County by county news for Thursday

In a surprising move, Commissioners Tim Lee, Helen Goreham and JoAnn Birrell voted against Powell’s service on the committee even though she had been working with the group for two weeks. Birrell and Goreham said they wanted the committee to include citizens not previously involved in the budget process. Powell served as an interim commissioner last year, and has been rumored to be considering challenging Lee next year. Janel Davis

Cobb schools look at charter applications

Cobb County Schools is considering seven charter applications, five from new schools and two from renewing charters -- Imagine International Academy of Mableton and Imagine International Academy of Smyrna. It’s an increase in the number of applicants, up from three last year, according to school officials.

The school board will discuss the applicants at a June work session and vote on the charters June 23. Jaime Sarrio

KSU holds suburban conference on Friday

The 9th Annual Suburban Conference will focus on “Love, Marriage, and Family in the Suburbs” starting at 8:30 a.m. Friday at Kennesaw State University. The keynote speaker is Dr. Elijah Anderson of Yale University. The day-long event is hosted by the Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice.

Information: Mel Fein or Elle Ballard at (770) 423-6739 or email: suburbanconference2011@kennesaw.edu. Rich McKay

‘Conversations’ event at Marietta library today

As part of National Library Week, a history forum, “Coming of Age in Marietta: Conversations with Marietta’s Elite Social Club,” will be today at the Central Library.

The session will include stories from the club of African American women that started more than 50 years ago as a sewing club. The seminar begins at 1 p.m. at the Central Library, 266 Roswell St. in Marietta. Information: visit, http://www.cobbcat.org Janel Davis

Extension offers gardening workshop

The UGA-Cobb Cooperative Extension will hold a “From Your Garden to Your Table” workshop for area residents today. The workshops will include information on planting a vegetable garden, safely storing produce, soil preparation and testing and site selection. The workshop is for beginning and seasoned gardeners and will review the latest food safety procedures. Cost for the workshop is $10 and pre-registration is required. The workshop begins at 6:45 p.m. at the Extension Office, 678 South Cobb Dr. in Marietta.

Information: call, 770-528-4070 Janel Davis

Kids invited to Easter Egg hunt on Saturday

Children are invited to a free egg hunt on Saturday hosted by Cobb Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs staff.

The hunts open at 10 a.m. and will be done by age group through 12:30 p.m. Special needs children will hunt at 11:30 a.m. The activities take place at the Safety Village, 1220 Al Bishop Drive in Marietta. Information: 770-528-8875 Janel Davis

GWINNETT

Property owners renew Gwinnett Place CID

Commercial property owners in Gwinnett Place voted Wednesday to continue the community improvement district for another six years. The district allows commercial property owners to tax themselves to pay for transportation, safety and aesthetic improvements. The Gwinnett Place CID was formed in 2005 in the Pleasant Hill Road area near I-85. Under state law, property owners must vote periodically to renew the district.

Executive Director Joe Allen said Wednesday’s vote ensures the district will continue to play a key role in projects like the new I-85/Pleasant Hill Road interchange. David Wickert

Lilburn gives acting police chief the job

Lilburn looked within its own ranks to find a new police chief, elevating acting chief Bruce Hedley into the role permanently.

Hedley started in his new role Tuesday.

He most recently served as the department’s deputy chief.

Hedley replaces former Police Chief John Davidson, who was fired last month after five years in the position.

City officials have provided no reason for Davidson’s dismissal. Joel Anderson

Duluth police get some help with cameras

The city of Duluth has installed surveillance cameras in several public spaces that police can monitor from the station or their patrol car laptop.

The video management software from Iron Sky allows officers to view cameras installed along Buford Highway, in downtown Duluth, at the Public Works, City Hall and Public Safety buildings, and Bunten Road Park. Iron Sky has worked with other cities to implement similar surveillance systems, including College Park, Hapeville, Decatur, Lilburn, Norcross, Sandy Springs and the Midtown Improvement District in Atlanta. Andria Simmons

Snellville’s Bender says she’ll run for mayor

Snellville city council member Barbara Bender has announced that she will run for mayor. Bender, the city’s Mayor Pro Tem, has served on the council since 2005. In an announcement released Tuesday, Bender said that she has already raised more than $4,000. Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer is serving his second term and is not eligible for re-election because of term limits. Joel Anderson

Plein Air Festival in Buford this weekend

Artists from all across the Southeast will gather in Buford on Friday and Saturday for the fifth-annual Plein Air Festival.

Tannery Row artists will provide breakfast and coffee for the artists on Friday and then host a meet and greet for the artists at the Pizza Pub next to the Tannery. Information: Sabrina Bland at 404-729-1203 or www.tanneryrowartistcolony.com Joel Anderson

Suwanee invites residents on a campout

Suwanee is inviting residents to “The Great American Campout” at Sims Lake Park on April 30. The camping area will open at 6 p.m. Boosterthon representatives will host family games around the lake from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

All campers must register in advance; applications are available at www.suwanee.com. Joel Anderson

NORTHSIDE

Forsyth to end speedy land rezoning process

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners plans to end the process it put in place in January 2010 that made for speedier county-initiated rezoning of land back to A1, or agricultural status. The process was approved to help land owners hit by the downturn in development. At the March 22 work session, Interim Director of Planning and Development Tom Brown told the board approximately 1,000 acres were rezoned agricultural through the expedited process. Commissioners said they intend to end the system in July. Jeffry Scott

Canton set to open off-leash dog park

The City of Canton, in an effort with the Canton Paw Park Association, will open Cherokee County’s first off-leash dog park Saturday at 11 a.m. The group has been raising money and providing labor to prepare the park. It is located at the corner of Juniper and Birch streets one block off Riverstone Boulevard. Information: info@cantonpawpark.com or on the Web see http://cantonpawpark.com/?cat=5 Christopher Quinn

School board meets in work session today

The Fulton County Board of Education is slated to meet today for a work session at the school system’s administrative center, 786 Cleveland Avenue, Atlanta. The meeting begins with an executive session at 12:30 p.m. In the open session that follows, the board will have a building program update and preview of the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. Nancy Badertscher

North Springs school to hold golf tourney

The Athletic Association at Sandy Springs’ North Springs Charter High School hosts the fifth annual Spartan Classic Golf Tournament on April 25 at Indian Hills Country Club, 4001 Clubland Drive, Marietta. Register to play at www.spartanclassic.org or contact tournament chair and NSCHS Athletic Director Tommy Amoroso at Amorosot@fultonschools.org. or call 770.551.2490 ext. 163. Nancy Badertscher

Milton holds open house on improvements

The Milton Public Works Department will hold an open house for public comment on intersection improvements at Hopewell, Francis and Cogburn roads. The intersection was cited in the Milton Comprehensive Transportation Plan as a key improvement for the city, said Sara Leaders, transportation engineer.

The event is from 5 to 7 p.m., April 28 in room 107 G at City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway. Patrick Fox

Sandy Springs Charter group to meet

The City of Sandy Springs Charter Commission will hold future meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 4 p.m.

The meetings will be held at City Hall and are open to the public.

Residents and the public may e-mail members of the Commission with their input and ideas at charter.commission@sandyspringsga.org.

Information: www.sandyspringsga.org or call 770-730-5600.

Joel Anderson

ATLANTA

Kaiser Permanente opens office downtown

Kaiser Permanente patients can now receive medical services in downtown Atlanta.

Today, the company will open its Peachtree Center Medical Office at 225 Peachtree St.

The $2.3 million facility offers adult medicine and dermatology, said Peter Andruszkiewicz, president of Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. The company has 28 facilities in the metro region, officials said. Megan Matteucci

Eatery throws a party for Grady trial team

Midtown eatery MetroFresh will throw a patio party starting at 6 p.m. Friday for Grady High School’s mock trial team, which will compete for a national championship May 4-8 in Phoenix.

MetroFresh owner Mitchell Anderson has pledged to donate 10 percent of the day’s total sales to the team for expenses associated with the trip. The team this year claimed its third consecutive Georgia State Mock Trial Championship. Kristina Torres

Michelle Rhee to host film at Spelman

Michelle Rhee, the former chancellor of Washington D.C. Public Schools and a well-known advocate for education reform, will host a viewing of “Waiting for Superman” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Spelman College’s Sisters Chapel, 350 Spelman Lane. The documentary featuring Rhee looks at public education in America. After the viewing, Rhee will be joined by Spelman President Beverly Daniel Tatum and Atlanta civil rights and education activist Lonnie King in a discussion of the African American achievement gap. Nancy Badertscher

Parents get tips on helping kids learn

Learning Rx of Buckhead will hold its final parent session of the academic year on training the brains of K-12 students for success at school.

The seminar on how to help students boostmemory and learning comprehension will be noon today at the center at 5252 Roswell Road, Suite 100.

Parents interested in attending should make a reservation at 404-252-7246. D. Aileen Dodd

DEKALB

Ex-DeKalb COO up for Clarkston job

Keith Barker, former chief operating officer for DeKalb County is a finalist for the city manager job in Clarkston. Barker was fired in September after admitting to having a sexual relationship with a water department secretary. The county paid him a $100,000 severance.

The other finalists for the Clarkston position are: David Clabo, former Dallas, Ga city manager and Frederick Gardiner, Griffin director of planning and developmen. Michelle Shaw

Five schools to have science assemblies

Cross Keys Foundation will partner with Big Thinkers Science Exploration to sponsor science assemblies the five elementary schools in the Cross Keys High School attendance area. The first event was scheduled for Wednesday at Woodward Elementary, where about 300 fourth and fifth graders will take part in science demonstrations and presentations. Assemblies will be scheduled for Dresden, Montclair, Cary Reynolds and Oakcliff over the next year. Jaime Sarrio

PRISM meeting today in Stone Mountain

Pride Rings In Stone Mountain (PRISM) will host “Taking Back Our Community Part 2: Crime Prevention on Memorial Drive,” at 7 p.m. today. The meeting will be at St. Timothy United Methodist Church, 5365 Memorial Drive. It is free and open to the public. Michelle Shaw

Dunwoody solicits bids on city services

Dunwoody officials are soliciting bids for municipal services including finance, information technology, community development, public works, parks and recreation and public relations.

Contracts for three current service providers will expire in December and proposals are due to the city by May 23. City officials expect to award contracts in July.

Information: www.dunwoodyga.gov. Joel Anderson

Dunwoody forms Explorer Post for teens

Dunwoody will form a new Law and Government Explorer Post for teenagers interested in the “nature and complexity of local government.”

Explorer Recruitment Night will be held at 6 p.m. May 3 at Dunwoody City Hall. Teens should attend with parents.

Information: Edie Damann at edie.damann@dunwoodyga.gov or 678-382-6712. Joel Anderson

Lake Avondale Project to open April 23

Avondale Estates will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of its Lake Avondale Project, April 23, 10:45 a.m., immediately following the city’s Easter Egg hunt. The project features a brand new half-mile cobbled granite and crushed slate trail that surrounds the city’s central eight-acre lake. The project cost $300,000 and will be accessible to runners, bicyclists, walkers, wheelchairs and strollers. Bill Banks for the AJC

Flat Shoals Park renovations complete

The second phase of renovation of Flat Shoals Park in Decatur has been completed. New additions and improvements at the park include a tennis court, playground area, new picnic pavilions, public restrooms, and fitness trail. Michelle Shaw

SOUTHSIDE

Fayette weighs restoring teacher salaries

The Fayette County Board of Education is weighing whether it can afford to restore teacher salaries to their pre-recession level. The Board cut salaries by 4.5 percent in 2009 but voted in January to restore 1.5 percent of that. Figures presented at the April 8 meeting estimate that it would cost $4.038 million to reinstate the remaining 3 percent. The county is projecting an education fund balance of approximately $19 million for this fiscal year but faces some funding loss next year. The Board will make its decision at the April 19 meeting. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

McDonough mayor hosts 3-mile walks

McDonough Mayor Billy Copeland has invited residents to keep fit by hosting three-mile walks throughout April.

The first walk was on Tuesday. Remaining walks are scheduled for every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30 a.m. and every Saturday at 11 a.m.

Information: www.mcdonoughga.org. Megan Matteucci

East Point waives bulk fees for a week

East Point residents can save money while spring cleaning.

The city is waiving fees for bulk waste pickup next week. Residents can leave bulk items such as water heaters, furniture and appliances with regular trash pick-up and the city will dispose of the items for free.

The city usually charges for this service, but is waiving fees April 17-23 as part of Georgia Cities Week. Megan Matteucci

Hapeville Movie Nights start Saturday

The Hapeville Movie Nights series starts this Friday and will run every third Friday through June. The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Hapeville Football Stadium. Friday’s showing is “The Wizard of Oz.” There will be a DJ, concessions by the Hapeville Exchange Club, and an inflatable bounce house. Bring your own seating. John Thompson for the AJC

Locust Grove High students win honors

Three students from Locust Grove High School won first-place honors in the Region 3-AAA Literary Competition: Nathaniel Robinson, boys’ essay; Cindy Rowe, girls’ essay; and Kara Herring, extemporaneous speaking. They were recognized at the April 11 meeting of the Henry County Board of Education. Monroe Roark for the ajc

Henry schools’ new policies up for review

The Henry County Board of Education has released copies of two proposed policies for 30 days of public review as of the April 11 board meeting. One addresses student residency guidelines and the other addresses bullying. Copies are available online at www.henry.k12.ga.us. Monroe Roark for the ajc

County to hand out condoms at barbershops

To raise awareness of HIV and sexually-transmitted diseases, Fulton County’s Health and Wellness Department will distribute informational materials and condom kits for beauty salons and barbershops 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. The shops can give the packets to customers. April is STD Awareness Month. Information: 404-730-1469. Johnny Edwards