County by county news for Wednesday

Norcross railroad crossings closed

The Norcross Police Department has closed the city’s railroad intersections after a collision between a southbound train and a semi truck.

No injuries occurred in the collision, which was caused by an auto-carrier getting stuck on the tracks minutes before the train was scheduled through town. Due to damage to the train and potential damage to the tracks from debris, the crossings at Holcomb Bridge Road and Autry Street will be closed for an extended period.

The crossing at Park Street will be reopened as soon as the train has been moved. Through traffic will detour via the Langford Road crossing or Jimmy Carter Boulevard.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Animal shelter accepts goods for food banks

The Gwinnett animal shelter has received almost $5,000 in donations this year, thanks to individuals who have used an online donation tool. Funds collected help provide adoption and rescue events, testing and vaccinations for incoming animals, and supplies and equipment for spaying and neutering programs.

The shelter is collecting canned goods for local food banks through Dec. 31 by offering a $10 voucher for shelter fees for a five-item donation of such goods as peanut butter, dry beans, pasta, rice, cereal, toilet paper, diapers, soap, shampoo, deodorant and detergent.

Drop off donations to Gwinnett’s Animal Welfare and Enforcement Center, 884 Winder Highway in Lawrenceville, Info: 770-339-3200 or www.gwinnettanimalcontrol.com. Karen Huppertz

Duluth tree lighting set for Saturday

Duluth will celebrate the “Lighting of the Duluth Tree” from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at festival center on Town Green.

City Hall will be open from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Events include games, story time and crafts for kids. The outdoor musical celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. Santa Claus will arrive with live reindeer. Karen Huppertz

Sugar Hill holds time capsule essay contest

The Sugar Hill 75th Anniversary Committee is seeking submissions of original essays about “Life in Sugar Hill Today (2014)” and “What I Think Life in Sugar Hill Will Be in 2089.” The top five winning essays will be placed in the Sugar Hill time capsule to be buried as part of the anniversary celebration. Deadline is 4 p.m. Friday. Information 770-945-6716 or dkelemen@cityofsugarhill.com.Karen Huppertz

COBB

Police identify man stabbed to death

Cobb County police Tuesday afternoon identified a man stabbed to death during an overnight argument.

A dispute late Monday night between a woman, the father of her child and her new boyfriend ended in the stabbing death of the new boyfriend, Channel 2 Action News reported. Cobb police Sgt. Dana Pierce said responding officers found Christopher Reynolds, 26, of Marietta, dead after being stabbed on Brackett Drive during an altercation with another male.

The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Charles Mahaffey of Marietta, is being held without bond. Mike Morris

N.C. man had weapons on school campus

A North Carolina man was being held without bond Monday night after he was found with numerous weapons and ammunition on the campus of a Cobb County high school.

A school police officer spotted Joshua Tyler Harvell, 21, in his car Friday morning at Kennesaw Mountain High School, according to an arrest warrant obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Police found a machete with a 24-inch blade, a .40 caliber pistol, a semi-automatic rifle and a knife, the warrant states. Harvell also allegedly 49 rounds of ammunition for the pistol and 355 rounds of ammunition for the rifle.

Harvell was arrested and charged with possession weapons on school grounds, jail records show. He was denied bond at his first court appearance. Alexis Stevens

Missing man, 78, found unharmed

A Cobb County man missing for several hours Monday was found unharmed early Tuesday. Lawrence Lee Bradley, 78, was reunited with his family and was in good condition, according to Officer Mike Bowman with Cobb police.

Bradley was reported missing after walking away from his Sandstone Trail home, near Marietta, according to police. Alexis Stevens

Marietta to finish road improvements

Marietta plans to finish streetscape improvements this week on Roswell Street from Dodd Street east to Cobb Parkway. The city is widening the road, making pedestrian and intersection improvements and adding lighting. The $24 million project, funded by SPLOST money, extends from the Marietta Square to Cobb Parkway. Info: www.mariettaga.gov. Tucker McQueen For the AJC

Explorers to restore vintage cruiser

The Marietta Police Explorers are planning to restore a 1966 Ford Galaxie police cruiser to use for parades, car shows and other special events in the city. The group is looking for donations of shop time, parts, paint and other restoration needs. The Explorers is a youth program for ages 14 to 21 sponsored by the Marietta Police Department. Information: Lt. Jake King at 770-794-5355. Tucker McQueen

Marietta fire marshal retires Nov. 30

Marietta fire marshal Scott Tucker will retire Nov. 30 after 31 years with the Marietta Fire Department. Tucker rose through the ranks from firefighter and emergency medical technician to primary fire investigator in 1994. Tucker was promoted to fire marshal/assistant chief in 2009. Tucker McQueen

DEKALB

Joint sessions to happen regularly

Decatur mayor Jim Baskett and school board chairman Marc Wisniewski agreed that last Friday’s rare joint meeting between the board and city commission in Covington went, in Baskett’s words “very well.” The two bodies decided to schedule, for the first time ever, annual or biannual joint sessions, along with smaller meetings (probably between the mayor and board chairman) every other month.

Both sides also agreed to a goal of getting a bond referendum financing renovations to Decatur High and Renfroe Middle schools on the ballot by next May.

Bill Banks

‘Slave’ removed as occupation on survey

DeKalb County jurors filling out a new on-line juror questionnaire recently were shocked to find an ugly blast from the past when listing their occupation.

In the midst of an extensive drop-down menu of possible occupations a juror could list was the option “slave,” according to a WXIA-TV report.

The juror’s survey went on line about a month ago, WXIA reported.

A court spokeswoman told the station that the list of occupations to choose from is 62 pages long, but she didn’t know how long “slave” had been on the list.

“Slave” was removed from the list within an hour after the issue was raised with the county, the station reported.

Mike Morris

Christmas parade in Stone Mountain Friday

Stone Mountain’s annual Christmas parade and fireworks show has been set for the evening after Thanksgiving.

Festivities run from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, with the parade beginning at 6 p.m. along the town’s Main Street.

Fireworks begin just after Santa’s arrival and a tree lighting ceremony, at 7 p.m.

Information: 770-413-0607 or www.stonemountainvillage.com. April Hunt

Adoption fees reduced for long-term animals

The new “shelter classics” program at DeKalb County’s animal shelter is offering discounts on adoptable pets that have been overlooked for homes.

Animals that have been at the facility for at least one month can be adopted for $20, while pets at the center for two months can be adopted for free.

The animals come fully vaccinated and fixed. Regular adoption screening rules apply.

Information: www.dekalbanimalservices.com. April Hunt

Pool should re-open on schedule in May

Despite a recent change order in construction costs, Ebster Pool will re-open as scheduled on May 1.

Key changes include a thorough renovation of the bath house, reducing the pool length from 25 meters to 25 yards, widening it to eight lanes, heated water and overhead lighting.

Ebster falls under the Beacon Municipal Center redevelopment, total cost $38.3 million. The Center’s first section, the city schools’ central office, should also open by next May.

The new gym and police station/courts building should open in late July.

Bill Banks for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Canton police post video seeking jewel thieves

Canton Police attempting to solve a Nov. 22 jewelry store robbery have posted a video of the crime on the department’s Facebook page. The video shows two men armed with handguns entering the Cartersville Jewelry exchange on Riverstone Parkway, ordering employees to the ground, smashing a display case and making off with jewelry. If you have info: 770-720-4883 To view:

Mark Woolsey For the AJC

Deadline for Cherokee early voting is today

Today is the final day for early voting in the Dec. 3 runoff in Cherokee County. Eligible voters can cast ballots from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Cherokee County Elections and Voter Registration office, 400 E. Main St., Canton. Voters will decide the Canton City Council Ward 1 and Ward 3 races, and the special election for State Senate District 14. Mark Woolsey

Milton teacher honored as top educator

The White House is honoring Georgia elementary school teacher Heather Cox as one of top educators in the country.

Cox, a fourth-grade teacher at Crabapple Crossing Elementary School in Milton, was one of 10 educators honored at the Nov. 21 event, intended to celebrate educators taking creative approaches in using technology to enhance learning.

Cox began teaching in the Fulton County school system in 2004. Throughout the past school year, she helped to begin a Bring Your Own Technology pilot in the fourth and fifth grades, which provides instruction and training to teachers during and after school. In addition, she also helped begin an after-school technology club.

Rose French

Vehicle theft suspects caught in Cherokee

Cherokee County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two teenagers accused of thefts from vehicles Tuesday.

Deputies responding to theft reports at the Towne Lake Hills East subdivision off of Towne Lake Parkway stopped a suspicious vehicle and arrested Eric Mitcham, 18, of Canton, and a 16-year-old juvenile.

Both are charged with three counts of Entering Auto and were in custody Tuesday afternoon.

Mark Woolsey

AT&T donates to Roswell High School

Fulton County schools has accepted a $50,000 donation from AT&T to fund a Communities in Schools site coordinator at Roswell High School.

The funds, accepted Nov. 21, make it possible to have a specialized staff member at the school, who focuses on improving students’ progress toward graduation. Rose French

Cumming Christmas parade set for Dec. 7

The Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce and the Forsyth County Community Connection will hold a holiday celebration Dec. 7 on Market Place Boulevard between Buford Dam Road and Ga. 20 in Cumming.

The Jingle Jog 5K race is set for 8:30 a.m., followed by the eighth annual Cumming Christmas Parade at 10:30.

More info: cummingforsythchamber.org. Mark Woolsey

ATLANTA

Man shot to death in southwest Atlanta

A man died after being shot multiple times Monday night in southwest Atlanta, according to police.

Investigators were called around 9 p.m. to the 1000 block of Arlington Avenue, where a driver had struck a utility pole, Officer John Chafee with Atlanta police said. The driver, whose name was not released, appeared to have been shot several times, Chafee said. The man was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he later died.

The shooting remains under investigation and no arrests have been made in the case, police said. Alexis Stevens

Writing test scores dip, but remain high

Some 94 percent of 11th-graders who took the high school writing test for the first time this fall passed it, results released by the state Department of Education shows.

That 94 percent pass rate was down from the 94.9 percent pass rate of 2012, but up slightly from 2011, when 92.9 percent passed the test.

Students must pass the test before graduating.

In metro Atlanta, school districts in Buford City (99.6 percent), Fayette County (99 percent), Forsyth County (98.5 percent) and Cherokee County (98 percent) had the highest pass rates.

DeKalb County had the lowest rate in metro Atlanta, 90.9 percent. In APS, 93.6 percent passed the test. Fulton had 95.9 percent pass it. Clayton’s pass rate was 92.3 percent. Cobb’s was 97.4 percent, and Gwinnett’s was 97 percent.

Wayne Washington

APS tech director faces trial Dec. 2

Atlanta Public Schools’ former technology director is scheduled to go on trial Dec. 2 on bribery and fraud charges.

Federal prosecutors claim Jerome Oberlton, who worked as the school system’s chief information officer from 2004 to 2007, used his influence at the school system to award a $780,000 computer project and score a profit from the deal.

Mark Niesse

SOUTHSIDE

Police: Woman did not freeze to death in Henry

A woman found Sunday in Henry County died of natural causes, police said Tuesday.

The body of Robin Lynn Hubbard was found Sunday afternoon in a wooded area at the I-75 southbound entrance ramp at Highway 138. Tuesday, Sgt. Joey Smith said Hubbard’s “death was due to complications from a medical issue and not from the elements.”

Family in the McDonough area identified Hubbard, police said. David Markiewicz

Possible murder-suicide investigated

East Point police early Tuesday were investigating an apparent murder-suicide in a neighborhood off Washington Road.

Officers responding to reports of gunshots at a home on Potomac Court around 2 a.m. Tuesday found a man and a woman shot to death, Channel 2 Action News reported.

“We believe that the motive for this incident is a murder-suicide,” East Point police Lt. Cliff Chandler told Channel 2.

The identities of the man and woman have not been released.

Mike Morris

Community leaders act as principals for day

More than 80 schools across Fulton County helped show community leaders what it takes to lead a school as part of the annual “Principal for a Day” program.

Now in its sixth year, the program is held annually during American Education Week, which fell this year during Nov. 18-22.

The program aims to build relationships between schools and business and community leaders while also educating them on the demands of managing a school.

Business and community leaders tackled many of the regular duties that school leaders face every day. Rose French

‘An Atlanta Christmas’ coming to Stockbridge

The Academy Theatre and Atlanta Radio Theatre Company bring their annual holiday show, “An Atlanta Christmas,” to the Stockbridge Community Arts Center Dec. 7-8.

Showtimes are 8 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The center is at 146 Burke St., Stockbridge. Info: www.academytheatre.org. Monroe Roark

Stockbridge chosen for Main Street Start-up

Stockbridge is one of 19 cities in Georgia selected recently by the Department of Community Affairs to join the Main Street Start-up Program, which provides technical assistance to cities looking to improve their downtowns.

These cities will vie for $1.8 million in available local downtown program funding, according to city officials. Information: www.cityofstockbridge.com. Monroe Roark

Black pet adoption fee reduced in Fayette

The Fayette County Humane Society is offering pet adoption specials as part of the “Back in Black” event during November. Adoption fees will be reduced for black or mostly black cats and dogs, who are often the least chosen. Fees include vaccinations and spay/neuter. Info: www.fayettehumane.org. Jill Howard Church for the AJC