County by county news for Tuesday

Moody’s affirms Cobb top bond rating

Moody’s Investors Service affirmed Cobb County’s triple-A bond rating last week by giving the county’s $98 million in short-term debt its top rating.

The debt, known as tax anticipation notes, is issued annually by Cobb as temporary cash flow and is paid off with future tax collections. Moody’s rating is based on an expectation that Cobb will have ample cash balances to repay the debt in November, the county’s sizable and diverse economic and employment based, conservative fiscal management and a low debt burden. Janel Davis

Lee to hold town hall meeting in Smyrna

Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee will hold a town hall meeting on Wednesday in Smyrna. This is the second of four meetings Lee has planned each month through May. Each meeting is being held in a different commission district.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Green Circle.

Information: www.cobbcounty.org/lee; 770-528-3300 Janel Davis

Acworth to hold town meeting Wednesday

Acworth Mayor Tommy Allegood and Board of Aldermen members will hold the first town hall meeting of the year at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Acworth City Hall, 4415 Senator Russell Ave. Residents will get a chance to meet and talk with their elected officials and city department heads. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

YWCA’s tribute to women event Friday

The YWCA’s annual Tribute to Women of Achievement ceremony is scheduled for Friday at the Cobb Galleria Centre.

This is the 27th-year for the ceremony honoring women who have made extraordinary contributions to family, community, charity and their professions. A “Open Your Hearts and Purses” to Women silent auction will precede the ceremony. The auction begins at 5:30 p.m.; ceremony begins at 7 p.m. at the Cobb Galleria Centre, 2 Galleria Pkwy. SE in Atlanta

Tickets, $100. Information: www.ywcanwga.com Janel Davis

Marietta High student get wireless access

Marietta High School students can now log on to new wireless internet access, the Blue Devil Connect, and use their laptops and other computer devices at school. Marietta City Schools spokesman Dayton Hibbs said the “Bring Your Own Technology” initiative will increase access for students and teachers to district online resources during classroom instruction. The wireless network will be content-filtered. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

GWINNETT

Braselton’s bond rating raised to an A

Bond rating agency Standard and Poor’s has raised Braselton’s water and sewer system revenue bonds’ rating to an A.

The town received official notification of the rating increase based on the timing and quality of the refinancing of the 2003 bonds, which projects to save the town $1.1 million over the life of the bonds.

“The rating increase is welcome news and serves as a confirmation of our fiscal management as public stewards as well as our economic projections for future growth,” town manager Jennifer Dees said in a written statement. Joel Anderson

Police records window relocates for now

Beginning this week, the “records window” for open records will be closed for renovations at the Gwinnett County Police Department Headquarters at 770 Hi-Hope Road.

The renovation will take about three months.

Meanwhile, anyone requiring open records can get them at the Central Precinct at 3125 Satellite Blvd. in Duluth.

Central Precinct’s records window will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and will mirror the one at headquarters, providing expungement packages, criminal history consent forms, local records check requests and Open Records requests. Andria Simmons

Health science open house at GTC

Gwinnett Technical College will host an open house for its health science programs from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 19 at its Lawrenceville campus, Building 900, 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway. Prospective students, parents, high school counselors and others can tour the college’s new Life Sciences Center and Health Sciences Building and learn about its biotechnology, cardiovascular technology, dental assisting, nursing and other programs. To register, call 678-226-6751. David Wickert

Run for the Rescues 5K on Saturday

The Georgia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is having it’s second annual Run For The Rescues 5k on Saturday to help save more homeless animals in 2012.

Last year, more than 700 runners and 50 vendors participated and $14,000 was raised. This year, organizers hope to have more than 1,000 runners and 60 vendors. People are welcome to run with their dogs.

There will be a bounce booth for children, great food and pets can be microchipped for $25. The race begins at 9 a.m. at Suwanee Town Center.

Info: www.georgiaspca.org. Andria Simmons

School board to meet at high schools

As part of its program to meet in board members’ districts each spring, the Gwinnett School Board is scheduled to hold public meetings March 27 and 29 at South Gwinnett and Dacula Highs, the districts of members Bob McClure and Carole Boyce, respectively.

The purpose of meeting away from the board’s normal venue at the Instructional Support Center in Suwanee is to better inform citizens and facilitate discussion. Meetings begin a 7 p.m. in the schools’ theaters at 6:30. Michael Alpert for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Forysth changes ethics code on contracts

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday to modify the county’s ethics ordinance, allowing the county to contract with entities when a principal or member of that organization or company is a county official or employee. A number of preconditions would have to be met, such as the official or employee not being required to do any official duty in connection with approval of contracts. Contracts would also have to be awarded as part of a competitive procurement process. The change goes into effect immediately. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Cumming woman killed in motorcycle crash

A Cumming woman was killed Sunday afternoon in a motorcycle wreck on Ga. 400 in Dawson County. Georgia State Patrol spokesman Gordy Wrightsaid Krista M. Stein, 47, was a passenger on a northbound motorcycle that collided with an SUV that was crossing Ga. 400 from Henry Grady Highway. The motorcycle driver, Daniel Stein, 53, of Cumming, was airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital with serious injuries. Neither the SUV driver, Ronnie Hugh Anglin, 61, of Flowery Branch, nor Anglin’s passenger, Shirley Anglin, 61, were seriously injured. Mike Morris

Troy Welker withdraws from House race

Troy Welker, owner of a Kennesaw sink company, has withdrawn from the State House District 23 race for business reasons, he said in a press release.

He said is withdrawing because of new federal tariff is forcing him to change his company’s “manufacturing model” within 60 days and that wouldn’t leave him enough time to represent his district. Jeffry Scott

Cherokee honored for planning process

Cherokee County was recently awarded a 2012 County of Excellence designation by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and Georgia Trend magazine.

Cherokee was honored for creating its Development Service Center and for streamlining the planning and building process.

The magazine said the center has created, in effect, a “one-stop shop” for developers and residents seeking licenses, permits and zoning information. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Neighborhood council meeting Thursday

The Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods will hold its annual meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the City Hall Auditorium, 7840 Roswell Road -- Building 500. The focus of discussion will be the city’s New Town Center plan. Patrick Fox

Workshop will help seniors lower taxes

Fulton County will help Northside seniors lower their property taxes in another “Home Sweet Home” session today. Fulton Housing and Community Development and the tax assessors office will hold a workshop on homestead exemptions from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Benson Senior Multipurpose Complex, 6500 Vernon Woods Drive, Sandy Springs.

The deadline to apply for exemptions is April 2. For information, and to request special accommodations, call 404-612-9184. Johnny Edwards

ATLANTA

Cox donates $100,000 to Habitat

Cox Enterprises announced Monday a $100,000 gift to Habitat for Humanity International from The James M. Cox Foundation. The gift will support Habitat’s ReStore resale outlet program. Habitat ReStore resale outlets sell reusable and surplus building materials to the public. The proceeds help local Habitat affiliates fund construction of Habitat homes. “Habitat for Humanity’s mission to create affordable housing complements our passion and helps create sustainable change, which in turn, improves the larger community,” said Jim Kennedy, chairman of Cox Enterprises. In Atlanta, Cox employees have donated more than 30,000 volunteer hours to build 15 Habitat houses. Two of the houses were dedicated on March 17, 2012, and were built by about 400 Cox employee volunteers. Nancy Badertscher

Academy to graduate 25 new officers

Twenty-five men and women will graduate today from the Atlanta Police Academy having completed 21 weeks in the classroom and another 12 weeks in the field with veteran officers. The ceremony will be at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall. Their classroom training included classes on constitutional law, APD’s policies and procedures, hands-on defensive tactics and arrest techniques. There was physical fitness training every day. APD is approved for 1,959 officers. The agency’s goal is to have 2,000 officers by the end of next year. Rhonda Cook

Storyteller to give performance at library

Millie Coleman, a Civil War widow’s descendant and a master’s degree candidate in Women’s Studies at Georgia State University, will give a storytelling performance Friday at Atlanta-Fulton’s Central Library. Part of women’s history month, “Scots Irish, Barefoot and Pregnant: A Woman’s Civil War Letters to Atlanta” starts at 12:30 p.m. at One Margaret Mitchell Square, downtown Atlanta.

Coleman is the great, great granddaughter of Mary Stennis McKittrick, who was widowed during the Battle of Atlanta. Information: 404-730-1906. Johnny Edwards

DEKALB

Two more in custody in teen’s death

Two more suspects in the shooting death of a DeKalb County man who was reported missing more than week ago are in police custody, authorities said.

Marcus Estes, 18, turned himself in to police Monday morning in connection with the shooting death of Derrick Jamal Linkhorn, 19, DeKalb County police spokeswoman Mekka Parish said.

Malcolm Jamall Wilson, 19, was apprehended over the weekend by the DeKalb Sheriff’s Office’s fugitive squad and charged with murder.

Authorities already had Antarious Johnson, 17, in custody and charged with murder police said. Marcus K. Garner

County to charge fees for Fire Marshal work

The DeKalb County Commission recently agreed to begin charging fees for the permits, plan reviews, inspections and other services of its Fire Marshal’s Office.

Fees begin at $100 for most work, including initial site plan review, sprinkler system review and construction permit inspections. It is $150 for special activity permits, such as construction burning and explosive work.

The fees are projected to raise $1 million a year for the office, which has a budget of $1.3 million. Commissioners plan review of the fees at a later date, to encourage they cover the entire budget. April Hunt

County jobs bus on the roll this week

An RV outfitted with computers, private interview area and office gear for job seekers will be parked in several areas this week in DeKalb County.

This week, the bus will be stationed from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today Tuesday at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road near Lithonia.

It also will be parked from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, at the Department of Family and Children Services, 178 Sams St., Decatur. For a full February schedule of bus locations: 404-687-3400 or www.dekalbworkforce.org. April Hunt

Reitzes to speak at symphony luncheon

Lois Reitzes, the voice of classical music in Atlanta, will be featured speaker at a luncheon later this month benefiting the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra.

Reitzes, who is the host of WABE-FM’s daily classical music show, will also take answers from the audience following her presentation. The luncheon runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. March 30 at the Holiday Inn at Chamblee Dunwoody Road and I-285. Tickets are $40.

Information/reservations: Lucia Sizemore at 404-502-0667. April Hunt

Dunwoody teen driving classes show results

Dunwoody Police have been offering a Collision Avoidance Training Program since June 2010 to teach teens defensive driving and vehicle control.

In September 2011 the National Traffic Safety Academy surveyed parents from the first six months of the program. Less than 5 percent of their teens were involved in an automobile crash. Of that 5 percent, no one was at fault, charged or injured. Ninety-five percent of parents rated their teen’s driving as greatly improved.

The next classes are April 13-14 and May 25-26. Info: www.dunwoodypolice.com, click on “CAT”. Andria Simmons

SOUTHSIDE

Crucial pet record stolen with Lifeline Animal van

A van that the animal rescue organization LifeLineAnimal Project uses to transport cats was stolen over the weekend in East Point. Mickie Blair acknowledged that the 2000 Dodge Caravan, purchased just four months ago with $1,100 in donations, can be replaced. But she said files inside it containing microchip information, rabies certificates and cat adoption records are irreplaceable. “Just tell where the file boxes are,” she said. “I will dig through any dumpster.” To help, contact Blair at 678-914-4364 or mblair@lifelineanimal.org. Howard Pousner

Cagle recognizes 11 schools

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle recognized 11 schools recently at the State Capitol for creating a healthy environment for students.

The schools -- Springdale Park Elementary, Beecher Hills Elementary, Sutton Middle, Palmetto Elementary, Evoline C. West Elementary, High Point Elementary, Campbell Elementary, Langston Hughes High, Cliftondale Elementary, Oakley Elementary and Liberty Point Elementary -- were praised for making changes in nutrition, physical activity and health education requirements to help students and staff lead healthier lives. Wayne Washington

Clayton schools golf tourney April 20

Clayton County Public Schools will hold its third annual Promoting Student Achievement (PSA) Golf Tournament on April 20 at Lake Spivey Golf Club, 8255 Clubhouse Way. The 18-hole contest raises money for student scholarships. The district hopes to raise at least $35,000. Last year’s event provided scholarships to two graduating seniors from each of the eight high schools. Cost: $125 a person; $500 per four-member team. Fee includes box lunch, dinner and prizes. Deadline: April 18. Sponsorships are available. Details: Teri Rodgers at 770-473-2700. Tammy Joyner

Fayette Earth Day group needs vendors

Fayette County’s 2012 Earth Day organizers are offering vendor space to eco-friendly businesses. The April 14 event will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Shakerag Knoll in Peachtree City. More than 1,000 visitors are expected.

Green Market and food vendor booths are available for a minimum $30 donation for sponsors that sign up before March 31, and $45 afterwards. Educational exhibit space is free to nonprofit and education groups.

Applications are due April 4; see www.fayettecoearthday.org for information. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Locust Grove students pitch in for charity

Henry County’s Locust Grove High School is pitching in to help Soles4Souls, Inc. a charity that gives away a pair of shoes every nine seconds. The school’s Diversity Club and Beta Club have launched a two-week drive to collect gently worn footwear and/or monetary donations for this effort. Shoes may be dropped off at the media center. “If each kid in school donated just one pair of shoes, we could provide an entire village with a pair of shoes. If the entire state of Georgia participated, we could help a nation,” said Diversity Club member Dawson Wilson. Nancy Badertscher