed by the board of the alliance, a nonprofit organization that raises money for police causes such as life insurance for officers.

The alliance now is working to raise $25,000 to buy patrol bicycles for DeKalb community policing officers.

DeKALB COUNTY

State's high court upholds man's murder conviction

The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday upheld the murder conviction of a DeKalb man who claimed he killed a cocaine-using attacker in self-defense.

Marvin Thompson was 18 when he shot Leigh Mason on April 9, 2006, at the Savannah Suites Motel on Memorial Drive. Thompson and a witness testified Mason confronted Thompson and accused him of stealing money.

Thompson admitted he didn't know at the time that Mason had a knife in his back pocket. He also conceded he could have retreated rather than shooting Mason.

Thompson's appeal contended the jury should have been told Mason had been using cocaine, which might have made Mason more aggressive. The Supreme Court said such testimony would not have changed the verdict. Thompson is serving a life sentence in prison.

ATLANTA

U.S. Senate candidates to attend Sunday forum

The League of Women Voters of Georgia and Delta Sigma Theta Inc. sorority are co-hosting a forum for U.S. Senate candidates from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

The forum will be held at the Capitol Education Center, 180 Central Ave., Atlanta. It will be shown live on the Georgia Public Broadcasting Web site and broadcast at 8 p.m. Monday. For more information, call 678-547-0755.

Contributing: Eric Stirgus and David Simpson