COBB
Chicken activist loses, moves birds to East Point
Backyard chicken activist Joseph Pond lost his appeal in Cobb County court to keep chickens in a coop in the backyard of his East Cobb home. Judge Juanita Stedman tossed the case because Pond, who is representing himself, did not properly serve papers to county attorneys. Pond said Monday he’s found a new home for his ten hens in the backyard yard of a resident in East Point, where the birds are legal. “ I had many generous offers to take in my girls, it makes me feel good to help out a fellow Backyard Chicken supporter,” said Pond. Jeffry Scott
Marietta school chief to discuss bond vote
Marietta City Schools Superintendent Emily Lembeck will talk about an upcoming $7.14 million bond referendum at a community forum at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at Zion Baptist Church, 165 Lemon St., Marietta. Residents will vote during the March 6 presidential primary election on a general obligation bond to build a multi-use auditorium at Marietta High School. Funding will go towards an $8.6 million auditorium, instructional space and band room.
Foundation names IMPACT grant winners
The Cobb Schools Foundation named 2011 Teacher IMPACT grants winners, who collectively will receive more than $20,000 in cash and gifts. The winners are Vicki Mudd, Michelle Kormos, Lisa Collins, J. Bailey and J. Mason, Michael Devault, Kim Barker, Lisa McCormick, Veronica Crafton, Wendy Rouse, Shawn Hadley, Lisa Gipson, Amy Johnson, Sandra Null, and Laura Layde. The foundation is a non-profit that supports schools, staff and students in Cobb County Schools. Information: www.cobbschoolsfoundation.org. Jaime Sarrio
Thanksgiving Eve service in Austell
A community Thanksgiving Eve service will be held in Austell at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Christian Aid Mission Partnership (CAMP), the clothing and food pantry in Austell, is hosting the free event at Triumphant Community Church, 3100 Joe Jerkins Boulevard, Austell. Information: church office, 678-797-9960. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Rabbi to hold lecture on the afterlife
Rabbi Dovber Pinson will hold a lecture on exploring reincarnation, the near-death experience, souls and the after life journey at 10 a.m. on Dec. 4 at Chabad of Cobb, 4450 Lower Roswell Road in Marietta. Cost is $15 in advance with RSVP by Nov. 28 and $18 at the door. Reserve your space at www.cobbjewishacademy.org and click on “lectures.” Mea Watkins
Cafe Noel tickets go on sale
Tickets are on sale for Cafe Noel in Powder Springs to be held Dec. 10. Shows will begin and desserts will be served at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Ford Center, 4181 Atlanta St. behind the library. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door -- online at Powder Springs First United Methodist Church at powderspringsfumc.org/upcoming-events.
For business sponsorships, contact juliebeem@comcast.net.
Proceeds will benefit Christian Aid Mission Partnership (CAMP). Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
GWINNETT
Snellville’s Witts want eternal flame reignited
Snellville council member Tom Witts has set up a Facebook page to support reigniting the city’s eternal flame.
Witts pledged last week at a city council meeting to push for a new eternal flame at Snellville’s Vietnam veteran memorial. Snellville had one installed in the late 1980s but decided not to relight it when the monument was moved to the new City Hall on Oak Road in 2004.
Witts has invited supporters to like the Facebook page and share on their own page to “get the campaign off the ground as soon as possible,” according to a written statement. Joel Anderson
Trash, recycling collections rescheduled
Gwinnett County offices will be closed Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Trash and recycling collection scheduled for Thursday will be rescheduled for Friday. Friday trash and recycling pickups will be rescheduled for Saturday. Only Thursday and Friday trash pickups will be affected. County offices will resume normal business hours on Monday. David Wickert
Register for breakfast with Santa
Gwinnett County will host a breakfast with Santa from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse, 185 E. Crogan St., Lawrenceville. The cost is $8 per person. Pre-registration is required by Wednesday. To register, call 770-822-5450. David Wickert
Braselton honors Citizens Academy grads
Eight Braselton residents have been recognized by the Braselton Town Council for completing the first Citizens Academy. The academy held classes once a month from May through October to give citizens “a comprehensive understanding of each of the town’s departments and missions,” according to a written statement.
The residents were: Gerald Abbott, Don Allen, Doug Callahan, Jill Eisel, Cherie Jackson, Jay Lieberman, Allan Slovin and Candy Sparling. Joel Anderson
Berkmar school places in canned food drive
Berkmar Middle School students won a second place in the FalCan Food Drive School Challenge. Berkmar Middle students worked with churches, families, and neighbors to collect more than 3,000 pounds of canned goods during October.
The students will attend Sunday’s Atlanta Falcons Game at the Georgia Dome as a reward.
In addition, 50 gym students recently participated in a class led by Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders and team mascot, Freddie Falcon this week. D. Aileen Dodd
P.R.I.D.E. class to be held Dec. 13
The Gwinnett County Police Department is hosting a P.R.I.D.E. (Parents Reducing Injury and Driver Error) class at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 13.
The class is held several times a year in different locations. This one will be at Gwinnett County Police North Precinct at 2735 Mall of Georgia Blvd. in Buford. Space is limited. To reserve a seat, contact Crime Prevention Officer Aaren Dieffenbacher at aaren.dieffenbacher@gwinnettcounty.com or 770-932-4830 ext. 5631. Andria Simmons
NORTHSIDE
Second arrest made in assault on two girls
Roswell police Monday announced that the second suspect wanted in connection with an alleged Halloween night playground assault of two teenage girls is in custody.
The two girls told police they were drugged and raped at the Martins Landing neighborhood park on Halloween night.
Robert Anthony Guillen, 21, turned himself in on Saturday afternoon, according to Roswell police Officer Lisa Holland.
Police earlier this month arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with the incident. Mike Morris
Johns Creek runoff vote under way
Johns Creek voters can cast ballots early until Dec. 2 in the Dec. 6 runoff between Steven Broadbent and Brad Raffensperger for Johns Creek City Council post 2. In the three-way election on Nov. 8, Raffensperger got 43 percent of the vote and Broadbent got 39 percent.
Votes can be cast at the Fulton County Government Center, the North Fulton Annex and the South Fulton Annex from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Polls will be closed Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. Requests for absentee ballots can be mailed or faxed until Dec. 2. Information: 404-730-7020. Johnny Edwards
Milton to hold parks planning meetings
Two public meetings will kick off the City of Milton’s Parks and Recreation planning process at 7 p.m. Nov. 29 and 30.
The first meeting will cover the Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which lays out the timeline and expectations for all current and future department activities. The second, the next night, covers the Trail Plan update, which seeks to establish a system of pedestrian trails linking neighborhoods and public facilities.
Both will be in City Council Chambers at Milton City Hall at 13000 Deerfield Parkway, Suite 107 E. Andria Simmons
Milton invites input in online survey
An online community character study is available at the city of Milton’s website, www.cityofmiltonga.us, as part of the city’s Livable Communities Initiative (LCI) Grant study of the Ga. Highway 9 area.
The survey, which takes less than 10 minutes, includes a visual study of business, residential and green space areas. Residents rank images that are most appropriate for the Ga. 9/Windward/Deerfield parkways area. There are also questions about issues of transportation, business, housing and pedestrian access. Results will help city planners plan for growth. Andria Simmons
Science students go for ‘egg drop contest’
Science Day at Roswell’s River Eves Elementary had students scrambling last week with, among other things, the first school-wide “egg drop contest.” The students put their creativity and physics knowledge to the test, designing egg vessels of all shapes and sizes to help their eggs survive a big fall. Some eggs were dropped 15 feet from the school roof, and others plunged 110 feet from atop a ladder of a Roswell fire truck. Marisa Greenlee, CIO for the school system, was principal of the day. State Sen. John Albers also paid a visit. Nancy Badertscher
ATLANTA
APS community meetings next week
Community meetings will be held the week of Nov. 28 -- Dec. 1 to update parents and stakeholders on Atlanta Public Schools’ ongoing demographic study. Demographers will present scenarios for parents to provide feedback on. The purpose of the study is to predict future enrollment trends and needs facing the school district. The first meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 28 at South Atlanta High. For other meeting dates, visit www.atlantapublicschools.us. Jaime Sarrio
Voting begins for APS board runoff
Early voting is under way in the Dec. 6 runoff between Byron Amos and Angela Brown for the Atlanta Board of Education district 2 seat, vacated by former Chairman Khaatim Sherrer El. Through Dec. 2, ballots can be cast at the Fulton County Government Center, the North Fulton Annex and the South Fulton Annex from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Polls will be closed Thursday and Friday. Requests for absentee ballots can be mailed or faxed until Dec. 2. Information: 404-730-7020. Johnny Edwards
Shaq to discuss his book at Morehouse
NBA great and future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal will be at Morehouse College’s Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel today for a taped discussion about his new book, “Shaq Uncut: My Story” and his life after basketball. The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 5 p.m. with the interview beginning at 6 p.m.
Ernie Suggs
Track Club to give $117,500 to nonprofits
The Atlanta Track Club will award $117,500 to the 18 local nonprofit organizations that participated in the Adopt a Marathon Mile program, which took place during the Atlanta Marathon & Marathon Relay on Oct. 30. Girls on the Run Atlanta, DetermiNation Atlanta, HomeStretch, Historic Oakland Foundation, Great Pyrenees Rescue Atlanta, Kate’s Club and Center for Puppetry Arts are seven of the 18 participating organizations getting a top donation of $7,500. Kenneth Musisi
DEKALB
Emory grad wins prestigious award
A recent Emory University graduate won a prestigious Marshall Scholarship, which allows students to pursue graduate degrees in the United Kingdom. More than 800 Americans interviewed to receive one of nearly 40 scholarships. Garrett Turner graduated from Emory last spring and plans to earn two one-year masters of arts -- one in theater and performance from Queen Mary, University of London and a second in creative writing with a concentration in scriptwriting at University of East Anglia. Laura Diamond
School chief schedules faith-based meeting
DeKalb County School Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson has scheduled a faith-based round table meeting with religious leaders in the community at 9 a.m. Dec. 1, at the DeKalb schools administration building at 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain. The meeting is part of her plan to reach out and foster better communications with the entire community in DeKalb during her first 90 days in office. The meeting is open to the public. Information: 404-486-3710. Rich McKay
St. Thomas More school meeting Nov. 30
St. Thomas More Catholic School is hosting a F.I.S.H. (Fresh Ideas Start Here) Curriculum Night for grades K-8 on Nov. 30 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visit classrooms and see presentations by students. Pick up a F.I.S.H. bowl near the office, head to a classroom and learn about what happens at the school every day. St. Thomas More Catholic School is at 630 West Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. For information, contact Eileen Maron at 404-373-8456. Nancy Badertscher
Brookhaven alliance to hold fundraiser
Brookhaven Chamblee Homeowners and Neighborhood Business Alliance’s seventh annual holiday charity fundraiser, benefiting Children’s Burial Assistance, will be Tuesday, Dec. 6 at the Commerce Club in Atlanta from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Contributions can be mailed no later than Nov. 30 to BCHNBA, P.O. Box 190383, Atlanta 31119. The presentation of donation will be Dec. 17. Children’s Burial Assistance helps families pay burial expenses for their children. Information: Email genebhna09@gmail.com or call 404-424-5141. Kenneth Musisi
Dunwoody author offered on Kindle
Pattie Baker, a Dunwoody resident who recently published her first book, is offering a special discount for a new Kindle edition.
Food for My Daughters details Baker’s decision to start a backyard garden and eventually a community garden in Dunwoody in reaction to the Sept. 11 attacks. The book also contains recipes and tips for starting a garden.
The Kindle version is $1.99 through the holidays.
More information: www.foodformydaughters.com. April Hunt
Big band music returns to Northlake Mall
The chance to dance and sway to big-band music is being offered the last Tuesday of every month at Northlake Mall in Tucker. The Atlanta-New York Connection provides the music at the free event held in the mall’s food court. The next dance will be from 6-8 p.m. Nov. 29 at the mall, 4800 Briarcliff Road. April Hunt
SOUTHSIDE
Supreme Court upholds murder conviction
The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday upheld the Clayton County murder conviction against Nelson Guajardo, who had claimed he shot and killed Derek King in self defense during an argument. Prosecutors had said Guajardo was involved in a relatively large-scale drug operation and that a trailer load of marijuana had been seized by police. In the early morning hours of May 6, 2007, Guajardo and King, who was not involved in the operation, got in a dispute over the seizure and King was killed, the ruling said. Bill Rankin
Fight over gas station may heat up
A fight over a proposed gas station in a Clayton County community could re-ignite in December when citizens get an opportunity to vent about the project at two hearings.
A representative for builder Steve Reeves told Lovejoy city officials recently Reeves is ready to build at the corner of Panhandle and McDonough Roads. Residents in the area oppose the project. Acting mayor Bobby Cartwright said he will allow two nights in December for citizens to voice concerns.
Dates for those hearings have not been set, Lovejoy City Clerk Marie Burnham said. Tammy Joyner
Clayton schools closed for the week
Clayton County Public Schools are closed this week in observance of the district’s fall holiday and Thanksgiving.
All district offices and schools will reopen Monday, Nov. 28. Tammy Joyner
Henry County offices close for holiday
Henry County offices will be closed Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Tammy Joyner
Early voting starts for East Point runoff
Early voting has started for East Point’s three city council runoff elections.
On Dec. 6, incumbent Steve Bennett faces Alexander Gothard in ward A, incumbent Lance Rhodes faces Karen Rene in ward B and Threet Brown faces LaTonya Martin in ward D.
Through Dec. 2, early ballots can be cast at the Fulton County Government Center, the North Fulton Annex and the South Fulton Annex from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Polls will be closed Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. Requests for absentee ballots can be faxed to 404-730-8839 until Dec. 2. Information: 404-730-7020. Johnny Edwards
McIntosh Village plans move forward
Plans to develop the McIntosh Village shopping center on Ga. Highway 54 West got a step further after the City Council of Peachtree City accepted a memorandum of understanding last Thursday.
Trinity Development wants to build a RaceTrac gas station at Line Creek Drive, with additional retail space behind it, adjacent to the Line Creek Nature Area.
The MOU outlines general development terms and conditions; an actual site plan will be submitted later. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
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