East Cobb Votes: 2026 primary election results and more

May 19, 2026May 19, 2026 by Wendy Parker

UPDATED, 9:10 P.M.:

Early results in the Cobb races we’re watching show incumbents with strong leads.

With just a few precincts reporting, Republican Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell has more than 70 percent of the vote against her primary opponent, Chris Wasserman.

First-term Democrat Nichelle Davis leads by a similar margin for Post 6 on the Cobb Board of Education over challenger Jennifer Susko.

And in the Democratic primary for Cobb Board of Education Post 4, Susan McCartney has a slight lead over Micheal Garza. Those figures are based on early voting results.

Links to those races can be found below:

In other Cobb races, District 1 Commissioner Keli Gambrill leads Clark Hungerford in the Republican primary, also with a few precincts reporting.

Cobb Solicitor General Makia Metzer has nearly 80 percent of the early vote in the Democratic primary over Christopher Futch as she seeks a second term.

In the Republican primary for 11th District Congress, John Cowan has 44 percent of the vote in a race that could go to a runoff.

In the Democratic primary for the same seat, Chris Harden has nearly 75 percent of the vote, also based on early voting results.

ORIGINAL POST, 7 P.M.

The polls have closed in Georgia, and the counting has begun for the 2026 primary elections.

As we reported earlier, 11 precincts are open longer, including five in East Cobb, due to technical issues with polling pad devices and delayed opening times as a result.

Voters in East Cobb are selecting a Republican nominee for Cobb Board of Commissioners and Democratic nominees for Post 4 and Post 6 on the Cobb Board of Education, among other races.

They also will be voting in contested primary elections in both parties for 11th District Congress and most state constitutional offices, including governor as well as the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate.

Here are real-time links for election results for contested local races we’re tracking, including precinct breakdowns:

Here’s the overall link for Cobb results in all races at all levels across Georgia; we’ll be pulling out links to other races as the returns come in.

Typically early voting and absentee figures are tallied first, followed by same-day voting results and more recent absentee votes.

While we await full results, we’ll post early voting and absentee figures as they are revealed.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go

Pope graduates told to ‘make moments of influence count’

May 19, 2026May 19, 2026 by Wendy Parker

Pope High School led off a week-long schedule of Cobb County School District graduations on Monday night, and its Class of 2026 had much to celebrate.

As seniors listened during commencement exercises at the KSU Convocation Center, they were told by Principal Matthew Bradford that they set some school records along the way, especially when it came to community service.

He said that this class exemplified the “characteristics of greatness” that included excellence, respect, integrity and toughness.

Among the notables were 17,000 hours of community service, “the most in school history,” as well as raising more than $25,000 for cancer research in the name of former Pope student Matt Hobby.

Pope students also raised $40,000 as part of its Shop With a Greyhound program to assist Brumby Elementary School students during the holidays.

As far as class legacies go, Bradford said, “you have not just met” such a high standard, “you have surpassed it.”

Nearly a half of Pope’s seniors graduated with honors, and its college-bound graduates have accrued more than $12.5 million in scholarship assistance, excluding the Georgia HOPE program.

“Wherever your journey takes you, know that your Pope family will always be behind you,” Bradford said.

The student speakers included valedictorian Kenneth Kim, who will be attending Duke University, and salutatorian Malachy O’Connor, who is bound for Georgia Tech.

Cobb Board of Education member John Cristadoro urged all the graduates to become influencers, not on social media, but in their communities and with people in their lives on a daily basis.

He cited a figure that some people could influence more than 80,000 others—enough to fill a football stadium—during the course of their lives, and that as they will be remembered at the end of their lives, to consider “what the reaction will be.

“Make those moments of influence count,” Cristadoro said. “Leave every situation better than when you found it.”

Click the middle button below for more photos.

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Cobb commissioners reject RaceTrac rezoning on Bells Ferry

May 19, 2026 by Wendy Parker

With practically no discussion, the Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday rejected a request by RaceTrac Inc. to build a 24/7 gas station and convenience store near Bells Ferry Elementary School.

Two weeks after the Cobb Planning Commission recommended approving rezoning to the Neighborhood Retail Commercial (NRC) category, but prohibiting fuel sales and other uses, Commissioner Erick Allen quickly made a motion to deny the application outright.

This is the second time RaceTrac has applied for rezoning—its initial request last year was withdrawn before commissioners could formally consider it.

“We’ver heard this case several times,” Allen said after the RaceTrac presentation Tuesday, adding that that “not a lot has materially changed.”

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell—whose East Cobb District 3 formerly included the two-acre tract on Bells Ferry at Barrett Parkway—just quickly seconded the motion, and the vote was a unanimous 5-0.

The property had been zoned for Planned Shopping Center, which doesn’t allow for a gas station.

For decades, a structure known as the McAfee House, built in the 1840s, stood on the land. The home was used by a Union general during the Civil War and recently was relocated to Cherokee County earlier this year by Cobb Landmarks, an historic preservation non-profit.

Some citizens opposed to the gas station suggested the property maintain its natural character, retaining many of the trees.

But the tract is surrounded by commercially zoned development in a busy corridor.

Opponents have fought the proposal for months, citing the land’s proximity to the school and being adjacent to a day care center, and a gas station’s effect on traffic and the environment.

Kevin Moore, Race’Trac’s attorney, presented slides repeating his client’s claims that there wouldn’t be much additional traffic coming to the intersection to get gas. And he also reiterated claims from a third-party environmental engineer that RaceTrac’s vapor recovery systems would capture 98 percent of benzene emissions at the gas station.

He showed a map of a RaceTrac near Milford Elementary School and said that what his client was seeking now isn’t unusual.

But earlier this month, Planning Commission member Fred Beloin noted that “I don’t think there’s any serious question that people should not be breathing any great quantities of benzene on a regular basis.”

He cited various distance requirements in other jurisdictions, as well as those cited for increased cancer risks, and noted that Cobb has no such restrictions on how close fuel storage tanks can be located to such sensitive operations like child care centers and schools.

“We don’t have a strict rule, but we don’t have a strict rule that we’re supposed to stick our heads in the sand like an ostrich,” Beloin said, generating some applause in the audience.

“Where this community stands, there is no doubt. I just don’t see that this is an appropriate use of this property.”

Before Tuesday’s vote, Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid made a similar reference, suggesting “to take a look at this in code,” meaning a possible county ordinance change.

“There have been instances where looked at the impact of gas stations near residential property. So we need to make sure that we’re being consistent as a board in protecting the health and safety and welfare of all of our residents.”

Cobb Elections reports ‘election operations’ issues at polls

May 19, 2026May 19, 2026 by Wendy Parker

ELECTION RESULTS COVERAGE:

We’re updating all the races at this link.

UPDATED, TUESDAY, 6:20 P.M.

Cobb Superior Court Judge Kimberly Childs has issued an order keeping 11 precincts open past the 7 p.m. closing time Tuesday, due to technical issues with polling pad devices.

The order was requested by the Cobb Board of Elections and Registration. In East Cobb those precincts and new closing times are as follows:

Eastside 02 (EA02) – Sewell Mill Library, 2051 Lower Roswell Road—Open until 7:09 p.m.
Elizabeth 03 (EL03) – Piedmont Road Church of Christ, 1630 Piedmont Road—Open until 8 p.m.
Elizabeth 04 (EL04) – Gracelife Church, 1083 Allgood Road—Open until 7:30 p.m.
Lassiter 01 (LA01) – Pilgrimage United Church of Christ, 3755 Sandy Plains Road—Open until 7:30 p.m.
Powers Ferry 01 (PF01) – Sewell Mill Library, 2051 Lower Roswell Road—Open until 7:09 p.m.

UPDATED, TUESDAY, 5:30 P.M.

East Cobb News readers reported lengthy lines at their precincts on Tuesday.

Lauren Beth Reid said she waited two hours to cast her ballot at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center, which this year is the venue for two precincts, and reported there hasn’t been much communication with voters on-site about the problems.

When East Cobb News visited the polling station around 3 p.m. Tuesday, the back of the line formed outside the front doors, and continued inside the lobby and through the facility’s art gallery leading to a room where the voting was taking place.

“There’s 30 people waiting out the sun. I’ve personally made phone calls to try to get things situated in a better way,” Reid wrote on the East Cobb News Facebook page after 4 p.m. Tuesday.

“They have no notices on the doors. Nobody’s come out and talk to anybody.”

Reid said older people initially were being allowed to come inside to the front of the line, but some were sent back.

“It’s a little chaotic. We’re trying to keep people safe and we’re the ones waiting in line doing it,” she added. “It’s a very disappointing. I have Uber eats and I’m half tempted to order five cases of ice cold water and pass them out to people, but I’d probably get in trouble. That’s truly how bad it is.”

Teri Hovsepian said the line where she votes at Sope Creek Elementary School is “the longest it’s been in recent memory.”

She said when she arrived at 2 p.m., three check-in machines weren’t working, and when her husband went there at 4 p.m. “the line was twice as long.”

Updated, 3:15 Tuesday:

Cobb Elections said the issues involve poll pad devices:

We are actively working with the Secretary of State to deploy additional poll pads. In the meantime, polling places are successfully utilizing backup manual check-in procedures to ensure voting continues without interruption.”

UPDATED, 8:50 A.M.:

Cobb Elections just issued the following message:

Cobb County Elections & Registration is aware of issues impacting some election operations today. Backup procedures are in place and voting has NOT stopped.

Voters are encouraged to remain patient as our staff work to assist voters and support polling locations across the county.

All eligible voters in line by 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to cast their ballot.

For questions or assistance, please call our office with any issues or concerns at 770-528-2581.

At 10:15 a.m., Cobb government sent out a release saying that there are “technical issues” at “some polling locations” but wasn’t more specific.

ORIGINAL REPORT, 7 A.M.

The polls are open in East Cobb and throughout Georgia Tuesday for the 2026 primary elections.

All precincts will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and East Cobb News will be providing updates at this link during voting hours.

We will update election results after the polls close on a separate link.

The deadline for mailed-in or hand-delivered absentee ballots to the Cobb Elections office is 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Voters in East Cobb will be deciding party nominees in local Cobb commission and school board races, as well as legislative and Congressional races and statewide elections, including governor and U.S. Senate.

See our complete voting guide for details, including sample ballots.

If there are runoffs, those will take place on June 16.

Voters must go to their assigned precincts. In East Cobb, seven precincts will have new locations for the primaries.

Voters must bring a valid photo ID with them to the polls (click here for details).

To check your voter registration status, and to get a customized sample ballot, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.

East Cobb News has published a story on our approach to covering politics and elections; we don’t endorse candidates and focus instead on providing information to help citizens cast their votes.

Cobb Elections said Monday that more than 78,000 ballots were cast in early voting, about 14 percent of all registered voters in the county.

The Tim D. Lee Senior Center and the East Cobb Government Service Center had the most early voters, with around 9,000 and 8,700 ballots cast there, respectively.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go

Your business has a story—let East Cobb News tell it!

May 18, 2026May 18, 2026 by Wendy Parker

At East Cobb News, storytelling is what we do. Every day for nearly nine years now, we have proudly told the stories that are important to East Cobb residents on a variety of subjects, to keep them updated on what’s happening in the community. Your business has a story—let East Cobb News tell it!

But our storytelling mission includes letting readers know about the small and local business owners in East Cobb who form the backbone of our community.

East Cobb’s a big place, and there’s a lot of competition for customers and clients in almost every kind of business.

There are also so many ways to get your message out, and it can be bewildering to sort it all out.

Business owners have to wear a lot of hats, and marketing their businesses can be a challenge.

At East Cobb News, we’d love to tell your story to East Cobb’s most engaged audience. We offer a variety of digital advertising products—display, newsletter and sponsored posts—that effectively and affordably tell your story.

If you want to let people know who you are, and distinguish yourself from the competition, hit the “yes” button below, fill in your e-mail address and we’ll get back to you promptly.

We’d love to hear your story, so we can tell it to the rest of East Cobb.

At East Cobb News, we want to help you tell your story and Discover the Power of Local!

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Cobb REALTORS to hold grand reopening event Thursday

May 18, 2026May 18, 2026 by Wendy Parker

Submitted information:

Cobb REALTORS will officially celebrate the grand reopening of its headquarters on Thursday, May 21, 2026, with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The celebration will take place at 444 Manget Street SE, Suite 100, Marietta, GA 30060, with guests invited to attend between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM.

The event will feature tours of the newly renovated space, opportunities to connect with local REALTORS, business and community leaders, food from local restaurants, live music, giveaways, interactive experiences, and more. The official ribbon cutting ceremony will begin at 4:00 PM.

Community members, local businesses, families, and friends are invited to attend the celebration.

Cobb REALTORS is proud to unveil a refreshed headquarters designed to better serve its members, strengthen local connections, and support the future of the real estate industry in Cobb and beyond.

Founded in 1954, Cobb REALTORS has served as the professional trade association for real estate professionals across Cobb County, providing advocacy, education, leadership, and resources that help members succeed while supporting strong communities and protecting private property rights.

“Cobb REALTORS has proudly served and supported the Cobb community for more than 70 years,” said Norm Kennedy, 2026 President. “This reimagined space reflects our continued commitment to our members, our profession, and the communities we serve. We’re excited to welcome our members, partners, and neighbors as we celebrate this new chapter together.”

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Man charged with rape, child molestation at East Cobb home

May 18, 2026 by Wendy Parker

Cobb Police last week charged a man in East Cobb with a number of sex crimes involving a minor, some of which are alleged to have taken place over more than a decade.

According to an arrest warrant, Efren Olguin Vega is facing two felony counts of rape, one felony count of child molestation and two felony counts of incest.

The warrant, which was taken out on Thursday, alleges that the suspect began sexually assaulting a female minor at a home off Old Mountain Park Road, near the Cobb-Fulton line, starting in September 2015.

The warrant states that three of the charges stemmed from an incident early on the morning of last Sunday, May 10 and involved an act of sexual intercourse with the victim “against her will” in the kitchen of the residence.

Vega also is charged with one count of felony sodomy, as he “manipulated and intimidated said victim to get on her knees and perform oral sex on him,” according to the warrant.

There isn’t any Cobb Sheriff’s Office information available on whether Vega has been taken into custody. East Cobb News has contacted the Cobb Sheriff’s Office seeking more information.

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Cobb Public Library System to launch Summer Reading Program

May 18, 2026May 18, 2026 by Wendy Parker

Cobb Public Library System to launch Summer Reading Program

The 2026 Cobb Public Library Summer Reading program takes place from June 1-July 30, and pre-registration continues leading up to four kickoff celebrations on May 30.

Those events will place from 4-6 p.m. at Gritters South Cobb Regional Library, Switzer Library and West Cobb Regional Library.

Here’s more about what it’s all about:

Cobb Library’s Summer Reading Program is an all-ages reading program designed to spark community connection, strengthen family bonds, and turn every page into a shared adventure.

Children: Lay the foundation for lifelong literacy by reading and learning together. Interacting with books—even with infants—boosts word recognition, expands vocabulary, and builds vital social-emotional connections.
Students: Prevent the “summer slide.” Students can lose up to three months of reading and math skills over the break. Keep your student engaged and learning while they earn rewards and build community!
Adults: Take a moment to reset and rediscover the joy of reading. Reading for pleasure is a proven way to relieve stress and keep your mind sharp.

To sign up online follow these instructions:

Create an account on Beanstack and join Summer Reading.
Log minutes read and/or activities completed to earn Bingo.
One Bingo earns you a prize at your library and an entry into the grand prize drawing.
Black out your Bingo board for another entry into the grand prize drawing (or a second prize for children).

If you’d rather do this the old-fashioned paper way:

Log for children | Log for teens and adults

For more information on the Summer Reading Program, click here.

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East Cobb Real Estate: Fox Hills traditional sells for $650K

May 18, 2026May 18, 2026 by Wendy Parker

East Cobb Real Estate: Fox Hills traditional sells for $650K

This week’s featured home sale is a two-story traditional in Fox Hills, located in the Wheeler High School, East Cobb Middle School and Sope Creek Elementary School attendance zones.

It has 5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, covering 2,920 square feet. The home, which is on 0.51 acres, sold for $650,000 on May 4, 2026.

The home has been updated throughout, with new hardwood floors and kitchen appliances, a finished terrace and a renovated primary bath suite in living space featuring an abundance of natural light.

The living space includes a fireside family room, a coffee/bar area, a private, tree-lined back yard and an elevated deck with shade.

Click the middle button below to see more photos.

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The following East Cobb residential real estate sales from May 4-8, 2026 were compiled from agency reports and Cobb County property records.

They include the street address, subdivision name and sales price listed under their respective high school attendance zones:

Kell

4274 Reef Road, 30066 (Lamplighter): $411,450

Lassiter

4215 Brandon Ridge Drive, 30066 (Brandon Ridge): $455,000

2855 Lamer Trace, 30066 (Windsor Oaks): $875,000

3800 Northpoint Drive, 30062 (Spring Wood): $415,000

3701 Shallowford Road, 30062: $780,000

2662 Forest Way, 30066 (Forest Chase): $560,000

2417 Stockton Drive, 30066 (Stocktons Ford): $462,000

Marietta

347 Scott Drive, 30067 (Powers Ferry Hills): $361,699

1672 Evanston Circle 30062 (The Gables at East Worthington): $459,000

Pope

2049 Kramer Way, 30062 (Holly Springs Crossing): $620,000

2945 Wendy Lane, 30062 (Wendwood): $501,000

2986 Windstone Circle, 30062 (Lassiter Walk): $1.25 million

1941 O Shea Lane, 30062 (Wicks Creek): $565,000

1802 Wicks Valley Drive, 30062: $620,000

3892 Johnson Ferry Drive, 30062 (Secluded Pines): $397,500

2100 Stone Hollow Court, 30062 (Chimney Springs): $600,000

Sprayberry

3310 Ebenezer Farm Road, 30066 (Ebenezer Farm): $750,000

1803 Hasty Road, 30062 (Hasty Acres): $335,000

1002 Brackett Road, 30066: $440,000

134 Bluffington Way. 30066 (Bluffs at Bells Ferry): $395,000

1839 Wilkenson Crossing, 30062 (St. Charles Square): $570,000

1467 Oak Springs Drive, 30066 (Oak Creek Estates): $480,000

133 Parkstone Way, 30066 (Park at Barrett Creek): $670,000

445 Arnold Avenue, 30066 (Kings Wood Estates): $353,500

2340 Danielle Court, 30062 (Sprayberry Crossing): $430,000

Walton

1386 Churchill Way, 30062 (Roswell Downs): $700,000

1718 Barrington Circle, 30062 (Haverford): $820,000

2201 Meadow Wood Court, 30062 (Meadow Wood): $504,000

1210 Windsor Estates, 30062 (Windsor Estates): $1.646 million

1523 Brookcliff Circle, 30062 (Brookcliff): $535,000

3055 Brown Point Place, 30068 (Walton Glen): $1.6 million

3004 Asheton Place, 30068 (Ashebrook): $745,000

4974 Odins Way, 30068 (Lake Fjord): $707,500

2192 Heritage Trace Drive, 30068 (Heritage Trace): $600,000

4604 Karls Gate Drive, 30068 (Princeton Lakes): $830,000

4480 Dobbs Crossing, 30068 (Woodlawn Commons): $760,000

Wheeler

384 Lamplighter Lane, 30068 (Fox Hills): $650,000

689 Old Canton Road, 30062 (Cobb Estates): $395,000

3559 Oak Knoll Drive, 30062 (Heritage Woods): $599,900

3311 Sulky Circle, 30067 (Ward Meade Farm): $1.29 million

2389 Princess Lane, 30067 (Red Oak Park): $351,000

2158 Freydale Road, 30067 (Freywood Estates): $436,000

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East Cobb election-day voting guide for the 2026 primaries

May 19, 2026May 16, 2026 by Wendy Parker

ELECTION RESULTS COVERAGE:

We’re updating all the races at this link.

UPDATED TUESDAY, 5:15 P.M.:

Cobb Elections says it is having technical issues with poll pads that are used to check in voters and that there are lengthy delays at some precincts.

“We are actively working with the Secretary of State to deploy additional poll pads. In the meantime, polling places are successfully utilizing backup manual check-in procedures to ensure voting continues without interruption.”

ORIGINAL REPORT:

According to Cobb Elections, nearly 62,000 Cobb residents have cast votes in advance of Tuesday’s primary elections, which will decide party nominees in a variety of local, state and federal races and determine some judicial seats.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. The deadline for mailed-in or hand-delivered absentee ballots to the Cobb Elections office is 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Voters who will be voting on Tuesday must go to their assigned precincts. In East Cobb, seven precincts will have new locations for the primaries.

Voters must choose to vote in one of the following primaries: Democratic, Republican or non-partisan; no switching over is allowed.

Voters must bring a valid photo ID with them to the polls (click here for details).

To check your voter registration status, and to get a customized sample ballot, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.

Cobb Elections also has prepared consolidated sample ballots: Democratic | Republican | Non-Partisan

Who/What’s on the ballot?

East Cobb News Explainer: Covering politics and elections

At the local level, voters in East Cobb will be choosing candidates in a number of races, including the Republican nominee for District 3 on the Board of Commissioners. Four-term incumbent JoAnn Birrell is facing a challenge from first-time candidate Chris Wasserman. Democrat Kevin Redmon awaits in November.

In Post 4 on the Cobb Board of Education, three-term Republican incumbent David Chastain will face either Micheal Garza or Susan McCartney, the Democratic candidates who have qualified.

First-term Democratic incumbent Nichelle Davis is being opposed in Post 6 on the Cobb Board of Education by Jennifer Susko. There is no Republican who qualified, so Tuesday’s winner will win that seat.

East Cobb News conducted the following interviews with each of those candidates in contested primaries:

Cobb Commission District 3, GOP

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell seeks fifth term as ‘energizer bunny.’ Story.
Challenger Chris Wasserman calls for ‘new energy and ideas.’ Story.

Cobb Board of Education Post 4, Democrat

School activist Michael Garza says ‘it’s the right time’ to take on status quo. Story.
Retired teacher Susan McCartney wants to ‘give back to education.’ Story.

Cobb Board of Education Post 6, Democrat

First-term incumbent Nichelle Davis prefers to ‘lead with joy.’ Story.
School district critic Jennifer Susko endorsed by former board member. Story.

Other Races

The only countywide race on the ballot is Cobb Solicitor General. Democratic incumbent Maria Metzger has a primary opponent in Christopher Futch; no Republican qualified.

There are seven incumbent judges on Cobb Superior Court and Cobb State Court who are running unopposed.

At the state level, crowded primaries are in store for the governor’s race, where incumbent Brian Kemp is term-limited. Other statewide races include lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, the commissioners of agriculture, labor and insurance and state school superintendent.

There are five races for Georgia Public Service Commissioner, and all state legislative seats will be decided in 2026.

In East Cobb, there is only one contested primary for a legislative seat. Democratic incumbent Mary Frances Williams will face Graham Bowers in the District 37 race.

There are contested primaries in both the Democratic and Republican parties in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk in the 11th Congressional District that includes most of East Cobb.

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is unopposed in the Democratic primary as he seeks a second term, while there are five candidates seeking the Republican nomination.

There are three contested non-partisan primaries for Georgia Supreme Court Justice and another for Georgia Court of Appeals Justice, as those incumbents are facing opposition.

Coming on Tuesday

During the day, as the polls are open, East Cobb News will have a live, continuously updated post as voting goes on. Once the polls close, we will provide up-to-the minute results from key local races in particular.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Editor’s Note: Support community-first news all summer long!

May 16, 2026May 16, 2026 by Wendy Parker

East Cobb Weather This Week: Heat indexes pushing toward 100 — *We’ll be enjoying some picnics this summer, but East Cobb News remains focused on giving you the local news you love year-round!*

School’s just about out and the heat’s on, and at East Cobb News, graduation is only the start of a sizzling summer of local news on our home front.

We’re thrilled to see this year’s senior class get their diplomas and move on into the adult world, and for families and kids to enjoy some down-time.

But at East Cobb News, we don’t slow down during the school break months. In fact, some of our most important stories have come during June and July.

We ask for readers to share their news, to let the community know, and that in turn helps make East Cobb News better. We’re grateful that so many of you oblige.

That’s the true value of what East Cobb News does every day, and has done every day, since we began publishing nearly nine years ago.

We got a reader tip recently about a decision by Mt. Bethel Church to cut ties with a scout troop after more than 50 years. It’s a story that has resonated with many of our readers, because we understand the impact such developments can have in a community.

As Tuesday’s primary elections approach, we’ve also put together deep coverage of the local races that matter the most to you, and to help you cast your ballots.

We’re absolutely reader focused, and those stories are examples of the many exclusives we keep bringing you, week after week, month after month, and year after year. It’s in our blood!

East Cobb News also asks for reader donations to help us to keep giving you the local news that you love.

We’ve had excellent web traffic all spring—more proof of h0w much our stories mean to the public—but we would love to have the support of more of our readers than we do.

We’ve set up a safe, secure and easy online payment system via Press Patron, which helps local independent online with basic business expenses. They share our passion for local news and want to help small local news businesses like East Cobb News make a go of a tough media environment.

It’s not getting easier, and while East Cobb News is a thrifty operation, our business costs are going up.

You’ve told us how much you value East Cobb News, and here’s your chance to show that support with a donation today.

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Thank you East Cobb! And long live local news! Today and every day!

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KinRise youth leadership program has East Cobb opening

May 16, 2026May 16, 2026 by Wendy Parker

Submitted information: KinRise youth leadership program has East Cobb opening

Together with Families officially launched KinRise on Thursday with a ribbon cutting celebration at its community Hub in Cobb County (2790 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 101).

At the ribbon cutting, the teens who helped design KinRise cut the ribbon themselves, reinforcing one of the program’s core beliefs: young people should not just be invited into programs, they should help shape and lead them.

KinRise is a new youth leadership and wellness program for high school students across Cobb County living with grandparents, relatives, siblings, and family friends — many of whom are quietly carrying grief, instability, poverty, stress, caregiving responsibilities, and overwhelming pressure while trying to navigate adolescence.

KinRise is built around a simple belief: no teen should navigate life alone. The program helps teens belong, grow, lead, and rise through consistent relationships, wellness support, academic help, leadership opportunities, and trusted mentors who show up consistently.

The launch comes during Mental Health Awareness Month amid growing concern about youth isolation, anxiety, depression, and disconnection across Georgia and the nation.

Georgia has thousands of young people living in kinship and relative care. Many of these young people are being raised outside the formal foster care system and receive little formal support despite experiencing many of the same challenges as youth involved in foster care.

“No teen should have to navigate life alone,” said Sarah Winograd, founder and executive director of Together with Families. “Many of these teens are carrying grief, instability, poverty, stress, and adult-sized responsibilities while still trying to be kids. KinRise exists so they do not have to carry it alone.”

KinRise was seeded by the Jesse Parker Williams Foundation and Bonnie Stewart Hardage as an investment in young people who are too often overlooked and disconnected from support.

“The Jesse Parker Williams Foundation is proud to support KinRise, a program of Together with Families, because it centers the voices, lived experiences, and wisdom of young people in both program design and delivery,” said Bonnie Stewart Hardage, executive director of the Jesse Parker Williams Foundation. “By empowering youth to help shape the support they receive, KinRise creates meaningful pathways for healing, resilience, and connection while helping young people strengthen their well-being, navigate difficult circumstances, and support their peers, families, and communities.”

KinRise was co-designed with teens living in relative and kinship care and will continue to be shaped by youth voice, family feedback, and the KinRise Advisory Council.

The program will be led by Ashley Saunders, a leader who was previously supported by Together with Families and was raised in both foster care and kinship care. Saunders brings lived experience, trust with teens, and a deep understanding of what it means for a young person to need stability, belonging, and adults who do not give up.

“Young people need people who see them, believe in them, and help them realize they are more than what happened to them,” Saunders said.

Every Tuesday night, teens will gather for dinner, leadership development, tutoring, mentorship, and honest conversations about life, stress, relationships, and their future. Dinner is provided weekly.

The program also includes access to a licensed counselor, outings, trusted adult mentors, academic help, and up to $500 in flexible assistance per youth to help remove barriers related to transportation, school needs, wellness, opportunities, and stability.

The program is designed to create not only support, but also joy, friendship, confidence, and hope for the future.

Angela Watson, who is raising her three granddaughters in kinship care, said one of the most meaningful parts of watching her granddaughters help develop the program last summer was seeing them begin to view themselves as leaders.

“They were able to interact with other kids going through the same thing,” Watson said. “Seeing their confidence come back was big.”

Together with Families believes communities must build more relationship-centered spaces for teens living in kinship and relative care before crises escalate into school disengagement, homelessness, system involvement, or deeper mental health struggles.

The organization hopes KinRise can become a model for how communities across Georgia support youth before they fall through the cracks.

Community leaders, schools, churches, businesses, volunteers, and local organizations attended Thursday’s ribbon cutting to celebrate the launch and explore ways to support the program.

The organization is currently seeking volunteers, mentors, tutors, meal sponsors, business partners, and community members who want to invest in teens across Cobb County.

“Too many teens are trying to survive without consistent support or connection,” Watson said. “KinRise reminds young people they matter, they belong, and they are not alone.”

About Together with Families

Together with Families is a Georgia-based nonprofit working to prevent foster care caused by poverty by supporting families through community-based, relationship-centered support.

For more information about KinRise or to get involved, visit:
https://www.together-families.org/kinrise

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Cobb schools 2026 graduation: A Monday through Sunday affair

May 16, 2026May 15, 2026 by Wendy Parker

Cobb schools 2026 commencement schedule — *Pope High School kicks off Cobb County School District commencement exercises on Monday.*

Seven days of commencement ceremonies in the Cobb County School District begin on Monday and end next Sunday, and East Cobb high schools will be bookending the schedule.

The first school to hold graduation will be Pope High School, starting at 7 p.m. Monday, and will conclude on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. with Sprayberry High School’s graduation.

All commencement exercises will take place at the KSU Convocation Center, and all will be shown live at this link. There won’t be a replay, but DVD and USB drive copies of the high-definition broadcast will be available for sale at this link.

Here’s the schedule for East Cobb high schools, and we’ll have coverage of each one as the week continues:

Pope: Monday, May 18, 7 p.m.
Wheeler: Tuesday, May 19, 7:30 p.m.
Lassiter: Thursday, May 21, 2:30 p.m.
Kell: Friday, May 22, 7 p.m.
Walton: Sunday, May 24, 3 p.m.
Sprayberry: Sunday, May 24, 7:30 p.m.

The Cobb school district class of 2026 is nearly 8,800 graduates strong, and according to district figures, seniors have earned more than $110 million in college scholarship offers and have been accepted to colleges and universities in 45 states, including every Ivy League institution and all U.S. military academies.

The 2025-25 Cobb school district academic year will come to a close this week as well, with all grade levels on early schedules Monday-Wednesday. Those dismissal times are as follows:

11:30 a.m.—High Schools
12:30 p.m.—Elementary Schools
1:30 p.m.—Middle Schools

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb schools budget adopted; Timber Ridge ES principal named

May 15, 2026May 15, 2026 by Wendy Parker

By a 7-0 vote Thursday, the Cobb Board of Education adopted a fiscal year 2027 budget of nearly $1.9 billion.

The budget was adopted as presented last month with little discussion, either from the board or the public; the budget adoption measure was placed on the board’s consent agenda Thursday.

The budget—which would go into effect on July 1—is based on holding the property tax rate at 18.7 mills and four percent growth in the Cobb tax digest (budget filings can be found at this link).

To address the lack of raises in the FY 2027 proposal, the school board last month voted to to take more than $7 million from its current fund balance to pay for one-time bonuses for non-temporary employees.

Those $2,000 bonuses were approved by the Georgia legislature earlier this year. The total cost to the Cobb school district is around $30 million, with the state providing $22 million in the current fiscal year budget.

“We’re not in a confetti-dropping, champagne-popping situation. But we’re not the alternative either,” Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said in April, calling this a “catch-up” budget following employee raises last year.

Employees eligible for “STEP” increases as part of their employment contracts will still get those, to the tune of $16 million.

Another line item of $3.5 million will go to hire literacy coaches across the district, but it’s unclear now how that money will be used pending state guidance.

The budget also factors in the reduction of 185 teaching allotment positions due to lower enrollment and to balance the budget. No teaching layoffs will occur, but the cuts would be made through attrition and reassignments.

Lost positions include some media specialists, with schools being limited to one each.

Losing those allotments will result in a budget decrease of nearly $22 million.

The fiscal year 2027 budget begins on July 1.

Staff changes announced

Cobb schools budget adopted; Timber Ridge ES principal named — *Kevin Carpenter*

Also on Thursday, the school board signed off on new major administrative and principal assignments.

They include Dr. Kristi Lankford, who will be the new principal at Timber Ridge Elementary School starting July 1.

She is an assistant principal at Pearson Middle School and will be succeeding Shannon McGill, who is retiring.

The Cobb school district’s new chief of staff will be Matt Moody, an assistant superintendent for high schools. He will replace Sheri Hill, who is retiring.

The district’s new chief academic officer will be Kevin Carpenter, who for the last two years has been an assistant superintendent for 23 elementary schools, most of them in East Cobb.

He will start on July 1 following the retirement of Catherine Mallanda, a former Walton High School principal.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

New Chattahoochee River NRA superintendent announced

May 15, 2026May 15, 2026 by Wendy Parker

Submitted information and photo: New Chattahoochee River NRA superintendent announced

The National Park Service has selected K. Lynn Berry as the next superintendent of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Berry will begin her new role in June.

“I am honored to join the team at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and to support the important work already underway here,” said Berry. “This park is such an incredible resource for communities in the metro area and beyond. I look forward to strengthening connections to the river and expanding opportunities for people to enjoy and learn from it.”

Berry currently serves as superintendent of several NPS sites in California, including Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park, John Muir National Historic Site, Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site, Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, and the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail

With 16 years of experience in the National Park Service, Berry has held roles as superintendent and regional program manager, bringing extensive experience in community collaboration, partnership development, team building and program growth.

Her colleagues consistently recognize her enthusiasm, dedication and ability to energize the teams and projects she leads.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Motorist killed in crash on Lower Roswell at Old Paper Mill

May 15, 2026May 14, 2026 by Wendy Parker

Motorist killed in crash on Lower Roswell at Old Paper Mill

Cobb Police said that a motorist was killed in a two-car crash Thursday morning at the intersection of Lower Roswell Road and Old Paper Mill in East Cobb.

Sgt. Eric Smith said that Yodit Momo, 57, of Atlanta, was pronounced dead on the scene by the Cobb Medical Examiner’s Office.

Smith said that Momo was driving a gray 2014 Toyota Camry west on Old Paper Mill around 11:06 a.m. when it collided with a white 2020 Dodge Ram with trailer in tow heading eastbound on Lower Roswell.

Police said when the Ram arrived at the intersection, the Toyota “entered its path” and the vehicles crashed with one another. Both came to a stop on a north shoulder of Lower Roswell.

According to Smith, the occupants of the Ram were not injured. They were identified by police as Charles Warren, 44, of Acworth, the driver, and Benjamin Chittick, 24, of Kennesaw, a passenger.

Smith said Momo’s next of kin have been identified and that the crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cobb County Police Department STEP Unit at (770) 499-3987.

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Scout Troop 1011 to leave Mt. Bethel Church after 54 years

May 14, 2026May 14, 2026 by Wendy Parker

Scout Troop 1011 to leave Mt. Bethel Church after 54 years

A scout troop that has met at Mt. Bethel Church for more than half a century is looking for a new venue after being told it can no longer stay there.

Scout Troop 1011 must leave the premises of the church on Lower Roswell Road by the end of August, according to a message sent out last week to troop families by Scoutmaster Jonathan Linder.

Linder said that the church’s governing board informed troop leadership that the “stated reasons are church doctrine being incompatible with Scouting America and insurance cost concerns.

“While we are disappointed in this decision, we respect their right to make this determination,” Linder said in the message, a copy of which was obtained by East Cobb News.

Linder said that Troop 1011 “is already identifying a new home and has opened discussions with various community partners.”

East Cobb News has left a message with Troop 1011 seeking more information. Linder said in his message that there was to have been a parent Q and A at a troop meeting on Monday to go over the venue change.

2023 Dog Days Run — *Troop 1011 members at the Dog Days Run, sponsored by the Rotary Club of East Cobb, the troop’s charter organization since 2022.*

He said that until the departure from Mt. Bethel, “all Troop activities will continue as planned.”

Troop 1011, which was chartered in 1972 at what was formerly Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, has roughly 120 youth and adult members and in its history has had nearly 400 boys attain the rank of Eagle Scout, according to Linder.

East Cobb News also contacted Mt. Bethel Church officials for information, and was told by marketing director Andrea Back in an e-mail response that “the church’s primary issue is not with the local troop or its leaders but with Scouting America, who has had dramatic changes in the past several years. The local troop is under the authority of their parent organization, Scouting America.”

Back said that Mt. Bethel had a facilities use agreement with Troop 1011 that ended on April 1, and that “the church entered into a period of discernment with Scout Troop 1011 Leadership. The Church’s Governing Board decided that the church would extend the agreement through August 31, 2026.”

She didn’t elaborate on the “dramatic changes” that led to the Mt. Bethel decision. East Cobb News has followed up with Mt. Bethel seeking more specific information.

In 2019, the former Boy Scouts of America renamed and rebranded itself Scouting America, and began allowing girls to join as members. Controversies preceded that a few years earlier, when it allowed openly gay scouts. That prompted a move by Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in East Cobb to cut ties with the Boy Scouts in 2013.

More recently, the Pentagon has threatened to end its partnership with Scouting America for being too “woke.”

A federal executive order was issued at the start of the second Trump Administration to end “illegal DEI” programs and replace them with “merit-based” opportunities.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth wanted Scouting America to revert to a boys-only organization and change its name back to the Boy Scouts, but those demands were dropped.

In February, Scouting America agreed to change some policies that address diversity concerns and added a merit badge focused on military service.

But the scouts said that transgender youth would continue to be welcomed, contradicting a claim by Hegseth that they would be banned.

Scouting America said that the “affirmation deepens a 116-year partnership that greatly benefits our Armed Forces and our communities.”

*Troop 1011 Scouts with former Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott (at right), a longtime troop leader, and late Commission Chairman Tim Lee, at an event to mark the arrival of the Atlanta Braves to Cobb County.*

The Troop 1011 departure is the latest major change at Mt. Bethel in recent years.

The congregation left the UMC in a $13.1 million court settlement in 2022 following a protracted conflict over the denomination’s reassignment of Mt. Bethel’s senior pastor, and disputes over theology.

The church sold off nearby properties and ended its status as Troop 1011’s charter organizer and the Rotary Club of East Cobb has filled that role since then.

Mt. Bethel remains independent as a church body, but has been a founding member of a Methodist denomination that is more conservative theologically. Some former Mt. Bethel members and its former senior pastor broke away, forming Grace Resurrection Methodist Church, which is also independent.

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy was started by Mt. Bethel in the late 1990s. But it has gone independent of the church, and will be relocating to the school’s upper campus on Post Oak Tritt Road, after the parties couldn’t agree to lease renewal terms on the Lower Roswell Road campus.

“The Rotary Club of East Cobb is committed to supporting Troop 1011 and is working with Troop leadership to find a new meeting place,” Wade Patrick, the Rotary Club’s liaison with the troop, told East Cobb News.

“It’s sad to see Troop 1011 vacate its longtime scout hut where several generations of East Cobb youth became our community leaders. I think our community will come through and a solution will present itself.”

In his message to Troop 1011 families, Linder said that “we are confident that this new chapter will bring fresh opportunities to serve the East Cobb community and build young men of character for generations to come.”

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Kell HS students recognized as Student Emmy Award winners

May 14, 2026May 14, 2026 by Wendy Parker

Kell HS students recognized as Student Emmy Award winners

Information and photos submitted by Cobb County School District:

Talent, creativity, and dedication were on full display this spring as Kell High School students earned national recognition for their work in the performing arts. Randy Yousif and Gavin Placencia took center stage at the 2026 NATAS Student Production Awards, where they were honored as Student Emmy Award winners.

Competing against strong entries from across the region, the duo impressed judges with a dynamic compilation of their acting performances. Their submission stood out for its energy, thoughtful scriptwriting, and strong on-screen presence.

The award marks Kell High School’s first win in the “Commercial” category and continues a growing tradition of excellence, making it the second Student Emmy win for the program in as many years. Their achievement reflects more than talent alone. It highlights the dedication and persistence required to refine a craft and perform at a high level. As Broadcast Video Production Teacher, Ed Cook, shared, success begins with taking the opportunity: “You can’t win if you don’t enter.”

The celebrations at Kell High School don’t stop there. Teacher Ed Cook is also earning well-deserved recognition. Cook was recently named a finalist in the High 5 for Teachers contest, earning $500 for his achievement. This recognition speaks to the impact educators like Cook have every day. His commitment to students, both in and out of the classroom, helps create an environment where achievements like a Student Emmy win can happen.

Together, these accomplishments reflect the heart of Cobb Schools — a community where students are encouraged to dream big, teachers are celebrated for their dedication, and success is built through hard work and support.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb Democrats speak out against non-partisan elections law

May 13, 2026May 13, 2026 by Wendy Parker

A number of prominent Cobb County Democratic elected officials were critical of a bill signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp that would make a number of metro Atlanta elected offices non-partisan two years from now.

On Tuesday, Kemp signed HB 369 (you can read it here), which would make elections for county commission, school board, District Attorney, Solicitor General, Tax Commissioner and court clerks non-partisan in Cobb, Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Clayton counties.

County sheriffs elections and DeKalb County commissioners elections would be exempt from the law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2028 and would become effective with the 2028 election cycle.

The law was passed near the end of the 2026 session of the Georgia General Assembly and was substituted for a bill designed to regulate food trucks that met the legislature’s crossover day deadline.

The Republican-led legislature was accused by Democrats of cutting into the latter’s political dominance in heavily populated metro Atlanta counties.

That includes Cobb, which had been GOP-dominated from the 1980s to 2018 but now has Democratic majorities on the Board of Commissioners and the Cobb legislative delegation.

Republicans lead the Cobb Board of Education with a 4-3 split on a body that has become increasingly contentious along party lines.

State Sens. John Albers and Kay Kirkpatrick, Republicans with East Cobb constituencies, were among the main co-sponsors of the bill.

Albers said the bill was necessary for local jurisdictions to focus on public safety, as the five counties are considered “consolidated law enforcement counties.”

But at a press conference Tuesday before Kemp signed the bill, Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, Commissioner Erick Allen and Solicitor General Makia Metzer held a press conference urging him to veto it.

They contended that the bill isn’t Democratic because county elections in 154 other Georgia counties remain partisan.

“This is not transparency, and this is not how you promote democracy,” Cupid said in making prepared remarks at the Cobb County government headquarters building in downtown Marietta.

This is not how our Cobb County citizens expect us to make decisions here and it should not be how decisions are made at the state level.”

Cupid said also said the law raises state constitutional questions, which several metro district attorneys, including Sonya Allen of Cobb, have alleged.

On a social media posting Wednesday morning, State Rep. David Wilkerson, a Democrat who is the chairman of the Cobb legislative delegation, said that “the Republican brand is so tainted in the metro area that they had to remove party identification. All this will do is create need to identify every elected official by political party. Local judges, city council, etc.”

Many of the positions held by metro Atlanta Democrats are black females, including Cupid and Allen.

Not all local Republicans were on board with HB 369 or didn’t state a preference. State Rep. Don Parsons of East Cobb voted against the bill, and State Rep. Sharon Cooper of East Cobb was excused from the final vote.

In Georgia, county commission and school board races as well as statewide constitutional officers have been elected in partisan fashion. Municipal elections and judicial seats have been decided in non-partisan elections.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

What East Cobb homeowners should know about tree safety before summer storm season

May 13, 2026 by Wendy Parker

*The crew of Scott’s Treewurk on a job site.*

Please Note: This is a paid advertisement.

As spring turns into summer in East Cobb, many homeowners are noticing heavier tree growth around their homes—along with the return of Georgia’s thunderstorm season.

Strong wind gusts, saturated soil and weakened limbs can quickly turn an overlooked tree issue into expensive property damage. That’s why local tree professionals say late spring and early summer are one of the most important times of year for homeowners to evaluate the condition of the trees around their property.

We spoke with Kennesaw-based tree service company Scott’s Treewurk to learn a little bit more about what some of the most common issues are that homeowners should be looking out for.

Owner Scott Wolkoff says many potentially hazardous trees begin to show subtle signs of structural weakness long before a major limb comes down, or before a storm causes some serious damage.

Some of the issues he commonly sees include dead or hanging limbs, visible cracks in large branches or trunks, leaning trees, hollow or decaying sections, mushrooms growing near the base, or limbs extending over roofs, driveways, and power lines.

“Most dangerous tree situations don’t happen overnight,” Wolkoff says. “Usually there are signs that something is wrong, but many homeowners simply don’t know what to look for.”

Wolkoff entered the tree industry in 2012 and founded Scott’s Treewurk in 2014. Serving Kennesaw, Acworth, East Cobb and surrounding communities, he says his approach has always centered around honest recommendations and building long-term relationships with homeowners.

“I’d rather tell someone their tree is okay than scare them into paying for work they don’t actually need,” he says.

While storm damage often creates emergency situations after severe weather moves through the area, preventative pruning and maintenance can often reduce the risk of major damage before storms occur.

In addition to tree removal, Scott’s Treewurk also provides pruning, trimming, storm cleanup and emergency tree services throughout the local area. The company works with experienced, fully insured crews and handles jobs ranging from routine maintenance to large hazardous removals.

This time of year is especially important for homeowners with mature trees near structures, fences, or neighboring properties. Heavy rain can weaken root systems, while summer storms often place additional stress on compromised limbs and trunks.

Wolkoff recommends homeowners to periodically walk their property and pay attention to the trees that may appear healthy at first glance, but actually show subtle signs of decay or structural weaknesses.

“Sometimes a relatively simple pruning job can prevent thousands of dollars in damage later,” he says.

Scott’s Treewurk currently offers free tree safety inspections for homeowners in Kennesaw, East Cobb, Acworth and nearby communities.

For more information or to schedule an inspection, visit https://scottstreewurk.com.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

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Kell

Lassiter

Marietta

Pope

Sprayberry

Walton

Wheeler

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Who/What’s on the ballot?

Cobb Commission District 3, GOP

Cobb Board of Education Post 4, Democrat

Cobb Board of Education Post 6, Democrat

Other Races

Coming on Tuesday

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Staff changes announced

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