County by county news for Wednesday

Year-end disclosures are due Dec. 31, with a grace period until Jan. 9. Lee expects to spend between $200,000 and $400,000 on the race. He has not yet filed year-end disclosure forms. Janel Davis

Hearing on polling place change Jan. 11

Marietta will hold a public hearing 7 p.m. Jan.11 at City Hall, 205 Lawrence St. about a change in the Ward 4 polling place. The hearing will be held during the regular city council meeting. The proposed polling place is World Changers Church International at 601 Tower Road. If approved, Ward 4 residents will vote there on March 6. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Youth group looks for volunteers

Start 2012 off right by making a difference as a leadership coach for Marietta YELLS (Youth Empowerment through Learning, Leading, and Serving). Service project coaches help high school “Bigs” develop and implement their service projects. CEO coaches help “Bigs” plan and lead a workshop for their fellow “Bigs” and “Littles.” The commitment is minimal, but the impact is great. Leadership coach orientation is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 14 at Ashton Place Apartments at 707 Franklin Road, Unit No. 7-7, in Marietta. Info: Email LauraTKeefe@gmail.com. Andria Simmons

Winter farmers market opens Saturday

The Marietta Square Farmers Market will open a winter addition this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mill Street. The market will continue Saturdays through March 31 rain or shine. Market Director Johnny Fulmer said 38 vendors will sell Georgia grown, made or produced products including baked goods, eggs, honey, meat, fish, milk, cheese and winter produce. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Recycle Christmas trees in Smyrna

Smyrna is inviting residents who haven’t yet discarded their Christmas trees to bring them in for chipping into mulch chips from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday at The Home Depot, 2450 Cumberland Parkway, in Smyrna. No charge. In exchange you’ll get at free dogwood, redbud, or cedar seedling. Please remove all lights and decorations. If you need help unloading the tree, call 770-431-2863. Jeffry Scott

Two Powder Springs businesses close

Two downtown businesses that have served as social hubs in Powder Springs closed this week -- at least temporarily.

Larry and Joan Evans will remain owners of the building on Marietta Street that housed their Tea at Seven Springs and adjacent Powder Springs Coffee and Bake Shoppe. Joan Evans said her father’s illness and declining sales helped determine their decision. They hope to re-open Tea at Seven Springs later this year, focusing more on special events, but they are undecided on their coffee shop. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

GWINNETT

Lilburn tax certificate renewal deadline Jan. 31

Lilburn business owners must renew their occupation tax certificates by Jan. 31.

Updated renewal packets can be downloaded from the Business Information section on the city’s website.

Local business owners can visit the city’s First Avenue Annex at 98 First Avenue between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the week for assistance completing the application packet.

Information: Victoria Dufresne, 770-638-2225. Joel Anderson

House fire kills dogs, displaces family

Two pet dogs perished in a house fire Monday in Lawrenceville, but a family escaped unharmed along with a third dog and a pet squirrel.

Firefighters dispatched at 2:20 p.m. to the one-story residence in the 1900 block of Suwanee Trace found flames showing from the roof upon arrival.

The cause of the fire was accidental, originating from an outdoor controlled burn the homeowner was conducting near the garage. Three adults and two children were displaced. Andria Simmons

Rabies alert issued after bat bites resident

Gwinnett County has issued a rabies alert after a bat bit a local resident on Forest Vale Circle in Norcross Dec. 27. The animal has not been captured.

County officials urge anyone who has been bitten or scratched by a stray animal to contact the Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement Office at 770-339-3200, Ext. 5576. David Wickert

Living in Space exhibit goes to March 3

The Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center will continue its Living In Space exhibit through March 3. The Center is located at 2020 Clean Water Drive, Buford.

Living in Space was created by the Children’s Museum of Memphis and is sponsored by Cisco and the GEHC Foundation. Information: www.gwinnettEHC.org. Patrick Fox

Gwinnett Place CID to hold open house

The Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District will host an open house on its Gwinnett Livable Centers Initiative study from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth.

The study examines transportation and other issues in Gwinnett Place and nearby areas.

It will be used to spur private development and redevelopment in the area. For information, visit www.gwinnettplacecid.com. David Wickert

County to expand toilet rebate program

Gwinnett County will expand its toilet rebate program to multi-family units in 2012.

The county offers rebates of up to $100 to homeowners to replace up to two original toilets in homes built before 1993 because the older toilets use more water. Gwinnett residents have replaced nearly 9,500 inefficient toilets through the program.

Information: www.northgeorgiawater.com. David Wickert

NORTHSIDE

Church spends $35,000 to save historic tree

A 150-year-old Virginia pine tree at the corner of Union Hill Road and Highway 20 in Canton scheduled to be cut so a church could expand has been spared after intense lobbying to save the pine so famous in the world of horticulture that cuttings from it have been sent to Belgium for propagation. Years ago local horticulturalist Tom Cox recognized the tree for its extraordinary shape, size and age. After hearing from citizens and county officials, and recognizing the tree’s significance, church leaders decided instead to spend $35,000 to preserve the tree. Jeffry Scott

Detergent thief leaves without loot

A man who tried to steal ten boxes of laundry detergent from a grocery store on New Years Eve lost his loot, but made a clean getaway.

The shoplifting incident occurred at the Kroger at 12460 Crabapple Road. An unknown white male reportedly took ten boxes of Tide from the store without paying. He was approached by a store employee in the parking lot and fled in a red Hyundai passenger car.

He left the stolen detergent in the parking lot before fleeing, according to Alpharetta Police. Andria Simmons

Milton launches app for mobile devices

Milton has launched a simplified mobile version of its municipal website. The site provides access to many of the features available on the full desktop version, including news items, contacts for city hall, e-mail newsletter signup, forms to report a problem and a staff directory. Users who visit www.cityofmiltonga.us on their mobile device will be automatically forwarded to the simple site. Patrick Fox

Holy Innocents school to hold open house

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School hosts an open house at 1 p.m. Jan. 28 in the main gym. Parents and students are invited to tour the campus and learn about the school. Administrators, teachers and coaches, as well as officers of the Parents’ Association, Athletic Association and Fine Arts Alliance, will be on hand. The event concludes with a reception in Porter Dining Hall from 2:35 p.m. to 3 p.m. Nancy Badertscher

Johns Creek hones charter commission

Johns Creek is expected to finalize its Charter Commission Jan. 9. A scheduling conflict for one nominee has left one of the nine positions vacant.

The current members already been approved are: Robert Horne, David Kornbluh, Susan Grissom, Emmett Shaffer, David Meskell, Bob Frame, Tim Jennette and Cleve Gaddis.

The commission is charged with reviewing the city’s charter, then making recommendations for any changes to the local legislative delegation.

The panel’s first meeting has not been scheduled. Patrick Fox

Overdue books could mean no parking passes

Alpharetta High School students could end up paying a big price for having large numbers of overdue books and fines.

The school administration is warning students that, if they don’t get those books and fines to the media center immediately, they risk having their spring parking passes withheld. Patrick Fox

ATLANTA

Driver who hit child charged with DUI

The driver of a vehicle that police said struck and injured a child near the Georgia Dome after Sunday’s Falcons game has been charged with driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.

The 5-year-old child was taken to a local hospital in stable condition after the accident, which happened Sunday evening at the intersection of Northside Drive and Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard.

Atlanta police spokeswoman Kim Jones said the vehicle that hit the child was stopped a short distance from the incident scene and the driver arrested.

That driver’s name, and the name of the injured child, have not been released. Mike Morris

School will add immersion program

The Atlanta International School recently broke ground on a new early learning center that will expose preschool students to immersion Spanish, French and German.

The building is named in honor of the school’s founding headmaster. The Alex Horsley Building will house a full immersion program that will open to three and four year olds in late August 2012.

The site is located at 34-38 Peachtree Avenue across the street from Atlanta International School’s Adair Art, Science and Design Center. The application deadline for the program is Jan. 31. D. Aileen Dodd

HIV Intervention Projects asks for donation

The HIV Intervention Project, an Atlanta-based nonprofit, is accepting new or used designer clothes, shoes and accessories such as belts and precious metals to help raise money to assist HIV/AIDS patients and for HIV prevention outreach in Atlanta. The group said donors can receive tax deductions based on the fair market value of the items donated, and added that the items will be resold by the H.I.P Let It Go thrift store.

The project asked residents to schedule a donation pick-up or drop-off time by calling 404-855-1447 or emailing ThatsHIP@gmail.com. Jeremiah McWilliams

DEKALB

Holcomb to hold town hall meeting

The state representative from part of north DeKalb County will host a town hall meeting Thursday in Doraville.

State Rep. Scott Holcomb will provide a preview of the upcoming legislative session and offer an update on public safety. He expects to hear from voters on those issues, redistricting, taxes and the penny transportation sales tax.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Thursday at Evansdale Elementary School, 2914 Evans Woods Dr., Doraville. Residents can email questions in advance to ann@repscottholcomb.com. April Hunt

Chamber legislative reception Jan. 26

Tickets are on sale for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting and legislative reception later this month. Outgoing board members will be recognized, and six new elected members will be introduced at the event.

The reception will be held Jan. 26 at the Retreat at Perimeter Summit in north DeKalb County. Tickets are $85.

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

DeKalb CVB executive panel stays intact

The executive committee of the DeKalb Convention and Visitors Bureau, or CVB, will remain intact for 2012.

Members are Sonny Horton, Kathryn Johnson, Brian Mock, Neel Patel, Steve Spiegel and Tom Thibadeau. The CVB promotes DeKalb County as a destination for meetings and tourism. Information: www.dcvb.org. April Hunt

Chamber offers small business program

The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce will host a capacity-building program this winter to help small-business owners.

The series begins Jan. 20 and 27, with a class on strategic planning. Courses examining financial planning and marketing will be held in February and March. More programs will be held throughout the year.

Cost for a full-year series is $389.

More information: www.dekalbcapacitybuilding.com. April Hunt

Aerobics class resumes in Doraville

The Doraville recreation department will resume its low-impact aerobic classes in January at the Forest Fleming Arena Gymnasium.

Tai Ji and Qi Gong, two forms of Chinese martial arts practiced slowly, begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. Classes will be held every Thursday through Feb. 9.

Cost is $30 at the first class or $5 per session. All courses will be held at the gym, 3037 Pleasant Valley Dr., Doraville.

More information: 404-317-2958. April Hunt

Group asks for donations to libraries

The Alliance of Friends of the DeKalb County Public Library have asked residents make monetary and reading donations to area libraries.

All of the funds raised from book donations benefit the libraries, which have seen their budgets for books and materials cut from $2.03 million in 2008 to just $100,000 in 2011. The county, which funds the libraries, has 22 branches across DeKalb.

Money and books can be donated to individual branch libraries. April Hunt

SOUTHSIDE

East Point finance director fired

East Point interim City Manager Angela Montgomery terminated city finance director James Schuster Tuesday. Mayor Earnestine Pittman said no reason was given for the dismissal. Montgomery could not be reached for comment. Derrick Cannon was appointed interim director. Last month, the city council terminated the contract of City Manager Crandall Jones. In the fall election, three council members who supported an increase in utility rates through a franchise fee and were seen as allied with Jones were voted out of office. Steve Visser

Animal shelter offers straw to warm pets

Henry County Animal Care and Control has launched a “Warm Straw for Cold Paws” program. Straw is a preferred source of warmth that provides much needed insulation for an outdoor dog house. Henry will give away a free bale of wheat straw to dog owners beginning today. Straw may be picked up at the Henry County Animal shelter between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. The shelter is at 527 Hampton Street in McDonough. Details: 770-288-7387 or visit www.hcacc.org. Tammy Joyner

Senior Homestead Exemption offered

Peachtree City homeowners age 65 or older may register for the annual Senior Homestead Exemption at City Hall starting this week.

Qualifying residents must have already applied for the standard Homestead Exemption through the Fayette County Tax Commissioner’s Office. The senior exemption is a flat rate of $5,000 per home for those with an annual income of less than $30,000. Proof of age and income is required.

The deadline to register is March 1; for details contact info@peachtree-city.org or call 770-487-7657. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

HMC joins Piedmont Health Care

Henry Medical Center is now officially Piedmont Henry Hospital, signaling the Stockbridge hospital’s inclusion into Piedmont’s five-community hospital network . The hospital is a 215-bed, not-for-profit community facility with cardiovascular care, orthopaedics, surgery, critical care, women’s health, emergency and diagnostics programs. It has more than 400 physicians and about 500 nurses. The new partnership will be marked with a ceremony at the hospital Thursday at 2 p.m. Tammy Joyner

AARP offers income tax assistance

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) will prepare senior citizens’ taxes from Feb. 1 to April 13 at the Frank Bailey Senior Center, 6213 Riverdale Road in Riverdale. You must be 55 or older. Tax preparation are Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment. To schedule an appointment, call 678-479-5505. Tammy Joyner

Website offers contact info for elected officials

Need to find an elected official? The Clayton County Elections and Registration office has created a website that lets you to find elected officials by street address. Go to www.claytoncountyga.gov/myelectedofficals. Tammy Joyner