County by county news for Wednesday

The proposed project is designed to improve conditions for visitor use, experience and safety along the park’s Gold Branch Unit.

The assessment can be viewed at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. Comments may be submitted through April 25 by mail, email or through the website. Janel Davis

Cobb Senior Services to hold yard sale

Cobb Senior Services staff will hold a yard sale on Friday at the former Senior Day Center in Marietta.

Residents can donate items in good condition through Wednesday to support the sale. All proceeds from the sale will go toward the new Senior Wellness Center, and donations are tax deductible.

Last year budget deficits led to Cobb closing two of its senior centers in Smyrna and Marietta.

The yard sale runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Information: 770-528-2516; http://seniors.cobbcountyga.gov Janel Davis

Spring Business Expo on Thursday

Free food plus giveaways may be found this week at the Spring Business Expo hosted by the West Cobb Business Association.

Among the participating West Cobb restaurants will be Aspens, La Parilla, Okinawa, Organo Gold, Thirty-One and Triple J’s Catering.

This free event will be 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Harrison High School, 4500 Due West Road, Kennesaw.

Information: Dr. Geno Burch, drgenoburch@gmail.com or westcobbbusiness.com/2012expo.html. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Classic cruise Saturday in Powder Springs

The Powder Springs Push Rods Car Club will hold a cruise of antique and classic cars this weekend.

This fundraising event for community families in need will be 4-9 p.m. Saturday at the Historic Downtown Powder Springs Square on Marietta Street.

Attractions will include children’s contests, music and concessions.

The club also holds cruises at 4-9 p.m. on the first, third and fifth Fridays at Zaxby’s, 4410 Brownsville Road, Powder Springs.

Information: pushrodscarclub.com/2.html or Doug Roberts at dougdbr@aol.com.Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Group to hold Smyrna Business Expo

The Women’s Entrepreneurial Exchange is sponsoring its first Smyrna Business Expo from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at the Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Circle. The event is free and open to the public and will feature music, entertainment and vendors offering demos and samples of their new spring lines of merchandise.

Vendor booths are still available for interested businesses. Information: Trudy Holdman at 678-949-8454 or trudy@officialgowee.com. Veronica Fields Johnson

GWINNETT

Property tax assessments to be issued next week

Gwinnett plans the first week in April to issue its approximately 275,000 real property tax assessments, an estimated 75,000 of which are expected to have changed. Residents have 45 days from the date of their notice to postmark any appeal on form PT311A from the county website. The Board of Assessors will notify residents of appeal results. Unlike past years, the county said it’s considering foreclosures and bank sales in its valuation process. It plans to review market transactions in some 1,400 neighborhoods and make indicated changes when market information dictates. Michael Alpert for the AJC

TV shoot today to close Sugarloaf Parkway

Sugarloaf Parkway will be closed between Martins Chapel Road and West Campbell Road from 4 p.m. today to 8 a.m. Thursday while a crew films scenes for a television program.

Bonanza Productions, a company with credits including the television show “Alcatraz,” will use the road for filming.

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved the road closure Tuesday. David Wickert

Berkeley Lake growing its own market

Berkeley Lake approved plans at last week’s council meeting for a Lakeside Market to be open every Thursday 4 to 7 p.m. May through August featuring local produce, handmade items and art.

Additional information: Cary Thornton at carythornton@gmail.com. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

GTC to hold spring plant sale April 17

Gwinnett Technical College and the Gwinnett County Public Library will host a spring plant sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 17 at the campus greenhouse, Building 600, 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville.

The sale features a variety of annuals, perennials, herbs, houseplants and vines. Landscape designer and author Jane Bath will speak at 11 a.m.

For information, visit www.gwinnetttech.edu. David Wickert

Lilburn scholarship applications due April 9

The Lilburn Woman’s Club is accepting applications for four scholarships available to graduating seniors from Brookwood, Parkview and Berkmar high schools as well as Killian Christian School and Providence Christian Academy.

Two additional scholarships are available to women reentering the workplace through continuing education at Gwinnett Technical College.

Applications must be postmarked by April 9, with winners notified by April 20.

Information: www.lilburnwomansclub.org. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Rogers Bridge dog park to reopen

The Chattapoochee Dog Park at Duluth’s Rogers Bridge Park, closed for a month for resodding and installation of park benches and dog agility equipment, is scheduled to reopen Sunday.

The city’s parks and recreation department, together with the Duluth Historical Society, also plans a grand reopening of the park with a ribbon cutting ceremony April 28. Michael Alpert for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

24-hour shifts for Westside Parkway work

Motorists along Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta are advised road crews will begin work Monday on the final leg of Westside Parkway. Plans call for contractors to work 24-hour shifts Monday-Saturday for the next four weeks to complete the project as quickly as possible. Motorists should expect to see some lane closures or shifts along Old Milton Parkway between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and between 7:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area when those closures occur.

Information: 678-297-6200. Patrick Fox

2 Woodward Academy students win honor

Two Woodward Academy juniors were recently selected as the Atlanta area winners of the 2012 Princeton Prize in Race Relations for promoting cultural diversity. Amy Dam and Morgan Foreman participated in projects sponsored by Woodward’s Upper School Five Points Club. The club is focused on community unity and lifelong learning. Regional winners receive $1,000 and participate in an annual symposium on race. D. Aileen Dodd

Verizon workers host recycling event

Verizon Wireless employees are hosting a recycling rally April 5 at the company’s south area headquarters at One Verizon Place in Alpharetta.

They are inviting city residents to bring unwanted electronics, televisions, aluminum cans, glass and plastics to the site between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Patrick Fox

Schools collect input on overcrowding

Fulton Schools officials on Monday held the last of two community forums to discuss options to relieve overcrowding in North Fulton. Parent comments will next be shared with staff and a proposal will be developed. School planning officials have said 53 additional middle school classrooms are needed over the next seven years when the district’s population is expected to jump to nearly 99,000. Every North Fulton middle school is under consideration for a possible expansion, which could shuffle kids. The district is also considering building a new school. D. Aileen Dodd

Students, Lions Club donate teddy bears

Rural/Metro Ambulance received a donation on March 22 of more than 1,000 stuffed animals to share with scared children during medical emergencies. Students from Alpharetta High School’s LEO Club and their sponsor, the Alpharetta Lions Club made the donation. The stuffed animals will be distributed among Rural/Metro’s ambulance fleet in DeKalb County and across the Atlanta metro area. Information: http://rmetro.com. Kenneth Musisi

Author to sign books in Canton

Yawn’s Bookstore in downtown Canton will be hosting a book signing event from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday for Mary Catarineau’s “My Diary with God, Simplicity and Common Sense.” According to Catarineau, it is a work of healing and hope that discusses how political reform, spiritual revival and a women’s movement could transform America. The store is located at 210 East Main St. Andria Simmons

ATLANTA

City poised to repeal ID card ordinance

Atlanta officials said Monday they are preparing to repeal a city ordinance at the heart of a complaint pending before the state’s Immigration Enforcement Review Board.

The complaint says an Atlanta ordinance violates a state law by allowing people to use Mexican matricula consular ID cards in city government transactions.

Georgia law says city officials may not accept such ID cards when people apply for public benefits.

Anti-illegal immigration activist D.A. King filed the complaint in February.

A measure to repeal is expected to come before the council for a vote on April 16. Jeremy Redmon

S&P affirms city’s A’ rating

Standard & Poor’s this week affirmed its ‘A’ rating on Atlanta’s general obligation bonds. S&P also revised Atlanta’s debt rating outlook from “negative” to “stable.”

The city said the changed outlook reflected its work to eliminate its general fund structural imbalance, curtail future pension obligation growth and improve cash flow.

“The city is pleased that Standard & Poor’s has recognized our efforts toward a more secure financial position,” said Jim Beard, the city’s chief financial officer.

“The city has a healthy reserve of $94 million, more than 15 percent of the general fund, and is well on its way to meeting the goal of more than $100 million.” Jeremiah McWilliams

Central Atlanta Progress meets today

Central Atlanta Progress, a group focused on the development of downtown Atlanta, will hold its 71st annual meeting this morning in the Sidney Marcus Auditorium, Georgia World Congress Center, Building A. The meeting will run from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.

Registration and coffee are offered starting at 7 a.m. Tickets are $75 for Central Atlanta Progress members and $85 for non-members. The organization will install its 2012 -13 board of directors. Jeremiah McWilliams

DEKALB

Commission looks at raises, other perks

After three years of holding worker salaries steady, DeKalb County is starting to look at ways to offer raises or other perks to boost morale.

The County Commission’s budget committee has asked the human resources department to come up with ways to conduct a salary study for DeKalb workers.

The commission could review that information to offer department- or job-specific raises or may develop other benefits.

Any change would likely come during 2013 budget talks, which begin next summer. April Hunt

Purple Warrior walk benefits victims of abuse

Register by April 19 to participate in the second annual Purple Warrior’s 6K Walk to benefit child sexual abuse survivors and advocates.

The walk on April 28 is hosted by Saving Our Children and Families, along with DeKalb County Commissioners Lee May and Stan Watson. It will be at Arabia Mountain in Lithonia. Sponsors are Wal-Mart, BJ’s, State Farm, and Kohl’s (Lithonia and Tucker).

Register by April 19 by downloading a form at www.socafnow.org. The cost is $20 for individuals, $15 for families/teams, and $10 for members of Saving Our Children and Families. Andria Simmons

Hazardous waste drive set for Saturday

Keep DeKalb Beautiful will sponsor a recycling drive for household hazardous waste on 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 March 31 at the central transfer station, 3720 Leroy Scott Dr., Decatur.

Information: 404-371 – 2654 or kdb@dekalbcountyga.gov. April Hunt

Residents invited to sign up for Chamblee 101

Residents and business owners in Chamblee can still sign up for a 7-week course that begins next month to learn more about the north DeKalb County city.

Chamblee 101 classes will begin on Wednesday evenings starting April 11 and will offer insights into departments including planning and zoning and the police force.

The classes are free and open to those who register. Deadline to sign up is Friday, March 30.

Information: email nwilliams@chambleega.com with your name, address and daytime phone number. April Hunt

Friends of DeKalb animals holds auction

Friends of DeKalb Animals is hosting an online auction to raise money for repairs to their van. The cost of repairs is over $6,500. The organization needs assistance in order to resume saving dogs. For a list of the items being auctioned, please visit http://tinyurl.com/bm4geat. Information: http://friendsofdekalbanimals.com.

Kenneth Musisi

SOUTHSIDE

Henry NACCP names educator of year

Austin Road Middle School Principal Cheryl Carter has been named 2012 Educator of the Year by the Henry County NAACP chapter. Carter has been a principal at the elementary and middle school levels for over 20 years and at Austin Road since 2010. NAACP chapter president Eugene Edwards said Carter is being honored because of her dedication and work with students and the communities in Fairview and north Henry County. Carter said the award is “extremely meaningful,” given her family’s 50-plus years involvement with the NAACP. Nancy Badertscher

School board discusses strategic initiatives

The Fulton County school board met Tuesday for a working retreat to discuss pending business. The board spent part of its meeting discussing the district’s strategic initiatives to help guide instruction, technology improvements and staff development for local schools.

The strategic initiatives will be modified to reflect their suggestions and eventually be presented at a monthly board business meeting. D. Aileen Dodd

Peachtree City holds sale on surplus

Surplus items ranging from artwork to wheelchairs will be offered for sale in Peachtree City on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the former Recreation Administration building at 191 McIntosh Trail. Among the many offerings are tables, chairs, filing cabinets, exercise equipment and a food-warming unit. See www.peachtree-city.org for details. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Senior can get answers about Medicare

Seniors who need help understanding Medicare programs can get help Friday at a question and answer session held by the East Point Naturally Occurring Retirement Community and Georgia Cares. The session starts at 11 a.m. at Peachtree City Christian Church, 1706 Washington Road, East Point. Registration: 404-762-2094. Johnny Edwards

Rep. Scott to holdjob fair Friday

Congressman David Scott will host his annual job fair Friday at the Georgia International Convention Center.

More than 100 companies and employers, including AT&T, UPS, Lockheed-Martin and Home Depot, will participate. This year’s job fair will also include job assistance resources for veterans.

Attendees are encouraged to take MARTA to the Airport or College Park station.

The job fair runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Convention Center Concourse.

Information: 770-210-5073; www.house.gov/davidscott Janel Davis

Time to pick your own strawberries

Southern Belle Farm at 1658 Turner Church Road, McDonough is opening its Strawberry patch to the public during the third season growing strawberries.

Farm goers can pick their own strawberries, or purchase pre-picked berries. Strawberry picking hours: Monday -- Saturday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday 1 p.m.- 6 p.m.

To check picking availability, visit www.SouthernBelleFarm.com or call 770-288-2582. Kenneth Musisi