County by county news for Monday

Cobb

Public safety academy starts next month

The Cobb County Department of Public Safety will offer a Citizens Public Safety Academy for residents. Participants will experience the Emergency Communications Center, Fire, Animal Control and Police, and how each performs its duties.

The free 14-week program will consist of 6:30 p.m. classes every Tuesday from Sept. 10 through Dec. 10 at various locations. Applicants must be older than 21 and Cobb residents, or work for the county government.

Information: Renee Cameron, Cobb County Department of Public Safety Training Center, 770-590-5650 or Renee.
Cameron@cobbcounty.org. Mea Watkins

 Gwinnett

Free dance class for special needs children

Southern Ballet Theatre,
located at 3315 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 16, Lawrenceville, is offering a free special needs dance class from 5 to 5:45 p.m. every Thursday.

The ballet and tap class is for children with mental, medical or physical limitations and is taught in a positive atmosphere.

Information: 770-940-9223 or www.southernballettheatre.com. Veronica Fields Johnson

Forsyth

Forsyth jail, courthouse construction on Web

Forsyth County residents can monitor construction of the new courthouse and jail in downtown Cumming via time-lapse videos of the construction at forsythco.com.

Videos will be updated weekly. Completion of the $100 million project is set for December, 2014. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Cherokee

Holly Springs council settles on park name

The Holly Springs City Council voted unanimously to name its soon-to-be-constructed 33-acre park on Hickory Road after James Baxter Owens, the last agent for the L&N Railroad at the Holly Springs train depot.

The depot now serves as a community center. J.B. Owens Park is set to open in early summer, 2014, after construction of trails, a playground and other amenities. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Dekalb

Volunteers still needed for AJC book festival

Volunteer are still needed to help with the AJC Decatur Book Festival, which comes to the city Aug. 31 to Sept. 1.

Hundreds of volunteers are needed to help with setup, book signings, sales and other activities.

Information: 678-615-0915 or sherry.jackman@decaturga.com. April Hunt

Fayette

Fayette will honor anniversary couples

Couples who have been married 50 years can have their golden anniversary recognized by the Fayette County Board of Commissioners with an official county record and a proclamation of congratulations.

The marriages will be noted in the commission meetings for posterity. The county would like to have: date of wedding, location of wedding, how they met, names of children and any other interesting facts the family would like to provide.

Contact county clerk Floyd Jones at 770-305-5102 or email at  fjones@fayettecountyga.gov. Tammy Joyner