COBB
Powder Springs to hold tax hearings
Powder Springs property owners may pay increased property taxes by 5.56 percent.
The proposed tax increase for a house with a fair market value of $100,000 is about $17 and nearly $27 for a $150,000 house.
Public hearings will be 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. July 16 in the second floor conference room, Powder Springs City Hall, 4484 Marietta St. and 7 p.m. July 21 in the Council Chambers, 4488 Pineview Drive.
Information: cityofpowdersprings.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=273. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Powder Springs plans renovation
Powder Springs seeks bids for the demolition, modification and renovation of the Council Chamber. A pre-proposal meeting is 11 a.m. July 16 at City Hall, 4484 Marietta St.
Proposals must be submitted before 10 a.m. July 30, also to City Hall. They will be publicly opened and read aloud.
Contact: Croy Engineering LLC, the program manager, at 770-971-5407 or tsirmans@croyengineering.com.
Information: cityofpowdersprings.org/index.aspx?NID=507, cityofpowdersprings.org/DocumentCenter/View/2528.
Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Marietta council appoints board
The Marietta City Council has appointed Kent Rosenbury to represent Ward 1 on the city planning commission for a two-year term and Susan Connor to the ethics committee for a two-year term. The planning commission reviews and recommends zoning matters to the council and the ethics committee handles complaints against elected officials. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Chamber monthly breakfast Monday
The monthly Cobb Chamber of Commerce breakfast will be 7:30 to 9 a.m. Monday at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta.
Eddie Capel, president and chief executive officer of Manhattan Associates, will discuss how his company develops a competitive advantage in an ever-changing supply chain industry.
Costs: members, $40 at door; general admission, $60.
Information: cobbchamber.org/events/First-Monday-Breakfast-4749/details.
Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Skiing championships on Lake Acworth
Skiers from around Georgia will compete in the 2014 Georgia State Water Ski Championships starting 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at Cauble Park, 4425 Beach St.,Lake Acworth. The Atlanta Water Ski Club will host the event featuring slalom, trick and jump skiing for juniors to adults. Information: www.georgiawaterskifederation.org. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Kennesaw race to remember Faith Cline
A 5K race in Kennesaw Saturday will benefit the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children. The 1-mile fun run and 5K Faith Cline Elf Trot, named in memory of the Kennesaw Mountain High School student who died of a brain tumor in 2010, will start 8 a.m. at Kennesaw First Baptist, 2598 N. Main Street. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m.
Information: www.elftrot.com.
Tucker McQueen for the AJC
GWINNETT
Peachtree Corners mayor to meet with CID
Peachtree Corners Mayor Mike Mason will be guest speaker at the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District’s monthly board meeting 7:30 a.m. Thursday, July 10, 5855 Jimmy Carter Boulevard in Norcross. The meeting will cover the 2014 SPLOST sidewalk agreement with the county, changes to employee healthcare coverage and the proposed unchanged millage rate.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Peachtree Corners ZIP codes recognized
The US Postal Service will now recognize 30092 as Peachtree Corners. For residents whose zip code is 30092 but live in Norcross, they will have the option to select Norcross when completing information online. For residents with 30096, 30097 and 30071 zip codes, there will now be an option to select Peachtree Corners. Information: www.peachtreecornersga.gov.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Class to help protect you from scams
The Gwinnett Cooperative Extension Service will hold a free ‘Fraud Smart: Protect yourself from scams’ seminar 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Five Forks Library, 2780 Five Forks-Trickum Road in Lawrenceville. The class will provide information to help recognize common tricks that cheat even those who think it could never happen to them. No pre-registration required. Information: france.hernandez@gwinnettcounty.com or 678-377-4010.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Peachtree Corners to host state of the city
The Peachtree Corners Business Association will host Mayor Mike Mason and the City Council at a State of the City Address 7:30 to 9 a.m. July 21 at Atlanta Marriott Norcross, 475 Technology Parkway, Peachtree Corners.
Reservations: www. peachtreecornersba.com.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Briscoe Park offering swim lessons
Gwinnett Parks & Recreation is accepting registrations for 30-minute swim lessons through Aug. 7. All classes meet eight times over a two-week period.
Class times based on participants’ level. Register in person 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, or 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at T. W. Briscoe Park, 2500 Sawyer Parkway in Snellville.
Information: www.tinyurl.com/swimbriscoe or 770-985-3535.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Suwanee PlayTown celebrates 10 years
Suwanee residents are invited to celebrate the 10th birthday of PlayTown, the community’s super playground, 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, July 19 with balloons, a DJ, clown, face painting, and, of course, birthday cake. Young residents will be invited to create a hand-painted tile, similar to those created 10 years ago for the playground. The new tiles will fill in available spaces among the tiles that still exist from 10 years ago. Information: www.suwanee.com.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
NORTHSIDE
Forsyth sheriff acquires defibrillator devices
Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office deputies have finished extra training with some newly-acquired lifesaving equipment. Officials recently bought 20 automated external defibrillators with $22,000 in drug seizure money. The heart-shocking devices have been distributed to patrol, community enforcement and marine patrol units. The sheriff’s office says frequently, deputies are first on the scene on medical calls, including cardiac arrhythmia cases, and can potentially save lives.
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Canton council race draws first entrant
An election to fill a vacant Canton City Council seat has drawn one entrant. Businessman and civic activist Farris Yawn announced on his Facebook page he’ll run to fill Glen Cummins’ unexpired term. Cummins resigned his Ward III seat last week after being appointed Canton’s city manager. The City Council will be asked July 17 to schedule a November 4 special election to fill the rest of the term, which runs until January of 2016. Mark Woolsey
UNG picks health dean
The University of North Georgia has picked Dr. Teresa Conner-Kerr as the dean of the school’s College of Health Sciences and Professions, effective Aug. 1. The department was created last year when Gainesville State College and North Georgia College and State University consolidated. Mark WOolsey
Teen shelter finishes fundraising campaign
A Forsyth county shelter for abused, neglected and troubled teenaged girls has successfully finished a fundraising drive to help build and furnish an addition adjacent to their current facility. Officials with Jesse’s House say they reached the $100,000 goal ahead of their June 30 deadline. Move-in is set for this November. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Agency seeks ChatComm comment
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. will accept comments from residents of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Johns Creek on July 21 as part of the Chattahoochee River 911 Authority’s accreditation.
The authority, known as ChatComm, is a public-private partnership that provides emergency call services in the three communities.
Call 404-843-6615 from 1 to 3 p.m..Written comments may be sent to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Inc., 13575 Heathcote Blvd. Suite 320, Gainesville, Va. 20155; or emailed to calea@calea.org.
Information: www.calea.org
Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Sandy Springs sets dates for tax hearings
Sandy Springs officials will hold public hearings on the city’s proposed millage rate 6 p.m. July 15 at City Hall council chambers, 7840 Roswell Road. The city’s $200 million 2015 budget requires an unchanged millage rate of 4.73, but officials say the rate will reflect as slightly more than 1 percent higher than the rollback, or revenue-neutral tax rate, due to a jump in property values. Additional hearings are set for 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Aug. 5. Mark Woolsey
ATLANTA
Battle of Peachtree Creek July 19
The Atlanta History Center will mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Peachtree Creek 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and with Civil War after Dark 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. July 19 at the center, 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW.
Guests may visit the farmhouse and kitchen at the 1860s Smith Family Farm to hear how Atlanta women and children dealt with shortages and other war-related hardships and hear stories from soldiers as they make preparations for this pivotal Civil War battle.
Costs: $16.50, adults; $13, seniors 65+ and students 13-18/college students with a valid ID; $11, ages 4-12; free, members and children under 4. Information: atlantahistorycenter.com/program/battle-peachtree-creek, atlantahistorycenter.com/visit/event/504.Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Library celebrates battle anniversary
A special program commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War’s Battle of Atlanta will take place at noon July 22 at the Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library’s Central branch, One Margaret Mitchell Square.
Local historians Henry Bryant and Katina Van Cronkhite, co-authors of the book “East Atlanta” that refers in part to the pivotal 1864 battle, will be the featured participants. The library is hosting the program through a Civil War 150 grant it received from the Gilder-Lehrman Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Information: www.afpls.org or 404-730-1896. Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Korean War anniversary observance this month
A ceremony commemorating the 64th anniversary of the Korean War and honoring the state’s veterans of that conflict will take place at 10:30 a.m. July 25 at the State Capitol, 206 Washington St., Atlanta.
A wreath-placing ceremony on the west staircase will be followed by remarks from Consul General He Beom Kim of the Korean consulate in Atlanta, state adjutant general Major Gen. James Butterworth, and other guests.
Kent A. Miles for the AJC
DEKALB
Parkwoods enters city as historic district
When the Parkwoods neighborhood is officially annexed into Decatur Aug. 1, it enters as a Local Historic District. The neighborhood has 75 homes on 35.2 acres, with 62 of those parcels getting included in the district. Among other things, if homes are deemed “historic,” they can’t be demolished and any exterior changes require approval from the city’s Historic Preservation Commission. Bill Banks for the AJC
Early voting well underway in DeKalb
Nearly 3,000 DeKalb County voters cast ballots during the first six days of early voting for the July 22 runoff election.
In-person early voting will be held through July 18 at the county elections office at 4380 Memorial Drive.
The election will feature races for U.S. Senate, DeKalb County sheriff, state schools superintendent and DeKalb County Board of Education.
Sample ballots are available at www.dekalbvotes.com under “Current Election Information.” Mark Niesse
Help give Chapel Hill Elementary a makeover
Chapel Hill Elementary School is looking for volunteers to help give it a makeover.
Georgia United Credit Union chose Chapel Hill from among 752 nominations for its School Crashers makeover, which brings community volunteers together to improve the school.
They now need volunteers to help paint and landscape, or donate supplies such as paint and plants, or money for extra school improvements.
The event is scheduled for July 25-26. Information: http://georgiaunitedcu.org and click on “school crashers”Emily Farlow
‘Doctor’s Bag’ event for kids, parents
“What’s in a Doctor’s Bag,” a free presentation for children and their parents about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, will take place at 10 a.m. July 26 at the Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore St.
Dr. Neil Shulman, an author, associate professor at Emory University’s school of medicine, and associate producer of the 1991 comedy based on one of his books, “Doc Hollywood”, is the featured presenter at this family-focused event.
Information: www.ourseedstomorrow.org or 470-257-2600. Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Ethics training for board members
An ethics training session for members of Dunwoody boards, commissions and committees will take place at 3 p.m. Monday in council chambers at City Hall, 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 103.
Information: www.dunwoodyga.gov
Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Debate over DeKalb YMCA continues
A decision on whether DeKalb County should buy the South DeKalb YMCA for $5 million has been deferred until at least Aug. 12.
The DeKalb Commission lacked four votes needed to take action during its June 24 meeting.
Under the proposal, the $5 million in county green space money would pay for YMCA renovations and expansions, and the YMCA would continue operating the facility and charging membership fees.
Mark Niesse
SOUTHSIDE
Florida women injured in Henry County crash
Two Florida women were seriously injured early Wednesday in a wreck that jammed I-75 in Henry County during the early stages of the morning commute. The single-vehicle crash happened just before 4 a.m. on I-75 northbound just before Jodeco Road.
The woman driving a 2002 Jeep Liberty possibly fell asleep before losing control of the Jeep, hitting the center guard rail and overturning. The driver was ejected, police said. Her passenger remained in the vehicle, but both women were taken to Atlanta Medical Center with serious injuries. Mike Morris
Hapeville seeking input on arts district plan
The city of Hapeville is seeking community input on the possible establishment of a so-called arts district overlay. Planner Bill Johnston says the district would create a new set of standards in addition to existing zoning aimed at encouraging art studios and housing in the downtown area and nearby commercial corridors.
He says the city council is expected to consider a draft ordinance on the matter later this year.
Input will be accepted until the end of July at Hapeville.org or spi_llc@bellsouth.net
Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Spring Hill gets pre-k program
Spring Hill Elementary School in Fayetteville has been awarded a lottery-funded pre-kindergarten program for 2014-15.
Registration for the selection lottery will be held during school hours until July 25. Residency information and the child’s birth certificate must be presented.
Information: 770-460-3990, ext. 121. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Author inspects life of Holmes creator
Author and professor Elliot Engel will be “Detecting Sir Arthur Conan Doyle” at 7 p.m. Saturday at City Hall in Peachtree City. Presented by Friends of the Peachtree City Library, Engel’s talk will focus on the life of Sherlock Holmes’ creator.
Admission is free.
Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Junior tennis tourney in College Park
The Burdett Tennis Center is hosting the Ernie Peterson Jr. Open Satellite, a United States Tennis Association-sanctioned tournament for junior players, SaturdayJuly 12 and SundayJuly 13 at 5975 Old Carriage Drive SW, College Park.
The tournament begins at 8 a.m. both days and will feature players ages 8 to 18 in singles competition.
Information: 770-996-9145.
Kent A. Miles for the AJC
Mental health focus of awareness fair
Mental Health in the African American Community Inc. will hold its first Mental Health Fair at 11 a.m. Saturday at Club E, 3707 Main St., College Park.
The event will draw mental health professionals, community groups and workshop facilitators who will conduct mental health screenings, provide information and educate the public about mental illness and the services available to those affected by it.
Information: 770-873-4496.
Kent A. Miles for the AJC
