County by county news for Wednesday

A second and final reading of the new ordinance will take place during a specially called meeting of the Powder Springs City Council at 7 p.m. Wednesday -- preceded by a 3 p.m. work session.

A new police chief also is expected to be named, and the city budget is scheduled to be approved without a tax increase.

Information: 770-943-1666. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

KSU expects to reach capital campaign goals

When Kennesaw State University launched a $75 million capital campaign in 2007, officials predicted it would take five years to raise the money. Turns out it was easier than they thought.

University officials said Monday that expect to surpass the goal this fall. So far the college has raised $73.7 million, including $5 million from an anonymous donor and an $8.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

KSU is spending the money in several areas, including new construction, student scholarships and expanded research. Laura Diamond

Book Sale to benefit libraries

Cobb Friends of the Library will host a special book sale July 8 and 9 at Central Library at 266 Roswell Street in Marietta.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Items for sale start at $1 and include comic books, antique books and special collectors’ items.

The Friends of the Library holds this special sale about once a year. The other larger semi-annual book sales are usually held in May and October. Proceeds will benefit the Cobb Public Library System and supplement the system’s materials budget. Info: 770-528-2342. Andria Simmons

Police seek donations for K-9 unit

The Cobb County Police Department recently established an account to accept donations for the K-9 unit.

Donated funds will help ensure the unit’s continued success. Police canines perform a range of functions, including patrols, narcotic detection and bomb detection.

Donations will help replace canines that retire, and cover veterinarian and other related expenses. Replacing one canine costs about $12,000. Send donations to: Cobb County K-9 Fund, Cobb County Police Department, 140 North Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060 or online at K-9 Donations. Andria Simmons

First Friday Art Walk urges public to paint

More than 30 merchants will host artists in stores around the Marietta Square at the First Friday Art Walk, 5 p.m.- 9 p.m. Friday. Visitors will get a chance to paint a picture of a city landmark at artist Frank Buckner’s exhibit at Marietta Station’s Brickyard. The Artists’ Alley at Dupres Antique Market will open and dk Gallery cq will feature American folk art including works by Howard Finster and grandson Michael Finster, and nine Gees Bend quilts. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

GWINNETT

Two Gwinnett schools get new leaders

The Gwinnett County school board has named new principals to lead Snellville’s Annistown and Norton elementary schools.

Steve Frandsen, an assistant principal at Ferguson Elementary, will be principal of Annistown. He will replace Lorraine Henry who is retiring at the end of June.

Terry Watlington will lead Norton. Watlington is returning to Gwinnett after serving as chief of staff at Fulton County Schools.

She will replace Daundria Phillips who will be assistant principal of Gwinnett’s new online charter school and will develop middle and upper elementary programs. D. Aileen Dodd

Lilburn retains millage rate

The Lilburn City Council on Monday approved a 2011-12 millage rate of 4.26, unchanged from last year.

Council members unanimously voted on the millage rate at a specially called meeting early that morning at Lilburn City Hall. The millage rate has remained the same for at least the past five years.

To increase revenue for the annual budget, city officials added a $10 a month sanitation fee for residents and tinkered with the city’s occupational tax assessments for businesses. Joel Anderson

Annual Asian celebration set

The 2011 Asian Cultural Experience is set for July 23 and 24 at the Gwinnett Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. In its 18th year, planners expect more than 1,500 volunteers representing 15 countries. Activities include: fashion shows, exhibits of rare cultural artifacts, as well as demonstrations of calligraphy, woodwork, pottery, fruits and vegetables carving; and origami. Admission: $8 per day for students; $12 a day for adults. Nancy Badertscher

County retrofits

buildings to save utilities

Gwinnett County may save $220,000 a year on utility costs with plumbing, mechanical and air conditioning improvements to 41 county buildings.

The county will pay about $790,000 to retrofit utility equipment in buildings like fire stations, park facilities and the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. Gwinnett will pay for the work with stimulus money from the U.S. Department of Energy. David Wickert

Chamber seeks input from public

Gwinnett Chamber of Economic Development is seeking community input on future county initiatives. The survey is essential to the chamber’s second strategic planning phase for the Partnership Gwinnett community and economic project. Survey closes Friday.http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/pgcommunitysurvey

Alaya Boykin

Trash collection on schedule

Gwinnett County offices will be closed Monday for the Independence Day holiday. All offices will resume regular work hours on Tuesday.

Garbage will be collected as scheduled, though the Gwinnett County Solid Waste and Recycling Call Center will be closed Monday. Information: www.sustainablegwinnett.com. David Wickert

NORTHSIDE

Devices add to park safety

Johns Creek park patrons now have advanced warning of possible lightning strikes due to special atmospheric detection devices and sirens at Ocee and Newtown parks.

The devices track the atmosphere’s electrostatic energy up to 15 miles away and evaluate the potential for lightning within a 2-mile radius. When conditions seem favorable for lightning, a siren sounds for 15 seconds and a strobe flashes. When conditions are no longer threatening, the siren sounds three blasts to signal all clear.

The devices were compliments of the Ocee Park Athletic Association and Newtown Recreation. Patrick Fox

Health director named to AMA board

Fulton County Health Services Director Patrice Harris has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Association, the nation’s largest association of doctors and medical students.

A licensed psychiatrist, Harris joined the county in 2005 as a medical director and now oversees Health and Wellness, Georgia’s largest county health department, as well as the Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Department. Johnny Edwards

Sandy Springs offers fire safety classes

The Sandy Springs Fire Department is offering four-week emergency response training classes on basic response skills. The first class is 8 a.m. -noon Saturday at Sandy Springs Fire Station No. 4, 4697 Wieuca Road. Participants will be part of a Community Emergency Response Team. Information: CERT coordinator James Laudermilk at 404-368-6490 or james.laudermilk@sandyspringsga.org. Michelle E. Shaw

Roswell opens youth lacrosse registration

The Roswell Recreation, Parks, Historic & Cultural Affairs Department is currently registering 7-14 year old boys and girls for the 2011 fall lacrosse season which is Aug. 20 -- October.

Registration: www.roswellgov.com; or in person at the Bill Johnson Community Activity Building.

Information: 770-569-9746; or email cfuller@roswellgov.com. Patrick Fox

CodeRED comes to Fulton County

Fulton County Government has contracted with Emergency Communications Network to license its CodeRED high-speed notification system that will allow emergency-management officials to give residents and businesses information during emergencies and disasters.

Information:www.fultoncountyga.gov and click the CodeRED link. Steve Visser

Forsyth offers weather alerts

Forsyth County is inviting residents to sign up to an electronic network that sends weather alerts through telephone calls, emails or text messages. There is no cost for citizens to sign up to receive the alerts, but phone usage or text charges may apply. For more information and to sign up go to the county web site, www.forsythco.com and look for “Sign up to receive Forsyth County Weather Alerts” icon. Jeffry Scott

ATLANTA

Court orders reprimand for lawyer

An Atlanta lawyer must receive a reprimand by a State Bar of Georgia review panel for mishandling and neglect of a client’s civil case, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled Monday.

Scott Richard King voluntarily accepted the discipline and is remorseful about what happened, the court said. King had sent letters to a client about a court motion but sent them to the wrong address. When the client lost a $25,382 judgment, King did not notify the client about it and later failed to promptly turn over the case file, the court said. Bill Rankin

Conviction upheld in killing at fish-fry party

The Georgia Supreme Court upheld the Fulton County murder conviction against a man who shot and killed his 46-year-old stepson during a fish fry.

On July 8, 2006, Charles Reese shot DiMario Gibson in the chest after Gibson opened the front door at the family’s home in Atlanta. Reese then told people at the party what he’d done, laid his shotgun on a pillow and left. Earlier, Gibson had refused to give Reese a ride to the liquor store, angering Reese, who complained to a friend about the lack of respect he received from Gibson. Bill Rankin

Environmental group wins grant

The West Atlanta Watershed Alliance won a $5,000 grant from the National Environmental Education Foundation to hire a marketing consultant.

The all volunteer group helped preserve 400 acres of greenspace and educates residents on conserving water and cleaning streams. Steve Visser

APD misses deadline for Eagle bar raid report

Atlanta Police missed a deadline set by a federal judge to report on its internal investigation into a 2009 raid on a Midtown Atlanta gay bar.

Having received a three-week extension, APD was to release to the public on Monday a report on its review of the Sept. 10, 2009, raid of the Eagle bar.

A legal team headed by former U.S. Attorney Joe Whitley is doing an independent investigation. The city had hoped to have those findings to release along with the APD internal report. Those are not complete either. Rhonda Cook

DEKALB

County renews call for Marquel’s Pledge

DeKalb County wants 100,000 people to take Marquel’s Pledge, a county-led initiative to raise awareness of the dangers of firing guns in celebration. A stray bullet from such a celebration is blamed for the death of 4-year-old Marquel Peters last year as he sat in church on New Year’s Eve.

The county has since won a national award for gathernig 5,000-plus signatures.

Information: www.dekalbcountyga.gov. April Hunt

Dunwoody offers fire safety training

Dunwoody and the DeKalb County Fire Rescue Public Education Unit will offer a free fire safety course to increase the prevention of fires, improve the reaction to fires, and heighten safety awareness. Classes will be 10:30 a.m. -- 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. -- 3:30 p.m., July 18 and 11:30 a.m. -- 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. -- 4 p.m. July 20, at Dunwoody City Hall, 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 103. Information: www.dunwoodyga.gov. Michelle E. Shaw

Former security guard pleads not guilty to theft

The only young man still charged with the burglary of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church -- a crime that played into the controversy around Bishop Eddie Long -- was in court Tuesday to announce that he is innocent.

Anthony Boyd, surrounded by family and friends , stood when his name was called in DeKalb County Superior Court but his attorney, David Fife, spoke for him.

Prosecutors say Boyd used his job as a security guard to help another break into Long’s office at New Birth a year ago. Roughly $100,000 in jewelry and electronics was reported stolen. Rhonda Cook

Charity groups can now apply for grants

Charity groups that work with children, seniors and other underserved populations in DeKalb County can now apply for government grants to help with their work.

The county will host an informational briefing on the grant program from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday at the Decatur Library on Sycamore Street.

Applications will be available at the briefing, at the county’s Human Development Department in Decatur and the Lou Walker Senior Center near Lithonia. Completed applications are due July 29 for the upcoming year.

More information: 770-322-2935 or www.dekalbcountyga.gov/humanserv. April Hunt

County asks feedback on accessibility

DeKalb County wants residents to offer feedback on transportation and accessibility at a community meeting Thursday evening.

The “Moving to Opportunity” forum is gathering information about transportation needs for jobs and community services, especially for children and seniors. The data will be used to help create a vision for transportation needs in the county and beyond.

The forum begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the conference center at DeKalb Technical College, 495 N. Indian Creek Dr.

More information/registration: http://partnershipforsouthernequity.org. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Court upholds death sentence against former football star

The federal appeals court in Atlanta on Tuesday upheld the death sentence against a former high school football star from Taylor County who killed one man and injured three others during a drug-fueled crime spree in 1991.

Daniel Greene was sentenced to death for killing 19-year-old Bernard Walker, who was trying to aid a convenience store clerk who had been robbed and stabbed by Greene. The clerk survived. Greene was tried in Clayton County in 1992 because of pretrial publicity, and he was convicted of other crimes in Houston and Macon counties. Bill Rankin

Gone With the Wind night with Braves

To mark the 75th anniversary of Gone With the Wind, The Road to Tara Museum, the Braves, Margaret Mitchell House and Atlanta History Center will celebrate Saturday at Turner Field. Fans attending the game dressed as a GWTW character will get $10 off Upper Box or Outfield Pavilion tickets. The first 1,000 fans get free admission to the museum. Keep your ticket stub for $5 off admission to the history center or Mitchell House. Tammy Joyner

College Park approves budget

The College Park City Council last week approved a $114 million budget for fiscal year 2012. The budget represents nearly $8 million less than the first proposed budget earlier this year. Mayor Jack Longino said the city was able to balance the budget without any layoffs, but said the city will have to take a very close look at the budget in October. John Thompson for the AJC

Henry Medical offers smoking classes

Henry Medical Center in Stockbridge will offer a four-week program, from Aug. 9-30, for smoking cessation.

The American Cancer Society Fresh Start course will include one-hour sessions 5:30 -- 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Henry Medical Center Foundation Education Center. Classes will include techniq

Information: www.henrymedical.com Misty Williams

Peachtree City tightens holiday parking rules

Peachtree City won’t allow parking in the Battery Way boat docks lot on July 4. Golf carts may not park on the grassy causeway, and boats nor trailers will be allowed in the park.

Fireworks spectators may park along Battery Way or in the church parking lot at Peachtree Parkway and Windgate Road. Golf carts may park in the wooded areas north and south of the Battery Way viewing area; the path will be open.

Information: www.peachtree-city.org. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Clayton health fair set for July 9

Safe Kids Clayton County along with State Rep. Sandra Scott, D-Rex and Amerigroup Community Care will host a community Health and Safety Fair 10 a.m. -- 2 p.m. July 9 at the Carl Rhodenizer Recreation Center, 3349 Rex Road in Rex. The event is free and open to the community, and will include health screenings, safety demonstrations, and activities for children. Safe Kids is an initiative of the Clayton County Board of Health.

Details: (678) 610-7199. Tammy Joyner