COBB
Marietta teacher wins national competition
Marietta Middle School teacher Martin Esterman recently won the “National STEM Video Game Challenge.” The competition challenged educators to come up with creative ways to motivate students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Esterman, a seventh and eighth grade math teacher, created a video game that requires players to use arithmetic skills to win. For winning the contest, Esterman will receive $10,000 to further develop his idea with guidance from other experts. Daarel Burnette
Forum on transit tax tonight in Acworth
Acworth, Kennesaw and Cobb County will host a public forum on the Regional Transportation Referendum at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the North Cobb Senior Center, Kenworth Park, 4100 Highway 293, Acworth. Officials will talk about Transportation Investment Act projects in the northwest Cobb corridor that will be up for a vote July 31. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Schools encourage kids to walk
East Side Elementary in East Cobb was recently one of six schools in the state given the “Safe Routes to School” Partner of the Year award. The award is given to schools that use creative activities to encourage students to walk or bike to school. Within the last year, East Side’s students have held a “Bike Rodeo,” created a “walking school bus,” and had parents pledge to send their children to school on the bus instead of driving them. Kinsley Charter Elementary School in Atlanta was also given the award. Daarel Burnett
Golden Dragon Acrobats to perform in Mableton
The Golden Dragon Acrobats performance group will present two shows on Fridayat the Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre. Tickets: reserve seats $25, adults; $10 children; lawn admission $15, adults; $8 children. The shows begin at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Amphitheatre, 5239 Floyd Road in Mableton.
Information: 770-819-7765; www.mablehouse.org Janel Davis
Six Flags coasterthon to benefit hospital
Six Flags Over Georgia and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta are raising money for CHOA with the first Children’s Coasterthon on Friday. The 22 highest fundraisers will earn a seat on the Great American Scream Machine to see who can endure 10 hours of continuous rides.
Everyone who raises at least $50 by June 5 will receive a free ticket by email to Six Flags that can be used Friday through Sunday. Registration is free at coasterthon.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1019172. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Powder Springs gets antiques mall
An antique mall opened Friday in Powder Springs with nearly 30 dealers and 50 shops.
Treasure Hunt is owned by Jim and Sheila Conway in a 27,500-square-foot space at Macedonia and New Macland Roads.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
The Conways also own the entire 54,000-square-foot shopping center, West Cobb Plaza, of which Treasure Hunt is the anchor. Information: AntiquesPS.com or 678-398-9195. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
GWINNETT
Snellville set to test new emergency call system
Snellville will run a test of a new emergency communications system Thursday.
The system, CodeRED Emergency, will begin making calls around 3 p.m. and continue until everyone in the database has been contacted. A message will be left directing recipients to the city’s website to add additional contact numbers and to spread word by mentioning the system to family, friends and neighbors.
Information: 770-985-3500 or www.snellville.org. Joel Anderson
Five students honored for art work
Five Gwinnett County students spent the week in New York, where they were honored for their artist talents. They were among an elite group of 1,400 students recognized in the 2012 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program. They are: Emily Hudson, Brookwood High; Isaac Kerns, Grayson High; Briana Achtman, Mill Creek High; Nahyun Chung, Peachtree Ridge High; and Victoria Lee, Brookwood High. Nancy Badertscher
Gwinnett Place CID works on sidewalks
The Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District has announced the completion of a sidewalk project at Koger Boulevard and the start of a new one at Old Norcross Road between Pleasant Hill Road and Satellite Boulevard. The CID said four other sidewalk projects and three streetscape projects along Pleasant Hill Road and Satellite Boulevard in 2012 will include new benches, trashcans, brick pavers and landscaping. Joel Anderson
Residents can weigh in on transportation tax
Gwinnett County residents can discuss a proposed regional transportation sales tax with local officials during a telephone conference at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday.
Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash and Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson will answer questionst.To register: www.wiresidechats.com. David Wickert
Gwinnett man dies in Oklahoma wreck
A Gwinnett County man died Saturday after a single-vehicle crash in Oklahoma, according to media reports. Carl McElhaney, 82, of Dacula, was driving east on the Will Rogers Turnpike when his car left the road, hit an embankment and landed on its top in a pond, state troopers told The Oklahoman. Four people pulled McElhaney from his car and he was transported to a Tulsa hospital where he died. Alexis Stevens
Kiplinger: Suwanee great for raising kids
Suwanee has been chosen one of Kiplinger.com’s “10 Great Cities to Raise Your Kids.”
Of the Gwinnett city of 15,000, Kiplinger writes: “Think big yards and small crime rates. The town’s highly regarded schools make it a particularly good place for raising children. … Meanwhile, Mom and Dad can expect low living costs and solid incomes at one of the many manufacturing firms that call the area home. Atlanta is a commutable 45 minutes away.” Joel Anderson
NORTHSIDE
Forsyth looks at changing rules for signs
Proposed changes in the county’s sign ordinance will be the focus of a Thursday public hearing by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners. Among the possible changes are provisions covering what temporary and banner signs can be made from, and standards for so-called monument signs. The hearing is set for 5 p.m. at the Forsyth County Administration Building, 110 E. Main St., Cumming. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Chambers to hold Ga. 400 Summit
The Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, along with the Dawson and Lumpkin chambers, will hold the 2012 Ga. 400 Summit Thursday. Guests from the State Transportation Board of Georgia and the State Road and Tollway Authority will discuss congestion-easing and road improvement proposals. Tickets are $30-35 for the 11:30 a.m. event at the Forsyth Conference Center, 7745 Majors Road, Cumming. Mark Woosley for the AJC
Volunteers needed to oversee SPLOST revenue
The DeKalb County School District is seeking residents to volunteer for a committee overseeing the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax revenue program and related school construction.
Ideal volunteers on the 12-member panel would have experience in development-related fields or in finance, accounting, education or the law. Volunteers must meet at least two hours quarterly starting in August, and must pass a background check and sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Apply online at http://goo.gl/ZfoSV. The deadline is June 17, 2012 at 11:59 p.m.
Ty Tagami
Work to shut down Edgewater Drive
Edgewater Drive, between River Overlook Drive and Edgewater Court in Sandy Springs, will close Wednesday as road crews replace a culvert. The project is expected to take one week to complete, weather permitting. Residents are advised to use alternate routes. Detours will be posted. Residents with questions may contact Adam Lyon with the Stormwater Services Unit at alyon@sandyspringsga.gov.Information: www.sandyspringsga.gov; 770-730-5600. Patrick Fox
‘Wireside Chat’ on transit tax Wednesday
A telephone townhall meeting for north Fulton residents on the July 31 transportation sales tax referendum will be held Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. Government officials and transportation professionals from the area will take questions.
To register: www.wiresidechats.com or call 404-463-3227. Johnny Edwards
Woodstock summer concert series continues
Blackberry Smoke will play a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in downtown Woodstock. The southern rock band is the second of five playing through early September in the Woodstock Concert Series’ 15th season and second in newly expanded Park at City Center at Arnold Mill Road and Main Street. Michael Alpert for the AJC
ATLANTA
Special meeting to focus on budget
The Atlanta City Council will hold a special called meeting Wednesday to discuss all proposed 2013 budget-related and amendments. All legislation, once discussed and amended, will be held in their respective committees and voted on June 12-13. Those will be followed by a full vote on the budget June 18. Wednesday’s meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave., 30303 Ernie Suggs
Grant to help fight drug trafficking
Atlanta is set to receive a $5.18 million grant from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The money will help fund the “Atlanta High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.” A committee of Atlanta’s City Council recently authorized Mayor Kasim Reed to use nearly $418,000 in anti-trafficking grant money to pay AT&T to identify and analyze telecommunications data in support of law enforcement efforts. Jeremiah McWilliams
Request asks for taxicab analysis
Atlanta has released a request for proposals for companies that can provide research and analysis on the local taxicab industry, as well as recommendations to guide future regulation of the industry.The city is rewriting its ordinances and is looking to require upgrades including GPS devices, debit and credit card swiping machines and either digital cameras, recording devices or panic buttons. The request for proposals was sent out by Central Atlanta Progress.Jeremiah McWilliams
Tour de Fat Bike Festival June 30
Trade a car for a bike?
Do it at Atlanta’s first Tour de Fat Bike Festival in Historic Fourth Ward Park. The June 30 event includes a morning bike parade followed by a “bike & beer” festival with performances by Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Yo-Yo People, Sean Hayes, and Sssnakenstein. It’s free but it’s also a fundraiser for the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition.
Information on the trade is on New Belgium’s Tour de Fat Facebook page. Parade registration is 9 a.m. Ty Tagami
DEKALB
Decatur’s downtown on historic register
Decatur’s downtown district was approved by the National Parks Service for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. This includes a stretch of buildings on Decatur’s south square that date to the mid-1800s, and on the east square dating to the late 19th century.
The area includes several buildings previously added to the Register individually, like the 1917 DeKalb County Courthouse and the 1924 Masonic Lodge. Three other Decatur districts were previously placed on the National Register: Ponce Court, Winnona Park and the South Candler Rd./Agnes Scott College district. Bill Banks for the AJC
Grant to help clean contaminated land
The federal Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $900,000 to DeKalb County to help clean contaminated properties.
Of the money, $650,000 will be in a revolving loan for cleanup of hazardous substances and $250,000 will go toward cleaning petroleum. The removal of such materials is critical to helping redevelop contaminated properties, known as brownfields. April Hunt
Librarians win national award
Two librarians at the DeKalb County Public Library system recently won a national award and grant for their daylong program focusing on black Native Americans.
Mia Buggs, a youth services librarian at the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown branch, and Veronica Winley, branch manager at the Lithonia-Davidson branch, were recently jointly honored with the 2012 Virginia Hamilton and Arnold Adoff Creative Outreach grant. Only one award is given each year.
The pair were honored and given $1,000 for their project, “When Tribes Meet: The history of black native Americans.” The program, which features storytelling, book discussions and crafts, is tentatively scheduled Oct. 6 at the Wesley Chapel branch, 2861 Wesley Chapel Road, near Decatur. April Hunt
Treatment plants win state awards
All three DeKalb County water and wastewater treatment plants recently won statewide honors for their work.
The Georgia Association of Water Professionals awarded the Pole Bridge and Snapfinger sewer plants with its platinum award, in recognition of having gone five years without an pollution violations.
The association awarded the Scott Candler water plant with a gold award for completing 2011 without any pollution or permit violations. April Hunt
Students need sponsors for solar car
High school engineering students are pleading for last-minute sponsors to help them finish a solar car for the Winston Solar Challenge in Texas.
The event starts July 14, but the team -- which includes students and recent graduates from Cross Keys High School in DeKalb County and from the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology -- must finish by July 1.
The students need about $8,000 to refurbish a motor controller.
Contact team director Patrick Gunter at (864) 590-9004, Pgunter7@gmail.comor Renae Irving at Renaeirving@gmail.com. Ty Tagami
SOUTHSIDE
Jury duty amnesty over; court to go after dodgers
Only 33 Fulton County residents reported to the courthouse last month for “Jury Summons Amnesty Month,” according court officials. The Superior Court judges gave jury duty dodgers all of May to set a new date and swear in an affidavit to show up this time. Court Administrator Yolanda Lewis said more than 13,000 people have called since February to reschedule, whittling the number of people facing contempt of court charges down to about 8,700. She said, hundreds of residents soon will get orders to appear before a judge by sheriff’s deputies. Johnny Edwards
School board members reach out
Two Fulton school board members have monthly meetings set for June. The others will resume these meetings when the new school year begins.
Set to host meetings in June are board members Linda Bryant and Julia Bernath. Bryant’s meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Westlake High. Bernath’s will be at 9:30 a.m. June 7 at Riverwood International Charter School. No meetings are planned for July, according to the school system. Nancy Badertscher
Kiwanis donates $500 for school garden
The Kiwanis Club of McIntosh Trail in Peachtree City has donated $500 to support a new garden at the Fayette County Alternative School.
The garden, started this spring by teacher Margo Wimbish with a mini-grant from the Georgia Science Teachers Association, will be used as a living laboratory by students in biology, environmental science, earth science, chemistry and related classes.
In addition to hands-on instruction, the garden will also foster better collaboration, creativity, creative thinking and communication among the students. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Sandy Creek French teacher honored
France’s Minister of Education has bestowed a special honor on a Sandy Creek High School French teacher.
Stephane Allagnon was given The Order of Academic Palms, an Order of Chivalry in France, for his outstanding devotion and accomplishment in the areas of teaching, scholarship and research. The award was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1808.
Allagnon will receive a medal and diploma at the French Consul General’s office in Atlanta later this summer. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Holmes’ town hall meeting set for June 23
Henry County District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes will hold his monthly town hall meeting on June 23, at 9 a.m. at the Fairview Recreation Center in Stockbridge.
There will be a special focus on the multi-use trail to be constructed connecting Austin Road Middle School to Panola Mountain State Park and the Arabia Mountain Heritage Trails.
The one-mile paved trail is being funded through the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Enhancement Fund and the PATH Foundation and will not impact the county’s general fund budget, according to county officials. Monroe Roark for the AJC
