COBB
Work continues on Atlanta Road in Smyrna
Work has started on Atlanta Road near Ridge Road in Smyrna to add a raised median north to the Concord and Spring Roads intersection. The project, designed to ease congestion and improve safety with fewer left turns, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2014. A section from Fleming Street at Atlanta Road south to Concord is complete. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Team set for KSU, SPSU merger
University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby has appointed members of the implementation committee that will work on the Kennesaw State University and Southern Polytechnic State University consolidation.
The university presidents will lead the committee, that includes 13 faculty, staff, student and administrative representatives from both schools. The committee will meet within the next two weeks and provide regular updates to both schools.
Information: www.spsu.edu.; www.kennesaw.edu Janel Davis
Kennesaw names members to new board
The Kennesaw City Council has named seven members to a new arts and culture commission. They include city business owner Matt Matthews and residents John Hillier, Nicholas Palfrey, David Shock and Cindy Meadows. Valerie Dibble, Kennesaw State University visual arts professor, and Sally Macaulay, Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art executive director, will also serve on the board. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Addition to Austell nature trail complete
Austell Public Works staff have completed a new addition to the I. T. Terrell Community Garden and Educational Center, 2836 Windy Lane, with a two-tenths-mile nature trail.
Visitors now may walk along the banks of Sweetwater Creek and through natural wetland areas.
An observation deck will be installed soon to overlook the creek along with educational signage along the trail.
Information: austellga.gov/garden, garden@austellga.gov or 770-944-4325. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
AT&T seeks comments on new cellphone tower
AT&T is seeking public comments on its plan to build a 154-foot-tall “monopole telecommunications structure” off of Bullard Road in unincorporated Powder Springs.
Send comments to: Environmental Corporation of America, 1375 Union Hill Industrial Court, Suite A, Alpharetta, Ga. 30004, by Nov. 30.
Information: georgiapublicnotice.com/view/full_story/23961862/article-M-8873 or Bazzill, 770-667-2040, ext. 111. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Tea cups, saucers wanted for Tea Room
The Mable House Arts Center is requesting donations of china tea cups and saucers for its annual Mable’s Tea Room Dec. 6-14 at the Mable House Arts Center, 5239 Floyd Road, Mableton.
Information: mablehouse.org or 770-819-3285. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
GWINNETT
Gwinnett names school set to open next year
Gwinnett County Public Schools plans to open a new middle school next year and give it an easy name to remember. Northbrook Middle School will be on Northbrook Road in Suwanee, the school board voted Thursday night. The school is in the Peachtree Ridge school cluster and is to open in 2014. Nancy Badertscher
Lilburn police collect toys for sick kids
The Lilburn Police Department is collecting unwrapped toys for pediatric cancer patients through Dec. 3. For a Day Foundation will deliver the gifts to seriously and terminally ill children at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Drop off toys to collection boxes inside the police lobby, 76 Main St. in Lilburn. Info: http://foradayatlanta.com or www.cityoflilburn.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Zumba 5K to benefit Rainbow Village
Duluth and Zumba fitness will host the 3rd annual Thanksgiving Day 5K Race at 8 a.m. Nov. 28 at Bunten Road Park, 3180 Bunten Road. Entry fee is a new item from the Rainbow Village Wish List. All proceeds will be donated to Rainbow Village. Info: www.rainbowvillage.org or contact Janice Davis Canty, 770-656-1140, jdavis201@bellsouth.net. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
New court marriage ceremony hours posted
Both Gwinnett Magistrate and Probate Courts now have new wedding hours. Magistrate Court will conduct ceremonies 1:30 to 4:30 p.m Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Probate Court will conduct ceremonies 1:30 to 4:30 p.m Wednesdays.
Information: 770-822-8081 or www.gwinnettcourts.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Citizen committee to review SPLOST
The Citizens Project Selection Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Dr., Lawrenceville to review Capital Project Rehabilitation and Resurfacing, Residential Speed Control, Transportation Planning, and Unpaved Roads. Members are responsible for sharing information and facilitating open communication. Information: www.gwinnettcounty.com Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Learning garden comes to Winn Holt
Winn Holt Elementary got a “learning garden” compliments of Captain Planet Foundation and SCANA Energy. The program includes garden-based lessons tied to K-5 Common Core Standards.
It also encourages the school garden to be an extension of the traditional classroom rather than an extracurricular activity.
Students earn core lessons in math, science, social studies, health and language arts, while enjoying physical activities, the outdoors, and fruit and vegetable tasting opportunities. Nancy Badertscher
NORTHSIDE
Forsyth OKs attendance boundary changes
The Forsyth County Board of Education has approved the final version of a plan redrawing school attendance boundaries for 2014-15.
The plan affects eight elementary and three middle schools, and is being put in place to equalize school attendance in rapidly-growing south Forsyth. The vote was 5-0 on Thursday. The board also approved the 2014-15 student calendar.
Information: forsyth.k12.ga.us Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Forsyth school board makes bond vote plans
The Forsyth County Board of Education has set May 20, 2014 as the date for a bond referendum.
Officials say the bond would pay for upgrading existing school facilities, land purchases, construction of new schools, and for security and technology improvements.
District officials are working to finalize a project list that the Board will consider in January. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Cherokee adds to police force
The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office added to the agency K-9 Unit. Deputy Mark Patterson has recently been assigned to the K-9 Unit.
Patterson has worked for the agency for over 4 years and will be teamed up with K-9 “DYNO.” K-9 “DYNO” is a Dutch Shepard and is trained in patrol and to detect explosives.
He is replacing K-9 “NITRO” who was retired in July. Arlinda Smith Broady
Cherokee firefighters certified as paramedics
Two dozen Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services firefighters recently finished training to become certified paramedics.
The department says that means nearly 50 percent of its 253 firefighters-a total of 123-are trained to the paramedic level, as opposed to the minimum entry standard of intermediate emergency medical technician.
Paramedic training can take over a year to complete, and provides the most extensive pre-hospital advanced life support. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Alpharetta website to be unavailable today
Alpharetta officials say the city’s website will be down from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today as city servers and the technology infrastructure get a major upgrade. The city says that that means such services as online tax and utility payments, and access to online permit and license forms will be unavailable.
The city says that public safety impacts will not be impacted. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Cherokee ethics group seeks new member
The Cherokee County Board of Ethics is looking to fill a vacancy immediately.
Prospective candidates should be Cherokee County residents and Democratic Party members.
The position expires in January 2016.
Information: lbahrens@cherokeega.com Mark Woolsey for the AJC
ATLANTA
APD to assist with security drill
The Atlanta Police Department will assist the Atlanta Consulate General of Israel with an internal security drill 6 - 11:45 p.m. Sunday.
This drill will be held within the confines of the consulate.
The Consulate located in Midtown Atlanta will be closed to the public during the exercise.
Although the public may notice minor police activity and/or the presence of police vehicles, there should be little if any impact on traffic. Arlinda Smith Broady
APS students get Thanksgiving week off
Students in Atlanta Public Schools will have all of Thanksgiving week off, and they’ll return to school Dec. 2.
The break is part is the first of three extended holidays scheduled this school year, along with two weeks off at the end of December and one week off in April.
Atlanta students attend school for a full 180 instructional days, but teachers are scheduled to be furloughed on three days. Mark Niesse
Latin Academy to move to new building
Latin Academy Charter School will move about six miles, from west Atlanta to south Atlanta, because its current location needs significant repairs. The Atlanta Board of Education voted to transfer its lease from the former Anderson Park Elementary School to the former Capitol View Elementary School.
The move was opposed by some board members who said the school was aware of the conditions when it moved in last school year.Mark Niesse
Trial set for former APS technology director
Atlanta Public Schools’ former technology director is scheduled to go on trial Dec. 2 on bribery and fraud charges.
Federal prosecutors claim Jerome Oberlton, who worked as the school system’s chief information officer from 2004 to 2007, used his influence at the school system to award a $780,000 computer project and score a profit from the deal. Mark Niesse
DEKALB
Emory awarded $2.5 million diversity grant
The National Institutes of Health awarded the Laney Graduate School at Emory University a $2.5 million grant to increase the number of underrepresented students who complete doctorate degrees and enter science research careers.
The grant will cover three years, and will support eight undergraduate and eight graduate students the first years. The numbers increase to 12 and 16 students respectively in the second and third years.
Emory’s long-term goals include doubling underrepresented undergraduates entering Ph.D. programs. Janel Davis
House delegation to hold town halls
State representatives from DeKalb County will hosttown hall meetings to get citizen input on issues: 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Porter Sanford performing arts center, 3181 Rainbow Dr. and 6 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Dr. Information: 404-697-8006. April Hunt
Downtown, Oakhurst streetscapes close
Decatur’s commission authorized an agreement with Georgia Power for relocating utility poles in preparation for the Oakhurst Streetscape and Phase V Downtown Streetscape improvements which should begin next year.
Both projects, initially planned in 2007, include wider sidewalks, new street lights, benches, bike racks and litter containers. Bill Banks for the AJC
Nonprofit hosts Santa, special guest
Aimee Copeland, an amputee who suffered from a flesh eating bacteria, will be a featured guest at Friends of Disabled Adults and Children Too breakfast 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 7. at the Stone Mountain Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort.
Tickets: $30, $20, children under 5 free.
Information: 770-491-9014 or www.fodac.org/breakfast. April Hunt
Decatur to annex six more properties
Decatur’s commission approved annexing six properties, all single-family residences, three on McKinnon Drive and three on Kirk Road. It was the third such annexation this year with five properties in the same area approved in January and four more in June. City Manager Peggy Merriss said the city is trying to “round out” that area in southeast Decatur where some properties are half in Decatur, half out, and some aren’t contiguous.
The city pursues small-parcel annexation like these, she added, only after property owners have submitted petitions. Bill Banks for the AJC
Decatur pursues COPS funding for schools
Decatur’s school board approved pursuing COPS (Certificate of Participation) as a way to partially fund building additions to Decatur High and Renfroe Middle schools.
Funding is acquired based on the value of the City Schools’ existing properties.
Superintendent Phyllis Edwards hopes COPS can provide $17.5 million, or about 30 percent of the projects’ anticipated total cost of $59.5 million, and will play for both schools’ architectural plans along with construction of some new classrooms and a cafeteria for the high school. Bill Banks for the AJC
SOUTHSIDE
Suspect sought in Fayetteville robbery
Fayetteville police are trying to identify a man who robbed the CVS store at 480 N. Glynn Street in Fayetteville Friday morning. At 7:40 a.m., a black man approximately 25-30 years old, wearing jeans and a black sweatshirt with red sleeves, struck a store employee with a handgun and fled with about $1,400 in cash. Police believe he may have a female accomplice and might be connected to other area CVS robberies. Call 770-461-4441 with information. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Union City hosts tree lighting Dec. 2
The city of Union City is hosting it’s annual Holiday Festival highlighted by a tree lighting 6:30 - 8 p.m. Dec. 2 at Mayor’s Park (the intersection of Union and Watson streets.)
The event will feature carols and holiday music by local artists, choirs and D Js as well as holiday photos with Santa and train rides for the children.
Information: www.unioncityga.org Arlinda Smith Broady
Blood drive Tuesday at Piedmont Henry
Piedmont Henry Hospital and the American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 26, in the hospital’s Foundation Education Center.
To schedule an appointment, go to redcrossblood.org, click on “Enter a Sponsor Code” located in the left center of the page and enter sponsor code “piedhenry.” Monroe Roark for the AJC
Online gallery features area students’ art
Paintings, pottery, sketches and other artwork created by Fayette County students are now viewable on a newly created online gallery.
The project was started by Bennett’s Mill Middle School art teacher Melissa Raymer and other teachers as a way to more widely share and promote art.
The gallery is at http://tinyurl.com/FCBOE-Art. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Peachtree City boards need volunteers
Three municipal boards in Peachtree City have vacancies for volunteers.
The Recreation & Special Events Advisory Board and the Airport Authority each need one new member and one alternate; the Convention & Visitors Bureau needs three members and one alternate from local business and hotel/motel companies.
Information: www.peachtree-city.org/jobs through Dec. 6. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Fayette promotes black pet adoptions
The Fayette County Humane Society is offering pet adoption specials as part of the national “Back in Black” event during November.
Adoption fees will be reduced for black or mostly black cats and dogs, who are often the least chosen.
Fees include vaccinations and spay/neuter.
Information: www.fayettehumane.org for details. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
