County by county news for Tuesday

ProCore was one of the businesses operated under Cobb EMC’s for-profit affiliate, Cobb Energy, that was the subject of a 2007 lawsuit. Cobb EMC will sell the remaining portion of the call center company to a ProCore executive.

About 35-40 ProCore employees will be hired by Cobb EMC and Gas South. The two utility companies will continue using ProCore as an independent contractor for staffing services. Janel Davis

Marietta hearing on road work today

Marietta will hold a public hearing from 7 to 8 p.m. today about improvements planned for Franklin Road from Twin Brooks Drive to Los Colinas Apartments. The hearing will be at the complex at 861 Franklin Road, building 2800. The $4.8 million project, funded by a federal Livable Centers Initiative, will focus on pedestrian safety by adding sidewalks,a multi-use trail, street lighting and a new pedestrian signal at the intersection with Brandon Circle. The plans are on display through Feb. 14 at Marietta City Hall, 205 Lawrence St. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Free tax help in Powder Springs Friday

Free tax preparation assistance will be offered in Powder Springs on Friday. Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Powder Springs Senior Center, 4181 Atlanta St., Building 3 next to the Powder Springs Library.

No appointment is needed for those who earned less than $49,000 last year. Sponsors are Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) with the IRS and the Atlanta Prosperity Campaign with the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Information for needed forms: atlantaprosperity.org or 404-614-1000. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Acworth honors baseball coach

Acworth’s Board of Aldermen and Parks and Recreation Department honored Claude Johnson at a Feb. 2 meeting for organizing the city’s first black youth baseball team in 1963 and his work in the community. Some of the first team’s members attended the meeting. The city also recognized Frank White, a mentor in Acworth Achievers, a after school mentoring program.Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Water customers raise $102,000 for charity

Austell water customers have raised $102,000 for Christian Aid Mission Partnership (CAMP) through making contributions on their water bills.

This program for the food and clothing pantry in Austell was started by Austell Mayor Joe Jerkins. The contributions are forwarded to CAMP monthly. Information: svcamp.org. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Gala celebrates Black History Month

Cobb County Public Library System will hold its 2nd annual African American History Month Gala on Saturday in Marietta. The gala is one of several programs scheduled at different Cobb library branches celebrating Black History Month.

The gala begins at 2 p.m. at the Central Library, 266 Roswell Street in Marietta.

Information: www.cobbcat.org/multicultural Janel Davis

GWINNETT

Judges to perform Valentine’s Day marriages

Gwinnett Magistrate Court judges will perform wedding ceremonies or special vow renewals free of charge at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Valentine’s Day.

A valid marriage license must be obtained before Feb. 14 for couples getting married. However, couples renewing their wedding vows do not need a copy of their marriage license. No appointment is necessary.

For information, contact Chief Magistrate George Hutchinson at George.Hutchinson@gwinnettcounty.com or 770-822-8081.

Andria Simmons

Library to hold ‘reading relay’

The Gwinnett County Public Library will host a Black History Month “reading relay” from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at three local branches. Each Saturday in February members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity will read books at Gwinnett library branches to honor the contributions of African Americans. This Saturday’s events will be at the Norcross, Mountain Park and Snellville branches.

Information: www.gwinnettpl.org. David Wickert

Chamber honors citizens of the year

The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce last week honored Clyde and Sandra Strickland as Citizens of the Year.

Clyde Strickland founded Metro Waterproofing Inc. in 1972. The company has grown to some 240 employees and is the largest restoration and waterproofing company in the Southeast. In recent years they have made substantial donations to Gwinnett Medical Center, the HOPE Clinic, the Rainbow Village homeless shelter and the American Cancer Society.David Wickert

Blood drive in Snellville on Friday

The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at the Centerville Community Center, 3025 Bethany Church Road, Snellville. Information: 770-985-4713. David Wickert

Animal control task force to meet

A task force examining animal control issues in Gwinnett County will meet at 7 p.m. today at the Animal Welfare and Enforcement Center, 884 Winder Highway, Lawrenceville.

The 17-member task for began meeting last month. It is reviewing Gwinnett’s animal ordinances and services and developing best practices. It will report to the Board of Commissioners this spring. Information: www.gwinnettcounty.com. David Wickert

Design contests opens for Suwanee Day

Organizers with the Suwanee Day festival are again seeking applications for their annual design competition.

This year’s winning design will serve as the official logo for the 2012 “celebration of community” and will be imprinted on festival T-shirts and promotional materials. The winner will receive $500 cash.

Submissions will be accepted through May 31.

Information: www.suwaneeday.com. Joel Anderson

NORTHSIDE

Police identify couple killed in collision

The driver and passenger killed in the accident Sunday in Cherokee County have been identified as Rick Dean Headen, 48, and Charlotte Ann Sedtal, 40, both of Sour Lake, Texas.

They were the parents of a 2-month-old who sustained a broken leg and brain injury in the wreck. Headen was driving a Ford Focus eastbound on Knox Bridge Highway near Fields Landing at 11:07 a.m. Sunday when the car crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a pickup truck. The driver and passenger of the truck suffered non-life threatening injuries. Andria Simmons

Cherokee could adopt 2012 budget tonight

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners will consider adopting the proposed 2012 budget at tonight’s meeting at 6 p.m. in Cherokee Hall, 1130 Bluffs Parkway, Canton. The commission held a public hearing on the budget last month, which is for nine months because the county is switching to a fiscal year budget next October. The nine-month proposed budget of $132.3 million is down from the $133.8 million budget for the first nine months of 2011. Jeffry Scott

Woodstock hires new police chief

The City of Woodstock has hired Atlanta Police Department deputy chief and head of criminal investigations Calvin Moss as the city’s new police chief, said city manager Jeff Moon said Friday. The search had come down to Moss and Marietta Police Department assistant chief David Lee, who were interviewed by the Woodstock city council last week. Moss is replacing David Bores, who resigned at the end of December. Jeffry Scott

Sandy Springs installs weather sirens

Sandy Springs will begin testing eight new tornado warning sirens shortly before noon on the first Wednesday of each month. The city completed installation of the sirens last week. The tornado sirens are being paid for through a combination of grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Georgia Emergency Management Agency as well as local funds. Information: www.sandyspringsga Patrick Fox

Roswell to hold MARTA construction tour

Roswell officials will conduct a tour of two new MARTA construction projects at 2 p.m. today. Attendees will be taken by bus to the site of a pedestrian improvement project at Holcomb Bridge Road and Ga. 400. From there, the group will tour new bus shelters along Ga. 9 and Holcomb Bridge. The tour begins at City Hall, 38 Hill Street, Roswell. The project cost including design and construction of $236,000 was funded with MARTA Offset Funds. Information: www.roswellgov.com/conezone. Patrick Fox

Democratic Women of Forsyth to meet

The Democratic Women of Forsyth County will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, at Golden Palace restaurant, 2300 Bethelview Rd. in Cumming. The featured speaker will be James McCoy, President of the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce. RSVP deadline is Wednesday. Contact Mary Chatfield at 770-887-1106. Kenneth Musisi

ATLANTA

Kaiser Permanente nurse job fair today

Kaiser Permanente of Georgia will host a job fair for registered nurses today at its Cumberland Medical Center, 2525 Cumberland Parkway in Atlanta. The nonprofit health plan is hiring nurses to staff its new TownPark Comprehensive Medical Center in Kennesaw. The job fair will be held in Conference Room A from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Visit www.kpcareers.org for information. Misty Williams

‘Black Power’ Olympian to speak at CAU

John Carlos, half of the 1968 Olympic medal-winning duo that proclaimed “Black Power” on the medal stand to call attention to the plight of the African-Americans, will speak at Clark Atlanta University Wednesday as part of the school’s Black History Month programming.

Carlos will discuss his book, “The Sports Moment That Changed the World.”

Carlos will speak at 3 p.m. in the Cole Research Center, 223 James P. Brawley Dr. Ernie Suggs

DAR to hold Washington birthday lunch

The Atlanta Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution invite the public to its George Washington birthday lunch on Saturday. The event at the Ansley Golf Club, 196 Montgomery Ferry Drive, features speaker Stephen McLeod, assistant to the CEO of Mount Vernon, Washington’s Virginia estate, and editor of the new book “Dining with the Washingtons.” The program begins at 11 a.m., followed by lunch. Tickets are $30 and reservations are required; 404-842-0357.

Latin Academy accepting applications

Latin Academy, a new charter middle school in Atlanta, is accepting applications for the sixth-grade through March 31. The school will open this fall with sixth-grade only, but will eventually expand to eighth grade. To be eligible, students must be entering or repeating sixth grade, must live in the city of Atlanta, and must submit an enrollment form. If necessary, a lottery will be used to fill seats at the school. Info: www.latin-academy.org. Jaime Sarrio

DEKALB

Covington Highway crash kills one

One person was killed Monday morning in a wreck on a busy south DeKalb County thoroughfare.

The crash happened before 10:30 a.m. on Covington Highway near Wesley Chapel Road.

DeKalb police Lt. Antonio Catlin said one person died in the two-car crash.

The identity of the person killed was not immediately released.

Catlin said investigators were trying to determine which driver was at fault. Mike Morris

CEO Ellis to hold town hall meetings

DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis is holding a series of town hall meetings around the county to talk about local government issues as well as the upcoming vote on a transportation sales tax.

Upcoming meetings include a meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Dunwoody Baptist Church, 1445 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody.

Meetings also will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 at St. Timothy United Methodist Church, 5365 Memorial Dr., Stone Mountain and at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at Stephenson High School, 701 Stephenson Road, Stone Mountain.

All meetings are designed to last 90 minutes. April Hunt

Commissioners to speak at chamber lunch

Three DeKalb County commissioners will speak about economic development and land use plans for the county at a DeKalb Chamber luncheon next week.

The lunch runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Doubletree Hotel Atlanta, 4156 LaVista Road.

To register: www.dekalbchamber.org. April Hunt

Boyer wants input on 2012 budget

DeKalb County Commissioner Elaine Boyer will hold two town meetings in north DeKalb over the next week, to get citizen input on the 2012 budget.

The first meeting begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Montgomery Elementary School in Dunwoody. The second session begins at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 at Tucker Middle School and also will feature County Commissioner Stan Watson.

More information: 404-371-3052. April Hunt

Doraville youth soccer registration open

Registration is still open for youth soccer leagues in Doraville. The city’s recreation department partners with the Atlanta Spurs Football Club for three levels of soccer for children between 6 and 19.

Registration is open until Feb. 29 and is $100 for the season. Practices begin March 1 and the season runs through May. Information: 770- 936-3850. April Hunt

Daddy-daughter dance Saturday

Chamblee’s parks and recreation department is holding its annual Daddy-Daughter dance soon. The dance is for girls in the 8th grade or younger and their fathers, grandfathers, uncles or other male role models. City residents and nonresidents are welcome. The dance will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Chamblee Civic Center on Broad Street. Cost is $30 per couple and $5 for each additional daughter. Reservations, which are required, at 770-986-5016 or https://recreation.chambleega.com. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Polls open today for special election

Fulton County will have seven voting precincts open today for the special election to fill the state House District 60 seat, vacated by Gloria Tinubu when she quit to run for Congress in South Carolina. The contenders are Democrats Theresa Middlebrooks, LaTrenka Riley and Keisha Waites. The district covers parts of Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties.

Fulton’s polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Information: 404-730-7020 or www.fultoncountyga.gov. Johnny Edwards

Workshops to help with grant applications

The deadline is nearing for nonprofit arts organizations to apply for $1,000 to $150,000 grants through Fulton County’s contracts for services program, and the Arts and Culture department is holding workshops on the application process. The next workshop will be Thursday at south Fulton’s Southwest Arts Center, 915 New Hope Road, from 6 to 8 p.m. Directions: www.FultonArts.org.

The application deadline is March 15. Information: 404-612-5780. Johnny Edwards

Robotics team heads for competition

The robotics team at Henry County’s Woodland High School -- known as the “Pack Attack” -- will be traveling to the VEX Robotics World Championship in Anaheim, Calif., after recently winning the Evans Robotics Tournament in Evans, Ga. Team members Alex Bryant, Brandon Prosser, Nathan Sanders, and Joe Walton competed in Evans against 32 Georgia and South Carolina teams, claiming 13 wins and the Judges Award for outstanding design and teamwork. Nancy Badertscher

Church to hold couple’s seminar

South Fulton’s Zion Hill Baptist Church will hold a couples’ seminar Wednesday, designed to improve relationships. The 2012 Couples Affirmation Relationship & Enhancement, or CARE, seminar is for singles and starts at 7 p.m. in the church sanctuary. The church is at 6175 Campbellton Road. Johnny Edwards

Honorary fraternity accepts band director

Phi Beta Mu, the International Honorary Bandmasters Fraternity, has selected Whitewater High School Band Director Jack Jean for membership.

The nonprofit service organization works to “encourage the building of better bands and the development of better musicians throughout the world.”

Assistant Band Director Andy Poor called Jean “an outstanding music educator…this is an honor that is long overdue.” Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Clayton to hold citizens police academy

Clayton County residents, employees, business managers and owners are invited to participate in the Clayton County Police Department’s 15th Citizen’s Police Academy.

The free, 10-week session will meet on Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. beginning Feb. 23 at police headquarters, 7911 North McDonough Street, Jonesboro. Information: 770-477-3523 or community.affairs@co.clayton.ga.us. Veronica Fields Johnson