County by county news for Thursday

“It’s been a great celebration for them,” said Diane Starkovich, superintendent of the Atlanta Archdiocese. The school in DeKalb County is the 11th in the archdiocese to win the honor, she said.

Principal Anita Nagel and the principals of the four winning public schools in metro Atlanta have been invited to Washington next month to accept their awards. Ty Tagami

Business expo today in Kennesaw

The Northeast Cobb Business Association is hosting a business expo on today in Kennesaw. About 50 companies will display their products and services. The free expo runs from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pinetree Country Club, 3400 McCollum Parkway in Kennesaw.

Information: http://www.northeastcobbba.com Janel Davis

Pink Cookie sale today at Smyrna hospital

The Volunteer Auxiliary of Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrna, located at 3949 South Cobb Dr., will host their annual Pink Cookie Sale today in the hospital cafeteria from 7:30 a.m. until they sell out. The sale is open to the public and all proceeds will go toward the purchase of Digital Mammography equipment. Information: 770-438-5233 or www.SmyrnaCares.org. Veronica Fields Johnson

Pet adopt-a-thon event Saturday

The last of three animal adopt-a-thon events is scheduled for Saturday at the Cobb animal shelter.

Saturday’s event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the shelter, 1060 Al Bishop Drive in Marietta and includes police K-9 demonstrations, raffles and special adoption rates.

Information: http://animalcontrol.cobbcountyga.gov Janel Davis

Springville Sprint 5K run Saturday

The 24th annual Springville Sprint 5K and Fun Run will be held in Powder Springs on Saturday.

This event by the First Baptist Church of Powder Springs, 4330 North Ave., will help fund the church’s new Upward basketball league for special children. Registration is open for Upward teams for ages 4 through eighth grade.

Until Sunday, race fees are $10 for fifth grade and younger and $20 for sixth grade and older. The late fee is an extra $5.

Information: fbcps.org for the online registration form or Buddy Reeves at buddyr@fbcps.org or 770-943-9333. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

First Friday Art Walk winds down

The First Friday Art Walk, a self-guided art tour April through October in downtown Marietta, winds up its season this week. Galleries, museums and more than 30 merchants hosting artists in their stores will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday around the Marietta Square. The Art Walk includes an Artists’ Alley at DuPre’s Antique Market and First Friday Jazz Night at DK Gallery. Visitors can pick up Art Walk maps at the Artists Alley at 17 Whitlock Ave. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

GWINNETT

Court to review speedy trial issue in death case

The Supreme Court of Georgia is set to hear arguments Nov. 7 in the case of Khahn Dinh Phan.

The court must decide if the death penalty defendant’s right to a speedy trial was violated because of delays related to the underfunding of the Georgia indigent defense system.

The case out of Gwinnett County has languished for more than six years. Phan is accused of shooting Hung Thai, 37, his 2-year-old son and his wife on Dec. 29, 2004, at the family’s Lilburn home. Authorities say Phan shot them because of a gambling debt. Only Thai’s wife survived. Andria Simmons

Beaudreau meets with constituents Saturday

Gwinnett County Commissioner Mike Beaudreau will meet with constituents from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday at Fire Station 30, 1052 Ozora Road, Loganville. Beaudreau represents District 3, which covers eastern Gwinnett County from the U.S. 78 corridor north to I-85. David Wickert

Road projects near Dacula school approved

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved two road construction projects near Dacula Elementary School. Commissioners approved the realignment of Old Peachtree Road at the Dacula Road intersection to improve traffic flow and visibility. They also agreed to add curb, gutter and sidewalks along half a mile of Fence Road near the elementary school. The projects will cost $566,411. Construction is expected to take about six months. David Wickert

Labor commissioner to speak to Rotarians

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler will speak to the South Gwinnett Rotary Club at 12:30 p.m. today at Northwood Country Club, 3157 Club Drive, Lawrenceville. For information, contact Rosanna Szabo at rosanna.szabo@gwinnettcounty.com. David Wickert

Sugar Hill to test new emergency sirens Friday

The city of Sugar Hill will test its six new emergency warning sirens on Friday. The test will take place between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents will have a chance to ask questions about the system at a City Council meeting Oct. 10. Information: www.cityofsugarhill.com. Joel Anderson

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

Canton holds out hope for reservoir deal

Canton mayor Gene Hobgood said the city is keeping hopes alive that it can strike some sort of deal to get out from under Hickory Log Creek Reservoir, which has cost the city somewhere between $25 million and $30 million and, after six years of construction, hasn’t delivered a drop of drinking water. Canton is 25 percent owner of the reservoir. The board of the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, which owns 75 percent, two weeks ago took no action on an informal offer that would include Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority. Jeffry Scott

Canton looks into water billing complaints

Canton Mayor Gene Hobgood plans to form a committee at tonight’s city council meeting to deal with the city’s continued problems and customer complaints over high water bills since the city switched to a new billing system earlier this summer. Hobgood said Wednesday he hopes to form an appeals committee for customers who can’t reach an agreement with the water department over bills, some which have tripled or more under the new system. Jeffry Scott

School wins approval to rename street

Sandy Springs Charter Middle School won approval to rename the street it sits on.

The Sandy Spring’s city council approved the name change Tuesday. The charter school has been located at 8750 Colonel Drive since 1990. The street got its name from the mascot of the original occupants of the property, Crestwood High, which closed in 1990. The school held a naming contest and selected Pride Place as the street’s new identity. The name uses the acronyms of the school’s motto, Producing Responsible Individuals Determined to Excel. D. Aileen Dodd

Green Expo Oct. 15 in Hembree Park

The City of Roswell and Keep Roswell Beautiful are sponsoring a Green Expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 15 at Hembree Park, 850 Hembree Road. The free event will feature vendors specializing in home improvement/décor, car care, civic organizations, non-profits, health/wellness, recycling, fashion/apparel and pet supplies. Workshops will be conducted on household recycling, green cleaning, water conservation and home audits. To learn more about the Roswell Green Expo, visit www.roswellgreenexpo.org. Patrick Fox

Library holds Microsoft Word class on Tuesday

The Ocee Library in Johns Creek will offer a class Tuesday for computer users wanting to learn Microsoft Word. The class is for adults, with reservations required. “Introduction to Microsoft Word” starts at 1 p.m. at 5090 Abbotts Bridge Road. Reservations: 770-360-8897. Johnny Edwards

Barrington Hall to hold Munch and Learn

Roswell’s Barrington Hall will hold another series of free Munch and Learn garden talks with staff horticulturist Janet Rigsby running Mondays through Nov. 7 and on Nov. 17.

Participants can bring their lunch and listen to the lectures which begin at 12:15 p.m. Barrington Hall is at 535 Barrington Drive. Information: 770-640-3855. Patrick Fox

ATLANTA

Ansley Park: ‘Top 10 Great Neighborhood’

Atlanta’s Ansley Park has been designated one of the country’s “10 Great Neighborhoods” for 2011, according to the American Planning Association. The group highlighted the 107-year old neighborhood’s expanses of parks, its views of the Midtown business district and eclectic architecture. The 275-acre neighborhood was designed so that no home is more than a 10-minute walk from one of 14 parks, five of which create a continuous link from northeast to southwest. The open spaces cover nearly a third of the neighborhood. Jeremiah McWilliams

30+ Westminster seniors in scholarship running

More than 30 seniors at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta are contenders for a national scholarship promoting academic excellence. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recently announced that 32 Westminster seniors are semifinalists in the prestigious competition for scholarship dollars. The students are competing with thousands nationwide for 8,300 National Merit scholarships, worth more than $34 million. D. Aileen Dodd

Council plans parking study for Piedmont Park

Atlanta’s City Council has commissioned a parking and traffic control study for the neighborhoods and streets adjacent to Piedmont Park.

From April through mid-November, the city typically allows more than 50 festivals, events and concerts in Piedmont Park, increasing the traffic that flows into the surrounding neighborhoods of Midtown, Ansley Park, Morningside and Virginia-Highland.

Jeremiah McWilliams

APS schools highlight healthy eating

Celebrate school lunch week by signing up to become a “celebrity chef” in Atlanta Public Schools. The district is seeking community members to help serve meals Oct. 12-14 at 10 a.m. in elementary schools or 11 a.m. in middle and high schools. To participate, email Eboné Anthony, eanthony@atlantapublicschools.us no later than Oct. 5. Jaime Sarrio

DEKALB

Emory Medal to go to two alumni today

Emory University will award the Emory Medal to lawyer Mary Ann Oakley and doctor and humanitarian James Turpin today.

The Emory Medal is the university’s highest honor given to alumni. The school noted that Oakley dedicated her career to improving the rights of women and minorities and represented children free of charge in challenging custody and visitation cases. Turpin founded Project Concern International to prevent disease in poverty-stricken populations and received the Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year Award in 1994. Bill Rankin

Decatur endorses I-20 rail proposal

Decatur’s commission voted unanimously to support construction of a MARTA east line from Wesley Chapel Road to the Indian Creek station, known as the “I-20 Project.” Mayor Bill Floyd, a member of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s 21-member roundtable, said funds could be available for I-20 Project if voters approve the Transportation Investment Act next July. Bill Banks for the AJC

Leadership DeKalb marks 25th year

Leadership DeKalb celebrated its 25th anniversary recently by honoring local leaders for their community work.

Walt Bryde, president of Walton C. Bryde & Associates, received the an award for his work with refugee resettlement. DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis was honored for his work to unite the county through OneDeKalb, the Office of Neighborhood Empowerment.

Garry McGinoney, associate superintendent with the Georgia Department of Education, was honored for his efforts creating community collaborations in county schools.

Arnie Silverman, president of Silverman Construction Project Management, took over as the newly elected chairman of the board. April Hunt

Meeting focuses on Dearborn Park cleanup

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

The county’s parks and recreation department will host a meeting on Oct. 15 to talk about improvement and maintenance at the park, as well as ways to increase its use.

The meeting will be at 10 a.m. at the park pavilion, 1301 Deerwood Dr. Information: 404-294-2890. April Hunt

County to host workshop on zoning

DeKalb County will host a workshop Saturday to explain how planning and zoning issues are used in the county.

The free session runs from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Clark Harrison Building, 330 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur.

More information/to register: 404-371-2881.

April Hunt

Knollwood school’s library gets an update

Knollwood Elementary School near Decatur has a new library and more books.

The renovation sponsored by Target and The Heart of America Foundation was unveiled Wednesday. The update of the school includes new construction, furniture and 2,000 books. Since 2007, according to Target, the Target School Library Makeover program has touched 1.6 million children by transforming 76 school libraries in schools across the country. Ty Tagami

SOUTHSIDE

Time to apply for Fayette school board post

Individuals interested in filling the Post 5 position on the Fayette County Board of Education may now send in applications.

Letters of interest must be accompanied by a resume and received by 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. The Board will review applications at a public meeting on Nov. 7 and make a decision as early as Nov. 14. Applicants must reside in the Post 5 district, have lived in Fayette County for at least a year, not hold any other county office and not be a Fayette school or state education department employee. Details: www.fcboe.org. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Students to hone interviewing skills

Some juniors and seniors at Henry County’s Locust Grove High School will get a chance to try out their job interview skills on today and Friday. Local business people will be at the school to help students through a 15- to 20-minute mock job interview. Students who participate in the school’s Career Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program are invited to the second annual Mock Job Inteview Fair. It will be held each day from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in school media center. Nancy Badertscher

Fairview student wins poster contest

Arielle Grier, a kindergartener at Fairview Elementary School in Stockbridge, recently won the 2011 Georgia Fire Prevention Week Poster Contest. She will be recognized at the 19th Annual Life, Fire, and Safety Awards Luncheon Oct. 11 at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. Her poster was titled “Protect Your Family From Fire.” Monroe Roark for the AJC

‘Back to the Future’ in East Point Friday

The city of East Point’s Friday Night Flicks series continues Friday with a screening of the classic film, “Back to the Future.” The movie starts at dusk and movie watchers are encouraged to bring folding chairs and blankets. The movie is shown in the Downtown Commons area, across from City Hall. John Thompson for the AJC

Motorcycle ride to benefit Humane Society

The Clayton County Humane Society will hold “Bikers for Barkers2,” a benefit motorcycle ride, on Oct. 15 at Harley-Davidson of Clayton County, 1384 Southlake Pkwy. in Morrow. Registration is at 8 a.m., with the first bike out at 10 a.m. The entry fee is $25. Additional passenger fee is $10. Clayton County Humane Society is a no-kill shelter supported through donations and fundraisers only. For information, call Jim, 770-477-8352 or Maria, 404-630-8515. Mea Watkins

Small Business center offers seminar

The Small Business Development Center will host a “Grow Your Business with Google” seminar on Oct. 12 to help Fayette County business leaders enhance their operations.

The training session will run 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Chamber of Commerce office at 200 Courthouse Square in Fayetteville. The cost is $49 per person, with a 50 percent discount for additional employees.

Space is limited; register at www.georgiasbdc.org or call 770-461-9983. Jill Howard Church for the AJC