County by county news for Friday

Roads to close for Kennesaw festival

Roads off Main Street in Kennesaw will close for the Big Shanty Festival 6 p.m. Friday to 8 p.m. Sunday. Main Street from Moon Station Road to Summer Street will close 6 a.m. Saturday. Festival hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday along Main Street downtown. Information: www.kennesawbusiness.org. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Austell floodplain comment extended

Public comments are being accepted until 5 p.m. Saturday on Austell’s plan to construct a restroom facility in Legion Park, 5514 Austell-Powder Springs Road, which is in a floodplain.

Written comments may be submitted to: Angela Johnson, Cobb County Community Development Block Grant Program Manager, 121 Haynes St., Marietta, GA 30060.

Information: 770-528-1462 or email ajohnson@cobbcountycdbg.com.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Taste of West Cobb to be Saturday

Hillgrove High School Bands will host the seventh annual Taste of West Cobb 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the school, 4165 Luther Ward Road, Powder Springs.

Food samplings from West Cobb restaurants and bakeries will be available for $10 a pack, including 10 taste tickets, which also may be used for beverages or children’s activities.

Profits will support the school’s band program.

Information: cobbk12.org/Hillgrove, tasteofwestcobb.com

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

WWII women exhibit at Austell library

The Kennesaw State University Museum of History and Holocaust Education’s display of “Beyond Rosie: Women in World War II” may be seen 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout April at the Sweetwater Valley Library, 5000 Austell-Powder Springs Road, Austell on the first floor of the Austell Threadmill Complex.

Open every day but Sunday, this free exhibit explores the many ways women contributed to the war effort.

Information: Susan Lester, sweetwab@cobbcat.org or 770-819-3290.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Sign up now for Marietta July 4 parade

Marietta is looking for bands, military units, scouts, beauty queens and businesses to participate in the July 4 Let Freedom Ring parade. Applications accepted through May 30 for the 1.5-mile parade from Roswell Street Baptist Church to Cherokee Street and North Marietta Parkway.

Information: www.mariettaga.gov or 770-794-5601. Tucker McQueen

GWINNETT

Peachtree Corners Market opening in July

Construction on the Peachtree Corners Market, a new retail center located on S.R. 141/Peachtree Parkway across from The Forum, is expected to be complete in July. New businesses: Sprouts, a 27,000 square-foot boutique grocery store, Verizon Wireless, Piedmont Salon, Sleep Number Beds, PNC Bank and Zoe’s Kitchen.

Information: www.cityofpeachtreecornersga.com.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Braselton celebrates Georgia Cities Week

Braselton celebrates Georgia Cities Week with the theme, People Place Purpose 9 a.m. Saturday at the Braselton Community Room adjacent to Town Hall for its fifth annual Rivers Alive cleanup along the Mulberry River, local streams and roadsides.

Information: 706-654-3915 ext. 1012. Karen Huppertz

Public meeting to learn about Gwinnett Village

The Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District and the Atlanta Regional Commission will host an open house for input on a project to connect Lilburn and Norcross via a multi-use trail along Indian Trail Road 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Norcross Human Services Center, 5030 Georgia Bell Court. This is part of the feasibility study to understand impacts and costs. Information: www.gwinnettvillage.com.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Intersection added to improvement list

Gwinnett DOT and Snellville officials will add improvements to the intersection at Pharrs Road and Ridgedale Drive to the list of already approved $2.2 million SPLOST funded sidewalks on Oak Road from Highway 124 to Mountain View Road and on Highway 78 from Odum Street to Rockdale Circle along with an intersection improvement at North and Pharrs roads. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Students selling plants, herbs

Gwinnett Tech’s Environmental Horticulture students will host a spring plant sale 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, at the Gwinnett Tech campus greenhouse next to Building 600, 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville. Numerous flowers, shrubs, houseplants and herbs available. Cash or check preferred. Information: www.GwinnettTech.edu or 770-962-7580. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Donation benefits seniors in need

The nonprofit Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services donated $104,000for home-delivered meals and transportation services for senior citizens. Friends earmarked $79,000 to fund home-delivered meals for seniors who are on the waiting list, emergency meals for displaced or distressed seniors and nutritional supplements for seniors in need. The remaining $25,000 will be used to provide eligible seniors with medical transportation services as well as transportation to and from Gwinnett’s senior service centers. Information: www.gwinnettseniorservices.com.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Bank held up by drive-through suspect

Forsyth County Sheriff’s officials seek a suspect who robbed a Chase Bank branch on Buford Highway Wednesday-without leaving his car. Sheriff’s officials say the white male pulled into the drive-through, passed the teller a demand note and what he said was an exlposive device, then fled.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Bomb Disposal Unit arrived and blew up the device, which turned out to be harmless. Police say the suspect was driving a black 4-door 2012 or 2013 Hyundai Genesis. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Workshop to focus on passing SAT section

College-bound students can get SAT help at the “SAT Critical Reading Workshop,” 6 p.m. April 21 at the Northeast-Spruill Oaks Branch of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek.

The workshop is offered as part of the Kaplan College Prep Series. Registration is required.

Information: 770-360-8820.

Kent A. Miles for the AJC

Author to speak at Johns Creek library

Young adult fiction writer Jackson Pearce will speak on writing and the publishing industry at 10:30 Saturday at the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library’s Northeast/Spruill Oaks Branch, 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek.

Free, but registration is required. Information: karen.swenson@fultoncountyga.gov or 770-360-8820. Kent A. Miles for the AJC

Forsyth may make changes to code

The Forsyth County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to consider a possible change to the county’s Unified Development Code at 6:30 p.m. April 22 at the Forsyth County Administration Building, 110 E. Main St., Cumming.

The commission seeks comment on a possible amendment to chapter 10 of the code on non-conforming lots.

The change would allow protection of a property owners non-conforming status when a lot is reduced by being condemned or sold, or dedicated to an entity with the power of condemnation.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Golf tourney fundraiser to be April 28

Children without a Voice will hold its annual fundraising charity golf tournament beginning at 10 a.m. April 28 at the Alpharetta Athletic Club, 3430 Highway 9 N. Cost: $150 per player or $500 for a foursome, which includes golf, lunch, dinner, prizes, raffles and auction.

Children without a Voice is a registered non-profit founded in 2007 aimed at fighting crimes against children, plus child abuse and neglect. For registration and sponsorship information, visit www.birdeasepro.com/cwav2014. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

New Woodstock trails to open in early May

A new portion of Woodstock’s trail system will open with a 10 a.m. May 3 ribbon-cutting at Market and Elm streets. The Towne to Creek and Noonday Creek multi-use concrete segments stretch approximately 1.5 miles from downtown to Ga. 92 near I-575, a $1.5 million project. The event will be part of the Woodstock Trailfest, which features a 5K run, music, food and vendors.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

Workshops to advise job seekers

Job applicants seeking to enhance their chances of landing work may attend job readiness workshops sponsored by Fulton County.

The workshops will take place at 9 a.m. April 15, 16 and 17 at the Neighborhood Union Health Center, 186 Sunset Ave., Atlanta. The deadline to register for the workshops is FridayApril 11, and registration is free.

Information: 404-613-6381.

Kent A. Miles for the AJC

Children’s Healthcare honored for radiology

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has been designated a Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology.

The honor recognizes facilities that demonstrate best-quality imaging practices and diagnostic care. It also recognizes excellence in professional staffing, policies and procedures, image quality, safety and patient results.

Information: www.choa.org

Kent A. Miles for the AJC

School to host Run with the Wolves

Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School is sponsoring the third annual Run with the Wolves 5K and 1 mile run-walk at 8:30 a.m. April 19 at the middle school campus, 820 Essie Ave., Atlanta.

Registration for the 5K and 1-mile run is $20 for school staff and students until April 14, $25 on race day.

Registration for all other runners is $25 for the 5K and $20 for the 1-mile run until April 14, $30 for the $5K and $25 for the mile run on race day.

Information: www.atlncs.org/5k

Kent A. Miles for the AJC

CAU hosts young leaders program

Clark Atlanta University will be one of only 20 U.S. host schools for the Washington Fellowship For Young African Leaders Program, convening on campus June 14-July 25. This is the flagship program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative.

Nancy Badertscher

DEKALB

Ordinance’s first draft easier on residents

Decatur’s city commission reviewed the first draft of a new tree ordinance which states that residents can remove up to three trees every 18 months and that they only have to maintain the canopy they inherit upon buying their property (commercial property owners must maintain a strict 45 percent canopy).

The language regarding residential canopy is much easier on homeowners compared to earlier versions of the ordinance, in the works since last fall.

The proposed ordinance, which the commission votes on May 19, is posted for public comment at www.decaturga.com.

Bill Banks for the AJC

Northlake Community Alliance meeting

The Northlake Community Alliance Inc. will hold its annual meeting at 7 p.m. May 8 at the back lot building behind Briarlake Baptist Church, 3715 LaVista Road, Decatur.

The meeting will focus on what new leaders of the DeKalb Development Authority are doing to improve the economy of the area. Vaughan Irons, the development authority chairman, and Douglas Stoner, the managing director, will speak.

Information: www.nlake.org

Kent A. Miles for the AJC

Garden club monthly meeting Monday

Atlanta gardener and horticulture expert Sara Henderson will be the featured speaker at the monthly meeting of the Mountain Shadow Garden Club, 7:30 p.m. MondayApril 14 at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 5801 Hugh Howell Road, Stone Mountain.

The meeting is free and open to the public.

Information: 404-641-8633.

Kent A. Miles for the AJC

Free paper shredding Saturday in Lithonia

Keep DeKalb Beautiful and Lithonia are partnering to offer a free paper shredding and Styrofoam recycling event on Saturday 4/12.

Residents can bring up to five storage boxes of documents to the secure on-site shredding. Most document types are accepted and will be 100 percent recycled.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Lithonia Plaza at Main Street and Max Cleland Boulevard, Lithonia.

April Hunt

South DeKalb group meets Saturday

The South DeKalb Improvement Association will hold a public meeting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Berean Community Center, 2440 Young Road, Stone Mountain.

Guests will hear from committee members who will present a slate of projects for approval by the association membership in the priority areas of code compliance and enforcement, economic development, education, housing and safety.

Information: sdiainc@gmail.com or 770-322-3842. Kent A. Miles for the AJC

Event to support high school scholarships

The Southwest DeKalb High School Parent Teacher Student Association is hosting a fund-raising event at 7 p.m. Saturday at Dugan’s restaurant, 4975 Flat Shoals Parkway. A percentage of sales will go to scholarships for Southwest DeKalb High students.

Information:

Kent A. Miles for the AJC

SOUTHSIDE

Portions of Henry County on alert for rabies

Henry County Animal Care and Control received a call April 2 that a dog had fought with and killed a raccoon on Carver Road in McDonough. The raccoon tested positive for the rabies virus, so a 31-day rabies quarantine has been issued, as required by the Georgia Rabies Control Manual, for a half-mile area surrounding Carver Road, which covers James Street and Washington Street in McDonough.

Information: www.hcacc.org. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Meeting set on Henry road project

A meeting about the Banks Road-Rock Quarry Road intersection project is 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 24 at Fire Station #9, 122 Rock Quarry Road in Stockbridge. The meeting will be “open house” format where people can view the plans and ask questions. Information: www.henrycounty-ga.org.

Monroe Roark for the AJC

Henry schools consider new budget

The Henry County Board of Education is considering a $318 million budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year with no furlough days and a raise for employees.

The local tax digest is expected to increase 13 percent or $12 million this year, and state revenue is also up about $15 million for the year according to officials. The school board will vote on whether to approve the tentative budget Monday, with the final budget expected to be approved in June.

Information: www.henry.k12.ga.us.

Monroe Roark for the AJC

Deadline extended for BOE applications

The Fayette County Board of Education has extended the deadline for submitting applications to fill its vacant Post 2 seat. Letters of interest and resumes must be received by 10 a.m. Monday at the BOE office in Fayetteville.

Information: www.fcboe.org.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

State poet laureate to address literacy group

Georgia Poet Laureate Judson Mitcham will be the featured guest speaker at the Henry County Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy spring luncheon, 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Eagle’s Landing Country Club, 100 Eagle’s Landing Way, Stockbridge.

Proceeds will go toward books for Henry County preschoolers. Tickets are $30, and reservations recommended. Information: dorismike@bellsouth.net or 404-421-4911. Kent A. Miles

Road race to benefit sickle cell awareness

The 35th annual Sickle Cell Road Race/Walk will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday at Welcome All Park, 4255 Will Lee Road, College Park.

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield will be the honorary starter of the event, a 7-kilometer run and 4 kilometer walk. Registration: $30, adults; $25, 18 and under. Proceeds help provide sickle cell education, testing, and programs such as Camp New Hope, a medically supervised summer camp for children with the sickle cell condition. Information: sicklecellga.org/events/road-race Kent A. Miles for the AJC