County by county news for Thursday

So far, more than 30 vendors have signed up for this city-sponsored event, lasting from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The market will be held at both the corner of Jefferson and Mulberry Streets and at the park-and-ride lot on Veterans Memorial Highway – both in downtown Austell with free parking.

June 25 is the rain date.

Money raised by the city from vendor booths will fund downtown beautification projects.

Information: 770-944-4309.

CAROLYN CUNNINGHAM FOR THE AJC

Day of fun planned for special needs children

The Golden Soldiers Inc., a local non-profit, is pulling out all the stops Saturday for a day of fun for special needs children and their families. The annual “Big Day Out” event, to be held at the Acworth Sports Complex, is a large field day. It’s to feature inflatables, face painting, carnival games, music, video games, jugglers, balloon artists, special visits from celebrities and professional athletes. The event is free. More info: http://www.thegoldensoldiers.org/our-events/big-day-out. Nancy Badertscher

Deadline for Powder Springs Public Works director nears

The deadline is June 30 for applications to be submitted to be the next director of the Powder Springs Public Works Department.

On that date, the current director Rodger Swaim will retire after seven years in that post.

Employment applications may be printed from the city’s website at www.cityofpowdersprings.org.

Application packets may be sent to: Rosalyn Nealy, Human Resources Director, City of Powder Springs, P.O. Box 46, Powder Springs, GA 30127 or rnealy@cityofpowdersprings.org. CAROLYN CUNNINGHAM

Marietta Schools to vote on bond for auditorium

Marietta City Schools will consider holding a bond referendum for a fine arts center at Marietta High School at the June 21 Board of Education meeting. If the board agrees, the general obligation bond for school purposes would go before Marietta voters in November. School Board Chair Irene Berens said the special election would cost around $50,000. The bond amount would be about $8.6 million for a 900-seat auditorium and larger band room at the city’s only high school. A public forum about the project is planned in the fall. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Cobb hiring for new school year

Cobb County Schools is recruiting applicants for jobs such as bus drivers, speech language pathologists and other positions for the upcoming school year. Interested applicants can see the latest postings and ask questions about the hiring process on the ‘Teach Cobb’ Facebook page or by going to the district’s employment website, www.teachcobb.com. Cobb County Schools is the county’s largest employer. Jaime Sarrio

Window for Cobb school transfers opens

The window to apply for a transfer to a different Cobb school under the state’s school choice law will open on June 20 and close at 5 p.m. on July 1. No early or late applications will be accepted, according to the district, and applications are are per child, not per family. If there are more applications than spaces at a particular school, a lottery will be held. Information: www.cobbk12.org. Jaime Sarrio

GWINNETT

Grayson residents warned of coyote sightings

Grayson officials are warning residents to be on the lookout for “several fairly large” coyotes that have been spotted in the area recently.

The coyotes were seen in the area of Grayson Parkway and Wilshire Drive. Officials in nearby Loganville have also gotten reports of coyote sightings.

If residents see a coyote, they should call Gwinnett County Animal Control at 770-339-3200. Joel Anderson

Gwinnett Village job fair June 21

The Gwinnett Village Community Alliance will hold its spring career and job fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 21 at Victory World Church, 5905 Brook Hollow Parkway, Norcross.

Job seekers can meet with about 30 employers and recruiters from local businesses like Gwinnett Medical Center, RockTenn and BB&T. There will also be workshops on unemployment and finances, building your resume, job search skills and leadership development.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Minton at eminton@gwinnettvillage.com or 770-449-6515. David Wickert

Gwinnett Schools’ educators named master teachers

Fourteen Gwinnett Schools’ educators finished the academic year as master teachers.

They earned the certification through a program that honors veterans who improve student achievement.

They are: Jan Pruitt, James A. Fisher, Jr., Lacey Jakes and Jan Chastain of Osborne Middle; Marylee Duggins of Berkmar Middle; Brad Mayer of North Gwinnett Middle; Betty McClam of Crews Middle; Teri Schneider of Peachtree Ridge High; Jean Sohn of Duluth Middle; Jane B. Moore, Michelle Ruhl, Jill Lambes and Sue Tavernier of Mulberry Elementary; and Stephanie Wilker of Puckett’s Mill Elementary. D. Aileen Dodd

Suwanee hopes for more citizen input

Suwanee hopes to encourage citizen participation through its launch of the 20/20 Vision initiative.

The plan will start with a “Visioning Happy Hour” scheduled for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 23. The event will be held at 3930 Charleston Market Street in Town Center, Suite B1.

Residents are invited to drop by the open house to offer input, engage in creative exercises and learn about the initiative. The open house will be open through July 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturdays. Joel Anderson

Court disbars Norcross lawyer

The Georgia Supreme Court has disbarred Norcross lawyer Anthony O’Dell Lakes for neglecting his clients and failing to return money he had collected on their behalf.

The court said Lakes once represented clients who sold their ownership in a restaurant for $224,000. When the buyer defaulted, Lakes began collecting the unpaid balance and by the fall of 2008 his clients had received all but $22,000, the court said. In 2009, Lakes collected another $16,000, but instead commingled the money with his own and then converted it to his own use, the court said. Bill Rankin

NORTHSIDE

Fulton board wants November SPLOST vote

The Fulton County School Board formally agreed Tuesday night to call a vote in November on extending the county’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for education. A five-year extension of the current sales tax is expected to generate about $900 million, some of which would be used for technology improvements, new school construction and renovation work. Nancy Badertscher

N. Fulton redistricting receives final OK

The Fulton County School Board gave final approval Tuesday night to new school attendance zones opposed by some Roswell parents and the city’s mayor. The change in school boundaries was triggered by the school system’s plans to open a new school on Bethany Bend near the Forsyth County line in August 2012. Roswell Mayor Jere Wood argued officials need to strengthen the connection between towns and schools, not weaken them by forcing some students who live in the city to transfer to other schools. Parents also complained that the plan, which affects students at Alpharetta, Milton and Roswell high schools, unnecessarily moved too many students and will force some to travel already congested roads in north Fulton. Nancy Badertscher

City seeks more input on parks and rec plan

Residents can weigh in on Roswell’s five-year master plan for parks and recreation at a public hearing June 30.

The proposed plan was culled from citizen input submitted online and at public hearings held last year. The public hearing will be at 6 p.m. in room 220 of Roswell City Hall. The Recreation Commission, staff and the consultant will be on hand to answer questions and take comments. A copy of the proposed plan may be viewed online at www.roswellgov.com/RPHCAMasterPlan.

Information: 770-641-3705. Questions: rrpd@roswellgov.com. Patrick Fox

Construction project starting on I-575

Motorists might see delays on I-575 near Sixes Road now that the Georgia Department of Transportation has begun construction on the interchange there.

The $8 million project to overhaul a bridge over the interstate between Woodstock and Holly Springs, while improving its approaches and nearby intersections, is scheduled for completion in March 2013, according to the DOT.

The agency is minimizing disruptions by restricting work to off-peak hours. Lane closures on I-575 will occur only from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekends. Ty Tagami

Forsyth County finance committee fine-tuning budget

The Forsyth County Finance Committee will meet Thursday morning to fine tune its preliminary 2012 budget, which it presented to the Forsyth County Commission last week. The committee has said it since found a way to trim $1.2 million from expenditures and shrink the gap between revenue and expenditures to $1.9 million. The committee has also been trying to squeeze every cent out of revenues to get to a required balanced budget. The committee will present more information at Thursday night’s commission meeting. Jeffry Scott

ATLANTA

Fernbank celebrating super dads

Fathers and children can don Batman or Spiderman outfits or keep their Clark Kent disguises for “Superhero Day” at Fernbank Museum of Natural History on Sunday.

From noon-4 p.m., guests can assemble their own superheroes, practice their “super” strength and learn how to create a superhero story.

Most activities are included with museum admission and free for members. Costumes not required.

Info: 404-929-6300,www.fernbankmuseum.org. Melissa Ruggieri

Cox foundation funds education

Cox Enterprises, which owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, announced Wednesday that The James M. Cox Foundation is contributing $1.75 million to Teach For America. The gift will be given over the next three years to fund “The Cox Pre-K Program.”

Teach For America recruits, trains and supports top college graduates and professionals who commit to teach for two years in under-resourced schools.

This fall in metro Atlanta Teach For America will expand to pre-kindergarten education. The grant will fund nearly 50 educators in pre-K classrooms. Steve Visser

Beltine run next month

The Atlanta BeltLine Running Series hosts a second Saturday run-walk on July 16. The 5K goes along the southwest section of the Beltline and through West End and Westview neighborhoods.

The run will begin at 7:30 a.m. and will feature medals, prizes, and gift certificates for winners and other activities.

The Atlanta Police and Fire departments are to have participants as well and strollers and dogs are welcome. Registration is open and additional information is available at Run. BeltLine.org. Steve Visser

Bank to interview for jobs

The LAA and SunTrust Bank will host an interview session 10 a.m. -3 p.m. June 23.

SunTrust is seeking candidates for teller, peak tellers, and financial services representatives. Candidates should register in advance by emailing their resumes to Jesús Yactayo at jyactayo@thelaa.org. The interviews will be held at the Latin American Association at 2750 Buford Highway in Atlanta. Andria Simmons

DEKALB

Tax hike in Dunwoody possible

The Dunwoody City Council is expected to pass a resolution, possibly as early as next week, that would allow resident to vote on two bond referendums in November. One bond would be to purchase property for park use and the second to improve the purchased property. Each referendum would raise the millage rate by .75 mills, which would bring the county approximately $33 million per bond issue. Michelle E. Shaw

DeKalb postpones land deal

The DeKalb County Commission postponed a controversial land purchase for two weeks Tuesday, giving some members more time to understand the deal.

The county was poised to buy a six-acre wooded lot on LaVista Road for $1.9 million despite the county’s own appraiser saying the land is worth about $400,000 for tax purposes.

Some commissioners questioned the disparity, while supporters said the difference was due to several factors. An independent appraisal done a few weeks ago values the land at $1.78 million.

The proposed purchase returns to the commission for a vote on June 28. aPRIL hUNT

Decatur school bell schedule debated

Though approved last month, Decatur’s contentious 2011-12 school bell schedule was returned to the agenda during this week’s School Board meeting. The presentation of a petition with 180 names opposing the schedule, particularly Decatur High’s earlier start time, preceded a nearly one hour discussion, highlighted by heated exchanges between Board Member John Ahmann and Chairman Marc Wisniewski. Ahmann was the lone dissenting voice as the Board voted 4 to 1 to uphold the May vote: The four elementary schools will go from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., Renfroe Middle and the new Fifth Avenue 4/5 Academy 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. while Decatur High goes 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bill Banks for the AJC

Commissioner to host golf tourney

DeKalb County Commissioner Stan Watson is hosting a golf tournament this weekend in honor of Father’s Day, and to raise money for his monthly community breakfasts.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. Saturday with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. at the Sugar Creek Golf Course, 2706 Bouldercrest Road in south DeKalb. Cost is $100 for an individual and $350 for a four-member team and includes a tournament goodie bag.

More information: Tournament Director Dewey McClain, 770-925-3201. April Hunt

Senior Connections offers summer classes

Senior Connections, a nonprofit agency in North DeKalb that works to enhance life for older adults, has announced a series of new classes this summer.

Anyone over 50 is welcome to check out its classes, which range from hands-on courses about Facebook and Twitter to a genealogy program and various lunch-and-learn sessions.

Fees vary for the courses, which are held at the Mack Love Building in Decatur, the Decatur/DeKalb YMCA and the DeKalb Tennis Center.

More information/to register: 770-455-7602 or www.srconn.org. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Clayton to hold two public meetings on fiscal 2012 budget

Clayton County Commissioners have two public meetings for people to talk about the proposed fiscal 2012 budget. A budget hearing is set for Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the commissioners’ boardroom at 112 Smith St. in Jonesboro. A special-called meeting to adopt the budget is set for June 29 at 4 p.m. at the same location. The budget may be seen weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Jonesboro Lbrary, 124 Smith St.; main library, 865 Battle Creek Rd., Jonesboro; Lovejoy Library, 1721 McDonough Rd., Hampton; Morrow Library, 6225 Maddox Rd., Morrow and Riverdale Library, 420 Valley Hill Rd., S.W., Jonesboro. Tammy Joyner

East Point Fire Department opens cooling stations

The East Point Fire Department has established cooling stations in each of its three fire stations. Citizens are invited to stop by the stations to rest, hydrate and cool down to avoid heat related illnesses. The stations are at 3171 Norman Berry Dr., 3800 North Commerce Dr. and 2222 Ben Hill Rd. John Thompson for the AJC

Court throws out man’s guilty plea in rape case

The Georgia Supreme Court threw out a guilty plea entered by a man sentenced to 20 years in prison for rape, aggravated assault and cruelty to children.

The ruling gives Elmer Pride, charged in the 2003 attack, another chance to work out a plea deal with Fulton County prosecutors or take his chances at trial. The court said it overturned Pride’s convictions because Superior Court Judge Wendy Shoob improperly injected herself into plea negotiations when she objected to an initial agreement between prosecutors and Pride’s lawyer for a 13-year prison term. Bill Rankin

Foreclosure help event

Homeowners at risk of losing their home to foreclosure can meet with lenders and counselors at a free event this month.

The Help for Homeowners event is sponsored by the Obama Administration’s Making Home Affordable Program, mortgage industry representatives and others.

The program runs 11 a.m. -- 7:30 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. -- 3 p.m. Saturday at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park. Aaron Gould Sheinin

Peachtree City meetings to be stored digitally

Audio and video recordings of City Council meetings in Peachtree City will be preserved digitally.

The Council approved a measure earlier this month that allows discarding old cassette recordings taking up space at City Hall but provides for the indefinite storage of digitally recorded proceedings. The digital files will supplement the official written meeting minutes. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Walgreens pledges more greens

Residents concerned about a lack of vegetation between their homes and the new Walgreens being built on Ga. 54 were reassured during the Peachtree City Planning Commission’s meeting last Monday.

Homeowners concerned about their property values presented photographs to the Commission, asking for more trees to hide the building.

The Commission approved the landscaping plan after the builder promised to plant a buffer acceptable to the neighbors. Jill Howard Church for the AJC