County by county news for Thursday

Atlanta police and the Georgia State Patrol were assisting with the search for the man.

The suspects’ names were not released. Alexis Stevens

Race to benefit public gardens

A 5-K race through Swift-Cantrell Park and downtown Kennesaw Saturday will benefit the city’s Smith-Gilbert Gardens. About 1,000 runners and walker are expected at the 1-mile fun-run at 7:30 a.m., 5K race at 8 a.m. and tot trot at 8:45 a.m.; starting at Kennesaw First Baptist Church, 2958 North Main Street. The Grand Prix 5K series is part of the city’s Fit City initiative. Information: www.kennesawgrandprix.com. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

‘Citizen of Year’ nominations due Friday

The Cobb Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for six “Citizens of the Year” until noon Friday.

Nominations are being sought of people who have made West Cobb, Smyrna, Marietta, Kennesaw, East Cobb and Acworth better places to live.

Information: cobbchamber.org/chamber/Area_Councils.aspx or Tya Dawson, 770-980-2000, fax at 770-980-9510. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Upward early registration ends

The fifteenth year of Upward basketball and cheerleading will begin Nov. 25 at the First Baptist Church of Powder Springs, 4330 North Ave.

Early registration continues through Tuesday with a $100 fee followed by a $115 fee from Tuesday until the Nov. 15 deadline.

Leagues are offered for boys and girls in K4 through eighth grade, including the Challenger Division for children with special needs.

Information: upward.org, fbcps.org/index.php/ministries/recreation-ministry/upward-registration or 770-943-9333. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Whitefield Academy plans Veterans chapel

Whitefield Academy will devote chapel to discussing why celebrating Veterans Day is more important than ever 9 a.m. Nov. 8. at Whitefield Academy Athletic Center, 1 Whitefield Drive, Mableton. Nancy Badertscher

West Cobb Aquatic Center closed

The West Cobb Aquatic Center, 3675 Macland Road, Powder Springs is closed until an undetermined date in December while several improvements are being made.

They include replacement of the existing metal roof, painting, installation of new light fixtures and improvement of the air quality with a new dehumidification unit.

Information: prca.cobbcountyga.gov/Aquatics-WestCobb.htm. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GWINNETT

School campaign collects record help for needy

A record 172,500 items of canned food and household staples — enough to fill eight tractor trailers — were collected by Gwinnett County Public Schools students and staff during the October 2013 Gwinnett Great Days of Service.

Among those benefiting are the Duluth Co-operative, Lawrenceville Co-operative, North Gwinnett (Buford) Co-operative, Norcross Co-operative, South East Gwinnett (Snellville) Co-operative, Lilburn Co-operative, and the Salvation Army. Nancy Badertscher

Mall to host job fair Friday

Sugarloaf Mills will host a job fair 2 to 6 p.m. Friday in the mall Food Court, 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville. Information on full- and part-time retail and eatery positions will be available. Attendees should dress professionally, bring resumes and be prepared to fill out employment applications. Interviews will be conducted on-site. Information: 678-847-5000 or www.shopsugarloafmills.com or

Veronica Fields Johnson

Digital Bookmobile to visit Gwinnett libraries

The Digital Bookmobile National Tour will showcase eBook-lending services at two Gwinnett County Public Library branches: noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5 at the Grayson Branch, 700 Grayson Parkway, Grayson; noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the Hamilton Mill Branch, 3690 Braselton Highway, Dacula. Readers will learn how to access their library’s collection of eBooks, audiobooks and other digital content. Information: www.digitalbookmobile.com or http://gwinnett.lib.overdrive.com.Veronica Fields Johnson

Hanarry Estates gets new water main

Gwinnett will replace four miles of break-prone water pipes in the Hanarry Estates subdivision, outside Lilburn.

Staff from the county’s water resources department will communicate with property owners through the subdivision’s homeowners association.

Funding for water and sewer system maintenance comes from fees acquired through the monthly water bill. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Police to raise money for Special Olympics

The Loganville Police Department is planning the first Donut Dash 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run at 9 a.m. Saturday,at Loganville High School, 100 Trident Trail.

Proceeds will benefit Walton County Special Olympics.

Information: www.loganville-ga.gov. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Norcross wants sign rules to be observed

The Norcross Code Enforcement Department is cautioning political candidates, real estate agents, businesses and event organizers not to place signs on right of ways.

Unauthorized signs found in Norcross will be removed from rights of way and if not immediately claimed, will be disposed of.

Information: probertson@norcrossga.net. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Woodstock corrects property tax billing errors

The city of Woodstock’s chief financial officer says about 500 property tax bills with improperly calculated senior exemptions were sent out last Friday.

Robert Porche says the city corrected the computer programming problem over the weekend, before anyone had paid or overpaid, and that revised bills were printed and being sent out beginning Monday. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Child internet safety seminar in Cumming

The non-profit group “Keep Georgia Safe” and the social media director for the Elizabeth Smart Foundation will hold a parent conference on internet safety and cyber-bullying in Cumming.

It’s set for 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Polo Golf and Country Club Dining Room, 6300 Polo Club Drive.

Lunch and program: $12.

Information: polowomenclub@gmail.com  Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Woodstock police report reduced crime

Reported crime is down in the city of Woodstock through the first three-quarters of the year.

Police Chief Calvin Moss told the City Council Monday night the overall crime rate is down 4 percent through September compared with the same period in 2012.

Violent crimes, including murder and aggravated assault, dropped 55 percent. Among property crimes, larcenies from autos increased 10 percent. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Forsyth OKs senior center alcohol sales

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners has approved a licensing mechanism that would allow third parties staging events at the county’s Sexton Hall Enrichment Center to sell alcohol.

Sexton Hall is one of three county facilities geared to older adult programs, and will be the only center to allow alcohol sales.

The provision was approved 5-0. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Cherokee school to audit 2011 spending

The Cherokee County Board of Education last week approved, on a 5-1 vote, calling upon the district’s auditor for fiscal year 2011 to make a presentation the Jan. 16 meeting.

Board member Kelly Marlow and others have raised questions about the district’s money management that year. District officials say the independent auditor’s report for 2011 was “unqualified,” the best opinion possible. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Welcome center hosts decorating event

Visitors to the Alpharetta Welcome Center, 178 S. Main St., Suite 200, will be treated to holiday decorating tips 2 to 8 p.m. Nov. 7.

The Alpharetta’s Table event will include eight decorators with “table-scapes” featuring holiday themes. Free.

Information: 678-297-2811. Laurie Hoffman

ATLANTA

Shooting victim ID’d; no suspects in custody

Authorities early Wednesday identified 32-year-old Atlantan Christopher Peek as the man fatally shot Tuesday night outside a northwest Atlanta gas station.

Peek died at Grady Memorial Hospital shortly after being shot several times in the 3100 block of Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway around 5:45 p.m.

He was sitting in the driver’s seat of a car when he was shot, Atlanta police said.

After Peek was shot, others inside the car ran.

Moments later, two other vehicles — a black SUV and a brown truck — left the gas station area. One driver chased the other on Hollowell Parkway, and shots were fired. But no other injuries were reported. Alexis Stevens and Ben Gray

Atlanta school board meeting delayed

The Atlanta Board of Education announced Wednesday it has postponed its monthly meeting, which was previously scheduled for Monday, the day before school board elections.

The school board meeting will instead be held Nov. 11, a week after voters pick from 26 candidates running for nine seats. Mark Niesse

DOT joins in career fair for military veterans

The Georgia Department of Transportation will join other employers at a career fair for veterans 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. today at the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta.

More than 600 veterans currently or soon-to-be seeking public or private sector employment are expected to attend the career fair. Nancy Badertscher

Council of principals holds first meeting

A group of school principals met with Superintendent Erroll Davis Wednesday for their first quarterly meeting on how to improve operations.

The council is intended to help shape Atlanta Public Schools’ mission, achieve academic excellence, prepare students for success and advice the superintendent, according to an article posted on the school system’s newsletter website, Talk Up APS. Mark Niesse

DEKALB

Brookhaven appeals annexation ruling

The City of Brookhaven filed an appeal today against a judge’s ruling to halt annexation of Century Center and is encouraging more county residents to petition to join Brookhaven.

On Monday, a DeKalb County Superior Court judge enjoined Brookhaven from moving forward with Highwoods Properties’ petition to annex into Brookhaven.

Brookhaven appealed that ruling to the Georgia Supreme Court Tuesday and requested an expedited hearing.

Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis has also invited residents of DeKalb County’s north-central corridor to file a petition to be annexed into Brookhaven. Arlinda Smith Broady

Emory event puts focus on abortion care

Emory students and community members will hold a community speak-out on abortion care and reproductive rights 5 to 7 p.m. today at Tin Lizzy’s Cantina, 1540 Avenue Place, Atlantai. The event is part of the national push with 100 events across 32 states.

People will discuss ways to end the stigma surrounding abortion care.

Stories about abortion will be shared and discussed over appetizers. Nancy Badertscher

ARC, Lithonia earn planning award

The City of Lithonia and the Atlanta Regional Commission recently received an award from the Georgia Planning Association for a housing inventory conducted this year through the ARC’s Community Choices program.

The award, for an Outstanding Initiative in a Small Community, was presented at GPA’s fall conference.

ARC and the City developed an electronic database and interactive maps of each of Lithonia’s more than 700 homes.

The database features almost two dozen data fields about the characteristics (occupancy, type, stories, etc), accessibility (streets, sidewalks, etc) and condition (roof, siding, paint, etc) of each home.

It is accessed and updated in real time by staff and volunteers using an iPad. Arlinda Smith Broady

Schools to hold ‘Safety Awareness’ Day

Partly because of various school shootings, Decatur Schools Superintendent Phyllis Edwards and the city’s police department are holding a “Safety Awareness” day for faculty and staff Nov. 5.

An off day for City Schools’ students, all teachers will meet at the Decatur High Auditorium in the morning to hear a keynote speaker before breaking to individual schools in the afternoon for drills with safety experts covering shootings, floods and tornadoes. Bill Banks for the AJC

County hosting event to discuss progress

The DeKalb County government and school district are co-hosting an event on Nov. 14 to discuss with the public ways to move the county forward.

DeKalb’s Board of Education, its Board of Commissioners, interim County CEO Lee May and Superintendent Michael Thurmond are all expected to attend the event, which will be held 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Presser Hall on the campus of Agnes Scott College.

Parking is available across the street on South McDonough Street. Wayne Washington

SOUTHSIDE

No criminal charges filed in Henry dog attack

A woman was attacked Thursday by two “pit bull-type” dogs in the Windsong Plantation subdivision in Stockbridge while walking her own dogs. The woman was later flown to Atlanta Medical Center, where she underwent surgery and was in stable condition.

Both dogs were put down, and the owners of the dogs were later identified. The investigation resulted in no criminal intent from the dog owners. The case was forwarded to Henry County Animal Control, which will determine what ordinance violations will be issued. Robert Lee

Four injured in school bus-SUV crash

An SUV driver, whose name was not released, was cited for failure to maintain a lane when her vehicle crossed from a northbound lane of Old National and collided with a southbound school bus about 7 a.m. Tuesday near Flat Shoals Road, police said. The school bus was headed to Westlake High School.

A student who was on the bus was treated at Hughes Spalding Hospital, and a child who was in the SUV was transported to Atlanta Children’s Health Care at Egleston. Nancy Badertscher

Stockbridge budget hearing set

The Stockbridge City Council has scheduled a public hearing regarding the proposed FY2014 budget as part of its regular monthly meeting. The council will meet at 6 p.m. Nov. 11, in its chambers on the second floor of City Hall. The proposed budget is available for public inspection in the city clerk’s office and also at www.cityofstockbridge.com. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Fayette hires new water director

Fayette County has hired a new director for its beleaguered Water System. Lee Pope spent the last four years at Rockdale Water Resources, and has experience with capital improvements, infrastructure development and water treatment plant operations. Former director Tony Parrott was demoted in September following a series of water system problems. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Rep. Stovall to host ACA meetings

State Rep. Valencia Stovall will host town hall meetings on the Affordable Care Act from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 6 at Fountain of Faith Missionary Baptist Church, 6712 West Fayetteville Road., Riverdale, and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at Clayton State University-East Campus, Arbor Hall, 5823 Trammell Road., Morrow. Information: Genny Castillo at genny@gahousedems.com or www.ValenciaStovall.com. Veronica Fields Johnson

Tyrone seeks creek cleanup crew

The Town of Tyrone and the Fayette County Stormwater Management Department invite volunteers to help clean up sites along Line Creek starting at 9 a.m. Saturday. The Rivers Alive effort will begin at Tyrone Town Hall, 881 Senoia Road. Those 18 years old and younger must be accompanied by an adult; everyone must sign a waiver, available at www.fayettecountyga.gov/news_archives/13oct/RiversAliveWaiver.pdf. Jill Howard Church for the AJC