County by county news for Thursday

DAF Concrete, Inc. of Marietta was awarded the bid Monday by the Austell City Council.

Funding will come from the special purpose local option sales tax or SPLOST. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Powder Springs officials plan retreat

Powder Springs elected officials plan to meet at the state-owned Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris March 12-14 for their annual planning retreat.

The retreat will last Wednesday through Friday afternoons and also include City Manager Brad Hulsey, City Clerk Dawn Davis and a facilitator from the Carl Vinson Institute of Government from The University of Georgia. Information: brasstownvalley.com, cviog.uga.edu.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Marietta finishing downtown tree project

Marietta plans to finish a $220,000 SPLOST project by the end of March to add shade trees on both sides of Church Street near the Marietta Square. The project between Polk and Mill Streets also included widening the west sidewalk. The next project that will add 12 trees along Powder Springs Street between Whitlock Avenue and Waverly Way is expected to be completed by the end of April.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Smyrna offers citizens fire academy

Smyrna is accepting applications for a citizens fire academy that will offer a behind the scenes look at fire and emergency services in the city. The nine-week program will be 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Thursdays starting March 27. Smyrna has five fire stations including headquarters at 2620 Atlanta Road. Information Tommy Bates at tbates@smyrnaga.gov.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Powder Springs youth parade Saturday

The annual opening day parade for Powder Springs Youth Baseball will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday from the First Baptist Church of Powder Springs, 4330 North Ave. at Marietta Street to Powder Springs Park, 3899 Brownsville Road next to the railroad tracks. Police will close both streets along the parade route.

Information: psyb.teamopolis.com.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Consignment sale for children next week

The Twice Blessed Children’s Consignment Sale will be 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. March 13, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 14 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 15 at McEachern Memorial United Methodist Church, 4075 Macland Road, Powder Springs.

Many items will be sold for half off on March 15.

Proceeds will support children’s ministries of the church.

Information: 770-943-3008 ext. 1212, email info@twice-blessed.org or visit twice-blessed.org.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GWINNETT

Workshop program for gifted students Sunday

The Gwinnett Alliance for Gifted Education will hold its Spring consortium at 8:30 a.m. Sunday at Mason Elementary School, 3030 Bunten Road, Duluth.

Sessions will be offered on reading, writing, games, Internet safety, robotics demonstrations and more. Norman “Storm” Robinson of Georgia Tech’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing, will be the keynote speaker.

The cost is free for alliance members, $20 per family.

Kent A. Miles for the AJC

New lighting system for Collins Hill Park

The sports field lights at Collins Hill Park in Lawrenceville soon will be controlled by wireless signals sent from authorized users’ computers or cell phones. The Collins Hill Youth Athletic Association will pay the estimated $17,000 cost, which includes a warranty and service fees, over the next 10 years. Gwinnett County commissioners approved the arrangement on Tuesday. . Molly Bloom

Movers & Makers winners announced

Partnership Gwinnett, along with 300 business, community and industry leaders, will gather for the 3rd Annual Partnership Gwinnett Movers & Makers Awards presented by Jackson EMC 7:30 to 11 a.m. Thursday, at Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta, 1775 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth. Information: www.partnershipgwinnett.com/movers-makers-awards. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

AKESOgen awarded Veterans contract

AKESOgen, a biomarker profiling and genomics services company has been awarded a $7.5 million contract for genotyping of veteran samples as part of the Million Veteran Program through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The award encompasses the genotyping of 105,000 veterans in the first year of a five-year contract. The goal is to improve healthcare for veterans. Information: www.akesogen.com or www.gwinnetteconomicdevelopment.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Volunteer Gwinnett reaches 1 million hours

In their efforts to reach 1 million volunteer hours by 2015, Volunteer Gwinnett set an incremental goal of 725,000 hours for 2013. Volunteers exceeded the target two years ahead of schedule with a total 1,025,925 hours last year. Information: www.volunteergwinnett.net. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Police Department to host job fair

The Gwinnett County Police Department will host a job fair for police officer and E-911 communicationsofficer 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 15 at the Gwinnett County Police Training Center, 854 Winder Highway, Lawrenceville.

Applicants are encouraged to apply online before attending the fair at www.gwinnettpolicejobs.com. Candidates unable to attend the job fair, are still encouraged to apply online. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Court disbars Alpharetta lawyer

The Georgia Supreme Court has disbarred Alpharetta attorney Leah Rochelle Brown from practicing law.

Brown, who was admitted to the bar in 1988, agreed to represent four different clients in domestic relations cases and was paid attorney’s fees, the court’s opinion said. However, in each case, she failed to adequately communicate with her client and completely abandoned the matter, the court said.

Bill Rankin

Alpharetta aiming for business recognition

Alpharetta wants to recognize its top businesses. Companies within the city who got a significant award, accolade or recognition in 2013 should send information to the city as part of Alpharetta’s second annual Business Awards Breakfast. The deadline for submissions is March 18. Information: sabdullahi@alpharetta.ga.us Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Manager search to name finalists

The committee searching for a new Canton city manager could announce a finalist list as soon as next week. The group consisting has interviewed five candidates, out of around 40 applications, and plans two additional interviews this week. Once the list is announced, the council can consider candidates after a 14-day waiting period. Former manager Scott Wood resigned shortly after the first of the year. City Council member Glen Cummins has been serving as interim city manager. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Forsyth seeks input on new superintendent

The Forsyth County Board of Education wants public input to replace retiring superintendent L.C. “Buster” Evans. School officials have set up an online survey at www.forsyth.k12.ga.us. Community input meeting is 6 p.m. March 13 at the Board of Education/ Professional Development Center, 1120 Dahlonega Highway, Cumming. Evans retires June 30 to join the Georgia Department of Corrections as assistant eudcation commissioner. . Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Forsyth church offers services to needy

North Lanier Baptist Church, 829 Atlanta Highway, Cumming is offering “3 Days of Hope,” a service project providing free services to those in need March 20-22. Included are medical and vision screenings, oil changes and emissions testing and haircuts and manicures. Information: 3daysofhope.us

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Sandy Springs picks architect for civic building

Sandy Springs officials have picked Atlanta-based Rosser International Inc. as the architect to lead the design process for the civic facility portion of the Sandy Springs City Center development project. City spokeswoman Sharon Kraun says plans are for the civic building, to be located on Roswell Road near Mt. Vernon Highway, to contain city offices and council chambers as well as performing arts and meeting space. Officials also picked Johnson Consulting to explore various multiple uses. The City Council is scheduled to pick a master developer for the overall project in mid-summer. Mark Woolsey

ATLANTA

Lawyers withdraw from ‘water wars’ case

Atlanta lawyers Bruce Brown and Todd Silliman, who represented Georgia in the contentious tri-state “water wars” litigation for almost 15 years, are withdrawing from the case.

Silliman, a partner with McKenna Long & Aldridge, and Brown, a private attorney, were part of the legal team that obtained a momentous ruling in 2011 from the federal appeals court that said metro Atlanta could tap into Lake Lanier. The two attorneys also represented the state in numerous other matters involving the water dispute. They said they will continue representing Georgia through the transition of the legal representation to another firm. Bill Rankin

Lawyer disbarred for failing clients

The Georgia Supreme Court has accepted Atlanta lawyer Eric Jerome Carter’s petition to voluntarily surrender his license to practice law, which is tantamount to disbarment.

Carter had three pending disciplinary matters. One included his being appointed to represent defendants in post-conviction cases and failing to take the necessary steps to proceed with their appeals.

He also acknowledged failing to properly represent a family involving personal injury claims arising from an automobile accident. Bill Rankin

Tech named a top engineering school

U.S. News and World Report has named Georgia Tech one of the top 10 engineering schools in the country.

U.S. News surveys more than 1,300 graduate schools and programs and ranks them according to it methodology. For the engineering ranking, U.S. News surveyed 212 schools granting doctoral degrees in engineering. Also included in the top engineering schools is California Institute of Technology, Stanford University and the University of Texas at Austin’s Cockrell engineering school.

The actual ranking and score of the graduate schools will be available March 11 at www.usnews.com. Janel Davis

DEKALB

Brookhaven to begin road work

Brookhaven will begin $2 million worth of road paving and resurfacing this spring.

An evaluation of all city roads last year graded the streets based on conditions such as potholes and cracks. A final list of streets in line for repairs, which tentatively include major thoroughfares such as Ashford Dunwoody Road, will be discussed by City Council this month. Work is slated to begin in late spring.

April Hunt

Run for Kenya 5K in Stone Mountain

The Mwangaza Children’s Foundation will hold the Run for Kenya 5K on April 5 at Yellow River Park in Stone Mountain. Registration is $25 in advance and $30 on race day. The foundation asks that participants register by March 18. Race proceeds will benefit the foundation’s work with orphans in Kenya. Information: www.mwangazachildren.org

Molly Bloom

Free movies coming to Clarkston

Clarkston’s K.D. Moore Community Development Center on Church Street will host free movies once a month through June.

The first showing will be “Yogi Bear” on Friday. Upcoming movies, held on the first Friday of each month, will be “The Blind Side” on April 4, “The Smurfs” on May 2 and “Monsters University” on June 6.

Information: 404-292-5686.

April Hunt

Emory lecture on God, international relations

Miguel Diaz, the former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican will discuss “Though Hispanic Eyes: God, International Relations and the Common Good,” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Emory University in the Claudia Nance Rollins Building Auditorium, 401 Rollins Way. Miguel Diaz, who was born in Cuba, is the first Latino to serve in that post.His lecture, titled “Though Hispanic Eyes, God, International Relations and the Human Good,” will explore how religion can contribute to the development of human rights.

Free. Tickets are currently sold out, but to be added to the waiting list, email Beverly Osterbur at baoster@emory.edu.

Shelia M. Poole

Benefit for Dunwoody Nature Center returns

Monarchs and Margaritas, the biggest yearly fund-raiser for the Dunwoody Nature Center, will be held March 29 at the South Terraces Atrium.

Tickets are $100 and include live entertainment and catered food and desserts.

Information/tickets: www.monarchsandmargaritas.org.

April Hunt

Applications open for youth commissioners

DeKalb County is accepting applications from young adults who want to serve on its Youth Commission.

The commission runs similarly to the county’s Board of Commissioners, laying out its own agenda for issues of concern to younger residents.

Application deadline is March 21. More information: www.dekalbcountyga.gov.

April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Woman gets prison time for Medicaid fraud

Catherine Pinkard, who operated Metro Atlanta Counseling Services, submitted numerous false Medicaid claims for services that were not provided, documented or authorized. From October 2007 to January 2012, Pinkard was enrolled in the Georgia Medicaid program as a provider of child adolescent counseling services and in-home mental health counseling. She received more than $214,000 in payments she was not entitled to receive. She is headed to prison for 10 years after being convicted of Medicaid fraud and theft by taking. Bill Rankin

Sheriff gets life-saving equipment

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office has acquired 120 Automatic Electronic Defibrillators for its deputies’ vehicles. The AEDs were purchased with proceeds from federally-seized drug funds. No tax money was used. An AED is a medical device that analyzes the heart’s rhythm and, if needed, delivers an electrical shock known as defibrillation. Sheriff’s deputies are in contact with hundreds of people each day, which places them at a greater likelihood of encountering a heart attack victim.

Tammy Joyner

Commissioner Holmes hosts town hall

Henry County Commissioner Bruce Holmes will hold his monthly Town Hall meeting on March 22 at 9 a.m. at the Fairview Recreation Center. This month’s meeting, which is open to the public, will focus property taxes and assessments. Guest speakers include Charlie Reddoch, chief appraiser with the county assessor’s office and commissioner David Curry. The rec center is at 35 Austin Rd. in Stockbridge.

Tammy Joyner

Caribbean group to host dinner, dance

The Caribbean-American Advancement Foundation is hosting its first annual dinner and dance March 22 at the Riverdale Centre for Innovation (the former Riverdale Elementary School), 6630 Camp St. NE in Riverdale. Proceeds from the event will go to the organization’s development fund. The event is cosmopolitan attire. Tickets are $35. Reservations are required. Details: call Courtney McFarlane at 678 313-4831. To RSVP: rsvp@c-aaf.org .

Tammy Joyner

Seniors can get smartphone tips

Fayette Senior Services is offering free individual smartphone tutoring 11 a.m.-1 p.m. March 13 at the Life Enrichment Center, 4 Center Drive in Fayetteville. A representative from AT&T will hold 15-minute instruction sessions regardless of what type of cellphone or carrier you have; call 770-461-0813 for reservations.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Law enforcement softball league forming

Union City is seeking law enforcement agencies and municipalities to join a softball league for games to be played in the South metro area. The league needs at least eight teams would start in mid-April. Estimated costs are $275 per team. Information: Lee Blitch, 770-853-9345.

Arlinda Smith Broady