COBB
KSU receives $500,000 for business program
An Atlanta businessman and his wife have given $500,000 to Kennesaw State University to support a college-to-career leadership program for students in the Michael J. Coles College of Business.
The donation from Thomas W. Hughes and Barbara Hughes will provide a program that combines academic and career guidance. Tom Hughes is a MBA graduate of the Coles school. Information: www.kennesaw.edu.
Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Tennis center wins state award
Lost Mountain Tennis Center in Powder Springs has been chosen by the United States Tennis Association as its Georgia Member Organization of the Year for the second time, the first being in 2004.
Selection is based on service to the tennis community, the organization’s members and the game of tennis.
As an example, the Lost Mountain Community Tennis Association recently donated nearly $3,000 to the SafePath Advocacy Center, which helps and intervenes with abused and neglected children to educate people and stop child abuse.
Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Marietta utilities collecting for school
Marietta Power and Water will be collecting clothes, medical supplies and gift cards during the month of December. All donated items will be given to children at Park Creek Elementary School. Collection boxes will be located in all divisions and buildings of Marietta Power and Water. Haley Castillo
Water rates to go up slightly
Marietta's utility company will raise water rates Jan. 1 about 40 cents a month for an average customer using 4,000 gallons a month.. The council Wednesday approved a Board of Lights and Water decision to raise water rates next year but delay power rate increases. BLW manager Bob Lewis said Marietta will have to cover a $5 million increase in power costs next year from utility providers. He said power costs to the city will increase from $93.7 million in 2013 to $98.7 million in 2014. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Volunteers needed for Lake Park tree planting
Marietta Tree Keepers is looking for volunteers of all ages to plant trees at Marietta's Lake Park, 311 Lake Drive, 9-11 a.m. Saturday. Refreshments and tools will be provided. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. The group has planted more than 5,000 trees in public places around the city. Information: www.mariettga.gov/committee/treekeepers.
Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Historic Mable House open through Saturday
The Historic Mable House will be open for tours 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Saturday at 5239 Floyd Road, Mableton.
Docents will lead visitors through the 170-year-old house and outbuildings, explaining life on this 19th-century farm that is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Information: southcobbarts.org, mablehouse.org/historic-house.html or youtube.com/watch?v=LRLcZtLTht0.
Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
GWINNETT
Mayors wager on high school championship game
Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson and Suwanee Mayor Jimmy Burnette have placed a small wager on Saturday's Class AAAAAA state high school championship game. The mayor of the losing team will display the logoed license plate of the victors' hometown on his personal vehicle through the end of the school year. If the North Gwinnett Bulldogs win, Johnson will sport Suwanee's new logo on the front of his vehicle, but if the Norcross Blue Devils win, Burnette's vehicle will bear the Norcross "A Place to Imagine" license plate. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
SPLOST project committee to meet
The next meeting of the Citizens Project Selection Committee to review 2014 SPLOST funded items will take place at 6 p.m. Monday in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, Conference Room A, 75 Langley Dr., Lawrenceville. An overview presentation will cover the school safety project category. Information: www.gwinnettcounty.com.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Residents have chance to comment on 2014 budget
Gwinnett Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash formally presented a proposed $1.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2014 to the Board of Commissioners during a briefing on November 19. After a public hearing and period for public comment, commissioners will vote on the budget proposal during their first meeting of the year on Jan. 7. Residents may submit online comments at www.gwinnettcounty.com through Dec. 31.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Rainbow Village breaks ground on apartments
Duluth's Rainbow Village has begun construction on a third six-unit apartment building that will add about 36 beds for homeless families in transition. A 21,000-square-foot community center, scheduled to open about the same time as the new apartment building, is already under construction. Info: www.rainbowvillage.org.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Duluth sign ordinance talk set
Duluth will examine sign ordinance changes 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 3167 Main St. There is a working draft, including proposed updates, of the sign ordinance from the city's consultants. Public comment encouraged. Information: contact William Aiken at waiken@duluthga.net or 678-475-3519. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Recycle Christmas trees to benefit parks
Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful, in partnership with Gwinnett County, will host the annual Bring One for the Chipper event Dec. 26 to Jan. 18 at various locations for trees to be chipped into mulch and used for County parks and facilities. After the holidays, drop off your live, undecorated Christmas tree at locations listed at www.gwinnettcounty.com. Fire stations will accept trees 24-hours-a-day, with other facilities accepting them during normal business hours.
Information: www.sustainablegwinnett.com.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
NORTHSIDE
Sandy Springs to address coyote sightings
The City of Sandy Springs will host a public open house 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Sandy Springs City Hall Council Chambers, 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500 to address recent coyote sightings. Representatives from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources will be present to explain coyote behavior, biology, habitat, management options, and safety precautions.
Information: www.sandyspringsga.gov or 770-730-5600.
Arlinda Smith Broady
Funeral set for longtime Cherokee civic leader
Funeral services are set for a longtime Woodstock and Cherokee County civic leader. Elizabeth Davis Johnston, 94, died Dec. 4. Johnston helped found the Woodstock Public Library and South Cherokee Recreation Association and was active in PTA, hospital, library, government planning and historical groups. Services are set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Woodstock Funeral Home, 8855 Main St.
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
New senior facility to bring jobs to Forsyth
The Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce says this week’s announcement of a new senior living facility in south Forsyth will bring 50 new jobs and more than $20 million in capital investment. Aspire Development Partners plans to open the 100-unit assisted-living and memory care facility in early 2014 on Peachtree Parkway.
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Pre-legislative luncheon set in Forsyth
The Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual pre-legislative session luncheon at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday at the Forsyth Conference Center, 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Cumming. The half-dozen invited state representatives and senators will field pre-submitted and texted questions about the 2014 session. Cost: $15 members, $30 non-members. More info:cummingforsythchamber.org
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Reward for gunshop break-in info
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Shooting Sports foundation are offering a combined $10,000 reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of those responsible for a Dec. 2 burglary. More than two dozen firearms were taken from Forsyth County Pawn on Atlanta Road in Cumming. If you have info: ATF gun hotline, 1-800-283-4867 or Cumming Police 770-781-2000.
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Holiday event to benefit children’s home
The second annual Holiday Lights of Hope gears up Thursday in Woodstock and runs 6-10 p.m. through Dec. 21 at Hobgood Park, 6688 Bells Ferry Road. The Cherokee Child Advocacy Council Inc. project benefits the Anna Crawford Children’s home and includes a holiday lights display, children’s activities, and more. Adults $10, free for kids 14 and younger. Information: www.cherokeechildadvocates.org
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
ATLANTA
APD receives DUI enforcement grant
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety awarded the Atlanta Police Department a $57,500 grant award from its Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic or H.E.A.T. Program.
Added to this award is $172,200 from the Atlanta Police Department, bringing the total grant program budget to $229,700. The H.E.A.T. program was designed to serve Georgia jurisdictions with the highest rates of crashes, injuries, and deaths.
It includes twenty-two Georgia counties and covers most of Metro Atlanta.
The primary goals of the program are: to reduce impaired driving crashes; reduce excessive speeding; increase safety belt usage; and educate the public about traffic safety.
The Atlanta Police Department’s H.E.A.T. Unit will develop and implement strategies using traffic enforcement and education to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities from drugs and alcohol, speed and aggressive driving, as well as the non-use of safety belts during the grant period that began Oct. 1 and continuing until Sep. 30.
Information: 404-656-6996 or swoods@gohs.ga.gov.
Arlinda Smith Broady
Senior center hosts holiday celebration
The Helene S. Mills Senior Multipurpose Facility, 515 John Wesley Dobbs Ave., SE will hold a Holiday Celebration on Thursday, 4 to 7 p.m. The evening will include food, music and dancing. Information: 404-523-3353. Arlinda Smith Broady
Israeli ambassador to deliver public speech
Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer will speak at the annual Eizenstat Memorial Lecture 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave.
The event is free and open to the public.
Registration is requested at eizenstatlecture@aasynagogue.org.
Information: 404-355-5222 or AASynagogue.org. Arlinda Smith Broady
DEKALB
Community group continues protest
Good Growth DeKalb will hold a rally at the 6-way intersection of Scott Boulevard, North Decatur and Medlock roads 4:30 to 6 p.m. today to protest a recent court ruling. On Oct. 31, a DeKalb Superior Court judge dismissed the community group’s challenge to the building permit for a Walmart store at Suburban Plaza. Work on the 149,000 square foot project is slated to begin by year’s end.
Good Growth DeKalb orgainizers said they are continuing to consider legal options, including possible appeal.
Arlinda Smith Broady
City, commission make ‘Statement of Intent’
Decatur’s city commission and school board outlined a joint “Statement of Intent,” listing two main points: establishing a “community-based committee” (formerly a “Blue Ribbon Committee”) addressing the school system’s growth and the potential impact of annexation on both city and schools and formalizing communication between the two bodies, including the submitting between the two of quarterly reports and holding annual or bi-annual retreats. The board approved the statement Tuesday, the commission scheduled to do the same next week.
Bill Banks for the AJC
Brookhaven tree lighting rescheduled
The Brookhaven birthday celebration and race, scheduled for Saturday, are canceled because of forecasted rain. Registered runners will be reimbursed. The city will host a race in the spring. The formal birthday commemoration ceremony will be 7 p.m. at Town Brookhaven. The city is still accepting time capsule submissions. Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items, which will be donated to a local food pantry.
The tree lighting and time capsule burial will be rescheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Blackburn Park.
Information: www.brookhavenga.gov
Arlinda Smith Broady
Brookhaven hosts town hall
The Brookhaven City Council will host a town hall meeting 7 p.m. Monday at Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Road NE. Information: brookhavencityga.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=1165.
Arlinda Smith Broady
School superintendent to update parents
DeKalb County School Superintendent Michael Thurmond will speak with parents in Tucker at a community meeting Monday.
The Tucker Parent Council is describing the 7 p.m. event as a “state of the system address.”
Location: Tucker Middle School, 2160 Idlewood Road, Tucker. Ty Tagami
School has last dance for its old building
Chamblee Charter High School is sponsoring the “Last Dance” from 8 to 11 p.m. today to commemorate the old school building at 3688 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road before it is demolished, and to raise money for the new building.
The event will be preceded by a “jazz cafe” at 6:15 p.m.
Proceeds will go toward equipment and supplies for the new building, opening in January.
Tickets: ChambleeHighBulldogs.com. Ty Tagami
SOUTHSIDE
McDonough pays tribute to movie shot on location there
McDonough will pay tribute to movie maker Tyler Perry’s latest “Madea” movie by proclaiming Friday “A Madea Christmas Day in McDonough.”
Many scenes from Perry’s newest movie “A Madea Christmas,” which opens today, were shot in McDonough, including the Henry County town’s Historic Downtown, which served as a backdrop in the movie.
McDonough Mayor Billy Copeland even makes an appearance in the movie. Tammy Joyner
Pet Santa photos help homeless animals
Santa will pose with pets from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Peachtree City PetSmart on Hwy. 54 West.
For a $5 donation, visitors can take pictures with their own cameras and receive $25 in coupons.
Proceeds benefit the Fayette Humane Society.
Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Fayette Ethics Board looking to fill posts
Fayette County Ethics Board is looking to fill two alternate positions on the volunteer panel. The appointments have terms that end Dec. 31, 2015 and Dec. 31, 2016.
Fayette Commissioners are accepting applications with resumes for the two positions.
Applications can be obtained by contacting Floyd Jones at 770-305-5102 or at fjones@fayettecountyga.gov.
All applications must be returned to Jones at 140 Stonewall Ave. West, Suite 100, Fayetteville by 5 p.m. on Dec. 27. Tammy Joyner
Fayette seeks ‘visioning’ input
A group of citizens and business leaders is asking individuals who live and/or work in Fayette County to offer input about the area’s future.
The Fayette Visioning Initiative Steering Committee has posted a short survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/fayettevisioning through Dec. 31.
Information: www.fayettevision.org.
Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Project Harvest accepting donations
Project Harvest is collecting nonperishable items through Monday.
Donations can be made at: Frank Bailey Senior Center, 6213 Riverdale Road, Riverdale; J. Charley Griswell Senior Center, 2300 Hwy 138 SE, Jonesboro; and Clayton County Board of Commissioners, 112 Smith Street, Jonesboro.
Information: Aging Program at 770 603-4050. Tammy Joyner
Peachtree City
starts Santa Run
Peachtree City’s annual Santa Run will be held Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 22.
Santa will ride atop fire trucks through the city’s neighborhoods to collect donations of nonperishable food and Toys for Tots.
Schedules are posted at www.peachtree-city.org.
Jill Howard Church for the AJC
