County by county news for Thursday

The wreck happened shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Whitlock Avenue at Winn Street, just west of downtown Marietta.

Marietta police spokesman Michael Gardner said Craig Morrissey, 45, was driving a 2001 Jeep Cherokee eastbound at a high rate of speed when he lost control and left the roadway.

The Jeep overturned and struck a tree, killing the Morrissey instantly, Gardner said. Mike Morris

Grandson, girlfriend accused of killing man

Edward Smith, of Lilburn, was reported missing Sunday after not being seen since Thursday, police said.

Tuesday night, Smith was found dead inside his truck on Kemolay Road in Mableton.

Smith’s grandson, Casey Ryan Collins, 30, and Collins’ girlfriend, Sarah Elizabeth Cook, 23, both of Mableton, were arrested and charged with felony murder. Both were booked into the Cobb County jail, where they were being held late Tuesday without bond.

Police did not release information regarding a possible motive. Alexis Stevens

Powder Springs plans budget retreat today

Powder Springs Mayor Patricia Vaughn and the City Council will hold a budget retreat at 1 p.m. today at the Cartersville Public Safety Headquarters, 195 Cassville Road to prepare next year’s budget. The city’s budget year runs from July 1 through June 30.

Information: cityofcartersville.org/index.aspx?NID=526.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Saturday 5K to honor fallen officers

This annual Fallen Officer 5K event is held to remember officers who died in the line of duty in Georgia.

On-site registration begins as 7 a.m. and the race starts at 8 a.m. Saturday at Lost Mountain Baptist Church, 5400 Old Dallas Road in Powder Springs.

Proceeds assist the families of fallen officers. Information: www.fallenofficer5k.com.

Shelia M. Poole

Chamber hosts military affairs luncheon

The Cobb Chamber will host an annual luncheon 11 a.m. May 20 at the Cobb Galleria Centre to celebrate men and women in the armed forces.

Dennis McCarthy, the former assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, will give the keynote speech and the 2013 USO Patriot of the Year Award will be presented.

Information: www.cobbchamber.org/chamber/military_affairs_luncheon.aspx Melissa Abbey

Initiative helps healthier lifestyles

Cobb County wants to help residents stick to their New Year resolutions to get healthier.

Cobb2020, an initiative to promote a healthier lifestyle in Cobb County, provides resources for families and individuals looking to lose weight, get fit, eat healthier or quit smoking.

Resources include body and budget friendly meal planning and activity ideas — and much more.

Information: Cobb2010.com.

Melissa Abbey

GWINNETT

Dalai Lama returns to Emory in October

The Dalai Lama, Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory University, will be at Emory for a series of events, including programs on responsible citizenship, ethics and education.

Emory has had a long relationship with the Dalai Lama. In 1998, the Dalai Lama delivered the commencement address and received an honorary degree. A public talk and a panel session will be held Oct. 8 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Admission to both events is included in the tickets which go on sale 10 a.m. Friday at GwinnettCenter.com or 1-888-9-AXS-TIX (297-849) . Information: www.dalailama.emory.edu Shelia M. Poole

Event raises $23,000 for cancer research

The Lilburn Relay Rally raised more than $23,000 for cancer research last week during an event that was hosted by the city of Lilburn and the Lilburn Women’s Club. Ten teams made up of 173 people participated in the event.

All money raised at the Lilburn event was forwarded to the Gwinnett County Relay for Life held in May to support the American Cancer Society’s research and awareness programs. Dan Klepal

Barefoot in the Park arts festival in Duluth

Duluth will host a two-day fine arts festival 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdayand 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Duluth Town Green with proceeds going to support arts education through scholarships. The ninth annual, Barefoot in the Park festival will feature dozens of artists, a children’s arts tent, student art exhibit, food, music, wine tastings and beer garden. www.barefootinthepark.org. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Suwanee arts festival set for May 18

Suwanee’s Arts in the Park festival will be held in Town Center Park 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 18. About 60 artists will exhibit, sell, and demonstrate their art.

Attendees can create their own art through a chalk art competition and community art program. In addition, attendees can take advantage of the festival to see the Berlin Wall temporary exhibit in front of City Hall. Dan Klepal

Gwinnett Relay For Life looking for volunteers

Gwinnett Relay For Life which takes place Saturday is seeking volunteers. This includes help with a special survivors’ reception during the event kick-off on Friday at the Gwinnett Fairgrounds in Lawrenceville.

Volunteers can sign up at www.gwinnettrelayforlife.org by clicking the volunteer button. Nancy Badertscher

It’s always Black Friday at the animal shelter

Every Friday is Black Friday at the Gwinnett Animal Welfare and Enforcement Center. All mostly black dogs and cats are available at the center for only a $30 cash veterinarian fee. The fee includes spaying or neutering, the first round of vaccinations, and a microchip. Information: www.gwinnettanimalcontrol.com or call

.

The center located at 884 Winder Highway in Lawrenceville is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Department extends hours for permitting

Roswell’s Community Development Department will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. on May 13th to enable customers to get a building permit or to apply for a land disturbance permit after normal operating hours. This will also an opportunity to ask questions on how to obtain a permit.

The intent of the extended hours is provide an opportunity for people who cannot make it to City Hall during the regular hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to obtain permits.

Patrick Fox

Spray pad set to open at Old Atlanta Park

The water spray pad at Old Atlanta Park, 810 Nichols Road, will open May 25. Daily admission is $2. Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday 1 to 6 p.m. The pad is closed for maintenance and private rentals on Mondays.

Forsyth County Parks information:

, www.forsythco.com/parks.

Patrick Fox

Waleska considers city park

A first-ever city park is in the works for Waleska. The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners Tuesday okayed a memorandum of understanding with the city to buy some 15 acres of land behind City Hall for $190,000, using money from the 2008 parks bond issue. Waleska city officials say the passive park will eventually include benches and walking trails, but that no money for development has been set aside at this point.Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Autrey Mill offers cell-phone tours of preserve

The Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center in Johns Creek has launched cell phone tours of the 43-acre site. Visitors can dial a phone number and enter a site code to hear information about the preserve and its historic buildings. Recordings provide information on the history of the buildings, including their previous residents and interesting features that distinguish each building. The service was created through a $3,000 grant from Sawnee EMC.

Information: www.autreymill.org. Patrick Fox

Workshop to focus on water conservation

Alpharetta and Fulton County Public Works Water Services will hold a “make and take” rain barrel workshop at 10 a.m. May 18 at the Alpharetta Engineering/Public Works Department, 1790 Hembree Road.

Cost is $40.00 and includes a rain barrel and all supplies. Space is limited so you must register and pre-pay by sending a check to: Fulton County Dept. of Water Resources, Attn. Jennifer McLaurin, 141 Pryor Street S.W. Suite 6001, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

Information:

or Jennifer.McLaurin@fultoncountyga.gov. Patrick Fox

Cherokee aquatic center sets opening

Officials with the new Cherokee County Aquatic Center have firmed up opening plans, with a ribbon-cutting May 9 and an open house May 11, with both events starting at 10 a.m. Director Kim Baker says the outdoor pool will first be open on the latter date. The new center will feature two indoor pools and one outdoor, and is located at I-575 and Sixes Road.Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

Thieves smash, grab at Phipps

Atlanta police Wednesday were looking for two men who pulled off a daring late-morning jewelry heist at a Buckhead department store.

Police spokeswoman Kim Jones told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the suspects entered the Belk store at Phipps Plaza around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday with hammers, went to the jewelry department and smashed a glass case containing gold earrings. The thieves grabbed five pair of earrings valued at $30,000, Jones said.

The suspects remained at large early Wednesday afternoon. Mike Morris

Night bike ride scheduled Friday

A 6 1/2-mile evening bike ride through neighborhoods will begin at 10 p.m. Friday at Park Tavern, 500 10th St. N.E. The inaugural Atlanta Moon Ride benefits Bert’s Big Adventure, a nonprofit organization that provides Walt Disney World trips for children with chronic and terminal illnesses. The bicycle route will be blocked off by the Atlanta Police Department, but the ride is open to everyone. Cost: $30 in advance, $35 day of event.

Information: atlantamoonride.com. Mea Watkins

Managing Dementia workshop Friday

Piedmont Healthcare will host a Managing Dementia Behaviors workshop for family caregivers from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m., with coffee and registration at 8:30 a.m. Friday at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, 1968 Peachtree Road N.W., Building 77 on the sixth floor, in Classroom 7. Cost is $35. Pre-registration is required.

Information:

. Sandra Marshall Murray

Service improved for child care searches

The non-profit Quality Care for Children has relaunched its toll-free number, 877-ALL-GA-KIDS (

). QCC helped about 25,000 families search and choose child care last year.

Information: www.QualityCareforChildren.org or

. Nancy Badertscher

DEKALB

Teacher featured at speaker series

Susan Roseman, a retired Jewish school teacher who taught immigrant Muslim children English, will share her experiences during the Edgewise Speaker Series, 10:30 a.m. to noon today at MJCCA at Zaban Park, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Information: Lilly Mahana, lilly.mahana@atlantajcc.org or

. Sandra Marshall Murray

DeKalb seniors can go for the gold

Registration is underway for the 26th Annual DeKalb County Senior Olympic Games. Competitive events will be held across the county May 6-17. Registration ends April 29 and the games are open to the public. DeKalb residents, and those from other counties, who are 50 and older, are welcome to participate in events that range fro bowling to line dancing to track and field. Applications are available online at www.co.dekalb.ga.us/parks/, or at all DeKalb County recreation centers, libraries and some senior centers.

Information:

. April Hunt

Stone Mountain CID improves landscapes

The Stone Mountain Community Improvement District is partnering with several businesses to add new trees and plants to high-traffic intersections in the district.

Four crossroads – Hugh Howell Road at both Mountain Industrial and Tucker Industrial boulevards and Mountain Industrial at East Ponce de Leon Avenue and Hirsch Drive – are the focus of the first wave of landscaping improvements.

The work is in addition to district-funded landscaping at other spots in the area, funded by companies that self-tax for the improvements.

Information: www.stonemountaincid.com. April Hunt

Donations requested for college students

Donations for college-bound students are being sought. They can include gift cards, household items and toiletries and will be distributed to 100 needy students who begin college this fall. Government drop-off spots are the Maloof building, 1300 Commerce Drive; the DeKalb Superior Court Clerk’s office in the county courthouse on McDonough Street ; and the Porter Sanford performing arts center, 3181 Rainbow Drive.

Donations also will be accepted at the 1st Class Barber Shop inside Stonecrest Mall and Nick’s Barber Shop, 4830 Redan Road.

Information:

. April Hunt

Governor to speak at DeKalb graduations

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal is among several high-profile figures who will give commencement addresses for DeKalb County high schools.

The school district says it has received confirmations from Deal and others, including Mark Elgart, the president of AdvancED, which oversees district accreditation; Thurbert Baker, the former Georgia attorney general; George Andrews, founder and leader of Capitol City Bank & Trust Co.; Carlton Brown, president of Clark Atlanta University and State Rep. Darshun Kendrick of Lithonia.

Deal will speak to students from NcNair and Chamblee high schools; Elgart, Druid Hills High; Baker, Tucker High; Andrews, Stone Mountain High; Brown, Lithonia High; and Kendrick, Towers High. Ty Tagami

SOUTHSIDE

Henry tax appeal deadlines set

Tax assessment notices were mailed last month by the Henry County Tax Assessor’s Office. Property owners have until June 10 to file an appeal should they question the valuation their property was given.

Personal property assessment notices are expected to mail next week, and citizens have until June 28 to file an appeal regarding the value of their personal property, which includes boats, airplanes and business inventory.

Information: www.henrycounty-ga.org. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Kedron, Crabapple win math tournament

Students from 17 schools recently competed in the 2013 Fayette County Elementary Math Tournament.

Kedron’s fourth-grade team and Crabapple Lane’s fifth-grade team won first place in their categories, with Peachtree City and Spring Hill placing second in those grades, respectively.

Oak Grove’s fourth graders and Braelinn’s fifth graders finished in third place.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Extras needed for “Drop Dead Diva”

The Lifetime network’s “Drop Dead Diva” television show, which films in Peachtree City, is looking for specific types of people to be extras.

A list of parts for both adults and children is posted at

Applicants must submit three photographs and note their clothing sizes.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Clayton schools seek public input for budget

The Clayton County Board of Education will hold a public hearing Thursday on its proposed 2014 school budget.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the Administrative Complex, 1058 Fifth Ave., Jonesboro.

Information: www.clayton.k12.ga.us/administration/boardofeducation/ Tammy Joyner

Henry commission keeps sign moratorium

The Henry County Board of Commissioners has extended its moratorium on the acceptance, review or hearing of applications for sign permits until May 21.

The purpose of the moratorium, originally passed in February, was to give staff time to review and update the Unified Land Development Code and address possible safety and nuisance issues created by lighted digital signage.

Information: www.henrycounty-ga.org. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Henry County SPLOST committee seeks input

Henry County’s SPLOST committee is hearing public input and suggestions for capital and transportation projects to include in the proposed SPLOST IV program, scheduled to be submitted in time for inclusion on the November ballot.

The next meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. today at the county administration building and will be televised live on channel 14 for Charter cable customers, channel 99 for AT&T U-Verse customers, and the county’s web site, www.henrycounty-ga.org. Monroe Roark for the AJC