County by county news for Wednesday

The pedestrian attempted to get out of the travel lanes but was struck by a van. The car that initially struck the woman left the scene and continued eastbound on South Marietta Parkway.

No charges are pending at this time against the van driver. The pedestrian, whose name has not been released, was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital with serious injuries. Mike Morris

Soccer fields’ irrigation open for bid

Cobb County is seeking bids by noon Thursday in the Cobb Purchasing Department, 100 Cherokee St., Suite 260, Marietta for irrigation of six soccer fields at Tramore Park, 2150 East-West Connector, Austell.

Bids will be opened at 2 p.m. in the Board of Commissioners room.

Bidding available by contacting Bob Scott at Irrigation Consultant Services Inc. of Conyers at 770-929-0884 or bscott@irrcons.com.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Kennesaw receives livable centers grant

Kennesaw will receive an $80,000 grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission to continue the city’s Livable Centers Initiative. Funded by federal transportation money, the Town Center Area Community Improvement District will receive a $114,000 grant for a major plan update.Tucker McQueen

Smyrna Library hosts mystery event

The Friends of Smyrna Library and the Sisters in Crime Atlanta Chapter group will hold a festival 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday for readers and writers of southern mystery novels. The 14th annual event at the Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Green Circle will feature keynote speaker Tamar Meyers and eight other suspense writers. Admission is $30. Information: www:murdergoessouth.com.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Silver Comet Trail under maintenance

Maintenance work has started on six pedestrian bridges on the Silver Comet Trail.

The project will start with Smyrna’s Cooper Lake Road Bridge and continue west 11 miles one bridge at a time to the Powder Springs Creek bridge.

Tentative completion is late April. There will be no access across bridges under construction.

The trail will be open during Cobb County Schools spring break. Information: www.cobbcounty.org. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

West Cobb hosts Grand Chili Cook-off

The Fourth Grand Chili Cook-off will be 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the West Cobb Senior Center, 4915 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs.

Each team must bring enough chili and sides for 50 or more to compete for taste, presentation and votes.

Guest judges will be firefighters from Station 13, and prizes will be provided by United Hospice and Senior Helpers.

Cost: $3, Cobb residents; $4, nonresidents.

Information: 770-528-8200.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GWINNETT

Simpsonwood sale details to be revealed

The United Peachtree Corners Civic Association will host a community meeting on the Simpsonwood Retreat Center property sale 7:30 p.m. Mondayat Christ the King Church, 5575 Peachtree Parkway. Guest speaker David Haddow, owner/partner of Haddow and Associates, the broker/representative for the North Georgia Methodist Conference will provide background and updated information regarding the property. A Q&A session will follow Haddow’s presentation.

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

Registration open for backyard baseball

Duluth is accepting registration for an introduction to baseball for 4 and 5 year olds March 15 to May 10 at Bunten Road Park, 3180 Bunten Road. Players learn the basics. Parents are encouraged to participate in the coaching and will receive training, assistance from an on-site Duluth Parks and Recreation staff member. Fee: $45, Duluth residents; $60, non residents. Registration: www.duluthga.net/registration. Information: 770-814-6981 or parksaandrecreation@duluthga.net. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Suwanee looking for Art on a Limb artists

Suwanee is seeking artists for the 2014 Art on a Limb program to commemorate the 10th year of the city’s finders-keepers, art-in-nature program.

Since 2005 Suwanee has hidden two pieces of original artwork daily throughout the month of May along the Suwanee Creek Greenway and at other parks to celebrate the arts and natural beauty of the area. Information: www.suwanee.com.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Lilburn breaks ground on street realignment

Citizens are invited to a groundbreaking ceremony to commemorate Lilburn’s Main Street Realignment at Lawrenceville Highway at 10 a.m. Feb. 5 at the grassy lot just south of S.M.I.L.E., 336 Main St.

Paved parking is available in the adjacent lot. RSVP to nperry@cityoflilburn.com, 770-638-2333. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Arts Alliance to host business owner’s talk

The Lilburn Arts Alliance will host a discussion by local furniture maker Alan Harp at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 at Lilburn City Hall, 76 Main St.

The talk is free and open to the public.

Harp is the owner of Alan Harp Design. He will speak on how to use Facebook to attract new business clients.

The Lilburn Arts Alliance is comprised of members interested in enhancing the quality of life through its art objectives.

Information: www.lilburnartsalliance.org Kent A. Miles for the AJC

Duluth will explain sign ordinance changes

In the process of updating the City’s codes and ordinances Duluth has adopted a new sign ordinance. Businesses affected may learn more details about the changes at 7 p.m. Thursday in the City Hall Community Room. Info: Rich Atkinson at ratkinson@duluthga.net or 770-497-5305. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Sandy Springs fire chief retiring

Sandy Springs Fire Chief Jack McElfish has announced that he’ll retire in October, after a 51-year career, McElfish, 69, began his career as an Air Force firefighter and later served as fire chief for several government agencies, including Clayton and Gwinnett counties. McElfish joined Sandy Springs in 2006 and helped create the then-new city’s fire and rescue service. The city plans a national search to fill the role. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

College planning workshop in Alpharetta

A workshop on college and financial aid planning will be held at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Atlanta-Fulton County Library’s Alpharetta branch, 238 Canton St.

Guests will have the opportunity to learn from a representative of the Georgia Student Finance Commission about available resources regarding HOPE scholarships, how to fill out federal financial aid forms, college planning tools like gacollege411.org and career planning.

Information: 770-740-2425.

Kent A. Miles for the AJC

Library to host financial planning fair

Experts from Wells Fargo will be on hand for a financial planning fair, 2 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library’s Ocee branch, 5090 Abbotts Bridge Road, Johns Creek. The event is open to the public.

Information will be presented on how individuals and families can achieve their financial goals.

Information: 770-360-8897.

Kent A. Miles for the AJC

Forsyth food charity reports more activity

In its annual report, the nonprofit Feed the Hungry Forsyth says it delivered almost 85,000 pounds of food to 18 local food ministries in 2013. That compares with just 1,250 pounds in 2012, its first year of operation.

The organization collects perishable food from restaurants and grocery stores, as well as nonperishables such as canned goods.

Information: feedforsyth.org

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Woodall plans veterans informational session

U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall, R-Ga., who represents the southern half of Forsyth County, will hold a Veterans Assistance Open House.

It’s set for 10 a.m.-noon Thursday in the auditorium breezeway at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville.

Representatives of state and federal veterans agencies, plus private groups, will be on hand to answer questions and explain programs and benefits.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Woodstock officials set annual retreat

Woodstock city officials will hold their annual planning retreat beginning at 1 p.m. Fridayat Magnolia Hall, 108 Arnold Mill Road.

Mayor Donnie Henriques, the City Council, city manager and department heads will attend. Participants will discuss city history and accomplishments, and will hear department head reports. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

Lawyer gives up license amid probe

Atlanta lawyer Hendrickx Toussaint has surrendered his law license amid an investigation into financial misconduct.

Toussaint, who has not been charged, is currently the subject of a federal criminal investigation, the Georgia Supreme Court said in a ruling issued Monday. Toussaint once served as an escrow agent for companies seeking to acquire, rehabilitate and resell 36 residential properties. Between July 2009 and April 2010, he conducted more than 60 counter transactions from his trust account involving the funds and failed to keep complete records of the transactions. Bill Rankin

Tusan to become chief judge

Gail Tusan has been elected by her peers to become the next chief judge of the Fulton County Superior Court.

Tusan’s mew duties begin Feb. 1. She succees Chief Judge Cynthia Wright. Tusan has served on the Superior Court bench since 1995. Before that, she served on the county’s State Court bench and on the City Court of Atlanta. Bill Rankin

Judge presents flag to state high courts

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville on Monday presented the Georgia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals with U.S. flags that flew in Afghanistan during his recent tour of duty there.

Glanville, a brigadier general for the Army Reserve, was deployed to Kabul in September 2012 for a one-year tour of duty. The 30-year armed forces veteran, who has been awarded a Bronze Star and Legion of Merit, served on the Rule of Law Field Force in Afghanistan. Glanville presented the flags during a ceremony in the state Supreme Court’s courtroom.

Bill Rankin

Aero Club anniversary luncheon Thursday

The Atanta Aero Club celebrates 30 years with a luncheon 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Capitol City Club, 7 Portman Blvd. Gen. Jim Butterworth, the adjutant general of Georgia will speak. Admission: $40, $50. Registration: atlantaaeroclub.org Arlinda Smith Broady

DEKALB

Brookhaven building sidewalks

Crews have begun building a new sidewalk on Ashford Dunwoody Road in Brookhaven as part of the city’s $900,000 effort for walkways.

Construction will take several weeks, depending on weather, for the sidewalk between Stratfield Drive and Humility Lane. The city set aside $400,000 in its 2013 budget and plans to spend $500,000 this year on similar projects.

Information: www.brookhavenga.gov.

April Hunt

DeKalb delegation hosts meeting today

State senators and representatives from DeKalb County will host a joint meeting on Legislative issues today .

The meeting runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Dr., Decatur.

Issues to discuss include cityhood, education, form of government and annexation. Time will be allotted for public comment. April Hunt

Gym getting converted to classrooms

Work has commenced on the old Renfroe Middle School gym, which is getting repurposed into seven classrooms to be completed by late March, although the classrooms probably won’t be put into use until August. Total cost is $685,000 paid for by SPLOST.

The next major construction project is renovating Westchester Elementary beginning in May, including major upgrades to the kitchen and media center. Bill Banks for the AJC

Animal shelter posts monthly gain

DeKalb County reduced the euthanasia rate at its county shelter to 13 percent in December, the lowest point ever for the facility.

The gains are part of an overhaul of the county’s animal services department, which includes hiring a private welfare group to run the shelter where more than 60 percent of animals taken annually fail to make it out alive.

LifeLine Animal Project has steadily reduced that high kill rate since taking over in July.

The shelter last reported a euthanasia rate of 23 percent in September April Hunt

Get tickets for State of County address

Tickets are on sale for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s annual state of county business event on Thursday.

The lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Emory Conference Center on Clifton Road. Tickets are $40.

Information/tickets: 404-378-8000 or www.dekalbchamber.org. April Hunt

Grant to fund study of potential bike lanes

Avondale Estates was recently awarded a $50,000 grant by the Atlanta Regional Commission to fund a feasibility study of a road diet along US 278 from Sams Crossings to just past North Clarendon Avenue.

The long-term goal is to make that stretch more bicycle and pedestrian friendly, including one scenario of reducing 278 to two automobile traffic lanes.

The study, which should last through July, also includes considering a possible roundabout at North Clarendon and 278.

Total cost is $62,500 counting the city’s 20 percent match.

Bill Banks for the AJC

SOUTHSIDE

Wreck closed Clayton interstate ramp for hours

Motorists headed into Atlanta from the south on Interstate 75 Tuesday faced huge delays through the afternoon after a wreck shut down a major interstate ramp before daybreak.

According to the state Department of Transportation, a vehicle left the roadway and struck and damaged a guard rail and a pole holding up an overhead sign.

There were no reports of serious injuries, but the ramp was closed for repairs.The traffic jam on I-75 northbound stretched more than five miles at 9 a.m., according to the DOT. Mike Morris

Community grants available in Clayton

The Clayton County Community Development Department is taking 2014 applications for Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Solutions Grant, and HOME Investment Partnership.

Deadline to submit your application is 4 p.m. Jan. 31. Information: www.claytoncountyga.gov.

Tammy Joyner

Clayton State hosts reading bowl

Clayton State University will host the sixth annual Metro Atlanta Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Competition on Feb. 1.

The annual competition is named for Ruffin, a former DeKalb County elementary school library media specialist and selection committee member for the Georgia Children’s Book Award nominee program. The contest will feature students in grades four through twelve.

Clayton State students will serve as readers, score keepers and volunteers for the event.

Competition runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the university library.

Information: www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/hrrb

Janel Davis

Fayette kindergarten registration begins

Fayette County parents who want to register their children for fall kindergarten can do so starting Jan. 27.

Forms are available at www.fcboe.org using the Welcome Center link under “Departments.” Documents must be brought to the Welcome Center at 205 Lafayette Ave. in Fayetteville.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Proposed school calendar up for review

The Henry County Board of Education has released its proposed 2014-15 student calendar for a 30-day public review and comment period.

The calendar, in its current form or with changes, is expected to be approved at next month’s regular board meeting.

Information: www.henry.k12.ga.us.

Monroe Roark for the AJC

Transplant discussion at Piedmont Henry

The public is invited to a “Lunch and Learn” scheduled for noon Thursday in Piedmont Henry Hospital’s Foundation Board Room to ill discuss kidney transplant options and strategies for successfully pursuing living donors.

Reservations: 877-527-3712.

Information: piedmonttransplant.org.

Monroe Roark for the AJC