Cobb
Official favors SPLOST vote in November
Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee said Tuesday that he favors placing the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax renewal on ballots November.
The county’s current four-year SPLOST expires at the end of 2015. Lee told commissioners that placing the renewal on ballots this fall makes sense because the only other option would be to hold a special election in 2015 that would cost the county about $500,000.
The 2011 Cobb SPLOST vote passed by 79 votes. Dan Klepal
Gwinnett
Lanier community prepping garden plots
A workday to prepare Lanier Community Garden for spring planting is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Lanier Water Filter Plant, 2601 Buford Dam Road, Buford. The community garden maintains a food plot for vegetable donations to the North Gwinnett Food Bank Ministries.
Information or to sign up for a plot to grow your own vegetables: www.laniercommunitygarden.org. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Cherokee
Woodstock police to get more money
Woodstock police officers will be getting a pay bump. The City Council last week authorized a one-time payment ranging from 2.5 percent to 7.5 percent to sworn officers who have been with the department for more than one year, after chief Calvin Moss presented study results showing department salaries lag surrounding jurisdictions by anywhere from 3.7 to 12 percent and that a number of officers have left for other agencies. The Council also directed city staff to bring forward proposals to address the issue more permanently. The chief's plan would close the pay gap and set up a salary career ladder for officers. Mark Woolsey
Forsyth
Forsyth high schools getting new principals
Two Forsyth County High Schools will be getting new principals. The Board of Education approved the appointment of Heather Gordy as principal of West Forsyth High School , replacing the retiring Betty Pope. Gordy's currently assistant principal at Lambert High.In addition, Mitch Young was named principal at Forsyth Central High School, replacing Rudy Hampton, who is also retiring. Young now serves as assistant principal of West Forsyth High School. Both appointments are effective July 1. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
DeKalb
Lewis to deliver Emory commencement
Civil rights icon and U.S. Rep. John Lewis will deliver the keynote address at Emory University’s May 12 commencement.
Lewis, a leader of the national Civil Rights Movement and youngest speaker from the historic 1963 March on Washington, has represented Georgia's 5th congressional district since 1987. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010. Information: www.emory.edu/commencement Janel Davis
Clayton
Lovejoy to build a second jail facility
Lovejoy has annexed 77 acres into the city for The Geo Group Inc., a private prison industry contractor which plans to build a new correctional facility that will create between 400 and 450 jobs. The Geo Group will continue to run the Robert A. Deyton Detention Center in Lovejoy and build the new facility which will house another 2,000 inmates once it is done within the next two years. The new facility will be about a block from the Deyton detention center. Tammy Joyner
