County by county news for Wednesday

Ex-Cobb EMC chief’s case goes into 2012

A decision in the latest criminal case against Cobb EMC’s former CEO Dwight Brown will most likely come after the holidays because Cobb Superior Court Judge Robert Flournoy III has been delayed by another case he is hearing this week, according to his assistant.

Brown was indicted for a second time in July on racketeering and intimidating witness charges. His attorneys want the indictment tossed partly because EMC members were on the grand jury issuing the indictments. If it is also thrown out, his chances of going to trial rest on an appeal of the initial indictment. Janel Davis

Powder Springs woman, mom charged in death

A mother and daughter were in the Paulding County Jail Tuesday on charges they killed a 44-year-old man in a Dallas subdivision on Memorial Day.

Law enforcement officers had been looking for Elgerie M. Cash, 45, of Stockbridge and her 20-year-old daughter, Jennifer Weathington of Powder Springs, since Lennis Donovan “Donny” Jones was fatally shot in the head around 3 p.m. on May 30 at Twelve Oaks subdivision. The U.S. Marshal’s Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force captured them on Monday. Rhonda Cook

It’s not too late to visit with Santa

It’s not too late to get your list into Santa’s hands. The Jolly Old Elf will be on the Marietta square Thursday, Friday and Saturday to take those last-minute requests. He’ll pose for photos from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and again from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve. Info: Marietta Parks & Recreation, 770-794-5601; www.mariettaga.gov/departments/parks_rec. H.M. Cauley for the AJC

Smyrna to build new fire station

The Smyrna City Council voted 7-0 Monday night to award a $1,477,000 contract to build Fire Station 5 to Roswell-based Catamount Constructors Inc. The station, which will be built on Cooper Lake Road, near the intersection of the East West Connector.

About $1 million in federal stimulus money will fund the construction. Jeffry Scott

Austell to purchase new fire engine

Austell is spending around $450,000 for a new fire engine.

The four-year lease purchase with Republic First National will be funded by the special purpose local option sales tax, or SPLOST.

The fire engine itself will cost about $390,000 and additional equipment will cost $60,000, said Councilman Scott Thomas, chairman of the city’s Fire Department Committee. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GWINNETT

School board member recovers from wreck

A longtime Gwinnett County school board member was recovering Monday from injuries sustained in a head-on wreck near Buford. Daniel Seckinger, 53, was driving a motorcycle on Sardis Church Road about 10 a.m. Saturday when he crossed the center line and hit a vehicle traveling the opposite direction, Cpl. Jake Smith with Gwinnett County police told the AJC.

Seckinger, who was about a mile from his home, was seriously injured and transported to Gwinnett Medical Center for treatment, police said. The cause of the wreck remains under investigation, Smith said. Alexis Stevens

Grayson amends Sunday sales ordinance

The Grayson City Council made several amendments to the city’s alcohol ordinance Monday, including the official approval of Sunday package sales of beer, wine and distilled spirits.

Under the changes, retailers will be allowed to apply for licenses for package sales from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 3 through Jan. 6.

Those applications will be considered at the Jan. 17 council meeting. Joel Anderson

County offices to close for holidays

Gwinnett County offices will be closed Friday and Monday for the Christmas holiday. Offices will resume regular hours on Tuesday. Trash will be collected on a normal schedule for the weeks of Christmas and New Years. David Wickert

Lilburn DDA cancels today’s meeting

The Lilburn Downtown Development Authority has canceled its meeting for today .

The agency usually meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month at the First Avenue Annex at 98 First Avenue. Regular meetings will resume in January.

Information: Doug Stacks at 770-921-2784 or dstacks@cityoflilburn.com. Joel Anderson

Donation creates nursing scholarship

The sons of a former nurse donated more than $450,000 to Gwinnett Technical College to create a new nursing scholarship.

The Clarke Family Nursing Scholarship Endowment will award multiple scholarships each year to academically strong first- and second-year nursing students. The college awarded the first round of scholarships to four students earlier this month.

The scholarship was funded by the estate of Elmer and Ione Clarke. She was a nurse for more than 40 years. Laura Diamond

11 students semifinalists in art competition

Eleven student artists are semifinalists in the DREAM Art Competition and will represent the district in the next round.

The students represent Britt, Head and Kanoheda elementary schools; North Gwinnett Middle; Lanier, Mill Creek, North Gwinnett, Parkview, and Shiloh high schools; Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology; and GIVE Center East. Judges will select one grand prize winner, a first place winner, and two runners up in elementary, middle, and high school. Winners will be announced in February. D. Aileen Dodd

NORTHSIDE

Commission to discuss cities’ $221,000

An update on the status of $221,000 in taxes collected from Johns Creek and Milton, which the county government has been sitting on for years, will be given at Wednesday’s Fulton commission meeting. Commissioner Robb Pitts placed the issue on the agenda. Earlier this month, the board approved Pitts’ plan 4-3 to return the money to the two cities, transferring it into the general fund then spending it on purposes mutually agreed to by the commission and each city’s council. The money came from taxes for city-type services levied before the cities formed. Johnny Edwards

Warning of threat late getting to parents

A Fulton County schools spokeswoman said a technological problem prevented parents of Centennial High students from being alerted in a timely manner about a threat on the Roswell campus.

School officials discovered the threat Monday afternoon, when someone scribbled on a wall, “A shooting. Tomorrow. Dec. 20, 2011.”

Centennial Principal Steve Miletto taped a voice message that was to be emailed to parents Monday night. But the alert did not get to parents until around 10 a.m. Tuesday — after classes had started. School officials are trying to track down the person who wrote the threat. Christian Boone

Gaddis to serve on charter commission

State Sens. John Albers and David Shafer have appointed Cleve Gaddis to serve on the Johns Creek Charter Commission.

Gaddis is the managing partner and broker of Gaddis Partners at Re/Max Center. He also serves as president of U.S.A. Management Inc. and general manager of Atlanta Residential Properties LLC.

An Atlanta native, Gaddis attended the University of Georgia and has a bachelor’s degree in management and international marketing from Northwood University in Chicago. David Wickert

Forsyth Civil Service Board to meet

The Forsyth County Civil Service Board will hold a regularly-scheduled meeting at 10 a.m., Thursday in the Public Safety Conference Room, 3520 Settingdown Road, Cumming. The 3-member board will take up the personnel matters of the fire department and John Gooch and Jeremy Cranford, and former planning director Jeff Chance.

The agenda also includes adopting the 2012 calendar of regular meeting dates, and appointment of the board clerk and hearing officer for 2012. Jeffry Scott

Schools ask input on English curriculum

Fulton County Schools is seeking community feedback on English class materials under consideration for next academic year. The materials will be on display through Jan. 13 at the following locations: the second floor lobby of the Fulton Administrative Center, 786 Cleveland Ave. SW, Atlanta; Milton Center, Room I-105, 86 School Dr., Alpharetta; and Ridgeview Middle School’s media conference room, 5340 Trimble Road NE, Atlanta. The feedback will be shared with the school board for final approval. For viewing times, visit www.fultonschools.org. D. Aileen Dodd

ATLANTA

Breman director Leavey to retire

Jane Leavey, executive director of the Breman Jewish Heritage and Holocaust Museum in Atlanta will retire Dec. 31, after 28 years at the helm of the organization.

Early on Leavey determined a need for an archives and history museum in the city that focused on the history of Jews in Atlanta. She also discovered that a large number of Holocaust survivors had moved to the metro area and realized the need to preserve their stories. Today, the museum has 30,000 visitors annually.

A new executive director will be named soon. Shelia Poole

Fire-rescue department to graduate 55 recruits

The Atlanta Fire-Rescue Department will graduate 55 new recruits at a ceremony tonight.

The 55 recruits completed nine months of training to obtain their licenses and certifications. This will be the first class to graduate in a full dress Class B uniform; which includes a white shirt with badge and other insignia, black pants, and black shoes. The ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. at the Atlanta Civic Center, 395 Piedmont Ave. Ernie Suggs

Bank opens foreclosure prevention center

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Bank of America officials hosted the grand opening of the Atlanta Foreclosure Prevention Customer Assistance Center on Tuesday.The center is located at 100 Colony Square, Suite 1900, 1175 Peachtree St. N.E. in Midtown. Bank of America’s customer assistance centers provide customers facing financial hardship the opportunity to receive one-on-one assistance with their mortgage and home equity products. Jeremiah McWilliams

Morningside earns School of Excellence

Atlanta’s Morningside Elementary was one of 26 Georgia schools to earn the 2011 Georgia Schools of Excellence in Student Achievement award. Morningside was one of 13 to receive the honor because of its high test scores. Other schools were rewarded for improvement on state exams. Jaime Sarrio

DEKALB

Chamber elects six to board of directors

The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce has elected six new business members to its board of directors. The six will serve three-year terms in January and help set policy for the 73-year-old group. Elected were Patrick Desamours, Al Edwards, Leonard Grimes, Diane McClearen, Ross Maple and Laurie Sossa.

Information: www.dekalbchamber.org. April Hunt

Shelter for runaways needs volunteers

Young People Matter, which runs the first emergency shelter for runaways and homeless youth in DeKalb and surrounding counties, is asking for volunteers to help with services.

The shelter recently won a three-year federal grant of $540,000 for its operations. Volunteers are needed to help with office work, outreach and social media. The facility also provides food, health screenings, education assistance and counseling for children DeKalb, Rockdale and Newton counties. Information: www.ypmatlanta.org. April Hunt

UGA DeKalb to hold business workshop

The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center-DeKalb office will present the Starting a Business workshop on Jan. 10, at 2296 Henderson Mill Road, Suite 404B, from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $69. For groups, the first person pays full price and additional colleague’s half price. Pre-registration is required online at www.dekalbsbdc.org. Information: Barbara Johnson at 770-414-3110. Kenneth Musisi

Volunteers need for MLK parade

The DeKalb Branch NAACP seeks volunteers to work with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. parade and rally. The parade takes will be Jan. 16 in Stone Mountain. Volunteers are needed for donations, to work with the planning committee and to assist parade participants. For information, call Sarah Copelin-Wood, 404-371-1490, or e-mail schoolsandcommunity@yahoo.com. Mea Watkins

Seniors support groups asks for donations

A group that provides services and support to DeKalb County senior citizens is asking for year-end donations.

Donors can give gifts in the names of loved ones or buy holiday decorations through Dutchman Tree Farms, which is giving the agency $10 for every fresh tree and $5 for every holiday wreath when the code SCGA is used. Donors also can give $50 for the Adopt-A-Senior program, which pays for five meals to be delivered to a home-bound needy senior and also provides that person with a new sweatshirt. Donations may be made online at www.SeniorConnectionsAtl.org or via the mail at 5238 Peachtree Road, Chamblee, 30341. Senior Connections is a tax-exempt group. April Hunt

DeKalb launches code enforcement program

DeKalb County is launching a volunteer program for residents to help with code enforcement countywide.

The Volunteer Ambassador Program will help officials identify violations in neighborhoods and also lets residents remove illegally placed signs.

Training to spot and respond to violations will begin in January.

April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Commission considers tentative 2012 budget

The Fulton commission is scheduled to approve a tentative 2012 budget today, which would keep the countywide tax rate the same but raise incorporated south Fulton’s tax for city-type services by 1.5 mills. Commissioner Bill Edwards said few south Fulton residents would see higher bills because of plummeting property values. Documents show the tentative general fund budget predicts $520.4 million in revenues and $598.2 million in expenses, taking $77.7 million from reserves to balance the books. A final budget will be approved in January. Johnny Edwards

Smith-Barnes school awarded $10,000

Smith-Barnes Elementary School in Stockbridge will receive $10,000 for its music program as one of the winners in the “Glee Give a Note” contest presented by Twentieth Century Fox Television, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and its new Give a Note Foundation. Smith-Barnes will use the money to purchase instruments for its band program and to enhance its music technology, according to principal Michael Eddy. Visit www.GleeGiveANote.com to view the school’s winning video. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Registration opens for Biologue

Registration is open for Biologue, a science program geared toward middle and high school students, which includes microscopy, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, forensics, environmental science, research and histology. Classes will be Saturdays from Jan. 7 -- Feb. 11 at the Fairview Recreation Center, 35 Austin Road, Stockbridge. Cost: $240 for middle school students and $300 for high school students. Additional fee for non-Henry County residents.

Students must register by Jan. 6. Information: www.biologuellc.com or 678-518-9575. Veronica Fields Johnson

Peachtree City revises tree-cutting rules

After Jan. 1, residential tree removal in Peachtree City will be subject to new rules designed to save both city staff time and green space.

Permits are required for cutting down any trees more than six inches in diameter, unless they are deemed hazardous, damaged or diseased. Other restrictions apply to trees in buffer zones and those of certain “specimen” species.

Details and permit forms are available at www.peachtree-city.org/trees. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Peachtree City library starts gift program

To help expand its collection and honor book lovers, the Friends of the Peachtree City Library has started a Gift Your Library program. Each tax-deductible $25 gift pays for acquiring and cataloging one new hardcover book, which can be personalized with a special bookplate noting the names of the buyer and the recipient. The library will also send an acknowledgment or memorial card to note the gift.

Donation forms are available at the library’s circulation and reference desks, and in the children’s section.

Payment must be by cash or check.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC