County by county news for Saturday

The event provides girls a fun, interactive learning environment and overnight campus experience in the university student housing. Girls will participate in activities including building computers and digital video and photography projects.

Cost for the overnight option is $60. The academy will be held on the SPSU campus, 1100 South Marietta Pkwy. in Marietta.

Registration: www.spsu.edu/gssa Janel Davis

Councilman challenges lawsuit dismissal

Marietta City Councilman Philip Goldstein has filed an appeal challenging a June 28 decision by Cobb Superior Court Judge George Kreeger dismissing Goldstein’s lawsuit against the city. Goldstein is appealing the case to the Supreme Court of Georgia because he says his dispute involves a constituional issue. The councilman, a major property owner in downtown Marietta, said the city should honor a certificate he received from the City’s Historic Board of Review in 2008 to allow him to build a five-story building on the Marietta Square. The city council lowered the downtown building height maximum in March. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Vinings Association donates to church

The Vinings Business Association will present a check to the new Vinings Church during association’s monthly meeting 11:30 a.m. Tuesday to assist with community projects.

The Vinings Church has donated backpacks to students and hosted movies at the Cobb Galleria.

Cobb Chamber President David Connell will be the guest speaker.

The cost is $15 for association members, $20 for visitors and includes lunch. Registration: www.viningsbusiness.com Janel Davis

KSU holds summer graduation

More than 1,100 students are scheduled to graduate from Kennesaw State University Tuesday. The campus will host three separate ceremonies -- each with a different commencement speaker -- to honor graduates from different colleges. Cobb County schools Superintendent Michael Hinojosa will address graduates from the colleges of the arts, education, humanities and social sciences and science and mathematics. Laura Diamond

Chamber seeks roundtable speakers

The Cobb Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the annual yearlong CEO Roundtable Program.

The confidential program allows business leaders to meet and discuss business challenges and solutions in a non-competitive atmosphere. Applications are due Aug. 17.

Registration: 770-859-2325; lharkins@cobbchamber.org Janel Davis

Austell fire officials honored for service

Austell Fire Chief Tim Williams and Fire Lt. George Bach were honored recently for their decades of service.

Williams and Bach received plaques from Mayor Joe Jerkins and service pins from Councilman Scott S. Thomas.

Bach has served the city for 35 years and Williams for 30 years. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GWINNETT

Lawrenceville food maker faces another recall

Earlier this month, Flying Food Group, a Lawrenceville food manufacturer, recalled sandwiches sold at Starbucks and Racetracks throughout the county. On Friday, the FDA announced an additional recall of about 40 items including sandwiches, parfaits and salads because they potentially could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. There have been no reported illnesses related to this issue. The FDA says Flying Foods has suspended the production of all products at the Lawrenceville facility pending a full investigation into the source of the problem. Alaya Boykin

Dacula opens new bus facility

Beginning Monday, commuters will be able to board a Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) Xpress bus at the new Hamilton Mill park and ride facility in Dacula. It is located at 3220 Sardis Church Road next to the Hamilton Mill Walmart. The Xpress bus will take commuters to midtown and downtown Atlanta. Information: www.xpressga.com/. Alaya Boykin

Aviation expert to speak Aug. 6

Franklin Pond Chamber Music will hold its final summer concert Tuesday at 8 p.m., Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Kellett Chapel, 3434 Roswell Road NW. The free event will feature each of the four Franklin Pond groups and the faculty Franklin Pond Quartet. Information: www.franklinpond.org David Wickert

Disc golf tournament set

Gwinnett County will hold a “disc in the dark” tournament from 7 p.m. to midnight Aug. 12 at Alexander Park, 800 Old Snellville Highway, Lawrenceville.

Participants can learn how to play disc golf and can check out discs if needed. The cost is $5. Information: 770-418-2331. David Wickert

Suwanee: Vote for your favorite sculpture

Suwaneeseeks input for the inaugural SculpTour.

Votes can be cast at www.suwanee.com/whatsnew.sculptour.php, QR codes on smart phones or paper ballots available in a box just outside City Hall on Charleston Market Street.

The sculpture with the most votes in March will earn title of the “People’s Choice” and will be purchased by the Public Arts Commission to be added to the city’s collection. Joel Anderson

Brown bag concert at Historic Courthouse

Gwinnett County will host a brown bag concert 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse, 185 E. Crogan St., Lawrenceville.

The event features a performance by Aire Flamenco, crafts and face painting. Information: 770-822-5450. David Wickert

Night Out Against Crime in Snellville

Snellville Police hosts National Night Out Against Crime 6 -- 8 p.m. Tuesday at Town Green.

Meet local police and safety officers; see K-9 demonstrations; and visit with representatives from local colleges that offer criminal justice degrees.

Information: www.snellville.org. Joel Anderson

NORTHSIDE

Cops: Ex-treasurer stole Forsyth PTO funds

Cumming Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of Jamie Garfield, 36, who is accused of stealing money from the Cumming Elementary School PTO during the 2009 and 2010 school years.

While Garfield is accused of taking $7,911.82, police say thousands more are missing and additional charges may be added.

Last Aug. 5, PTO board members discovered that a bank accounts was overdrawn and requested a criminal investigation. The thefts occurred over a 21-month period, police say.

Garfield is charged with theft by taking. If convicted, she could face imprisonment of no less than one year and no more than 15 years, a fine or both. Christopher Seward

Free chamber music concert

Franklin Pond Chamber Music will hold its final summer concert Tuesday at 8 p.m., Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Kellett Chapel, 3434 Roswell Road NW. The free event will feature each of the four Franklin Pond groups and the faculty Franklin Pond Quartet. For more information, visit, www.franklinpond.org Michelle E. Shaw

National Night Out in Sandy Springs

Sandy Springs and Target will team up to celebrate the 28th Annual National Night Out 6 -- 8 p.m. Tuesday at Hammond Park, 6005 Hammond Dr. The Fire Safety House, fire trucks and police cars will be on hand. There will also be information on Neighborhood Watch Programs. Michelle E. Shaw

Canton Farmer’s Market open Saturdays

Bring home nature’s bounty on Saturday from the Canton Farmer’s Market, where shoppers can peruse the produce from 8 a.m. to noon at Cannon Park every Saturday through October.

All the produce is Georgia grown and most is organic. The market is open, rain or shine. Items available for purchase include produce, seafood, breads, soups, jellies, candles, honey, fresh flowers and plants, herbs, jewelry, soap, lotions, birdhouses, jewelry and other artisan crafts. Information: www.cantonhdl.com. Andria Simmons

Milton Roundup looks for sponsors

The City of Milton is seeking sponsorships and vendors for this year’s Milton Roundup scheduled for Oct. 15 at Birmingham United Methodist Church.

There are three levels of sponsorship ranging from $500-$1,500. For vendors, non-food related booth space is $100 for businesses and $25 for non-profits. Food vendors pay $150 for a tent and $250 for space to park a food trailer.

Deadline for sponsorship and vendor applications is Sept. 9.

Information: www.cityofmiltonga.us. Patrick Fox

Alpharetta High information day Aug. 9

Alpharetta High School has set Aug. 9 as information day for freshmen and new students. The event is billed as a chance for students and parents to meet administrators, counselors and staff. Students also can tour the building, obtain bus information, set up pre-paid lunch accounts, submit school documents, purchase yearbooks and pay certain fees. Nancy Badertscher

ATLANTA

Emory, Children’s Healthcare get $4 million grant

The Atlanta-based Zeist Foundation recently awarded a $4 million grant to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University to help fund construction of a new health science research building.

Most of the five-story facility will focus on pediatric research. There will be a two-story bridge that will connect it to the Emory-Children’s Center, a pediatric outpatient center. The bridge will be named in honor of the late Dr. George W. Brumley, who served as head of Emory University’s Department of Pediatrics and as medical director at Children’s at Egleston from 1981 to 1995.

Children’s Healthcare and Emory broke ground on the new facility in June, with an expected completion in April 2013. The total coast is about $90 million and will be financed primarily through philanthropic contributions, including a $25 million grant from the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation for the joint Emory-Children’s research initiative.

The Zeist Foundation seeks to improve the lives of children, youth and families in the areas of health, education and arts and culture. Sheila M. Poole

Hillside offers free summer fest

Looking for some fun before the end of summer?

The Hillside Community Fun Fest 2011 will be held on Aug. 6 and Aug. 7 at Hillside International Chapel and Truth Center, 2450 Cascade Road.

The event includes food, shopping, music, prizes, health screenings and a clothing drive. The fun starts at 11 a.m. on Aug. 6 and 1 p.m. on Aug. 7 . The event is free. Sheila M. Poole

APS offers online demographic survey

Atlanta Public Schools is asking parents and stakeholders to fill out an online demographics study in order to inform enrollment forecasts and building usage. The district wants to identify community preferences in case of revised policy changes related to enrollment. The survey takes about 10 minutes and is open to everyone. Visit the survey at www.atlanta.k12.ga.us Jaime Sarrio

DEKALB

Dunwoody cops nab burglary suspects

Dunwoody Police have arrested two people in connection three separate burglaries that occurred July 11.

Officers dispatched to Hallford Drive on a residential burglary July 25 saw a blue Chrysler PT Cruiser that was spotted earlier at the site of another burglary. Police questioned the driver, Timothy Woznick, 30, and ultimately charged him with three counts of burglary. Michele Honaker, 27, also was charged with theft by receiving stolen property. Police are working with other jurisdictions to determine if the pair may be involved in other burglaries. Andria Simmons

Bank robbery suspect arrested

Dunwoody police arrested a suspect in a recent bank robbery.

Gregory Leitschuh, 45, of Alpharetta was charged Thursday with a robbery June 29 at the Fidelity Bank, 135 Perimeter Center West.

Dunwoody police officer Jason Lewis stopped Leitschuh’s vehicle for an expired tag around 9:23 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Perimeter Center West and Ashford Dunwoody Road, said Sgt. Mike Carlson, Dunwoody police spokesman.

Lewis noticed that the driver matched the description of the bank robber, and Leitschuh admitted robbing the bank, Carlson said. A weapon, an exploded dye pack and cash were found in the vehicle, he said.

Leitschuh was arrested and taken to the DeKalb County jail, where he remained in custody Friday. Joel Provano

DeKalb men sentenced in arson of tax preparation business

A DeKalb man trying to cover up evidence of fraud was sentenced Thursday for burning down a tax preparation business, said federal prosecutors.

Noelan Dudley, 26, of Lithonia, was sentenced to five years, to be followed by three years probation.

Also sentenced was an accomplice, Brandon Dobbs, 25, of Decatur, who was injured by the fire he set. Dobbs was sentenced to three years, with an additional three years probation.

The men were each ordered to pay $2.16 million in restitution for the Feb. 25, 2008, destruction of World Finance in the 5200 block of Memorial Drive.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges in late April 2011.

Dudley was an assistant manager of World Finance and Dobbs was an unemployed co-conspirator.

The fire and a resulting explosion caused more than $2 million in damage to the other tenants of the strip mall and nearby buildings.

Federal agents determined the motive was to conceal a fraudulent tax filing scheme which involved Dudley and a former manager fired four days prior to the arson. George Mathis

CEO Ellis to dpeak at national vonference

DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Burrell Ellis recently gave remarks during a plenary session of the 2011 National Urban League Conference, Jobs Rebuild America in Boston.

National Urban League is a civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities.

The conference concluded today. Staff reports

SOUTHSIDE

Leadership academy applications being accepted

Applications are now being accepted for the East Point’s Citizens’ Leadership Academy. The academy runs from Sept. 1-Nov. 3, and features 10 sessions designed to familiarize participants with the structure of the city government. The Citizens’ Leadership Academy is open to all East Point residents and/or business owners 18 years of age, or older and is free. The deadline to apply is August 17. Applications are available at East Point City Hall, Jefferson Station and online at www.eastpointcity.org. John Thompson for the AJC

Wreath ceremony set for veterans

An event to honor the men and women of the World War II generation is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 14, at 3 p.m. at the Veterans Wall of Honor at Heritage Park in McDonough. The service, part of the “Keep the Spirit of ‘45 Alive!” initiative to establish an annual national day honoring the legacy of the men and women of the World War II generation, includes a wreath-laying ceremony. Participants include the Civil Air Patrol color guard, buglers from Bugles Across America, the Bethany Baptist Church choir and orchestra, and a special guest speaker to be announced. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Millage rate unchanged for Henry

The millage rate for unincorporated Henry County will remain the same as last year’s. The rate of 11.75 mills was approved by the Board of Commissioners at a July 28 special called meeting. County officials reported a drop of 7 percent in overall property values and expect many citizens to pay less in property tax than last year. Monroe Roark for the AJC

East Point to discuss utility bills

East Point Mayor Earnestine Pittman plans to hold a discussion during next week’s City Council meeting about the city’s utility bills. The mayor wants to discuss options for billing when there is more than 28 days in a billing cycle. The city’s utility bills have been a sore spot for residents this summer who vehemently opposed a rate hike that started July 1. John Thompson for the AJC

Locust Grove hold 9 / 11 ceremony

The city of Locust Grove is sponsoring a special event 7 p.m. Sept. 11 City Hall lawn. The service will incorporate a candlelight ceremony for victims and recognition of public safety workers. World War II veterans will be honored along with past and present members of the military. A display of local artist Barbara Frazier’s collection of 9/11 art renderings will be on display at the event. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Peachtree City hosts National Night Out

Peachtree City hosts “National Night Out,” its annual crime and drug prevention vigil 7 -- 9 p.m. Tuesday at Drake Field, Lake Peachtree next to City Hall, 151 Willowbend Road in Peachtree City The event is part of a nationwide anti-crime effort sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. More than 36 million people participated nationwide last year. Information: Lt. Mark Brown at mbrown@peachtree-city.org or 770 632-4112. Tammy Joyner