COBB
Three men convicted of emissions testing fraud
Three men have been sentenced in Cobb County Superior Court for selling fraudulent emission certificates and tests results to motorists whose vehicles would not otherwise have passed emission checks. Nathaniel Johnson, of Atlanta, who had pleaded guilty to computer forgery, was sentenced to two years in prison followed by eight years on probation. Daniel Lawson, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty to making false statements and received five years on probation. Shelton Ray, of Decatur, also pleaded guilty to false statements and was sentenced to 1 year in prison followed by four years on probation. Bill Rankin
Austell woman honored by Georgia House
Mable Frances Liggins Strong was commended Feb. 19 by the Georgia House to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Born on Feb. 2, 1914 in Austell, she was married for more than 60 years to the late Curtis Strong and has three children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
She has been an active member of Beulah Baptist Church for 70 years.
Information: legis.ga.gov, search HR 1495.
Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Powder Springs Police Explorers at nationals
The Powder Springs Police Explorers Post 145, for ages 14-20, placed at the National Explorer Competition in Gatlinburg, Tennessee this month.
This team won second in the DUI Traffic Stop category and placed sixth of 18 teams in the Domestic Abuse category.
Information: cityofpowdersprings.org/index.aspx?nid=130 or Lt. Julie Collins, 770-943-1616.
Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Powder Springs board approves incentive
The Powder Springs City Council approved last week a grant incentive to attract a downtown restaurant.
The winner will receive as much as $10,000 from the city but will have to invest at least an additional $20,000 with a minimum lease of three years.
Information: Economic Development Director Stephanie Aylworth, 770-743-1666, ext. 345, or saylworth@cityofpowdersprings.org. Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Farmers market open in winter season
The Marietta Square Farmers market will open its winter season 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through March 29 on Mill Street off the Marietta Square.
The market, which will open every Saturday rain or shine, will have 43 vendors selling locally grown vegetables and artisan food products.
Information: mariettasquarefarmersmarket. net or Johnny Fulmer at 770-499-9393.
Tucker McQueen for the AJC
Cobb students can apply for school choice
Cobb County schools students can apply to transfer to a school of their choice through Friday for the 2014-2015 school year.
A list of school/class space will be posted on the district website on Feb. 3. Charter schools and new schools are exempt from the choice program.
Information: www.cobb12k.org.
Tucker McQueen for the AJC
GWINNETT
Snellville building new Veteran’s Memorial
Snellville has started building on the site of the city’s new Veterans’ Memorial located near City Hall. Construction is expected to be complete by mid-April. A Memorial Day celebration is planned to officially dedicate the memorial and light the monument’s eternal flame. Information or to purchase a commemorative brick paver: www.snellvilleveteransmemorial.org.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Minor delays from roadwork in Duluth
Duluth contractors will be working at the intersection of Brock Road and Main Street through Wednesday, Feb. 26. No road or lane closures are anticipated, but minor delays can be expected. Consider using an alternate route until work is completed to avoid delays. Information: Duluth Public Works Department at 770-476-2454.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Free and discounted pediatric care available
The Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett is offering a Pediatric Clinic 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Wednesday at 3700 Club Drive in Lawrenceville. Child health screenings are provided at no charge to well children. Sick child medical care is available for $25. Appointments: 678-280-6630. www.goodsamgwinnett.org. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Chamber holding casino fundraiser
The Gwinnett Sunrise Rotary Club, the Snellville Tourism & Trade Association and the Greater Eastside Chamber of Commerce will host a Casino Night, 6 to 10 p.m. March 15 at Summit Chase Country Club, 3197 Classic Dr., Snellville. Proceeds will benefit the Snellville Community Garden.
Information: www.snellvillecommunitygarden.com. Reservations: www.snellvilletourism.com/casinonight. Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Sugar Hill to host Medicare seminars
Residents approaching age 65 or retirement and in need of Medicare are invited to educational seminars 7-9 p.m. March 4 and March 11 at the Sugar Hill Community Center, 1166 Church St. Information: 770-831-7413. Karen Huppertz
Deal to present environmental address
Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful will host an Environmental Address featuring Governor Nathan Deal 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 6 at the Gwinnett Center, 6500 Sugarloaf Pkwy in Duluth. Tickets: www.gwinnettcb.org.
Karen Huppertz for the AJC
Gwinnett in national animal care contest
Gwinnett County Animal Welfare & Enforcement Services has been named the only Georgia participant in the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Rachael Ray $100K Challenge. This summer, the shelter will compete to save more animal lives than it did in 2013. Information: www.gwinnettanimalcontrol.com. Molly Bloom
NORTHSIDE
Cherokee woman found dead under golf cart
Mary Paulk, 67, had not been seen since noon Monday and was reported missing that night.
Sheriff’s deputies who responded to the home near Canton discovered a golf cart on its side down an embankment behind the home, authorities said.
Paulk was dead under the golf cart. Investigators don’t suspect foul play. Marcus K. Garner
Doctor headed to prison for fraud
Dr. Lawrence Eppelbaum, 54, of Roswell, has been sentenced to 50 months in prison and fined $3.5 million for health care fraud, tax fraud and money laundering.
The operator of the Atlanta Institute of Medicine and Rehabilitation and an associated pain clinic, he orchestrated his fraud through his control of the “Bank Pain Fund,” a purported charitable organization. Eppelbaum paid for Medicare patients to travel to Atlanta for medical treatment, then to Florida to visit a hot spring before returning to Atlanta for additional treatment. Bill Rankin
Cherokee annouces winter make-up
Cherokee County School District officials say they won’t be adding extra days to the calendar-or extra hours to the school day to make up for classroom time lost in the recent winter storms. Superintendent Frank Petruzielo says instead, principals have been authorized to alter student and staff schedules within current hours, and to offer before-school, after-school and Saturday instruction as needed. Petruzielo also says beginning next school year, Wednesday through Friday of the February Winter Break will be designated as potential inclement weather makeup days. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Woodstock police to get more money
Woodstock police officers will be getting a pay bump.. The City Council Monday night authorized a one-time payment ranging from 2.5 to 7.5 percent to sworn officers who have been with the department for more than one year, after chief Calvin Moss presented study results showing department salaries lag surrounding jurisdictions by anywhere from 3.7 to 12 percent and that a number of officers have left for other agencies. The Council also directed city staff to bring forward proposals to address the issue more permanently. The chief’s plan would close the pay gap and set up a salary career ladder for officers. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Roswell OKs new water plant
The Roswell City Council voted 6-0 Monday night to authorize construction of a new water treatment plant. The Council awarded the $14.7 million contract to Layne Heavy Civil, Inc. City Administrator Kay Love says the plant will serve about 55-hundred Roswell households, with Fulton County continuing to supply water to the rest of the city. She says the current plant is 80 years old and outmoded. Construction is expected to take about 18 months, with the new facility going on-line in the fall of 2015. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
ATLANTA
Woman gets prison time for Medicaid fraud
Jennifer Alsdorf, the president and CEO of Hand in Hand Speech & Language Services, submitted thousands of fraudulent claims with the Georgia Medicaid program. She was sentenced to four months in prison and nine months of house arrest and was also ordered by a federal judge in Atlanta to pay $205,000 in restitution and fines. Alsdorf’s company contracted with speech-language pathologists but submitted claims to Medicaid for therapy the pathologists never provided. Bill Rankin
Legal services program honored
The Georgia Legal Services Program recently received the R.E. Thomas Civil Rights Award at the Gate City Bar Association’s annual black history month program.
Georgia Legal Services provides legal aid to low-income families and individuals across the state. At the same program,the Gate City legal group honored retired federal judge Horace Ward; Ernest L. Greer, vice president of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce; state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams; and DeKalb County School Superintendent Michael Thurmond. Bill Rankin
High court declines to hear APS appeal
The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a pretrial appeal filed by two former middle school principals, Lucious Brown and Christopher Waller, who have since pleaded guilty to their roles in the APS cheating scandal. They contended that when first interviewed by investigators they gave coerced statements because they had been told they risked losing their jobs if they did not cooperate. Bill Rankin
High school musicians to perform for charity
“Hope Grows: Battle of the Bands” kicks off at 8 p.m. Friday at the Buckhead Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road, to raise money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Tickets: $75, $100 includes dinner. Information:giving.choa.org/battleofthebands Kent A. Miles
DEKALB
Revised development gets public airing
Fuqua Development will unveil its latest version of the tentatively-titled “Decatur Crossing” in a public meeting 7 p.m. tonight at the Scott Boulevard Baptist Church — scheduled to be razed for the project — 2532 North Decatur Road in Decatur.
The current plan calls for a five-story complex with 250 apartment units on the corner of North Decatur and Scott, along with 2000 square feet of retail (possibly a coffee shop) and 60 town homes facing Barton Way.
This is an area the city of Decatur has shown interest in annexing.Bill Banks for the AJC
Sheriff donates to rape crisis center
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department recently donated money from its confiscated drug account to the county’s rape crisis center.
The $10,000 gift will go toward programs that help the victims of rape and sexual assault. The center made several deep cuts to staff and programs due to budget challenges last fall.
Information: www.dekalbrapecrisiscenter.org. April Hunt
Commissioner hosts meeting Saturday
Stan Watson, the commissioner representing the eastern half of DeKalb County, will host his monthly community breakfast Saturday 3/1.
Representatives from the local, school and state emergency management agencies will attend the session.
The breakfast runs from 9-11 a.m. Saturday at Chapel Hill Middle School, 3535 Dogwood Farms Road, near Decatur. Registration is not required.
April Hunt
Meeting Thursday about Medline area
A community workshop will be held Thursday 2/27 about plans to redevelop a commercial area just north of Decatur.
The Medline includes portions of Scott Boulevard, North Decatur Road and DeKalb Industrial Way, stretching from DeKalb Medical Center to Patel Plaza. Plans call for commercial, office and retail development and improvements to transportation.
The workshop runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at North Decatur Presbyterian Church, 611 Medlock Road.
A survey about plans is online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MedlineLCI.
April Hunt
Business expo at Lou Walker Senior Center
DeKalb For Seniors Inc. will host its business and community expo at 9 a.m. March 13 at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road, Lithonia. The deadline for exhibitors to rent table space is Friday.
DeKalb for Seniors is the fund-raising and advocacy arm for the senior center, which serves residents 55 and older. About 300 to 400 seniors visit the center daily.
Information: 678-982-9805.
Kent A. Miles for the AJC
ART Station opens new exhibit
ART Station will host a new exhibit of paintings by local artist Pat Fiorello called “Take Me Away through March 30.
Information: 770-469-1105 or www.artstation.org
Arlinda Smith Broady
SOUTHSIDE
Former cop sent to prison for dealing drugs
Former Clayton County Police officer Dwayne Penn has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine. In August 2013, Penn conspired with an Atlanta-based drug dealer to stage a fake traffic stop of a car believed to contain 6 kilograms of cocaine. Penn and the dealer would then seize the cocaine and sell it, but a person the two men recruited to help them with the job was cooperating with federal authorities and helped arrange Penn’s arrest, prosecutors said. Penn pleaded guilty in January. Bill Rankin
McDonough group wins regional title
Students from McDonough Elementary School brought home a regional crown Feb. 22 in the Georgia Odyssey of the Mind competition. This is the school’s first-ever entry into the competition. Coached by teachers Alicia Loughner and Carla Teuchert, the group includes Ify Onyemaobi, Quintavius Webb, Christa Flemister, Taylor Fulcher, Kaelyn Fitzgerald, Quintierra McClendon and Nina Fallahi.The team will be competing March 29 in the state finals in Columbus. Information: www.henry.k12.ga.us.
Monroe Roark for the AJC
STAR event set for Thursday
Seniors and their teachers from nine public and four private high schools in Henry County will be honored Thursday at the annual Student Teacher Achievement Recognition breakfast sponsored by the Henry County Chamber of Commerce’s Education Committee. To be selected as a STAR Student, a high school senior must have the highest score on the SAT and be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of his or her class based on grade point average..Monroe Roark for the AJC
South Fulton leader sets quarterly session
Fulton County Commissioner William “Bill” Edwards will host his first quarterly “Community Listening Session” for 2014 at 7 p.m. Thursday at the South Annex, 5600 Stonewall Tell Road, College Park.
The public’s invited to provide feedback on services in unincorporated south Fulton. Staff will be on hand to answer questions and follow up on inquiries.
Information: 404-612-8230. Mark Woolsey for the AJC
Lovejoy to get a second jail facility
Lovejoy has annexed 77 acres into the city for The Geo Group Inc., a private prison industry contractor which plans to build a new correctional facility that will create between 400 and 450 jobs, Mayor Bobby Cartwright said Tuesday. The Geo Group will continue to run the Robert A. Deyton Dention Center in Lovejoy and build the new facility which will house another 2,000 inmates once it is done within the next two years. The new facility will be about a block from the Deyton dention center, Cartwright said.Tammy Joyner
Habitat For Humanity buys subdivision
Habitat For Humanity announced at the Lovejoy City Council meeting Monday night that it has purchased a small subdivision in Lovejoy where it plans to build 15 homes. Tammy Joyner
