County by county news for Friday

Funds for the project will come from a $25 million city parks bond voters passed in 2009. The park’s baseball and softball fields will be reconfigured for two large soccer fields that will allow several games on the fields at the same time. The renovation also includes a restroom and concession building, playground and parking. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Library event for astronomy enthusiasts

Come see the stars May 17 in Marietta during a library event for astronomy enthusiasts.

Retired educator Chris Miller will lead the program and share his love of astronomy. The program will include a discussion of home telescopes and viewing of photos from the Hubble Space Telescope.

The discussion begins at 6 p.m. at Kemp Memorial Library, 4209 Due West Road in Marietta, and is open to all ages. Information: call, 770-528-2527, or visit, http://www.cobbcounty.org/library Janel Davis

Marietta Farmer’s Market to open Sundays

The Marietta Farmer’s Market will open Sunday afternoons starting 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., May 22 on Mill Street from Church Street to the railroad tracks. The market is also open 9 a.m.-noon Saturdays on North Park Square through Nov. 19. Market director Johnny Fulmer decided to open Sundays after 200 vendors applied for the 60 booths available on Saturday.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Two Cobb recycling events to be on Saturday

Saturday is document shredding and electronic recycling day in Cobb County with events in Powder Springs and Acworth.

BookendZ and Keep Cobb Beautiful are offering the free shredding services at BookendZ, 5001 McNeel Industrial Blvd. in Powder Springs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Acworth will receive electronics and metal for recycling in the Acworth library parking lot, 4569 Dallas St., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Recycling is free, except for a $10 fee for computer monitors and $20 for televisions. Janel Davis

Forum offers info in high school theater

Marietta City Schools will give the community a chance to learn about a proposed 900-seat theater at Marietta High School. The public forum will be 7 p.m., May 19 at Marietta High School, 1171 Whitlock Ave. Schools spokesman Thomas Algarin said the estimated $9 million project is a vision at this point and funding hasn’t been determined. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Police athletic league to hold fundraiser

The Marietta Police Athletic League (PAL) will conduct its annual fundraiser May 20 and 21. The event will be behind Chick-fil-A at 170 Cobb Parkway South, in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Proceeds go toward Marietta PAL, which offers a variety of activities for resident youths ages 5-18.

The event is from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. May 20 and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. May 21. Andria Simmons

GWINNETT

9,000 to graduate from Gwinnett schools

Gwinnett County Public Schools will soon present diplomas to nearly 9,000 students.

About 88 percent of seniors plan to attend college or post secondary institutions. The Class of 2011 have been offered more than $108 million in academic, athletic and military scholarships. Approximately 1,905 are considered as honor graduates, students who are graduating with a grade percent average of 90 or better.

Graduation ceremonies begin the week of May 23 and could cause traffic delays. To view a complete listing of times and dates, visit www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us. D. Aileen Dodd

County legislative liaison receives honor

Gwinnett County Legislative Liaison Susan Lee has been named the 2011 legislative advocate of the year by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia. The association cited Lee’s efforts to educate lawmakers about several bills affecting county E-911 funding and other issues during the 2011 state legislative session. Lee has been Gwinnett’s legislative liaison since July 2009. She previously held several other positions in Gwinnett County government. David Wickert

Executive joins Gwinnett Tech directors

Gwinnett Technical College has added Cox Enterprises executive Gregory Morrison to its board of directors.

Morrison is senior vice president and chief information officer at Cox Enterprises. He previously worked with Prudential Financial Inc. and RealEstate.com and served seven years in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Gwinnett Tech President Sharon Bartels said Morrison’s “diverse knowledge in information technology and advanced leadership skills in corporate workforce will be a great asset to our leadership team.” David Wickert

Robotics team scores big in competition

North Gwinnett High’s robotics team recently returned from the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Missouri winning nine out of ten qualifying matches.

The North STARS were ranked first in their division of 88 teams, which included six former world champions, before technical problems led to their defeat. Students Austin Shenk, Matthew Brown, Prerak Joshi, Emily Ritter, Ashay Sheth and Erica Manning competed. They were coached by Martin Wilson of Meggitt Training Systems. D. Aileen Dodd

County offers summer camps

Gwinnett County will offer summer camps for children from preschool through age 14 this summer. The camps will run from June 6 through July 29. Weekly rates and tuition assistance are available.

To register, visit www.gwinnettparks.com or call 770-822-8840. David Wickert

Peachtree corners to hold street festival

Peachtree Corners will host its first street festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 11 on The Corners Parkway. The event will feature food from local restaurants, an arts and crafts show, live music and children’s activities. Information: www.peachtreecornersfestival.org. David Wickert

NORTHSIDE

Forsyth hears $100 million plan for jail/court

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners heard a proposal at Wednesday’s work session from the architectural firm Wakefield/Beasley & Associates of how much it would cost to expand the county jail and build an adjoining new courthouse in downtown Cumming: $100 million. The jail and courthouse would each cost about $50 million and take three and a half years to build. The Commission is considering putting the jail and courthouse on a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum it plans to put up for a public vote in November. Jeffry Scott

Alpharetta to honor service dogs

At 11 a.m. today , the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation is hosting a special event to pay homage to past and present police canines at the Olde Blind Dog restaurant at 12650 Crabapple Road in Milton.

During the last two years, two of the Alpharetta Police Department’s canine partners, Chicko and Lim, have died.

To honor the city’s four-legged police officers, the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation will fund a shadow box, a plaque containing the canine’s collar, and a silver urn for the ashes of all deceased service dogs. Andria Simmons

Subdivision wants city to take over streets

Johns Creek is considering a request by the Wentworth Subdivision to have the city take ownership of its private streets once they are brought up to standard. The 40-lot subdivision on Haynes Bridge Road is one of four ungated communities in Johns Creek with private roads. Because there are no throughways in the subdivision, city officials are weighing whether incorporating the streets would benefit the public or whether Johns Creek has an obligation to take the streets off their hands. Pat Fox

Woodstock Summer concerts begin Saturday

The Woodstock Summer Concert series begins Saturday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m. with singer songwriter Edwin McCain, whose 1998 hit “I’ll Be” launched his career out of the clubs circuit and into the national spotlight. The free concert series, featuring one artist a month, continues through September in the Park at City Center. Other bands coming are the LoCash Cowboys, Midnight Star, Wet Willie and the Return.

From Atlanta, take I-75 then I-575 north to Towne Lake Parkway. Information: http://www.woodstockconcertseries.com/ Christopher Quinn

Roswell opens farmer’s market on Saturday

The Riverside Farmers Market in Roswell opens for a fourth season at 38 Hill Street, with live music. The hours are 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday until the end of September. Johnny Edwards

Roswell council delays action on school lights

The Roswell City Council agreed Monday to defer consideration of Fellowship Christian Schools’ request to remove conditions on its plans to install lights, a sound system, press box and seating at its stadium on Woodstock Road. The issue will be taken up again in July.

The city Planning Commission has recommended denial of the request to remove most of the conditions. Patrick Fox

ATLANTA

Tom Bell interim chair of Grady foundation

Long-time Atlanta businessman and developer Tom Bell will serve as interim chairman of the Grady Health Foundation board of directors.

He is temporarily replacing departing chair Peter Andruszkiewicz, former president of Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. Bell is a founding member of Grady Memorial Hospital’s corporate board. He retired as CEO of development firm Cousins Properties Inc. in 2009.

The nonprofit Grady Health Foundation supports the safety net hospital, which cares for many of Atlanta’s poor and uninsured residents. Misty Williams

Students commemorate Freedom Riders

College students from across the country stopped at Morehouse College in Atlanta Wednesday as part of the Freedom Riders bus tour.

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders, a group of more than 400 black and white Americans who rode Greyhound and Trailways buses into the Deep South from May to December 1961 to test the enforcement of federal laws.

Two Georgia students, JoyEllen Freeman of the University of Georgia and Kaitlyn Whiteside, a 2011 graduate of Georgia Tech, are aboard the bus. At Morehouse, the 40 students met with original Freedom Riders and discussed their historic stance. Angela Tuck

CAU to unveil marker honoring movement

Members of Clark Atlanta University’s Class of 1961 will unveil a permanent marker honoring the Atlanta Student Movement at 10:45 a.m. Saturday on the lawn of the Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson Student Center.

The original building on the site of the marker was the Yates and Milton Drugstore, where the Atlanta Student Movement was formed on Feb. 4, 1960.

In March of 1960, “An Appeal for Human Rights,” a manifesto paid for by the presidents of the AUC schools, was published in several newspapers and heralded the beginning of a sit-in campaign against the segregation of public facilities. Ernie Suggs

DEKALB

Eastside Medical Center adds building

Snellville’s Eastside Medical Center has added a two-story, 40,162-square-foot medical office building to its campus as it plans ahead for future growth in Gwinnett County.

Eastside also recently completed the first phase of a $12 million emergency department expansion. The campus already includes a 231-bed hospital and two other medical office buildings.

HCA’s TriStar Health System took over ownership of the former Emory Eastside Medical Center in April. Misty Williams

MARTA to discuss Clifton Road corridor

MARTA is holding an open house to discuss mass transit in the Clifton Road corridor, serving Emory University, the Centers for Disease Control, the Veterans Affairs hospital and DeKalb Medical Center.

The meeting will be May 19, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Emory University Conference Center at 1615 Clifton Road.

The region will hold a referendum for transportation funding in 2012, and for that project list MARTA has suggested a rail line that could travel to the Clifton corridor from Lindbergh station. Ariel Hart

Miles For Hope sponsors walk/run May 21

Miles For Hope, Inc., a charity dedicated to funding brain cancer research, will hold its Moving Towards a Cure Brain Tumor 5K Awareness Walk/Run at 8 a.m. May 21 at Wade Walker Park in Stone Mountain.

Same-day registration is at 7 a.m. Registration is $20 for adults until May 7, $25 after May 7. A post-event celebration to follows the race. Wade Walker Park is at 5585 Rockbridge Road. Information: www.braintumorevents.org/atlanta or 727-781-4673.

Andria Simmons

Refurbished Glenlake Park to be dedicated

Decatur’s refurbished Glenlake Park will be officially dedicated May 21 at 11 a.m. at the park’s tennis center, 1121 Church St. The National Kids to Parks Day will also be celebrated beginning at the same time. Most of the $3.25 million renovation was finished last summer said Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon. Bill Banks for the AJC

Jobs Not Jail graduation to be today

Fourteen men and women will graduate from the Jobs Not Jail diversion program managed by the Office of the DeKalb County Solicitor-General at 9 a.m. today at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur. The year-long program, provides counseling, education, job training and community service requisites for some misdemeanor offenders. They also may see their criminal case dismissed and expunged. Staff reports

Decatur teachers may see a bump in pay

In Decatur’s tentative 2011-12 general fund school budget, the city’s teachers will receive a 1.25 percent cost-of-living increase, despite the $1.2 million in proposed cuts. “I wish I could give them an actual raise,” said Superintendent Dr. Phyllis Edwards. As it stands the total proposed budget, which will be voted on in June, is $41,502,676. Edwards said most cuts came in “materials and technology, and positions that weren’t refilled because there wasn’t enough interest in the classes.” Bill Banks for the AJC

SOUTHSIDE

Stockbridge hires new city administrator

The Stockbridge City Council voted this month to name Ray Gibson its new city administrator.

Gibson joined the city’s staff in January 2010 as assistant city manager after five years as Henry County’s planning and zoning director.

Stockbridge passed an ordinance last month to create the city administrator position.

Monroe Roark for the AJC

Event features Japanese-style bike race

A unique event is headed to the Dick Lane Velodrome in East Point Saturday. The Keirin is a Japanese event based on pure speed and features six bicycle speedsters on the track at a time as the best sprinters go head to head on the track in a blur of speed and excitement. Racing begins at 3 p.m., with the main program kicking off at 6 p.m.

Information: www.dicklandvelodrome.com. John Thompson for the AJC

East Point Farmer’s Market on the way

The East Point Farmer’s Market is coming soon to the Commons in downtown East Point. The market is an initiative of the East Point Main Street Association in partnership with the Department of Economic Development.

The Farmer’s Market Committee features area residents and community stakeholders that volunteer their time to help make the market a reality.

Check www.EastPointFarmersMarket.com for updates. John Thompson for the AJC

Henry parks set Memorial Day service

The Henry County Parks and Recreation Department and VFW Post 11576 are sponsoring a Memorial Day service Monday, May 30, at 10 a.m. at the Veterans Wall of Honor in Heritage Park on Lake Dow Road in McDonough.

Monroe Roark for the AJC

HMC to hold blood drive on May 25

Henry Medical Center and LifeSouth will hold a blood drive Wednesday, May 25, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the ground floor of the hospital’s South Tower.

To give blood you must be in good health, 17 years or older, weigh at least 110 pounds, not have donated blood within the last 56 days, and show a valid photo ID.

LifeSouth strongly recommends that you eat a snack or meal within the two hours prior to donating blood. For more information call Michelle Nunnally at 678-604-1026 or Jil Osborne at 770-432-0637. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Major Henry road project is finished

A major road project in north Henry County is now complete. The intersection of East Atlanta Road and Panola Road has been realigned to 90 degrees in each direction, and turn lanes have been added. County officials deemed the previous configuration unsafe.

The $2 million project was funded by the Georgia Department of Transportation and Henry County’s special-purpose local-option sales tax. Monroe Roark for the AJC