County by county news for Tuesday

Ott to hold town hall meeting tonight

Cobb County Commissioner Bob Ott will host a town hall meeting tonight in east Cobb.

The meeting will focus on the county’s budget, which currently has a $31 million deficit.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, 4385 Lower Roswell Road in Marietta.

Information: call 770-528-3316, visit www.cobbcounty.org/2011budget Janel Davis

Environmental center to host open house

The Jean and Elwood Wright Environmental Education Center will host an open house for families on Saturday.

The center will provide explorer bags for families to identify plants and animals while exploring trails. The Mushroom Club of Georgia will also have a display and be available to answer questions.

The open house begins at noon at the center, 2661 Johnson Ferry Road in Marietta. Information: call, 770-528-8824. Janel Davis

Adult ed program chosen for program

The Cobb Adult Education Center is one of four programs or schools in Georgia selected to participate in a national career-awareness pilot, designed to help adult students better prepare for the workforce. Beginning spring quarter, students will earn a high school equivalency diploma and create a career portfolio.

The center will host a career fair April 27 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Oakwood Digital Academy media center, 1560 Joyner Avenue in Marietta. Jaime Sarrio

Two men rob gas station at gunpoint

Two young men robbed a Smyrna gas station early Monday and ran away with an undisclosed amount of cash, according to Cobb County police.

The suspects entered the RaceTrac at 5191 South Cobb Drive around 6:30 a.m. One held two female clerks at gunpoint while the other grabbed money from the cash registers. Anyone with information is asked to call 770-499-3945. Andria Simmons

Businesses cited for underage sales

Two Mableton businesses were cited for selling alcohol to underage persons during an undercover police operation on Thursday.

Employees at the Shell Food Mart at 6161 Mableton Parkway and at El Solecito Mexican Grill at 511 Veterans Memorial Highway allegedly sold alcoholic beverages to an underage volunteer working with Cobb County police.

Twenty-three businesses passed the compliance check. Andria Simmons

GWINNETT

Nash promises: ‘I’m going to do the right thing’

New Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash took office Monday, vowing to honor the trust of those who elected her.

“This is an important time in Gwinnett County’s history,” Nash told more than 300 people who watched her take the oath of office at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. “I pledge to each of you that I’m going to do the right thing for Gwinnett County.” Nash won a four-way race for commission chairman on March 15. She will fill the unexpired term of former Chairman Charles Bannister, who resigned in October. David Wickert

School board begins community meetings

The Gwinnett County school board kicks off its community meetings series this week.

The first area board meeting will be held today at 7 p.m. at Lanier High in Buford. School board member Dan Seckinger will host the event.

A second meeting will follow on Thursday at Norcross High. Three others will be held in April. A reception will be held before each meeting at 6:30 p.m. D. Aileen Dodd

Man gets 14 months in animal cruelty case

A Lawrenceville man was sentenced to 14 months in prison Monday for allegedly beating his pet dachshund in front of his children in January 2010.

Dainley Dewayne Green, 50, pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals and violating a temporary protective order. Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Melodie Snell Conner also sentenced Green to three years and 10 months of probation. Andria Simmons

Snellville man dies in South Dakota crash

The Highway Patrol says a Georgia man was killed in a rollover crash on I-90 near the southwest South Dakota city of Belvidere. Troopers say Paul Edwin Pierce III, 54, of Snellville, lost control of his vehicle Saturday morning after attempting to pass a snowplow on the slushy highway. The patrol says the vehicle went into the median and rolled. Associated Press

Gwinnett students to compete in science fairs

Gwinnett County Schools students will show nearly 50 research projects at upcoming science fairs. Middle and high school students will first compete at the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair, which starts on Thursday. Thirteen middle school projects and 36 high school level projects will compete. Winners will advance to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles. Five students from Gwinnett D. Aileen Dodd

Norcross school joins in garden project

Greater Atlanta Christian School students recently planted an American Heart Association Teaching Garden to promote healthy eating habits.

Students planted carrots, onions, spinach, broccoli and other fresh foods as part of the campaign to encourage kids to make fruit and vegetables part of their daily diets.

GAC of Norcross is one of eight schools nationwide to be selected this year to participate in the American Heart Association’s garden project. D. Aileen Dodd

NORTHSIDE

Fulton asks input on comprehensive plan

Forsyth County has scheduled the fifth of seven workshops inviting the public to offer opinions on the county’s state-required update of its Comprehensive Plan to map the direction of county growth and development. The workshop will address the Community Agenda portion of the plan where resident’s opinions shape the drawing of development map through conversations with county planners. The workshop is at 8 p.m. April 28, in suite 220 of the county administration building, 110 E. Main Street, Cumming. Jeffry Scott

Principal to be taped to wall to help Japan

Students at Manning Oaks Elementary in Alpharetta will tape their principal and two others to the wall on Thursday to raise money for Japanese relief efforts. Manning Oaks National Elementary Honor Society will host the event, charging $1 per yard of tape. Once all the students have used their tape, the chairs that the adults are standing on will be pulled out from under them. Principal Sharon Reinig and instructors Shelly Neal and Edward Francis are the daring volunteers. Nancy Badertscher

Deadline April 15 for leadership class

The deadline to apply for the charter class of Youth Leadership Sandy Springs is April 15.

Applications are available at www.leadershipsandysprings.org/ylss. Information: 404-252-2787 or ylssdirector@leadershipsandysprings.org. Joel Anderson

Orchestra to give ‘Mother’s Day Tribute’

The Ludwig Symphony Orchestra will present “A Cherry Blossom Mother’s Day Tribute” on May 1 at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center.

Maestro Thomas Ludwig, former music director of the New York City Symphony, will lead the orchestra.

Information: www.ludwigsymphony.org or 770-623-8623. Joel Anderson

Forsyth cleanup project to be April 30

The reward is grilled hot dogs and hamburgers and cleaner streets. Keep Forsyth County Beautiful is inviting volunteers to take two hours on Saturday, April 30, to pick up litter along county roads as part of the nationwide 2011 Great American Cleanup.

Volunteers should meet at 9 a.m. at the big red barn at the Cumming Fairgrounds, at 235 Castleberry Road in Cumming for a brief trash pick up pep rally. They’ll get equipment and fan across Forsyth in groups to tidy up as many roads as possible in two hours. Grilled dogs and burgers served afterward. Jeffry Scott

Input asked on designing new libraries

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System wants suggestions on designing three new north Fulton libraries. Input sessions, all at 7 p.m., will be Thursday at East Roswell Community Center for the new East Roswell Library; April 5 at the Alpharetta Senior Center for the new Alpharetta Library; and April 12 at Milton City Hall for the new Milton Library.

Comments can also be sent to librarycomments@fultoncountyga.gov or submitted online at www.afpls.org. Information: 404-730-1777. Johnny Edwards

ATLANTA

Mayor Reed unveils strategic service plan

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed will present Atlanta’s strategic service plan for service this morning, with “Forward Together,” a call to action designed to engage Atlanta’s citizens through volunteering.

“Forward Together” outlines Reed’s vision to mobilize Atlanta’s large volunteer base to meet what he describes as the city’s greatest needs, “to develop our youth and beautify our communities.”

In addition to Reed’s presentation of the strategic service plan, there will be a volunteer organization fair held in City Hall’s atrium between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Ernie Suggs

Essence editor to speak at CAU graduation

The editor-in-chief emeritus of Essence magazine will serve as Clark Atlanta University’s commencement speaker, President Carlton E. Brown announced Monday.

Susan L. Taylor, who also founded a national mentoring program, will speak during the May 16 graduation ceremony taking place in the Panther Stadium on campus. Laura Diamond

Marcus center blue for autism awareness

Home Depot Founder Bernie Marcus plans to turn on the blue lights Thursday to signal Autism Awareness Month. The Marcus Autism Center will have its 90,000 square-foot building adorned in blue lights for April. Autism advocates encourage prominent buildings at least light up blue this Saturday. The Fernbank Museum of Natural History, the city of Douglasville, Atlanta Hawks, Viewpoint and Metropolis condos signaled support for “Light it Up Blue.” Steve Visser

Parents get online help on education

The W.E.B. Du Bois Society of Atlanta has launched a new online tool to help parents get what they want for their child’s education. The site provides tips on how to improve student learning and what parents should do to advocate for their kids’ success.

For information:www.webduboissociety.org/parents/assessment-quiz D. Aileen Dodd

DEKALB

No special election to replace court clerk

There will be no special election to replace DeKalb County’s clerk of Superior Court, elections officials said Monday.

Deputy Clerk Debra DeBerry was sworn in Friday to replace Linda Carter, who resigned because of illness.

DeKalb Elections Director Maxine Daniels said that Georgia law states that counties that have deputy court clerks are not required to have an election. DeBerry will serve until the term expires in December 2012. Megan Matteucci

Emory project focuses on nanoparticles

Physicians and engineers at a new research center will develop nanoparticles to help treat pediatric diseases, such as cancer, sickle cell disease and cystic fibrosis.

A partnership of Emory University, Georgia Tech and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Center for Pediatric Nanomedicine is the first of its kind, according to Emory. The university and Georgia Tech have already collaborated on other nanomedicine research efforts funded by the National Institutes of Health. Misty Williams

DeKalb police earn reaccreditation

DeKalb County Police meet national standards, a law enforcement accrediting agency said.

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies voted this weekend to renew DeKalb’s accreditation, Chief William O’Brien said.

The department has been accredited since 1991, but is required to be re-assessed every three years. Megan Matteucci

Robber lures victims from iPad ads

A thief who covets iPads has held up three people this month after arranging to meet them in Dunwoody.

Dunwoody Police say the suspect contacted the victims after they posted an iPad for sale on Craigslist. He arranged to meet them at the Walmart parking lot at 4725 Ashford Dunwoody Road, then snatched the computer tablet away at gunpoint.

The victims described the robber as a black male of medium complexion in his 20s, between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall and between 150 and 180 pounds. The man had a short haircut and had his right hand taped up “like a fighter.”

Andria Simmons

Paws for the Cause on April 9

DeKalb County officials are working to increase awareness of animal cruelty by offering low cost veterinarian services.

The third annual Paws For the Cause event is scheduled for April 9 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 101 East Court Square in Decatur.

A veterinarian will offer low cost shots and microchips, along with other services, James said. Megan Matteucci

Online school finder can help parents

DeKalb County parents can find out what school their child will attend in 2011-12 using the district’s online school finder at www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/planning/lookup.asp.

Earlier this month, the district approved a sweeping redistricting plan that will move 6,000 to 7,000 students, close eight schools and free up an estimated $12.4 million a year. Attendance area maps for the redistricting are also available at the district’s website. Jaime Sarrio

SOUTHSIDE

Peachtree City’s new permit fees start April 4

Peachtree City’s new fee structure for building and inspection permits goes into effect April 4.

The City Council of Peachtree City approved the revised fees on Feb. 17. Permits are required to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure. Community Development Director David Rast said the new fee structure is based on the total project valuation, not square footage as before. The fees are posted on the Building Department page at www.peachtree-city.org. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Hapeville vehicles meet emissions test

Hapeville received a thumbs up from the Environmental Protection Division. The EPD completed the review of the city’s 2010 annual report for the Clean Fueled Fleets Program and determined the city is in compliance with this program. The program monitors agencies or companies that have more than 10 vehicles in its fleet to help reduce fuel emissions in the region. John Thompson for the AJC

College Park woman shot to death

A 21-year-old College Park woman was shot to death Sunday morning in what police are calling a possible domestic dispute. Police said Sade Danmola was pronounced dead on arrival at Grady Memorial Hospital. Police said they are seeking Eric Robius Austin, 31, for questioning. He has not been named a suspect. Margaret Newkirk

Peachtree City teacher picked for academy

Pat Costa, a fifth-grade teacher at Crabapple Lane Elementary School in Peachtree City, has been chosen to attend the 2011 Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy this summer.

Costa will be one of 13 Georgia teachers and the only one from Fayette County at the math and science professional development program being held July 17-22 in New Jersey. Jill Howard Church for the AJCs

HMC offers CPR course for caregivers

Henry Medical Center will conduct a Health Care Provider CPR course Friday, April 15, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the hospital’s Foundation Education Center. The course is designed for professionals or students working in a health care environment such as nurses, physicians, dentists and/or their staff. To register, call the Henry Medical Center Community Education Department at 678-604-1040 or visit www.henrymedical.com. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Fayette extends bids for grass cutting

Over the objections of board members, Fayette County Commissioners approved extending grass cutting bids to two businesses for another year.

Commissioners Steve Brown and Allen McCarty don’t agree that the bid should be extended without opening it up to competition.

But County Administrator Jack Krakeel said the previous year’s bid is locked in despite rising fuel prices. Brown and McCarty voted against the $61,521 contract awarded Thursday to SSFW Landscape Management and Star Valley Landscape. Kathy Jefcoats for the AJC