COBB
Developers to donate land if zoning approved
The developers of a proposed retirement community in east Cobb said they will donate 9.5 acres of the 53.7-acre tract to expand adjacent Fuller and East Cobb Park if the county approves the zoning. Andy and Kevin Isakson with Isakson Living submitted a plan in May 2013 for a continuing care facility with 937 units off Roswell Road, Marietta.
After community opposition, the developers withdrew and revised the plan which could be decided by the Cobb Board of Commissioners in February. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Tree keepers reschedules planting
Marietta Tree Keepers will plant trees at Marietta’s Lake Park, 311 Lake Drive, 8:30 a.m.- 11 a.m. Saturday.
The event is rescheduled from a Jan. 11 planting that was cancelled by weather.
The volunteer group plants trees in public spaces around Marietta.
Information: www.mariettga.gov/committee/treekeepers. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Youth Baseball sign-up ends Saturday
Registration for Powder Springs Youth Baseball concludes Saturday for ages 4 through 14.
Until then, registration is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily at the Ron Anderson Recreation Center, Wild Horse Creek Park, 3820 Macedonia Road, Powder Springs.
Information: facebook.com/PowderSpringsYouthBaseball or 770-943-4041. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Mableton school hosts cooking contests
The Mableton Elementary School Foundation will host the first annual Chili Cook-off and Bake-off 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in the Cafe, Mableton Elementary School, 5220 Church St., Mableton.
Cost: $1 each for tasting tickets.
Also, hot dogs, chips and soft drinks will be available, along with games and crafts for the children.
Information: cobbk12.org/Mableton or 770-819-2513. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Meeting Saturday on affordable healthcare
The Marietta-Cobb League of Women Voters will host a town hall meeting about the Affordable Care Act 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the central Charles Switzer Library, 266 Roswell St., Marietta.
Speakers Karen Shockley with Enroll America and Tim Sweeney with the Georgia Budget tand Policy Institute will also cover Medicaid expansion.
Information: marietta.cobb.ga.lwvnet.org. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
KSU outsources student health services
Kennesaw State University has outsourced student healthcare services to WellStar Medical Group.
The change is effective immediately, and the transition will be completed by March 31. Existing appointments will not be affected, and many of the current staff are expected to retain their positions.
Clinic hours and locations will also remain the same. Janel Davis
GWINNETT
Woman killed in Tuesday wreck identified
Police Wednesday identified the woman killed in a wreck Tuesday on Cruse Road as Abeda Aslam, 55, of Lawrenceville.
The crash happened just before 7 a.m. just south of Club Drive near Lawrenceville, police said.
Aslam, who was driving a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse, pulled out from a stop sign, turned left and failed to yield to a Mitsubishi Montero. The Montero struck the driver's side door of the Eclipse, killing Aslam. The Montero driver and her two passengers, ages 17 and 5, were taken to Gwinnett Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Mike Morris
Gwinnett Tech selects instructor of the year
Mehmet Kilinc, program director for the Information Security Specialist program, has been named Gwinnett Technical College's instructor of the year by receiving the college's 2014 Rick Perkins Award of Excellence in Technical Instruction. He was part of the team that created the information security program at Gwinnett Tech, the first in the state's Technical College System, and has served as its director for more than a decade. Janel Davis
Harris to present State of the City Address
Duluth Mayor Nancy Harris will deliver the State of the City Address 7:15 p.m. Feb. 10 in the council chambers at City Hall following the 6:30 p.m. council meeting. A reception, hosted by the Duluth Civitan Club, will follow in the lobby. Harris will review accomplishments of the past year and discuss the City’s plans for the future.
Information: www.duluthga.net. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Fire, EMS collecting heaters for seniors
Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services is accepting new portable electric heaters for seniors to be distributed through Project AWARE.
Drop off donations at fire stations until Feb. 28.
Monetary donations should be sent to Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services, P.O. Box 1680, Lawrenceville, GA 30046.
Information: 678-377-4150. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Tourism and Trade Association to meet
After 5, Lawrenceville Tourism & Trade Association’s quarterly membership meeting is 6:30 p.m. todayat the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre, 1800 MacLeod Dr., Lawrenceville. Event includes food, networking and guest speaker, Michael McPherson, government relations associate for the Georgia Municipal Association. Free to members. $5 for non-members.
Information: april.radford@lawrencevillega.org or 678-226-2639, ext. 104. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Lilburn Citizens Police accepting applications
Lilburn Police host a 10-week Citizens Police Academy beginining Feb. 11 to provide members of the Lilburn community with additional knowledge about their police department. Deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Jan. 31. Info and applications: www.cityoflilburn.com/index.aspx?nid=281. Questions: Sgt. Tim Allen, 770-279-3712 ortallen@cityoflilburn.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
NORTHSIDE
Sandy Springs seeks developer for downtown
Sandy Springs Wednesday requested proposals for a master developer to help it design its new downtown.
The city plans to redevelop 14 acres off Roswell Road into a new civic and commercial center for its nearly 100,000 residents. The project is expected to cost about $100 million.
Proposals from interested firms are due March 28. The City Council is expected to pick a developer by May. David Wickert
Canton cops seek burglary suspect
Canton Police need help identifying a burglary suspect wanted in a breakin at the Johnson Mini Mart, 520 Marietta Road, between 3 and 4 a.m. Jan 14. Surveillance photos from video footage are posted on the department’s Facebook page,
If you have information: 770-720-4883.
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Ga. 92 getting new signals in Cherokee
The Georgia Department of Transportation is installing new traffic signals at 11 Cherokee County intersections along Ga. 92, designed to help left-turning drivers. The Four-Section Flashing Yellow Arrow signals will allow drivers to turn left at after yielding to oncoming cars and pedestrians. They'll go from just east of Interstate 575 to near Sandy Plains Road. Eight of the 11 are set to be operational by Jan. 30. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Marlow, two associates to be arraigned next month
A 9 a.m. Feb 5. arraignment's been set before Superior Court Judge Ellen McElyea for Cherokee County Board of Education member Kelly Marlow and two political associates. Marlow, her political advisor Robert Trim and Cherokee County GOP Secretary Barbara Knowles were indicted in October on felony charges of making false statements. The trio had claimed superintendent Frank Petruzielo tried to run them down with his car after a board meeting last June. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Northside-Forsyth has neonatal designaton
Northside Hospital-Forsyth has won state approval to offer Level III neonatal intensive care as part of its Women's Center. The Georgia Department of Community Health designation allows hospital officials to establish a four-bed neonatal intensive care unit to care for babies born before 32 weeks and at weights of less than 3.4 pounds. Previously, those babies had to be transferred to Northside's Atlanta campus. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Roswell seeks input on project
The City of Roswell will hold a Public Information Meeting on the East Roswell Park Connectivity project 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. todayin the East Roswell Recreation Center Multi-Purpose Room at East Roswell Park, 9000 Fouts Road.
This project will provide an alternate vehicular connectivity between Eves Road and East Roswell Park.
The concept is available to view at Roswell Department of Transportation, Suite 235, City Hall, 38 Hill St. and online at www.roswellgov.com/evesrd. Arlinda Smith Broady
ATLANTA
Councilwoman calls for audit of Watershed
Atlanta's District 9 Councilwoman Felicia Moore called for an internal audit of the Department of Watershed Management's security practices Tuesday. The department has come under criticism in recent months following reports of theft inside the agency. Thieves reportedly stole 28 industrial water meters worth $5,210 each from a Watershed warehouse, according to a November report from the Atlanta Police Department. Moore's legislation now heads to committee for consideration. Katie Leslie
Children’s Healthcare gets gift for research
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has been awarded a $360,000 donation by the Ian’s Friends Foundation to establish a biorepository for pediatric brain tumor research.
Researchers will cultivate and store cancer cells for study by medical institutions, universities and hospitals.
Information: www.choa.org. Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Exhibit shows 1969 King memorial
A collection of photos from Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1969 memorial service at Ebenezer Baptist Church is on display through Jan. 31 at Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History. Mark Niesse
Deaf teacher gets $50k settlement
The Atlanta school board will pay $50,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by Kamaldeen Alabi, a deaf math teacher at King Middle School in 2007.
He said in court documents that Atlanta Public Schools stopped providing full-time American Sign Language interpreters during the month of December 2007, causing students to laugh at him when he tried to communicate orally.
APS told Alabi the cost of providing a qualified full-time interpreter would have created an undue financial burden, and he was transferred to Slater Elementary, which had more students enrolled who could communicate directly with Alabi through American Sign Language. Mark Niesse
DEKALB
Local man caught with 48 pounds of pot in Fla
David Ravin Walfall, 31, of Decatur, was released Monday from a Florida jail after posting $27,500 bond. He was charged with trafficking marijuana, possessing drug paraphernalia, leaving the scene of a crash involving property records and resisting an officer without violence.
Officers tried to stop Walfall for allegedly failing to stop his 2005 Ford pickup before entering the roadway as he left a gas station in Punta Gorda. But Walfall ran from the truck and led officers on a short chase before being taken into custody, according to the report.
Inside Walfall's truck, a police dog alerted officers to a bag containing 48.15 pounds of marijuana. Alexis Stevens
Decatur tables tree ordinance
After a 5½-hour meeting Tuesday night before a packed City Hall, Decatur’s city commission tabled a proposed tree conservation ordinance until its March 3 meeting.
The commission did agree on three amendments to the proposed ordinance:
- A community-wide tree canopy cover goal of 50 percent (previously 55 percent in the proposed ordinance) to be achieved by 2039;
- That in any home project (like a deck or shed, or room addition) where impervious cover is increased by more than 15 percent (previously 10 percent) then replanting's required to comply with the stated canopy goal and
- That homeowners should get more options, or flexibility, in replacing a tree than what's currently stated.
Bill Banks for the AJC
Emory elects members to board of trustees
Emory University’s Board of Trustees elected two new members to its 41-member board.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics executive Shan Cooper and Timothy C. Rollins, vice president of the Rollins Investment Company in Atlanta will serve six-year terms. Rollins will serve as a term trustee; Cooper as an alumni trustee.
Emory’s board is responsible for overseeing the governance and long-term financial health of the university. Nominees for alumni trustees are chosen by the alumni board and submitted for approval.
Final approval rests with the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church. Janel Davis
Friends of Dunwoody Library host book sale
The Friends of the Dunwoody Library Book Sale will be held through Jan. 27 at the library, 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road.
A special preview for members is 1 p.m. today. The sale will open to the public 4 to 8 p.m. today. Most books are priced 25 cents to $2.
Information: 770-512-4640. Arlinda Smith Broady
Brookhaven inks deal on fire marshal services
Brookhaven recently signed a deal with Decatur to handle fire marshal inspections and permitting.
Brookhaven will pay $40 an hour for the service. DeKalb County had handled the work previously, processing about 600 building permits every year.
The county will continue to provide fire and rescue services to Brookhaven. April Hunt
SOUTHSIDE
Mentors needed for Fayette students
Fayette County is looking for more volunteers to be part of its public school mentoring program.
A roundtable presentation regarding National Mentoring Month will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. today in Building A of the LaFayette Education Center, 205 LaFayette Ave., Fayetteville.
Mentors meet weekly at schools to help individual children.
Information: www.fcboe.org. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Carter elected to national farm position
Jake Carter, owner of Southern Belle Farm in McDonough, is the new chairman of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee.
He was elected Jan. 13 at the annual leadership conference in San Antonio.
Carter will serve a one-year term while still operating his 330-acre family farm. which offers activities for every season from strawberry picking to school field trips. Monroe Roark for the AJC
Juried art show Friday in McDonough
McDonough Arts hosting a juried art show from 6-9 p.m. Fridayat the Winsor Gallery, 34 Macon St,. McDonough.
The show will feature a number of local artists and refreshments will be served.
Information: www.mcdonougharts.net. Monroe Roark for the AJC
Business association installs officers
The Stockbridge Business Association, formed last summer, hosted its first official installation of officers Jan. 17.
President Tarji Dunn, Vice President Cassandra Cutchens, Secretary Kelly Wilson and Treasurer Rhonda Foster were sworn in by Mayor Tim Thompson.
Membership information: Barbara Richardson, 770-507-2150. Monroe Roark for the AJC
School board to vote on consolidation
The Henry County Board of Education will decide next month whether to close Smith-Barnes Elementary School, disperse its students between Stockbridge Elementary and Cotton Indian Elementary, and move Patrick Henry Academy — the alternative school — to the Smith-Barnes campus.
A large crowd came to last week’s public hearing at Smith-Barnes to lobby against the plan.
Information: www.henry.k12.ga.us. Monroe Roark for the AJC
Dam projects prompt road and path closings
Repair work on two Peachtree City dams will cause road and cart path closures for several months.
Portions of Kedron Drive will be shut down through October, and the path near Rockspray Pond will be detoured until mid-September.
Signs will be posted in both areas, and golf carts may not use Peachtree Parkway. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
