County by county news for Friday

The property off Dallas Highway in west Marietta is the site of Union and Confederate fighting during the Atlanta Campaign in June 1864. The site is noted for having union entrenchments, rifle pits and cannon placements.

Attempts failed in 2005 to secure adjacent land that was developed as a subdivision.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Family history research explored Monday

Family history research tips will be offered 2 to 3:30 p.m. Monday at the Powder Springs Library, 4181 Atlanta St.

Carolyn Crawford, head of the the Georgia Room, the genealogical and historical collection of the Cobb County Public Library System, will present basic instructions on how to conduct genealogy research and an overview of the library’s resources and databases.

Registration is required for this free event.

Information: cobbcat.org/GaRm-1.html, powdersb@cobbcat.org or 770-439-3600.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Barge commends Tritt Elementary

State School Superintendent John Barge was at Tritt Elementary School this week to celebrate the school’s naming as a 2013 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence award. Eight schools in state, including Tritt, received the award, which honors public and private schools that have very high levels of student performance or show significant improvements.

Tritt will officially receive the award during a ceremony on Nov. 19 in Washington, D.C.

The award’s ceremony will be attended by principal Karen Frost and Teacher of the Year Jennifer Dino

Nancy Badertscher

Empty Plate Social for pantries Saturday

The Christian Aid Mission Partnership of Austell and Our Father’s Hands of Powder Springs will present their Empty Plate Social 7 p.m. Saturday at Adventure Outdoors, 2500 South Cobb Drive, Smyrna.

The includes an auction, barbecue and bluegrass to raise funds to provide food and clothing for local residents in need.

Cost: $50 per person. Information: ourfathershands.com/about, svcamp.org.

Reservations: svcamp.org/events/empty_plate/empty_plate.htm. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Medicare workshop for baby boomers

Elliott and Associates Wealth Advisors, Inc. will host a free educational Medicare workshop for baby boomers at 9 a.m. Oct. 26 at the office, 1225 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 600, Marietta.

Topics will include how Medicare enrollment periods work, expectations for health care costs, how Medicare works with private insurance and planning for higher health care costs in retirement. Seating is limited and reservations are recommended.

Information: www.elliottandassoc.net or 770-451-2446. Veronica Fields Johnson

GWINNETT

Lilburn celebrates Veterans Day

Lilburn will celebrate veterans with a recognition ceremony and ice cream social 2 p.m. Nov. 10 in Lilburn City Park. Bring worn, tattered, and damaged American flags for proper retirement.

Lilburn VFW Post 12096 will provide this service free of charge. Information: www.cityoflilburn.com. Staff

Georgia SPCA hosts low cost pet clinic

The Georgia SPCA will sponsor a low cost vaccination clinic from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Camp Woof, 4590 Buford Highway, Norcross. Tests and vaccinations available include: canine and feline rabies, feline distemper, feline combo test, canine distemper/parvo, canine bordetella, canine heartworm test, nail clipping, de-wormer. All dogs should be on a leash and all cats in a carrier. Information: 678-765-2726.

Veronica Fields Johnson

Norcross to discuss crossing safety

Norcross will hold a Public Open House to discuss potential safety improvements to the railroad crossing at Holcomb Bridge Road 5-7 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Norcross Community Center, 10 College St.

Information: leahvaughan@sycamoreconsulting.net or 404-377-9147. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Online campus hosts semester registration

Registration forGwinnett school system’s online campus extends through Nov. 20 for grades 4-12.

Gwinnett Online Campus will host meetings 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4 and Nov. 19 at the school, 713 Hi Hope Road, Lawrenceville.

Information: www.gwinnettonlinecampus.com/attend-goc.html Nancy Badertscher

Kudzu Art Zone to host charity exhibit

Kudzu Art Zone will partner with Perimeter Church’s Global Outreach Ministry in a fundraising event to bring hope, food, shelter and health services to the village of Karansi, Tanzania. The Karansi Project will feature artwork inspired by daily life in the African village. All proceeds and any donations will benefit Karansi widows and orphans. Kudzu Art Zone is looking for local artists to submit their artwork 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 26. Additional details about the exhibition as well as requirements for entry available at www.kudzuartzone.org. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Duluth Citizens Police accepting applications

The Duluth Police Department is beginning a Citizen Police Academy. Citizens may attend this free academy to introduce functions of police work begining Jan. 23 and ending May 24. Each class will be approximately three hours, meeting every other Thursday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 3276 Buford Highway in Duluth. Contact Major Woodruff at dwoodruff@duluthpd.com, 678-512-3705, or www.duluthga.net/departments/police. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Man, 35, killed in chicken truck crash

A 35-year-old man died Wednesday afternoon when his pickup truck collided with a chicken truck in Cherokee County.

The wreck happened shortly after 4 p.m. on Ball Ground Road, near the intersection with Liberty Church Lane.

Investigators believe a white, Ford F-150 collided with a Tyson chicken truck, killing the driver of the Ford instantly. The 63-year-old driver of the truck hauling chicken was not injured.

Both lanes of the road were temporarily closed following the wreck. Alexis Stevens

Alpharetta man pleads to child sex abuse

Cecil Lamar Benefield, 54, of Alpharetta pleaded guilty to first-degree sodomy and sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years old in Etowah County, Alabama on Tuesday.

Benefield was charged with the crimes after a relative told authorities he had molested her repeatedly from the time she was 5 years old until she was 12. He was sentenced to prison terms of 25 and 20 years, according to The Gadsden Times.

Authorities investigating the case say they have found other victims who had been abused by Benefield. He now faces charges in at least one other Alabama county for similar incidents. Fran Jeffries

Scavenger hunt comes to Woodstock

The city of Woodstock will hold the first annual Discover Woodstock Scavenger Hunt from Friday until Nov. 1. The competition consists of challenges where participants must take creative photos of various city locales. The activity list will be posted at 9 a.m. Friday on whatsupwoodstock. com. The team finishing first wins a downtown gift certificate and other prizes. More info: kbennett!@woodstockga.gov

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Alpharetta Restaurant Week set

Alpharetta Restaurant Week will be Nov. 2-9. At least 15 restaurants will participate in this year’s observance. Restaurants will have a variety of options on prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended.

Information: 678-297-2811. Laurie Hoffman

Canton changes council meeting policy

The Canton City Council voted 5-1 to eliminate its system of one work session, or non-voting meeting a month, and one voting meeting. From now both council meetings, which are held the first and third Thursdays of the month, will be voting sessions.

The present policy, adopted in May of 2012, had limited voting during work sessions to emergencies, however the council has voted on items seen as more routine at times.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Electronics recycling in Cumming Oct. 26

Keep Forsyth County Beautiful will hold an electronics recycling event 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Cumming Fairgrounds parking lot 3 off Castleberry Road.

Laptops, CD players, cellphones and microwaves are among the items that will be accepted with a minimum donation of $5 per carload.

Information: forsythco.com. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

Volunteers teach at Project for a Day event

Volunteers from business and community organizations will work on learning projects in Atlanta public schools Thursday to encourage students to stay in school and go on to become successful members of the workforce.

The event, sponsored by Atlanta Partners for Education, includes activities such as helping students complete college applications, teaching them to create their own formula for a carbonated drink and providing information about potential careers.

The activities will take place in all of the city’s public schools, with volunteers from IBM, Gas South, The Zeist Foundation, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta and others.

Mark Niesse

Conference for caregivers of seniors today

The 2013 Georgia USAging Conference will be held from noon to 6 p.m. today at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel & Conference Center, 2450 Galleria Parkway.

Topics include having “The Talk” about aging and the future, options and resources, legal and financial issues and healthcare reform.

The event is open to caregivers, clergy, industry professionals, active seniors, medical personnel, clergy and community organizers. CEU credit is also available for those who qualify.

Information on the 2013 Georgia USAging Conference: seniorcaregivingtoday.com.

Sheila M. Poole

Elementary educator named teacher of the year

A Cleveland Avenue Elementary School teacher of gifted students, Rita Simmons, has been named the teacher of the year for Atlanta Public Schools.

Simmons, who teaches students in kindergarten through fifth grade at the south Atlanta school, is the founder of a mentoring organization for girls, and she previously taught fifth grade in Cobb County.

Simmons was chosen for the teacher of the year award over Nathaniel Snyder of KIPP Ways Academy and Danielle Gilley Costarides of North Atlanta High School.

Mark Niesse

DEKALB

Animal shelter posts monthly gains

DeKalb County reduced the euthanasia rate at its county shelter in September while adopting a record 227 pets out of the facility during the month.

The gains are part of an overhaul of the county’s animal services department, which includes hiring a private welfare group to run the shelter where more than 60 percent of animals taken annually fail to make it out alive.

LifeLine Animal Project, which took over shelter operations in July, reported a 23 percent euthanasia rate for September. April Hunt

Schools to hold ‘Safety Awareness’ Day

Partly because of various school shootings, Decatur Schools Superintendent Phyllis Edwards and the city’s police department are holding a “Safety Awareness” day for faculty and staff Nov. 5.

An off day for City Schools’ students, all teachers will meet at the Decatur High Auditorium in the morning to hear a keynote speaker before breaking to individual schools in the afternoon for drills with safety experts covering shootings, floods and tornadoes.

Bill Banks for the AJC

Doraville library hosts November book sale

The Friends of Doraville Library will hold a book sale from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 2 at the branch to support programming at the branch.

The sale includes fiction hardcover books, as well as paperbacks, CDs and DVDs for adult and children.

Donations are still be accepted at the library, 3748 Central Ave., Doraville.

Information: 770-936-3852.

April Hunt

Lithonia hosting kids’ Halloween event

Lithonia will host a Trunk or Treat with candy for kids from 5:30 p.m.to 8 p.m. Oct. 31 on Main Street.

Donations of treats are still needed, as are volunteers. More information: 770-482-1411.

April Hunt

County hosting stream cleanup Saturday

Volunteers are needed for a cleanup Saturday of the South River in DeKalb County.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon at the Pole Bridge wastewater treatment plan, 4664 Flat Bridge Road, near Lithonia.

Information/Registration: 770-724-1457 or msoshield@dekalbcountyga.gov. April Hunt

Registration open for basketball leagues

DeKalb County parks is accepting registration through November for a winter adult basketball league at all county recreation centers.

Cost is $320 per team an eight-game season that begins in December. Participants must be 35 or older and provide their own uniforms for the league.

Information: 770-414-2113.April Hunt

Library workers hosting art show

Staffers in the DeKalb County Public Library are hosting an expo of their designs to help offset department budget cuts.

The works will be displayed, and for sale to benefit the library system, now through November at the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St.

Information: www.dekalblibrary.org. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

School shooting drill at Booth Middle

Peachtree City’s J. C. Booth Middle School will be the site of a police drill starting at 8 a.m. today. Public safety officers and vehicles will be there to conduct a “full-scale reunification exercise” that will simulate a post-active shooter incident.

Traffic and access to the campus will be temporarily affected.

Information: 770-632-4112 or policepublicinfo@peachtree-city.org. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Fayette considering pay restoration

A letter sent to Fayette County school employees holds out the possibility of repaying teachers for two furlough days. The county has a projected fund balance of $18 million after cutting staff and other expenses earlier this year. Superintendent Jody Barrow said on Oct. 21 that the Board of Education should wait until after fall property taxes are collected to determine whether to restore some cuts. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Stovall to host college admissions forum

State Rep. Valencia Stovall will host a “Fall into Admissions” forum 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Clayton State University-East Campus, 5823 Trammell Road, Morrow. It will cover scholarships and considering the military reserves and technical schools. There also will be a panel discussion. Representives from the Georgia National Guard, Atlanta Technical College, Georgia Perimeter College and Clayton State University will attend. Information: ccontact Jae. S. Brown, 404 643-4280. Tammy Joyner

Commissioner hosts second masked ball

Henry County Commissioner Bruce Holmes will host the second annual Commissioner’s Masked Ball from 7-11 p.m. Oct. 31, in the Egyptian Ballroom of the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. A.J. “Buddy” Welch Jr., June Wood, and Dr. Cynthia McCray will be honored during the evening’s festivities.

All proceeds benefit the Commissioner Bruce Holmes Youth Foundation. Tickets may be purchased through Eventbrite at www.cbhyf.eventbrite.com.

Information: 404-310-0460 or 770-597-7544.Monroe Roark for the AJC

Peachtree City fire station will be haunted

The Peachtree City Volunteer Firefighters Association will create thrills and chills at its annual Haunted House 7 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Leach Fire Station at Ga. 74 and Paschall Road.

Hot dogs and drinks will also be available.

Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students; proceeds benefit the association. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Union City park to host fall family festival

Ronald Bridges Park and Recreation will host a fall family festival from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at the park, 5285 Lakeside Drive, Union City.

Activities will include games, candy, prizes, train rides and a costume contest. The event is free.

Information: www.unioncityga.org.

Veronica Fields Johnson