County by county news for Friday

If an officer leaves employment, the membership will remain the property of the police department, said city Police Maj. Matt Boyd. City Manager Brad Hulsey said the officers have been receiving their training at Glock in Smyrna as overtime pay, but now they can receive their training during business hours. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Kennesaw approves park plan update

The Kennesaw City Council this week approved an update and revisions to the 2006 master plan for the city’s 42-acre Swift-Cantrell Park off Old Highway 41. Improving landscaping, playground ground cover and adding shade and a splash pad will cost $400,000. Funding for the water feature depends on the passage of a proposed Cobb SPLOST in November.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

YWCA head to receive inspring women award

Holly Tuchman, YWCA of Northwest Georgia CEO, will receive the Womens’ National Basketball Association Inspiring Women Award. Tuchman, who heads the Marietta program that helps victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, will receive the award at an Atlanta Dream game 7 p.m. Aug. 13 at Philips Arena. A portion of the game’s sales will benefit YWCA programs. Information: www.ywcanwga.com.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Football, cheerleading squads forming

NFL Flag Football teams and cheerleading squads are forming in West Cobb for ages 5 to 15 with early registration ending Aug. 16.

Coaches and referees also are needed for the West Cobb Flag Football League that will meet at Compton Elementary School, 3450 New Macland Road, Powder Springs.

Information: westcobbff.com, Buddy Reeves, buddyr@fbcps.org or 770-943-9333. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Symphony to receive art council grant

The Georgia Symphony Orchestra, based since May at the Marietta High School Performing Arts Center, will receive a $10,000 partner grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts. The orchestra plans to use the grant for an educational partnership which will involve the groups’ musicians working with students at the school. Information: www.georgiasymphony.org.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Friday deadline for Cobb Connections

Friday noon is the deadline to register for the free Cobb Connections business networking event from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Mansour Center, 995 Roswell St. NE, Suite 100, Marietta.

Those attending may give 30-second elevator speeches and then participate in roundtable discussions to give referrals and discuss business challenges.

This networking event meets on the second and fourth Mondays at the same time and place. Reservations: cobbchamber.org/events/Cobb-Connections-4875/details.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GWINNETT

Preteens need vaccine before school starts

The Gwinnett Health department is reminding parents of The Georgia Department of Public Health’s new rule that affects preteens. This year, all students born on or after January 1, 2002, who are entering or transferring into seventh grade, and any new entrant into grades 8 through 12 need proof of an adolescent pertussis (whooping cough) booster vaccination and an adolescent meningococcal vaccination. This new rule affects public, private, community, charter, juvenile court, and other alternative schools. Home school students are excluded. Information: www.gnrhealth.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Tech adds social media concentration for fall

Gwinnett Technical College now offers a degree and diploma in social media as a concentration within the Marketing Management program and is available for Fall Semester 2014 beginning Aug.20. In addition to courses specific to social media, students will study marketing, consumer behavior, professional selling and business regulations, among other topics. The final application deadline for fall is July 31; late registration is Aug. 5 – 13. Information: www.GwinnettTech.edu or call 770-962-7580. Karen Huppertz

Upgrades for Crooked Creek water facility

Gwinnett commissioners have signed off on an $8.86 million contract for engineering design and construction upgrades for the Crooked Creek Water Reclamation Facility at 6557 Plant Drive in Peachtree Corners. Work begins this fall with construction to be complete in 2020. The 20-year-old plant treats up to 16 million gallons of wastewater per day.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Community chat with Duluth City Council

The Duluth City Council will offer an informal chat with City Councilmembers about development and redevelopment taking place in Duluth at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at Point Berkeley International Village located at 2645 North Berkeley Lake Road in Duluth.

Information: www.duluthga.net.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Pet adoption, car show, motorcycle ride Saturday

The Pet Adoption Explosion will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Gwinnett Animal Welfare and Enforcement Center, 684 Winder Highway, Lawrenceville. . The event kicks off with the Bone to Ride Motorcycle Ride at the American Legion Post 233, 4635 Highway 78, Loganville.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. and kickstands are up at 9 a.m. Cars for Critters Mega Hot Rod and Car Show, food trucks, a live dog show, and vendor displays are part of the event.

Information: www.gwinnettanimalcontrol.com or 770-339-3200. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Food trucks roll back into Suwanee

Food trucks will roll back into Suwanee’s Town Center Park 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 1. Rupert’s Orchestra will perform. Activities include carnival games, a 50/50 raffle,

Information: www.suwanee.com.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Legal action possible in petition disqualification

Would-be candidate, Jeff Amason, who’d hoped to challenge State Rep. Scot Turner, R-Holly Springs in November says he’s considering options including legal action after Secretary of State Brian Kemp disqualified nearly all of his nomination petition. Kemp says Amason’s wife served as a notary on many of the pages of the petition, helped circulate it, and signed it . He says that’s contrary to Georgia law. Libertarian Amason says he thinks that interpretation of the notary requirement is erroneous.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Forsyth may update adult business laws

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners holds a public hearing 5 p.m. Aug 7 at the Forsyth County Administration Building, 110 E. Main St., Cummingon a proposed update of the county’s adult entertainment ordinance. The change would extend the definition of “adult entertainment establishment” to businesses selling or renting adult novelties, devices and toys, closing a loophole in the current law. Mark Woolsey

Cherokee schools see enrollment jump

Cherokee County School District officials are projecting this year’s enrollment to top 40,000 students for the first time. The district says it expects 556 additional students this year, for a total of 40,200. The head-count has shown steady growth, from 38,225 in 2009-2010 to 39, 433 last school year. The district notes that Cherokee’s overall population has jumped, from 214,346 in 2010 to an estimated 226,002 this year. The 180 school-day year begins Aug. 4. Mark Woolsey

Forsyth budget wins national award

Forsyth County’s 2014 budget book has drawn a Distinguished Budget Presentation award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S And Canada. This is the second consecutive year Forsyth has won the award, which is deemed the highest form of recognition in government budgeting. To win, budgets must meet criteria as a policy document, operations guide, a financial plan and a communications device.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Cherokee school board okays budget

The Cherokee County Board of Education Wednesday approved the district’s 2014-2015 budget. The general fund is $347.7 million, up from $321.1 million in 2013-14.

Many property owners will see a tax break, as the budget retains the current millage rate while eliminating the .4 mill debt service tax. (Some bills may be higher due to reassessments.) Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Forsyth schools official wins statewide honor

The Health Services Facilitator for the Forsyth County Schools has been selected the Georgia School Nurse Administrator of the year by the Georgia Association of School Nurses. Connie Trent was honored at the group’s annual conference last week.

Trent has worked for the Forsyth County Schools since 1997, and became facilitator in 2010 after 13 years as a school nurse.Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

Mayor appoints new IT commissioner

Mayor Kasim Reed Wednesday announced the appointment of Samir Saini, an information technology leader, as Commissioner for the Department of Information Technology. In this role, Saini is responsible for delivering IT initiatives in support of the city’s more than 8,000 employees and more than 500,000 residential and business customers. Since 2010, he has served as the chief information officer for the Atlanta Housing Authority. Saini’s appointment will be effective August 11, 2014 and requires confirmation by the Atlanta City Council. Saini succeeds Michael Dogan who has served as the interim Commissioner since 2011. Staff

Family wellness event upcoming

The second annual Family Fun Fest and Wellness Event by Simply United Together will be noon-7 p.m., Aug. 2, on the Carrie Steele-Pitts Home campus, 667 Fairburn Road, NW.

Atlanta-based, Simply United Together promotes positive social change in communities, internationally. The event is sponsored by the Fulton DeKalb Hospital Authority. Festivities include the distribution of free school supplies, live music, a kids play area, and health and wellness information.

Information:t www.sutglobal.com.

Adrianne Murchison for the AJC

Fulton postpones tax increase vote

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners has postponed a vote on a property tax hike until Aug. 6 because questions arose about whether the county had properly advertised the proposed 17 percent tax increase on its web site.

The commission has also set more public hearings on the proposal: 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m. Aug. 6 at the Fulton County Government Center Assembly Hall, 141 Pryor St. SW.

The public can also participate in the hearings by video conference at the South Fulton Service Center, 5600 Stonewall Tell Road, College Park, and the North Fulton Service Center, 7741 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. David Wickert

DEKALB

Police seek Subway robbery suspect

Brookhaven Police are searching for a suspect in a robbery that took place Tuesday at Subway restaurant, 3929 Peachtree Road. The suspect fled on foot.

The suspect entered the restaurant at approximately 4 p.m., with a black handgun, demanding money, police said.

He was described as a slim white male, 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt with the word “Heavenly” across the front, and left sleeve.

Call Crime Stoppers Atlanta, 404-577-8477, with information.

Adrianne Murchison for the AJC

Avondale to add city hall security

Avondale Estates city manager Clai Brown said the city will add several security measures for city hall in reaction to House Bill 60, which went into effect July 1. Primarily the city will install a camera system costing roughly $6,000. A new glass window between lobby and city offices will be constructed, and the main door separating hallway from offices will be closed, with residents entering only after being buzzed through. Total cost is less than $10,000.

Bill Banks for the AJC

Decatur to enforce Saturday pay parking

Decatur will begin enforcing Saturday payment for downtown parking, probably beginning this fall. The city’s still completing installation of its new “smart meters,” which should wrap up by this week. Enforcement’s currently Monday through Friday until 6 p.m. for Decatur’s 315 downtown parking spaces. Assistant city manager Lyn Menne said Saturday enforcement “will begin with an education program over several weeks tied with a public information release,” starting in September.

Bill Banks for the AJC

Dunwoody council: sidwalk bid oddly low

Dunwoody City Council members questioned the lowest bid on a contract award for sidewalk construction on Roberts Drive.

Summit Construction’s bid was significantly lower than the two competing bids at $207,627. The new sidewalks would run on the west side of the road from Aurora Court to Sandy Springs. During last week’s meeting, Councilwoman Lynn Deutsch worried Summit would return with increased costs.

Summit has strong references from nearby cities.

City Council has not yet voted on the award.

Adrianne Murchison for the AJC

Clarkson Art Center receives grant

The Clarkston Community Center Foundation will receive a $50,000 matching grant from National Endowment for the Arts Our Town.

The funds will support developing artists, their projects, and a studio and training space in the Clarkston Art at the Center Incubator program, a part of the refugee resettlement community in Clarkston.

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson announced the grant. One in four Clarkston residents is a foreign-born refugee in the Fourth Congressional District.

Adrianne Murchison for the AJC

SOUTHSIDE

Clayton sheriff to hire correction officers

Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill has embraced social media as a recruiting tool. Hill’s office recently sent a text looking to hire correction officers to staff the county’s detention facility at the Harold R. Banke Justice Complex, 9157 Tara Blvd. in Jonesboro.

The jobs pay $35,543,00 a year and “experience not necessary.”Candidates can also apply in person at the county personnel office, 112 Smith St., Jonesboro. Phone: 770 477-3239. Information: www.claytoncountyga.gov and click on “job opportunities” Tammy Joyner

Fulton to hold community meetings

Fulton County will hold community input meetings on adequate housing and economic opportunities for low and moderate-income people, for its Consolidated Planning Document.

The actual plan would serve communities utilizing federal grant dollars.

Meetings will be held at 2 p.m,, Tuesday, at the South Fulton Service Center, 5600 Stone Tell Road, in College Park; and 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Oak Hill Child Adolescent and Family Center, 2805 Metropolitan Pkwy.

Adrianne Murchison for the AJC

Airport West CID names officers

The Airport West Community Improvement District, one of the newest CIDs in metro Atlanta, recently selected officers.

They include: Natalie Martin of Duke Realty (chairwoman); Vance Burgess of Chick-Fil-A (vice-chair); Kevin Parris of Wells Fargo Bank (treasurer) and Shannon James of SunTrust Bank (secretary). Tammy Joyner

Immunizations required for 7th graders

Starting this school year, Fayette County is requiring all current seventh-grade students and all newly enrolled students in grade 7 and up to have meningitis (MCV4) and TDaP immunizations. Parents must provide new immunization certificates (form 3231) to their school nurses.

Vaccines are available at the Fayette County Health Department. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Fayette gets assistant superintendent

Dr. Terry Oatts has begun his tenure as the new assistant superintendent of student achievement for Fayette County Public Schools.

He previously served more than 20 years in teaching, counseling and principal positions in three other Georgia counties. Oatts replaces Tracie Fleming, who retired in June.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Town hall meeting to focus on education

Henry County Commissioner Bruce Holmes’ next town hall is 9 a.m. July 26, at the Fairview Recreation Center, 35 Austin Road, Stockbridge.

The meeting will focus on education. Guests include Superintendent Rodney Bowler, Henry County Chamber of Commerce education committee chair Toni Davis, Academy for Advanced Studies CEO John Uesseler, and Board of Education members-elect Donna McBride and Annette Edwards.

Information: www.henrycounty-ga.org.

Monroe Roark for the AJC