County by county news for Tuesday

These students were among 1,000 selected nationally to receive the scholarships:

Daneilia Dwyer, Pebblebrook High School; Ciera Echols, Marietta High School; Brianna Moses and Krupa Patel, South Cobb High School and Safia Siddiqui, Campbell High School.

Angela Tuck

Mableton Elementary wins Panasonic Award

Cobb County’s Mableton Elementary School has been awarded the 2011 Panasonic National School Change Award.

Only six schools across the county earned this honor, which recognizes schools that have significantly changed beliefs, instructional practices and student achievement. Mableton is only one of three Georgia schools to ever receive the award, according to school officials. Jaime Sarrio

80 at Learning Center complete requirements

Nearly 80 students from the Cobb Performance Learning Center were recognized May 12 for completing requirements for graduation this year. Students were also recognized for demonstrating academic progress in specific subjects, exceptional public service, positive attitudes and high attendance. In partnership with Communities In Schools, the center provides academic and social support for students who are not succeeding in a traditional high school setting. Jaime Sarrio

Company’s workers to help with fence

Employees of Hardin Construction Company, LLC will participate in a community service project repairing the perimeter fencing on Tuesday at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Along with the fencing work, the service project will also include gardening work. The community service project begins at 10 a.m. at the nature center, 9135 Willeo Road in Roswell. Janel Davis

Newcomers Club to install new officers today

The Newcomers Club of Cobb County will hold its annual installation luncheon today to swear in the organization’s new board members.

The women’s social club was founded in 1974 to facilitate new friendships and activities among women who are new county residents, new retirees and empty nesters. The installation begins at 11:30 a.m. at Olde Towne Athletic Club, 4950 Olde Towne Pkwy. in Marietta.

Information: visit, http://newcomersofcobbcounty.com Janel Davis

Smyrna expands community gardens

Smyrna’s community garden at North Cooper Lake Park has proved so popular, volunteers are adding 37 plots for a total of 96. Keep Smyrna Beautiful Director Ann Kirk said the extra space will take care of a waiting list of residents wanting a place to grow their veggies. Kirk said funding for the garden came from $4,000 in garden lease fees and donations. The 52-acre park on North Cooper Lake Road opened in September. The park was funded by a $22 million parks bond. Tucker McQueen

GWINNETT

Loganville man goes on trial in drug-deal killing

A Loganville man will stand trial for murder in Gwinnett County this week in connection with a drug deal gone awry.

Jury selection began Monday in the trial for Omar Falay, charged with murder, aggravated assault and armed robbery. Zachary Bivens and Francelis Dorce were charged as co-defendants. Dorce is expected to testify for the prosecution.

Robert Christopher Morales, 27, of Loganville, was killed Dec. 23, 2008, after he and another man allegedly drove to Grayson to meet two men for a drug deal. Shots were fired in the car, killing Morales and injuring Falay. Andria Simmons

School calendar reflects furlough days

Gwinnett Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks discussed revisions to the new school calendar for 2011-12 at a recent board meeting. The calendar now reflects furlough days for teachers and other school personnel on October 10 and March 12. Twelve-month employees will be furloughed on December 19 and 20. D. Aileen Dodd

Brown bag concert at courthouse June 3

Gwinnett County will host a free brown bag concert from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 3 at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse, 185 Crogan St., Lawrenceville. Havana Son will perform at the first of a series of concerts. The event also will feature crafts, face painting and other festivities for children. Vendors interested in participating should call 770-822-5450. David Wickert

County to honor fallen soldiers May 30

Gwinnett County will honor active duty military personnel, reservists and veterans at 1 p.m. May 30 at the Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville. The Memorial Day ceremony also will be televised at 7:30 p.m. May 30 on TV Gwinnett and will be available for viewing on demand at www.gwinnettcounty.com. David Wickert

Dacula library branch cited as a model

The Library Journal has named Gwinnett County’s Hamilton Mill branch in Dacula a model for future libraries nationwide. The journal’s New Landmark Libraries project honors groundbreaking library buildings. The Hamilton Mill branch is one of 10 libraries nationwide to receive the honor.

It’s the latest in a series of awards for the Hamilton Mill branch, which was designed to be environmentally sustainable. It also has been honored by the Green Building Certification Institute and the Georgia chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. David Wickert

Snellville offers mentor program

Snellville officials have announced a partnership with a network of local, regional and national experts that will help connect local entrepreneurs with mentors. The partners will include Entrepreneur Advisors, South Gwinnett High School, Eastside Medical Center, Snellville Tourism and Trade/Commerce Club and the Gwinnett Chamber/Partnership Gwinnett. The event will be May 20 at South Gwinnett High.

Information: Eric Van Otteren at 770-985-3502 or evanotteren@snellville.org. Joel Anderson

NORTHSIDE

Holy Innocents student wins Gates scholarship

Rekeyia Sherrell, a senior at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, has been named as a Gates Millennium Scholar.

The prestigious Gates scholarship is awarded to only 1,000 students a year, and provides financial aid for both undergraduate and graduate school.

Sherrell will attend Howard University in the fall.

Winners of the Gates scholarship are selected based on academic achievement, community service and leadership potential, among other things. D. Aileen Dodd

Cherokee mails out property tax estimates

Cherokee County mailed out more than 96,000 real property tax estimates last week, and homeowners should have them or be getting them soon.

The gross digest for the county dropped from $8.22 billion to $7.79 billion, said John Adams, the county’s Chief Appraiser. He said that the average drop in value this year, about 5.2 percent, is less than last year’s plunge of more than 8 percent.

He said 87,391 real properties decreased in value; 6,003 showed no change; and 2,736 increased in value. Property owners have until June 23 to appeal. Christopher Quinn

Roswell to hold shredding event

Roswell residents can securely dispose of personal documents from 8 a.m. till noon Saturday at the Roswell Public Works facility, 1810 Hembree Road. Information: Trevor Williams, 770-442-8822 or twilliams01@roswellgov.com or visit www.keeproswellbeautiful.org or www.roswellgov.com. Patrick Fox

Group looks for help with exchange students

The Education First Foundation for Foreign Study is seeking local coordinators and Alpharetta families interested in hosting exchange students for a semester or a full year. Host families provide room and board. Information: Ekina Hed, 678-549-0117; shareamericaef@gmail.com Patrick Fox

Forsyth official wants to rescind HUD vote

Forsyth County District 3 Commissioner Todd Levent at Thursday’s commission meeting called for a vote at the next commission meeting Thursday to rescind a April 21 vote by the board to pursue a HUD loan to fund a private developer’s building of a senior apartment community on Windermere Parkway. Levent opposed the motion when it passed 4-1. The developer said the county would not be liable for the loan, which could be $5 million, if the project failed. County attorney Ken Jarrard said he wasn’t sure Forsyth County would not be responsible. Jeffry Scott

Tryouts for Cherokee senior softball league

The popular Cherokee Senior Softball Association Mens League, with over 30 teams, is looking for new players turning 50 and over in 2011. Tryouts will be held the weekends of May 21 and 22 and May 28 and 29 at 2 p.m. at Hobgood Park on Towne Lake Parkway in Woodstock. Information call Barney Greene (770) 345-6003 or Vic Leonard at (770) 605-0920 or visit www.cssasoftball.com. Christopher Quinn

ATLANTA

Neighborhood opposes closing Adams Drive

A resolution that would have opposed the permanent closure of Adams Drive in northwest Atlanta was voted down at a recent neighborhood planning unit meeting. Opponents of the measure claimed that closing the road at its intersection with Marietta Boulevard would inconvenience neighborhood residents, businesses and Bolton Academy. The closure is one of several planned road improvements being completed as part of the redevelopment of the Marietta/Bolton/Moores Mill corridor. Coleman Wood for the ajc

St. Pius athlete in triathlon competition

St. Pius X Catholic High School sophomore Devon Dabney is on the 16-member team representing the United States at the Pan-American Triathlon Confederation (PATCO) Junior Pan American Championships in Edmonton, Canada, in July.

She could also earn a spot in the Junior World Championships in September in Beijing, China. Steve Visser

Firm adds litigators to specialty team

Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP announced last week that a team of six litigators have joined the firm’s intellectual property group.

Joining in Atlanta are: partners John L. North and Jeffrey J. Toney, special counsel Laura Fahey Fritts and Jonathan K. Waldrop, and associate Darcy L. Jones.

Partner Jack Minnear will be based in New York. All were formerly with Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP.

Andria Simmons

Arts Exchange holds tire recycling event

Liberty Tire Recycling will help The Arts Exchange collect and recycle about 1,000 tires today that were illegally dumped on the property. Employees at The Arts Center, 750 Kalb Street SE, have been working to resolve the situation since last fall. The tires will be ground into crumb rubber, which is a component in a host of eco-friendly products such as rubber mulch, infill for synthetic athletic fields and rubberized asphalt. Staff reports

DEKALB

Clarkston mayor asks donations to buy dog

Clarkston mayor Emanuel Ransom is asking residents to consider donating to buy a trained dog to help with the family of a city police officer.

Officer Corey Lowe’s daughter, Victoria, was born on Sept. 11, 2001, with Mitochondrial Disease. The girl, who is unable to talk, suffers from multiple seizures daily. The family needs $13,000 to buy a dog from 4 Paws for Ability, to help alert when seizures are coming and give the girl some measure of independence. Information: 404-296-6489 or www.cityofclarkston.com. April Hunt

County reports sewage two new sewage spills

DeKalb Watershed on Monday reported two sanitary sewer spills in the past few days in different parts of the county.

Both spills – one Friday in Doraville and another Sunday in Atlanta – involved grease getting into the storm water drains. Both spills entered the north fork of Peachtree Creek. April Hunt

Meeting Thursday to discuss land bank

DeKalb County will host a meeting Thursday night to discuss a new program that may help the problem of foreclosures with the need for development.

The county is considering starting a land bank, which would buy tax delinquent properties for use as new housing or industry. Many Georgia counties, including Fulton-Atlanta, have similar programs.

A meeting to explain the program begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Clark Harrison Building, 330 W. Ponce de Leon Ave. The public is welcome. April Hunt

Decatur gets funding for road improvements

Decatur’s longtime plans for restructuring two of its most important, and sometimes most confusing intersections, is finally becoming a reality. The city’s received funding for extensive improvements at South McDonough Street and College Avenue, and South Candler Road and College Avenue, both of which include railroad crossings.

Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon said the $1.5 project’s start date depends on approval from CSX.

Bill Banks for the AJC

Input asked for transportation projects

The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce is asking residents to be part of an online survey seeking input on projects important for the 2012 transportation referendum. Transportation upgrades have been a priority for the chamber for the past three years. It wants residents to help decide what projects will earn approval of the 1-cent sales tax vote next year.

Information: 404-378-8000 April Hunt

Decatur mayor favors transportation tax

Although the vote won’t be until August, 2012, Decatur major Bill Floyd spoke last week about the need to approve a one cent sales tax referendum to fund a “truly regional, inter-county mass transit system.” Floyd said “[the Regional Transit Roundtable, to which he belongs) want a system that coordinates light rail, like a shuttle or trolley, with heavy rail and a bus system throughout 10 [metro] counties. About 15 percent of this money can go toward local transportation projects.” Bill Banks for the AJC

SOUTHSIDE

Fayette board to modify sex education program

The Fayette County Board of Education will discuss slight modifications to its sex education program tonight at 7 p.m.

A committee of health teachers and parents is recommending that the abstinence-only materials previously used in grades 7-9 be used in grades 6-8 next year.

Ninth graders would be given new textbooks from the same “Choosing the Best” curriculum.

All materials are available for review at the LaFayette Educational Center in Fayetteville. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Fayette chamber honors partners in education

The Fayette Chamber of Commerce and the Fayette County Board of Education honored exceptional members of their Partners in Education program at a ceremony on May 13. Wal-Mart of Peachtree City received an Outstanding Partner of the Year Award, as did Grace Evangelical Church in Fayetteville. McIntosh High School was recognized with an Outstanding School Partnership Award for fostering efforts to support its students’ academic progress. Details about the program are at www.FayetteChamber.org.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Stockbridge plans Memorial March May 30

City officials in Stockbridge are seeking sponsors for the inaugural Memorial March, scheduled to begin Monday, May 30, at 8 a.m. at Clark Community Park.

Visit www.cityofstockbridge.com for information. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Rising Starr educator a master teacher

Dr. Carol Taylor, an eighth grade math teacher at Rising Starr Middle School, has joined 85 other Georgia instructors who have earned their Master Teacher Certification for 2011.

The honor is based on classroom performance on CRCT tests, documentation of student growth, and exemplary professional practices. The certification is bestowed by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Fayette now has nine Master Teachers among two elementary and three middle schools. Jill Howard Church

Find out about bugs good for the garden

Some bugs are good for gardens -- such as lady bugs, ground beetles and praying mantises -- and the Fulton County Cooperative Extension will hold a class on them Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at its East Point Education Center, 1757 Washington Road, East Point. The class will teach which insects enhance yards and gardens, how to attract them and how they gobble up the pests. Registration: 404-762-4077. Johnny Edwards

HMC offer nutrition class for young people

Henry Medical Center is offering a free six-week Summer Nutrition Class for boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 14. The program, based on the USDA’s “The Power of Choice” curriculum, begins June 21 and will be held each Tuesday from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

To register, call Melissa Hoover or Michelle Fields at 678-604-5106.

Deadline for registration is Friday, June 10, 2011 as space is limited. Monroe Roark for the AJC