statewide
Common Core hearing scheduled
State Board of Education member Barbara Hampton will host a public hearing on Common Core 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Dunwoody High School.
The hearing will be the second hosted by state board members, who have been ordered by Gov. Nathan Deal to review the national set of academic standards known as Common Core.
Some tea party activists and other conservatives view the standards as a federal intrusion into state control of public education. Supporters say the standards, which Georgia began using in 2012, improve education by increasing the rigor of academic material and harmonizing when students across the country are introduced to that material.
The state review of the standards will include pubic feedback sessions in each of the state’s congressional districts.
Speakers will have up to three minutes to provide their views on the standards. Those views will be recorded and sent to the University of Georgia for compilation. Wayne Washington
Cobb
Panel to examine diversity in schools
The Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s South Cobb Area Council will host a panel discussion on the diversity and impact of Cobb County’s educational institutions at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Presbyterian Village, 2000 East-West Connector, Austell.
Speakers will include Laurene Mylar, assistant director of Admissions at Belhaven University; Dr. Ron Newcomb, president of Chattahoochee Technical College; Dr. Angelo Brown, dean of DeVry University; and Dr. Barbara Swinney, Area 1 assistant superintendent for Cobb County Schools, South Cobb K-12. Online registration and refunds end at noon Friday. Information: cobbchamber.org/events. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Fulton
Alpharetta offering text emergency service
Alpharetta city officials say residents with Verizon or T-Mobile wireless service can now text 911 in an emergency. The city says it’s also working to extend the “Text to 911” service to AT&T and Sprint customers. Officials say the service should be used only when it’s not possible to make a voice call and talk to a 911 operator, saying a frequent lack of geographic locator services for text can mean slight delay in dispatching help. Alpharetta is the first metro Atlanta municipality to offer the service. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Cherokee
Cherokee fire officials seek candidates
Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services is accepting applications online through Sept. 1. Candidates must be 18 or older with a high school diploma or GED, and should also be a licensed EMT-1, advanced EMT or paramedic. Also required is attendance at one of two orientation seminars at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 and Sept. 5 at 1130 Bluffs Parkway, Canton. Info:cherokeecountyfire.com. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
DeKalb
Trail closes after
wall collapses
A trail section along North Fork Nancy Creek will be closed until at least Aug. 23, Brookhaven officials said. Several days ago, a retaining wall collapsed causing 10 large barriers to fall into the creek.
The trail will remain closed to the public as the concrete barriers are removed. Information: www.brookhavenga.gov.
Adrianne Murchison for the AJC
