Community News

CITY OF ATLANTA

Ceremony today for Kirkwood firehouse

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and fire Chief Kelvin Cochran are scheduled to speak at a groundbreaking ceremony today for a new Fire Station 18 stationhouse.

The stationhouse will be located at 2007 Oakview Road S.E. in Kirkwood. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.

—- Eric Stirgus

Use your credit card, win city tree money

Atlanta is in a competition with seven other cities to win $300,000 in grant money from American Express to plant new trees in the city.

The company is offering the money to the city where people make the most purchases using their American Express cards at participating businesses. The businesses will have the American Express tree logo in their window.

The competition ends Oct. 31. The other cities are Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington.

—- Eric Stirgus

Also …

> Charter schools: Five Atlanta charter schools have received state grant money to help with building needs. University Community School and KIPP WAYS each received $130,000; Atlanta Charter Middle got $110,000; Tech High School was given $80,000; and Imagine Wesley International Academy received $10,000. Charter schools receive tax dollars but are free from many rules traditional public schools must follow.

—- Laura Diamond

COBB COUNTY

Deadline extended for inventors’ ideas

The deadline has been extended for inventors and idea creators to pitch concepts to Kennesaw State University for a chance to bring their product to market.

The deadline is now 5 p.m. Monday for applications to be submitted to KSU’s Coles College of Business for its Concept-2-Reality competition.

The entry form and pitch format are available at http://coles.kennesaw.edu/pages/sife/C2R/website.html.

—- Kay Powell

DEKALB COUNTY

Bridge to nature preserve in the works

Visitors to the Glenn Creek Nature Preserve in Decatur will soon not need to walk the plank as part of their trip.

The entrance to the nearly 3-acre preserve, off Fairview Street, is sliced by Glenn Creek, with most of the park itself across the water. The city has used two wooden planks as a catwalk for visitors to cross to the other side.

The Decatur City Commission has agreed to pay $22,000 to Woodwind Construction for a new pedestrian bridge. The firm plans to have the replacement structure up by year’s end.

—- April Hunt

New city’s framework faces council vote

Dunwoody’s structure is up for a vote by the City Council Monday, a day before a runoff election will round out the board.

The newly formed city, that begins operation Dec. 1., is considering a proposal from Boyken International that calls for the company to help the city set up department heads, then contract out various services.

However, at the meeting, the council may vote to send out a request for bids, in the hopes of creating more options. That process would most likely create a need for DeKalb County to continue to provide services once the city begins operation.

The council meets at 7 p.m. at the Dunwoody United Methodist Church, 1548 Mount Vernon Road.

The meeting comes a day before voters go to the polls in a runoff election between dentist Adrian Bonser and attorney Larry Pankey. The winner will take the sixth seat on the council.

—- April Hunt

Also …

> New dog park: The city of Clarkston is ready to jump on the dog park trend. An enclosed, off-leash area for dogs opens Oct. 18 at Milam Park, 3867 Norman Road.

—- Donna Williams Lewis

FULTON COUNTY

State justices decline to hear Milton case

The state Supreme Court has handed the city of Milton a victory in a controversial zoning case involving orchid greenhouses.

The justices on Oct. 3 declined without comment to hear the appeal of orchid growers, Don and Sue Baker.

The Bakers had hoped the high court would reverse the city’s denial of two setback variances they requested to build additional greenhouses.

On Feb. 6, the Bakers applied for variances, which were denied by the city. The Bakers argued that their property was zoned agricultural and this use fit. They also argued they had a vested right to add additional greenhouses because they had bought the property before the city was incorporated Dec. 1, 2006.

Neighbors protested that the additional greenhouses would make the area look too industrial.

Even as the court case proceeded, the city and the Bakers have continued to negotiate a possible compromise.

—- Doug Nurse

Suspect sought in sexual assaults

Two women were raped this month at Sandy Springs apartment complexes, within a week of each other, and police are searching for a single suspect.

The women told police they did not know the assailant. Both sexual assaults were reported at complexes on or near Roswell Road, just after midnight, on Oct. 2 and Wednesday, said Lt. Steve Rose, a department spokesman.

Police have released a composite sketch of the suspect. Anyone with information can call detective R.J. Finley at 770-551-3310 or the police tipline at 770-551-3300.

—- Mary MacDonald

$5,000 arts grants available to groups

Small and emerging arts organizations, artist collectives, and social service or community groups based in Fulton County can get up to $5,000 grants from the Fulton Arts Council. The application deadline is Nov. 14. Interested organizations should visit www.fultonarts.org or call 404-612-5780 for more information.

—- D.L. Bennett

GWINNETT COUNTY

County joins EPA to promote efficiency

Gwinnett County is teaming with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program to promote water-saving techniques and to encourage customers to look for WaterSense labeled products. The products have been independently certified for efficiency and performance.

The average home, retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, can save thousands of gallons of water per year. If one out of every 10 homes in the United States upgraded to water-efficient fixtures, it could save nearly $2 billion annually, according to EPA.

—- Patrick Fox

Town Center earns honor for Suwanee

In 2002, Suwanee began an initiative to create a mixed-use commercial/residential area situated at Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road and Buford Highway.

In a short time period, Town Center has become the vibrant heartbeat of the Suwanee community, said downtown manager Jane Keegan.

That success recently garnered the city an outstanding revitalization award presented by the Georgia Downtown Association and Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

—- Shane Blatt

Annual police festival today for community

The Gwinnett County Police Department’s annual C.O.P.S. Festival will be held between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. today at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds at 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville.

The free event boasts displays and live demonstrations from the SWAT team and other units such as K-9, aviation, training and DUI.

C.O.P.S., or Community Oriented Police Services, is the department’s neighborhood watch program.

—- Andria Simmons

Hotel project receives development permit

The first hotel of up to three hotels planned for a 22-acre tract of land at Sugarloaf Parkway and Satellite Boulevard has received a development permit.

The 749,000-square-foot, eight-story hotel will be a Residence Inn, according to county records, built by Vision Hospitality Group of Nashville.

The development is meant to attract business from the nearby Gwinnett Convention Center.

—- Michael Pearson

Also …

> Turkish fest: Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson and dignitaries from Turkey and South Korea will help preside over the Atlanta Turkish Festival Sunday at the Gwinnett Convention Center in Duluth.

GREATER ATLANTA

Texas sex offender arrested after wreck

A sex offender from Texas was arrested by Cherokee County authorities after he was involved in an auto accident.

Deputies arrested Joshua Garza, 35, after a wreck on Bells Ferry Road in Canton this week.

Garza had been convicted in Texas of indecency/sexual contact with a 9-year-old, police said. Garza was arrested this week on charges of driving under the influence, driving without a license, weaving over a roadway, obstruction of an officer and violation of the Georgia Sex Offender Registry.

—- Nancy Badertscher

Agent sentenced in mortgage scheme

A metro Atlanta real estate agent was sentenced Friday to 14 years in federal prison in a multimillion-dollar mortgage fraud scheme.

U.S. District Judge Beverly Martin also ordered Joseph Sterling Jetton, 61, of Woodstock to pay $11.2 million in restitution.

Jetton was convicted in November of conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors say he orchestrated a scheme in which inflated loans were provided to unqualified straw borrowers, who were paid through shell companies as much as $600,000 per property.

Jetton personally derived more than a $1 million in commissions from the scheme, the prosecutors said.

Eleven others have already been sentenced in related cases, with prison terms ranging from eight months to over 10 years.

—- Associated Press

Great Georgia Airshow this weekend

Peachtree City will enter its second decade of aerial theatrics when it hosts the 11th Annual Great Georgia Airshow at Falcon Field this weekend.

Gates open at 9 a.m. today and Sunday, with aerial performances running from 1-5 p.m.

This year’s show, which is presented by the Kiwanis Club of Peachtree City and the Commemorative Air Force’s Dixie Wing, will showcase modern and historic aircraft.

Tickets: $13 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12. Ages 5 and under are free. Details: www.thegreatgeorgiaairshow.com or call 770-632-0365.

—- John Hollis