County by county news for Thursday

Neil Clark, dean of college counseling and guidance at Walker, recently received the William Starling Award for Mentorship.

The honor is awarded by the Southern Association for College Admissions and Counseling at the group’s annual conference in Washington D.C.

Clark, an employee at Walker since 1993, was named “Director of Guidance of the Year” in 2010 by the Georgia School Counselors Association. D. Aileen Dodd

Austell council to discuss city clean-up

Austell City Council members will hold a specially called committee meeting this morning to discuss better ways to clean up the city.

This meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in the office of Austell Mayor Joe Jerkins at the Austell Threadmill Complex, 5000 Austell-Powder Springs Road, Suite 137. New Austell City Councilwoman Suzanne Thomason called the meeting of the Community Development Committee of which she serves as chairwoman. Thomason has expressed frustration with the city’s lack of code enforcement. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Hillgrove students to perform on Saturday

“Performing for the Dream: An Afternoon of Fine Arts” will be presented Sunday at Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs. Visual and performing arts of the students, a silent auction and refreshments will be offered in the school’s Joseph B. Boland Theater, 4165 Luther Ward Road, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and may be purchased online at hillgrovefoundation.org/HF_perf_for_dream.htm. Information: hillgrovefoundation.org or 678-331-3961. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Kennesaw to host healthy cooking class

The City of Kennesaw is hosting a free “See It, Make It, Eat It” cooking class from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 19, at the Edge Kitchen, 2750 Jiles Road, Kennesaw Commons. Participants will be taught how to prepare healthy foods, including breakfast dishes, main courses, side items, and desserts. Students will cook and eat the food. Details about the program are on the Fit City Kennesaw website: http://www.fitcitykennesaw.com/ Jeffry Scott

Smyrna hospital offers skin cancer class

Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrna is offering a free skin cancer awareness class at 6 p.m. May 8 in the hospital cafeteria, 3949 South Cobb Drive. Featured speaker will be Dr. Heather Gatcombe, a radiation oncologist who will discuss types of skin cancer, treatment options and ways to minimize risk.

RSVP at 770-319-2025. Veronica Fields Johnson

‘May-retta Daze takes off this weekend

This weekend’s arts and crafts festival on the Marietta Square will feature more than 100 local artists whose work includes painting, pottery, wood and metal work, jewelry, fabric and floral designs.

The city’s 36th “May-retta Daze” festival at Glover Park will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

GWINNETT

Hull school musicians go for Guinness Book

Gwinnett County’s Hull Middle School may have made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest string instrumental ensemble. To set a new record, the school on Wednesday had to beat the current record by gathering than 850 musicians. The count late Wednesday was 873, with help from students and staff at Peachtree Ridge High School. Hull Middle is Gwinnett’s largest middle school with 2,309 kids. It has the largest orchestra in the country -- with 1,000 members or about half of all of its students. Nancy Badertscher

Norcross student wins entrepreneur award

Norcross High senior Matthew Schurr has been named the Georgia recipient of the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award, a scholarship that rewards and encourages entrepreneurial talents in high school students. Schurr, who owns Schurr Solutions, a web development and design business, received $1,000 from the National Federation of Independent Business, a non-profit founded in 1943 to represent small and independent businesses. Nancy Badertscher

May sweeps in farmers’ market season

May will not only be bringing flowers this year. Gwinnett residents will find a wide variety of locations to shop for fresh, locally grown produce. Several local farmers’ markets will open in June, but the following open the first week of May:

Berkeley Lake at Lake Berkeley Chapel Thursdays 4 until 7 p.m.; Duluth at corner of Hill Street and Ga. 120 Saturdays 2 to 6 p.m.; Norcross at Thrasher Park Thursdays 4 to 8 p.m.; Suwanee at Town Center Park Tuesdays 4 to 7 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Lilburn Idol singing competition is Monday

The first of three auditions for Lilburn Idol, the city’s version of the hit television singing competition American Idol, is Monday at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Competitions are June 8 and 29 at 7 p.m. at City Park, with the finals there on July 20. Michael Alpert for the AJC

Mall to host book fair for charity

Gwinnett Place Mall is sponsoring a Summer Reading Book Fair from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. May 19 on the Lower Mall Level next to the PacSun, 2100 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth. All books are $1, greetings cards are $.25 and collectibles from $3-$10. All proceeds benefit the American Red Cross and Simon Youth Foundation, a Simon Property Group education and scholarship fund.

Only cash payments will be accepted. Information: 770-476-5160.Veronica Fields Johnson

Buford festival is this weekend

Historic Buford’s annual spring festival is Saturday. Sponsored by the Buford Business Alliance, the event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. includes live performances, arts and crafts vending and a chili cook-off. For information, contact Dannella Burnett at Oakwood Occasions,dannella@oakwoodoccasions.com, 678-677-3858, or visitbuford.com. Michael Alpert for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Assessment notices headed out in Forsyth

Forsyth County property owners should be receiving annual assessment notices within the next week. The Board of Tax Assessors will mail the notices Friday. Chief Appraiser Mary Kirkpatrick said the notices are not bills, but they do contain an estimate of tax obligations based on last year’s tax rates. Property owners wishing to challenge their property value must submit the appeal in writing within 45 days of the notice. Appeal process details can be found on the Tax Assessors Office department page at www.forsythco.com. Information: 770-781-2106. Patrick Fox

Students to compete in media festival

Four students from Fulton County’s Heards Ferry Elementary School -- Mitchell Davidson, Jordan Rosenwasser, Alex Gruenig, and Sasha Cottrell -- will be among those representing Georgia in the International Student Media Festival. The festival, which is set for Nov. 1-3 in Louisville, Ky., is an effort to support teachers and students working together to infuse technology into learning. This is the school’s first time participating in the competition. “The school is proud and thrilled with how well the students have done so far, said Principal Brent McBride. Nancy Badertscher

Court holds courses for the self-representation

For those planning to represent themselves in Fulton County Family Court, the Superior Court’s Family Division will hold three “Family Law Community Days” this month. The division has seen an increase in people representing themselves and wants to give pointers about paperwork requirements and court processes. The court handles divorces and child support cases, among other things.

The first session will be today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the county’s North Service Center, 7741 Roswell Road, N.E., suite 261, Sandy Springs. Others will follow in south Fulton and Atlanta. Johnny Edwards

Cherokee to buy land for new library

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners Tuesday okayed buying 6.14 acres of land for a new branch library in the eastern part of the county. The commission paid $170,000 for the plot at Ga. 20 and Old Mill Road. The 18,000 square-foot facility will be part of the Sequoyah Regional Library System. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

River Eves school receives Capitol flag

River Eves Elementary was chosen to receive a flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

The Roswell school was selected for the honor by U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, officials said. The flag was passed on to the River Eves Education Foundation to sell during the recent spring gala, which raised $42,000. D. Aileen Dodd

Cherokee wins top school district award

The Cherokee County School District has been named a top 10 digital school district for 2011-12 (large population category) by the National School Boards Association and the Center for Digital Education. CCSD was lauded for its online presence and use of technology applications fostering public interaction with school board members, teachers and staff.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

City Council to begin budget talks

The Atlanta City Council will begin deliberations on the proposed 2013 city budget on today from 9 a.m. until noon. The meeting to discuss the city’s fiscal condition is scheduled to be held in the Council Chamber, Atlanta City Hall, 55 Trinity Avenue.

The proposed budget, with spending totaling $539.8 million, does not include a property tax increase for the coming fiscal year. The budget is scheduled to be adopted by the City Council on June 14. Jeremiah McWilliams

APS teacher resigns before hearing

Atlanta Public Schools educator Sedric Scott, who is accused of cheating in a state cheating investigation, resigned Friday after school officials took steps to fire him. Scott, a math coach at M.A. Jones Elementary, was scheduled to have a hearing to contest his firing Tuesday. Investigators said Scott originally denied cheating, but after failing a polygraph confessed to changing student answers. Scott could not be reached for comment. Jaime Sarrio

State parole board has new chairman

The former commissioner of Georgia’s juvenile justice system has been elected to become the new chairman of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.

The five-member board recently elected Albert Murray to become chairman on July 1. “It is with great honor that I accept this leadership role and I am humbled by the board’s vote of confidence,” said Murray, who will succeed Chairman James Donald. The board also elected former state legislator Terry Barnard to be its vice chair. Bill Rankin

Grady’s mock trial team ready to run

Grady High School’s mock trial team will compete this week in the 29th Annual National High School Mock Trial Championship to be held in Albuquerque, N.M. Grady’s mock trial team earned the right to compete in the national championship, held Friday and Saturday, by winning the 2012 Georgia title. Bill Rankin

DEKALB

Schapiro named dean of Emory law school

Constitutional law professor Robert Schapiro has been named dean of Emory University School of Law, effective May 3, the school said.

Schapiro, a member of the school’s faculty since 1995, served as interim law school dean during the past academic year and previously served as associate vice provost for academic affairs at Emory University.

Schapiro also once served as a clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. Bill Rankin

Emory provost to lead Mellon Foundation

Emory University Provost Earl Lewis is leaving to become president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, college officials announced Wednesday.

The foundation, which is based in New York City, is known for supporting libraries, museums, higher education, performing arts and conservation efforts.

Lewis is scheduled to begin in March and will remain at Emory through the end of December.

He has been Emory’s provost since 2004 and previously worked at the University of Michigan.  Laura Diamond

Community health centers to receive grants

Community health centers in Georgia will receive more than $11.1 million in federal grants as part of the health care law to help serve roughly 8,500 new patients.

Nationwide, centers will receive more than $728 million for renovation and construction projects -- part of a larger, $9.5 billion effort to expand services over five years.

The health law has already spurred the construction and renovation of 190 health centers and the creation of 67 new facilities nationally.

In Georgia, centers in Atlanta, Stone Mountain, Augusta, Albany and Savannah received grants. Misty Williams

Bluegrass group opens Concert on the Square

Decatur’s Concert on the Square opens this Saturday with the bluegrass group, High Strung String Band. Other Saturday concerts are May 12 (TBA), May 19 with Tom Hill and The Midnight Suns (Oldies and R&B covers) and May 26 with Uptown Entertainment Band (Party and Dance covers). All concerts are free, 7 to 9 p.m. on the south lawn of the Historic DeKalb Courthouse.

Concert in the Square dates to March, 1982 (the first concert drew only 30 spectators), when the early bands, including the Indigo Girls, played for free. Bill Banks for the AJC

Be Someone Day is Saturday

The 10th Annual Be Someone Day, dedicated to Trayvon Martin, will be 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at 949 Stephenson Road, Stone Mountain. Martin was fatally shot last February in Sanford, Fla.

Focus is on young African-American males who are at risk of violence or making poor choices.

The open house will give insight with success stories on how the nonprofit organization’s program has transformed lives through chess. The free event will have entertainment.

Information: www.besomeone.org or Orrin Hudson 770-465-6445.

Kenneth Musisi

SOUTHSIDE

County wants deeper cost details on jail locks

Fulton County leaders refused to be rushed Wednesday into borrowing another $6.4 million to replace the jail’s cell door locks, a figure based on a rough estimate by the sheriff’s’ office. The minimum-security locks, which many inmates know how to pick, are among the lingering issues preventing the county from shaking off federal jail oversight. The county manager suggested extending a $54 million loan, which funded other required jail upgrades, then putting lock replacement out for bid. The commission voted to get a more solid cost estimate first. Johnny Edwards

Fulton names principal of the year

Dan Sims of Tri-Cities High School has been named as Fulton County Schools’ first Principal of the Year.

Sims was selected from nearly 100 administrators for the honor.

He began his career as a math teacher in 1995 and later became administrative assistant/dean of students, at Tri-Cities High School. He served as principal of Paul D. West Middle School before returning to Tri-Cities High as its principal in 2010.

Sims has a master’s degree in educational leadership and is pursuing a doctorate. D. Aileen Dodd

Fayette schools asks for public input

Parents, teachers, administrators and residents are being asked to complete a needs assessment survey for the Fayette County Public School System.

The survey, available online until May 23, seeks opinions and comments about the curriculum, the rigors of the program, technology use, leadership, communication and school services.

Links to the survey are at www.fcboe.org and on individual school websites.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Tri-Cities run set for Saturday

The third annual Tri-Cities 10k Certified Run & 5k Run/Walk is set for Saturday at 8 a.m. This race loops through East Point, College Park and Hapeville. Contact tricitiesrun@yahoo.com for information. John Thompson for the AJC

Taste of East Point this weekend

Enjoy food, art and music in the south metro area this weekend. Come out and celebrate Cinco de Mayo in downtown East Point from 4-9 p.m. Saturday with fabulous food, art, Flamenco dancing in the streets, margaritas and more.

Visit www.downtowneastpoint.com/tasteofeastpoint for information. John Thompson for the AJC

Reduced fees to adopt pets this weekend

To commemorate National Pet Adoption Weekend , the PetSmart store in Peachtree City is expanding its hours and reducing fees to help find homes for cats and dogs.

Volunteers will be on site with animals Friday 3-7 p.m., Saturday noon-4 p.m. and Sunday 12:30-4:30 p.m.

Adoption fees will be reduced for all black kittens, cats, puppies and dogs, since black animals are disproportionately passed over in shelters. Jill Howard Church for the AJC