COBB
Smyrna’s Jonquil Village property could be sold
For Smyrna residents the 11 acres of fenced-off cleared ground at the corner of Atlanta and Spring roads known as Jonquil Village has come to represent what happened when the real estate economy hit bottom. Once envisioned as a $180 million project that would include a Publix grocery store, plans have been scaled back, Atlanta attorney representing the owners, Ted Sandler, said Thursday. But a least four groups, and perhaps two more, are negotiating to buy the property with a decision as early as next week, he said. Jeffry Scott
Constitution Day Festival in Marietta
Americans for Prosperity Foundation-Georgia will host a Constitution Day Festival on Sunday in Marietta to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
The free festival on Marietta Square begins at 12:30 p.m. and will include live music, a care show and a Constitution Challenge. Information: www.constitutionnight.com Janel Davis
Youth consignment sale in Austell this week
Nearly 200 sellers will participate in a youth clothing consignment sale in Austell Thursday through Saturday.
Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Orange Hill Baptist Church, 4293 Austell Road. Also, old laptops are needed by the church for a tax-deductible donation to help with checkout. Information: kidskingdomconsignment@orangehill.org, 770-948-9388 ext. 53 or orangehill.org. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Author to hold writers workshop at library
Bestselling author Margaret Johnson-Hodge will lead a writers workshop on Thursday at the Kennesaw Library.
The workshop will help participants develop their writing skills, and include tips for beginning writers.
Johnson-Hodge is the author of several books, including “True Lies” and “In Search of Tennessee Sunshine.
The workshop begins at 12:30 p.m. at the library, 2250 Lewis Street in downtown Kennesaw. The session is free, but registration is required.
Register: 770-528-2529 Janel Davis
Military appreciation at Six Flags Sept. 24-25
Military Appreciation Days will be held at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell on Saturday and Sunday and on Sept. 24-25.
Active and reservist members of the U.S. military may receive free admission for themselves and up to three dependents with their current military I.D. card.
For those deployed, their spouse and up to three dependents may receive free admission with a current military I.D. card.
Information: sixflags.com. Carolyn Cunningham
Reception to kick off home tour
A wine and cheese reception is planned to kick off the 2011 Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour, at 5:30 p.m. Thursday on the Rooftop of the Earl Smith Strand Theatre, 117 North Park Square in Marietta.
This year marks the tour’s 25th anniversary and plans about a special anniversary jubilee will be discussed.
To RSVP call 770-429-1115 or email tjenkins@mariettaga.gov. mea Watkins
GWINNETT
Notre Dame Academy teacher wins state award
A Notre Dame Academy visual arts teacher has won a state award for her leadership and work in the classroom inspiring the creativity of students.
Karinna Riddett-Moore, a teacher for 10 years, has won the Middle Level Art Educator of the Year Award from the Georgia Art Education Association. She will be honored at the group’s October professional development conference.
Riddett-Moore has a doctorate of philosophy in art from University of Georgia; a masters’ degree in art education; and a bachelor’s degree in studio art. D. Aileen Dodd
Georgia Power CEO to speak to chamber
Georgia Power CEO Paul Bowers will be the guest speaker at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting Wednesday. The meeting is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The 1818 Club at 6500 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth. The cost to attend is $45 for members and $55 for non-members. The chamber requires advanced registration for the meeting. Register online at www.gwinnettchamber.org/events. Joel Anderson
Clinic offers free HIV testing Sept. 27
The AID Gwinnett/Ric Crawford Clinic will offer free HIV testing at its Duluth office Sept. 27 to honor the second-annual National Gay Men’s HIV Awareness Day.
The clinic, which is located at 3075 Breckinridge Boulevard in Suite 415, will provide testing from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Participants will take the OraQuick Advance HIV test, which returns results in about 20 minutes. Information: 678-990-6430 or www.aidgwinnett.org. Joel Anderson
Norcross mayor to speak to Sierra Club
Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson will speak to the Greater Gwinnett Group of the Sierra Club about the Regional Transportation Investment Act at 7 p.m. Thursday at Berkmar High School, 405 Pleasant Hill Road, Lilburn. Johnson chairs the regional roundtable that will propose a final list of transportation projects to be considered by voters next year. Johnson will discuss the potential benefits if voters approve a 1-cent sales tax to pay for the transportation projects.
For more information on the Sierra Club meeting contact Dan Friedman at dan3688@aol.com. David Wickert
AARP sponsors driving course in Chinese
AARP will sponsor a driver safety course taught in Chinese from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 15. The course is geared to people age 50 and older but is open to all ages.
The cost is $12 for AARP members or $14 for non-members.
Register in person at the Norcross Human Services Center. Information: 770-638-5661 or www.gwinnettnhsc.com. David Wickert
Braselton movie in the park to be ‘Tangled’
The Disney animated feature “Tangled” will be shown Saturday at Braselton’s movie in the park series.
The film will start at dusk. Admission is free and patrons are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets. Joel Anderson
NORTHSIDE
Parents invited to preview new textbooks
Parents of students interested in taking college level classes at Fulton County high schools can preview Advanced Placement textbooks the district is reviewing. The College Board is making changes to its French and German national exams, requiring new texts to be adopted. The textbooks will be available for public viewing starting Thursday at the district’s administrative center, 786 Cleveland Ave. S.W., Atlanta, from 8:00 a.m. -- 4:30 p.m. and at Milton Center, 86 School Dr., Alpharetta, from 7:30 a.m. -- 3:30 p.m. D. Aileen Dodd
Tennis courts to get facelift in North Park
Work is set to begin soon on $32,500-worth of resurface work on seven tennis courts in Alpharetta’s North Park.
The City Council approved the contract with Signature Tennis Courts, Inc. for work that will include filling cracks and all low lying areas. Work will be in two phases, with no more than four courts under repair at any one time. Patrick Fox
Milton firefighter completes Ironman race
With a final time of 13 hours and 35 minutes, Milton firefighter Danny Snyder claimed a personal achievement Aug. 28 -- completing an Ironman extreme endurance race.
Snyder, who has more than 18 years in the fire service, completed the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run in Louisville, Ky. Snyder is planning to compete in another Ironman race in Panama City Beach in 2012. Andria Simmons
Falcons donate cleats to Community Closet
The Atlanta Falcons have donated more than 100 pairs of football cleats to the Fulton County Child Attorney’s Office’s Community Closet, which benefits foster children and foster families. After the office’s child clients had all the shoes they needed, the rest went to Fulton County schools, according to a county news release.
The Community Closet accepts donations of children’s supplies year round, today through Friday, at 395 Pryor St., Suite 4098, Atlanta. Information: 404-613-4635. Johnny Edwards
Ceremony to remember victims of murder
The 1st Flower Ceremony to Commemorate the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims will be held 3 p.m., Sept. 25. at the Frank Moore Administration and Judicial Center, Cartersville. The ceremony will include guest speakers, special music and the dedication of the crime victims’ monument just recently erected on the grounds. The event is open to the public. Please RSVP by calling 770-387-5106. For information about the program visit www.bartowga.org/vwap. Sandra Marshall Murray
Religious reconciliation tour on Saturday
Clergy Beyond Borders, an organization of Muslim, Jewish and Christian clergy that combats religious intolerance that has risen since 9/11, will bring the Caravan for Reconciliation tour to the Islamic Center of North Fulton in Alpharetta on Saturday at 10 a.m. The clergy will present messages about religious diversity and pluralism and engage in interfaith dialogue. Information: www.clergybeyondborders.org. Veronica Fields Johnson
ATLANTA
‘Your Child’s Strengths’ author to lecture today
Best-selling author Jenifer Fox will appear at a free event in Atlanta today to discuss how to identify and encourage children’s strengths.
The lecture will be held at 7 p.m. in the lodge at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, 3417 Roswell Road.
Fox is author the acclaimed book “Your Child’s Strengths: Discover Them, Develop Them, Use Them.” The talk is co-sponsored by The Galloway School, Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School and other metro campuses. D. Aileen Dodd
Convictions upheld in baby’s starvation
The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld murder convictions against an Atlanta couple who allowed their 6-week-old baby to starve to death.
Jade Sanders and Lamont Thomas, both vegans, were convicted in 2007 by a Fulton County jury. When they took the infant to Piedmont Hospital, the baby weighed 3 1/2 pounds. He died of extreme malnourishment. Police said his diet consisted of only soy milk and apple juice. Bill Rankin
Falcons, cheerleaders to visit firefighters
In commemoration of Sept. 11, Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner, cornerback Dunta Robinson and several other Falcons players and cheerleaders will be visiting three Atlanta fire stations today . They will be signing autographs, posing for pictures and touring Station 21 at 3201 Roswell Road, Station 25 at 2349 Benjamin E. Mays Drive and Station 1 at 71 Elliot Street. Nancy Badertscher
Health clinic at Hosea Feed the Hungry
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Mobile Health Screening Bus will be providing free health screenings from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday at the Hosea Feed the Hungry Headquarters, 1035 Donnelly Ave. SW, Atlanta. The event is open to anyone of any age with a need. The screenings are free, and families and/or individuals are welcome to participate. Information:www.hoseafeedthehungry.com. Sandra Marshall Murray
DEKALB
Renovated Shoal Creek Park re-opens
Shoal Creek Park has re-opened following $10,000 of renovations funded by a grant from Sprite Spark Parks Project. The grant paid to resurface two full basketball courts and two half courts and also to replace all backboards on the courts. The county also completed some basic beautification projects at the park, which is on Glenwood Road near Decatur. April Hunt
Conviction upheld in murder of boy, 3
The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction against a DeKalb County man who said he killed 3-year-old Mitchell Smalls IV when firing at the boy’s father in self defense. Collins and the child’s father, Mitchell Smalls III, once ran a dog-fighting business but split up on bad terms. In Dec. 2006, as Smalls drove his son to get a haircut, Collins pulled up alongside. Shots were fired and the child was struck in the back of his head. Collins said he fired after Smalls pointed a gun at him, but no gun was found on Smalls or in his car, the court said. Bill Rankin
School chief: Westchester may reopen
Decatur Schools Superintendent Phyllis Edwards said this week, “I would expect in the next two years that we’ll reopen Westchester [which closed in 2004]. I could see it having a combination of pre-k and k-3 students.” First, however, she wants to create a committee to determine if enrollment trends demand another school. Total school enrollment is up 11 percent this year, and kindergarten jumped by 24 percent. Further, recent census data revealed that pre-school kids make up 24 percent of Decatur’s overall population, and there’s been a 35 percent increase in pre-schoolers over the past decade. Bill Banks for the AJC
Police receive grant to fight sexual predators
DeKalb County Police received nearly a half million dollars to protect children and the community from sexual predators. The $496,793 Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS grant from the U.S. Department of Justice is also designed to reduce and prevent child endangerment.
The funding was secured in part from U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia, and will go to boost the police department’s Crimes Against Children unit. April Hunt
AKA Sorority to host health day
The Stone Mountain/Lithonia Graduate Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is hosting a Family Empowerment and Health Day from noon – 3 p.m. Sept. 24. at South DeKalb Mall. A variety of workshops and screening opportunities will be available. Information: www.akataupiomega.com or email community-programs@akataupiomega.com.
Sandra Marshall Murray
Memorial walk for breast cancer Saturday
The first Randi Passoff Memorial Walk for Breast Cancer will be held Saturday at the LifeSouth Community Blood Center, 4891 Ashford Dunwoody Road. Registration is $50 and includes a t-shirt. There will be three groups 12-, 6- and 3-mile walkers. Closing ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. To register, visit: https://paintgeorgiapink.org. For information, call 678-804-8230. Michelle E. Shaw
SOUTHSIDE
Court upholds dad’s conviction in son’s death
The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction against a Clayton County man who killed his 4-month-old son because he wouldn’t stop crying. Jeremy Antonio Stokes was found guilty of killing his son, Jeremiah, on March 2, 2008. Stokes initially gave police varying accounts after they arrived at his home and found the infant dead. But when confronted with an autopsy that determined Jeremiah died from “forcible suffocation,” Stokes admitted squeezing the child, grabbing his face and neck and trying to force a pacifier in his mouth, police said. Bill Rankin
HUD approves Fort McPherson reuse plan
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development last week approved the master plan for the reuse of Fort McPherson, scheduled to close this month.
Upon closing, the 488-acre site will transfer from federal to city jurisdiction. Core elements of the plan include the preservation of 40 existing historic structures, the addition of 1,780 new residential units and a 30-acre event-festival space. John Thompson for the AJC
East Point council reduces millage rate
The East Point City Council voted to reduce the city’s millage rate from 14.75 mils to 13.75.
The millage rate was increased to near maximum in 2008, when the city was faced with severe fiscal shortfalls.
“Prior to the worldwide economic downturn, the city of East Point was facing a financial crisis. With the adoption of the 2012 budget, the City Council achieved another milestone in the city’s recovery plan and, in doing so, created the opportunity to reduce the burden on taxpayers.” said East Point City Manager Crandall Jones. John Thompson for the AJC
Workshop to help guard against scams
Fulton County seniors can learn how to guard against home repair scams in a workshop Wednesday at the New Horizons Senior Center, 745 Orr St., Atlanta, from 1 to 2 p.m. Information: 404-612-3024. Johnny Edwards
Mobile farmer’s market season about to close
On Wednesday the Fulton County Cooperative Extension will mark the end of its first season running the Fulton Fresh Mobile Farmer’s Market -- which delivered an estimated 10,000 pounds of produce to areas designated a “food deserts,” where mainstream grocery stores are scarce.
The end-of-season celebration will be held at the Shrine of the Black Madonna, 946 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., S.W., Atlanta, from 10 to 11:30 am.
Johnny Edwards
Intersection design
on public display
Residents can view plans to improve the four-way intersection of Butner Road and Camp Creek Parkway, and sound off, at an open house today offered by Fulton County Public Works and design consultant Ayers Associates. Proposals include widening Butner with left and right turn lanes and upgrading traffic signals.
The event lasts from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Cliftondale Park Community Center, 4645 Butner Road, College Park. Johnny Edwards
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