County by county news for Wednesday

If there is stormy weather on that day, the test will be postponed until the following day.

Information:

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Austell plans sanitation forum

A second Austell public forum to explain the new residential sanitation service will be 6 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Austell Threadmill Complex, 5000 Austell-Powder Springs Road, Suite 165.

On Oct. 1, Republic Services of Georgia, already the city’s recycling provider since 1994, will become the city’s only sanitation collection company instead of the 21 companies now operating.

Residents will pay $9.15 monthly plus $3.09 for the monthly recycling rate.

Information: republicservices.com,

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Austell honors deputy police chief

Austell Deputy Police Chief Natalie Poulk was recognized Monday for 15 years of service by Mayor Joe Jerkins and the City Council with a reception.

A plaque and a pin also were awarded to her by Jerkins.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Kennesaw police get grant for vests

Kennesaw will receive a $6,000 grant from the Georgia Muncipal Association to buy bulletproof vests to add to the city’s police department equipment. The Kennesaw force has 65 sworn officers, and the safety and liability management grant will pay for about 10 vests. The association has given Georgia cities about $1.5 million in grants for training and equipment. Information: www.kennesaw-ga.gov.

Tucker McQueen for the AJC

Powder Springs seeks maintenance worker

A full-time maintenance worker is needed by Powder Springs with an Aug. 14 application deadline.

The salary range is $11.83 to $14.43 an hour from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

Information: cityofpowdersprings.org/index.aspx?NID=119.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

Strand Theatre has new head

Cassi Costoulas, who started as an intern with the Earl Smith Strand Theatre, has replaced retiring Earl Reece as the theater’s executive director. Costulas, 29, has also worked as the Strand’s front of the house manager and director of business development and marketing.

Reece, Strand head for seven years, is credited with the success of the renovated art deco theater that reopened in 2009 on the Marietta Square. Reece was previously the director of Pebblebrook High School’s performing arts school. Tucker McQueen for the AJC

GWINNETT

Sign up to clean streets, protect water quality

Gwinnett’s Adopt-A-Road litter prevention program, has streamlined the application process to make participation hassle-free. The program is designed to keep roadsides clean and free of clutter and remove trash before it can wash into streams and lakes during rainstorms. To participate choose a road, read and sign the Adopt-a-Road agreement, conduct four cleanups per year, and report results for each cleanup. Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful provides trash bags, safety vests, and roadside safety signs for each group. Information: www.gwinnettcb.org/volunteer/adopt-a-road or 770-822-5187. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

County introduces new mobile website

The county’s new mobile website will help locate county parks and pools, police precincts and provide access to services such as water bill pay, permitting, upcoming events and county govenment news. Information: www.gwinnettcounty.com.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Business panel offers small businesses help

Suwanee and the Gwinnett Chamber’s Small Business Resources Coalition will present a panel of experts at a free Small Business Essentials seminar at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 18 at Suwanee City Hall, 330 Town Center Ave. Topics will include business and marketing plans, financial and lending assistance, licensing and taxes, minority assistance, networking and growth, training and mentorship programs, and doing business with the City of Suwanee. Registration required by Aug. 17. Information: www.gwinnettchamber.org. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Gwinnett Tech gets grant for Ga. 316

Gwinnett Tech has been awarded a $50,000 GATEway Grant from the Georgia DOT to beautify a portion of State Road 316 adjacent to the Gwinnett Tech campus. The project focuses on a narrow stretch of right away running parallel to Gwinnett Tech’s Life Sciences Center, a silver LEED certified building.

The funds will allow landscape improvements including more than 1,000 trees, shrubs and grasses. The project will begin this fall with a portion of the tree planting a project for the college’s Great Day of Service event this October.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

Campers create art to spread kindness

Duluth will begin displaying hand-made Kind Chimes created by Bunten Road Park Day Campers throughout the city as a reminder to practice kindness and spread good will.

Anyone finding a Kind Chime may take it home as a token of good will. Karen Huppertz for the AJC

2014 Snap Suwanee exhibit on display

Suwanee’s new 9 /11 memorial, other public art, parks, and events are featured in the 2014 Snap Suwanee photo exhibition display 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at Suwanee City Hall, 330 Town Center Ave. Thirteen photographs by 10 different photographers were selected to be part of the exhibit on display through December.

List of winners: www.suwanee.com.

Karen Huppertz for the AJC

NORTHSIDE

Cherokee reports smooth first day of classes

Cherokee County School District officials say Monday’s first day of classes went off without a hitch, as enrollment reached a new high of 39, 460, 682 more students than last year. Enrollment’s expected to top 40, 200 by year’s end. Officials say no operational glitches were reported at the district’s 44 schools and centers, including the new/replacement Teasley Middle School on Hickory Log Drive. No issues were reported on any of the 1,500 bus routes, as well. Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Officials seek northside planning input

Fulton County officials have added public input meetings in North Fulton as county staffers prepare a five-year Consolidated Planning Document. It’s aimed principally at the low and moderate-income and seeks to provide decent housing and economic opportunity, among other goals. Meetings: 6-8 p.m. Monday (Aug. 11), Northeast Spruill Oaks Library, 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek, and 6-8 p.m. Aug. 14 at the North Fulton Service Center, 7741 Roswell Road, Atlanta.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Holly Springs set to adopt millage rate

The Holly Springs City Council will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Aug. 18 at city offices, 3235 Holly Springs Parkway, on the proposed 2014 millage rate. City officials are proposing decreasing the current 6.000 mill levy to the revenue-neutral “rollback rate” of 5.503, made possible by residential and commercial growth in the city’s tax digest. The Council will vote the same night on the rate, which will fund the city’s 2015 operational budget.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Urban planning seminar in Woodstock

The Woodstock Community Development Department is inviting the public to an urban design training seminar, “Good Urbanism 101,” Thursday, 7- 9 p.m. at the Chambers at City Center, 8534 Main St. It’s designed to teach history, principles and current practices of American urban design and planning with an emphasis on refashioning existing infrastructure into more walkable and sustainable developments. Topics will include subdivision, street, and transportation design, as well as zoning.

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

Leadership program seeks applicants

The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominees for the 2015 Leadership Cherokee class. Officials say names will be taken through Oct. 1 for the nine-month course, which is aimed at producing future business, civic and political leaders. Classes begin in January of 2015, following an application and interview process.

Information: Info@CherokeeChamber.com

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

New Northside farmers market underway

A new Northside farmers market has debuted. The East Roswell Farmers Market will run from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. each Thursday into October at 8560 Holcomb Bridge Road.

Information: 678-427-8251 or email mmoller123@aol.com

Mark Woolsey for the AJC

ATLANTA

Spring Street reopens; man in custody

A man threatening to jump off a bridge on Marietta Street is in custody, Atlanta police said. Spring Street was temporarily blocked Tuesday morning while police and fire crews conducted their investigation.

About 10:15 a.m. “the ‘jumper’ has been taken into custody without incident.”Staff

Sheriff’s office receives reaccreditation

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office received reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies in July.

The Sheriff’s Office under went a voluntary assessment for the reaccreditation. Last March, CALEA lead assessors from Florida and Tennessee law enformcement agencies visited the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to conduct the evaluation.

Adrianne Murchison for the AJC

Free admission hours for public pools

City of Atlanta outdoor community pools are open through Labor Day, Sept 1 with free swim hours for residents and visitors. Free access is open to everyone on Labor Day.

Regular rates are $4 for adults; $2 for children and senior citizens; $1 for children under age 5.

Department of Parks and Recreation membership passes provide access to all recreation centers, and indoor and outdoor pools with swimming in open lanes. Information: www.atlantaga.gov/index.aspx?page=946

Adrianne Murchison for the AJC

Free GWTW exhibit open through 2015

“Wilbur G. Kurtz: History in ‘Gone With the Wind’” is open through next year, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, at the Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center, 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW.

The free exhibit presents journals, correspondence, drawings and photographs of Kurtz, who guided the film’s production as historian and technical advisor.

Information: atlantahistorycenter.com/attraction/wilbur-g-kurtz-history-gone-wind.

Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC

DEKALB

Free job training workshops available

Free workshops are being held to help DeKalb County job seekers acquire skills needed to find employment.

The workshops include topics on resume writing, interviewing techniques, personal marketing, networking and basic computer skills.

Classes last two hours each and will be held at the DeKalb Workforce Development building in Decatur at 774 Jordan Lane, Building No. 4. Information:404-687-3400. Mark Niesse

CEO to host community meetings

Interim DeKalb County CEO Lee May will host community meetings this month to discuss the county’s accomplishments and issues, including cityhood and government structure.

The meetings will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday at Derwin Brown Memorial South Precinct, Aug. 12 at Stonecrest Library, Aug. 14 at St. Timothy United Methodist Church, Aug. 19 at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library, Aug. 21 at Welcome Friend Baptist Church and Aug. 26 at the Maloof Auditorium. Mark Niesse

Diversity report gives revealing glimpse

Summer intern Christian Perry’s “Diversity Project Report” before Decatur commissioners Monday gave a revealing portrait of city demographics. Decatur, Perry reported, has gone from 50 percent black in 1990 to 20 percent today. One of three black Decatur residents is 65 and older, and household incomes among African Americans have dropped 50 percent since 2000. Meantime half the city’s households earn over $90,000 annually, and one in three residents have graduate or professional degrees. Bill Banks for the AJC

MJCCA, Emory partner for cancer prevention

The Marcus Jewish Community Center has partnered with the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University to host a speaker series on cancer prevention and wellness from 12:30-1:30 p.m., Wednesdays, starting Sept. 17.

Topics include prostate and breast cancer prevention and treatment. Information: www.atlantajcc.org.

Adrianne Murchison for the AJC

Family fun dog day in Doraville

Church of the New Covenant hosts “Dog Dayz of Summer” 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, 3300 Chestnut Drive, Doraville.

The day celebrates pet owners’ love for their pooches with a fenced area to run and play, and participate in contests.

Children’s activities include a jumpy house, face painting and balloon animals, bake sale, raffle and a local artists market.

Free. Information: www.cncdoraville.org.

Adrianne Murchison for the AJC

Input sessions set for renovating schools

City Schools Decatur has set two dates for residential input sessions on the renovation and new construction of Renfroe Middle School and Decatur High.

Architects and design personnel, selected by CSD, will field questions and suggestions on Aug. 14 at the high school and Aug. 19 at Renfroe.

Design plans for both schools should finish by late fall/early winter, with Phase I construction on the high school — most likely new classrooms – beginning in January. Bill Banks for the AJC

SOUTHSIDE

Bohannon Road closure delayed until October

The date for the closure of a portion of Bohannon Road has been pushed back to October.

The road was scheduled to be closed in late July between Mann Road and Creekwood Road due to construction of a new bridge over Line Creek at the Fulton/Fayette County line. However, the request for bid process for the bridge work was extended to 2 p.m., Aug. 28.

Construction is expected to last until July 2015.

Information: www.fairburn.com. Adrianne Murchison for the AJC

Transportation town hall meeting Thursday

Lovejoy city officials and the Friends of Transit will host a Transportation town hall 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Lovejoy Community Center, 11622 Hastings Bridge Road, Lovejoy as a chance to get more details on plans to bring MARTA to Clayton County. City, county and state officials as well as MARTA representatives and voter education officials have been invited. Information: claytontransit14@aol.com. Tammy Joyner

Chamber hosts business, community expo

The Clayton County Chamber of Commerce is hosting Showcase Clayton Business & Community Expo 3 - 7 p.m. Aug. 14 at First Baptist Church of Jonesboro, Recreation Outreach Center, 148 Church Street in Jonesboro. The expo will feature health screenings, children’s activities, food samples, massages, business networking and more than 50 exhibitors.

Information: 678 610-4021 or go online to www.claytonchamber.org.Tammy Joyner

Girl Scouts schedule registration sessions

The Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta will be holding several registration sessions in Peachtree City for their 2014-15 Scout year. Interested girls and their parents can sign up at 3 p.m. Aug. 17 at The Bridge Community Center; 4:30-8 p.m. Aug. 26 at Bruster’s Ice Cream; and at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 6 at the Peachtree City Library. Details: www.gsgatl.org. Jill Howard Church for the AJC

Henry to lower insurance premium

Henry County has received a dividend in the amount of $103,021 from the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia—Interlocal Risk Management Association. The dividend will be used as a credit toward Henry County’s property and liability insurance premium.

Information: www.henrycounty-ga.org.

Monroe Roark for the AJC

Henry water quality report released

The Henry County Water Authority has released its 2014 Henry County Water Quality Report, which shows that the organization meets or exceeds state and federal water standards. The report includes lab data collected during the 2013 calendar year, providing consumers with information about the water system and source water, the substances and contaminants for which the HCWA monitors and tests, the water production processes that are overseen and other public information.

Information: www.waterqualityreport.hcwsa.com.

Monroe Roark for the AJC