County by county news for Tuesday

Chadwick had served on the board since 1982 and as chairman since 1988. Ed Crowell, who was elected by the board at its Jan. 24 meeting as vice-chairman, will serve as interim chairman until a permanent replacement is selected at the board’s March meeting.

An election for six of the 10 seats on the EMC’s board is scheduled for March 31. Janel Davis

Chamber honors community leaders

The Cobb Chamber of Commerce recognized several community leaders during its 70th annual dinner last week.

The winners included, Kim Menefee of WellStar Health System, who received the chairman’s award for her support of the chamber, Marietta City Schools Superintendent Dr. Emily Lembeck, who received the Cobb Citizen of the Year Award and 23 members who received a lifetime achievement award for their membership campaign efforts.

Outgoing chamber chairman Rob Garcia also passed his leadership role to Community & Senior Bank executive Tony Britton. Janel Davis

Time to sign up for kids’ consignment sale

New sellers are welcome to sign up for a March children’s consignment sale in Powder Springs.

Online registration is open through March 4 for the March 8-10 sale at mysalemanager.net/reg_newconsignor1.aspx.

The Twice Blessed sales in March and August are sponsored by McEachern Memorial United Methodist Church, 4075 Macland Road.

Sellers get 70 percent of the sale proceeds of their items after a $6 seller’s fee is deducted with the rest supporting the church’s children’s ministries.

Information: 770-943-3008, ext. 1212 or twice-blessed.org.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Input want on Six Flags Drive plan

Revitalization recommendations for Six Flags Drive will be presented Thursday night in Austell.

As they have been doing since October at other public meetings, area residents and business and property owners are invited to comment on the Cobb County planning team’s ideas for the Six Flags Livable Centers Initiative (LCI).

The meeting will be 6 to 8 p.m. at the South Cobb Recreation Center, 875 Six Flags Drive, Austell.

The study is funded by a $100,000 grant to Cobb County through the Atlanta Regional Commission’s LCI Program. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

St. Andrew church to hold silent auction

St. Andrew United Methodist Church will host a bake sale and silent auction after the 10:45 a.m. worship service Feb. 26.

Past auctions featured items such as weekend cabin trips; artwork and an array of services, from painting, to yard work.

The event will be in the church’s Keheley Center. Proceeds will help support the congregation’s activities for youth.

The church is at 3455 Canton Road, Marietta.

For information: 770-926-3488. Laurie Hoffman

GWINNETT

Sunday house fire displaces 5 residents

Investigators believe a house fire that displaced three adults and two children Sunday at a house in the 1900 block of Carriage Way in Lawrenceville was sparked by a fire burning in the fireplace. Firefighters responded to a blaze reported by occupants shortly after 9 p.m. and found flames showing from the roof around the chimney of a single-story house. The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes, but it caused heavy damage to the roof and sent smoke and heat throughout the home.

The Red Cross was assisting the five displaced residents. Andria Simmons

GTC, AARP offer tax assistance

Gwinnett Technical College and AARP will offer free income tax preparation and tax counseling for local residents and Gwinnett Tech students, faculty and staff beginning Thursday.

Volunteers with AARP Tax-Aide will provide assistance from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays (except April 13) through April 17 in Room 2.102 of the Busbee Center, Building 700, on campus. For information call 770-962-7580. David Wickert

Design contest 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

Animal control task force to meet

A task force examining animal control issues in Gwinnett County will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 7 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. For more information, visit www.gwinnettcounty.com. David Wickert

County looks for lifeguards, instructors

Gwinnett County will host a job fair for people interested in lifeguarding and instructor opportunities in the county’s parks and recreation department from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Bethesda Park Aquatic Center, 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville. The job fair is for certified and uncertified lifeguards and swim instructors. The process takes about 45 minutes. Participants should bring their swim suits. David Wickert

St. John Neumann to hold open house

St. John Neumann Regional Catholic School at 791 Tom Smith Road, Lilburn will hold an open house on today from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Applications are available online and at the school. Information: Susan Paccasassi at 770/381-0557 or visit www.sjnrcs.org. Sandra Marshall Murray

NORTHSIDE

Chief appraiser to leave post early for state job

Fulton Chief Appraiser Burt Manning has sped up his retirement so he can start a new job with the state. Feb. 14 will be his last day with the county, then he will go to work for the Revenue Department as a development and training specialist supervisor, training appraisers, assessors board members and tax commissioners throughout the state. He had planned to retire in April, but Manning said he changed his mind when the state job opened up. Assistant Chief Appraiser David Fitzgibbon will likely service as acting chief appraiser, Manning said. Johnny Edwards

Alpharetta wants input on Prospect Park

Alpharetta is seeking public input on proposed development of an 80-acre site at Ga. 400 and Old Milton Parkway, formerly known as Prospect Park.

North American Properties, the new owner, has submitted its proposal for “Avalon,” calling for retail, office, hotel and residential uses with additional parcels set aside for future sale or development.

Formal public hearings are scheduled for early March before the Planning Commission, but the city wants residents to weigh in at its Open City Hall Website, http://alpharetta.ga.us. Patrick Fox

Concord Road to close for construction

Concord Road in Forsyth County will be temporarily closed to through traffic beginning Feb. 6, to allow for the replacement of a stormwater cross drain.

Public works crews will close the road from Corn Drive to Pirkle Place. Officials said the road is expected to re-open Feb. 10, weather permitting. Patrick Fox

Leadership Johns Creek seeks nominations

Leadership Johns Creek is seeking nominations for 2013. The eight-month program is scheduled to begin in September with an anticipated 30-member class.

The program is designed to develop leadership talent in individuals representing the community.

Class participants gain insight into business, government, community quality of life, volunteer service and local history. Program workshops are held one day each month.

Nomination forms are available at www.leadershipjohnscreek.com. Information: Kathy Smith, 770-495-0545, ext. 106. Patrick Fox

School host Taste of Holcomb Bridge

Cultures of the world will be celebrated at the annual Taste of Holcomb Bridge on March 1. The PTA at Roswell’s Holcomb Bridge Middle School will be hosting the event themed “A Passport to the World.”

Families are invited to bring a dish from their country of origin.

“We have over 34 countries represented at Holcomb Bridge Middle School alone,” Principal Joy Schroerlucke said. “Who needs to travel when you can learn so much from each other right here?”

Tickets are $5 per person, $20 per family. Free admission is offered for up to five people with a dish serving 16 or more. Info: Kim Thompson at kimtproducer@gmail.com or Lucretia Floyd and lucretiafloyd@gmail.com. Nancy Badertscher

ATLANTA

APS gets high marks on transparency

Atlanta Public Schools earned an A- for transparency from the Sunshine Review, a non-profit that grades government websites. The scores are based on whether information about taxes, budgets, meetings, elected officials and other documents are posted on the district’s website. Information: http://sunshinereview.org

APS redistricting public meeting today

The second of four community meetings on the Atlanta Public Schools redistricting will take place 6:30 p.m. today at Young Middle School, 3116 Benjamin E. Mays Dr., Atlanta. The meeting is for parents in zone 1 and zone 4, which includes students assigned to Mays, Therrell, Douglass, BEST, Coretta Scott King and Washington High. To see the boundaries, visit www.atlanta.k12.ga.us. Jaime Sarrio

Man gets life for shooting college student

An Atlanta man was recently sentenced to life in prison without parole for shooting a West Georgia University student during an armed robbery inside a Texaco station on Northside Drive, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office said.

Tremaine Leigh, 24, was convicted of armed robbery, aggravated assault and other crimes for the March 31, 2011, incident. Prosecutors said Leigh held up Brandon Griffith, 20, at gunpoint and shot Griffith in the chest. Griffith, who survived, is completing his degree, the DA’s office said. Bill Rankin

Charity to give shoes to homeless today

A charity called Soles4Souls is teaming up with a national initiative called “Do the KIND Thing” and the Atlanta Mission to give new shoes to hundreds of local adults and children facing homelessness. Today, volunteers will help to fit adults and children of all ages with a new pair of shoes at the Atlanta Mission. A fitting for men will is scheduled for 12:30 to 2 p.m. at The Shepherd’s Inn, 165 Ivan Allen Blvd. NW. Another fitting for women is scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. at My Sister’s House, a women’s shelter. Jeremiah McWilliams

DEKALB

Clarkston man charge in shooting death

A Clarkston man was arrested Sunday morning in connection with a Saturday evening shooting death, DeKalb County police said. Howard Antoine Weems, 23, was charged with felony murder for allegedly shooting and killing a 29-year-old man after an altercation in the parking lot at 3300 Summit Lake Drive. Another man was wounded in the shooting, police said. Police have not identified the victims. Fran Jeffries/Marcus K. Garner

County wants to rename road for King

DeKalb County has taken the first step for it to rename part of Snapfinger Road in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The county must get more than half of the property owners of the county segment of the road, between Wesley Chapel and Flat Shoals Parkay, to agree to the change.

At the same time, state Sen. Ronald Ramsey has filed a bill allowing the state to change the rest of the five-mile segment of the road.

If approved, the new Martin Luther King Jr. Road will run through an established middle-class black neighborhood, past King’s namesake high school and into Henry County, where his father grew up. April Hunt

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. today at Ashford Park Elementary School, 2968 Cravenwood Dr., Atlanta and a meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Stonecrest Library, 2123 Klondike Road, Lithonia.

The meetings are designed to last 90 minutes. April Hunt

Renovated Decatur hotel set to open

Decatur’s former downtown Holiday Inn, closed since October, will re-open Wednesday as the Courtyard by Marriott. The property underwent $9 million worth of renovation, which includes 179 rooms, a new restaurant, indoor swimming pool, fitness center, guest laundry and business center.

The original Holiday Inn opened in 1989 and was acquired by the Noble Investments Group last June. Bill Banks for the AJC

Clarkston officers get community training

The Clarkston Police Department recently conducted a new session on community policing for student officers.

The program is designed to emphasize the need for positive community interactions and community support in helping with law enforcement. The four-hour training included work on public demonstrations and officer courtesy. April Hunt

Public hearing on redistricting today

How to draw the political lines of DeKalb County will be the focus of a public hearing today in Decatur.

State lawmakers from the DeKalb House Reapportionment Committee will host the session on redistricting for both the county school board and county commission. The committee must finalize the political lines by Feb. 14. The meeting runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Dr., Decatur. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Rep. Scott to honor academy appointees

U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Atlanta, will host a ceremony on Saturday at the National Archives Museum in Morrow honoring 23 students nominated to attend West Point and the Naval, Air Force, and Merchant Marine academies. The nominees include Robert Daniels Jr., of College Park, for West Point; Rufus Huffman III, of Fairburn, for the Naval Academy; and Monica Prioleau, of Fairburn, for West Point. The ceremony starts at 10 a.m. and will feature the Chapel Hill High School Color Guard, along with speakers from the Air Force and Naval academies. Johnny Edwards

Piedmont Henry wins safety award

The Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) presented its prestigious 2011 Josh Nahum Quality and Patient Safety Award to Piedmont Henry Hospital for its project on reducing pressure ulcers. Piedmont Henry Hospital’s project titled “Eliminating Harm: Journey to PUPP (Pressure Ulcer Prevention Program)” won third place in the infection prevention and control category. The annual award recognizes Georgia health care organizations for achievement in reducing the risk of medical errors and improving patient safety and medical outcomes. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Fayetteville museum features hat exhibit

A century’s worth of hats and history are on display at the Holliday-Dorsey-Fife Museum in downtown Fayetteville.

“Hats Off to You” features men’s and women’s hats, vintage hat boxes and photographs illustrating styles from the 1860s to the 1960s.

The museum, at 140 Lanier Ave. West, is open Thursday-Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The hat exhibit runs through June. For details, see www.fayetteville-ga.gov. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Panola Mountain park host hikes

Morning and night owl walkers are invited to sign up for guided hikes up Panola Mountain in Stockbridge’s Panola Mountain State Park. On Friday , a group will take off at 10 a.m. for the 3-mile trek. On Saturday, grab a flashlight and join a climb under the full moon, starting at 5:30 p.m. Both ranger-led hikes start at the park’s nature center and cost $7, plus $5 for parking. Info: 770-389-7801. H.M. Cauley for the AJC

Dutchtown student wins spelling bee

Monica Johnson, a seventh-grader at Dutchtown Middle School, correctly spelled ‘lectern’ and ‘abduction’ to capture the title at this year’s Henry County Spelling Bee. Hampton Middle eighth-grader Haley Connolly and New Hope Elementary fifth-grader Kathleen Mabutin were first and second runners-up in the Jan. 27 event. The three finalists will go on to compete Feb. 25 in the District 5 competition at Mundy’s Mill Middle School in Jonesboro. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Woodward Academy open house Feb. 12

Woodward Academy’s Main Campus at 1662 Rugby Ave., College Park will also hold its Open House will be on Sunday, Feb. 12 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Please call 404-765-4001 to RSVP. Information: www.woodward.edu.

Sandra Marshall Murray