County by county news for Tuesday 10/09

State representative awards scholarships

State Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan, D-Austell, has named Ruby Bansah and Rolando Zenteno as winners of the first annual Morgan Family Scholarship to help Pebblebrook and South Cobb High School students. Zenteno from Pebblebrook and Bansah from South Cobb each received $500 for their education at a Georgia college, university or technical school. Morgan thanked Six Flags Over Georgia for serving as the major sponsor. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Marietta considers more trees downtown Marietta is looking at adding trees along Church Street from Mill to Polk Streets to provide shade to downtown visitors. A city’s public works committee recommends adding taller trees that won’t block store signs and widening sidewalks for the $150,000 to $200,000 project. Parking spaces would not be cut, but road lanes would be reduced from 15 to 10 feet. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Automotive group donates books

Ed Voyles Automotive Group recently donated 1000 books to the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy. The books cover social studies, science, reading and language arts. The group also purchased social studies and science books for the district’s fifth graders. Daarel Burnette II

Campbell to hold IB open house Campbell High School’s International Baccalaureate program will hold an open house Nov. 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. for 8th grade families. The event will take place at Livingston Auditorium at 5265 Ward St. in Smyrna. IB programs involve an advanced curriculum along with community service and a final research project. Graduates receive a special diploma. For more information,visit the school’s website at www.campbellhs.com or call 678-842-6856. Daarel Burnette II

Austell approves community garden

A community garden was approved recently by the Austell City Council in honor of the late I. T. Terrell. The cost is free to the city due to a $5,000 grant from the Soil and Water Conservation District. The five-acre site on Owens Drive is the former home and garden of Terrell, who would give away his produce throughout the city, said Randy Bowens, director of the city’s public works department. Bowens said the city bought the property from Terrell since it was in a floodplain. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GWINNETT

Lation elected officials group to meet Friday

The Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials will host a Hispanic Heritage Month luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Hilton Atlanta Northeast, 5993 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Norcross.

Matt Barreto, director of the Washington Institute for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, will speak. The cost is $50 per person for GALEO members and nonprofits and $100 for non-members. For more information and to register, visit www.galeo.org. David Wickert

Redevelopment forum Thursday at Red Clay

Partnership Gwinnett and the Council for Quality Growth will host a redevelopment forum from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Red Clay Theatre & Arts Center, 3116 Main St., Duluth.

The forum will focus on innovative revitalization strategies, infrastructure improvements and other issues involving redevelopment. Charles Waldheim, chair of landscape architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, will be the keynote speaker. For more information and to register, visit www.gwinnettchamber.org. David Wickert

Suwanee accepting applications for events

Each year Suwanee hosts approximately 40 events in the Town Center and other parks. Event applications for 2013 are only accepted October to December. Visit www.suwanee.com to submit an application by the Dec. 7 deadline. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Dacula seeking input on sanitation billing

Dacula’s City Council is considering the pros and cons of moving annual billing for sanitation to resident’s Gwinnett County property tax bills. Residents may comment by email to mayordacula@att.net or call the City Hall at 770-963-7451. In addition, Dacula will hold two public town hall meetings at 6 p.m. Oct. 25 and Nov. 1. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Sugar Hill constructing road to planned center

Sugar Hill announced it soon will begin construction of a half-mile road from Ga. Highway 20 north to 90 acres earmarked for public-private enterprise, potentially Global Sport United’s marquee sports and retail center between Sugar Hill Golf Course and the Chattahoochee River. The road is scheduled to be completed before August, when the Georgia Department of Transportation is scheduled to be widening Highway 20 there. Michael Alpert for the AJC

Foster parent sessions upcoming

Looking to make a difference to a child? Gwinnett County Department of Family and Children Services is urging Gwinnett residents to consider foster parenting. Upcoming orientation sessions sponsored by the Gwinnett County DFCS will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 15, Nov. 5, and Dec. 10 at the Clayton Commerce Center, 33 South Clayton St. in Lawrenceville. For more information, call 877-210-5437 or email dfcsrd@gmail.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

3 Cherokee deputies on leave after shooting

Three Cherokee County deputies are on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into the shooting of a suicidal man on Saturday. The deputies were dispatched around noon to a domestic dispute at 320 Hideaway Acres in Canton. When they arrived, the suspect was standing outside firing a handgun. He refused orders to drop the weapon and was shot by deputies. He later died of his injuries. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident, which is in routine procedure for officer-involved shootings. Andria Simmons

Fulton County school board meets today

The Fulton County Board of Education meets at noon today for a work session at the school system’s Administrative Center, 786 Cleveland Ave., Atlanta. The board will be in executive session, which is not open to the public, followed by a series of public workshops, which starts at 2 p.m. Should the workshops conclude early, the board may move to immediately begin discussion of the Oct. 18 board agenda, followed by recognitions of students and staff and a public comment session. Jeffry Scott

Milton asks help in honoring veterans

Milton will again display commemorative markers for the two weeks surrounding Veterans Day and the city is asking residents to help out. Over the past four years, the city has amassed a list of 463 living and fallen veterans, 261 memorialized with markers placed along Deerfield Parkway. Any deceased veteran of a Milton family is qualified to be honored with a marker.

Residents are being asked to complete the rolls by filling out a form available at City Hall or on the city’s website, www.cityofmiltonga.us, to have a relative honored for his or her military service. Information: 678-242-2500. Patrick Fox

Alpharetta offers composting workshop

Alpharetta will offer a free composting workshop from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday in the lower gym of the Wills Park Recreation Center, 11925 Wills Road. The workshop will be followed by a hands-on tour of composting at the adjacent Alpharetta Community Garden.

Charmaine Jackson, manager of the Alpharetta Community Garden, will lead the tour. Daron Joffe, of Farmer D Organics, will demonstrate how to turn kitchen scraps, grass clippings, newspapers and more into compost.

Registration: 678-297-6200. Patrick Fox

Roswell to host virtual meeting on bond issue

Roswell will host a virtual public meeting on the proposed $14.7 million bond referendum voters will decide Nov. 6.

Participants are encouraged to register in advance of the meeting, which is scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 16, to familiarize themselves with the format.

Meeting information and the link to register are at www.roswellgov.com/bondmeeting.

City officials said the bond will not increase the current property tax rate, and the money will be used for capital projects.

Patrick Fox

ATLANTA

Zoo helps celebrate pre-k anniversary

Pre-k teachers and students will receive discounts to Zoo Atlanta this week as part of the 20th anniversary of Georgia’s lottery-funded pre-k programs. Admission will be $9 per student through Friday, compliments of Zoo Atlanta, and PNC bank. Zoo Atlanta’s giant panda mascot Zhu Zhu will welcome teachers and students as they arrive at Flamingo Plaza from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Other special activities are planned. Nancy Badertscher

Press club induct new hall of fame members

The Atlanta Press Club Hall of Fame ceremony is set for Wednesday and will include recognition of the 2012 inductees. They are: Anne Cox Chambers, Barbara Cox, Gov. James M. Cox, Xernona Clayton, Conrad Fink, George Goodwin, Ralph McGill. The event is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at InterContinental Buckhead. Nancy Badertscher

CAU celebrates homecoming this week

Clark Atlanta University is celebrating 25 years of scholarship, leadership and academic excellence with a series of community engagement activities Wednesday through Sunday during its 2012 Homecoming week.

The week of events includes: chapel services, alumni events, interactive forums, a Greek Step Show, musical performances and a football game against Benedict College.

Info: www.cau.edu Andria Simmons

Homebuying workshop to be held today

Aspiring Fulton County homeowners can attend an information session today at the Washington Park Branch Library called “Do You Dream of Owning Your Own Home?” The workshop, hosted by Fulton County’s Housing and Community Development Office, will describe two programs that can help make purchases possible. The session runs from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 1116 Martin Luther King Jr., Drive, Atlanta. Information: 404-612-8077 or 404-612-8060. Johnny Edwards

DEKALB

Man found dead near apartment

DeKalb County police are investigating the Sunday night shooting of a man found dead inside an apartment near Stone Mountain.

Channel 2 Action News reported that a woman at the Lancashire Court complex called 911 just before midnight to report that the door of an upstairs unit was left open.

Responding officers found the man’s body inside the living room of the apartment. He had been shot in the head, according to Channel 2.

The name of the victim, who was in his 20s, has not been released. Mike Morris

Brookhaven candidate suspends campaign

One of the four people running to become Brookhaven’s first mayor said he was withdrawing from the campaign last week, then a day later clarified to say he was “suspending” his effort.

In an open letter to the media and community, Thom Shepard said he will remain on the ballot to help ensure his contribution to discussions of how the new city should move forward.

Shepard faces Larry Danese, J. Max Davis and Sandy Murray in the November election. April Hunt

Stone Mountain CID to hold meeting

The Stone Mountain Community Improvement District will continue its economic development efforts with a community meeting Thursday.

The district wants to gather public input on its development plans at the session, the second in a series focusing on attracting employers to the area. The meeting runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Eagle Rock Distributing, 1375 Beverage Dr., near Stone Mountain.

RSVP is required. RSVP at 678-333-0476 or Amanda.hatton@jacobs.com. April Hunt

Advisory panels to hold joint meeting

The DeKalb Parks Bond Advisory Committee and Initiative for a Green DeKalb Advisory Council will hold a joint meeting on Wednesday.

The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Wade Walker Park YMCA, 5605 Rockbridge Road, near Stone Mountain. The session will include a tour of the new facility. More information: 404-371-2082. April Hunt

Public safety town hall meeting planned

The DeKalb County district attorney and the chief of the DeKalb Police Department will host a town hall meeting on Oct. 20 that will focus on various public safety initiatives.

There will a complimentary breakfast offered as the charge-free program begins at 8:30 a.m. It will be held at Kingsley Elementary School at 2051 Brendon Drive in Dunwoody.

Contact Dana Lawrence at delawrence@dekalbcountyga.gov or Ebony Phillips at eaphillips@dekalbcountyga.gov for more information. Rhonda Cook

International festival returning to DeKalb

DeKalb County will host its second annual International Food and Music Festival next month at Northlake Mall in Tucker. The event runs from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 13 at the mall. Proceeds benefit county charities, including the DeKalb County Police Alliance.

Information: 404-371-3681. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

State grants approval for Henry charter academy

Henry County Schools have been given final approval by the state to open a charter college and career academy. The academy is slated to open in the 2013-14 school year and serve about 1,500 students. Within five years, the charter academy, which will be called the Academy for Advanced Studies, is expected to have about 2,500 students. “We look forward to further development of the Academy for Advanced Studies in this meaningful collaboration with our business community and post-secondary partners,” said Superintendent Ethan Hildreth. Nancy Badertscher

Fairburn police charge man with murder

Fairburn police have made an arrest in the slaying of a man whose body was discovered Sunday along a woodline behind a motel. The body was found around 11:30 a.m. Sunday behind the Efficiency Lodge, an extended-stay motel on Senoia Road in Fairburn. Anthony M. Bethea Jr. was arrested Sunday night and booked into the Fulton County Jail, charged with murder, according to Fairburn police Sgt. Anthony Bazydlo. The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office has tentatively identified the victim, but is awaiting verification from next-of-kin before releasing the victim’s name. Mike Morris and Fran Jeffries

Volunteers needed for river cleanup

The Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority is hosting its 2012 Henry County Rivers Alive program with Henry County Stormwater Management and Strong Rock Christian School. The cleanup will be Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. Volunteers should gather at the school at 4200 Strong Rock Parkway in Locust Grove for a hayride/shuttle to the cleanup site. Tammy Joyner

Fall Festival at Flat Shoals Park Oct. 20

Commissioner Gail Hambrick and Clayton County Parks & Recreation present the Fall Festival at Flat Shoals Park on Oct. 20. The 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. event will be held at 1915 Flat Shoals Rd. in Riverdale. The costume contest will begin at noon. The event features a DJ, magician, clowns and face-painting, arts and crafts, local vendors and appearance by members of the county public safety department. Tammy Joyner

Actress to visit primary school students

Television actress Ellia English will visit students at Mount Zion Primary School on Wednesday to discuss reading and literacy. English is best known for her role as “Aunt Helen” on the “Jamie Foxx” show. The Covington native will appear at 12:30 p.m. at the school. English’s sister, Katrina English is a teacher at Mount Zion Primary. Tammy Joyner

Fayette school board candidates to meet

The Fayette County Chamber of Commerce will host a free public meeting with the two candidates for Fayette County’s Post 2 school board position 5:30-7 p.m. on Oct. 16 at Peachtree City United Methodist Church, 225 Robinson Road. Incumbent Terri Smith and Mary Kay Bacallao will discuss the changes and challenges facing the public school system. Jill Howard Church