Community News

ATLANTA

Quarterly sales tax revenue falls from ‘07

Atlanta’s sales tax revenue declined by 3 percent during the first three months of the fiscal year that began July 1.

Between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2007, the city collected slightly more than $26 million, city revenue officials said. For the same time period this year, Atlanta collected about $25.3 million, officials said.

—- Eric Stirgus

Donation to help entertain students

The Aetna Foundation gave Atlanta’s office of Cultural Affairs $50,000 Tuesday to support a program that helps city public school students experience local arts and cultural venues.

The money will be used to help pay for more than 4,000 first-graders to see “Winnie The Pooh” at the Center for Puppetry Arts this fall. The program, the Cultural Experience Project, was created during the 2005-06 school year.

—- Eric Stirgus

Health forum targets African-Americans

The Atlanta Regional Health Forum has scheduled a two-day conference on African-American infant mortality Friday and Saturday at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 407 Auburn Ave.

The conference aims to bring organizations and others together to assure equitable African-American births.

Friday’s session is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Saturday symposium is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon.

—- Eric Stirgus

Lawmaker changes mind about debate

U.S. Rep. Paul Broun has switched signals and agreed to debate his Democratic challenger, Bobby Saxon.

The Athens Republican from the 10th District will face off with Saxon on Oct. 26 in a half-hour event at the Atlanta Press Club, to be broadcast on Georgia Public Television.

—- Associated Press

CLAYTON COUNTY

Fallen Rex soldier to be honored Saturday

Clayton County will honor a Rex soldier who died in Iraq with a memorial road sign and garden.

On Saturday, County Commissioner Sonna Singleton will install the sign honoring Pfc. Robert Adrian Worthington near his childhood home in the 2900 block of Rex Road. A memorial garden will also be dedicated at Rex Park, 3499 Rex Road.

Worthington was 19 when he was killed by an improvised explosive device on May 22, 2007, outside Baghdad. He was a member of the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division based at Fort Lewis, Wash.

The sign will be unveiled at 10 a.m. Saturday and the garden will be dedicated at 10:30 a.m. A reception will follow at the Carl Rhodenizer Recreation Center at 11 a.m.

—- Megan Matteucci

Firefighters get help in haz-mat handling

Clayton County firefighters soon will have a better way to keep residents safe from hazardous chemicals.

The Clayton County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday night for the Fire Department to purchase a hazardous gas and vapor identifier for $38,000.

The machine can detect nerve-choking agents, industrial chemicals, radiation and other gases in the air, fire Chief Alex Cohilas said.

The purchase is part of a three-year program to improve the capabilities of the county’s hazardous materials team, Cohilas said.

—- Megan Matteucci

COBB COUNTY

Development project faces commission vote

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners will consider a Marietta developer’s plan for a 12-story assisted living/senior residential facility, 22-story office building, 20-story condominium tower and 78,000 square feet of retail space in Vinings.

The development is planned for 10.5 acres on Paces Ferry Road, east of Cumberland Parkway.

Dozens of residents have opposed the plan because of density, traffic and storm water concerns.

Commissioners will vote on the development Oct. 21.

The Cobb Planning Commission approved the D & A Investment Group and Pereira Management project in a 4-1 vote Tuesday .

The first phase would include a 150-unit senior facility, followed by the office and condo towers in the second phase.

—- Tucker McQueen

KSU has competition to reward inventors

Inventors and idea creators can pitch concepts to Kennesaw State University for a chance to bring their product to mar- ket.

KSU’s Coles College of Business is accepting applications through Friday for its Concept-2-Reality competition.

Previous winners include the BreastChek Kit, a garment that instructs women on how to successfully perform monthly breast self-exams, and the Search Axe, sort of a Swiss Army Knife for firefighters.

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

Each of five finalists can present their concept to an outside panel of advisers and people interested in financing their project.

Winners of the top two concepts will receive prizes of $1,000 and $500.

—- Kay Powell

DEKALB COUNTY

Students do their part for voter registration

A voter registration drive spearheaded by a DeKalb County elementary school’s students signed up 105 new voters. Those voters —- including parents, older siblings and neighbors —- may now cast ballots in the Nov. 4 election.

The 12 members of Midway Elementary School’s Beta Club began the drive in late September, inspired by ongoing lessons about democracy and the American election process. They gave out voter registration forms to take home and share with anyone who was eligible but not registered to vote. The forms were returned to school last week and forwarded to election officials by Monday’s deadline.

—- Kristina Torres

Decatur launches blog to spread event news

Decatur’s economic development office has launched a new blog designed to provide information about doings in the city.

The Decatur Minute will highlight special events, volunteer opportunities and visits to local businesses. Spokeswoman Linda Harris, special events coordinator Cheryl Burnette and development coordinator Catherine Lee will be the main authors.

The blog, at www.thedecaturminute.com, also links to popular community blogs such as InDecatur and Decatur Metro.

“They do a great job on the issues,” Harris said. “Ours will be more about information for people to discuss.”

—- April Hunt

FULTON COUNTY

Developer honored for green subdivision

The Roswell City Council has honored Cadmus Construction for its development of an environmentally sensitive subdivision, Weatherford Place. The homes in the subdivision, on Crossville Creek, are designed for solar power and will produce more energy than they consume.

Company principals, including Simone du Boise, an architect specializing in environmental design, accepted a resolution this week recognizing their efforts. The subdivision is the first in the country to attain a platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) level.

—- Mary MacDonald

Also …

> The Alpharetta Century: On Nov. 1, bicyclists will hit the road starting in Alpharetta in a 100-mile ride to raise money for people needing organ transplants. Called the Alpharetta Century, the event also offers rides of 62 miles, 35 miles, and a six-mile ride for families. All proceeds will go to the Georgia Transplant Foundation and the Kiwanis Club in Alpharetta.

—- Doug Nurse

GWINNETT COUNTY

Fire stations expected to get new trucks

Gwinnett County commissioners approved contracts totaling almost $2 million for public safety this week.

Four more new fire trucks will soon join the dozen the county has bought over the past two years. Commissioners on Tuesday approved a $1.7 million contract —- to be paid with SPLOST funds —- with North America Fire Equipment Co. Inc. of Decatur, Ala.

Fire station No.2 on Harmony Grove Road in Lilburn, station No. 10 on Russell Road in Lawrenceville, station No. 14 on U.S. 23 in Buford and station No. 25 on Lawrenceville Highway in Lawrenceville are slated to get the four new triple-combination rescue-style pumper trucks. Each vehicle can pump 1,500 gallons of water per minute.

The commission also agreed to the purchase of $130,000 in equipment for the Sheriff’s Office. The expenditure is for a utility body for the department’s SWAT vehicle and for 56 rifles and ammunition for field officers.

—- Patrick Fox

School board plans meeting today

The Gwinnett County Board of Education will meet today at the district’s headquarters in Suwanee.

The school board workshop will begin at 3 p.m. School officials will discuss the legislative priorities for 2009; the renewal request of the New Life Academy of Excellence Charter School and the School Resource Officer Program, among other things.

The monthly business meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Items under consideration include spending $3.9 million on an addition for Chesney Elementary School and $589,000 on a concession stand at North Gwinnett High School’s stadium. Policy modifications also will be discussed.

The Instructional Support Center is at 437 Old Peachtree Road N.W.

—- D. Aileen Dodd

Early votes pour in as election draws near

Early voting is picking up steam in metro Alanta.

As of Tuesday, 14,735 Gwinnett County residents had turned out to cast early ballots and another 1,788 voted by mail —- 4 percent of the county’s 404,619 registered voters.

In Cobb County as of Tuesday, 13,649 people had voted in person and 18,854 ballots came in by mail, for a total of 32,503 —- more than 7 percent of Cobb’s 426,534 registered voters.

DeKalb County as of Friday had received 24,000 ballots —- more than 5 percent of 430,458 registered voters.

—- Patrick Fox

Elementary teacher earns national kudos

A Gwinnett County Schools teacher has received a national recognition for her work as a mentor for new educators.

Cassandra Matthews of Nesbit Elementary School has been named as the annual recipient of the 2008-09 Distinguished Clinician in Teacher Education Award.

The award is sponsored by the Association of Teacher Educators, Georgia Unit.

Matthews has served as a teacher mentor and coach at Nesbit for five years. She will be honored at an awards luncheon of the Georgia Association of Teacher Educators.

—- D. Aileen Dodd

Also …

> Schoolwork: Gwinnett County Schools officials are seeking feedback about whether the Academic Knowledge and Skills curriculum does what it should to meet state requirements and community expectations for student learning. Those wishing to make suggestions to improve the curriculum should fill out the AKS Review Form, available at www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us.

Suggestions must be submitted before Nov. 9.

—- D. Aileen Dodd

GREATER ATLANTA

Police ID victim killed while fleeing on I-75

The person killed Tuesday on I-75 in Henry County has been identified as 23-year-old Arthur Lee Henderson of Albany, said Capt. Jason Bolton, a spokesman for the Henry County Police Department.

Henderson had been pulled over on a routine traffic stop when it was discovered that he was wanted on outstanding charges in Dougherty County and in Albany. Henderson was attempting to flee Henry County police when he was struck by a vehicle and killed.

He was facing charges in Dougherty County of possession of stolen property, theft, criminal trespass, escape.

Albany authorities had warrants on charges of criminal damage to property.

—- John Hollis