County by county news for Thursday

The proposed changes would allow the incentives be offered to companies with less of a financial impact to the county.

A vote on the plan was reset to Oct. 25. Janel Davis

Library book sale this weekend

The Friends of Cobb Public Library will host its annual semi-annual book sale this weekend at Jim Miller Park in Marietta. Proceeds f benefit the library system. The sale runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday at the park, 2245 Callaway Road in Marietta.

Information: http://www.cobbcat.org Janel Davis

Developer near closing deal on Jonquil Village

Atlanta-based Branch Properties LLC, which last week signed a letter of intent to purchase 10.3 acres of a tract of land at the corner of Spring and Atlanta roads in Smyrna, hopes to close on the deal this week, said attorney Ted Sandler, who represents the seller of the property known as Jonquil Village. The new owners likely will meet with Smyrna mayor Max Bacon this week, and city officials and discuss how they plan to develop the property, an unsightly bulldozed tract undeveloped for almost three years since the crash of the real estate economy.

Jeffry Scott

Marietta teachers get a bump in pay

Teachers in Marietta got a one-time bump in pay as a result of a school board vote Tuesday.

The board voted 7-0 to give all eligible city schools employees with satisfactory evaluations an extra 1 percent of their salary, school system spokesman Thomas Algarin said. The amount, to be paid this month, is expected to cost the district about $420,000 to $450,000.Ty Tagami

Meals on Wheels volunteers needed

Cobb Senior Services may be able to open a second route in Powder Springs to deliver meals to homebound senior citizens on weekdays, but more volunteer deliverers are needed.

Those interested in serving as Meals on Wheels volunteers should call Volunteer Services at 770-528-5381.

Clients must be Cobb County residents, age 60 or older, and must complete an assessment by calling 770-528-5364.

Meal fees are based upon total household income.Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Taste of Acworth this Saturday

Local chefs from restaurants around northwest Cobb will serve bites of their best dishes during the Seventh Annual Taste of Acworth on Saturday. More than 150 booths will take over the town’s Main Street from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with food, live entertainment, a dog show and kids’ games. Admission and parking are free; tastes are $1 to $4. For details, go to www.acworthbusiness.org. H.M. Cauley for the AJC

GWINNETT

Emergency service to hold joint exercises

Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services is hosting a multi-jurisdictional hazardous materials training exercise from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday at its training academy at 3608 Braselton Highway in Dacula. Members from Gwinnett, DeKalb, Henry and Walton county fire departments will learn the how to handle various hazmat situations.

The exercise will help the agencies learn to combine resources and establish positive working relationships, since they could be called upon to operate together on large scale incidents. Andria Simmons

Harlem Globetrotter tickets on sale Monday

The Harlem Globetrotters have announced plans to bring their 2012 World Tour to the Arena at Gwinnett Center in March. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. March 18.

The club is touting a brand new rookie class that includes include the world’s tallest pro player, the shortest Globetrotter ever, the team’s first female player in 19 years, and the 2011 College Slam Dunk Champ Jacob Tucker. Tickets will go on sale Monday. They are available at www.harlemglobetrotters.com, www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000. Joel Anderson

Sierra Club to discuss Vogtle nuclear plants

The Greater Gwinnett Group of the Sierra club will discuss the proposed Vogtle nuclear power plants at 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at Berkmar High School, 405 Pleasant Hill Road, Lilburn.

Members of the group Georgia WAND will lead the discussion. For more information, contact Dan Friedman at dan3688@aol.com. David Wickert

Breast cancer fashion event Oct. 27

2 Brown Ladies Entertainment and The Breast Cancer Society invite guests to support the “Survive In Style” Breast Cancer Awareness Fashion Event on Oct. 27.

The event will be held at 6 p.m. at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse at 185 Crogan Street in Lawrenceville. It will include jazz, a silent auction and door prizes at 6 p.m., followed by the fashion show at 7:15 p.m.

Info: Contact Meek Brown at 2brownladies@gmail.com or 404-667-5073. Andria Simmons

Want to be a Gwinnett columnist?

You can join eight other AJC community columnists from around metro Atlanta. Send us:

-- A short essay (400 words or less) pegged to a topic in Gwinnett County.

-- Additional paragraph (100 words or less) on yourself and why you should win.

-- A brief list of five topics that you might write about.

You must be a resident of Gwinnett.

Entries will be judged on the basis of writing style, intelligence and freshness of topic, but not on whether AJC editors agree or disagree with your point of view. The first column will appear in November. Send entries to newstips@ajc.com. Please put “Gwinnett Columnist” in the subject line and include your daytime contact information.

Only finalists will be contacted by the AJC. Deadline to submit your entry is Friday, Oct. 14.

NORTHSIDE

Fired planning director gets new hearing

Fired Forsyth County planning director Jeff Chance will have his latest appeal heard today morning before the Forsyth County Civil Service Board which, in December 2010, upheld his dismissal after an investigation found he violated numerous county policies and sexually and racially charged emails were found on his office computer. If the board finds politics were behind his dismissal, as Chance contends, he could be reinstated with back pay. County officials say he was fired for violating policies and mismanaging his department. Jeffry Scott

Candidate forum in Milton Tuesday

A group of Milton residents has organized a candidate forum for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Stonecreek Church, 13540 Ga. 9 in Milton.

The city has three Council seats up for election this November, two contested. In District 2, incumbent Julie Zahner-Bailey faces a challenge from Matt Kunz. District 6 Councilman Alan Tart is being challenged by Lance Large. Each candidate will have 90 seconds to respond to questions, with rebuttals and followups allowed.

Organizers have asked that no campaign material be brought to the church. Patrick Fox

Johns Creek Symphony starts fifth season

The Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra begins its fifth season Oct. 29 with “Masterworks!”

The program, scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Theater at Johns Creek High School, will feature Haydn’s Concerto in C Major for Cello and Orchestra; Rosamunde Overture by Schubert; and Mendelssohn’s Incidental Music for a Midsummer Night’s Dream. JCSO principal cellist Meghan McGuire is soloist under the baton of conductor J. Wayne Baughman. Tickets are $30-$16.50. Information: www.johnscreeksymphony.org; 678-748-5802. Patrick Fox

Forsyth Democrats to hold fundraiser

The public is invited to a documentary screening fundraiser hosted by the Forsyth County Democratic Party on Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. at the Cumming Playhouse, located at 101 School St. Featured documentary presentations: The Billionaire’s Tea Party and Big Bucks, Big Pharma. Suggested donation is $15. Information: 770-889-2859. Veronica Fields Johnson

Milton set to celebrate fifth birthday

The City of Milton will hold its fifth birthday party from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday at Birmingham United Methodist Church.

Admission and parking at Birmingham Park is free with continuous shuttles running all day.

Information: 678-242-2509. Patrick Fox

Senior citizens health clinic Oct. 24

Senior citizens are invited to the Sickness Prevention Achieved through Regional Collaboration clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 24 at SWEEAC at West Hunter Street Baptist Church, located at 1040 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd.

The clinics are offered by the Fulton County Department of Housing and Human Services Office of Aging . Information: call STARLine at 404-613-6000. Veronica Fields Johnson

ATLANTA

Hearings schedule on redistricting process

The Atlanta City Council will hold two public hearings to give citizens a chance to weigh in on the city’s redistricting process for the council. The hearings will be held at 6 p.m. in the Council Chamber in the second floor of City Hall, 55 Trinity Avenue. The events are scheduled for Oct. 20 and Nov. 17.

Atlanta and cities across America re-draw representative district boundary lines once every decade, based on the results of the U.S. Census. Jeremiah McWilliams

School board and city council to meet

The Atlanta school board and the Atlanta city council will meet 2 p.m. today at the school district’s headquarters to discuss opportunities to work together to address critical issues facing the community. The district’s Center for Learning and Leadership is located at 130 Trinity Avenue, Atlanta. Information: www.atlanta.k12.ga.us. Jaime Sarrio

APS leave for MLK memorial dedication

Students from Atlanta’s Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy are gearing up for a second time to attend dedication ceremonies for the King Memorial in Washington after their first trip was canceled due to a hurricane.The students have been preparing for the trip since the beginning of the school year by studying the civil rights leader. The students are leaving today for the Sunday’s ceremony. Information: www.atlanta.k12.ga.us Jaime Sarrio

Spiritual sounds concert on Saturday

Sikh Educational and Welfare Association (SEWA), in collaboration with Raj Academy Conservatoire (UK) will host the International Musical Concert of Spiritual Sounds at the Robert Ferst Center for Performing Arts in Atlanta on Saturday from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Musicians from six countries will recreate spiritual music from sub-continental India. Information: 678-310-7392 or info@sewageorgia.org and visit www.g6summit.info. Kenneth Musisi

DEKALB

Grant to help keep track of at-risk kids

DeKalb County recently received a state grant that will pay for experts to visit the homes of at-risk children.

The $300,000 grant from the Governor’s Office for Children and Families will add 75 families to the state’s Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program. DeKalb will use its funds in the Clarkston and Scottdale areas. April Hunt

Tucker to unveil streetscape project

The Tucker Main Street streetscape project will be officially unveiled in a ribbon cutting Saturday, Oct. 15 in the historic business district.

The $1.6 million project widened sidewalks, added streetlights and installed landscaping along Main Street. The Atlanta Regional Commission, state Department of Transportation and DeKalb County paid for the work with grants. The ribbon cutting begins at 4:30 p.m. Saturday on Main Street, between Lawrenceville Highway and LaVista Road. April Hunt

College gets money to build sidewalks

Georgia Perimeter College has been awarded $500,000 in state money to install sidewalks and improve intersections at its Clarkston campus. The state Department of Transportation money will cover sidewalks along North Indian Creek Drive and upgrade crosswalks and signals to that road’s intersections with Memorial College Avenue. The corridor has been the scene of more than 200 accidents in the past year, one involving the death of a pedestrian. April Hunt

USDA officer to lunch at Renfroe school

Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, will lunch at Renfroe Middle School Friday. Merrigan’s in town for the Fresh Summit, a conference hosted by the Produce Marketing Association. The Secretary learned about Decatur’s Farm to School efforts after hearing Allison Goodman, the school system’s director of school nutrition, speak at several conferences. Bill Banks for the AJC

Decatur schools approves strategic plan

By a 3-to-1 vote Decatur’s School Board approved the 2011-16 New Strategic Plan, although outgoing board member John Ahmann expressed vigorous dissent. “This plan has roughly 170 action items,” Ahmann said, “but there’s nothing here saying how much each is going to cost. How can we commit to a strategic plan without knowing how it affects our resources, or if it’s within our budget?” Chairman Marc Wisniewski countered, “We are operating at a high level of economic uncertainty. But for that very reason we need the strategic plan, we need to move forward and not stand in place.” Bill Banks for the AJC

Meeting focuses on Dearborn Park cleanup

Plans to fix up Dearborn Park will be the focus of a community meeting in DeKalb County later this month.

The county’s parks and recreation department will host a meeting on Saturday to talk about improvement and maintenance at the park, as well as ways to increase its use.

The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. at the park pavilion, 1301 Deerwood Dr.

Information: 404-294-2890. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Bridge building closes Rock Quarry Road

Starting today, Rock Quarry Road in Henry County will be closed at the railroad tracks for 14 months to build a bridge over the tracks. It will reopen in December 2012. The bridge is being built to eventually accommodate four lanes, even though Rock Quarry Road is not set to be widened for awhile. Once finished, the bridge is expected to cut traffic congestion and emergency response time. A detour has been set up using Flippen and Banks Roads. Railroad Street also remains open as an extra alternate route. Details: 770-288-7319. Tammy Joyner

Mills senior center sends dresses to Haiti mission

Sewing and quilting class members at Atlanta’s Helene S. Mills Senior Multipurpose Facility have packed and shipped 5,167 pillowcase dresses to the Haiti Care Mission, exceeding their goal of 5,000. The project, “Threads of Love,” began in May after a presentation at the center’s three-mile walk and health fair. Fulton Commissioner Joan Garner challenged to the classes to mount the effort to serve little girls and infants in Haiti. Seamstresses, individuals and organizations from six states and Washington D.C. contributed thousands of dresses. Johnny Edwards

11 Fayette teachers receive EMC grants

Eleven Fayette County teachers have received $14,000 in grants from Coweta-Fayette EMC’s Bright Ideas program.

The grants will fund innovative classroom needs not covered by school budgets. Awards ranged from $821 for a document camera to $1,500 for a digital piano. The winning teachers were from Braelinn, Crabapple Lane, Hood Avenue and Huddleston elementary schools, Rising Starr Middle School, Starr’s Mill and McIntosh high schools and the Fayette County Alternative School. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Doll show in Palmetto to benefits children’s home

The Peachtree Doll Collectors club will hold a doll show in Palmetto on Saturday, with proceeds going to the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home. There will be more than 65 tables of antique and collectible dolls set up, along with doll clothes, accessories and miniatures.

The show runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the gymnasium of the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home, 9250 Hutchenson Ferry Road. Admission is $4, or free for children under 12. Information: www.gbchfm.org. Johnny Edwards

Hapeville police to meet with businesses

Businesses are invited to the Hapeville Police Department Oct. 17 at 5:15 p.m. to discuss issues pertaining to businesses in the city and how the department might serve them better. John Thompson for the AJC

East Point to test CodeRED on Friday

East Point’s Emergency Notification System, CodeRED, will be tested Friday at 9 a.m. to validate phone numbers in the database, as well as encourage residents to opt in for the CodeRED weather warning notifications. Individuals who have signed up for notifications will see the Caller ID read 866-419-5000 for this test message and future emergency notifications. John Thompson for the AJC