County by county news for Friday

The NAACP forum begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the county government building, 100 Cherokee Street in Marietta, and will be broadcast on the county’s cable channel, TV23.

The ECCA forum begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the East Cobb Library, 4880 Lower Roswell Road in Marietta. No verbal questions will be taken from the floor, but written questions can be submitted in advance at www.eastcobb.net.

In addition to national and state races, Cobb residents will vote for a commission chairman and commissioners in the southeast and southwest districts in July.

Janel Davis

Car runs into pool in Smyrna

Bystanders rescued a man who drove his car into a swimming pool at a subdivision in Smyrna on Thursday.

Eddie Brinkley and David Huebner were painting the clubhouse at the Oakdale Bluffs subdivision off Oakdale Road when the car crashed through a fence and plunged into the swimming pool. The two men and another man jumped into the pool and pulled the driver to safety.

The man was conscious but incoherent when he was pulled from the water, they said.

Smyrna police were investigating what caused the car to run into the pool, but Huebner said it appeared the man had suffered some kind of seizure.

The driver was taken from the scene in an ambulance, but the extent of his injury was not known.

Crews pulled the car out of the water and loaded it onto a flatbed wrecker around 2:45 p.m. Alexis Stevens

Powder Springs hosts Memorial Day event

Powder Springs American Legion Post 294 will hold its annual Memorial Day ceremony at noon Monday at the Powder Springs Veterans Memorial.

Built in 2001, the memorial is in front of the Powder Springs Public Library, 4181 Atlanta St.

In case of rain, the ceremony will be in the Ford Center behind the library. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Southern Poly partners with Georgia Highlands

Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta and Georgia Highlands College in Dallas will extend their collaborative partnership for three more years.

GHC has offered classes on SPSU’s campus since 2005. The partnership offers GHC students a more traditional college experience and boosts SPSU’s diversity. Students who complete at least 30 hours with GHC can seamlessly transfer into SPSU’s academic programs.

SPSU offers bachelors and masters degrees in science, engineering and technology. GHC is an open-access state college that offers a core curriculum for the first two years of college. Janel Davis

Marietta holds flag ceremony

The annual Flag Placement Ceremony at the Marietta National Cemetery will be May 26. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with a brief program at 8:30 a.m. Every year about 1,600 Boy and Girl Scouts place a flag at each of the 18,000 graves in the historic cemetery. The Color Guard and Musketeers from the Sons of the American Revolution will participate. Kenneth Musisi

GWINNETT

Autism fundraising event Saturday

All in for Autism, a support organization for autistic children, will host fundraising events on Saturday at Wild Bill’s in Duluth. The day event from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., includes music, games, raffle prizes and concessions. Cost is $5; free for children 12 and under. The ‘After Dark’ party for adults age 18 and up, runs from 8 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., with live musical performances by Red Clay, Kadense and StoneThrow. Cost is $10 for both events or $15 for evening event. Wild Bill’s is located at 2075 Market Street.

Mea Watkins

Cops: Man used Facebook to lure teens

After meeting a teenager online, a 28-year-old Gwinnett County man allegedly invited the teen and a friend to his home so the three could play video games. But Snellville police say the man had other intentions.

Matthew Ronald Crawford is accused of enticing the two boys, ages 13 and 15, for sex, according to police. Using a Facebook profile under the name “Matt Smoker,” Crawford communicated online with one of the teenagers about video games, according to a police report obtained by the AJC.

Crawford met the teen and his friend Sunday at a Grayson Wendy’s, according to Snellville police. Then, the two youths got into Crawford’s SUV, and the man drove them to his home.

One of the teens told police Crawford offered him a marijuana and offered to perform a sexual act before grabbing the boy’s shorts, the police report states. The youths ran out of the house and called police.

Officers arrested Crawford and charged him with two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, both felonies, Gwinnett County jail records show. Crawford was booked into jail just after midnight Monday and remained there Wednesday evening, held without bond.

Gwinnett County courts records and a 2010 incident report show Crawford was arrested in 2010 on the same charge in a similar case which is pending in Gwinnett Superior Court, records show.

Alexis Stevens

World Turtle Day celebrated

The annual World Turtle Day celebration, which will feature crafts, activities and some the world’s largest species of turtles, takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center. The program is included with regular admission. For pricing and additional information, visit www.gwinnettEHC.org. GEHC is located at 2020 Clean Water Drive in Buford.

Mea Watkins

County celebrates fallen heroes

Gwinnett County’s annual Memorial Day ceremony will be at 1 p.m. May 28 at the Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville. This ceremony marks the ninth anniversary of the dedication of the Fallen Heroes Memorial in Gwinnett County. The ceremony will be televised at 7:30 p.m. May 28 on TVgwinnett and also be streamed online at www.tvgwinnett.com. Information: www.gwinnettfallenheroes.com.

Kenneth Musisi

NORTHSIDE

Memorial Day proceeds help restore fire truck

Top Shelf Productions Group will host a “Memorial Day Jam” event at Heritage Sandy Springs. Gates open at 3 p.m., with the event ending by 9 p.m. Tickets are $25. Tommy Talton, Wet Willie & Atlanta Rhythm Section will perform.The event will honor service men and women. Proceeds will help restore the first fire truck Sandy Springs owned in 1955. Information: www.memorialdayjam.com.

Kenneth Musisi

Woodstock summer drama camps set

Registration is underway for a series of summer drama camps for kids to be staged by the Elm Street Cultural Arts Village in Woodstock. Six sessions are scheduled between June 11 and July 27. Campers ages 5-7 and 8-14 will create and perform an original play with music. Info: www.elmstreetarts.org

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Woodstock may limit downtown music

Woodstock City Council members are weighing a cutoff time for outdoor music at downtown restaurants, after recent complaints. At a work session this week, Council directed City Manager Jeff Moon to discuss a 10 p.m. weeknight and 11 p.m. weekend end time, with business owners. The council will consider an ordinance in June. Mark Woolsey

Cherokee fresh market debuts Saturday

The Cherokee Farm Bureau says it will again sponsor the Cherokee Fresh Market, opening up shop Saturday at Cagle Farm in Canton and running through September 1. The market will feature produce, arts and crafts and other farm and garden goods each Saturday 8:30 a.m.-noon at the farm, 355 Stringer Road.Mark Woolsey

Cherokee schools set furlough days

Employees may have more furlough days next year as the Cherokee County Board of Education grapples with a multi-million-dollar shortfall. Documentation released to school employees this week says Supt. Dr. Frank Petruzielo will recommend as many as eight furlough days, a doubling, as part of the 2012-13 school year budget, with employees working only during the school year facing five. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Roswell ‘pipe bomb’ a false alarm

Reports of a pipe bomb being found at a house in Roswell turned out to be a false alarm, police said Thursday.

Roswell police spokesman Lt. James McGee said the GBI responded to the scene at 96 Bulloch Hall Ave. after someone reported finding the suspected pipe bomb.

After investigation, McGee said the “bomb” turned out to be two cast iron window anchors. Joel Provano

Centennial girls to register for softball

Centennial High School in Roswell announced that all rising 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls who are zoned for Centennial High School need to register by July 15 for the softball season beginning in August. To be placed on the contact list or for more information, contact Marty at alymart@att.net or 678-230-5155. Kenneth Musisi

ATLANTA

Father sentenced for stealing son’s benefits

A federal judge in Atlanta sentenced a man who stole his son’s Social Security benefits to 15 months in confinement.

Ernest Edgar Black, 57, was sentenced to three months in prison, six months in a halfway house and another six months in home confinement. He also must pay $26,815 in restitution. Federal prosecutors said Black, who was convicted in February after a two-day trial, received benefits intended for his son and used all the money for his own personal use. Bill Rankin

Civic center gets utility upgradses

The city of Atlanta’s Office of Sustainability and Atlanta Gas Light marked the completion of energy efficiency upgrades to the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center on Wednesday. The upgrades were part of the Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge and have saved the facility $93,000 in utility costs over the past six months, according to a statement from the sustainability office. The changes should save the city $200,000 annually. Jeremiah McWilliams

Lawyer arrested on drug charges

A former Fulton County prosecutor has been arrested on drug and gun charges during a law enforcement sting, the Atlanta Police Department said.

Atlanta lawyer Rand Csehy, 40, was charged Thursday with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and ecstasy, APD said in a statement. Csehy is also charged with with two counts of possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. APD said arrangements were made to deliver drugs and when Csehy arrived with them and contacted an unidentified source, he was arrested. Bill Rankin

City gets $100k grant from Bank of America

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed accepted a $100,000 Summer Youth Program Grant Award from Bank of America to give Atlanta high school students work experience. The city plans to team with local businesses and civic organizations to provide youth with exposure to work opportunities and leadership skills. Jeremiah McWilliams

DEKALB

Emory acquires photo collection

Emory University acquired more than 10,000 photographs capturing African-American life from the 1840s to the 1970s, officials announced Thursday.

The photos, collected by Robert Langmuir of Philadelphia, will be housed in Emory’s Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library. Randall Burkett, curator of the library’s African American Collections, met Langmuir more the a decade ago and Emory has acquired other collections from him.

The massive collection provides a window into life across several generations. Images depict everyday society and as well as famous people including Pearl Harbor hero Dorie Miller, blues musician Howlin’ Wolf and Lightnin’ Hopkins and religious leaders Noble Drew Ali, Father Divine and Bishop Elmira Jeffries. Laura Diamond

Decatur High’s ‘Mr.B.’ teaches last class

Decatur High government and social studies teacher Chris Billingsley once said, “I was a lousy teacher my first year [when he came to Decatur in 1977] and I should have been fired.” He wasn’t, remaining at his hometown school for the next 35 years where he’ll teach his final classes today. Billingsley, 59, periodically coached track and basketball and took several generations of students on annual field trips to Washington D.C. He’s been chosen by the senior class to give tonight’s commencement speech at the school’s 7:00 p.m. graduation on the football field.

Bill Banks for the AJC

Avondale Estates closer to golf cart usage

Avondale Estates held its final public meeting this week on a proposed golf cart ordinance, but city manager Clai Brown said there’s no timetable for making them a reality. “We are still working out specific regulations,” he said. “Once the ordinance gets written it needs three public readings before the Board votes on it.” Residents would be allowed to drive carts on city streets but not on state roads except to cross Avondale Road at certain points. Brown added that “although a few [Avondale residents] are against them, the majority I’ve spoken too want golf carts.” Bill Banks for the AJC

Dunwoody court offers amnesty through July 31

Dunwoody Municipal Court is holding an amnesty program for individuals with past due traffic citations or active bench warrants for failing to appear in court. The amnesty runs through July 31 at the Dunwoody Municipal Court, 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 103. Individuals can walk in without appointments from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays except Tuesdays.

Fines must be paid in full with either cash, money order, cashier check or Visa and MasterCard. No personal checks will be accepted.

Information: 678-382-6973. Patrick Fox

Public asked to weigh in on the arts

A community survey assessing the state of the arts in DeKalb County is now online.

The survey is designed for residents as well as artists and cultural organization to help determine economic development opportunities in cultural and artistic events and facilities.

The survey is online until July 1 at www.dekalbcountyga.gov or at all county library branches. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Shooting leaves one dead; one injured

One man was killed and another was injured in a shooting Thursday afternoon in south Fulton County, authorities said.

The incident, involving two men in a car, occurred around 1 p.m.

One person was shot in the head and was dead at the scene; the other was shot in the hand and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, Fulton County police spokesman Sgt. Scott McBride said. The survivor’s condition was not immediately known.

Police said they believe that after the shooting, the car the men were in hit a power pole in the 2900 block of Creel Road near the Pine Tree condominium complex, knocking out a transformer. Four to five houses were without power.

Investigators were talking to witnesses to try to piece together how the shooting happened. The victims have not been identified, and no suspects have been named.

Marcus Garner

Henry teacher resigns amid allegations

A Henry County schoolteacher accused of leaving her students unsupervised, when two of them allegedly engaged in sex acts in a classroom, agreed Tuesday to resign rather than face termination Channel 2 Action News reported.

April Lash, who teaches special needs math at Henry County High School, denied doing anything wrong insisting that she had arranged for another teacher to cover an after-school tutorial. She had left school early to pick up her own child, her attorney, Lowell Chatham, said.

School system attorney Will White told Channel 2 in a statement, “Basically, the allegations were that April Lash left the classroom unattended,” and, “More importantly, she failed to make required reports” of the incident.

Lash reached a settlement with the Henry County Board of Education in which she resigned. Chatham said that the settlement means Lash, who has a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University as well as a law degree, will be able to continue teaching, just not in Henry County. David Ibata

Clayton State hosts management seminar

The Center for Supply Chain Management at Clayton State University will hold a seminar Wednesday on “Strategic Information to Help run Your Business.” The 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seminar will be in the ballroom of the Clayton State Student Activities Center. This is the first event for Clayton State’s Center for Supply Chain Management The seminar will give attendees information about the supply chain industry, growth plans for Delta Air LInes and other significant information. Details: John Mascaritolo at Clayton State University, supplychaincenter@clayton.edu

Tammy Joyner

Four Fayette grads get special honors

The Georgia Department of Education designated three seniors: Kate Bill and Griffin Dejoy of Starr’s Mill High and Abbie Shimer of Whitewater High as 2012 Georgia Scholars for all-around excellence in academics, activities and service. Andrea Harper, also from Starr’s Mill, won a scholarship from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. She was chosen based on her perseverance in overcoming adversity while succeeding academically. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Fulton school gets new principal

Fulton County Schools has appointed a new principal who will begin this summer.

Eric Hollinhead, a veteran principal with Orange County Schools in Florida, will lead Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn. D. Aileen Dodd