County by county news for Friday

No tax increase is included in this $6.7 million budget -- down by $346,000 from this year.

For the fourth year, there will be no raises for the city’s nearly 100 employees, said City Manager Rick Eckert.

While no job vacancies will be filled, there will be no furlough days, he added.

The budget takes effect on July 1. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Powder Springs may get new chief on Wednesday

Powder Springs City Council members may choose their next police chief during a specially called meeting on Wednesday.

City Manager Rick Eckert is expected to announce his recommendation then.

Finalists are the city’s interim police chief, Maj. Tom Arnold of the Cobb police force; Jeffrey Pearce, an assistant special agent in charge with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and William Sewell, police chief of McMinnville, Tennessee.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers, 4488 Pineview Drive at Marietta Street. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Metro Dash lands in Cobb Saturday

The obstacle race series Metro Dash lands in Cobb on Saturday, with hundreds of athletes competing on an obstacle course designed by Navy SEALs, with tire flips, rope swings, cargo net climbs, wall jumps and monkey bars. The series started in April in Hampton Roads, Va., and will later be in Washington, D.C., Denver and Salt Lake City.

Saturday’s races start at 8 a.m. at Town Center at Cobb, in the parking lot between Belk and JCPenney, at 400 Ernest W. Barrett Parkway, Kennesaw. Information: www.metrodash.com. Johnny Edwards

Immigration education forum in Smyrna

The Cobb Immigrant Alliance is holding a public forum June 30 to educate residents about Georgia’s new anti-illegal immigration law.

The new law is scheduled to take effect July 1. It allows police to investigate the immigration status of certain suspects and to arrest and jail illegal immigrants in state and federal jails. Businesses would also be required to use the federal E-Verify program to verify employees’ work eligibility.

Forum begins at 7 p.m. at Crosspoint Presbyterian Church, 4061 Kings Springs Rd. in Smyrna.

Information: www.laboroflovecampaign.org. Janel Davis

Marietta school selected for theater arts program

Students at Sawyer Road Elementary School will have the chance to learn about theater arts from the Alliance Theatre Institute for Educators and Teaching Artists program. The Marietta City school is one of 12 elementary schools selected for the program. An artist-in-residence will work with each teacher and class during 14 sessions during the school year. A field trip to the Alliance, play previews and workshops are also planned. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

GWINNETT

Agencies give county top credit rating

Three agencies have given Gwinnett County top credit ratings as it prepares to refinance $166 million in debt.

Fitch Ratings, Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Service reaffirmed Gwinnett’s AAA bond ratings, which it has held since 1997. The high rating means the county can borrow money at better interest rates. County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash said the ratings are attributable to Gwinnett’s “long history of sound financial management.” County officials are refinancing the debt to take advantage of lower rates. They say refinancing could save the county up to $7.5 million. David Wickert

Judge rules Gwinnett’s trash plan legal

A Superior Court judge has found Gwinnett County acted lawfully when it contracted with five companies to collect residential garbage and charged residents for the service on their property tax bill.

On June 9 Judge Michael Clark rejected claims made in a lawsuit filed by Verlin and Milagros Gilliam of Loganville. They claimed it was illegal to require residents to have trash service and bill them in advance on their property tax bill.

Gwinnett County launched the new trash service last July. Judges have dismissed several lawsuits claiming the county’s trash service is illegal. David Wickert

Gwinnett students compete in tournament

Thirty Gwinnett County Schools students are competing in a national tournament this week.

The students qualified to compete at the National Technology Students’ Association Conference in Texas after winning state honors in engineering, architecture, robotics and music design and production events .

They attend Archer, Collins Hill, Grayson and Parkview high schools. Gwinnett Schools has 14 active TSA chapters, with more than 1,000 students participating. D. Aileen Dodd

Man dies in I-85 wreck near Buford

The Gwinnett County police are investigating a fatal car accident that occurred before dawn Thursday on Buford Drive at the entrance lane to I-85 South.

A blue 2000 Honda Accord driven by Daniel Walker, 29, of Buford failed to negotiate a curve and headed straight into a field, striking a tree. Walker was not wearing his seat belt and died on the scene. Investigators believe alcohol consumption may be a contributing factor in the accident. Andria Simmons

Police investigating fatal multi-car crash

The Gwinnett County police believe a driver ran a red light and caused a five-car collision that resulted in one death and multiple injuries Tuesday.

Preliminary investigation revealed Rita Westbrook, 57, of Duluth, was driving a Toyota Tacoma north on Old Peachtree Road at 11:10 a.m. when she ran the red light and entered the intersection of Sugarloaf Parkway. The Tacoma struck a Lexus GX470, sending both vehicles into cars that were stopped at the traffic light.

Westbrook died at the scene. The other drivers suffered non-life threatening injuries. Andria Simmons

NORTHSIDE

Johns Creek to spend $253,000 on sidewalks

Johns Creek will spend $253,000 of a $290,000 mid-year general fund surplus for sidewalks.

Work was approved Monday for sidewalks on Bell Road at Edgewater Estates Subdivision; Morton Road between Jones Bridge and State Bridge roads; Douglas Road between Jones Bridge Road and the city limits; Barnwell Road between Jacobean Entry and Old Alabama Road; along Medlock Bridge Road; Haynes Bridge Road near Big Creek; Haynes Bridge Road along the greenway to Old Alabama Road; and Buice Road between Jones Bridge and Kimball Bridge roads. Patrick Fox

Girls team takes 3rd in national tournament

The GA5 15-1 girls volleyball team from the north Fulton area took third place in the 38th annual Amateur Athletic Union Junior National Girls Volleyball Championship 15-and-above division, played in Orlando, Florida. This is the first GA5 team to medal in the AAU Nationals.

The team went undefeated in the first eight matches before losing to the eventual tournament champion. On the last day of the tournament, the team lost in the semi-finals to finish 10-2. Patrick Fox

Cherokee schools recieve exercise grant

Five Cherokee County elementary schools: Ball Ground, Carmel, Holly Springs, Joseph Know and Woodstock were awarded nearly $4,000 as part of the Safe Routes to School project, promoting walking or biking to school and in everyday life.

The project includes enhancing sidewalks and crosswalks to make them safer so children can walk or bike to school. Elise Hitchcock

Commissioners to speak to GOP women

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners will speak at the Republican Women of Forsyth County June meeting, 8:30 a.m., Saturday at Tam’s Backstage, 215 Ingram Avenue, Cumming. The county posted a public notice of the meeting, adding the commissioners may “address county topics at the meeting, but please be advised that no formal Board action(s) will be taken.” Jeffry Scott

Alpharetta gears up for fall athletics

Alpharetta will open resident registration for the fall 2011 youth athletic season on July 5. Open registration begins July 19. Ages and fees vary for baseball at Webb Bridge Park, lacrosse, and soccer.

Information: 678-297-6160 or email athleticprograms@alpharetta.ga.us.

Information: www.alpharettasoftball.com and www.wpyba.org. Patrick Fox

Roswell wants input on block grant plan

The City of Roswell will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall to receive comments before drafting its 2012 Community Development Block Grant Action Plan. The 2012 Action Plan identifies how some $417,000 in federal grant funds will be used to develop the community by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment and opportunities to expand economic opportunities primarily for low to moderate income persons.

Additionally, a 30-day comment period will be held through July 8. Patrick Fox

ATLANTA

‘Gut rehab’ projects transform two homes

The Atlanta Development Authority recently closed on two single-family “gut rehab” projects, with plans to turn blighted houses into owner-occupied homes.

They are the first Community Housing Development Organization loan transactions stemming from the city’s Housing Opportunity Bond program. The houses, in City Council District 4, will receive $160,000 in loans to be gutted while preserving historical elements.

The city’s Office of Housing provided another $160,000 in loans via the HOME Investment Partnership and Neighborhood Stabilization Programs. Andria Simmons

Jack and Jill conference held this week

Jack and Jill of America is hosting its 55th Annual Teen Leadership Conference this week at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

The convention, “Stitching The Hems Of Our Heritage” will continue through Sunday.

The event features an oratorical competition, workshops, a leadership luncheon and community service projects. Student volunteers will help beautify grounds at the Martin Luther King Center. The teens also will lead a reading workshop at Burgess-Peterson Academy in Atlanta. D. Aileen Dodd

Leaders recognize World Sickle Cell Awareness Day

Health and community leaders gathered at the Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta Thursday to kick off World Sickle Cell Awareness Day, bringing attention to the global impact of the disease.

The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention partnered to host the event. Experts will speak about the disease -- an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells -- at the Georgia World Congress Center on Friday. Between 70,000 and 100,000 Americans have the disease, according to the association.

Misty Williams

DEKALB

DeKalb invites residents to weekend housing summit

DeKalb County is inviting residents to participate in a homeowner summit Saturday 6/25in Atlanta.

The county’s community development department also is participating in the Georgia Home Alliance’s with several other government jurisdictions, to provide information to homeowners and prospective buyers about affordable housing opportunities and foreclosure prevention.

The summit runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Loudermilk Conference Center, 40 Courtland Street, Atlanta.

Free registration: http://gahousingsummit.eventbrite.com. More information: www.gahomeownership.com.

April Hunt

Dunwoody Police get grant

The Dunwoody Police Department this month was awarded a $17,500 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to fund traffic safety equipment for high visibility enforcement initiatives.

Traffic enforcement is a specialized field, requiring specialized equipment for effective enforcement and prosecution.

The Dunwoody Police Department will use the equipment to participate in regional traffic enforcement network meetings and initiatives, GOHS highway safety campaigns, and enter enforcement data in the GOHS online reporting system.

Andria Simmons

Business formu set for Thursday

Stan Watson, Super District 7 Commissioner, will host the second in a series of Small Business Forums 7 -- 9 p.m. Thursday at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road, Lithonia. The forum is designed to inform and prepare small businesses and community members of the upcoming opportunities and jobs that will be created as a result of the $1.345 Billion DeKalb County Watershed Management Capital Improvements Projects that will take place over the next five years.

Attendees will be allowed to make comments and ask questions.

Staff Reports

Parks department offers meal program for kids

All DeKalb County children will still have access to a daily meal while school is out, through a program run by the county parks department.

The summer food program is open to al children up to 18 years old and features a daily nutritious meal at DeKalb rec centers, parks, day camps and community centers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funds the program.

Information: 678-698-1114. April Hunt

Park advisory board to meet Tuesday

A citizen advisory board focused on improving DeKalb parks will hold a quarterly community meeting next week.

The meeting will focus on general activities and facilities across the county. Members also help provide services at the county’s parks and recreation centers.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Exchange Park Recreation Center, 2771 Columbia Dr., Decatur. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Backflow devices may interrupt water service

Starting July 1, East Point’s water and sewer department will begin installing backflow prevention devices at the water meters located outside of residences. There will be no charge for the installation of these devices.

The purpose of the backflow prevention device is to eliminate the possibility of water flow back into the city’s water distribution system from residences. If you have any problems, contact the water and sewer Department at 404-270-7096 or 404 270-7097. John Thompson for the AJC

McDonough Arts presents ‘Cotton Gin’

McDonough Arts is hosting a public viewing of the “Cotton Gin” mural painted in 1941 by Louis Henry Jean Charlot in the Polk Annex building at 34 John Frank Ward Blvd. in McDonough. The event is Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Charlot, whose son John will attend the viewing and conduct a presentation of his father’s work, was commissioned to paint the mural as part of the Federal Arts Project. Monroe Roark for the AJC

College Park city manager calls it quits

College Park City Manager William Johnson has resigned from his position. He submitted a letter of resignation to city officials Monday night, but did not offer any details on his decision. Mayor Jack Longino was surprised over the decision.

“We’ve gone through a tough budget year. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it,” he said.

Longino said Johnson would remain in his post until July 20.

Johnson had served as city manager for nearly two years and was not available for questions. John Thompson for the AJC

Henry County offices set holiday hours

In addition to closing for the July 4 holiday, Henry County government offices will be closed July 1 for a furlough day. Stockbridge City Hall will close at noon that day. Hampton, Locust Grove and McDonough do not plan to close early. All Henry County School System offices are closed every Friday during the summer. Monroe Roark

New medication, sex ed rules in Fayette schools

The Fayette County Board of Education approved changes to its clinic medication and sex education policies on June 21.

Schools will now start abstinence-only sex education lessons from the “Choosing the Best” curriculum a year earlier, in sixth grade, and purchase new materials from the same program for students in ninth grade.

Clinics will require parents to submit medical authorization forms for the administration of homeopathic medication or supplements used by students during the day. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Summer concert Saturday in Stockbridge

Stockbridge will host this year’s second “Sounds of Summer” event Saturday on the lawn at City Hall. The lawn opens at 6 p.m. and entertainment starts at 6:30. The Bretheren, a four-piece funk/soul/blues band from Atlanta, will be performing. Monroe Roark