Community news

City of Atlanta

Homicide suspect may have targeted Jewish site

The FBI confirmed Wednesday it was investigating the possibility an Atlanta Jewish site was among other planned targets of a Muslim convert accused of killing a soldier outside a Conway, Ark., recruiting center this week.

Stephen Emmett, spokesman for the Atlanta FBI office, said the investigation into the shooting turned up evidence to suggest Abdulhakim Muhammad, 23, of Little Rock, had plans for a “Jewish entity” in Atlanta. The Associated Press reported memos from the investigation showed Little Rock, as well as New York, Philadelphia, Louisville, Ky., and Memphis, were also on his list.

Emmett declined to say what specific site in Atlanta might have been in Muhammad’s plans, but “precautions were taken [in Atlanta] because of the serious nature of the Little Rock” shooting.

Muhammad, a Muslim convert, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to state charges in Arkansas he killed Pvt. William Long, 23, and wounded Pvt. Quinton I. Ezeagwula, 18. Muhammad is being held without bond. RHONDA COOK

Public hearing today

on property tax rate

The Atlanta City Council has scheduled a public hearing for 9 a.m. today to hear from residents about the proposed property tax rate. Mayor Shirley Franklin wants to raise the rate by 3 mills, which her staff says would require the average Atlanta homeowner to pay an additional $238 in property taxes. The city has canceled two public hearings scheduled for June 11. City officials said the hearings were canceled because of a delay in receiving the tax digest from Fulton County. ERIC STIRGUS

Morehouse teacher gets funds to study strokes

Morehouse School of Medicine associate professor Byron D. Ford has been awarded a $1.5 million Department of Defense appropriation for studies related to strokes. Ford will focus on using the naturally occurring growth factor neuregulin-1, which studies show may ward off debilitation and death caused by stroke. Ford, an associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology and director of the school’s Neuroprotection, Neurorepair and Stroke Program in the Neuroscience Institute, and his research team have shown that neuregulin-1 can protect nerve cells from ischemic stroke and decrease inflammation. CRAIG SCHNEIDER

25 graduates to receive $1,000 scholarships

Twenty-five graduating seniors from Atlanta Public Schools will receive $1,000 scholarships, compliments of Gas South. The utility will present a $25,000 check today to Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Beverly L. Hall, in honor of her recent recognition as the 2009 national and Georgia Superintendent of the Year. Gas South CEO Kevin Greiner will make the presentation just before tonight’s 7 o’clock game (Braves vs. Cubs) at Turner Field. GRACIE BONDS STAPLES

Cobb

Acworth * Austell * Kennesaw * Mableton * Marietta * Powder * Springs * Smyrna * Vinings

Mableton ready for ‘Get Down Tonight’

KC and the Sunshine Band will perform at Mable House Amphitheatre on June 13. Harry Wayne Casey, KC for short, developed a fusion of R&B and funk, with a hint of a Latin percussion groove, producing such hits as “Get Down Tonight,” “That’s the Way (I Like It)” and “Shake Your Booty.” The show begins at 8 p.m. at 5239 Floyd Road in Mableton.

Ticket are $20 to $46. Tables in front of the stage that seat four are available for $300. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 770-819-7765. MARY LOU PICKEL

Man snatches money from open cash register

Cobb police are looking for a robber who snatched money from an open cash register Tuesday at a Walgreens at 1733 Macland Road in Marietta.

The man approached a sales clerk to inquire about a product at 8:35 a.m., said Sgt. Dana Pierce, spokesman for the Cobb County Police Department. When the clerk opened the cash register after ringing up a purchase, the suspect reached over the counter and grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash from the drawer. He fled on foot, police said. ANDRIA SIMMONS

DeKalb

Avondale Estates * Chamblee * Clarkston * Decatur * Doraville * Dunwoody * Lithonia * Pine Lake * Stone Mountain * Tucker

Youth leadership participants selected

The names of the rising sophomores at Redan High School who were selected to participate in a county-sponsored leadership program will be revealed tonight in downtown Decatur.

The 25 students will each get a $1,000 stipend for attending the program, which is aimed at preventing delinquency and crime through academic and career preparation. County commissioners agreed last month to spend $40,000 on the program.

Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton, who raised an additional $20,000, selected the participants. She said she hopes to see the program spread to other schools.

Partner agencies include the county school system, the YMCA, the county’s juvenile court and prosecutors and the Georgia Department of Labor.

The reception and orientation for the 2009 Youth Leadership Academy begins at 6 p.m. in the county’s Manuel J. Maloof Center, 1300 Commerce Drive.

TY TAGAMI

Fulton

Alpharetta * Chattahoochee Hills * College Park * East Point * Fairburn * Hapeville * Johns Creek * Milton * Palmetto * Roswell * Sandy Springs * Union City

Chattahoochee High ties

for seventh at quiz bowl

Chattahoochee High finished in a tie for seventh place among 192 teams that competed in the National Academic Quiz Tournaments’ high school national championship. Gwinnett County’s Brookwood High tied for 11th place.

The tournament was held last weekend at Chicago’s Hyatt Regency O’Hare. The marathon tournament had 25 rounds of questions, 64 rooms of simultaneous game play and more than 1,200 players.

Each of the 192 teams played 10 games Saturday and those winning at least six advanced to Sunday’s 71 team double-elimination playoffs. NANCY BADERTSCHER

Most respondents favor Morgan Falls bridge

Written responses to a proposed footbridge between Sandy Springs and national park land in east Cobb County so far favor including bicycle access.

A total of 68 people offered their thoughts on the $1.2 million span over the Chattahoochee River by May 22, the final full week for the comment period, said Dan Brown, the superintendent of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

Of them, 44 were in favor of the bridge in general, including 35 who supported it for cyclists as well as pedestrians. By comparison, 14 people opposed the bridge and four wanted it to be for pedestrians only.

The park service plans to hold a second public meeting to gather more comments.

Draft alternatives to the bridge will be proposed at that meeting, from 7 to 9 p.m. June 17 at the North Fulton Government Service Center, 7741 Roswell Road. The public is welcome. APRIL HUNT

Fulton to study how to prevent repeat criminals

Fulton County commissioners agreed Wednesday to create a task force to look at how to keep the same folks from continually being arrested, jailed, released and arrested again.

Commission Chairman John Eaves recommended the board create a task force to look at recidivism, saying that the county faces a crisis that can only be fixed by breaking the cycle. The committee will be made up of professionals in social service, justice and other fields.

Commissioners complain yearly that they spend too much money to house and prosecute criminals, money that could saved if the county could keep the same individuals from cycling through the system repeatedly. D.L. BENNETT

Gwinnett

Berkeley Lake * Buford * Dacula * Duluth * Grayson * Lawrenceville * Lilburn * Norcross * Snellville * Sugar Hill * Suwanee

3 teenagers safe after being stranded in boat

Firefighters rescued three teenagers stranded Tuesday night on the Chattahoochee River. Fire crews from Gwinnett and Forsyth counties and Johns Creek responded around 10 p.m. to a call that three juveniles were stuck in a paddle boat on one of the shoals.

One teen, an 18-year-old male, made his way out of the river to safety. A Gwinnett police officer found two 16-year-olds, a male and female, at 11:23 p.m. on a sand bank near the river’s edge at Crescent River Place and Elkhorn Hill Drive.

The pair had minor cuts and bruising, but did not require medical assistance, said Gwinnett fire Capt. Thomas Rutledge. The teenagers were trying to paddle downstream from Settles Bridge Road to Medlock Bridge Road when they became lost, Rutledge said. ANDRIA SIMMONS

Red light cameras back in action in Lilburn

The city of Lilburn has reactivated red light cameras at two intersections after an almost four-month suspension.

“After a few months with the red light cameras deactivated, people again began to run the red lights at a dangerous rate,” City Manager Bill Johnsa said.

The cameras were reactivated Tuesday at Indian Trail and Lawrenceville Highway and Beaver Ruin Road and Lawrenceville Highway.

Earlier this year, Lilburn was one of five cities in Gwinnett County that put the brakes on the automated ticketing program that cost some cities more than $400,000 a year.

The move came after the state in January mandated a one-second addition to the yellow phase at all camera intersections.

That led, in part, to a drop in citations, which help pay for the cameras.

Lilburn, which was paying $35,000 a month to LaserCraft for cameras at three intersections, will pay $6,000 under a renegotiated contract, Johnsa said. SHANE BLATT

Greater Atlanta

Cherokee * Coweta * Douglas * Fayette * Forsyth * Henry * Paulding * Rockdale

Anti-chaining law

in Forsyth in limbo

Forsyth County commissioners are putting off until July a decision on whether to outlaw the tethering or chaining of dogs.

Commissioners have gotten strong reactions, pro and con, to an amendment to the county’s animal control ordinance that would limit the chaining of dogs to three hours. They held a second public hearing this week on the amendment.

Commissioners first discussed an anti-tethering ordinance in October 2007. NANCY BADERTSCHER

Hunters can apply for deer hunting season

The Clayton County Water Authority will start accepting applications on Monday for the 2009 deer hunting archery season. Applications may be downloaded at www.ccwa.us, or picked up at the entrance gates to the Shamrock/Blalock Recreation Area or J.W. Smith Recreation Area. Applications will be accepted through September.

Preference is given to Clayton and Henry County residents and the chosen hunters will be notified by mail on Aug. 14 for the September and October hunts and letters will be sent Oct. 9 to those chosen for the November season. STEVE VISSER

State

Police: Airman throws wife off balcony, kills self

Authorities say a Moody Air Force Base airman is dead in an apparent suicide during a standoff with deputies at his Valdosta apartment where his wife had been thrown from a third-floor balcony.

Lowndes County Sheriff Chris Prine says the incident occurred about 2:50 a.m. Tuesday. It resulted from a dispute between 22-year-old Airman 1st Class John Wesley Ganues Jr. and his wife, 18-year-old Keaira Ganues, who survived being thrown from the balcony. She was in fair condition at South Georgia Medical Center with two broken arms.

Ganues died from an apparent rifle shot to the head.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Police say man stole ribs, pulled knife on worker

Police say a man was so desperate to steal some ribs from a Carrollton grocery store that he pulled a knife on an employee and bit him.

An employee at the Southern Family Market spotted the suspect stuffing two $12 packs of ribs in his pants last week, Carrollton Police Capt. Chris Dobbs said. The employee confronted the suspicious shopper about the meat and attempted to lead him to the manager’s office to call police.

The employee chased the suspect outside, where the two men struggled. The suspect pulled a knife. The employee was able to kick the knife out of the suspect’s hand, Dobbs said.

He avoided being cut, but the suspect managed to get away.

MEGAN MATTEUCCI