County by county news for Thursday

A passenger ran away after the wreck and is still being sought. An arrest warrant says Draughan had a gun in the car, along with marijuana packaged for sale. He’s being held in the Cobb County jail. Fran Jeffries

Man struck by car on I-75 charged

A 27-year-old Marietta man was struck by a car on I-75 as he ran from a state trooper after a traffic stop Tuesday afternoon.

James Taudrae Seabon was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with a broken pelvis, according to the Georgia State Patrol. He was charged with obstruction and darting into traffic.

The incident occurred just before the start of rush hour around 3:45 p.m., when the trooper stopped a vehicle on I-75 southbound near Moores Mill Road, GSP spokesman Gordy Wright said. Christopher Seward

Cobb cities support saving chapel

Smyrna and Kennesaw city councils passed resolutions on Monday in favor of preserving a Dobbins Air Reserve Base chapel that needs costly repairs to bring it up to code. A proposed road at the base also threatens the chapel. A Dobbins Chapel Foundation group is working to save or relocate the 63-year-old landmark the Air Force Reserve Command has approved for demolition. Tucker McQueen

United for Change coalition hosts meeting

The Cobb United for Change Coalition will host a “Public Strategy Planning Meeting” 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at the Cobb County Central Library, 266 Roswell St., Marietta.

Issues to be discussed are racial profiling, human rights and immigration issues, foreclosure problems and more.

Information: Helen Riley at 770-423-2040 and Rich Pellegrino at 404-573-1199. Kenneth Musisi

Friends of symphony host season kickoff

The Friends of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra will host a Season Kickoff Reception 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at The Gardens at Kennesaw Mountain, 1127 White Circle NW, Marietta featuring hors d’oeuvres, drinks and music by a symphony orchestra ensemble.

Cost: $10 members and $20 nonmembers. Tickets: 770-429-7016. Kenneth Musisi

Potrait dedication ceremony today

A portrait dedication ceremony and reception for retiring Cobb County Superior Court Judge Dorothy A. Robinson will be 2:30 p.m. today at the Superior Court Courthouse, Marietta.

The portrait, painted by local artist Robert Meredith, will be hung in the Ceremonial Courtroom.

In 1980, Robinson became the first female judge to be elected to the Cobb County Superior Court. She was elected in 1972 to serve as a State Court Judge by Governor Jimmy Carter and became the first woman in the State of Georgia to serve as a judge of a court of record.

Kenneth Musisi

GWINNETT

WaterSense sales tax holiday this week

WaterSense-labeled products that cost $1500 or less will be exempt from state and local sales taxes Friday through Sunday.

In addition, Gwinnett residents can bring old or broken porcelain toilets for recycling 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Water Resources Central Facility, 684 Winder Highway in Lawrenceville.

Weekend and afterhours access is available from the Hosea Road entrance.

All toilet seats and plastic parts must be removed, including handles. Kenneth Musisi

Man charged for hitting teen waiting on bus

Misael Pena-Larios, 20, of Lawrenceville was charged Sunday with driving under the influence of marijuana in a crash that injured a teen waiting for a school bus Friday morning. He was released on bond from the Gwinnett County Detention Center on Monday.

Dominique O’Connor, a 15-year-old Berkmar High School student, remained hospitalized at Gwinnett Medical Center on Tuesday suffering a broken pelvis, injuries to her hand and cuts on her face. She was sitting on the curb of Champion Parkway and Lendl Lane in Lawrenceville when a vehicle driven by Pena-Larios ran onto the sidewalk and crushed her, authorities said.

Pena-Larios is scheduled to return to court Oct. 10.

Angel K. Brooks

Elisha Winn House celebrates 200 years

The Gwinnett Historical Society will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Elisha Winn House 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at 908 Dacula Road, Dacula.

The event will feature live music, food, vendors, crafts, a quilt-show, re-enactments and railroad history.

Admission is $3, and children under 12 are free. All proceeds will go toward the restoration of the house and property.

David Wickert

Lilburn CID studies U.S. 29 traffic

The Lilburn Community Improvement District is studying a four-mile stretch of U.S. 29 from Ronald Reagan Parkway to Rockbridge Road.

The nine-month study will examine traffic flow and access to commercial properties. It will take into account several upcoming projects, including the realignment of Main Street at U.S. 29, a multi-use trail in the Killian Hill area and various beautification projects.

CID Executive Director Gerald McDowell said the study will identify problem areas and projects that can improve access to commercial properties.

David Wickert

Voter registration deadline Oct. 9

The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 6 election is Oct. 9.

Gwinnett County registered voters can request an absentee ballot by completing an application at www.gwinnettelections.com or calling 678-226-7210.

Voters can cast ballots in person 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Oct. 15 - Nov. 2 at the County Elections Office, 455 Grayson Highway, Lawrenceville. Voting is at satellite locations Oct. 29 - Nov. 2.

Information: www.gwinnettelections.com or 678-226-7210.

David Wickert

NORTHSIDE

Elections department holds community meeting

The Fulton County Registration and Elections Department will hold an information session 2 - 4 p.m. Friday at the Helene S. Mills Senior Multipurpose Facility, 515 John Wesley Dobbs Ave., Atlanta.to give an update on preparations for the Nov. 6 general election. The department is under close scrutiny after July primary errors and the resignation of Director Sam Westmoreland.

Topics include the voter registration deadline, early voting, Family Voting Day, voting by mail and voter ID requirements.

Information: 404-612-7020. Johnny Edwards

Woodstock creates channel on Youtube

The city of Woodstock has created its own Youtube channel that will feature different kinds of videos, including features shot at downtown civic events and festivals such as the Woodstock Farmers Market, and a series of presentations highlighting local businesseses.

Address:

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Church will host holiday bazaar Nov. 10

A holiday bazaar, sponsored by St. Benedict Catholic Church Women’s Guild, will be held 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 10, at the church, 11045 Parsons Road, Johns Creek. Vendors will be selling religious items and jewelry to fused glassware and yard art.

There will be raffle drawings, lunch, and baked goods.

Nancy Badertscher

Planning Commission defers rezoning matter

The Alpharetta Planning Commission meeting scheduled for today evening has been cancelled. The commission was to consider a rezoning request by Sharp Residential to build a residential subdivision with 36 lots on the west side of Mayfield Road north of Colony Drive.

City staff has deferred the case so that updated traffic study information provided by the applicant can be reviewed and considered. Patrick Fox

Flexible Learning opens registration

Registration is open until Oct. 12 for the Flexible Learning Program at Fulton County’s 12 Priority, Focus, and Alert schools.

The 12 schools participating in the FLP are: Esther Jackson, High Point, S.L. Lewis and Randolph elementary schools; Bear Creek, Renaissance, Ridgeview Charter and Sandy Springs middle schools; and Banneker, Creekside, McClarin and Tri-Cities high schools.

Registration forms have been mailed to eligible students and parents are able to return completed forms to their child’s school.

Or they can mail them directly to Fulton County Schools, Title I Department, 689 North Ave., Hapeville, Ga. 30354.

Information: 404-669-8217.

Ernie Suggs

Special needs classes offered in Forsyth

The Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Department is offering a new series of classes for adults with mild to moderate developmental disabilities.

The Special Needs Club meets 5-7 p.m. on the 1st Friday of the month at the Fowler Park Recreation Center, 4110 Carolene Way, Cumming, and offers music, art, fitness and games.

Info: www.forsythco.com

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

Lil Scrappy ordered freed from jail

“Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” cast member Lil Scrappy was ordered released from a DeKalb County Jail on Wednesday. The hip hop and rap artist, whose real name is Darryl Richardson, was taken into custody Monday for violating probation from a 2008 drug conviction. When a county probation officer tried to reach the reality TV star recently, he could not be found because he had changed his address. Now Richardson will be required to regularly check in with a probation officer. The duration of probation remains five years, which will be up in 2014. Christopher Seward

Children’s musuem to host literacy event

Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, presented in partnership with the Pearson Foundation, will be 9:30 a.m. to noon today at Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta.

Read for the Record is an annual event where millions celebrate literacy by reading the same book on the same day. This year’s book is Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad, by David Soman and Jacky Davis.

Information: www.jstart.org/readfortherecord. Kenneth Musisi

Atlanta Greek Festival this week

The Greek Orthodox Cathedral will host the 37th annual Atlanta Greek Festival at 2500 Clairmont Road, NE. Hours are: 5 to 10 p.m. today; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

The festival will have entertainment, cooking demonstrations and Greek dancing.

Admission: $5 for adults; children (under 12) are free. Free parking and shuttle buses at Century Center Office Park.

Tickets: www.atlantagreekfestival.org. Kenneth Musisi

Discounted health screenings offered

Fulton County is offering health screenings, for free or at discounted costs, through the Sickness Prevention Achieved through Regional Collaboration program. The first clinic date is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Radcliffe Presbyterian Church, 286 Hamilton E. Holmes Drive, N.W.

Information: 404-613-6000.

Johnny Edwards

DEKALB

Results mixed for calendar survey

Parents in DeKalb County should get a paper survey from the school system this week asking their attendance calendar preferences.

A recent online survey garnered mixed results from 7,000 respondents, with half favoring the traditional calendar for the next school year and half preferring a so-called “balanced” calendar with a shorter summer vacation and extra breaks during the school year.

However, a clear majority of the nearly 1,500 teachers who took the survey wanted a balanced calendar while most parents preferred the traditional calendar. Officials plan to probe each group again, hoping for more input before a school board vote Monday. Ty Tagami

Fire Safety Festival this weekend

DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department will hold its annual Fire Safety Festival in honor of Fire Prevention Week noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Wade Walker Park Family YMCA, 5585 Rockbridge Road, Stone Mountain. The free event includes a fire safe house, Sparky the Fire Dog, arts and crafts and more. Information: www.fpw.org. Sandra Marshall Murray

Commission names volunteer secretary

Lyn Rosser, a contract manager at AT&T, has been named the volunteer executive secretary for the Governor’s Commission on Brookhaven.

Commission chairman Ben Vinson named Rosser to the post, where she will handle meeting minutes and help get information about out upcoming committee meetings.

The commission meets at 8 p.m. every Thursday at St. Martin’s Episcopal School, 3110 Ashford Dunwoody Road.

Updates: www.brookhavencommission.com. April Hunt

Smaller government possible in Clarkston

The Clarkston City Council may reduce the board’s size and also change how the mayor is elected. The small city now has seven councilmembers, including an elected mayor that votes only in a tie. A city manager runs daily government operations.

The proposal calls for cutting the council down to five members, with the mayor elected yearly by a council majority.

The council hasn’t passed the proposal, sending the request to the General Assembly, which would have to change the city’s charter. April Hunt

DeKalb inducts youth commissioners

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners recently inducted 35 high school students into its Youth Commissioner program.

The students represent 15 of the county’s 22 high schools and were nominated by county commissioners for the honor, a leadership program designed specifically for students.

The program, in its third year, works to engage students and get their input on county issues throughout the year. April Hunt

Volunteers needed for river cleanup event

The Tucker Civic Association and Rivers Alive will host the 5th annual Rivers Alive Clean Up 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at 4200 Cowan Road, Tucker. Heavy rain date is Oct. 20.

Volunteers must be 10 years of age or older. Information: volunteertca@gmail.com or 770-270-1620. Laurie Hoffman

SOUTHSIDE

Cop killer convicted for armed robbery

Convictedcop killer Jonathan Bun, 18, was found guilty last week of armed robbery for pulling a stick-up at a Forest Park gift shop in January 2011 – the incident that brought him into contact with the Clayton County Sheriff’s deputy he fatally shot.

On July 20, 2011, Deputy Richard “Rick” Daly stopped the car the teen was in to serve Bun with that arrest warrant. Bun fired at Daly, killing the 25-year lawman. The teen was eventually arrested, and was tried and convicted in May and sentenced in August.

Bun’s sentencing is at 8:30 a.m. today. Marcus K. Garner

Henry school forms FCCLA chapter

Eagles Landing Middle School in Henry County has announced the formation of a Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America chapter for 2012-2013. Student leaders attended the Georgia Fall Leadership Conference in Covington in September, where the newly chartered chapter was recognized. Eagles Landing Middle currently has 44 students in the FCCLA. Members plan to attend the Georgia National Fair in Perry on Oct. 10 to kick off the National FCCLA Rally.

Nancy Badertscher

Officials visit Fulton schools for PreK Week

State officials are celebrating PreKindergarten Week in Fulton with visit this week to elementary schools in the District. Today Senator Donzella James (D-Atlanta) will visit Evoline C. West Elementary School in Fairburn, while Senator Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) will visit Conley Hills Elementary School in East Point. Jeffry Scott

Fayette to upgrade school security

The Fayette County Board of Education voted Monday to approve a security system upgrade for all public schools.

A bid from VTS Security for $1,098,271.19 was accepted for improving and expanding surveillance cameras.

The funds will come from ESPLOST revenue.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Fayette NAACP sponsors fall festival

The Fayette County NAACP Branch is hosting a Family Fall Festival 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Southern Ground Amphitheater, 301 LaFayette Ave., Fayetteville.

Activities include a book festival, free health screenings, free document shredding (limit three file boxes), voter registration and musical performances.

Information: 770-716-2218 or www.fcnaacp.org. Veronica Fields Johnson

Holmes town hall meeting set for Oct. 27

Henry County District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes will hold his monthly Town Hall Meeting 9 a.m. Oct. 27, at the Fairview Recreation Center in Stockbridge.

The purpose is to inform residents on the function and responsibilities of various county departments, including Animal Care and Control, Code Enforcement and Stormwater Management.

Officials will discuss issues regarding their departments and participate in a question-and-answer session to give residents the opportunity to ask specific questions. The meeting is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend. Monroe Roark for the AJC