County by county news for Thursday

The money will come from the city’s auto rental tax collection reserve. The theater also receives $3,100 monthly from the tourism tax.

Theatre board chair Mike Russell said they need $64,000 by Friday to pay current bills and stay in business. Council members said the theater’s closing would have an negative effect on downtown businesses. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Community garden to hold planting party

“Go Green” this St. Paddy’s Day at the first Planting Party of the year in the YELLS Community Garden from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The YELLS (Youth Empowerment through Learning, Leading, and Serving) older mentors known as “Bigs” have been working hard to plan youth-led community projects, and the Planting Party is the first of several in coming months. The Planting Party will take place in the YELLS Community Garden in Ashton Place Apartments at 707 Franklin Road in Marietta. It’s a great afternoon of service and fun for all ages. Andria Simmons

Taste of East Cobb changes location

The Taste of East Cobb will move its May 5 festival to a larger location on Roswell Road at the front of the retail center, the Avenue East Cobb. Event spokesperson Margaret Abrams said the number of people attending the annual event more than doubled last year. The event will offer samples from 30 restaurants, live music and children’s activities. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Austell to buy three police cards

Austell will buy three equipped police vehicles.

The 2010 Crown Victorias cost $89,000 -- $74,000 from the 2011 special purpose local option sales tax, or SPLOST, and $15,000 from an insurance payment when a patrol vehicle was hit, Austell Police Chief Bob Starrett said. All three will come with a seven-year 125,000-mile warranty. Updated camera systems will be added and radios will be transferred to each car. “They are the best, safest” with “the least cost to maintain,” Starrett added. “Only a handful are left in the U.S.” Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

West Cobb Senior Center celebrates 15th year

The West Cobb Senior Center will celebrate its 15th anniversary on March 30. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and catered by West Cobb Diner at the center, 4915 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs.

March 26 is the deadline to buy tickets. Cost is $8 for Cobb residents and $10 for nonresidents. Information: 770-528-8200. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

County to roll out summer camp expo

Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department will host its annual summer camp expo on March 17. The expo will offer a one-stop location for information about children’s summer camp programs. The expo runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cobb Civic Center, 548 South Marietta Pkwy. in Marietta. Adults, $5; children, free. Information: 770-528-8885 Janel Davis

GWINNETT

Man in pot bust: It eases his arthritis pain

A Gwinnett County man accused of running a marijuana grow house contends he used the pot only to relieve pain from rheumatoid arthritis. But when officers found nearly a half-million-dollars worth of weed growing in Kevin Wayne Sheehan’s home, they arrested him last week and charged him with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, Gwinnett County police said Tuesday. Sheehan, however, told Channel 2 Actions News smoking pot was the only way to ease the pain from his disease. “I’m not a criminal. I’m not a drug dealer. I’m a sick old man,” Sheehan told Channel 2. Alexis Stevens

Ceremony to reopen Rhodes Jordan Park

Gwinnett County will host a reopening ceremony from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 31 at Rhodes Jordan Park, 100 East Crogan Street, Lawrenceville.

The newly renovated park features three soccer fields, horseshoe pits, basketball courts, renovated pavilions and other amenities. David Wickert

Suwanee police offer teen driving class

Register by March 23 for a two-hour program offered by the Suwanee Police Department for new teen drivers and their parents.

Georgia Teens Ride with PRIDE (Parents Reducing Injuries and Driver Error) is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 12 at the police department at 373 Buford Highway.

Advanced registration is required. Info: www.suwanee.com or 770-904-7612. Andria Simmons

Sierra Club to get water wars update

The Greater Gwinnett Group of the Sierra Club will get an update on the “water wars” among Georgia, Florida and Alabama at 7:30 p.m. today at Berkmar High School, 405 Pleasant Hill Road, Lilburn.

Jim Scarbrough, executive technical assistant at the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, will discuss the issue. Information: Dan Friedman at dan3688@aol.com. David Wickert

Extension offers free gardening class

University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension is offering a free soils, composting and gardening class from 7-8:30 p.m. on March 22 at Buford’s Shoal Creek Filter Plant at 1755 Buford Dam Road. Call 678-377-4010 or e-mail timothy.daly@gwinnettcounty.com for required pre-registration by March 20. Michael Alpert for the AJC

Norcross Baseball Museum reopens

Sunday from 2-4 p.m. is the grand reopening of the Norcross Baseball Museum, relocated from the city hall rotunda to its Welcome Center, a restored home at 189 Lawrenceville St.

The 300-square-foot museum’s displays, made by Kennesaw State University’s history department, highlight baseball throughout Norcross’ first 142 years.

Scheduled guests at the reopening include Carl Garner, president of the Norcross Old Timers Baseball Association, and players from Norcross High’s 1963 state championship team and Dixie Youth League’s 1987 world series-winning squad. Michael Alpert for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Wrestling coach tapped to serve at Olympics

The 2012 London Olympics will have an Atlanta connection. Stacey Davis, an assistant wrestling coach at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, has been chosen as one of only two U.S. wrestling officials to officiate at the games. Davis, the 2011 USA Wrestling Official of the Year, officiated at the 2011 World Wrestling Championships in Istanbul, Turkey last September. “We are so proud of Stacey and all that he has accomplished,” said Ruth Donahoo, HIES director of athletics. “His hard word, determination, focus and perseverance are unmatched.” Nancy Badertscher

ATLANTA

Contractors tapped for Fort McPherson work

The McPherson Implementing Local Redevelopment Authority chose a team of contractors to oversee the redevelopment of Fort McPherson, the now-closed Army base southwest of downtown Atlanta. In a board meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the authority tapped a team of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises and Atlanta-based Cousins Properties and Integral Group LLC. Now, the scope of work has to be determined and a contract hammered out. Meanwhile, the redevelopment authority plans to negotiate with the U.S. Army on a number of issues related to the base. Jeremiah McWilliams

GAE hosts state spelling bee on Friday

The Georgia Association of Educators hosts the 51st Anniversary State Spelling Bee at 11 a.m. on Friday at Georgia State University. The association will crown Georgia’s representative to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which runs from May 27 to June 1.

The spelling bee takes place in the GSU Student Center’s Senate Ballroom, 44 Courtland St. Atlanta. Nancy Badertscher

One man dead, another hurt in shooting

Police are investigating the shooting death of one man and wounding of a second man Wednesday in southwest Atlanta. The victims were found inside a car at a Chevron station on Sylvan Road around 2 a.m.

Channel 2 Action News reported that the passenger in the car died, and the driver was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

The identities of the victims have not been released. Mike Morris

Woman shot in leg during home invasion

A woman was shot in the leg during a home invasion early Wednesday in southwest Atlanta. The incident happened shortly after 1 a.m. at a house in the 1300 block of Aniwaka Avenue, in the Venetian Hills community. According to police, four men broke into the house and stole items, shooting the victim in the leg. The victim’s identity and condition were not available. Mike Morris

DEKALB

Editorial cartoonists to gather at Emory

Editorial cartoonists from around the world will gather March 28-30 at Emory University for “Cartooning for Peace and Health,” a series of free public lectures and classroom discussions with an accompanying gallery exhibition.

The symposium will explore the role of the cartoonist with a special focus on politics, peacemaking and health. The event features 18 cartoonists including The New Yorker’s Liza Donnelly and The Atlanta-Journal Constitution’s Mike Luckovich.

All public sessions are free. Online registration is required at http://bit.ly/cartooning-register. Andria Simmons

Teacher denied bond for sex accusations

A DeKalb County middle school teacher was denied bond Tuesday for accusations he had sex with a 15-year-old student.

Almarcus Dewayne Thomas, 42, will remain in the DeKalb County jail to await trial for four counts of aggravated child molestation charges and three counts of statutory rape.

Police say he had sex with the student in his classroom and at her home during a relationship that began last April.

The Tucker Middle School teacher was placed on administrative leave in December after the father of the girl reported him to school officials. Marcus K. Garner

Historic Society open house tonight

The Stone Mountain Historic Society will hold an open house tonight 7 to 8 p.m. at its headquarters, the Wells-Brown House, 1036 Ridge Avenue in the Village. Free to members and $10 for non-members, wine and cheese will be served to guests, who can tour the house and visit the Society’s new research room. Founded in 1997, this is the Society’s initial open house planned for the third Thursday of each month. Parking is at the First United Methodist Church. Information: http://www.stonemountainhistoricsociety.org/ Bill Banks for the AJC

Residents weigh in Willis Park upgrade

More than 300 Avondale Estates residents responded to a survey regarding the redevelopment of 84-year-old Willis Park. Most indicated they’d like to see a new multi-use field, refurbished playground equipment, more seating, improved picnic facilities and especially a dog park.

Megan Graham, chairman of the Willis Park Ad Hoc Committee, said the next step is completing a land survey, followed by a design plan, which she hopes will be finished in two to three months. Mayor Ed Rieker added that actual work on the 2.66-acre park should commence later this year. Bill Banks for the AJC

Retired educators to meet today

The Georgia Retired Educators Association in Decatur and DeKalb will hold its monthly meeting this week.

Retirees from Decatur and DeKalb schools, both public and private, as well as retirees of other districts who live in the county, are welcome in the group. The focus of this month’s meeting will be on financial health and planning.

The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. today at Decatur First Christian Church fellowship hall, 601 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur.

Information: 770-498-9493. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Peachtree City police on guard St. Patrick’s Day

The Peachtree City Police will be out in force on Saturday, St. Patrick’s Day, to clamp down on drunk drivers.

The police offers these tips: pick a safe way to get home or assign a designated driver, call a cab or use the GOHBS sober ride app as a possible safe ride home.

If you see a drunk driver, call the police and if you know someone who has had too much to drink that day, take their car keys and help them make arrangements to get home safely. Tammy Joyner

Fulton school chief to hold town hall meeting

The public is invited to a town hall meeting with Fulton County Schools Superintendent Robert Avossa March 26 at 7 p.m. on the campus of Woodward Academy. This meeting is in the Gresham Chapel Community Room on Rugby Avenue at the entrance to Woodward Academy. John Thompson for the AJC

Fayetteville needs tourism applicants

Fayetteville needs more volunteer members for its Main Street Tourism Authority and the Planning and Zoning Commission. Tourism applicants should own, conduct or work at a business in the Main Street district or have a strong interest in historic preservation of the area. Applications can be downloaded at www.fayetteville-ga.gov and are due Friday. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Star’s Mill student perfect on SAT

Practice made perfect for Starr’s Mill High School junior Shane Mudrinich, who scored a perfect 2400 on his most recent SAT exam. After scoring 2350 the first time, Mudrinich took additional preparation courses and got extra help from his English and math teachers before taking a second test. Mudrinich said he is most likely attending Georgia Tech to study biochemistry. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Exchange program seeks host families

World Heritage Student Exchange program is seeking host families for high school students from Spain, Germany, Thailand, Norway, China, Russia, France, The former Soviet Union countries, Denmark, Italy and Sweden. Couples, single parents, and families with or without children are urged to host and can choose a student for a semester or for the school year. Details: Bob Comeau at 978 204-3953 or 1-800-888-9040. Log on : www.whhosts.com or info@world-heritage.org. Tammy Joyner

Expo for students going into construction

Middle and high school students interested in a construction career can meet college professors, professionals and trade representatives at the eighth annual Construction Education Foundation of Georgia’s CareerExpo. The foundation touts the exposition as the largest youth workforce development event in the state. Students can learn about career paths and necessary skills.

The event is today and Friday, at the Georgia International Convention Center, 2000 Convention Center Concourse, Atlanta. Information: www.CEFGA.org. Ty Tagami