COBB
Marietta K-9 officer struck, killed by car
A Marietta police dog coming off duty Monday was killed after he darted in front of a car on Antioch Road. Inja, a Belgian Shepherd Malinois, had worked with Officer Ray Figueroa on the Marietta Police force for about a year. Police spokesman Dave Baldwin said the dog, one of the department’s three K-9s, lived with Figueroa and was a member of the family. The officer and his dog had worked the midnight shift and were heading home when the officer stopped to give the dog a break at play area of Oakwood subdivision. The dog was struck by a 2002 Oldsmobile and died on the scene. Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Scouts fix Powder Springs fountain
Powder Springs city officials will hold a dedication ceremony for their rejuvenated city fountain 7 p.m. Wednesday.
For his Eagle Scout project, Boy Scout Brent Crawford designed and installed the Historic Town Square fountain behind the Marietta Street shops on Pineview Drive.
Crawford raised at least $300 and ordered the pumps to replace the broken fountain, said Powder Springs Mayor Patricia Vaughn.
Vaughn said the fountain was built in the 1980s, “but that old boy hasn’t worked in a long time.”
Information: 770-943-1666.
Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Trade skills workshop for teens Saturday
Teens are invited to a free workshop on trade skills every other Saturday in Austell with the next one scheduled at 10 a.m. on Oct. 8.
Among the topics are woodworking, sewing, cooking and etiquette at the South Cobb Recreation Center, 875 Six Flags Drive.
Open to ages 14 to 18, the sessions are hosted by Serenity House Training and Development, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded and directed by Anna Dossou.
Information: serenityhousetraininganddevelopmentinc.org, 770-635-7790 or serenityhousecc@yahoo.com.Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Timber Ridge school wins honor
Timber Ridge Elementary School is among eight public schools in Georgia named a 2011 National Blue Ribbon School.
It is the 18th Cobb County school to earn the designation. The U.S. Department of Education selected Timber Ridge after it scored in the top 10 percent on state assessments in reading, language arts and mathematics.
Principal Tracie Doe will accept the award at a two-day ceremony in Washington, DC starting Nov. 14. Information: www.ed.gov/nationalblueribbonschools. Ty Tagami
‘Aging Eye’ seminar offered Emory hospital
Learn how to recognize the symptoms of eye diseases and how to treat and prevent them at “The Aging Eye,” a free seminar offered at 7 p.m. Oct. 4 in the cafeteria of Emory Adventist Hospital, 3949 S. Cobb Dr. in Smyrna.
Bryan Jefferies, M.D., Board Certified Ophthalmologist and fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology will discuss four major disorders that pose the greatest threats to vision as we age: cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetes.
Call 770-319-2025 to reserve your space. Mea Watkins
GWINNETT
GTC to dedicate new Life Sciences Center
Gwinnett Technical College officials and board members will host a ceremony Wednesday to dedicate the school’s new Life Sciences Center. The event will start at 8:45 a.m. at the center -- Building 900 -- on the campus at 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville. Parking will be available adjacent to the center.
U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, Technical College Commissioner Ron Jackson and many others will be in attendance.
The three-story, 78,000-square-foot building, which opened for fall classes in August, will serve about 3,000 students a year. Joel Anderson
Woman gets six years in prison for tax fraud
A Snellville woman was recently sentenced to six years in prison for filing fraudulent tax returns using information from dead people, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Dalawni Hollomon, 42, filed more than 700 false federal and state tax returns with information for people who had died in 2007 and 2008, U.S. Attorney Sally Yates said. Hollomon filed fraudulent returns requesting $488,873 in refunds and received $378,548. She pleaded guilty to mail fraud, false claims and aggravated identity theft in February. Bill Rankin
Vehicle explosion hurts man in Lawrenceville
A Gwinnett County man was listed in stable condition at Grady Memorial Hospital Monday after being burned in a vehicle explosion Sunday evening.No charges are expected against the man, whose name was not released. Gwinnett County fire investigators said leaking gas from an acetylene tank stored in the vehicle’s trunk caused it to explode around 8:15 p.m. Sunday on Albemarle Way in Lawrenceville. The explosion also damaged a nearby home. The acetylene tank was used for work. Andria Simmons
National exhibit features art of Mill Creek grad
The art of a recent Mill Creek High graduate is on display this month at a prestigious Washington D.C. exhibit.
The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities selected the artwork of Hokyum Kim to be part of a national display that includes 44 pieces of art. The exhibit at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education building includes work chosen from among 500 entries earning a National Gold Medal in the 2011 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. D. Aileen Dodd
Clinic offers free HIV testing Sept. 27
The AID Gwinnett/Ric Crawford Clinic will offer free HIV testing at its Duluth office today to honor the second-annual National Gay Men’s HIV Awareness Day. The clinic, which is located at 3075 Breckinridge Boulevard in Suite 415, will provide testing from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Information: 678-990-6430 or www.aidgwinnett.org. Joel Anderson
Berkeley Lake seeks bids on dam repair
Contractors must submit their bids for the Berkeley Lake Dam Repair Project by 3 p.m. Thursday. The project is expected to take about nine months. Information: Rich Edinger at redinger@clarkpatterson.com or 770-831-9000. Joel Anderson
NORTHSIDE
Grant helps teacher buy Kindles for class
The Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation awarded a $1,482 grant to Cherokee County Sequoyah High School English literature teacher Elaine Dasher to purchase Kindles for her composition class.
The electronic books device gives students free access to thousands of literary classics in Amazon’s eBook collection, and select online and local libraries. The grant is part of the Sawnee EMC Foundation/Bright ideas program.
JEFFRY SCOTT
Deputies complete training course
Four deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office graduated Friday from the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) Regional Academy in Dalton.
Deputies Michael Turoczy, Mary Stamboni, Tanshawn Clark and Jason Ray completed 408 hours of police training over the past 11 weeks. The deputies are assigned to the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center. The Basic Mandate course, which is required to be a peace officer in Georgia, is an 11-week course which teaches the fundamentals of law enforcement. Andria Simmons
Expert talks on green landscapes
The Roswell Garden Club will present horticulturist Daryl Pulis speaking on affordable low maintenance, environmentally friendly landscapes for homeowners at 10 a.m. today at the Roswell Area Park Community Activity Building, 10495 Woodstock Road. Pulis has hosted The Garden Show on radio, provided Green Thumb Garden Tips on television, and substitutes for Walter Reeves on his Lawn & Garden Show. The event is free. Patrick Fox
Avossa to address North Fulton PTA
Robert Avossa, the new superintendent of Fulton County Schools, is scheduled to address the North Fulton PTA at 6 p.m. Thursday at Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary. The school is located at 8100 Roberts Drive in Sandy Springs. Nancy Badertscher
Rain barrel workshop in Milton on Saturday
The city of Milton’s Grows Green Committee and the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeepers will present another in a series of rain barrel workshops Wednesday at the Bethwell Community Center.
The workshop is from 6 to 7 p.m. The cost is $35, and it includes a new 60-gallon, flexi-fit diverter rain barrel. The barrel can save a homeowner 1,300 gallons of water during summer months alone. Contact Richard Kinzel at rkinzel@comast.net or 770-485-2222.
Run to benefit Alpharetta school
They’ll be doing the hustle in Alpharetta later this fall. But get the music out of your head and the running shoes on your feet for the first annual Holcomb Bridge Hustle 5K. The Holcomb Bridge Middle School PTA is hosting the event at 8 a.m. Nov. 12 with the city of Roswell and Big Peach Running Co. More than 300 participants are expected. Proceeds will benefit academic enrichment activities at the Alpharetta school. Cost: $20 for adults, $15 for students before Oct. 12. Nancy Badertscher
ATLANTA
Bond presents honor for Shirley Sherrod
Atlanta City Council member Michael Julian Bond presented a proclamation honoring Shirley Sherrod, a former U.S. Department of Agriculture official, at the 2011 Women’s Day celebration at Central United Methodist Church in downtown Atlanta on Sunday. Sherrod was forced to resign in July 2010 from her position as Georgia State Director of Rural Development after out-of-context video excerpts from one of her speeches was posted on the Web. White House officials eventually apologized, and Sherrod was offered a new position. She chose to leave the agency. Jeremiah McWilliams
Firm raises fund for Boys and Girls Clubs
Ashe, Rafuse & Hill recently raised $10,000 to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s Centers of Hope initiative. Funds were raised through a silent auction and through a matching opportunity for existing clients. The Atlanta-based firm focuses on employment, civil rights, and commercial litigation. Shelia M. Poole
Classes make dresses for girls in Haiti
Sewing and quilting classes at the Helene S. Mills Senior Multipurpose Facility in Atlanta are ready to send thousands of pillowcase dresses to young Haitian girls in need.
The classes took on the “Threads of Love” project in May, following a presentation to over 200 participants in the Mills 3-mile Walk and Health Fair. The project is sponsored by Jon and Anne Obermeyer, founders of the Haiti Care Mission. The project ends Oct. 1. Info: Lila Womack at 404-523-3353. Andria Simmons
Anti-bullying film at festival Saturday
The APEX Museum will host “Be Cool, Not Cruel” Zone, Stage play at The Sweet Auburn Fall Heritage Festival Saturday at 10 a.m. and Sunday 6 p.m. on Auburn Avenue. The theme will be center around “Anti-Bullying” and “Nonviolence” in relationship to the theme of the Festival. For more information visit: www.apexmuseum.org. Sandra Marshall Murray
DEKALB
Man convicted in toddler’s beating death
A DeKalb County man was convicted Monday of beating to death a 2-year-old girl who was in his care, and on Tuesday Robert Alexander will be sentenced for murder, cruelty to children and aggravated battery.
Diamone Wilson was hospitalized on July 15, 2010, with severe injuries to her arms, liver and pelvis.
“This was a brutal and senseless act by a very violent and dangerous individual,” said DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James.
Judge Gregory Adams is scheduled to sentence Alexander at 1:30 p.m. Rhonda Cook
HHS official to discuss seniors’ health needs
The federal assistant secretary for aging will attend at event in north DeKalb County today , to talk about the need for preventative healthcare for seniors.
Kathy Greenlee, who works for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will meet with seniors and tour the Senior Connections’ center in Chamblee.
Senior Connections and the Atlanta Regional Commission are jointly providing free preventative health services and screenings around DeKalb this month. One will be held at 9 a.m. at the center, 5238 Peachtree Road, Chamblee.
More information: www.srconnectionsatl.org April Hunt
Neighborhood Watch session to be Oct. 6
Residents and homeowner groups interested in starting Neighborhood Watch programs in DeKalb County are invited to a community session early next month. The Be My Neighbor workshop will help identify what’s needed to start a program and resources to launch and maintain it. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Clark Harrison Building, 330 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. Information: 404-371-3689. April Hunt
Household waste drive to be Saturday
Keep DeKalb Beautiful will sponsor a recycling drive for household hazardous waste Saturday at the county’s central transfer station.
The event is designed to divert potentially hazardous materials away from Seminole Landfill. Examples of electronic equipment to be accepted are: adhesives, aerosols, batteries, cleaners, flammables, fluorescent lights, lawn-care products, .mercury, paints and photo and swimming pool chemicals.
Items not accepted include bio-hazards, medical and agricultural waste, pharmaceuticals and non-hazardous waste.
The event runs from 8 a.m. to noon at the central transfer station, 3720 Leroy Scott Dr., Decatur. Information: 404-371 – 2654 or kdb@dekalbcountyga.gov.
April Hunt
Sutton: Show your colors against cancer
DeKalb County Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton is urging residents to wear teal today to show their awareness of the battle against ovarian cancer.
Sutton is also hosting the Overcome Ovarian Cancer 3K walk on Saturday at DeKalb Technical College on North Indian Creek Road, Clarkston.
Registration for the race is $35. Proceeds benefit the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance.
Information/registration: www.gaovariancancer.org.
April Hunt
SOUTHSIDE
Peachtree City alarm registration due Saturday
Peachtree City is requiring owners of residential and commercial security alarms to register their systems with the police by Saturday. The procedure is intended to reduce the large number of false alarms that require police response.
Permits are free and available either online at www.peachtree-city.org/alarm or at the Police Department at 350 S. Ga. Highway 74. System owners must forward their permit numbers to their alarm companies. Fines will be issued for more than two false alarms in a 12-month period. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Bike and hike event near Peachtree City
The Southern Conservation Trust will host its Bike and Hike event Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Line Creek Nature Area in Peachtree City.
The tour will start with a family/beginner bike ride on the trails and nearby golf cart paths, and continue with multiple guided tours through the nature area. Southeastern Reptile Rescue will present a special show with native snakes and alligators.
The event is free, but participants are asked to register at www.sctlandtrust.org. Jill Howard Church for the AJC
Wetlands, watershed festival Saturday
Clayton County Water Authority’s 12th Annual Wetlands and Watershed Festival will be Saturday, 10 a.m. -- 3 p.m., at the Shamrock Community Use Building, 2610 Shamrock Road in Jonesboro. The festival is designed to be a fun and educational look at nature. It will include environmental exhibitors, live animal exhibits, face painting, wetlands and watershed activities, guided wetland walks and scavenger hunts. Details: www.ccwa.us. Tammy Joyner
Golf tourney helps camp for sick children
The Charles D. Burnett Foundation 6th Annual Golf Tournament to support Camp Twin Lakes is scheduled for Friday at Eagle’s Brooke Country Club in Locust Grove. Each year the Camp Twin Lakes network serves more than 7,000 Georgia children with serious illnesses, disabilities and other challenges. Last year 78 Henry County children were among the attendees. Monroe Roark for the AJC
Clayton Humane Society yard sale Saturday
The Clayton County Humane Society will hold its Treasures for Paws yard sale Saturday at Jonesboro High School, 7728 Mt. Zion Blvd, Jonesboro. The 8am-2pm will feature furniture, electronics, books, housewares and other items for sale. Details: call CCHS at 770-471-9436. Tammy Joyner
Southern Belle focuses on breast cancer
Southern Belle Farm, a former dairy farm now operated as an Agritourism Farm, will kick off its breast cancer awareness efforts with “Save the Udders Day on Oct. 1. Farm-goers are encouraged to wear pink for a special discount and breast cancer survivors will be granted free admission on Oct. 1 and 2. The farm, which features a corn maze, pink pig races, hay ride tours and other activities is open to the public on weekends from Sept. 17 to Nov. 6
For information, call 770-288-2582 or visit www.SouthernBelleFarm.com. mea Watkins
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