County by county news for Wednesday

Officers arrested 11 adult women for prostitution, one man for pimping, another man for drug possession and a third man for outstanding warrants. The MATCH task force is focused on juvenile victims of prostitution. None were identified in the sting, but police said all of the women were between 19 and 23 years old, and one had been prostituting since age 15. Another female alleged physical abuse from her pimp. Andria Simmons

Structure one step closer to being razed

The Georgia Supreme Court will not consider Marietta property owner Waleed “Lee” Jaraysi’s appeal to keep the city from demolishing a building he owns on South Marietta Parkway near Interstate 75. Jaraysi has 10 days to ask the court to reconsider its Monday decision. The case started in 2005 after Marietta learned the owner was building a structure three times larger than what was permitted. The Georgia Court of Appeals in June supported a 2010 Cobb Superior Court decision allowing the city to raze the unfinished building. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Deadline near for tennis tournament

Saturday is the deadline to register for the 3rd Annual Halloween Charity Tennis Tournament on Oct. 28-30.

The tournament will be at the Lost Mountain Tennis Center, 4845 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs.

Cost is $30 for singles and $40 for doubles.

Information: Facility Manager Traci Thomas at 770-528-8525 or traci.thomas@cobbcounty.org. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Fall Festival at Smith Gilbert Gardens

A Fall Festival is planned 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Kennesaw’s Smith Gilbert Gardens, 2382 Pine Mountain Road. Docents will give tours of the gardens and the festival will include a plein air painting exhibit and sale, and a jazz trio will provide musical entertainment. Ticket information: www.smithgilbertgardens.com or 770-919-0248. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Supplies donated to elementary teachers

OfficeMax gave $1,000 worth of supplies to teachers at two Cobb County elementary schools, as part of its national “A Day Made Better” program.

The company notified LaBelle Elementary second grade teacher Cory Babcock of the award recently, according to county school officials. Sharon Russell, media specialist and 2011 teacher of the year at Norton Park Elementary, also received $1,000 worth of supplies. Ty Tagami

Shredding day Saturday at Cobb locations

Keep Cobb Beautiful is joining Keep Smyrna Beautiful, Keep Marietta Beautiful and Keep Powder Springs Beautiful to host a document shredding day from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The locations are: Piedmont Church, 570 Piedmont Road, Marietta; Aline Wolfe Adult Recreation Center, 884 Church St., Smyrna, 591 N. Marietta Parkway, Marietta; and BookendZ, 5001 McNeel Industrial Blvd. Powder Springs. Shelia Poole

GWINNETT

County to display new flood plain maps

Gwinnett County will host an open house on new flood plain maps from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville.

County, state and federal officials recently updated maps of flood-prone areas in a portion of northern unincorporated Gwinnett. They will present the new maps and a report on the potential for flooding and insurance risks at the open house. To view a map of the study area, visit www.gwinnettcounty.com.

For more information, contact Toni Faulk at 678-376-7126 or toni.faulk@gwinnettcounty.com. David Wickert

GTC to host meeting on workforce development

Gwinnett Technical College will host a statewide town hall meeting on workforce development at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Busbee Center, Building 700, 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville.

State School Superintendent John Barge, Labor Commissioner Mike Butler, Gwinnett Tech President Sharon Bartels and other public and business leaders will participate. The event is open to the public. State residents can participate by sending questions via Twitter using the hashtag #gaGOWD. David Wickert

SPCA to offer low-cost pet vaccinations

The Georgia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is offering low cost vaccinations for cats and dogs on Oct. 22.

The vaccinations will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. at its adoption center at 1175 Buford Hwy. in Suwanee. Vaccinations help prevent common infectious diseases including distemper, respiratory diseases and rabies. Heartworm and feline combo tests, deworming, microchipping and nail trimming will also be offered. Vaccinations are $10 each.

Info: www.GeorgiaSPCA.org or 678-765-2726. Andria Simmons

Primerica to sponsor 2012 Relay for Life

Primerica, a Duluth-based independent financial services marketing organization, will be the presenting sponsor of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in Gwinnett County in 2012.

The Gwinnett Relay event is held annually in May at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds. It’s believed to be the world’s largest relay, attracting more than 10,000 people each year and raising more than $2 million.

Information: www.relayforlife.org. Joel Anderson

Students, Rotarians help with safe water

Members with the North Gwinnett High School Interact Club and Buford-North Gwinnett Rotary Club recently assembled about 1,000 water pasteurization indicators that are bound for undeveloped countries.

The indicators provide people with access to safer drinking water by serving as simple thermometers that eliminate the need to boil water. They will be distributed next year through the How Far Foundation.

The club members made the indicators on Oct. 1.

Last year, their indicators were distributed in Haiti and the Republic of the Congo. Joel Anderson

NORTHSIDE

Immigration lawyer gets to two years in prison

An immigration lawyer has been sentenced to two years in prison for a scheme that harbored illegal immigrants and netted him about $1 million, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Parmesh Dixit, 41, of Alpharetta, also was ordered to forfeit $1.2 million. Dixit helped about 40 illegal immigrants enter or remain in the U.S. by submitting fraudulent visa applications on their behalf, prosecutors said. Dixit’s paralegal, Punyapriya Patel, 37, of Alpharetta, was sentenced to three years on probation, beginning with six months of home confinement, for his role. Bill Rankin

Fulton school board to meet on Thursday

The Fulton County Board of Education will hold its monthly business meeting tomorrow Thursday at Dunwoody Springs Elementary in Sandy Springs.

The public can sign up at 5:30 p.m. for remaining openings to address the school board. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at 8100 Roberts Dr. following the board’s executive session discussion. For information: www.fultonschools.org. D. Aileen Dodd

‘Super CPR Saturday’ returns Nov. 5

Johns Creek’s “Super CPR Saturday” returns Nov. 5 with free lifesaving classes for residents and business owners in how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use an automated external defibrillator (AED). The classes will be taught by Johns Creek Firefighters/paramedics at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. at the Newtown Community Clubhouse (adjacent to Newtown Park) at 3115 Old Alabama Road in Johns Creek. To register, call 678-474-1641. Andria Simmons

Roswell fire educator honored for work

The fire educator for the Roswell Fire Department, Chris Cooper, was recently named “Fire Safety Educator of the Year” by Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph T. Hudgens.

Cooper, who oversees the city’s fire education for local schools and citizens, received the designation at the 19th Annual Life, Fire & Safety Awards ceremony. Andria Simmons

Cherokee shelter offers micro chips for cats

The Cherokee County Animal Shelter is inviting cat owners to make an appointment to have a technician visit your home and insert identifying microchips in your cat for a charge of $20 a cat. Make an appointment by Friday. Technicians home calls are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday. To make an appointment, call: 770-345-7270. The shelter is also hosting a “Cats in Hats Free Adoption Day,” 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 27, at the animal shelter, 1015 Univeter Road, Canton. Jeffry Scott

Library treats kids to “Exploding Potions”

An after-school, hands-on science program Friday will show children how certain concoctions react and explode -- including baking soda and vinegar reactions, film canister rockets and Diet Coke and Mentos reactions. “Exploding Potions” starts at 4:30 p.m. at Johns Creek’s Ocee Library, 5090 Abbotts Bridge Road.

The program is for ages 5-12 and is limited to the first 25 children. Information: 770-360-8897. Johnny Edwards

ATLANTA

Atlanta Partnership Walk on Sunday

The Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. is hosting the Atlanta Partnership Walk, an initiative to raise awareness and funds that reduce poverty, hunger, illiteracy and poor health in Africa and Asia.

The Walk is Sunday at Centennial Olympic Park. Registration begins at 10 a.m. and the Walk starts at 11:30 a.m.

Information: www.partnershipsinaction.org/walk. Kenneth Musisi

Gallery exhibit to benefit AID Atlanta

A gallery showing, “Beautiful Layered Lies, A collection of works by Philip Bonneau”, to benefit AID Atlanta, starts Friday through Nov. 21 . Philip Bonneau is a SCAD alumni and a graphic designer at Finished Art in Atlanta.

The opening reception is Friday from 6-10 p.m. at PEDINI of Atlanta, 800 Peachtree St. NE, Unit C, Atlanta.

Information: Philip Bonneau at somamix1@gmail.com or visit www.atlantacotillion.com. Kenneth Musisi

Art show to raise money to fight cancer

Atlanta’s Bill Lowe Gallery will host ArtCAN 2011 at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 The event will include works from 25 artists who are cancer survivors, or whose lives have been affected by cancer.

Tickets are $75. Event proceeds benefit the Joseph C. Monastra Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. The gallery is at 1555 Peachtree St. N.E., Suite 100.

For information: www.jcm_ArtCAN.org Laurie Hoffman

Celebrity Poker tour benefits cancer walk

Sports Profiles Plus, World Poker Tour Champion Chris Moneymaker and Dominique Wilkins will kick off the Celebrity Poker Tour to raise money for The Atlanta 2-DayWalk for Breast Cancer on Friday.

This is a non-gaming, skill competition event that will be held at the Hard Rock Café, 215 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta.

For reservations call 1-800-725-9423 ext. 818 or visit www.sppsports.com.

SANDRA MARSHALL MURRAY

DEKALB

School chief implements transparency measures

DeKalb County Schools have implemented new “transparency” measures under new Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson.

The school system announced Tuesday the formation of a 12-member panel of community representatives to oversee sales tax-funded construction projects. The Citizens SPLOST Oversight Committee will report findings to the public. An extension of the tax is on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Other new measures include: an independent auditor, purchasing reporting policies and an ethics line: 888-475-0482. Information: www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/audit-and-compliance. Ty Tagami

Tax preparer sentenced to 18 months in prison

A federal judge in Atlanta has sentenced a tax preparer to 18 months in federal prison for filing fraudulent returns, identity theft and unauthorized use of another person’s Social Security number, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Deidra McClendon, 38, of Conley, also was ordered to pay $784,000 in restitution. She pleaded guilty on April 4.

McClendon’s scheme was uncovered after her employer conducted an audit, noticed suspicious transactions and then reported them to the IRS, federal prosecutors said. Bill Rankin

Museum School granted a 5-year charter

The Museum School of Avondale Estates was recently granted a five-year charter by the DeKalb County school board.

It’s likely the board will also offer the school a formal lease on the old Forrest Hills Elementary building during its November meeting.

It’s estimated that The Museum School, currently K-4 (it will add a fifth grade next year) with 198 students and 32 staffers, will have to spend $1.3 million on the 1950s-era facility before moving in next year.

Principal Katherine Kelbaugh said, “We’ll have to do a major fundraiser before we can get in there.” Bill Banks for the AJC

Doraville adds second AARP driving class

Doraville has added a second AARP Driver Safety class for all interested motorists in November. A program for the week before Thanksgiving is full.

The course is free for military veterans and spouses, $12 for AARP members and $14 for everyone else.

Completion of the course can cut the price of individual auto insurance.

The deputy state director of AARP’s driver safety program will teach the new class, which will be held on Nov. 29 at the Doraville Civic Center on Central Avenue.

Registration/information: 770-936-3850. April Hunt

County to host green expo for residents

DeKalb County will host a neighborhood summit and green expo for residents and businesses later this month.

The summit features workshops and resources available from the county for everyone. The expo will have local green businesses demonstrating eco-friendly products and services. Both events are free.

Activities run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 29 at Decatur High School on North McDonough Street.

More information: 404-371-3689 or onedekalb@dekalbcountyga.gov. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

State superintendent to speak at Mount Zion High

State School Superintendent John Barge will be the featured speaker at an Friday assembly at Mount Zion High School, 2535 Mount Zion Parkway in Jonesboro. The assembly begins at 8:30 a.m. Barge’s planned visit is part of the state’s effort to congratulate Clayton County Public Schools on achieving a clear status for each of its campuses through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Friday’s visit will be Barge’s first to Clayton since being elected state school superintendent. Tammy Joyner

Henry to host animal vaccine clinic Saturday

The Henry County Animal Care and Control Department will host a Fall Rabies Vaccine and Microchip Clinic Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon at the Henry County Animal Shelter. Rabies vaccines will be offered on a first-come, first-served, walk-in basis for $10 each.

The shelter is located at 527 Hampton Street in McDonough. Information: www.hcacc.org or call 770-288-7387. Monroe Roark for the AJC

Fayette board may alter school calendar

The Fayette County Board of Education began discussions of cost-saving calendar modifications at its Oct. 17 meeting.

A projected budget shortfall of approximately $10 million for 2012-13 is forcing the Board to consider shortening the school year to save about $3 million in staff, utility and transportation costs.

A 10-member committee helped Superintendent Jeff Bearden prepare options that include starting later in the summer, shortening breaks and/or adding “shut down” days.

Bearden will make his recommendation to the Board in November. Jill Howard Church

Health clinic for senior citizens today

Senior citizens are invited to the Sickness Prevention Achieved through Regional Collaboration clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Senior Citizens Services, located at 1705 Commerce Dr.

The clinics are offered by the Fulton County Department of Housing and Human Services Office of Aging.

Information: call STARLine at 404-613-6000. VERONICA FIELDS JOHNSON

Deadline near to pay property taxes

Hapeville officials said the 2011 property tax digest indicates 295 property owners appealed their property’s valuation by the Fulton County Board of Assessors. Properties under appeal will receive a tax bill based on 85 percent of value assessed by Fulton County. The tax bill for properties under appeal will show “Temporary Tax Bill.” The taxes of all temporary tax bills are due Oct.24. John Thompson for the AJC

Spate of vehicle thefts hit Peachtree City

The Peachtree City Police Department is reminding residents to always lock their cars, following several thefts from unlocked vehicles last week in the Centennial and Fairfield areas. Two golf carts were also stolen. Anyone suspecting or theft should notify police without touching the vehicle.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC