County by county news for Tuesday

Police said the driver did not remain at the scene and that the only information they had is that the vehicle may have been small and red.

Anyone with information that might help investigators is asked to call Cobb County police at 770-499-3945.

David Markiewicz

Cobb EMC lowers monthly power bills

The Cobb Electric Membership Corporation, which serves 489 residential homes and 14 commercial accounts, announced a $1 million reduction in the Wholesale Power Adjustment Monday. The adjustment will help to lower monthly power bills for EMC customers, said Board Chairman Ed Crowell. On average, the Cobb EMC residential member will save $1.14 each month on electric service, or $13.68 each year. For more information, visit www.cobbemc.com.

Hannah Morgan

Marietta hosts Freedom Parade

The Marietta Freedom Parade will be 10 a.m. Thursday and include a concert, museum tours, arts and crafts, food, fireworks and carnival games. The parade will start at Roswell Street Baptist Church, and travel west on Roswell Street, ending at North Marietta Parkway, where the festival begins.

Information: www.mariettaga.gov.

Hannah Morgan

Kids can sign up for musical theater camp

Curtain Call Youth Players will hold a musical theater summer camp at The Art Place - Mountain View, 3330 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta.

The week-long camp for rising third through fifth graders will be held July 15-19. The camp for rising sixth through eighth graders will be held July 22-26.

Both camps end with a performance for family and friends. Tuition is $215. Information: 404-692-CCYP or visit ccyp.org. Jaime Sarrio

Powder Springs to celebrate Fourth

Powder Springs will observe its 18th annual Independence Day Celebration 4-10 p.m. July 4 at the Historic Town Square, 4488 Pineview Drive.

While the cost is free, reserved table seating is available by calling 770-423-1330.

Attractions include entertainers Scott Thompson and The GLOW Band, food for purchase, children’s activities, a patriotic program at 9:15 p.m. and fireworks around 9:45 p.m.

Information: 770-423-1330 or 770-943-8001 Ext. 307.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

East Cobb Park holds anniversary event

Friends for the East Cobb Park will celebrate the park’s 10th anniversary 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 13 at the park, 3322 Roswell Road, Marietta.

Food, refreshments, bounce houses, guest speakers, a disc jockey and entertainment will be on site. The park’s founders and the East Cobb Civitan Club will be honored.

Information: eastcobbpark.org Jaime Sarrio

GWINNETT

Peachtree Corners taking development proposals

The Peachtree Corners Downtown Development Authority has extended the deadline for request for proposals to 11 a.m. Aug. 1 for a developer to purchase and develop a mixed-use project on a 20-acre site across from the Forum shopping center.

The city hopes to develop the land as a city-center with retail, restaurant, office and residential use along with a 1-acre town green for community events.

Information: www.cityofpeachtreecornersga.com.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Korean Task Force seeking members

A Korean Task Force, which will meet again Aug. 23, has been organized to identify and address challenges affecting Korean Americans and community leaders to enhance the quality of life in Duluth. Information: Jenny Wesselmann, jwesselmann@att.net or Clayton Lee, claytonclee@gmail.com.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Gwinnett schools seek curriculum feedback

Gwinnett County Public Schools is accepting applications to become members of the GEMS Oversight Committee and provide curriculum feedback. Deadline is Sept. 16.

Information: www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us.

Nancy Badertscher

Gwinnett Tech receives ARC grant

The Atlanta Regional Commission has granted Gwinnett Technical College a performance-based Youth Service Award of $420,000 to provide funding for the Gwinnett Advancement Program, which offers GED test preparation and job skills for disadvantaged teens and young adults ages 16-21.

Information: 678-226-6290 or visit www.GwinnettTech.edu/gap. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Mall to host blood drive

Mall of Georgia will host an American Red Cross Blood Drive noon to 5 p.m. today through Thursday at the mall on the upper level near Dick’s Sporting Goods, 3333 Buford Drive, Buford.

To schedule an advance appointment on-line, visit, go to redcrossblood.org and enter code 'moga.'

Information: bit.ly/MOGJuly4. Veronica Fields Johnson

Duluth Public Arts seeking applicants

Duluth is seeking local citizens to serve on a nine member Duluth Public Arts Commission. Goals will include promoting performing arts, maintaining the City's existing public art collection and acquiring new works of art. Deadline for applications, available at www.duluthga.net, is July 15. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Counseling programs recognized

The American School Counselor Association will honor school counselors at Level Creek Elementary and Puckett’s Mill Elementary at its annual conference. Terese Danner and Krisinda Dean are the counselors at Level Creek Elementary and Heather Heigl and Ginna Smith are counselors at Puckett’s Mill Elementary. Nancy Badertscher

NORTHSIDE

Mayor responds to billboard complaints

Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos issued a letter Friday explaining why a billboard was installed at Abernathy and Roswell roads. She said the sign is one of eight the city is allowing to comply with a Superior Court ruling last year that said the sign companies, who had applied for permits with the county before the city was incorporated in 2005, were entitled to due consideration. The city negotiated to reduce the number of signs from 23 to eight. The agreement outlines size and shape and includes the use of LED facing of the signs. Pat Fox

Cherokee seeks firefighter candidates

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services is looking to beef up the ranks of its entry level firefighters. Officials seek 30-35 applicants who will train for jobs paying approximately $31,000-$36,0000 annually.

Spokesman Tim Cavender says the department's ranks have thinned due to a number of retirements and resignations. Interested candidates can apply at cherokeega.com

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Dog park set to open in Woodstock

The City of Woodstock’s first public dog park will open this weekend. A ribbon-cutting is set for 9 a.m. Saturday at Woofstock Park, 150 Dupree Road, but the gates will open at 8.

The six acre park will be open daily and will contain separate, fenced-in areas for large and small-breed dogs. The park was built on the site of a demolished apartment complex.

Information: facebook.com/woofstockpark Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Northside hospitals make honor roll

Northside Hospital’s campuses in Forsyth, Cherokee and Atlanta have been named to the Georgia Hospital Association’s Partnership for Health and Accountability Core Measures Honor Roll.

The facilities are among the state’s 17 in the Chairman’s category, the honor roll’s highest. The honor roll is created from clinical data from the federal Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services. Michael Alpert for the AJC

Cherokee to consider millage rate change

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners holds a public hearing on proposed 2013 millage rates at 6 p.m. today at the Cherokee County Administration Building and Conference Center, 1139 Bluffs Parkway, Canton.

Commissioners are considering setting the rate at 5.793, down from the current 5.825.

Final adoption is set for July 16. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

GDOT wants input on Ga. 20 project via Web

The Georgia Department of Transportation is taking to the Web to get input on proposed improvements to Ga. 20 from I-575 in Canton to Ga. 400 in Cumming.

A survey's been posted to http://sr20.metroquest.com asking about the need to upgrade the over-capacity road and alternatives for improvements and their impact. The survey will be active until July 15.

A series of public meetings was held on the project in May.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

Midtown office settles disability complaint

Midtown Neurology and the U.S. Attorney’s Office recently settled allegations that the medical office violated disability laws by failing to ensure effective communication with patients who are deaf or hard of hearing. T

he Justice Department launched an investigation after a deaf woman complained Midtown Neurology failed on three occasions to assist her with communication.

As part of the settlement, Midtown Neurology will pay the woman $20,000, hire a group to provide disabilities law training for its staff and consult with future patients who have hearing loss to make sure they get the services they need. Bill Rankin

Drunk driver hits Atlanta police officer

A drunk driver allegedly struck an Atlanta police officer while attempting to flee the scene of an accident early Saturday morning.

Officer Rodney Smither saw a silver Volkswagen vehicle driven by David Hamblen, 44, back into a parked pickup truck near the intersection of Lenox and Cheshire Bridge roads around 3 a.m., according to a statement by Atlanta police. Hamblen alledgedly hit Smither, who fell to the ground, while trying to drive away.

Paramedics at the scene examined Smither, who complained of minor soreness but did not go to the hospital.

A Georgia State Patrol officer stopped the vehicle a couple of miles away from the scene. Hamblen is charged with DUI, aggravated assault and obstruction. Misty Williams

School officials plan tax meetings

Atlanta’s school system is scheduling public meetings Wednesday and July 11 because taxes are going up due to rising property values.

Millage rates will remain unchanged in the 2013-2014 school year, but property taxes are projected to increase by 1.2 percent.

The Atlanta Board of Education voted June 17 for its property tax rate within the city to stay at 21.64 mills, with a 0.1 mill for bond payments. Mark Niesse

DEKALB

Avondale declines DeKalb police services

Avondale Estates has officially declined DeKalb County’s basic police services, which includes handling burglaries, forensics, lifting fingerprints and analyzing blood samples. The city’s been handling these basic services internally for about four years, and breaking off with the county saves taxpayers $350,000 annually. Avondale will continue contracting with DeKalb for special services like helicopters, drug investigations, bomb squads and SWAT teams. Bill Banks for the AJC

Dunwoody offers Fourth of July parade

The Dunwoody annual Fourth of July Parade is 9 a.m. Thursday and will begin at the intersection of Mount Vernon and Jett Ferry Road, and end in the Dunwoody Village parking lot. The route will be closed to cars from 8:45 to 10:30 a.m., and spectators are encouraged to set up chairs along Mt. Vernon Road and Dunwoody Village Parkway, but not along the east side of Jett Ferry and Mt. Vernon Roads. Information: www.dunwoodyga.com.

Hannah Morgan

Food drive to support community center

Boy Scout Troop 764 from St. Luke's Presbyterian Church of Dunwoody will collect non-perishable and canned food items during the Dunwoody 4th of July Parade. The troop will push grocery carts along the parade route to collect donations to benefit the Community Assistance Center Food Pantry, which serves the Sandy Springs and Dunwoody areas. Items needed include canned vegetables, canned pastas, cereal, baked beans, peanut butter, jelly and tuna/canned meats. Information: 770-552-4889 or www.ourcac.org.

Veronica Fields Johnson

South River focus of upcoming canoe outing

The South River Watershed Alliance is again organizing a canoe/kayak outing of to encourage more awareness and conservation of the river.

The next outing begins at 9 a.m. on July 13 and will cover about 5.5 miles of the river. Cost is $30 and includes canoe rental, lunch and insurance.

Information/registration: southriverga.org. April Hunt

Lakeside raises cash for cityhood study

Lakeside City Alliance announced Tuesday that it has raised enough money for a cityhood study.

Alliance chairwoman Mary Kay Woodworth said the group reached its $30,000 goal this weekend and will soon hire the Carl Vinson Institute to create a financial and service study for the area. At least three other cities, some with overlapping borders, are under review. April Hunt

Avondale to launch citizens patrol

Avondale Estates will launch its Citizens Patrol, a force of approximately 50 volunteers, in the next 30 days. Patrol members can’t be confrontational, can’t engage suspects, can’t issue tickets and won’t carry weapons, but will identify suspicious persons, activities, and vehicles, while also helping drivers with directions, dead batteries and flat tires. Shifts are four hours, totalling 20 hours per month, mostly (though not exclusively) in daylight hours. The city has one Citizens Patrol car topped with amber (not blue) lights.

Bill Banks for the AJC

SOUTHSIDE

Court upholds murder conviction

The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday upheld the murder conviction against Timothy Boothe for killing Geneva Strickland, who had hired Boothe to paint her home and repair her car. On the night of Oct. 31, 2007, firefighters reponded to a fire at her Jonesboro home and found Strickland, her wrists and legs bound and her mouth covered with a bandage, dead of carbon monoxide poisoning and suffocation. Tests identified Boothe’s nuclear DNA inside a blue latex glove found wrapped in the bandage covering Strickland’s mouth, the ruling said. Bill Rankin

Georgia Archives extending hours

Effective July 31, the Georgia Archives will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. four days a week, Wednesdays through Saturdays.

This extension of hours is due in part to the Archives’ transfer July 1 from the Secretary of State’s Office to the University System of Georgia. This new home within state government comes with additional funds that have allowed the Archives, located in Morrow, to hire three additional professional staffers to work in reference, processing and conservation activities.

Information: www.georgiaarchives.org. Staff

Commissioners set called meeting

The Henry County Board of Commissioners called meeting 10 a.m. today to amend the agreement with the Henry County Rodeo Association for the Fourth of July Festival, as well as discussion of a future called meeting regarding the final proposed project list presented by the SPLOST committee. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Stockbridge passes balanced budget

The Stockbridge City Council passed a balanced budget ordinance at a special called meeting June 26. According to city officials, Stockbridge ended its fiscal year with $478,525 more in revenue than was first budgeted in its general fund as of Dec. 31. The city also underspent its general fund by 20.4 percent or $1,494,970. Excess funds were transferred to reserves to defray the cost of sanitation, water and sewer service.

Monroe Roark for the AJC

Self-defense class for Fayette women

The Peachtree City Recreation Department is offering a self-defense class for women and children on Tuesday nights July 16 through Aug. 6.

The classes, taught by local stick-fighting instructor Rudy Garcia, will meet at the Kedron Fieldhouse and cost $45 per student.

Register online at www.peachtree-city.org/recreation or at 202 Fieldhouse Drive. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Days added back to Fayette school calendar

Fayette County schools will restore three instructional days to its 2013-14 school calendar to bring the total back up to 180 days.

Budget cuts prompted a reduced schedule this past year. The change shortens the February winter break to a five-day weekend for the school year to end still before Memorial Day. Jill Howard Church for the AJC