County by county news for Thursday

Cobb County police arrested Brandon Love, 18, and Percy Burdine, 29, both of Woodstock, in connection with the slaying of Milton Carl Kelley, 53, who was found fatally shot in the driveway of his home Saturday, said Cobb police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce.

Police are searching for Jalin “Snoop” Collins, 18, of Woodstock, who has also been charged in the incident. Collins is believed to be armed and dangerous, Pierce said. Anyone with information on him is asked to call 911. Joel Provano

Road renamed for Skip Spann

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 Tuesday night to rename the connection between Busbee Drive and Frey Road – currently the Busbee-Frey Connector – to the Skip Spann Connector.

Spann was recognized for his work in developing the Town Center Area Community Improvement District, which commissioners say has promoted job creation.

The project, which originated out of a master plan developed by the TCACID, consists of a new roadway between Frey Road on the west side adjacent to Kennesaw State University and Busbee Drive on the east. Ernie Suggs

Man killed in wrong-way wreck

A Cartersville man died after a wrong-way wreck late Tuesday on Cobb Parkway near Dallas Acworth Highway.

Police said Brandon R. Meadors, 41, of Cartersville, was driving a pickup truck southbound in the northbound lanes of Cobb Parkway when he collided with a car driven by Michael L. Wilson, 24, of Acworth. Meadors died later in a hospital and Wilson suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Mike Morris

Magnet students to show off tech projects

Third through eighth-grade magnet students will show their digital research projects and engineering design challenges at an engineering design expo from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Southern Polytechnic State University gymnasium in Marietta. The program is sponsored by Marietta City Schools and the Cobb Education Consortium to encourage an interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Oldies concert in the Square on Friday

An oldies concert at 8 p.m. Friday will open the summer concert series in Glover Park on the Marietta Square. The free concerts, the last Friday of the month through Sept. 28, will include a China Grove/Doobie Brothers tribute, rock and jazz. Lawn chairs or blankets can be set up after 4 p.m. Reserve tables at www.mariettaga.gov or at 770-794-5601. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Donkey basketball game to raise funds

South Cobb High School’s football team will host a donkey basketball game at 7 p.m. today.

Proceeds from the event will help in the purchase of new helmets and shoulder pads. The game will take place in the gym at South Cobb High School, 1920 Clay Road, Austell. Tickets are $8 at the door.

For information: http://www.cobbk12.org/southcobb. Laurie Hoffman

GWINNETT

Board approves road work near Archer High

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners last week approved road improvements near Archer High School in Lawrenceville. Commissioners awarded a $769,361 contract to ISC Inc. for work on the north side of New Hope Road from the high school to Tribble Walk Drive. The work includes a new sidewalk, curb and gutter and drainage improvements. The work should be done by the beginning of the school year in August.

The contract also includes a rebuilt intersection at Grayson New Hope Road and Chandler Road, which should be completed next fall. David Wickert

Suwanee kicks off festival today

Suwanee’s monthly street festival, held the fourth Thursday of each month, returns today at Town Center 6-10 p.m. with merchant specials, entertainment and themed fun. The theme for April is Paint the Town Purple with merchants and participants encouraged to wear purple, the signature color for American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Proceeds raised will benefit local schools’ American Cancer Society Relay for Life teams. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Group hosts aviation camp for youths

The Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 690 will host a summer aviation camp for young people from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 11-15 at Briscoe Field in Lawrenceville.

The event is open to students in grades seven through 12. The cost is $275 for the week. The registration deadline is May 11. For information and an application, visit www.eaa690.org. David Wickert

Buford, Makita going to court

Buford and Makita Corporation are headed to court over “friendly condemnation,” where both are asking the court to determine value of Makita’s land off Sawnee Avenue downtown that the city wants to expand its recreation facilities. Makita welcomes selling the tract behind its facility on Buford Highway, but both want the court to determine fair market value. Michael Alpert for the AJC

Commerce Club awards scholarships

The Snellville Commerce Club has announced it will award two $1,000 scholarships to students from Brookwood and South Gwinnett high schools Tuesday.

The club will honor the winners at its noon meeting at Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road. Expected to present the honor to the recipients are: Snellville Mayor Kelly Kautz, Gwinnett County commissioner Mike Beaudreau and U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall. Information: 770-978-0225 or jon.richards@siteroi.com. Joel Anderson

Norcross walk benefits Children’s Healthcare

The 5th annual All Aboard for a Cure fundraising event will be held Saturday at Thrasher Park in Norcross. Registration for the 1-mile walk opens at 8 a.m. and the 1-mile walk starts at 9:30 a.m.

Proceeds will go to the Palliative Care Team at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Information: www.AllAboardForACure.com. Joel Anderson

NORTHSIDE

4 charged in killing man in Sandy Springs

Police have charged four men in connection with a fatal shooting at an apartment complex in Sandy Springs.

Three of the suspects -- Gene Stephens, 19, of Atlanta, James Taft, 28, of Sandy Springs and Willy Jeanlouis, 28, of Sandy Springs -- have been arrested in the slaying of Patrick Placide, 25, who was shot in the head at the Residences at Morgan Falls Apartments on April 14, Sandy Springs Police spokesman Lt. Steve Rose said. A fourth suspect, Victor Scott, 24, is being sought on a felony murder charge. Joel Provano

Alpharetta distances itself from solicitation

Officials in Alpharetta are advising residents that the local government is not affiliated with a solicitation being mailed to area homeowners. The letters, from American Water Resources, note property owners’ responsibility for water service lines. “While the letter references the Code of the City of Alpharetta, the City has nothing to do with this company and certainly does not endorse it or its products,” said Alpharetta Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard. American Water Resources is soliciting customers for its water line protection plan, he said. Patrick Fox

Forsyth to get state of community address

The Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce and the Council for Quality Growth will host the 7th annual State of the Community Address. Cumming Mayor H. Ford Gravitt, Forsyth County Chairman Jim Boff and Forsyth County Board of Education Chairperson Tom Cleveland will review the past year and sketch out future plans May 3, 11:30 a.m. at the Forsyth Conference Center, 7745 Majors Road, Cumming. Info: www.cummingforsythchamber.com Mark Woolsey for the AJC

County to hold workshop for renters

Fulton County Housing and Community Development will hold a workshop in Roswell today teaching renters about their rights and responsibilities. Topics include understanding leases, security deposits, paying on time and grounds for evictions. The class runs from 11 a.m. to noon at the Roswell Neighborhood Senior Center, 1250 Warsaw Road. For information, call 404-613-7944. Johnny Edwards

Roswell City Hall installs security entrance

Roswell has installed a security station and metal detector at the south entrance to City Hall and has closed off all other entrances to the public.

Visitors must now enter the building on the ground level doorway facing Hill Street. Patrick Fox

Lacross championship begins Friday

Sixteen college teams from Division I and Division II will be at area high schools this weekend for the 25th Southeastern Lacrosse Conference Championship. Action begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday with quarterfinal matches at South Forsyth, Northview, Chattahoochee and Alpharetta high schools. Semifinal and final matches begin at noon Saturday and Sunday at Northview High School in Johns Creek.Tickets and scheduling: www.SELCtournament.com. Patrick Fox

ATLANTA

Court suspends attorney for 18 months

The Georgia Supreme Court has suspended Atlanta attorney Marcea O’Brien-Carriman from practicing law for 18 months because she shared her fees with a non-lawyer and made false statements during a State Bar of Georgia investigation.

The court said O’Brien-Carriman paid an individual a percentage of her legal fees in cases in which the non-lawyer worked. She did not act with ill will or selfish motive, no harm came to any clients because of the fee-splitting and once O’Brien-Carriman admitted her behavior, she was forthright and apologetic, the court said. Bill Rankin

Charter schools to celebrate

Charter Schools Rock is an event set to take place at Atlantic Station from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on May 6. It kicks off National Charter Schools Week, which runs May 6 to 12 and offers parents a chance to learn about tuition-free public charter schools. Seventeen public schools will be represented. The event takes place in Central Park at Atlanta Station. Nancy Badertscher

APS to hold hearings on consolidation

Atlanta Public Schools will hold a series of public hearings on the plan to consolidate several small high schools in 2012-13. The hearings are for the New Schools at Carver, Booker T. Washington, D. M. Therrell and South Atlanta high schools. View the meeting schedule at: www.atlanta.k12.ga.us Jaime Sarrio

Crowd pitches in for Earth Day clean-up

More than 600 people helped clean up downtown Atlanta on Tuesday in observance of the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day. Individuals and teams from corporations, colleges and community groups -- along with federal, state and city agencies -- were invited to register for the first Downtown Atlanta Earth Day Cleanup Challenge. Participants picked up litter, planted trees and landscaped. “We must work every single day to conserve our precious natural resources,” said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. Jeremiah McWilliams

DEKALB

County begins trash-to-gas production

Six months after breaking ground on the $9 million facility, DeKalb County last week began operating a renewable energy facility at its Seminole Road Landfill. The facility makes DeKalb the first county in the country to convert landfill gas into compressed natural gas for fuel. The center is expected to save DeKalb up to $3 million in fuel costs over the next eight years by reducing the need for diesel and gasoline. DeKalb plans to convert 70 trash trucks in the next year to run on the compressed natural gas. It hopes to convert the 306-vehicle fleet in sanitation in the next eight years. The county used federal stimulus dollars to help build the facility and is using Clean Cities Atlanta money for the vehicle conversion. April Hunt

County sets candidate qualifying dates

The qualifying period for DeKalb County political party and nonpartisan candidates for the July 31 general primary and nonpartisan elections will be from 9 a.m. May 23 to noon May 25. County partisan candidates -- CEO, Commissioners, Chief Magistrate, Clerk of Superior Court, Sheriff, Tax Commissioner, and Solicitor-General -- will qualify with their respective county party.

Democratic candidates will qualify at the Northlake Doubletree Hotel, 4156 LaVista Road in Tucker. Republican candidates will qualify at party headquarters, 3583-G Chamblee Tucker Road in north DeKalb. Nonpartisan county candidates will qualify with the Voter Registration & Elections Department at 4380 Memorial Dr. near Decatur. Information: www.dekalbvotes.com. April Hunt

Clinic focuses on dogs with parvo

WellPet Humane, a non-profit veterinary clinic in Chamblee, recently opened a new treatment center for dogs with parvo. Parvo, or canine parvovirus, is a common but deadly disease, especially in infected puppies. Treatment costs can hinder treatment, leading the clinic to create the center. Information 770-455-1011 or www.wellpethumane.com. April Hunt

Junior League event boosts health issues

The Junior League of DeKalb County will have a derby party from 5 to 9 p.m. on May 5 to support nutrition and obesity initiatives. The event takes place at the Mary Gay House in Decatur. Tickets are $25 in advance at http://www.jldekalb.org and $30 at the door. For information on becoming a sponsor, visit http://bit.ly/Hz2oBs. To donate to the silent auction, contact Joselyn Mills at Joselynmm@hotmail.com. Mea Watkins

Perimeter business expo on June 1

The 2012 Greater Perimeter Business EXPO will take place on June 1 at the Westin Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel. The event kicks off with a breakfast seminar from 8 to 9:30 a.m., followed by a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The exhibition floor, free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature 100-plus exhibitors from around the greater perimeter area. Information: www.gpbe.org, call the Dunwoody Chamber at 678-244-9700 or the Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber at 678-443-2990. Mea Watkins

SOUTHSIDE

Tuskegee Airmen to visit Forest Park school today

Several members of the famous Tuskegee Airmen group will visit Unidos Dual Language Charter School in Forest Park today from 9:30 to 11 a.m. They will talk about their experience and show students models of the airplanes they flew during bomber missions in World War II. Forest Park Mayor Pro-Tem Sparkle Adams helped facilitate their visit. “We’re excited. Our students did presentations about the Tuskegee Airmen during Black History month and their visit is a culmination of those presentations,” said Sasha McCrear, PTA president at Unidos. Tammy Joyner

Henry surveyor becomes appointed post

A bill signed into law earlier this month has changed the job of Henry County Surveyor from an elected to an appointed post. The action follows a resolution earlier this year by Henry County Commissioners to change how the position is filled. Having the position on the ballot was costly and unnecessary, according to Henry election director Janet Shellnutt. Tammy Joyner

Expo Saturday for potential homebuyers

Prospective Fulton County homebuyers can find out about dozens of foreclosed, rehabbed and newly-constructed homes, and how to get financial assistance to buy them, at a showcase Saturday. The Neighborhood SHOcase Home Show and Expo will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Georgia International Convention Center’s Exhibit Hall D in College Park.

Information: 1-877-484-6669 or www.HomeByRequest.com. Johnny Edwards

High school productions win awards

Two Fayette County high school musical productions earned honors at the Shuler Hensley Awards last week in Atlanta. “Zombie Prom,” by Starr’s Mill High School, received awards for costume design, technical execution and orchestra, plus a directing award for David Spearman.

McIntosh High School received a Scenic Design Grant from the Jubilee Cultural Arts Alliance through the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Peachtree City open house on Sunday

Peachtree City will host one more open house Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. to solicit public comment for its “ONE” Comprehensive Plan.

Round table discussions are planned for May and June to continue the feedback process. Details are at www.oneptc.org. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Heatley team wins golf tournament

Clayton County Schools superintendent Edmond Heatley headed a four-member team to win the district’s golf tournament earlier this month. Proceeds from the tournament go toward scholarships for Clayton students. Members of the winning team also included: Deputy Superintendent Stefanie Powers, Director of Open Campus Melvin Blocker and Chief of Human Resources Douglas Hendrix. The team posted a final score of 57 at the PSA Golf Tournament at Lake Spivey Golf Club on April 20. The second and third-place teams posted scores of 58 and 59, respectively. Tammy Joyner