County by county news for Friday

Car cruise benefit Saturday in Acworth

The city of Acworth will host a classic car cruise 4 -- 10 p.m. Saturday on Main Street. The Lake City Cruisers partner with the city for the event every month that has a fifth Saturday. It is free to the public and there is a $2 entry fee for participants in the show. All proceeds will go to the Horizon Field, an all inclusive special needs sports facility in Acworth. Alaya Boykin

Austell hosts school supply giveaway

Free backpacks and school supplies for pre-k through seniors will be given away 10 a.m. -- 3 p.m. Saturday at the South Cobb Recreation Center, 875 Six Flags Drive in Austell.

The “Back to School Jam” is sponsored by the Austell Community Task Force and We Thrive on the Drive, community advocacy groups.

Information: wethriveonthedrive.com/upcoming_events or thriveonthedrive@yahoo.com. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Austell hosts Nelons concert

A free concert with Grammy-nominated and Dove-award-winning group, The Nelons will be held 6:15 p.m. Saturday.

“Campmeetin’ in the Park” is sponsored by Clarkdale First Baptist Church at Collar Park, 2965 Joe Jerkins Blvd. next to City Hall. Carolyn Cunningham

Powder Springs hosts car cruise event

The Powder Springs Push Rods Car Club will hold its cruise event of antique and classic cars 4 -- 9 p.m. Saturday at the Historic Downtown Powder Springs Square on Marietta Street.

The event will raise funds for community families in need., including children’s contests and concessions.

The club will also hold its bi-weekly cruise at Zaxby’s, 4410 Brownsville Road, Powder Springs at the same time.

Admittance is free to both events.

Information: pushrodscarclub.com/2.html or dougdbr@aol.com.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Six Flags hosts dance event

Six Flags Over Georgia will host Dance for Your Life 8:30 -- 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Professional dancers associated with Fox TV show, “So You Think You Can Dance,” will be instructors for the event sponsored by the Dizzy Feet Foundation and the Larry King Cardiac Foundation. The event is an effort to promote daily dancing as effective exercise for all ages. The event is free and Six flags is offering discount tickets to those who wish to visit the park afterward. Participants are encouraged to arrive early. Parking is $15. Alaya Boykin

GWINNETT

Commission approves transportation study

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved $1.1 million to study transportation alternatives and opportunities along the I-85 corridor from I-285 to the Gwinnett Center. The project is 50 percent funded by the 2009 SPLOST Program and 50 percent by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The study will compare no-build, baseline/transportation system management, express bus, bus rapid transit, light rail and commuter rail options. It will also look at the respective effects on traffic, travel patterns, the environment and land use. Alaya Boykin

Suwanee councilman to run for reelection

Suwanee councilman Dick Goodman has announced that he will run for re-election to the Suwanee City Council.

A freelance marketing and communications writer, he was first elected to council in 2009.

Goodman is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Gwinnett County Public Library, chairman of the Suwanee Public Arts Commission among others. Joel Anderson

Commissioner holds information sessions

Gwinnett County Commissioner Lynette Howard will hold two constituent meetings next week:

Monday at Lilburn City Hall, 76 Main St. Gwinnett police will provide neighborhood safety information.

Wednesday at the Jones Bridge Park Community Room, 4901 E. Jones Bridge Road, Norcross. The meeting will feature presentations on neighborhood safety and the Atlanta Regional Roundtable’s regional transportation project list.

Both meetings will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. David Wickert

Lilburn hosts public safety event on Tuesday

The city of Lilburn will host its second annual “National Night Out” 6 -- 8 p.m. Tuesday at 76 Main Street at the City Park in the Pavilion.

The event will include activities for children, displays, live entertainment, and safety related demonstrations. The event provides citizens can meet elected officials, police and representatives from other organization that educate the public about safety. The National Night Out program began in 1984 and is held the first Tuesday each August in communities across America. Andria Simmons

Armed robbery suspect arrested

Gwinnett County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man Wednesday who was wanted for armed robbery, possession of a firearm during a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Jeremy Oakley Biddle, of Suwanee, alleged robbed a man of $500 at gunpoint July 16. Deputies got a tip that Biddle was staying at the Preston Hills at Mill Creek Apartments and saw Biddle enter a unit there. They demanded Biddle come out, and he jumped from a bedroom window to flee. He was arrested after a brief chase.

Biddle is being held at the Gwinnett jail without bond. Andria Simmons

NORTHSIDE

Film focuses on domestic violence help

Lefont Theater and Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence aim to raise domestic violence awareness by screening the film “Crime After Crime” at Lefont Theater, Sandy Springs.

The movie will be shown at 7 p.m. Saturday. Immediately following, members of the cast will host a panel discussion with R&B singer KeKe Wyatt, a domestic abuse survivor, and domestic violence professionals.

Event proceeds go to support domestic violence programs.

Lefont Theater will provide free popcorn. Info: http://gcadv.eventbrite.com. Andria Simmons

Johns Creek police awards officers

Two Johns Creek police officers were awarded “Officer of the Quarter” Thursday for exemplary work.

Sgt. Dion Smith, a 16-year law enforcement veteran, and Cpl. James Marshall, a 20-year law enforcement veteran, were selected for their outstanding service during the sudden death of Sgt. Greg Whitaker in March. The pair reached out to Whitaker’s family, handled funeral arrangements and organized a golf fundraiser for his medical expenses. Andria Simmons

Forsyth boot drive nets $25,000

The Forsyth County Fire Department’s May boot drive generated $25,451 to support the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation and local fire safety and burn prevention programs.

Funds are used for fire safety and prevention education, the support of medical facilities and the assistance of burn survivors in their recovery. Money raised also goes to Camp Oo-U-La®, Georgia’s only camp held exclusively for burn-injured children. Patrick Fox

Sterling hosts town hall meeting

Councilman Gabriel Sterling, who represents District 4 in Sandy Springs, will host a town hall meeting 8 a.m. Aug. 6, at the John Ripley Forbes Big Trees Forest Preserve, 7645 Roswell Rd. Attendees will drive the conversation and the meeting will include a brief tour of the preserve.

Information: 404-396-5686 or gsterling@sandyspringsga.gov. Michelle E. Shaw

Milton hires new parks director

John Rebar of Doral, Fla., has been hired as Milton’s new director of parks and recreation.

Rebar will start Aug. 15, replacing Cyndee Bonacci. At Doral, Rebar oversaw parks and programs while managing a staff and a department budget.

He holds a bachelor’s in health and physical education from Marrywood College of Scranton, Pa. and a master’s in teaching and learning from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. Patrick Fox

Milton High hosts Community Kickoff

The Milton High School Touchdown Club and the cities of Milton and Alpharetta will hold the school’s Community Kickoff 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the MHS football stadium.

The free event features a “Flick on the Field,” pep rally, food, information from the program’s community partners, games and rides. Alpharetta Youth Football Association players and cheerleaders will be on hand.

Information: Melody Cookson, 678-234-5801; cruisedirector@bellsouth.net. Patrick Fox

ATLANTA

Atlanta school board seeks candidates

The Atlanta school board will select a candidate to fill the District 2 seat until a permanent candidate is elected in November. Applications are online at www.atlantapublicschools.us and must be received by 5 p.m. Aug. 3. The official appointment will take place Aug. 8. District 2 is located in the south central part of the city and encompasses the Atlanta University Center and the Bankhead Highway and Hightower road areas. Jaime Sarrio

Tennis foundation receives grant

The United States Tennis Association awarded a $15,000 grant to the Atlanta Youth Tennis Foundation, which serves 2,500 metro area children.

The grant will assist the GAMETIME program (Growing in Academics, Mentoring and Exercise through a Tennis Initiative Modeling Excellence), which offers educational activities, on-court tennis instruction, mentoring and college prep resources. Steve Visser

Outdoors show next week at expo center

Deer hunters can get ready for the season at the Georgia Wildlife Federation’s Atlanta Buckarama Aug. 5 -- 7 at the Atlanta Expo Center North.

Vendors will have hunting, fishing and outdoor sporting gear. Features include former Atlanta Braves catcher Charlie O’Brien, Jason Clark’s snake show, the Georgia Falconry Association, and Field Trial Retrievers with Roy Coffee.

Hunters can enter trophies in the “Deer Head Competition” to compete for the $1,000 prize. Steve Visser

Carter Center helps eradicate Guinea worm

The Carter Center, which has led an eradication campaign against the Guinea worm since 1986, on Thursday announced that Ghana won the fight. That leaves Ethiopia, Mali and South Sudan on the active list. The worm’s larvae infect people who drink contaminated water; a year later, a 40-inch long worm exits through the skin. More than 3.5 million cases were reported worldwide when the campaign began; this year, about 800 cases were reported through June. Victoria Loe Hicks

DEKALB

DeKalb accepting AYP transfers

Students who attend a DeKalb County School that didn’t meet Adequate Yearly Progress and must offer transfers to a school in good standing have until Aug. 4 to enroll. Under No Child Left Behind, schools that fail to meet AYP targets must offer transfers to a school in good standing. Call the district’s public school choice hotline at 678-676-0081 or visit www.dekalb.k12.ga.us to see a list of eligible schools. Jaime Sarrio

Two men sent to federal prison for arson

Two metro Atlanta men were sentenced Thursday to federal prison for setting fire to a DeKalb County tax preparation and loan finance business in an attempt to cover up a fraudulent tax filing scheme.

Both pleaded guilty in April to setting a World Finance office on fire and causing an explosion at a Memorial Drive strip mall in 2008.

World Finance assistant manager Noelan Dudley, 26 of Lithonia was sentenced to three years and a month in prison and Brandon Dobbs, 25, of Decatur was sentenced to five years. Both also must pay about $2.16 million in restitution. Rhonda Cook

Dunwoody swears in new police officer

Michael Cheek was recently sworn in by Mayor Ken Wright as one of Dunwoody’s newest police officers. Cheek, who was accompanied by Deputy Chief David Sides, joins the more than 50 sworn and civilian employees of the police department. Michelle E. Shaw

Residents graduate from police academy

Eight Dunwoody residents recently graduated from the third class of the Citizens Police Academy. The academy is 10 weeks long and educated citizens on topics such as traffic enforcement, gangs, SWAT, detective division, patrol and special weapons and tactics. The class also included a tour of the DeKalb County jail and the ChattComm 911 center. Michelle E. Shaw

Caravan against crime continues

Launched last year by DeKalb District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson, the second Caravan Against Crime event will be held 8:30 tonight . Beginning at the Gallery at South DeKalb Mall and traveling to Rhema Christian Fellowship Church at 2649 McAfee Rd., the goal is to “provide a presence in the high crime areas in the district and also bring out services to people who would not normally have an opportunity to access those services,” said Commissioner Johnson.

Information: 404-371-2988. Staff reports

School holds open house for aspiring pilots

Aspiring pilots can test their wings at an open house at a DeKalb- Peachtree Airport flight school at noon Aug. 6.

The American Flyers school will host tours of the flight line, aircraft and classrooms. Residents also can test the flight simulators.

The event is free and designed for residents looking to become pilots.

More information: 678-281-0631 or www.americanflyers.net. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Clayton to celebrate accreditation return

Clayton County is throwing a party to celebrate the school district’s return to full accreditation. The 3-7 p.m. event will be Saturday at The Gerald Matthews Soccer Complex in Lovejoy. Talents and accomplishments of students and staff will be highlighted along with an assortment of games, activities and food. Donations are being sought and will be used to make the event free to the public. Details or donations: Rhonda Burnough, school community relations liaison, 770 473-2760 or rburnough@clayton.k12.ga.us. Tammy Joyner

College Park farmers’ market flourishes

The Metro Atlanta Urban Farm in College Park presents “Fresh Friday’s Farmers Market” 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. through Aug. 12 at the Train Depot. All products are chemical-free and organically grown. The public is welcome to come out and purchase beans, peas, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, peaches, okra, onions and more. John Thompson for the AJC

Hapeville to revive commission

Hapeville officials hope to get the city’s nearly dormant Clean and Beautiful Commission back in business. With the city’s recent efforts at redoing many of its parks and gateways, city manager Bill Werner said this may be the best time to get citizens more active in keeping the city beautiful. City officials plan to seek recruits to aid in the effort. John Thompson for the AJC

‘Happy Feet’ shows in Stockbridge

The next “Stars Over Stockbridge” movie night is 8 p.m. tonight at Clark Community Park featuring the film “Happy Feet.” Blankets, chairs and picnic supplies are encouraged. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Outdoor cinema to feature ‘Rio’

The next installment of “Cinema on the Green” sponsored by Main Street McDonough, is the film “Rio.” Showtime 8:30 p.m. Saturday on the McDonough square. Admission is free. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Hapeville to upgrade tennis courts

The Hapeville City Council agreed this week to enter into an agreement with Fulton County for the Community Development Block Grant program. The city applied for funds to modernize its parks, which includes improvements to the tennis courts. The city was awarded $ 56,690 to improve the courts. John Thompson for the AJC

Love takes center stage

Southwest Arts Center Teen Artists Academy presents the performance “Back to Love” at the Southwest Arts Center Theater and Gallery through Aug. 12.

The original student production’s theme is the need for love whether for family, self or country and community. An art exhibit also opens on the theme.

The academy is a four-week program in the visual arts, music, dance, writing and theater at South Fulton Arts Center, 4645 Butner Road SW, College Park and Abernathy Arts Center, 254 Johnson Ferry Rd.,Sandy Springs.

The free show is 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2:30 p.m and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Information: 404-613-3220. Steve Visser