County by county news for Wednesday

Police seized the drugs and weapons -- including 1,100 grams of marijuana, five handguns, an assault rifle; 42 tablets of Oxycodone and a digital scale -- from the Autumn View Apartments, 1035 Franklin Road, said Marietta police spokesman Officer David Baldwin. Police made the bust after someone at the Marietta Hotel on Northwest Parkway reported the phone stolen. Police located the iPhone 4 by using its “Find My iPhone” app. Officers detained several people, whose names have not been released. Fran Jeffries

Cobb legislators to hold forum

Cobb County’s state legislators will participate in a panel discussion on state and local issues during the annual legislative forum on Thursday.

The forum will be hosted by the League of Women Voters of Marietta-Cobb, the American Association of University Women-Cobb County Branch and the Rho Zeta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. The forum runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will be broadcast on Cobb government access channel, TV 23. Janel Davis

Austell mayor delays state of city speech

Austell Mayor Joe Jerkins will delay this week’s state of the city address until February during the next meeting of the Austell Business Association.

On Tuesday morning -- the day of his speech, Jerkins had to cancel because of the continued hospitalization of his wife of 52 years. He is slated to give his speech on Feb. 21 during the association’s luncheon meeting at the Austell Threadmill Complex, 5000 Austell-Powder Springs Road, Suite 105. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Marietta schools to hold forum on bond

Marietta City Schools Board of Education will hold a public forum at 7 p.m. Jan. 24 at West Side Elementary School, 344 Polk St. Board members plan to talk about the $7 million general obligation bond to build an auditorium at Marietta High School. District Superintendent Emily Lembeck will also talk about the project that’s up for a vote March 6. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Powder Springs survey deadline Monday

Powder Springs residents have until Monday to complete an online survey about the best ways to improve the city.

The study is co-sponsored by the city, The University of Georgia’s Fanning Institute and the Georgia Power Company with a final report expected in March.

Powder Springs Community Development Director Pam Conner said “marketing and branding” the city are the goals. To link to the survey, visit cityofpowdersprings.org.

Information: Conner or Tina Garver, 770-943-8001. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Six Flags jobs deadline is Friday

Friday is the deadline to apply to work at Six Flags Over Georgia. Around 2,400 jobs are available for the Austell park’s 45th anniversary season, opening March 17. Job seekers must be at least 16 years old and must apply online at sixflagsjobs.com/apply.html by Friday. Interviews will be arranged by invitation only later this month. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GWINNETT

Transit riders to see fares increase Jan. 30

Gwinnett County transit riders will see a 25 percent increase in fares beginning Jan. 30

One-way local cash bus fares will rise from $2 to $2.50. One-way express service to Atlanta would rise to $3.75 or $5, depending on the route.

Gwinnett officials say the fare hike is in keeping with the county policy of having customers pay for a third of the cost of transit service, with federal and state subsidies covering the rest. They say the fare hike also will mean the county can avoid service cuts. David Wickert

Police charge grandson in death of man

The grandson of a man whose body was found at a Peachtree Corners apartment has been charged with killing him, Gwinnett County police said Tuesday.

Police found the body of William Andre Stridion, 59, in his apartment on Friday. He had been stabbed, police said.

After investigation, police arrested Stridion’s grandson, Arion Henderson , 19, of Lawrenceville, and charged him in the death.

He is being held without bond at the Gwinnett County Jail. Joel Provano

Delta Sigma Theta offers scholarship

High school seniors can apply for the 2012 college scholarship sponsored by the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Students who attend a high school in Gwinnett County, except Centerville, Snellville and Loganville are eligible to apply. Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 16.

For other criteria visit www.gwinnettdst.org/annualscholarshipprogram.htm.D. Aileen Dodd

County hosts dance marathon Saturday

Gwinnett County will host a line and swing dance marathon from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday at Best Friend Park Gym, 6224 Jimmy Carter Blvd., Norcross. The event is open to those age 15 and up. The cost is $4 per person for Gwinnett residents. To register call 770-417-2212. David Wickert

County to hold volunteer work day

Gwinnett County will sponsor a volunteer work day from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday at George Pierce Park, 55 Buford Highway, Suwanee.

Volunteers will cut invasive Chinese Privet shrubs. Scouts can earn conservation badges. Those who participate in five “creeper cutter” days at local parks throughout the year or adopt a park area can earn t-shirts. Information: 770-418-2331. David Wickert

Input wanted to Snellville garden

Residents are invited to attend two meetings next week for the Community Garden @ Snellville’s new garden master plan. The sessions will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday and 1 p.m. Saturday in the Community Room at Snellville City Hall.

The site chosen for the garden is at the intersection of Marigold Road and Sawyer Parkway in Briscoe Park, across the street from the Snellville Recycling Center. The first phase of the garden may open this spring. Joel Anderson

NORTHSIDE

Fulton commission set to approve budget

The Fulton commission is scheduled to approve a 2012 budget today. A working version projects expenditures of $602.6 million and revenues of $520.4 million, the difference made up by dipping into reserves and leaving $50.3 million in that fund.

There’s no plan to raise the countywide tax rate, though unincorporated south Fulton’s special tax for city-type services will increase by 1.5 mill, taking the rate up to 10.469 mills -- or about $525 on a $200,000 home with a homestead exemption. Johnny Edwards

Friday deadline to review curriculum

Fulton County Schools parents have until Friday to review materials being considered for English classes.

The materials can be seen at the following locations:

The second floor lobby of the Fulton County Schools Administrative Center in Atlanta; Alpharetta’s Milton Center, Room I-105; and the media center conference room of Ridgeview Middle School in Sandy Springs.

The feedback will be shared with the school board.

For information: www.fultonschools.org. D. Aileen Dodd

CAC director receives humanitarian award

Tamara Carrera, executive director for the Community Action Center, has been named the 2012 recipient of the Sandy Springs Humanitarian Award. The award was presented Monday as part of the city’s annual Martin Luther King Day celebration.

Carrera began with the CAC as a volunteer and helped develop a thrift boutique to complement the organization’s food pantry and education center.

Last year, the CAC served more than 2,200 families and is supported by volunteers who devote almost 13,000 hours a year. Patrick Fox

Church to remember victims of abuse

Starting at sundown on Saturday, Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church in Sandy Springs will recognize the hundreds of children killed in Georgia last year by violence or abuse. Throughout the night, volunteers will read the names or initials of 550 victims, with the vigil ending at 7 a.m. on Sunday.

A Requiem Mass starts at 4 p.m. on Sunday at the church at 805 Mt.Vernon Highway, N.W. Donations will go to The Drake House, a residential assessment center for north Fulton’s homeless women and children. Information: www.holyinnocents.org. Johnny Edwards

Youth baseball to come to Alpharetta

The Alpharetta Youth Baseball Association will kick off its inaugural season in 2012. Upcoming events include select baseball tryouts for ages 9 to 12, noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Recreation baseball evaluations for ages 7 to 15 will be noon to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 28. Clinics for ages 4 to 6 will be 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 11; 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 18 and from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 19.

These events will be at Wills Park, 1755 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta. For information: www.wpyba.org. Laurie Hoffman

ATLANTA

Mayor to take trade mission to China

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed plans to visit China in March. In his first two years in office, Reed has visited Amsterdam, Paris and London for economic development events.

The Atlanta Development Authority is coordinating the trade mission and plans to sign up local companies to accompany Reed.

“I have watched and admired China’s growth and development,” Reed told the China Daily newspaper in 2010. “I don’t think you can be a truly international city without having a strong relationship with China.” Jeremiah McWilliams

Luncheon to feature four Atlanta mayors

Mayor Kasim Reed and former mayors Ambassador Andrew Young, Sam Massell and Shirley Franklin -- are scheduled to attend the Buckhead Business Association’s upcoming annual luncheon.

The luncheon is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Atlanta History Center on Thursday.

Tickets are $75 for BBA members and $100 for visitors and guests. Information: www.buckheadbusiness.org. Jeremiah McWilliams

APS hold sessions on testing gifted students

Parents who want information about gifted testing for Atlanta Public Schools can attend informational meetings 10 a.m. today at Parkside Elementary or 10 a.m. Thursday at Sarah Smith Elementary. Information: www.atlantapublicschools.us Jaime Sarrio

Parents group to hold area meeting

The Southwest and Northwest Atlanta Parents and Partners for Schools will host a meeting for parents in the Therrell High cluster at 6 p.m. Thursday. The meeting will be held in the high school auditorium, 3099 Panther Trail, Atlanta. Parents will have the chance to hear from Atlanta Public Schools board members, administrators and staff, and have questions answered about student achievement, redistricting and other hot topics. Information: snappspresident@gmail.com or 404-447-0637. Jaime Sarrio

DEKALB

Judge holds off on carjacking cases

A DeKalb County judge continued the cases against three men accused of carjacking eight cab drivers over a few days in late June and early July because one of them is fighting attempts to extradite him from Alabama.

The three men -- Jermaine Cheeks, Tyre Gay and Ladarrius Robinson -- were scheduled Tuesday for arraignment, a routine procedure. But only two are in custody in Georgia. Gay is in an Alabama jail on unrelated charges.

Prosecutors said they wanted put off taking pleas until all three are in court at the same time. Rhonda Cook

Workshop to focus on stormwater control

A public workshop will be held today to discuss storm water control measures that could affect Indian, Sugar, Intrenchment and Snapfinger Creeks in DeKalb County.

Representatives from the county and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will give an overview of findings of the Corps’ feasibility study and then they will discuss tentative plans. Comments from the public will be taken after the presentation.

The workshop will be 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in the Maloof Auditorium at 1300 Commerce Drive in downtown Decatur. Rhonda Cook

Decatur school chief: No new school soon

Despite an anticipated 12 percent enrollment increase for 2012-13, Decatur schools Superintendent Phyllis Edwards doesn’t see a new school getting built anytime soon.

“We’ll probably need to build additions [to existing schools],” she said.

“We’ll probably add on to Oakhurst [Elementary] and Fifth Avenue [4/5 Academy, which opened earlier this year]. We also want to renovate the old Renfroe [Middle School] gym into a music space.”

She added that construction of a new central office is possible, though building wouldn’t begin until 2013, at the earliest. Bill Banks for the AJC

Retired educators group to meet this week

The Georgia Retired Educators Association in Decatur and DeKalb will hold its monthly meeting this week.

Retirees from Decatur and DeKalb schools, both public and private, as well as retirees of other districts who live in the county, are welcome in the group.

The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Thursdayat Decatur First Christian Church fellowship hall, 601 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur.

More information: 770-498-9493. April Hunt

Clarkston group to hold community meeting

A group focuses on improving life in Clarkston in four key areas will hold a new community meeting this week.

The Clarkston Development Foundation is pushing initiatives in early learning, health services, family advocacy and urban agriculture.

The group meets from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the Clarkston Community Center. Childcare will be provided.

To register: www.eventbrite.com/event/2439089382 or call 404-736-6602 for information. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

Advance voting begins in special House election

Advance voting in Fulton started Tuesday and will last until Feb. 3 in the special election for the state House District 60 seat, which covers parts of Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties. Gloria Tinubu quit to run for Congress in South Carolina, and Democrats Theresa Middlebrooks, LaTrenka Riley and Keisha Waites are in the running. Polls will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Government Center, 141 Pryor St., Suite 2186, downtown Atlanta. Saturday voting will be Jan. 28 at the same location from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The election will be held Feb. 7. Johnny Edwards

Hearing delayed in baby snatching case

A preliminary hearing for the teenager accused of trying to steal a baby from a Clayton County hospital has been postponed until March 6.

Naquelle Sontieq Ballard, 19, had been scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning following her Jan. 4 arrest. She is being held in the Clayton County jail without bond. Ballard must now undergo a mental evaluation, Channel 2 Action News reported.

Ballard allegedly posed as a hospital worker and took a newborn baby from a room at Southern Regional Medical Center. The alarm system and two maintenance workers thwarted the attempt. Alexis Stevens

Fayette biker club in running for grant

Fayette County’s Bikers Battling Breast Cancer’s Pink Kick-Starters project is a finalist in the Pink Well Challenge. All finalists must create a short video about their organization. The video will appear on www.pinkwell.org through May 15. The public is asked to vote on their favorite video. The group with the most votes and raises the most money will each get $50,000 in grants from The Lester and Sue Smith Foundation. The winners will be announced on June 2, National Cancer Survivors Day. Tammy Joyner

Three charter schools earn recognition

Three southside charter schools have earned the distinction of Title 1 Distinguished School. They are Unidos Dual Language Charter School in Forest Park, KIPP South Fulton Academy in East Point and Hapeville Charter Middle School. The schools are among 11 public charter schools in Georgia that serve economically disadvantaged students to get the honor. Unidos serves kindergarten to fourth grade students. KIPP has fifth to eighth graders. Hapeville has sixth to eighth graders.

Schools get the honor after achieving Adequate Yearly Progress for three straight years. Tammy Joyner

Spelman glee club to perform Jan. 29

Spelman College’s highly acclaimed glee club will perform classical and spiritual music at Eagle’s Landing Country Club at 5 p.m. on Jan. 29.

The public is invited. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. A cash bar will be available. A limited number of tables for 10 will be available.

Non-members can purchase tickets at Grace Management Offices, 325 Country Club Drive, Suite A, Stockbridge 30281 or call 770-389-2000. Nancy Badertscher