County by county news for Friday

Lewis Bernard Flagg is charged with the robbery of the Shell station at Holcomb Bridge Road and Spalding Drive on June 21.

Police in Chamblee and Fayette, Rockdale and Cobb counties are preparing to charge Flagg with robberies in those areas, according to Sandy Springs Police.

It was unclear when and where the robberies took place.

Cailin O’Brien

Cobb EMC reduces power adjustment

The Cobb Electric Membership Corporation, which serves more than 177,000 residential homes and commercial customers, announced a 1-mill reduction in the Wholesale Power Adjustment Monday. The adjustment will help to lower monthly power bills for EMC customers, said Board Chairman Ed Crowell.

On average, the Cobb EMC residential member will save $1.14 each month on electric service, or $13.68 each year. For more information, visit www.cobbemc.com.Hannah Morgan

Marietta increases bond to $68 million

The Marietta City Council in a 5 to 2 vote Wednesday approved increasing a proposed $35 million redevelopment bond to $68 million. Phil Goldstein and Anthony Coleman voted no. City voters will decide in November if plans will move forward to redevelop the aging Franklin Road corridor and spend about $4 million on streetscape improvements on Whitlock Avenue.

The bond proposal as written can not include installing quiet railroad crossings in downtown Marietta. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

East Cobb Park celebrates anniversary

East Cobb Park will celebrate its 10th anniversary 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Food, games, guest speakers and music will fill the park, at 3322 Roswell Road, Marietta. Information, visit eastcobbpark.org.

Hannah Morgan

Kids can sign up for musical theater camp

Curtain Call Youth Players will hold a musical theater summer camp at The Art Place – Mountain View, 3330 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta.

The weeklong camp for rising third- through fifth-graders will be held Monday through July 19. The camp for rising sixth- through eighth-graders will be July 22-26.

Tuition is $215. Information: 404-692-CCYP or ccyp.org.

Jaime Sarrio

Summer J.A.M. to be July 17 in Civic Center

The Coalition of Cobb County Business Associations and Cobb Chamber of Commerce will hold Summer J.A.M. 5 to 8 p.m. July 17 at the Cobb Civic Center. The event celebrates Cobb’s small business community and promotes local business associations.

Members of participating associations can attend for free with online registration or pay $20 at the door. General admission is $20 online, $30 at the door.

Deadline for online registration is noon July 3. Info: cobbchamber.org/summerjam. Jaime Sarrio

GWINNETT

Peachtree Corners offers street sign toppers

The United Peachtree Corners Civic Association and the City of Peachtree Corners have approved a new street sign topper to replace 98 original toppers from 2006. The new city logo topper will be sold to individuals, organizations, and businesses for street signs without a Peachtree Corners topper now until November 1. Total cost for each topper and bracket is $60 and will be installed by Gwinnett DOT in early 2014.

View and order the topper at www.upcca.org. Email orders to Pat Bruschini at toppers@upcca.com or call 770-263-6159. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Auditors give Norcross favorable report

Auditors Rushton & Company gave Norcross a positive annual review of its 2012 accounting practices and ledgers, the city reported. Revenue showed a significant increase over the previous year, and auditors termed the city’s financial circumstance “good,” with “no material weaknesses and no significant deficiencies.” The complete budget report is available at norcrossga.net or by calling 770-448-2122.

Michael Alpert for the AJC

Social media focus of Snellville summit

Snellville in partnership with the Snellville Entrepreneur Council offers an ongoing Summit series providing resources for start-up or small businesses. The third quarter summit to be held 6:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 16 at Snellville City Hall will focus on the importance of building a highly visible online presence. More than 90 percent of consumers turn to the Internet for information about businesses and products. Register early at www.snellville.org/summit, 770-985-3508 or email economicdevelopment@snellville.org.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Peachtree Corners State of the City set

The Peachtree Corners Business Association will host Peachtree Corners Mayor, Mike Mason, as he reviews the city’s first year and shares insights about the future 7:30 a.m. Monday at Atlanta Marriott Norcross. Advance registration required: www.peachtreecornersba.com. Karen Huppertz

Community emergency course available

The Gwinnett County Office of Emergency Management is offering free Community Emergency Response Team training from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. This eight-week course will educate residents in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.

A course review and disaster simulation will take place on July 27, from 8 a.m. to noon. Information: ema@gwinnettcounty.com. Class size limited to 25 participants. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Lawrenceville seeking award nominations

The Lawrenceville Hammer Awards recognize individuals and businesses for renovation and construction projects that enhance the city’s esthetics and contribute to its overall vision. Nominations are being accepted through July 19. Information: Jenny Savoy at jenny@visitlawrenceville.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Study shows economic impact of UNG

An annual study of the University of Georgia System shows the University of North Georgia had a $401 million economic impact on its region in fiscal year 2012, with an employment impact of 4,343 jobs.

The study was done by the Selig Center for economic Growth at the UGA Terry College of Business. UNG has campuses in Cuming, Dahlonega, Gainesville and Oconee County.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Motorcycle fundraising ride set Saturday

The Kevin P. Mahurin Motorcycle Awareness Foundation will hold its fifth memorial ride at 10 a.m. Saturday, (July 13) starting and finishing from 100 River Pointe Parkway in Canton. Cost is $25 per bike. Proceeds will go toward a drive for a Georgia motorcycle safety awareness license plate.

The foundation was created by the family of a 2008 motorcycle crash victim.

Information: kevinsmotorcyclefoundation.org

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Senior center to hold yard sale

The Powder Springs Senior Center will hold a yard and bake sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and Saturday at the Bill “Papa” Morris building, 4181 Atlanta St., next to the Powder Springs Library.

Proceeds will help pay for the center’s programming costs.

Information: Center Coordinator Dee Chappell, 770-943-1555. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GDOT wants input on Ga. 20 project via Web

The Georgia Department of Transportation is taking to the Web to get input on proposed improvements to Ga. 20 from I-575 in Canton to Ga. 400 in Cumming.

A survey’s been posted to http://sr20.metroquest.com asking about the need to upgrade the over-capacity road and alternatives for improvements and their impact. The survey will be active until Monday. A series of public meetings was held on the project in May.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Cherokee exhibit traces history of mills

The Cherokee County History Museum and Visitors Center presents the temporary exhibit “Life with the Mills: The Canton Cotton Mills” through Sept. 14.

The free exhibit traces the mills from 1900 to 1981 and features documents, artifacts and photographs.

The museum is at 100 North St., Suite 140, Canton.

More information: rockbarn.org

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Johns Creek offering arts grants

Johns Creek arts organizations with at least three years of 501(c)(3) status have until 5 p.m. July 31 to apply for a portion of the city’s $30,000 of competitive grant funding.

Applications must be submitted to the city clerk at 12000 Findley Road or emailed by then to grants@JohnsCreekGA.gov. Information: 678-512-3200.

Michael Alpert for the AJC

ATLANTA

More candidates enter school board race

Substitute teacher Eddie Lee Brewster, retired teacher Anne McKenzie and concerned citizen Dave Walker are running for seats on the Atlanta Board of Education, meaning there are now 20 candidates seeking nine seats up for election in November.

Brewster wants to give teachers more resources, and McKenzie supports more career paths for students who aren’t planning to attend college. They’ll compete against each other, business lawyer Jason Esteves and retired technology professional Mary Louise Palmer for the at-large District 9 seat.

Walker, who would emphasize reading and math learning, will face investment management professional Reuben McDaniel, attorney Cynthia Briscoe Brown, real estate development company founder Mark Riley and attorney Tom Tidwell for the at-large District 8 seat. Mark Niesse

Deals to promote rating system

Gov. Nathan Deal and First Lady Sandra Deal will promote the state’s new day care rating system with Bobby Cagle, commissioner of Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the state Capitol.

They will recognize the first 230-plus child care centers to earn a one- to three-star rating for quality.

Similar to rating systems for other service industries, such as restaurants and hotels, Quality Rated uses one, two and three stars to indicate early care and education programs that meet a set of standards exceeding the state’s minimum licensing requirements. Nancy Badertscher

Street food festival set for Saturday

Atlanta’s favorite food trucks will roll into Piedmont Park noon to 8 p.m. July 13 for the city’s second annual Street Food Festival featuring more than 25 food trucks and live music. A percentage of sales go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Tickets: www.atlantastreetfoodfestival.com. Nancy Badertscher

DEKALB

School Board elects to pursue referendum

Decatur’s school board unanimously authorized putting a $59.5 million bond referendum on the Nov.5 ballot rather than waiting an extra year. The money would finance renovations to Decatur High and Renfroe Middle schools, nearly doubling the size of each. It’s still not a done deal since several steps remain to be taken before early September for the referendum to make this year’s ballot. But chairman Mark Wisniewski said, “We have to move forward. Waiting a year means we’ll need 30 to 40 [classroom trailers], and that’s simply an unhealthy learning environment.”Bill Banks for the AJC

City seeks developer for MARTA property

With the recent rezoning of a 7.6-acre Avondale MARTA parking lot to mixed use, assistant city manager Lyn Menne said the city could have a developer by fall. Plans call for a residential/retail project that could include up to 532 apartment/condo units, part of MARTA’s long-term strategy for bringing “transit-oriented developments” to its surface parking lots. Menne said if a development partner’s on board by fall, construction could begin by late 2014 or early 2015. Bill Banks for the AJC

Stone Mountain fixing up intersections

The Stone Mountain Community Improvement District recently installed new signs to more than 100 of the area’s busy intersections.

The updated signs – including road signs and direction ones such as stop signs – are designed to improve traffic along the Mountain Industrial Boulevard corridor. The Highway 78-Mountain Industrial Boulevard interchange is one of the district’s gateway intersections.

Crews from DeKalb County made and provided the signs, which were installed by a CID contractor. April Hunt

County, Red Cross hosting blood drive

The DeKalb Board of Health and DeKalb Community Service Board are teaming up with the Red Cross for a blood drive later this month.

The drive will be held from noon to 5 p.m. July 19 at the Vinson Health Center, 440 Winn Way, Decatur.

Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is encouraged at epruddiman@dhr.state.ga.us or 404-294-3792. April Hunt

Work underway at three senior centers

County leaders broke ground recently on a senior center at Mason Mill Park, the last of three new facilities now under construction across the county.

Each center – in the central, north and southern parts of the county – will be 15,000-square feet and are slated to open late this year or early next.

The $11.3 million price tag for all three facilities is being covered with federal block grant money, not local tax dollars.

April Hunt

South River focus of upcoming canoe outing

The South River Watershed Alliance is again organizing a canoe/kayak outing of to encourage more awareness and conservation of the river.

The next outing begins at 9 a.m. Saturday and will cover about 5.5 miles of the river. Cost is $30 and includes canoe rental, lunch and insurance.

Information/registration: southriverga.org. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Henry government reaps dividend

Henry County officials announced the receipt of an $84,491 dividend as its share of $2 million declared by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia’s property and liability fund.

The money will be applied in the form of a credit toward the county’s property and liability premium for the 2013-2014 policy year and result in a slight savings in the FY2014 budget.

Information: www.henrycounty-ga.org. Monroe Roark for the AJC

McDonough filling seats on board

Applications are being accepted for the board of directors of McDonough’s Downtown Development Authority. Candidates must be a McDonough taxpayer a Henry County taxpayer who operates a business within the downtown development area. Apply at City Hall or at www.mcdonoughga.org.

Monroe Roark for the AJC

Booth Middle gets Kroger learning grant

Peachtree City’s J. C. Booth Middle School has won a $1,500 Earnings Plus Learning grant from Kroger. Teacher Alex Mull and counselor Terese Benefield submitted a video and essay about the school’s emphasis on diversity, exercise, nutrition, cooperative learning and community partnerships. The grant will help purchase equipment for the broadcasting media and technology programs.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Lottery set up for Minter pre-k

The new pre-kindergarten program at Sara Harp Minter Elementary in Fayetteville will have a lottery drawing. Students must be 4 years old by Sept. 1; birth certificate and proof of residency required. Register by 2 p.m. Aug. 1.

Information: Clarice Howard, 770-460-3990, ext. 121.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Partners sought for youth program

The Clayton County Board of Health is seeking partners to serve as implementation sites for the Teen Outreach Program, which promotes positive youth development and healthy life choices. Selected organizations will will begin implementation of the program in September.

Applications deadline is July 17.

Information: Teriwanda Hayes at 678-479-2220 or teriwandahayes@dhr.state.ga.us or claytoncountypublichealth.org/ccst.Veronica Fields Johnson

Peachtree City holds summer photo contest

The Friends of the Peachtree City Library is sponsoring a “Summer in the Bubble” photo contest. Photos must be taken within the city limits. Winners will receive awards. Entries are due today. Information: Events page at www.peachtree-city.org for details. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Pedal for Pets benefits spay/neuter efforts

The annual Pedal for Pets charity bike rides is 8:30 Saturday in Senoia to support spay/neuter programs in the Fayette-Coweta area. Registration is $35. Information: www.southsidecycling.com/p4p or www.pedalforpets.org.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC