County by county news for Saturday

The brush fire was in a wooded area of West Sandtown Road and Carnegie Way, near Marietta. Investigators had not determined Thursday night how the person had died, Officer Michael Bowman with Cobb County police said.

An autopsy will be conducted by the medical examiner’s office.

No further details were available, Bowman said. Alexis Stevens

Powder Springs to decide on appeals

The Powder Springs City Council is expected to decide Monday whether to change the appeals procedure for fired city employees.

They no longer would have their hearing before the mayor and council but before a city judge, explained City Clerk Dawn Davis during Wednesday’s agenda meeting.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Monday, council chambers, Community Development building, 4488 Pineview Drive. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

10,000 runners expected at Gobble Jog

The 10th annual Gobble Jog. a benefit for MUST Ministries, will bring close to 10,000 runners and walkers to the Marietta Square on Thanksgiving Day. The jog includes a 10K race at 8 a.m, a 1K run/walk at 9:15 a.m. and a 5K run/walk at 9:30 a.m. Runners can register through race day. The Gobble Jog has raised more than $300,000 for the non-profit that helps low-income families in Cobb and Cherokee Counties. Information: wwww.gobblejog.org. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Businessman must pay Marietta $37,000

Cobb Superior Court Judge Adele Grubbs has ruled that Waleed “Lee” Jaraysi must pay $37,000 and his current attorney Richard Capriola pay $10,000 to the city of Marietta to cover legal fees the city has incurred fighting law suits filed by Jarayasi. Marietta stopped construction in 2005 on a reception hall Jaraysi was building on South Marietta Parkway and the building was razed last year.

The businessman has 30 days to appeal the ruling with the Georgia Court of Appeals. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Meals on Wheels needs volunteers

Meals on Wheels needs volunteers to deliver hot meals to homebound seniors in Marietta, Smyrna, Austell, Mableton and Powder Springs. Cobb Senior Services is also looking for groups to adopt a delivery route. Meals are delivered from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Information: Volunteer Services at 770-528-5381. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Designer to speak at Marietta Country Club

James Farmer, a floral, landscape and interior designer will speak 11:30 a.m. Nov. 28 at the Marietta Country Club, as part of the Cobb County Library Foundation’s Booked for Lunch series. Farmer was raised in Georgia, in a lifestyle that emphasized using materials from the family farm for food, décor, and flavor. Tickets are $25, which includes lunch. Info: http://cobblibraryfoundation.org Jaime Sarrio

GWINNETT

Man killed in apartment shooting

A man was killed Friday in an apparent drug-related shooting at an apartment complex in Peachtree Corners.

Gwinnett County Police officers responding to a call of a person shot discovered Eric Marshall, who is believed to be 31 or 32 years old and from California, laying in the breezeway of the 100 building at Homestead Extended Stay at 7049 Jimmy Carter Boulevard at about 1:20 a.m. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

Homicide investigators canvassed the area interviewing witnesses. Anyone with information should contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 770-513-5300 or call 911. Andria Simmons

Shredding, electronics recycling event today

Gwinnett County will host a paper shredding and electronics recycling event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Coolray Field, 2500 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville. Residents can bring confidential documents for shredding, plus electronics and tires for recycling. The services are free, though there is a $10 charge for televisions. The event also will feature children’s activities, free food while it lasts and information about Gwinnett’s residential solid waste and recycling program. For more information visit www.sustainablegwinnett.com. David Wickert

Gwinnett Place elects new board members

The Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District has elected two new members to its board of directors.

Debra Irving, property manager of Gwinnett Place Mall for McKinley Inc., and Craig Kaufman of Kaufman Realty Group were elected to the board Wednesday. Gwinnett Place is a group of Duluth-area commercial property owners who tax themselves to pay for road, aesthetic and other improvements. David Wickert

Finalists picked for roundabout art

The City of Duluth, led by the Gateway Art Project Committee and Mayor Nancy Harris, announced that 85 letters of intent from artists across the county were received for the roundabout public art project.

The committee has chosen 18 semifinalists to submit their concept drawing or illustration for a piece of art for the center of the new roundabout located at the intersections of West Lawrenceville Street, McClure Bridge Road and Irvindale Road.

The generous donation for the project is from Duluth-based AGCO Corporation. Information: www.duluthga.net/community/publicart. Kenneth Musisi

Online submission for Hudgens Prize

The online submission process for the Hudgens Prize Visual Arts Competition runs through 11:59 p.m. Feb 1. The Hudgens Prize is one of the largest art awards given in the U.S., with a cash award of $50,000 and an invitation for a solo exhibition. Open to Georgia residents only. Visual artwork of any medium considered, but works previously exhibited at The Hudgens are ineligible and work must have been completed within the last 2 years. Entry requires a $30 non-refundable fee, and entitles each artist to submit up to 5 entries. https://hudgensprize.slideroom.com.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Canton City Council rejects car rental tax

After months of off-and on-again discussion, The Canton City Council voted 5-1 Thursday night to reject a proposed 3 percent excise tax on car rentals to help fund downtown development. Canton Main Street director Ginger Garrard says the plan would have raised about $50,000 annually to provide rental assistance for businesses opening downtown. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Forsyth County opens new fire station

The Forsyth County Fire Department Wednesday officially opened its new station 4, located in the Ducktown area of west Forsyth. The $1.2 million facility replaces a volunteer-designed, decades-old station. The 7,300-square-foot facility was funded by a combination of SPLOST funds and impact fees. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Milton, Alpharetta create parks pact

Milton and Alpharetta have agreed to create a regional parks system that will eliminate residents’ additional fees to use the other city’s parks.

For example, when the agreement goes into effect Dec. 1, Milton residents no longer will pay extra to play in Alpharetta’s North Park, located in Milton.

Alpharetta residents also may use Milton facilities without extra cost, including use of Bell Memorial Park, which is scheduled to be doubled in size and then used extensively by Alpharetta’s recreation leagues.

Michael Alpert for the AJC

Historic group presents preservation award

Preservation Woodstock, Inc. has named Woodstock native Bill Johnston as winner of this year’s Barbara G. Ingram Citizen of the Year award.

Johnston has long been active in local preservation projects, including the recent installation of historic signage at the historic Rope Mill ruins along the Little River.

He also has been instrumental in documenting the history of the area.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Firefighters kick off annual toy drive

The Forsyth County Fire Department has kicked off its 10th annual Aerial’s House toy collection drive for needy children.

New, unwrapped toys for the drive can be dropped off at Forsyth County fire stations, the county’s three library branches or at the department’s headquarters, 3520 Settingdown Road. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Holistic center to offer free sample classes

Free sample bodywork classes in yoga, belly dance and zumba will be offered 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at The Open Mind Center, 1575 Old Alabama Rd., Suite 213, Roswell.

The center aims to create and inspire a sense of hope, health and community through holistic health and wellness services.

Information: 678-243-5074, www.theopenmindcenter.com.

Mea Watkins

ATLANTA

Tap ‘N’ Run 4K today at 2 p.m.

The Tap ‘N’ Run 4K, a beer chugging and foot racing event, makes its inaugural tap in Atlanta at 2 p.m. Saturday . Packet pick-up will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Neighbor’s Pub, 752 North Highland Ave. NE.

Participants will dress in costumes, combine their love of beer and run or walk a total of 2.4 miles throughout the Virginia Highland area. The four “chug stations” will offer a four-ounce sample of beer for participants along the race route. Awards will be given at the finish line. Information: tinyurl.com/augheuo. Kenneth Musisi

Sixth annual “Race 2 Recycle” today

Keep Atlanta Beautiful has scheduled the sixth annual “Race 2 Recycle.” The 5K run/walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Pavilion at Piedmont Park.

The pre-registration fee is $25 for adults and $15 for children under 14. The registration fee will be $30 for adults on race day and $15 for children under 14. Register online at www.active.com or in person at Phidippides, 1544 Piedmont Ave. For race information, contact Ed Williams at 404-327-7738 or RoadRaceServices@comcast.net.

Jeremiah McWilliams

EPS takes applications for grants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking applications for $1.5 million that will be awarded in 2013 as small environmental justice grants of up to $30,000. One to five grants will be awarded in each EPA region, with a maximum $30,000 award. Information: www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html Nancy Badertscher

IMH plans open house for Dec. 2

Immaculate Heart of Mary School invites prospective K-8 students and their parents to attend an open house 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at 2855 Briarcliff Road. Immaculate Heart of Mary School is a Catholic school with 500 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Information:www.ihmschool.org.

Nancy Badertscher

DEKALB

Chief to head for Special Olympics

Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan has been selected to represent Georgia law enforcement at the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games in PyongChang, North Korea as a member of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg Team.

Grogan has participated in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for 10 years and is a past Director of the Georgia LETR Program. He will travel to Korea Jan. 20 and run various routes carrying the Flame of Hope leading up to opening ceremonies. He returns Feb. 1.

To follow Grogan’s progress, a Facebook page has been set up at

Or, you can follow Grogan on Twitter at @ChiefGrogan. Andria Simmons

Decatur doctor honored for work

Dr. Gulshan S. Harjee, CEO and president of First Medical Care in Decatur, received the 2012 Jack A. Raines Humanitarian Award at the Medical Association of Georgia’s House of Delegates meeting in Savannah on Oct. 20.

Harjee was recognized for her outstanding humanitarian contributions beyond the normal practice of medicine.

Harjee’s vast humanitarian contributions include conducting health fairs for the indigent and uninsured in DeKalb County for the last seven years and establishing scholarship programs for high school and college students. Kenneth Musisi

Name-your-price pet adoptions today

PAWS Atlanta, a DeKalb County animal welfare group, is letting adopters name their price to take home a dog or cat through Saturday.

The group, formerly known as the DeKalb Humane Society, requires that would-be adopters fill out an application on the animal first. All pets are spayed or neutered, micro-chipped and up-to-date on all shots.

Information: www.pawsatlanta.org. April Hunt

Group hopes to start diverse charter school

Parents and educators who hope to start a charter middle school that mixes autistic students with typical adolescents will meet with the public at a DeKalb County eatery Dec. 3.

The group wants to open Tapestry Public Charter School in 2014 as a middle school that grows into a high school. The plan is to offer smaller, multi-age classrooms with individualized educational plans and hands-on, sensory-based learning.

The founding board will elaborate at Napoleon’s Bar and Grill, 2836 Lavista Rd., from 7:30 - 9 p.m. Information: www.tapestrycharter.org.

Ty Tagami

Tax volunteers needed in DeKalb

The nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax preparation and assistance service is looking for volunteers to help DeKalb County taxpayers with their 2012 returns.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers will receive free training and be reimbursed for qualified program-related expenses. Volunteers do not need to be AARP members or retirees.

Deadline for application is Dec. 15. More information: 1-888-687-2277 or www.aarp.org/tavolunteer8.

April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Former jail officer’s prison term upheld

The federal appeals court in Atlanta has upheld a 14-month prison sentence imposed against Akil Scott, a former Fulton County Jail detention officer.

Scott, ensnared in a 2010 undercover FBI sting, was convicted of taking payoffs for delivering what he believed to be cocaine to inmates inside the jail. At sentencing, Scott expressed remorse, said he’d turned his life around and asked for one day in prison. On appeal, the court said the 14-month term was not unreasonable, citing the nature of the offense. Bill Rankin

Fayette County attorney out of a job

Fayette commissioners voted 4-1 Thursday to terminate Scott Bennett’s contract. Bennett has been in the $130,000-a-year job for five years. His last day is Dec. 31. He will receive six-months of severance pay. Commissioner Robert Horgan cited friction between Bennett and two board members as a reason for his departure. “Scott has saved the county hundreds of thousands of dollars in the work he’s done,” Horgan said. “There’s nothing wrong with his performance.”

“It boils down to what’s best for the incoming board,” Bennett, 44, said Friday. The commission will have three new members joining the board in January. Tammy Joyner

Fashion event to raise scholarship funds

The Candace Anderson Mystery Illness Foundation will present “Fashionista”, a fashion event and fundraiser, from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Paradise Gymnasium & Cultural Center, 4295 Hendrix Drive, Forest Park. The free event requires registration at camifashionista.eventbrite.com. Admission is $5 without a ticket. Proceeds will provide scholarships to deserving youth in metro Atlanta. Information: camifashionista@gmail.com or www.camifoundation.com. Kenneth Musisi

Starrs Mill students launch pillow drive

The Starrs Mill High School Pantherettes Dance team is conducting an outreach project to collect new bed pillows for The Community Welcome House, a local women’s and children’s shelter. Pillows can be dropped in the collection box in the rotunda at SMHS, 193 Panther Path, Fayetteville. The deadline for donations is Nov. 25. Information: cheryl.whetstone@me.com. Kenneth Musisi

Peachtree City renews zoning ban

The City Council of Peachtree City has renewed an annual moratorium on accepting applications to zone or rezone property for multifamily developments. The original ban was adopted by the city in 1999 “to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens.” Those applying for such zoning must first ask the council to lift the moratorium on a specific site. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Fayetteville’s Market Days conclude

Saturday marks the last of Fayetteville’s Market Days until next spring. This week’s finale will run 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the historic downtown gazebo area. Market Day will resume in June; potential vendors can call 770-719-4173. Jill Howard Church for the AJC