County by county news for Saturday

The tax hike would equal about $111 increase for homes valued around $200,000. The increase will close a $33 million 2012 budget gap, said Commission Chairman Tim Lee. It would also eliminate the last two employee furlough days; restore hours at parks, libraries and pools; and fund 99 public safety positions over the next two years. Public hearings are set for July 19 at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. on July 26. Janel Davis

Retiring school chief takes home $43,000

Former Cobb school superintendent Fred Sanderson will take a hefty payout into retirement. The district paid Sanderson for 48.14 unused vacation days totaling nearly $43,000, said school spokesman Jay Dillon. Sanderson retired June 30 after five years in the top job. The district does not pay for unused sick leave. Jaime Sarrio

Superior Court clerk won’t seek re-election

Cobb County Superior Court Clerk Jay Stephenson plans to retire at the end of his term next year and will not seek re-election.

Stephenson will have held the clerk’s position for 28 years when he retires. He has been in the news recently for criticizing Commission Chairman Tim Lee about budget cuts, and has led an ongoing battle against compensation policies for the county’s court reporters.

Stephenson said he is not being forced out, and that the early announcement gives perspective candidates time to make their case to voters. Janel Davis

Smyrna mayor to give state of city

Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon will give a state of the city address 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday at the Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Green Circle. The talk is sponsored by the Smyrna Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and the Smyrna Business Association. Reservations are required by Tuesday at http://goo.gl/hmYUD. Tucker McQueen

FBI academy honors Acworth police

The Georgia chapter of the FBI National Academy has recognized the Acworth Police Department as agency of the year. Acworth Police Chief Michael Wilkie and Capt. Tony Bailey, both graduates of the FBI National Academy in Quanitco,Va.,received the award at a state chapter meeting in Young Harris. Wilkie said the Academy noted the department for its community involvement which includes raising more than $50,000 for the Horizon Field, a ball field for special needs children. Tucker McQueen

Book sale includes antiques, collectibles

The Cobb County public libraries will host a book sale through today .

The sale will include antique books that date back as far as the 18 century, and start at $10. The sale will also feature collectible comic books, said Patty Latch, program coordinator for Cobb County public library. All the books were donated to the library. The sale will be at the Central Library at 266 Roswell St., Marietta.

Information: 770-528-2320 Elise Hitchcock

GWINNETT

Wickham president of judges council

Norcross Municipal Judge Kenneth Wickham has been elected President of the Georgia Executive Council of Municipal Court Judges.

Wickham was voted into the office during the group’s annual business and training meeting on the weekend of June 22-24 in Savannah. His term will start in June 2012.

Wickham is currently serving his ninth terms as a municipal court judge in Norcross and serves as a visiting judge with the Gwinnett County Recorder’s Court. He’s also an associate judge in Dunwoody. Joel Anderson

Man charged with trying to buy girl for sex

A 33-year-old Norcross man has been charged with trying to buy a child for sex, the first suspect to be caught by a newly-formed human trafficking unit.

Carl Fredrik Skow faces a federal charge of arranging to buy an underage girl to use for sex for a year, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Thursday.

The investigation of Skow involved the GBI, Sandy Springs police and U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Department of Homeland Security. Rhonda Cook

Deadline near to enroll in online charter school

The registration deadline for enrolling in Gwinnett County Schools’ new online charter campus is approaching.

The extended registration period runs through Thursday. Students and their parents must come to the Gwinnett Online Campus at 2595 Beaver Ruin Road in Norcross to sign up in person. Registration will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Information: gwinnettonlinecampus.com. D. Aileen Dodd

Gwinnett Village CID award grant

The Georgia Department of Transportation recently awarded the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District and the city of Norcross a total of $500,000 for pedestrian mobility projects.

The CID received $300,000 as part of project that will allow it to extend sidewalks from Amwiler Road to Jimmy Carter Boulevard.

Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson said the city will use its $200,000 in funds for sidewalk projects. Joel Anderson

Kiwanis Clubs to sponsor golf tourney

The Kiwanis Clubs of Suwanee and Duluth will host their annual golf tournament on Aug. 16 to raise money for children in Gwinnett County. It will be at Bear Bet’s Golf Course at 5342 Aldeburgh Drive in Suwanee. Information: 678-546-6816 or deric.governale@edwardjones.com or 404-626-6245 or jimjohnson@jmsmgtconsuluting.com. Joel Anderson

Meadowcreek students in cooking contest

Meadowcreek High School students will represent the state at a national culinary arts competition in California.

The students will participate in a cooking challenge during the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) 2011 National Leadership Conference, which runs through Thursday. They are: Tyler Rivera, Nick Patma and Vincent Tompkins. D. Aileen Dodd

NORTHSIDE

Forsyth again delays action on golf course

The Forsyth County Commission for the second time postponed a rezoning of the Lanier Golf Club that was ordered by a judge. County attorney Ken Jarrard said at Thursday night’s meeting he has requested a second extension of the judge’s original deadline, now moving it to July 21. Jarrard said owners of the course, the county, and residents have made progress crafting a compromise that likely will preserve a portion of the golf course, or as green space, and also allow residential development. The commission vote 4-0 (Levent absent) to delay the decision. Jeffry Scott

Motorcycle Awareness ride today

The Kevin Phillip Mahurin Motorcycle Awareness Association will hold the third memorial motorcycle ride at Bells Ferry Road in Woodstock today .

The ride begins at 10:15 a.m. Participants should arrive by 9 a.m. The costs is $25 for a driver and $5 for a passenger. Information: kenvinsmotorcyclefoundation.org Elise Hitchcock

Foreclosure prevention workshop Wednesday

Fulton County’s Office of Housing and Community Development will hold a workshop Wednesday to help residents falling behind on mortgage payments. “How to Prevent Foreclosure” will be at the Roswell Neighborhood Senior Center, 150 Warsaw Road, from 10 to 11 a.m. Information: 404-612-3024. Johnny Edwards

Charity group reports on progress

North Fulton Community Charities, based in Roswell, reported this week that it has held more than 148 classes over the past year, teaching life skills to families facing economic hardship. The classes offer job and education skills to help struggling families find work.

The agency’s Family Enrichment Program has helped return 50 percent of participants to the workforce, representing about $306,000 in gross income returning to the community and government services, according to Eden Purdy, program director. Information: 770-640-399 ext.208 or epurdy@nfcchelp.org. Patrick Fox

Tomato Sandwich Festival today in Canton

The second annual Tomato Sandwich Festival will kick off today at 11 a.m.

The free festival will feature home grown tomatoes and home made bread for the entire crowd and a contest for the best tomatoes and bread. People who wish to enter the contest should arrive at 11 a.m. and it is free to enter. Around 75 people attended the festival last year, said Roy Taylor, organizer.

“Who doesn’t like a tomato sandwich,” Taylor said.Elise Hitchcock

State. Sen. Albers to hold town hall meetings

State Sen. John Albers,R-Roswell, is continuing to host a series of relaxed town hall meetings this summer in the parks throughout North Fulton County.

The next meeting, where the public can picnic and share ideas to make Georgia a better place, will be held at Alpharetta’s Wills Park from 11 a.m. to noon July 23. Participants should gather at Pavilion 2 near Wacky World playground. The park is located at 1825 Old Milton Parkway. Andria Simmons

ATLANTA

Grady grad wins national honor

Taylor Walker, 2011 graduate at Grady High School, was named National Forensic League Student of the year.

Walker was the president of the 2010-11 Grady Jesters Debate Team. The team was honored with the Debate Team of Excellence Trophy. This honor recognizes accomplishments in debate competitions.

Elise Hitchcock

Council endorses 2011 AIDS Walk

The Atlanta City Council this week unanimously approved a resolution supporting the 2011 AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run. The resolution acknowledges the challenges the disease presents to Atlanta, while recognizing the efforts undertaken by AIDS Walk Atlanta &5K Run over the past two decades in the form of patient services, education, research and advocacy. The AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run will be held Oct. 16. Ernie Suggs

Former jailer guilty of manslaughter

A former Fulton County jailer recently pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for a shooting death at an Atlanta apartment complex, the Fulton District Attorney’s Office said.

Keawanna Perdue Henderson, 32, was sentenced to five years in prison. Prosecutors said she killed Isaac Jolley at the now-demolished Hollywood Court in 2006. The former jailer got into an argument with Jolley’s brother and hit him on the head with the butt of her gun, which caused the gun to fire and fatally shoot Jolley, who was standing a few feet away, prosecutors said. Bill Rankin

Author to give tips on getting published

Retired attorney and author Harold Michael Harvey, author of the novel “Paper Puzzle,” will give tips on getting manuscripts published on Monday at 7 p.m. at Atlanta-Fulton’s Central Library. James Taylor, host of Fulton Government Television’s “Writers-in-Focus,” will lead the workshop. The library is at One Margaret Mitchell Square, in downtown Atlanta. Information: 404-730-1906. Johnny Edwards

DEKALB

Emory launches new med school department

Emory University is launching a new biomedical informatics department within its School of Medicine at a time when biomedical research is playing an increasingly key role in health care. Biomedical informatics is a field that uses computer technology to collect, analyze and integrate biological data for research and health care delivery. Joel Saltz, director of the Emory Center for Comprehensive Informatics, will head the department. Misty Williams

Academy named model high school

DeKalb Early College Academy, a Stone Mountain high school, has been selected as one of 15 model high schools for 2011 by the International Center for Leadership in Education. The chosen schools were invited to share their best practices at the 19th Annual Model Schools Conference held in late June in Nashville. Rich McKay

‘Shed cleaning’ party Sunday at preserve

A “shed cleaning” party is planned for Sunday afternoon to remove remnants of a small Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve building that burned to the ground after it was hit by lightening.

The tools inside the shed also were lost in the fire on June 26.

Volunteers should meet at 2 p.m. The DeKalb County preserve is at Wood Trail Lane and Pine Bluff Road.

Volunteers should bring work gloves and tools and a picnic for after the work is done. Rhonda Cook

Doraville go back to the polls to choose mayor

Doraville voters head back to the polls later this month to pick a short-term mayor. A three-person race last month failed to produce a clear winner, throwing top-vote getters Carol Gilman and Donna Pittman into a runoff on July 19. The winner will fill the term of Mayor Ray Jenkins, who died in February, that runs to the end of the year. A November election will decide who takes the job for the next four years. Nancy Badertscher

Perimeter group promotes carpooling

The Perimeter Transportation Coalition is reminding workers and residents in the area to carpool whenever possible. People who switch from driving alone to riding with others can be rewarded up to $100 by Cash for Commuters program. Also carpool groups of at least three people can earn gas cards valued at $40 to $60 for a minimum number of trips each month. The program guarantees a ride home for anyone who has to work late or needs to leave early because of illness. Rhonda Cook

Group wants to form community garden

The South Fork Conservancy will hold a meeting Monday at the QuickShot Firing Range to discuss building a community garden on land on Zonolite Road once the contaminated property has been cleaned of asbestos.

Officials from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and DeKalb County will be there to explain the cleanup process of the environmentally sensitive flood plain where the garden may be located.

The meeting is set for 7 p.m. at 1199 Zonolite Road off Briarcliff Road. Those attending should bring their own chairs. Rhonda Cook

SOUTHSIDE

Henry fire department to receive $49,000 grant

The Henry County Fire Department has been selected to receive a $49,810 grant for participation in the Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s Automated Vehicle Location System project, designed to allow GEMA to track EMS resources in the event of a major disaster within the state. The HCFD and 911 dispatchers will be able to view real-time locations of their medical resources and also transmit important medical data to receiving hospitals prior to the arrival of emergency vehicles. Acceptance of this grant was approved July 5 by the Board of Commissioners. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Henry commissioner to hold town hall meeting

Henry County District 2 Commissioner Fred Auletta will host a town hall meeting on July 28 at 7 p.m. at the Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority’s Community Room. Auletta will give an update on the state of the county with a focus on SPLOST. He also will talk about what the county is doing to encourage economic development. The water authority is at 1695 Highway 20 West in McDonough. Use the rear entrance of the building. Tammy Joyner

Hapeville residents may see discolored water

The Hapeville Public Works Department and the Fire Department will be flushing and testing hydrants during the week of July 11. The flushing will take place during the day and night. If you should experience discolored water, run an outside faucet or the bathtub for several minutes until the water runs clear.

John Thompson for the AJC

‘Rally in the Alley’ promotes leadership

The Young Professionals of Fayette County’s second annual “Rally at the Alley” to promote leadership development will be held Tuesday at Fayetteville Fun Bowl. The event is open to members of YP Fayette and the Chamber of Commerce, as well as individuals from the local business community who want to network. The cost is $25 for individuals and $100 per team of four. Registration starts at 4:30 p.m., bowling at 5 p.m. and an awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Call 770-461-9983 for information. Jill Howard Church

Developer tries again for bowling alley

Developer James Shively heads back to the East Point City Council Monday in hopes of getting an entertainment complex approved at Redwine Road and North Commerce Drive. The complex would feature a bowling alley, miniature golf course and a go-cart racing track. The work session meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Jefferson Station. John Thompson for the AJC

Henry offers course for young drivers

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office is offering a four-day, 30-hour driver education course to teens beginning Tuesday. The program teaches young people the rules of the road and safe driving. Cost: $175. It grew out of “Joshua’s Law” which requires 16-year -olds complete a state program before being granted a Georgia driver’s license. Georgia’s offers a tax credit up to $150 and some insurers give discounts to youth who complete the class. Details: www.HenryCountySheriff.net. Tammy Joyner