COBB
Powder Springs to improve accessibility
The Powder Springs City Council voted recently to spend no more than $151,000 in Cobb Community Block Grant Program funds to complete improvements at city facilities and the Senior Citizens Center.
Among those changes will be doors and restrooms at City Hall to accommodate the disabled.
City Manager Brad Hulsey said these Americans With Disabilities Act improvements are needed for the city to qualify for Georgia Department of Transportation funding. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Smyrna business group luncheon meeting
Jeff Smith, owner of Action Coach Atlanta, will be the featured speaker at the Smyrna Business Association luncheon at 11:30 a.m. April 3 at the Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Green Circle.
Admission is $12 for members in advance, $16 for members at the door, and $20 for guests.
Information: smyrnabusiness.org Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Big Shanty Festival in Kennesaw
The Superior Plumbing Kennesaw/Big Shanty Festival will take place the weekend of April 12-13 in downtown Kennesaw near the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History.
The family-friendly festivities kick off with a parade at 9:30 April 12, beginning at Adams Park and continuing down Main Street through downtown Kennesaw.
The city of Kennesaw and the Kennesaw Business Association are sponsoring the festival, which is open to the community.
Information: www.kennesaw.com/big-shanty-festival or 770-423-1330. Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Business groups host networking
The South Cobb and West Cobb Business Associations will host a networking event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pasta Bella Family Grill, 3696 Austell Road SW, Marietta.
Information: westcobbbusiness.com/events.html#after. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Mableton group, Cupid hold meeting
The Mableton Improvement Coalition will cosponsor a town hall meeting with Cobb District 4 Commissioner Lisa Cupid at 7 p.m. April 3 at the SAE School, 6688 Mableton Parkway, Mableton.
Transportation issues will be discussed with a focus on Floyd and Queen Mill Roads and the proposed flex bus by Cobb Community Transit.
Information: mableton.org/ai1ec_event/town-hall-meeting. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Marietta announces free concerts
Marietta will take table reservations starting Tuesday April 1 for a summer concert series in Glover Park on the Marietta Square. Six concerts, the last Friday of the month through Sept. 26, begin April 26 with the R&B 911 Band. The concerts are free, but tables provided by the city are $45-$65. Information: www.mariettaga.gov/concerts. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
GWINNETT
Expo for veterans seeking employment
The Georgia Department of Labor and Aviation Institute of Maintenance will co-sponsor a job expo featuring over 50 employers 9 a.m. to noon April 9 for veterans and other job seekers at the Aviation Institute, 2025 Satellite Point off Satellite Boulevard in Duluth.
Expo is open to veterans and their family members, active duty personnel, military retirees, National Guard, U.S. reserve units, and others. Help will be available for employment-related and other issues concerning veterans. Information: 770-590-6633. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Chamber honors public safety workers
Nearly 20 people and groups were recognized for acts of bravery and service during the Gwinnett Chamber Valor Awards Tuesday. Among those honored were Gwinnett County firefighters and members of the Gwinnett County Police SWAT team involved in a hostage standoff situation in Suwanee in April 2013.
Tim Hollingsworth, Sidney Garner, Chip Echols, Jody Moss and Jason Schuon from Gwinnett County Fire & Emergency Services and Sgt. Jeff Johnston, Sgt. Jason Teague and Officer Nicholas Boney from the Gwinnett County Police Department were all awarded Medals of Valor, receiving the program’s highest award for bravery and heroism.
Sgt. Teague also received the Purple Heart for injuries sustained during the situation. Molly Bloom
Sugar Hill seeks housing volunteer
The Sugar Hill Housing Authority Board is enlisting a resident to volunteer their time once a quarter to govern the Housing Authority facilities and bonds.
Information: City Clerk Jane Whittington: jwhittington@cityofsugarhill.com or 770-945-6716. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Snellville’s Town Green to be redesigned
Snellville has approved Tucker-based Root Design Studio to create a plan to improve the city’s Town Green. The $7,480 contract calls for a five-phase plan to include land surveys, pre-design, diagrams, sketches and plans for the project along with a cost analysis. The design should be done by April 30. www.snellville.org. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Food trucks return to Suwanee
Food trucks will return to Suwanee’s Town Center 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. April 4 and continue the first Friday of each month through October, with the exception of July.
Live music will be performed on the Town Center stage beginning at 7:30. Information: www.suwanee.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Snellville Arts encourages reading
The Snellville Arts Commission invites kids to take an interactive tour around City Hall guided by statues 2 p.m. Sunday at 2342 Oak Road.
The Critter Crawl at City Hall will correspond with poems found at: www.snellvillearts.com/CritterCrawl. Audio/printouts of the poems will be made available permanently 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Fridays. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
NORTHSIDE
Elections board clears candidate to run
Cherokee County Board of Education member Rick Steiner has been cleared to run for re-election, despite an outstanding back tax debt. Acworth resident Dean Sheridan filed a complaint alleging Steiner was ineligible, but the Board of Elections and Voter Registration ruled Wednesday that, Steiner is making payments to the Internal Revenue Service and his candidacy is legal. Steiner is running for the Republiocan nomination for the District 4 board seat, and faces opposition from Woodstock resident Robert Strozier in the May 20 primary. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
City manager finalist in Canton withdraws
The sole finalist for the city manager job in Canton has withdrawn his name. Billy Peppers, a former economic development director in Woodstock, submitted a letter to Mayor Gene Hobgood and the city manager search committee, saying the decision was best for Canton and his family. Peppers had been named last Friday. Some City Council members to question his youth - he’s in his early 30s - and his lack of city management experience.Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Roswell water quality report available
The city of Roswell’s annual water quality report is available at roswellgov.com/CCR. City officials say the report contains valuable information such as where the city’s drinking water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to the standards set by water regulatory agencies. The city says it conducted tests of drinking water parameters in conjunction with state officials in 2013, and no violations were reported. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Volunteers help with tax preparation
The Community Assistance Center in Sandy Springs offers free income tax return preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
Appointments are required 4 to 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Information: vita@ourcac.org or 770-552-4015, Ext. 260.Kent A. Miles
Forsyth concert to benefit meal program
Forsyth County Senior Services hosts classical pianist Daniela Tsi Gerber, flutist Cathy Morris and violinist Evey Farley 2:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Sexton Hall Enrichment Center, 2115 Chloe Road.
Tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the door. Proceeds benefit Meals on Wheels. Information: 770-781-2178. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Food drive to help feed kids during the summer
Feed Forsyth will hold an Easter canned food drive Monday to April 21 to help provide lunch for more than 10,0000 Forsyth County children who may go without a midday meal after school dismisses for the summer.
The group seeks donations of canned soup, tuna, chicken and ravioli, as well as peanut butter, snack bars and other items. Several community pantries will utilize the donations to provide Summer Sacks of Love for those kids while school is out.
Information on donations and participating locations: FeedForsyth.org or 678-807-9120. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
ATLANTA
Authors to discuss East Atlanta history
The Friends of East Atlanta Library will host a discussion and book signing event with Henry Bryant and Katina VanCronkhite at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the meeting room of the library, 400 Flat Shoals Ave., Atlanta.
Bryant and VanCronkhite authored “Images of America: East Atlanta.” They will discuss some of the little known history of East Atlanta and share images and stories that were not included in the book. Copies will be available for purchase.
Information: 404-730-5438. Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Monthly vigils for sex trafficking captives
The next monthly candlelight vigil for sex trafficking captives will be 6:45 to 8 p.m. today at the Atlanta Dream Center, 635 Angier Ave. NE by Out of Darkness, a nonprofit ministry to reach, rescue and restore victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
Participants will walk to 4th Ward Park for the 7 p.m. “Be the Light” prayer gathering. Information: outofdarkness.org, email info@outofdarkness.org, 404-719-4854 or 24 /7 rescue hotline at 404-941-6024. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Health care innovators, entrepreneurs to meet
Better Walk is hosting the first Entrepreneurial Innovation in Healthcare dinner, 6 p.m. April 10 at the Georgia Tech Student Center, 350 Ferst Drive.
Tickets are $50, $15 for students. Proceeds go to Crutches4Kids, which donates crutches to children.
Information: www.smore.com/mt7b Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Applications accepted for writing program
Applications are being accepted for a four-week free writing program for high school students.
The Arts Writing Intensive program is scheduled for April 19, April 26, May 3 and May 10. Sixteen students will be selected. The application deadline is is today .
Information: www.wrensnest.org Kent A. Miles for the AJC
DEKALB
Two construction projects to coincide
Decatur Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon admitted that two major construction projects surrounding Decatur High will likely coincide for most of the 2015-16 school year. The long-planned streetscape improvements on North McDonough Road reducing the corridor to two lanes, begins in summer, 2015, while additions to the high school – mostly new classrooms – could start around the same time. Saxon said the city’s currently working on temporary routes for students and other pedestrian and car traffic. Bill Banks for the AJC
DeKalb Medical recognized for efforts
DeKalb Medical is the recipient of the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines-Stroke program Silver Quality Achievement Award.
DeKalb Medical was recognized for meeting specific quality achievement measures for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients. The measures include proper use of medications and aggressive risk-reduction therapies.
Information: www.dekalbmedical.org Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Emory-Tibet receives $1M grant
Emory University was awarded a $1 million grant from the Dalai Lama Trust to support the endowment fund of The Robert A. Paul Emory-Tibet Science Initiative.
The grant will help fund a six-year science curriculum in major Tibetan monastic institutions. The curriculum will include creation of a video library and more than two dozen textbooks and summer classes taught by Emory and other faculty from U.S. institutions.
Since its founding in 2007, the initative has sent Emory faculty to India each summer to offer six-week science courses to 90 Tibetan monks and nuns, developed a series of bilingual Tibetan-English science books and hosted two groups of monastic science scholars for science education at Emory.
Information: Brenda Tran, btran02@emory.edu, 404-712-8764 Janel Davis
Bluegrass festival at Stone Mountain Village
Stone Mountain Village hosts its fifth annual Blue Grassroots Music and Arts festival 10 a.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. Sunday in the historic downtown area.
The festival is the first event celebrating the 175th anniversary of the founding of the city of Stone Mountain. Free.
Information: www.stonemountainvillage.com Kent A. Miles for the AJC
County launches Smart911 service
DeKalb County has launched a new emergency service system that includes additional information to help responders during a crisis.
The Smart911 system will include information about how many people live in homes or their medical conditions.
Residents can volunteer the information in a profile at www.Smart911.com. April Hunt
Benefit for Dunwoody Nature Center returns
Monarchs and Margaritas, the biggest yearly fund-raiser for the Dunwoody Nature Center, will be held Saturday at the South Terraces Atrium.
Tickets: $100, including live entertainment, food and desserts. Information/tickets: www.monarchsandmargaritas.org. April Hunt
SOUTHSIDE
Fayette services board seeks member
Fayette County’s Board of Family and Children Services is accepting applications to fill an open volunteer position. The board meets monthly and serves as a link between the community and the county administration. The position’s term will run May 15, 2014-June 30, 2016; applications are due April 18. Contact Floyd Jones at 770-305-5102 or fjones@fayettecountyga.gov. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Spring break camp in Henry
The Henry County Parks and Recreation Department offers a spring break day camp April 7-11. Cost: $100, with a sibling discount. Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Camps will be held at the Fairview Recreation Center in Stockbridge, Heritage Park in McDonough and the J. P. Moseley Recreation Center in Stockbridge. Additional camps will be held at the Locust Grove Recreation Center and Nash Farm Park if the two locations have at least 10 campers registered. Information: www.hcprd.org or 770-288-7311. Monroe Roark for the AJC
Fayetteville school in recycling contest
Fayetteville Elementary School is collecting cans and bottles to earn prize money in the national PepsiCo Dream Machine Recycle Rally. The school would use the funds for its new vegetable garden. Nonalcoholic plastic drink bottles and aluminum cans can be dropped off next to the school’s recycling dumpster at 490 Hood Ave. until April 25. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Peachtree City offers LEGO camps
Peachtree City’s Recreation Department will offer two LEGO camps April 7-11 at the Kedron Fieldhouse. Pre-Engineering with LEGO for ages 5-7 will be held 9 a.m.-noon; Engineering FUNdamentals for ages 7-11 will be held 1-4 p.m. Cost: $167, Fayette residents; $208, nonresidents. Information: www.peachtree-city.org/recreation. Jill Howard Church
CTAE workshop scheduled Saturday
The Career, Technical and Agricultural Education Department of Clayton County Public Schools hosts a College and Career Expo 9 a.m. Saturday at Drew High School, 6237 Garden Walk Blvd., Riverdale. Division of Exceptional Students Parent University Workshop runs concurrently. Tammy Joyner
Fishing tournamentserves as fundraiser
The Henry County Water Authority hosts at fishing tournament fundraiser 7 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Long Branch/Rowland Reservoir adjacent to the Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit Henry County Outdoor Education Partnership, which organizes the annual field trips by every Henry County third-grader to the Cubihatcha Center each fall.
Entry is $50 per team, with two-person teams featuring one adult and one child or youth, age 6-17. Participants must fish from a boat, and prizes will be awarded for winners.
Information: 678-583-3930 or jeffrey.scott@hcwsa.com. Monroe Roark for the AJC
