County by county news for Saturday

Schwaig was honored for guiding young professionals entering higher education through books, counsel and resources. Jaime Sarrio

Wakeboard Tour moves to Lake Acworth

The Master Pro Wakeboard Tour today will relocate from Lake Allatoona to Lake Acworth because of high water levels on Allatoona caused by recent rain. The event will be noon to 7 p.m. at Cauble Park on Beach Street, Acworth. Spectators will not have public access by boat on Lake Acworth. Acworth will hold a block party at the park 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. with food and entertainment. Information: www.acworth.org. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Marietta police offer child ID kits today

Parents can pick up a free, child identification kit at the Marietta Police Department 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at police headquarters, 240 Lemon St. Officer David Baldwin said the kits that include fingerprinting and DNA tests can help police in a case of a lost or missing child. Information: Baldwin at 770-794-5370. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Session on doing business with county

The Cobb County Purchasing Department and the Keep it in Cobb initiative will host an informative session 5 p.m. May 21 at the West Cobb Senior Center discussing how to do business with the county. The meeting will highlight vendor opportunities and provide a chance for attendees to meet and network with department representatives. RSVP: 770-528-3317 or Inger.Eberhart@CobbCounty.org Melissa Abbey

Kennesaw opens biking and walking trails

Kennesaw has opened three biking and walking trails to continue a series of pathways connecting city neighborhoods to downtown.

The new trails start at First Baptist Church on North Main Street and link to Whispering Lake and Matlock Trails off Moon Station Road.

The city has received $301,000 from Georgia Department of Natural Resource grants to help build five trails since 2006.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Gun safety seminar in Powder Springs

With the dramatic increase in the public’s escalating desire to learn more about gun safety, the Powder Springs Police Department will host a free gun safety seminar May 21.

This program is intended for civilians and will be focused on safety, Georgia laws, and the use of alternative weapons. The seminar will be at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Tapp Middle School at 3900 Macedonia Road in Powder Springs.

To register, email SSlay@cityofpowdersprings.org or call 770-943-1616. Participants should not bring any firearms or weapons to the seminar.

Andria Simmons

GWINNETT

Pleasant Hill Road Bridge to close for construction

The Gwinnett DOT will close the Pleasant Hill Road Bridge at I-85 for the Diverging Diamond Interchange crossover beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, June 7, weather and conditions permitting. The bridge will reopen by 5 a.m. on Monday, June 10 with the new traffic configuration. The project involves shifting traffic to the opposite side of the bridge, which will make left turns onto the interstate easier and improve the flow of traffic across the bridge. The bridge will be closed to all through-traffic during the weekend, although construction will not impact right turn access to or from I-85. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Project to raise money for officer’s family

Project LEO, a non-profit fundraising organization, is asking for donations to help the family of Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Deputy Oscar Batista, who died May 9.

Batista is survived by his wife and four children, ages 13, 5, 2 and six-weeks.

All donations are tax-deductible and can be submitted through PayPal at www.projectleo.org.

For more information, contact Michelle Couch at 770-676-8924 or e-mail to michelle.couch@americanangelworks.org or email Ken Stepp at info@americanangelworks.org. Dan Klepal

Suwanee Art Festival to feature 3-D art

Artist Truman Adams of Sarasota, Fla., has already begun creating a 57-foot-long, 3-D sidewalk painting in Suwanee’s Town Center Park as part of the city’s Arts in the Park festival 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today. The interactive painting of a mountain stream includes stepping-stones designed to appear 3-D when looked at through a camera lens. www.suwaneeartsinthepark.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

School chorus, musicians to perform

The Pinkneyville Elementary School chorus, jazz band and symphonic orchestra will perform a free pops concert at 6:30 p.m. today in Thrasher Park in downtown Norcross. www.norcrossga.net. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Berkeley Lake makes tree removal easier

The Berkeley Lake City Council unanimously approved a change to the city’s tree removal regulations in order to help lighten the load on Berkeley Lake’s Ordinance Enforcement Officer and to make the process easier for homeowners. The new regulations allow property owners with fewer than 5 acres to remove two trees per year without a permit as long as they are not specimen trees.Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Peachtree Corners buys 20.6 acres of land

Peachtree Corners voted unanimously this week to complete the purchase of 20.6 acres of land on Peachtree Parkway for $11.5 million to avoid development of an apartment complex. According to Peachtree Corners Mayor, Mike Mason, “The city has stopped the development of an apartment complex that just doesn’t belong in the middle of that commercial area and purchased a property that can only increase in value.” cityofpeachtreecornersga.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Nichols Drive to close for pipe replacement

Nichols Drive will be temporarily closed to through traffic Monday between James Burgess Road and Nichols Road in southeast Forsyth County. The closure will allow for the replacement of a failing pipe and the construction of a new reinforced box culvert that will be sized to better handle heavy rains. The road is expected to reopen on or before Friday.

The project is funded by SPLOST VI, a 1-percent sales tax approved by voters February 5, 2008. Patrick Fox

Forsyth OKs plan to relieve crowded school

The Forsyth County Board of Education unanimously approved a proposal Thursday night to relieve overcrowding at Midway Elementary School in the county’s fast-growing southern end, moving nearly 200 students from Midway to Big Creek and Vickery Creek elementary schools in the fall. Without it, district officials say Midway would have been more than 300 students over building capacity for the 2013-14 school year. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Cottage School ceremony to be May 24

The Cottage School will host graduation ceremonies at 11 a.m. on May 24. The ceremonies will be in the school’s Cougar Center. Eighteen seniors will be graduating, including 12 HOPE scholars. Bob Hagan, president of the school’s board of directors, will present the diplomas. The Cottage School is a private school situated on 23 acres in the heart of Roswell. The school provides an innovative program for middle and high school students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders and mild to moderate learning disabilities. Nancy Badertscher

Canton to study parking issues

The Canton City Council has approved a plan to analyze the city’s downtown parking issues. Mayor Gene Hobgood says the Council signed off Thursday on a $29,405 contract with Rich and Associates for a 90-day look at current parking inventory, recommendations for current and future improvements and a possible parking structure. Some downtown merchants say current parking is inadequate. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Fire poster contest winners announced

The Forsyth County Fire Department has announced the winners of its third annual Fire Safety Poster Contest. Audrey Padgett, a student at Haw Creek Elementary School, Ava Leavitt from Shiloh Point Elementary and Shayla Noelle Zwingman of Brookwood Elementary School were treated to a pizza party with their classmates and local firefighters.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Job Fair Thursday for Outlet Shoppes

The soon-to-open Outlet Shoppes of Atlanta and state labor officials will hold a job fair from 10-2 p.m. Thursday at the Northside Hospital Cherokee Conference Center, 1130 Bluffs Parkway, Canton. Officials say more than 500 full and part-time jobs are being filled. The mall is set for a July 18. More info: www.dol.state.ga.us/ Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

SACS to review school district for report

The school accreditation agency that placed DeKalb County on probation last year has returned for a review of the school district in preparation for a May 31 report.

A monitoring team from AdvancED, the parent company of accreditation agency the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, visited the DeKalb County School District Friday with plans to continue interviewing staff Saturday.

The team met with principals, teachers, administrators and board members, a school system spokeswoman said. DeKalb will be judged on progress addressing 11 concerns. SACS gave the district a December deadline to address them. Ty Tagami

Stone Mountain CID improves landscapes

The Stone Mountain Community Improvement District is partnering with several businesses to add new trees and plants to high-traffic intersections in the district.

Four crossroads – Hugh Howell Road at both Mountain Industrial and Tucker Industrial boulevards and Mountain Industrial at East Ponce de Leon Avenue and Hirsch Drive – are the focus of the first wave of landscaping improvements.

The work is in addition to district-funded landscaping at other spots in the area.

Information: www.stonemountaincid.com. April Hunt

Summer program offered at Art Institute

The Art Institute of Atlanta — Decatur will offer a four-day summer program aimed to help high school juniors build new skills in the fields of design, culinary, media arts or fashion June 10-14.

The deadline for registration is May 31.

Information: www. summerstudio.com/decatur, or contact Mavia Fleury, 404.942.1807, mfleury@aii.edu.

Mea Watkins

Brookhaven Beer Fest scheduled for June 8

The third annual Brookhaven Beer Fest will be 3 to 8 p.m. June 8 at Apple Valley Road behind the Brookhaven Marta Station, 4047 Peachtree Road, N.E. The festival will feature more than 150 beers from around the world, live music, and food vendors.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Atlanta Fundraising Foundation. Admission price of $35 includes a commemorative driving glass and unlimited beer tastings.

Information and tickets: www.brookhavenbeerfestival.com Mea Watkins

North part of county on rabies alert

DeKalb County Animal Services and Enforcement captured two raccoons in the Harts Mill Court area on April 26, and in the Ragley Hall Road area on April 30.

Both raccoons tested positive for rabies.

Anyone who has been bitten or scratched by a wild animal should seek medical attention immediately.

If household pets begin to exhibit unusual nervousness or aggressiveness, or if they have excessive drooling or foaming at the mouth, contact DeKalb County Animal Services and Enforcement at 404-294-2996 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday or 404-294-2519 after hours. Staff

SOUTHSIDE

3 Fayette school among most challenging

Three Fayette County schools have made the 2013 list of America’s Most Challenging High Schools, as published by The Washington Post. McIntosh, Starr’s Mill and Whitewater ranked in the top nine percent of the approximately 22,000 schools evaluated based on the ratio of students taking Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Advanced International Certificate of Education tests. Jill Howard Church

Farmers markets expand in Peachtree City

Peachtree City now has two weekly farmers markets. The original Peachtree City Farmers Market at Aberdeen Shopping Center is now open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays through October.

The new Our Community Farmers Market is also open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at the MacDuff Crossing Shopping Center on Ga. Hwy. 54 West at Northlake Drive.

Details at www.ptcfarmersmarket.org and www.ourcommunityfarmersmarket.com. Jill Howard Church

Triathlon will affect Peachtree City traffic

Peachtree City traffic will be affected 7-11 a.m. today for the TRI-PTC Adult Triathlon. Drivers are asked to use caution in the areas of Willowbend Road, Hip Pocket Road, Kelly Drive, McIntosh Trail, Robinson Road and Camp Creek Trail when cyclists are present.

Maps for the bike and run routes are at http://www.tri4gold.org/pit.

Drake Field’s off-leash dog run area will be closed today. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Stockbridge puts hold on sign permits

The Stockbridge City Council has enacted a 60-day moratorium on the issuance of sign permits while the city’s sign ordinance is reviewed and updated. The city has been awarded a technical assistance grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission to review and rewrite the ordinance.

A local stakeholder committee will be named to lead that process. Information: www.cityofstockbridge.com. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Rep Scott to host health fair in Morrow

Rep. Sandra Scott will hold a health fair 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. The fair will provide free health screening and vendors from CDC, Amerigroup, Atlanta Medical and Southern Regional.

The fair will be at Morrow Middle School, 5934 Trammell Road in Morrow. Tammy Joyner

Henry board to adopt budget Tuesday

The Henry County Board of Commissioners will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the county administration building in McDonough to adopt the proposed FY2013-14 budget.

The budget is now available for review during normal business hours, 8 a.m-5 p.m. weekdays, at the county administration building.

Information: www.henrycounty-ga.org. Monroe Roark for the AJC