County by county news for Friday

At a state of the city address Thursday, Tumlin said the city is staying within budget by tightening spending including a hiring freeze for three years and starting an in-house recycling program saving $300,000.

Tucker McQueen

White shows support for abuse victims

VoiceToday -- a Marietta-based nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about child sexual abuse and supporting victims -- urges the public to wear white on Sunday to show support for child sexual abuse victims.

April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. For more information on breaking the cycle of abuse, visit www.VoiceToday.org. Andria Simmons

Cobb holds Easter egg hunt on Saturday

Cobb County will hold a free family Easter egg hunt on Saturday at Jim Miller Park in Marietta.

The hunt will be separated by age groups, beginning with age 3 and younger at 10:30 a.m. The event will also include children’s art activities, an appearance by the Easter Bunny, a musical performance by the Theater Project, and Mad Hatter and decorated basket contests.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the park, 2245 Callaway Road in Marietta.

Information: 770-528-8875 Janel Davis

Bass to speak to South Cobb business group

The South Cobb Business Association will hear Demming Bass, chief operating officer of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, next week.

Bass will discuss Cobb’s Competitive EDGE Initiative.

The luncheon meeting will be 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Paradise Health Care, Presbyterian Village, 2000 East-West Connector, Austell.

Cost is $10 for members or $12 for guests.

Information and reservations: association president Wayne Dodd at 770-944-7433 or sc-ba.org. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Precinct 3 PENS meeting to be April 12

The Cobb County Police Department invites residents to attend its Precinct 3 quarterly PENS (Police Email Notification System) meeting for Southeast Cobb residents from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. April 12.

The meeting will be held at Precinct 3 at 1901 Cumberland Parkway in Atlanta. The topic is crime prevention. Andria Simmons

Smyrna Easter egg hunt on Saturday

The Smyrna city recreation department is hosting a Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt & Movie Night at 7:30 p.m., Saturday in Tolleson Park, 3515 McCauley Road, Smyrna. Cost is $5 per family in advance, $7 per family on event date. Children to age 10 are invited. Bring a flashlight and Easter basket. Register on line at http://activenet10.active.com/smyrnacityrec/. Information: 678 -631-5541 Jeffry Scott

GWINNETT

County sets candidate qualifying period

The qualifying period for political party and nonpartisan candidates for the July 31 general primary and nonpartisan elections ballot in Gwinnett County will be 9 a.m. May 23 to noon May 25.

Democratic Party candidates will qualify at 1599 Rocky Trail Lane, Dacula. Republican Party candidates will qualify at 45 S. Clayton St., Lawrenceville. Nonpartisan candidates will qualify at the Gwinnett County Board of Registrations and Elections, 455 Grayson Highway, Suite, 200, Lawrenceville.

For information, visit www.gwinnettcounty.com. David Wickert

Former Navy seaman headed to prison

A former Navy seaman has been sentenced to federal prison for downloading from the Internet sexually explicit images of children.

Spencer Duncan, 23, of Lawrenceville, was ordered to spend six years and six months behind bars. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Duncan created an account on a file-sharing network and made his child pornography collection available to others. When FBI agents searched Duncan’s home, they found thousands of illicit images and dozens of videos on his computer, prosecutors said. Bill Rankin

Gwinnett Tech program recognized

Gwinnett Technical College’s Building Operator Certification program was recently named a 2012 Energy Star Award for Excellence winner for its outstanding contributions in consumer education to promote energy-efficient tools.

The BOC program teaches facilities personnel how to bring HVAC, electric and lighting systems to their most efficient level of operation to promote energy efficiency.

Gwinnett Tech is the BOC provider for Georgia.

Information: www.GwinnettTech.edu. Kenneth Musisi

5K run to benefit cancer research

The American Cancer Society and the Gwinnett Braves will host the “Run to Make a Difference” to benefit cancer awareness and research April 14 at Coolray Field, 2500 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville.

The event will feature a 5K and one-mile family fun run. Registration begins at 7 a.m. The 5K run begins at 8 a.m. and the family run begins at 8:10 a.m. Registration costs $30 for individuals and families and $20 for running clubs.

For information, visit www.georgiarunner.com or contact Kevin McQuilken at 770-814-0123 or Kevin.mcquilken@cancer.org.

David Wickert

Norcross to be yarn bombed Saturday

The Norcross Art Center (The Nest) is sponsoring a yarn bombing Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Yarn bombing is a type of street art employing colorful displays of knitted or crocheted items affixed to public objects including bicycle racks, lamp posts, fences, utility poles and trees.

The event co-sponsored by Home Norcross, 138 Holcomb Bridge Road have been offering free workshops to prepare work for the displays. Information: www.norcrossartsalliance.org under “News.” Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Alpharetta student’s suit gets hearing on Monday

A federal court hearing will be held Monday morning to consider an Alpharetta High School student’s request to be reinstated as student body president after he was ousted by administrators.

The student, Reuben Lack, said in a federal lawsuit that he was elected president by classmates, but removed by administrators after he shared a plan to make  the prom queen and king competition more inclusive of gay students. Fulton County Schools officials said they followed protocol and will be ready to share their side of the story with the judge. D. Aileen Dodd

Centennial students get workplace experience

Five Centennial High School students are getting workplace experience as interns at Siemens. The students are participating in the @ Siemens program. The “Learning Internship For Employment” program helps students with disabilities to develop life skills that can help when they get jobs after high school. D. Aileen Dodd

Sandy Springs Library to hold egg hunt

The Sandy Springs Library will have an Easter egg hunt for children ages 2-6 on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

It will be held in the reading garden behind the back parking lot.

The library is at 395 Mt. Vernon Highway. Information: 404-303-6130. Johnny Edwards

Woodstock near choosing city flower

Woodstock is holding an online election to pick an official city flower. It’s come down to two choices: the Miss Huff Lantana and Rudbeckia. ‘Miss Huff’s’ is a perennial shrub with yellow, pink and orange flowers that can grow five feet tall and wide. Rudbeckia is a perennial flower that can grow to three feet tall, has gold or yellow flowers, and reseeds itself in the fall. Deadline to vote is 4 p.m. today. To vote: To vote, contact Kyle Bennett at: kbennett@oldetownewoodstock.com. Jeffry Scott

Hike4Hyde set for April 14 in Cumming

The fourth annual Hike4Hyde is set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 14 at Sawnee Preserve Park in Cumming. The hike was organized after Hyde Talbot of Cumming was diagnosed with a very rare genetic blood disorder called Atypical HUS in January 2008 when he was 18 months. His parents and the parents of Bryan Hearn, a Gwinnett boy who also has AHUS. Proceeds go to the Foundation for Children with Atypical HUS and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. More info: http://www.hike4hyde.com. Nancy Badertscher

Cherokee animal shelter competes for $100,000

The Cherokee County Animal Shelter will participate in the Qualifying Heat of the 2012 ASPCA Rachel Ray $100K Challenge, competing for grants totaling $500,000 from the ASPCA, including a grand prize of $100,000.

The Challenge is a nationwide competition for animal shelters to get more animals adopted or returned to owners. Supporters of the Cherokee County Animal Shelter can a vote once a day during April 5-16. Visit www.votetosavelives.com. Kenneth Musisi

ATLANTA

Former Defense employee sentenced

A former Defense Department official has been sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for soliciting and accepting bribes from a military contractor.

Desi Deandre Wade, 40, of Climax, Ga., was the agency’s chief of fire and emergency services in Afghanistan. He was arrested in August at an Atlanta hotel after accepting $95,000 in cash from a contractor working undercover for the FBI and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Investigators were tipped off to Wade a month earlier after learning he had accepted a $4,000 bribe to help a company get a contract, prosecutors said.

Bill Rankin

Local leaders serve as guest teachers

Local leaders this week are serving as guest teachers in metro schools as part of Teach For America’s Promise Week. Participants include CNN national correspondent Don Lemon and Bud Peterson, president of Georgia Tech University. The event boosts support for the mission of the organization, which recruits teachers from all academic disciplines for two-year stints in high-need schools. Information: www.teachforamerica.org. Jaime Sarrio

Scholarship deadline application April 2

Graduating high school seniors from Atlanta Public Schools have until April 2 to apply for ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Math and Science Scholarships.Two males and two females will be awarded the $5,000 scholarship, which is named for the first African American to walk in space, Bernard Harris. Information: www.cgcs.org. Jaime Sarrio

Dog-a-thon in Grant Park on Sunday

Bring your dogs on Sunday to the Happy Tails Pet Therapy Dog-A-Thon, a family-friendly event at Grant Park to raise money for Happy Tails Pet Therapy. Enjoy the sunshine from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with your furry friends in a day of Olympic-style games and competitions. The event is free. Andria Simmons

DEKALB

Former Education employee sentenced

A former U.S. Department of Education employee was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for collecting child pornography on his government computer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Joseph Butler, 66, of Clarkston, used his computer to download child porn from the Internet onto CD-ROMs, which he took home. When agents searched Butler’s home last July they found the CD-ROMs, boxes of children’s clothes and toys and graphic writings of his about children engaged in sexual behavior, prosecutors said. Bill Rankin

Disability symposium at Emory April 6

Assistive technology has changed what it means to live with disabilities, and an upcoming symposium at Emory University will explore these changes.

The Symposium on Disability and Technology is from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 6 in the Research Commons, on level 3 of the Robert W. Woodruff Library. The symposium will look at universal access, the construction of spaces, teaching practices and web environments that enable everyone to participate equally.

Admission is free, but registration is required at http://bit.ly/DiSC-symposium-disability-tech. Andria Simmons

Decatur sanitation bills to remain unchanged

With bills scheduled for mailing next month, Decatur’s sanitation fee will remain $233 per year per single family residence. The fee has remained the same since 2008 according Assistant City Manager David Junger.

Junger said that in the fiscal year ending last June 30, the city took 3,943 tons of residential trash to the landfill, and 2,144 tons of yard trimmings and leaves. Bill Banks for the AJC

Beyonce dancer leads youth health event

Kimmie Gee, the lead dancer behind pop star Beyonce, will headline the Let’s Move event on Saturdayin Clarkston.

A county resident, Gee will bring her moves to the event, sponsored by the DeKalb Board of Health and designed to get youth more active. The event begins at 10 a.m. at Hallford Stadium, 3789 Memorial Dr., Clarkston. Information: www.dekalbhealth.net. April Hunt

History Center holds Oglethorpe tour

The DeKalb History Center’s offering an insider’s tour of Oglethorpe University Saturday, from 10 to 11 a.m. The university’s Peachtree Road location was opened in 1916, and features the most famous multi-millennial time capsule in the world, the Crypt of Civilization, sealed in 1940 and not to be opened until 8113 AD. The tour guide is Oglethorpe faculty member Dr. Paul Hudson. To make reservations, contact Leslie Borger at borger@dekalbhistory.org. Bill Banks for the AJC

School chief to speak to parents council

The Dunwoody Chamblee Parents Council will hold its monthly meeting on April 11 at 9:15 a.m. at Peachtree Charter Middle School, 4664 N. Peachtree Road, Dunwoody. DeKalb County Schools Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson will be the featured speaker. Information: Cheryl Jacobs at cljacobs2000@yahoo.com. Veronica Fields Johnson

SOUTHSIDE

Monday last day for homestead exemption

Monday is the last day homeowners can apply for homestead exemptions this year. In Fulton County, call 404-612-6440 (press #4) or go to www.fultonassessor.org for information and requirements. The tax reduction is for homeowners who live at their property, and in Fulton it reduces the home’s taxable value by $30,000 in several tax categories, including the county operating tax. The exemption is automatically renewed each year. Other reductions are available for residents who are 62 and older or disabled, but they must be applied for in person. Johnny Edwards

Teacher wins fellowship to study Lincoln

A second-grade teacher at North Fayette Elementary School has won a fellowship to travel to Illinois to study the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.

Alyson Pitzer will represent Georgia as one of 50 educators chosen by the Horace Mann insurance company to participate. She will spend a week this summer attending programs and visiting the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and related historical sites. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Movers collect items for domestic shelter

A moving company in Peachtree City is collecting gifts and personal care items for women and children at a domestic violence shelter.

Two Men & a Truck’s “Movers for Moms” program will provide free boxes that can be filled with new or gently used clothing, shoes, toys, games, DVDs, CDs, books and toiletries. The boxes will be picked up free or can be dropped off at 185 Fulton Court in Peachtree City for distribution at Promise Place by Mother’s Day.

Information: 770-631-6683. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Yard sale to benefit animal shelter

Clayton County Humane Society will host the Spring Treasures for PAWS Yard Sale 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 5. Proceeds will help support the Clayton County Humane Society, a no-kill shelter. The sale will be at Jonesboro High School, 7728 Mt. Zion Blvd., Jonesboro. For information: 770-471-9436. Laurie Hoffman

Henry recognizes accident-free drivers

The Henry County Board of Commissioners recognized 12 employees of the Henry County Transit Department for being accident free for the entire year. Employees were presented with certificates at the March 20 regular board meeting. The drivers who were recognized are Tammy Austin, Doris Barnett, Jim Burley, Dwayne Hunter, Susan Karrison, David Pike, Pricilla Rahming, Robert Rainey, Faith Strickland, Tina Talbot, Eva Waits and Jim Walsingham. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Court to host technology expo

Fulton County’s Superior Court, along with the Administrative Office of the Courts, will host the Regional Justice Technology Expo on April 19-20.

The event, featuring the latest advances in justice-related technology, will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park. The event is open to the public; registration prior to the start of the expo is $59 and on-site registration will cost $79. Bill Rankin