County by county news for Tuesday

Thomas Sparks, 47, of Austell, was charged with murder, aggravated assault and theft by taking, and is being held without bond in the Cobb County Adult Detention Center. Mike Morris

Police warn holiday decoration vandals

Following anecdotal reports that vandalism of Christmas decorations has increased in some East Cobb neighborhoods, the Cobb County Police Department has issued a reminder that such crimes can result in serious consequences.

Parents should remind their teens that damaging property is more than a prank. Someone over age 17 who goes into someone’s yard and damages decorations can be jailed. If the damage exceeds $500, the crime becomes a felony. Andria Simmons

Career center to hold recruiting session

The Georgia Department of Labor’s Cobb-Cherokee Career Center will hold a recruiting session on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help Goodwill of North Georgia fill about 30 job openings for a store set to open in January. The session will be held at the site of the new store, 2401 Shallowford Road in Marietta. Applicants are encouraged to apply online at goodwill.org ahead of time. Information: 770-528-6100. Veronica Fields Johnson

Keep Cobb Beautiful wins two awards

Keep Cobb Beautiful was recently received two awards at the Keep America Beautiful’s national awards ceremony.

KCP was recognized for outstanding sponsor support, and received a first place affiliate award.

The group receive accolades for the Great Allatoona Cleanup, which included more than 4,200 volunteers who collected 42 tons of trash from 250 miles of shoreline. KCB’s “Dig’n the Dirt” school garden program was also recognized at the program.

Information: www.cobbcounty.org/kcb Janel Davis

Marietta redevelopment group to meet

The Marietta Redevelopment Corporation will hold a regularly scheduled meeting 6:30 to 8 p.m. today in the second floor conference room of City Hall, 205 Lawrence St. in Marietta. Among the items on the agenda are a discussion of parcels of property on Powder Springs Street, and an update on demolition. Jeffry Scott

Austell to give workers gifts and a dinner

Austell city officials are spending nearly $18,000 this month for Christmas bonuses, gifts and a dinner for city employees. Pasta Bella of Marietta was the low bidder at $1,554 with desserts provided by Gretchen’s Amazing Cakes of Austell for $150. The employee gift program totals $2,000.

Bonuses are $150 each for 92 employees and $75 each for five employees. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GWINNETT

New traffic signals coming to Ga. 20 Dec. 28

The Georgia Department of Transportation expects three new traffic signals to be operational on Ga. 20 Dec. 28 as it continues to widen the highway from Cooper/Ozora Roads to Brand Road.

The new signals are at the intersections of Oak Grove Road, Hoke O’Kelly Mill Road and Brand Road. In addition, weather permitting, the department will split traffic around the median, with one lane open in each direction.

The department is widening 2.7 miles of Ga. 20 to a four-lane divided highway. The $10.9 million project is expected to be finished by next spring. David Wickert

Alcova Elementary gets new principal

The Gwinnett County Board of Education has appointed a new leader for Alcova Elementary School in Dacula.

Todd Langley was named as the school’s new principal. He will replace Carolyn Ford who retires at the end of the month.

Langley is currently an assistant principal at Berkeley Lake Elementary School in Duluth. He has worked for Gwinnett Schools since 2004.

He has a master’s and a specialist’s degree in educational leadership and is pursuing a doctorate at Georgia Southern University.

D. Aileen Dodd

Duluth to hold New Year’s Eve Crawl

Duluth is inviting residents and visitors to commemorate New Year’s Eve with a downtown celebration.

The Duluth New Year’s Eve Crawl will run from 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at the Duluth Festival Amphitheater Stage and Town Green.

The celebration will include a live music performance featuring renowned band Banks and Shane, a winter carnival with inflatables, rides and games and the Chick-fil-A Bowl game on a big screen.

And at midnight, the city will put on a fireworks show.

Information: www.duluthga.net or 770-476-3434. Joel Anderson

Rabbit Hill Park to get football press box

Rabbit Hill Park will get a new football press box under an agreement approved by the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Dec. 13.

Commissioners approved an agreement with the Mountain View Athletic Association to build the $108,000 press box, which will be paid for by the volunteer group.

The association provides youth sports programs at the park, including baseball, softball, football and cheerleading. David Wickert

Bring your Christmas tree to the chipper

Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful is encouraging residents to start dropping off their old Christmas trees on Dec. 26 as part of the state’s “Bring One for the Chipper Program.”

Residents are asked to strip their trees of lights and decorations and bring them to one of about 30 locations between Dec. 26 and Jan. 16.

Artificial trees will not be accepted.

Once all of the trees are collected, a group of volunteers will chip them into mulch on Jan.21 at Bethesda Park in Lawrenceville.

Information: www.gwinnettcb.org. Joel Anderson

NORTHSIDE

Pitts wants to revisit payment to Grady

Fulton Commissioner Robb Pitts wants the panel to revisit its decision to pay $3.9 million in withheld funds to Grady Memorial Hospital, which he voted against this month. Pitts placed a discussion on Wednesday’s meeting agenda. A 2009 contract with Grady requires proof that all Fulton tax dollars go to treating Fulton indigent and uninsured patients. Every year since, disputes over those stipulations caused money to be withheld, but the commission later voted to pay it. The contract has been amended, but the changes don’t take effect until 2012. Johnny Edwards

Struck pedestrian out of intensive care

The man seriously injured when he tried to walk across Reinhardt College Parkway improved to stable condition Monday. Pedro Francisco, 20, of Canton, had been in critical condition at WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta since Saturday evening, when he was hit in northern Cherokee County. Investigators believe Francisco was intoxicated when ran across the street into oncoming traffic Saturday, Baker said. Alexis Stevens

Liberty Middle School wins $25,000 grant

Forsyth County Schools’ Liberty Middle School is one of 10 schools in a national competition to win a $25,000 grant from Glee Give a Note Campaign to support music education. The middle school one of 492 across the county who competed by submitting videos explaining why the need an education grant. After a public vote, the videos were evaluated by a team of music educators from the National Association for Music Education. Jeffry Scott

Milton launches mobile version of website

The city of Milton has launched a simplified mobile version of its popular municipal website.

The www.cityofmiltonga.us mobile site features the most popular functions of the full desktop version, including “In the Spotlight” news items, contact for City Hall, e-mail newsletter sign up, forms to report a problem and the staff directory.

The site is powered by the content management system provider MoFuse. Andria Simmons

Johns Creek promotes four firefighters

The Johns Creek Fire Department announced the promotions of Battalion Chief Cam Huynh, Capt. L. Wayne Pruitt Jr., Lt. Doug Stephenson, and Sgt. Robert “Bob” Scott Jr.

Fire Chief Jeff Hogan said the firefighters all have proven leadership abilities.

Huynh is a 15-year veteran of the firefighting profession. Pruitt has 18 years of firefighting and public safety experience. Stephenson began his public safety career in 1993.

Scott became a firefighter in 1989. Andria Simmons

Acworth Senior Luncheon today

The Acworth is hosting a Senior Luncheon noon to 1 p.m. today at Roberts School Community and Education Center, 4681 School Street Acworth. Lunch is served at noon.

After lunch there will be several rounds of bingo with prizes.

This program is free to all seniors. information: 770-917-1234 Jeffry Scott

ATLANTA

Tech hand-delivers acceptance letters

Nine students attending four Atlanta Public Schools learned they were admitted to Georgia Tech when college officials hand-delivered acceptance letters Friday. This is the second year officials visited select students living in Atlanta. Chris Briggs, the assistant director of undergraduate admissions, surprised students at Grady, Stephenson, Westlake and North Atlanta high schools. The students are being recruited by other colleges and Briggs said visiting them in a person shows “we really want them to be at” Tech. Laura Diamond

Library to hold Kwanzaa celebration Dec. 30

The percussion and vocal ensemble Giwayen Mata will perform at Atlanta-Fulton’s Central Library on Dec. 30 as part of a Kwanzaa celebration of the Fifth Principle of Kwanzaa, Nia (Purpose). Giwayen Mata means “Elephant Leaders of Women” in the West African Hausa language.

Makeba Johnson will facilitate the Communal Libation and Candle-Lighting Ceremony. The event starts at 3 p.m. at One Margaret Mitchell Square, downtown Atlanta. Information: 404-730-4001 ext. 100.

Johnny Edwards

Saint Philip church to hold New Year’s service

Saint Philip AME Church at 240 Candler Road S.E. in Atlanta invites the public to a Watch Night service on Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. The Rev. Dr. William D. Watley, senior pastor, will deliver the message. Musical selections will be by the W.N. Griffin Gospel Choir: 404-371-0749.

Kenneth Musisi

Cathedral Antiques Show needs volunteers

The holidays aren’t over yet, but it’s not too soon to start thinking about the annual Cathedral Antiques Show at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Buckhead. Volunteers are now being recruited to help with the tour of homes Jan. 29; the Inspiration House Jan. 29 and Feb. 2-11; and the show from Feb. 1 to 4. To sign up, contact the show office at 404-365-1107/cq/ or email ashow@stphilipscathedral.org. H.M. Cauley for the AJC

DEKALB

Doctor, office manager charged with fraud

A DeKalb County doctor who performed abortions and his former office manager have been indicted on two counts of Medicaid fraud. The Georgia Attorney General’s Office said Monday Tyrone Cecil Malloy, who owns Old National Gynecology, and one-time office manager Cathy Ann Edwards Warner billed the government for abortions and ultrasounds that were never performed. Medicaid will cover the cost of terminating a pregnancy if there was rape or incest or if the mother’s life is in danger.

Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Rhonda Cook

Babineaux to play Santa to refugees

Atlanta Falcons Jonathan Babineaux will be trading his helmet for a bright red Santa Claus hat on Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon at The Lakes Apartments, 751 North Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston. Babineaux will deliver Christmas presents to refugee families served by Catholic Charities. Information: Stephanie Ungashick at 404-885-7268 or sungashick@catholiccharitiesatlanta.org on how to donate or volunteer. Sandra Marshall Murray

Decatur honors 14 for community work

Decatur recently honored 14 residents as Hometown Heroes for their contribution to the city and community in the past year. Those named were Alan Ashe, Marc Brennan, Roger Bryant, Jodi Dick, Daniel Flores, Walter Kellar, Lori Leland Kirk, Louis Rice, Sandra Rice, Susan Riley, Mark Sanders, Melissa Stratton, Seegar Swanson, and Kyle Williams.

Winners were nominated by others in the community for their work behind the scenes to make the city a better play to live and work. April Hunt

Tree roots blamed for sewage spill

Tree roots broke a sewer main Dec. 15 on Summerford Drive in Dunwoody, dumping 1,000 of raw sewage into Nancy Creek. DeKalb County crews were able to stop the overflow of the underground manhole by cutting the tree root and clearing out the sewage main before repairs.

The county plans a $1.35 billion overhaul of its water/sewer system to meet a federal consent decree to prevent such spills in the future. The first phase, of about $500 million, is set to begin early next year. April Hunt

DeKalb man wins $180,000 in Fantasy 5

A DeKalb County man recently won more than $180,000 from the Georgia Lottery’s Fantasy 5 game.

Marcus Vann Jr. bought the ticket earlier this month DEC at a Shell Food Mart on Howell Mill Road in Atlanta. The store owner said it was the largest prize sold yet at that store.

The winning numbers were 5-14-25-29-37. April Hunt

Santa to read stories to kids at mall

Santa Claus will read Christmas stories to children at Northlake Mall this Wednesday.

The jolly one will be set up from 10:30 a.m. to noon at his sleigh in the middle of the mall, 4800 Briarcliff Road. The mall will offer crafts and treats during story time but ask that Toys for Tots donations be made for admission.

More information: 770-938-3564. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Businesses owned by disabled vets get boost

When companies bid for county contracts, Fulton will give preference points to businesses owned by veterans with service-related disabilities. By a 4-0 vote, the commission approved Commissioner Robb Pitts’ proposed ordinance change directing vendor selection committees to give veteran-owned companies a five percent boost on their proposals. Pitts’ resolution cites the economic downturn and high unemployment as justification. Fulton already gives preference points to veterans who apply for county jobs. Johnny Edwards

Henry revises adult club ordinance

The Henry County Board of Commissioners voted Monday on a revised adult entertainment ordinance that establishes two designated areas for such establishments and contains a number of restrictions, such as forbidding the sale or consumption of alcohol on such premises. While a four-month moratorium was in place so county officials could consider changes to the ordinance, there are no applications for adult entertainment establishments currently seeking county approval. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Creekside High to get new principal

The Fulton County school board has hired a new administrator to lead Creekside High in Fairburn. Brian Jones was named as Creekside High’s new principal. He will begin on Jan. 17. Jones currently serves as coordinator of Bayside High School’s Health Sciences Academy, a magnet program in the Virginia Beach City public school system. He also has led professional development classes in instructional technology. Jones has a master’s degree in administration and supervision and is pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership. D. Aileen Dodd

New names for Peachtree City streets

Two streets at opposite ends of Peachtree City now have new names. The road that leads from Kedron Drive to the hockey rink and the Fieldhouse and Aquatic Center is now called Fieldhouse Drive.

At the southern end, the old portion of Rockaway Road that provides access to Meade Field and the Recycling Center has been designated as Meade Field Drive. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Sunday alcohol sales to be on Henry ballot

The Henry County Board of Commissioners voted Dec. 19 to authorize a referendum on the March 6 election ballot to permit Sunday sales of malt beverages, wine and distilled spirits in unincorporated Henry County. All four cities in the county approved Sunday alcohol sales in November, and Sunday sales are already taking place in McDonough and Stockbridge. Monroe Roark for the AJC

HMC offers smoking cessation program

Henry Medical Center’s Fresh Start course helps people stop smoking. The four- week program consists of a one-hour session from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday Jan. 10-31 in the Henry Medical Center Foundation Education Center. Details: Call 678-604-1040 or visit the hospital’s website at www.henrymedical.com. Tammy Joyner