County by county news for Saturday

The bus loads at 10 p.m. Aug. 27 in Marietta and leaves Washington D.C. the following day at 3 p.m. The bus returns to Marietta at 3 a.m. Aug. 29.

The cost is $60 per person, or $35 for children under 12, which includes light snacks and drinks. For reservations, call 770-425-5757. Andria Simmons

Board to set goals for superintendent

The Cobb school board is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. today to set goals for new Superintendent Michael Hinojosa. Per his contract, Hinojosa plans to develop annual goals that become district goals. The meeting will be held at the district’s headquarters at 514 Glover St. in Marietta and will be televised. Jaime Sarrio

Enrichment registration through Aug. 20

Fall registration is open through Aug. 20 for Enrichment of Life Movement classes at the First United Methodist Church of Marietta.

The classes, for ages 50 and older, include dance and aerobics, finance, automotive and retirement planning. The next round of quarterly classes begins Sept. 13 and meets each Tuesday through Nov. 1. Cost is $35 for three classes selected from the 58 classes offered.

The ELM program has more than 450 students each quarter and about 100 volunteers and instructors. Information: http://www.elmcobb.org; 770-429-7850, ext. 7845 Janel Davis

Austell council accepts donation of house

Austell City Council members voted unanimously Monday to accept the donation of a house to the city.

Mayor Joe Jerkins said the house on Bowden Street south of the railroad tracks belongs to Prissy Dutton. He did not say what the city intends to do with the house other than “clean it up” and pay “$400 to $500” in this year’s taxes.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Registration begins for tennis classes

Registration begins this week for fall tennis classes at two Powder Springs locations.

The 6-week classes for entry-level beginners start the weeks of Sept. 5 and Oct. 24 at the Lost Mountain Tennis Center, 4845 Dallas Highway, and Wild Horse Creek Park, 3820 Macedonia Road.

Costs are $48 for Cobb residents and $73 for nonresidents.

For tot classes (ages 3-4) at Lost Mountain, costs are $24 for Cobb residents and $48 for nonresidents. Information: 770-528-8525 or register online at prca.cobbcountyga.gov/ez-reg.htm. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Allatoona High hold back-to-school bash

Allatoona High in Cobb County will hold a back-to-school “bash” on Aug. 11. Students will be able to pick up their schedule, tour the school, meet teachers, buy yearbooks and parking decals and join clubs among other things. Check the school’s website at www.cobbk12.org/Allatoona/ to see what time each grade level is supposed to attend. Jaime Sarrio

GWINNETT

Agencies target Internet crime against kids

The Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, Police Department, and School Police will announce a new program next week aimed at preventing Internet crimes against children.

The three agencies are banding together for “Operation Escape Key: Navigating Our Children’s Future.” The campaign includes public education and pooling resources to investigate child predators. More information will be announced at a news conference at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the auditorium of the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. Andria Simmons

Groups seek donations for back to school

Various Gwinnett County groups are seeking donations of school supplies for families that cannot afford them.

The agencies are accepting donations of book bags, pens, pencils, rulers, scissors and other items. For a full list of items that can be donated and a list of agencies participating in the back-to-school drive, visit www.gwinnettcounty.com. David Wickert

SPCA holds down black cat adoption

The Georgia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is reducing the adoption rate for black and black-and-white cats this weekend.

The GA SPCA has cats and kittens available for sale Saturday and Sunday at both its adoption center in Suwanee and its cat adoption room at the Petco store in Buford. The rate for cats is $50 and for kittens is $60. The fee includes spaying or neutering, vaccinations, deworming, microchipping and one month of free pet insurance. Information: www.GeorgiaSPCA.org or 678-765-2726. Joel Anderson

County offers composting workshop

The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources will offer a gardening/composting workshop from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center Auditorium, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville.

To pre-register, send an e-mail with your name, address and phone number to dwrswreg@gwinnettcounty.com or call 678-376-7126. David Wickert

School wins $70,000 in video contest

St. John Neumann Regional Catholic School in Lilburn has won a $70,000 prize for its entry in the “Symantec Dollars for Desktops” video contest.

The prize includes 62 new computers. The winning video was written and produced by the school’s technology teacher, Allisan Mintz. The video demonstrated how and why the school would benefit by migrating to Windows 7. Joel Anderson

Suwanee seeks citizen input

Suwanee is encouraging residents to enlist in a series of small roundtable conversations as part of the next step in the city’s strategic planning process.

The conversations will start in late August or early September and will last through the fall. Registration will last through Aug. 10 at www.suwanee2020.com.

Information: Jessica Roth at jroth@suwanee.com. Joel Anderson

NORTHSIDE

Judge appointed for fast-track docket

Fulton County’s Superior Court has appointed Elizabeth Vila Rogan as a magistrate judge to preside over a fast-track docket of non-complex criminal cases.

“I feel very grateful,” Rogan, who takes over full-time duties from Judge Ralph Hicks, said Friday. Rogan will preside over pleas and arraignments, first appearance hearings and motions calendars. She obtained her law degree from Columbia University in 1985 and worked at the Office of the Georgia Capital Defender before entering private practice a year ago. Bill Rankin

Milton’s Alan Tart to run again

District 6 Milton City Council Member Alan Tart formally announced his intention to seek re-election this week.

Tart, first elected in 2007, is a training officer for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and has served as president of his homeowners association for more than five years. He said he plans to continue to defend the city’s land use plan, while developing parks and recreation opportunities and maintain fully staffed police and fire departments. Patrick Fox

Utility work to impact traffic in Sandy Springs

Drivers traveling through Sandy Springs near the Roswell Road bridge widening project should use caution this weekend as Georgia Power continues utility relocation in the area. Traffic pacing on I-285 will begin Sunday at 7 a.m. and should end in the late afternoon. At the same time, crews will close one lane on the bridge to move existing utilities from one side to the other. Michelle E. Shaw

Pie contest today at Cherokee market

Bring your favorite pie to Cherokee Fresh Market on today Saturday for a chance to win a pie baking contest. There is no entry fee, and anyone can enter. The market is at 362 Stringer Road in Canton. The pie must contain at least one ingredient available locally, but it need not be in season now. Register on site at Farm Bureau table by 9 a.m. or pre-register via email by sending your name, age and type of pie to Shirley Pahl at sfpahl@gfb.org or call 770-479-1481. Judging begins at 10 a.m. Andria Simmons

Hip-Hop-Alooza at Woodstock church

Christian hip hop artists Tedashii, Sho Baraka, PRo, KB and an unnamed “special guest” will perform on Aug. 23 during the Hip-Hop-Alooza at First Baptist Church Woodstock.

The concert will be held in the chapel in building A and begins at 8 p.m.

Tickets are free to college students and $10 for general admission.

To register for the event and to purchase tickets: www.fbcw.org/HipHopAlooza. Shelia Poole

Church offers sale to help families

The Children’s Ministry at First Baptist Church of Canton will host the largest children’s consignment sale on Aug. 12 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Aug. 13 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at One Mission Pointe, Canton.

The sale provides thousands of quality, gently used children’s items at deep discounted prices. Information: www.fbckidssale.com. Sandra Marshall Murray

ATLANTA

Atlanta school board to meet Monday

The Atlanta school board will meet at 2 p.m. Monday at a work session to discuss school readiness and to get a update on 2011 state standardized exams. The community meeting will be held at 6 p.m., and speakers who would like to address the board during the public forum should sign in from 5 to 5:50 p.m. The meeting will take place at 130 Trinity Avenue, Atlanta, 30303. Jaime Sarrio

Defective fire alarm collection is today

The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department will be out today replacing counterfeit smoke alarms, previously distributed near Pryor Road.

Homes on Bonds Drive, Amal Drive, Ashwood Avenue, Giben Road, Pickfair Way and Pickfair Avenue will be targeted for replacements. The alarm being recalled can be identified by a silver UL label affixed to the back of the unit, as well as by three sets of vents on the front side. Information: 404-546-2733 or email smokealarm@atlantaga.gov. Ernie Suggs

Group to hand out toiletries to homeless

Employees of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office will distribute toiletries to the homeless in downtown Atlanta on Saturday.

The kits that will handed out 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. will include items like soap, washcloths, towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, brushes, deodorant, nail clippers, feminine products, shaving cream and razors and lotion.

The men and women claiming the kits also will be offered a healthy meal. Volunteers wanting to help give out the items are welcome. Rhonda Cook

Hiroshima event at King Center today

Georgia WAND (Women’s Action for New Directions) and The King Center hosts “Visions and Voices of Peace: Remembering Hiroshima,” today from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the Freedom Hall Auditorium of The King Center, 449 Auburn Avenue N.E., Atlanta.

Free and open to the public. Information: Courtney@wand.org or 404-524-5999. Jemea Watkins

DEKALB

Professor named editor of cancer magazine

Dr. Fadlo Khuri, Emory University’s Professor and Chair of Hematology and Medical Oncology, has been named Editor-in-Chief for Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Khuri, who is also Deputy Director of Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute, said the appointment was a special honor for him since he published his first paper as a senior author in the journal. He said he also received his first peer-reviewed grant from the American Cancer Society. Khuri is a nationally-recognized expert on lung cancer. The journal is a high-profile publication for cancer research. Carrie Teegardin

Trial to begin for man charged in wife’s death

Jury selection begins Monday in DeKalb County Superior Court for a man accused of killing his wife and then driving around for two days with her body in bed of his pickup.

Police said Dennis Allaben, 46, killed his wife – a set decorator for “The Mo’Nique Show” – in January 2010 and then drove their two children from their home in Tucker to Virginia.

Allaben allegedly told the relatives in Virginia he was leaving the children with them because he had killed their mother, 43-year-old Maureen Allaben.

Dennis Allaben turned himself when he got back to Georgia. Rhonda Cook

Retired educators group reaches out

The Georgia Retired Educators Association in Decatur and DeKalb is looking for more retirees to get involved in their programs and community service.

Retirees from Decatur and DeKalb schools, both public and private, as well as retirees of other districts who live in the county, are welcome.

Information: 770-498-9493. April Hunt

Burrell Ellis speaks to civil rights group

DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis recently spoke to a national civil rights group about economic empowerment in urban communities.

Joining Ellis on the National Urban League panel were the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Asian-American Justice Center President Karen Narasaki and Comcast Vice President Payne Brown.

The conference ran the last week of July in Boston. April Hunt

Back-to-school haircuts offered Sunday

Urban retailer DTLR, in partnership with the Chauncey Davis Foundation and Albert Mills of Video Image Barbers, is helping families keep this back to school season affordable by offering free haircuts for boys from 1 – 4 p.m. on Sunday, . DTLR Memorial Bend 5228 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain. Information: 404-299-9503. Sandra Marshall Murray

Public input wanted on Alzheimer’s

The Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will hold a public input session beginning at 11 a.m. Aug. 13 at Dunwoody United Methodist Church, 1548 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody.

The association is seeking input as to what needs to be included in a national strategic plan to overcome Alzheimer’s disease.Information: Kathy Simpson at 404-728-6068 or Kathy.Simpson@alz.org. Kenneth Musisi

SOUTHSIDE

Peachtree City council censures mayor

Three members of the City Council of Peachtree City rebuked Mayor Don Haddix by formally censuring him on Thursday.

Eric Imker, Kim Learnard and Vanessa Fleisch admonished Haddix for “comments and actions that put the City of Peachtree City at financial risk, create an untenable work environment, and damage the City’s relationships with other governmental agencies.” Doug Sturbaum voted against. Haddix acknowledged disagreeing with other members on issues but denied wrongdoing. He called the action “dirty politics.” Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Schools remind parents about proof of residency

With Fulton’s school year about to start, parents are reminded that the school system requires a notarized affidavit of residence form for each student. The forms are available at ever school and at the school system web site. Proof of residency also is required for newly enrolled students, students entering the sixth or ninth grades and students who have moved since they submitted their last affidavit. Nancy Badertscher

Complex gets reprieve on water shutoff

A south Fulton townhouse complex threatened with having its water shut off en masse has been given a reprieve. Atlanta Watershed Management planned to cut off the spigots for all 126 units in Villages of Cascade – which has a single water meter – on July 29 if the homeowners association didn’t pay at least a quarter of its past due bills, according to a lawsuit. Attorney Dana Davis, representing the homeowners, said she negotiated an extension of the deadline to Oct. 15. The suit names 23 homeowners who owe more than $60,000 in bills, and accompanying documents showed the complex as a whole owes more than $70,000. Cutting off water even to those who have paid would be unfair, the lawsuit said. Johnny Edwards

Free bulk trash collection Aug. 13

South Fulton residents can dump bulk trash -- including old refrigerators, furniture, televisions and tires -- free on Aug. 13.

Car tires are limited to four. Drop off locations: Merk Road Transfer Station, 3225 Merk Road, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Creel Park, 2775 Creel Road, College Park, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; South Fulton Service Center 5601 Stonewall Tell Road, College Park, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information: 404-612-7437. Steve Visser

Henry Commissioner Holmes hosts town hall

Henry County Commissioner Bruce Holmes is hosting a town hall meeting 9 a.m. Aug. 27 at the Fairview Recreation Center, 35 Austin Rd. in Stockbridge. Tammy Joyner

Peachtree City wants input on timeline

A new committee in Peachtree City wants public input regarding a Historic Time Line project.

Two informational presentations about the project are scheduled for Sunday at 4 p.m. and Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The public is invited to attend and offer feedback. For information, contact Betsy Tyler at info@peachtree-city.org. Jill Howard church for the AJC