County by county news for Wednesday

There are no planned service cuts or employee layoffs although the city will not fill 45 positions in 2014.

The general fund budget will be 1.4 percent higher this year, but $2 million less that it was four years ago.

The city’s millage will be the same at 2.788.

Information: www.mariettaga.gov.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Meeting set on Kennesaw interchange

The public will get a chance Thursday June 20 to view plans for a diverging diamond interchange on Wade Green Road at I-75 in Kennesaw. The meeting will be 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Kennesaw City Hall, 2529 J.O. Stephenson Ave. The Georgia Department of Transportation and 2011 Cobb County SPLOST will fund the $2.65 million project. Construction is expected to start in Fall 2014 and last six to eight months. Information: www.cobbdot.org.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Free testing for HIV Testing Day

Someone Cares, Inc. and their community partners will offer free health screenings as part of the annual National HIV Testing Day campaign. HIV testing and condom distribution will be held on Thursday, June 27 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Marietta Flea Market, 550 Franklin Rd., Marietta. Information: Edwin Blount at 678-921-2706. Veronica Fields Johnson

Historic church sells cookbook for steeple

Old Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Powder Springs, one of the oldest Georgia churches, is selling a new cookbook to raise money for a steeple.

“Old Friendship Baptist Church Cookbook” contains not only church member recipes but also church history from its founding as a slave church during the 1850s, according to journalist Susan Aikman Miles, one of the book’s contributors and daughter of the late long-time Atlanta Constitution humor columnist Leo Aikman.

Orders: $20 check to Old Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, P.O. Box 735, Marietta, GA 30061. Allow four weeks for delivery. Information: Rev. Brendan Jenkins, oldfriendshipmbc.com or 770-426-8577.Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Hopkins Road to close for bridge replacement

The bridge on Hopkins Road over Wildhorse Creek in Powder Springs will be replaced, and closed for two months.

Detour routes will be provided for the construction by Powder Springs and Cobb County.

The west sidewalks will extend to the Silver Comet Trail. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Cobb County holds Family Fun Safety Day

Cobb County is hosting a “Family Fun Safety Day” 9 a.m. to noon June 21 at the Cobb Safety Village, 1220 Al Bishop Drive, Marietta. Activities include water safety games, finger painting kits and tours of emergency vehicles. Cost is $5 per person, up to $20 per family. Information: 770-852-3270.

Jaime Sarrio

GWINNETT

TB case reported at medical facility

An employee at the Gwinnett Medical Center has been diagnosed with active tuberculosis and officials there say 133 patients may have been exposed to the disease between February 1 and May 10.

Letters to those patients were mailed Friday, encouraging them to get a free skin test for tuberculosis, said Alan Bier, MD, chief medical officer for the Lawrenceville hospital. A skin test is the most common way to identify if a patient has tuberculosis.

Official want anyone who believes they were exposed to get tested at a healthcare facility immediately. Hannah Morgan

Bank robber’s death sentence reinstated

The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday reinstated the death sentence against Michael Wade Nance convicted of killing Gabor Balogh following a December 1993 bank robbery of Tucker Federal Bank in Lilburn.

A lower-court judge threw out Nance’s death sentence on grounds his lawyers were ineffective during the sentencing phase of the trial. The state Supreme Court overturned that decision and reinstated Nance’s death sentence.Bill Rankin

Duluth Fine Arts hosting fundraiser

The Duluth Fine Arts League will host “A Tour of Italy” July 20 at Hardeman’s Fine Art Glass Studio, 311 Main St., Duluth. The event will include Italian cuisine, wine, entertainment and silent auction. Cost: $35 with proceeds going to the scholarship program.

Information: 770- 476.7328 or www.duluthfineartsleague.org. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Child development course offered

Gwinnett in conjunction with Quality Care for Children will offer a child development credential course for child care teachers and family child care providers 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday and June 29 at the Norcross Human Services Center, 5030 Georgia Belle Court in Norcross. Cost: $90 registration fee and an additional $130 monthly fee; full scholarships are available. Information: 404-479-4230. Karen Huppertz

Suwanee given strong bond rating

Citing the city’s solid history of conservative budgeting, consistently strong reserve levels and prudent financial management, Fitch Ratings recently affirmed Suwanee’s AA+ general obligation bond rating and gave the city a stable rating outlook. Suwanee has $19.6 million in general obligation and revenue bonds used to acquire green space, develop parks and open City Hall at Town Center in 2009. Information: 770-945-8996. Michael Alpert for the AJC

Tech to join Achieving the Dream

Gwinnett Technical College has been selected to join Achieving the Dream, part of the National Reform Network of more than 200 institutions, to implement new tools and strategies to improve student success and completion.

Achieving the Dream works to identify and implement strategies for closing achievement gaps and increasing student retention, persistence, and completion rates. Information: www.GwinnettTech.edu or 770-962-7580. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Woodstock approves budget, mills set in Aug.

The Woodstock City Council has approved its fiscal year 2014 budget, which goes into effect July 1. The $33.8 million document is an increase from the $30.7 million initial budget for 2013.

City officials say an increased tax digest allows for the higher number. The budget plan provides for a limited number of new positions, including two new police officers, and aims to keep the same millage rate as in 2013.

The mill levy will be set in August.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Forsyth schools poisedto adopt budget

The Forsyth County School Board is scheduled to approve next school year’s roughly $282 million budget at its monthly meeting 6 p.m. June 20 at the Forsyth County Board of Education and Professional Development Center, 1120 Dahlonega Highway, Cumming.

The budget is nearly $11 million bigger than this year’s, largely because of 80 new teaching positions and trailers.

Information: 770-887-2461.

Michael Alpert for the AJC

Cherokee book drive set for tornado victims

Cherokee High School teacher Joseph Stewart, whose family owns the Book Browser bookstore in Woodstock, has started a drive to send books to the public schools in tornado-damaged Moore, Okla.

Donations can be made at the store, 295 Molly Lane, Suite 130, Woodstock. Information: 770-384-8644.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

MARTA forum canceled, to be reset

A public input meeting to discuss rapid transit options along the Ga. 400 corridor scheduled for June 26 has been canceled.

MARTA officials will reschedule the forum for later this summer, a spokeswoman for the transit authority said.

Information: connect400@itsmarta.com.

Arlinda Smith Broady

Canton hosts annual green festival

The city of Canton will hold its annual Choosing Green festival from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Cannon Park in downtown Canton, in conjunction with the weekly farmers market.

More than 50 government, business and non-profit vendors will be on hand, with information on solar panel installation, rainwater harvesting, beekeeping and other green topics.

Information: www.canton-georgia.com

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Forsyth report available to public

Forsyth County officials say the Forsyth County 2012 annual report and the Forsyth County Fire Department 2012 annual report are both now available.

The county report summarize the county’s projects, finances and progress this past year.

The fire department report gives details on fire department facilities, divisions and more.

The reports are available at the county administration building, 110 E. Main St,, Cumming, and online at forsythco.com

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

Injured man arrested for drug possession

Police responded to a person shot call in southwest Atlanta and later arrested the injured man on drug charges.

The incident happened near Childress Drive and Cascade Road around 4:40 p.m Monday.

Steven Blow, 31, was found with an injury to the back of his head, Atlanta police spokesman Officer John Chafee said.

“At this time it is not clear exactly what caused the injury,” Chafee said in a press release. “The injury may have been caused by the victim being struck in the head with an unknown object, but it is possible that the injury is a graze wound from a bullet.”

Blow was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital in stable condition.

At the hospital, police found drugs in his possession and arrested him, Chafee said.

No suspect is in custody in connection to the man’s injury, Chafee said. Bryan Cronan

Atlanta schools begin enrolling new students

Atlanta Public Schools is opening its enrollment and registration center next week for students who are new, moving, withdrawing or re-registering.

The Centralized Enrollment and Registration Center in the Capitol View building on Metropolitan Parkway will be open from June 24 to June 28 and from July 8 through July 12.

Appointments aren’t necessary, but they can be scheduled online at atlantapublicschools.appointy.com. Mark Niesse

Volunteer effort aims to clean creek

United by Blue, Half Moon Outfitters and Horny Toad will host a clean-up Peachtree Creek from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at Zonolite Park, 1147 Zonolite Place N.E.

Volunteers will be provided with free breakfast, water, gloves, sunscreen, bug spray.

Volunteers are asked to wear closed-toed shoes. There will be competitions and prizes throughout the day and a chance to meet fellow volunteers.

For sign-up information: 215-642-0693 or cleanup@unitedbyblue.com or www.unitedbyblue.com/cleanup/atlanta.

Sandra Marshall Murray

DEKALB

County to discuss storm water fee hike

DeKalb County Commissioners will host a public meeting Thursday to discuss a proposal to raise the county’s storm water utility fee for the first time since it was created in 2004.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Tucker-Cofer library on LaVista Road in Tucker.

The proposed $12 increase, to $60 a year, would generate about $4 million more a year for DeKalb’s to make drainage system repairs and comply with state permit requirements.

April Hunt

Four vie for Lithonia administrator job

Stone Mountain’s former city manager is among four finalists under consideration to become city administrator in Lithonia.

Barry Amos was let go from the post in the larger city late last year.

He now is vying against Brad Chambers, Lee Chastain and Phil Howland for the similar job in Lithonia, also in eastern DeKalb County. April Hunt

Merriss: Referendum approval will be ‘tight’

Decatur city manager Peggy Merriss said Monday that it’ll be “tight” getting a $59.5 million bond referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Last week Decatur’s school board authorized the referendum, needed to pay for renovations to Decatur High and Renfroe Middle schools.

But several more steps need to be taken before the referendum’s submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice for pre clearance by early September at the latest, Merriss said.

Bill Banks for the AJC

Brookhaven holding budget hearings

Brookhaven will hold two meetings Thursday for residents to offer input on the budget and tax rate.

The $15.7 million budget calls for a 3.35 millage rate to cover the city’s operating costs for its first year. The rate cannot be raised without voter approval.

The public hearings will be held at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Brookhaven Municipal Court, 2 Corporate Blvd., Suite 125 Brookhaven.

Information: www.brookhavenga.gov.

April Hunt

Storytelling program at History Center

A storytelling series for children returns to DeKalb History Center 10 to 11 a.m. every Wednesday through July 31 at the historic Biffle Cabin, 720 W. Trinity Place.

The programs, for children ages 6-12, are $4 for children of members and $6 per session for others.

Information: 404-373-1088, ext. 22 or www.dekalbhistory.org. April Hunt

Athlete at Boston Marathon to speak

A triathlete who was in the Boston Marathon will address business and community leaders at the Chamblee Business Association 7:30 a.m. June 20 at Chamblee Civic Center, Broad Street.

Mike Wien is also an adjunct marketing professor at Georgia State with a specialty in strategic development.

There is no charge for first-time guests.

Information: www.chambleebusinessassociation.com. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Man accused of stealing car with girl inside

Brannon Brown, 9, says he did his best to prevent a would-be carjacker from driving away with his little sister in the backseat.

But the man was able to drive away from Greenwillow Way in the black 2003 Acura with the 5-year-old girl inside Monday afternoon, according to Clayton County police. The man, who has not been identified, let the girl out of the car a few miles away and she was reunited with her mother and brother. The children were not seriously injured. The Acura’s tag number BSX7763. Anyone with information is asked to call 911. Alexis Stevens

Fayette adopts new school hours

Fayette County schools will operate under a new schedule when classes resume in August. The Board of Education approved staggered start and end times to better coordinate bus schedules and save on transportation costs. Elementary schools will operate 7:40 a.m.-2:25 p.m.; middle schools 8:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m.; and high schools 8:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Changes to instructional time will be minimal.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Improve credit score, purchase home

The Fulton County Housing and Human Services Department, Office of Housing and Community Development will host an information session on How to improve your credit score and purchase a home from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25 at the East Point Library, 2757 Main Street. For more information and reasonable accommodations due to a disability including communications in an alternative format should please contact Nell Kapple at 404- 613-7944. For Georgia Relay Access, dial 711.Veronica Fields Johnson

Community garden to host tomato fundraiser

The Community Gardens of Henry County will sponsor the second annual Love and Homegrown Tomatoes Fundraiser from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 22 at Wesley Way Gardens, 150 John Wesley Way, McDonough. Activities will include a tomato sandwich buffet, door prizes, garden tour and shopping. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 16. Children under 3 are free. Information: www.henrytomatoparty.org or 770-954-0000 or communitygardens@bellsouth.net.

Veronica Fields Johnson

Church to host legal workshop on Saturday

World Changers Church International Legal Resources Department will host a free “Getting Your Affairs in Order” workshop at noon Saturday, June 22 in the church chapel, 2500 Burdett Rd., College Park. The workshop is a prerequisite to receive a free simple will at the annual Law Day Event to be held in August. Registration is required. Information: www.worldchangers.org.

Veronica Fields Johnson

Dinner to aid Southern Conservation Trust

The Southern Conservation Trust will hold its annual “Farm to Table” fundraiser dinner at 6 p.m. Friday at Minter’s Farm, Fayetteville. The event will feature locally grown foods, celebrity gardener Walter Reeves, and live music.

Tickets are $60; details at www.sctlandtrust.org.

Jill Howard Church for the AJC