ATLANTA
Libertarian plans write-in campaign
Libertarian candidate Jeff Amason says he’ll pursue a write-in candidacy for the Ga. House District 21 seat.
Amason had sought to appear on the ballot to challenge incumbent Rep. Scot Turner, R-Holly Springs, but a Fulton County Superior Court judge dismissed the case Monday, citing a procedural error.
Amason faces a Sept. 2 deadline to notify the Georgia Secretary of State of his declaration.
Previously, the Secretary of State’s office had disqualified nearly all of Amason’s nomination petitions, which led to the Fulton hearing. Mark Woolsey
Club shows Atlanta newcomers the ropes
New Neighbors League Club will host an 11 a.m. social hour and noon lunch Sept. 10 at the Georgian Terrace Hotel, 659 Peachtree St., NE. The luncheon is $25. Attendees should RSVP.
The not-for-profit social organization helps newcomers to metro Atlanta get oriented. Members usually remain connected and meet for dinner or different activities.
The club holds a “meet and greet” for new residents on the first Wednesday of each month at a convenient coffee shop.
Info: 770-993-7886.
Adrianne Murchison For the AJC
Schools organization names new director
Communities In Schools of Atlanta has named a new executive director, Frank Brown. Brown previously served as executive director of the Butler Street Community Development Corporation.
Communities In Schools of Atlanta has programs at 15 schools in Atlanta, Fulton and DeKalb counties.
Molly Bloom
Citizens complain about library hours
Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves is pushing to have Friday hours of operation restored at 10 library branches. Responding to citizens’ complaints, Eaves wants the board to consider four-hour schedules for the libraries on Fridays. Info: www.afplweb.com.
Adrianne Murchison
COBB
Powder Springs looks for public works director
Powder Springs is seeking a new public works director by Sept. 12.
The director plans, organizes and directs the functions of this department, including solid waste, streets, water and sewer and building and grounds maintenance.
The pay range is $59,204 to $91,766.
Information: cityofpowdersprings.org/index.aspx?NID=119.
Carolyn Cunningham
Two Cobb schools make national PTA list
Two Cobb schools made the National PTA Schools of Excellence list for building effective family-school partnerships.
King Springs Elementary in Smyrna and Brumby Elementary in Marietta were among five schools in the state and 170 schools nationwide chosen for the honor.
College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center PTA in Decatur, Milton High PTSA in north Fulton and Gould Elementary in Savannah are also on this year’s list.
Tucker McQueen
Mableton Farmers Market closing Sept. 4
The Mableton Improvement Coalition’s Mableton Farmers Market will be held 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the Mable House Arts Center, 5239 Floyd Road, Mableton before closing for the season.
SNAP benefits are doubled because of MIC’s partnership with Wholesome Wave Georgia.
Information: mableton.org.
Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Cobb schools to spend $11 million on buses
Cobb County Schools Board of Education Thursday approved buying 125 new school buses for about $11 million. SPLOST 4 funds will cover $10 million of the cost with the rest coming from a Georgia Department of Education bond.
Of the district’s 1,115 fleet, 527 buses are between 10 and 15 years old and 180 buses are more than 16 years old.
The purchase will include 25 exceptional child buses and 100 conventional buses.
Tucker McQueen
Food truck Tuesdays through fall in Smyrna
Food trucks have returned to Smyrna 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Sept. 30 at Taylor-Brawer Park, 3180 Atlanta Road.
More than a dozen food trucks will set up each Tuesday in the park’s lower parking lot adjacent to the playground. The event will include live music.
Information: www.smyrnacity.com.
Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Douglasville 92 Bypass work begins
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday for the Georgia 92 Douglasville Bypass.
The 3.1-mile project will cost $111 million with the first phase being a six-lane underpass beneath the Norfolk Southern railroad, U.S. 78 (Bankhead Highway) and Strickland Street.
Information: Kellie Hunter, 678-449-3106 or hunterk@douglasvillega.gov.
Carolyn Cunningham
DEKALB
Longtime Avondale eyesore finally sold
The so-called “erector set” property on College Avenue and Maple Street in Avondale Estates, long a city eyesore, was recently bought by Euramex Management. The sale was confirmed by real estate broker Pierce Owens of Cushman & Wakefield, which previously owned the property. A two-story unfinished building whose construction was stopped in 2008, the erector set will be replaced, according to city manager Clai Brown, by a first-level retail and upper-level residential development. Bill Banks
Brookhaven police receives federal grant
The Brookhaven Police Department received a federal grant that will be used as reimbursement for bulletproof vests.
The award of $11,117.63 was provided through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bulletproof Vest Partnership, and covers nearly half of the Brookhaven Police Department’s cost on vests.
The department became eligible for the award by requiring all officers to wear vests. Adrianne Murchison
Creativity pays off for Stone Mountain arts
Stone Mountain Development Authority and ART Station Contemporary Arts Center received a Silver Award in Economic Development during the 2014 Georgia Downtown Conference.
The Georgia Downtown Association presented the honor during an Awards of Excellence ceremony Aug. 21.
The non-profit recognized Stone Mountain for its innovation in creating an artists program that resulted in five successful art businesses at five renovated buildings in the historic downtown area.
Adrianne Murchison
DeKalb Ethics Board seeks release of funds
The DeKalb County Board of Ethics is asking county commissioners to release $97,000 for investigations, legal counsel and administrative support — but not for the integrity officer position proposed by Interim CEO Lee May.
Board of Ethics Chairman John Ernst wrote in a letter this week requesting the money that the board needs funding to handle a heavy caseload of complaints pending against elected commissioners and other county employees. An integrity or ethics officer could potentially be created later.
“We’re going to use that money to help us set up the ethics office and further investigate the claims we have currently,” he said. “I’d rather have the airplane built before we start flying.”
The DeKalb Commission appropriated the money in July to supplement the Board of Ethics’ existing $118,000 annual budget. In an effort to preserve the board’s independence, the Commission voted not to release the funds until the board requested them.
May had proposed a chief integrity officer as someone who could train county employees, field tips about unethical behavior, monitor an ethics hotline and bring concerns to the attention of the Board of Ethics.
Ernst said he supports May’s goals.
“We want to continue our independence and decide for ourselves whether an integrity officer or ethics officer would be part of the solution,” Ernst said.
The DeKalb Commission could vote on releasing the money next month.
Mark Niesse
GWINNETT
Police ID Lawrenceville stabbing victims, suspect
Gwinnett police on Friday morning identified the people involved in a domestic dispute in which a man fatally stabbed his ex-wife, stabbed her mother and later killed himself at a gun range.
Around 2:15 p.m. Thursday, police were called to a home on Chris Lake Drive in Lawrenceville and discovered the women — 37-year-old Chheng Voight and 59-year-old Ya Van with stab wounds. The suspect, Chhay Hour, 60, had already left the home when police arrived. Hour was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the Norcross Gun Club and Range on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard just before 7 p.m., police said. MICHELLE E. SHAW
Suwanee millage rate remains unchanged
The Suwanee City Council voted Tuesday to keep its FY 2015 millage rate unchanged from last year at 4.93 mills.
The $11.1 million budget reflects increased property taxes expected to generate additional revenue for the city.
Suwanee’s income from property tax and debt service this year is approximately
$5.26 million.
KAREN HUPPERTZ FOR THE AJC
Officials must decide on attorney fees
On Wednesday, Gwinnett Superior Court Judge Warren Davis ruled that Snellville Mayor Kelly Kautz’s request for attorney fees must go through Snellville officials before the court will decide whether or not the city will be held responsible for her approximately $220,000 in legal services.
The request is the result of a lawsuit filed by Kautz against the Snellville City Council and City Manager. The suit was settled between the parties in June.
KAREN HUPPERTZ FOR THE AJC
Panel to discuss ‘burning’ business plan
The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber and Norcross Business Association will host a Nexlabs ‘Burning Plan’ event at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18 at the Norcross Community Center, 10 College St.
In this program, an entrepreneur or team is given the chance to present their full business plan, discuss what they don’t know about what they are trying accomplish and hear panelists and audience feedback on gaps in the plan. On Sept. 18, Black Mermaid, a locally owned, artisanal soap company that creates handmade, cold-process soaps and bath products will present their plan for sales to both retail stores and direct to consumers. Information: www.southwestgwinnettchamber.com.
KAREN HUPPERTZ FOR THE AJC
Chamber breakfast set for Friday
The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber’s First Friday breakfast will feature Demetrius Jordan, regional director for the United Way of Metro Atlanta to discuss the Gwinnett County Opportunity Zone. Join the meeting 7:30 to 9 a.m. Friday at Hilton Atlanta Northeast, 5993 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
The Opportunity Zone and United Way are working collectively to help families by building quality education that leads to good jobs and enough income to support a family through retirement. Information: www.southwestgwinnettchamber.com.
KAREN HUPPERTZ FOR THE AJC
NORTHSIDE
Forsyth finalizes road bond projects list
The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners has finalized a list of projects that would be done under a transportation bond issue that goes to the voters Nov. 4. Two of the biggest involve Ga. 400; one would widen the freeway from McFarland Parkway to at least Bald Ridge Marina Road, while the other would add an interchange at McGinnis Ferry Road. Other projects would extend Ronald Reagan Boulevard from Majors Road to McFarland Parkway and widen two stretches of Old Atlanta Road.
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Holly Springs cop honored for saving lives
Holly Springs Police Sergeant Nathan Ernst was named Officer of the Year by the Canton Optimist Club recently.
Ernst was lauded for working with paramedics this summer to twice administer a lifesaving dose of anti-OD drug naloxone to a heroin overdose victim. Police say a 24-year-old man regained consciousness after being given the drug Aug. 3. Ernst also helped to save a 24-year-old woman June 6. Holly Springs Police began carrying the drug kits in their patrol cars about three months ago.
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Glavine to throw out pitch for Horizon
National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tom Glavine will throw out the first pitch 10 a.m. Sept. 6 to raise funds for a special needs ball field at the Acworth Sports Complex, 4000 S. Main St. The Acworth Police Department’s seventh “Covering the Bases,” Sept. 5-6, will raise money for the city’s Horizon League for children and young adults with developmental and physical disabilities. Info: www.coveringthebases.org. Tucker McQueen
Sheriff hosts charity ride for youth homes
Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge is hosting the 11th annual Lamar Hunton Memorial Ride to benefit the five campuses of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes Sept. 13.
Registration begins at 8:30 for a 10 a.m. departure from the Paulding County Senior/Community Center, 54 Industrial Way North, Dallas to the Pineland Youth Home in LaGrange.
Costs: $35 per motorcycle, $15 per rider.
There will be a full escort by a sheriff’s patrol car, lunch, door prizes, raffles, a 50 /50 cash drawing and, for all preregistered riders, T-shirts.
Donations: Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, Attn: Lamar Hunton Memorial Ride, 247 Industrial Way North, Dallas, GA 30132 with checks made payable to Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes.
Preregistration: Carrie Wisener or Major Tom Murphy, 770-443-3015.
Info: georgiasheriffsyouth.org. Carolyn Cunningham
Alpharetta hosts free class on lawn care
The city of Alpharetta and the Alpharetta Natural Resources Commission will host a free class on lawn care for homeowners 7-8:30 p.m. Sept. 10 at the city public works office, 1790 Hembree Road. North Fulton Master Gardeners and cooperative extension officials will cover such topics as: warm vs. cool-season grasses, soil testing and watering best practices. Info: 678-297-6200.
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
SOUTHSIDE
Thieves steal 400 cases of liquor from distributor
Fulton police are hoping they can help some folks catch a case for the cases they copped over the weekend.
Over the weekend, thieves got away with more than 400 cases of booze from a liquor distributor warehouse off Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in south Fulton County, Channel 2 Action News reports. Thieves used drills and saws to cut through brick and concrete sometime Saturday night into early Sunday morning. The spot where thieves got in is on the back side of the building – not visible from the main road. staff
Fayette commissioners roll back millage rate
The Fayette County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 on Thursday to roll back the 2015 General Fund millage rate to 5.602, down from this year’s 5.714 mills.
The nearly 2 percent reduction effectively keeps property tax payments the same. The loss of car title tax revenue was offset by increases in residential property values and more taxable property within the county.
The millage rates for fire, EMS and E-911 services will remain the same.
Jill Howard Church
Woodward completes building campaign
Woodward Academy, a private school in College Park, this month dedicated a new Upper School humanities building financed with some of the $63.5 million raised in a capital campaign that concluded in December.
Jane Woodruff Hall, at 101,297 square feet, is the largest building on campus. It houses Upper School English, world languages, and social studies departments as well as the Upper School administration. It includes a 150-seat lecture hall, a suite of counseling offices and computer and world language labs.
Every classroom has Internet access and interactive SMART Boards.
Ty Tagami
Peachtree City rejects golf cart proposal
Peachtree City has rejected a reciprocal golf cart registration agreement with Fayette County. The county has been working to make regulations regarding golf cart operation consistent throughout the various municipalities.
City Manager James Pennington notified County Administrator Steve Rapson on Aug. 27 that carts registered by the county would still be subject to a $60 per year fee for use within the city.
Peachtree City does, however, have a reciprocal agreement with Tyrone.
Jill Howard Church
New video features school updates
A new online video feature offers updates about the Fayette County Public School System. The first installment of the five-minute News Break has been posted at www.fcboe.org, with Superintendent Joseph Barrow Jr. talking about program and testing changes occurring this fall.
Future episodes are expected to be posted quarterly on the website, on Comcast channel 24 and on the school system’s YouTube channel.
Jill Howard Church
