September 2017

PHOTOS: McFarlane Nature Park debuts East Cobb Garden Tour

September 17, 2017 6:44 PM by Wendy Parker

McFarlane Nature Center — *The McFarlane Nature Park features a 1940s-era country home and nature garden that’s open to the public. (East Cobb News photos and slideshow by Wendy Parker)*

At the end of a short gravel road off Paper Mill Road is a slice of Southern rural life that’s been preserved close to what its longtime owner had in mind. In addition to a rustic farm home and wide open green spaces, the McFarlane Nature Park also includes a nature garden that was featured on Sunday as part of the first East Cobb Garden Tour. Four nearby private homes also were part of the tour.

McFarlane Nature Park — *The dining room of the 1941 home, designed by Henry Toombs, architect of the Little White House in Warm Springs. Florence and William McFarlane bought the house in 1958.*

The McFarlanes rode horses and raised lineage dogs on their property, which at one time stretched to 1,500 acres. When Florence McFarlane died in 1990, she stated in her will a desire to keep the remaining 11.5 acres of her property for a natural preserve and green space, instead of suburban development.

After court rulings, the non-profit Cobb Land Trust became the lease owner of the McFarlane property in 1992, and the nearby Chattahoochee Plantation Community Association donated funding for repairs and renovations that were needed. Restoring McFarlane was the first project for the Cobb Land Trust, which preserves land and property with historical and cultural value.

Before the McFarlanes lived here, the land was part of a larger agricultural spread owned by Hughes Spalding Sr., a noted Atlanta attorney.

Flowers and plants on the McFarlane property are tended to by volunteers from Cobb Master Gardeners, which has a spring flower show here in the spring. Continued support also comes from the Chattahoochee Plantation Women’s Club and there have been Art in the Park fundraisers since 2013.

More photos from the McFarlane Nature Park:

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Lidl Grocery, Taqueria Tsunami cases on Cobb zoning agenda

September 17, 2017 1:19 PM by Wendy Parker

After several months of delays, the Cobb Board of Commissioners will finally get to consider a proposal to convert one of only two East Cobb movie theater complexes into a grocery store.

Taqueria Tsunami East Cobb — *A site plan amendment is being proposed to allow for a Taqueria Tsunami restaurant at the old Caribou Coffee location on Johnson Ferry Road. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)*

Lidl Grocery’s application to redevelop the Park 12 Cinema on Gordy Parkway (near Shallowford Road and Sandy Plains Road) highlights a busy BOC zoning meeting that starts at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The meeting takes place in the second floor board room of the Cobb BOC Building, 100 Cherokee St., in downtown Marietta (here’s an agenda summary).

The Lidl case (agenda information here) was first scheduled to be heard in May, but has drawn significant community opposition. Some nearby residents fear traffic will increase in a busy corridor near Lassiter High School.

Some opponents also have created a Facebook page and begun an online petition drive against Lidl’s proposal, mainly to preserve the cinema. Lidl is a German grocery chain looking to expand into Georgia.

The Lidl case will be heard in the “other business” category. These are for applications that don’t have to go through a full rezoning process. Also on the OB list is a site plan amendment filed on behalf of Fork U Concepts, proprietors of the Marietta-based Taqueria Tsunami restaurants.

The proposal (agenda information here) would remove the drivethru at the now-closed Caribou Coffee location at 1275 Johnson Ferry Road, and to increase parking to 42 spaces with restriping. The old Caribou/Einstein Bros. Bagel location is being eyed by Fork U to expand the Latin-Asian fusion concept to East Cobb.

As East Cobb News has reported, the amendment has been recommended for approval by the East Cobb Civic Association, as well as the Cobb Planning Commission.

The proposed redevelopment of the old Mountain View Elementary School complex on Sandy Plains Road for mixed commercial use also will appear on Tuesday’s agenda, but is likely to be delayed at the request of the applicant.

A redevelopment project at the northwest intersection of Powers Ferry Road at Terrell Mill Road is being continued by the Cobb zoning staff until October.

Full zoning staff analysis of each September agenda item can be found here.

PHOTOS: 22nd annual East Cobber parade and festival

September 16, 2017 4:37 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobber parade, Walton flag team — *The Walton High School flag team marching in the East Cobber parade. (East Cobb News photos and slideshow by Wendy Parker)*

A host of organizations, schools, churches and businesses took part in the East Cobber parade down Johnson Ferry Road Saturday and a community festival that followed at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church.

Started in 1995 by East Cobber magazine publisher and founder Cynthia Rozzo, the parade has grown to include several dozen organizations representing a wide variety of community life in East Cobb.

Among those walking the 0.8-mile trek from Mt. Bethel Elementary School to Johnson Ferry Baptist were elected officials, civic leaders, scout troops, school bands and cheerleaders, local businesses and librarians shuffling book carts from the Cobb County Public Library System.

East Cobber parade, Mt. Bethel ES — *Unicyclists from Mt. Bethel Elementary School.*

East Cobber parade, Wheeler HS band — *The Wheeler High School marching band.*

East Cobber parade — *Young attendees taking in the sights of a community parade, and waiting for candy thrown by participants.*

East Cobber parade, Pope HS — *The Pope High School marching band.*

East Cobber parade, East Cobb Rotary Club — *Members of the East Cobb Rotary Club.*

East Cobber parade, The Lady Lions Cheer Team — *The Lady Lions Cheer Team from Smyrna.*

East Cobber parade, School of Rock — *Student from the School of Rock Playing hits from the 1970s.*

Check out more photos from the East Cobber parade and festival:

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Lower Roswell Road repaving to begin between Terrell Mill and Holt Road

September 15, 2017 5:34 PM by Wendy Parker

Lower Roswell Road at Terrell Mill Road — *Lower Roswell Road repaving between Terrell Mill Road and the 120 Loop is expected to take a month. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)*

Starting Sunday, a Lower Roswell Road repaving project will begin that will take up to a month to complete.

This is separate from the East Cobb Pipeline Project that is almost complete. Some work crews are still testing pipes and doing other cleanup work on Lower Roswell around the Sope Creek Bridge, and repaving will get underway after that and continue into the fall.

The repaving that gets underway this weekend will take place at night, and it will be done in two stages.

The first stage, on Lower Roswell between Terrell Mill Road and Holt Road, will take place nightly between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. According to Cobb DOT, it’s expected to be done by Oct. 15.

After that, and for another two-week stretch, the Lower Roswell Road repaving will continue west from Holt to the 120 Loop.

That segment of the project, expected to be finished next spring, includes widening Lower Roswell, signal modifications, adding left and right turn lanes and a constructing a five-foot sidewalk on the west side.

While that work continues, the new Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center will be completed next to (and replacing) the East Marietta Library on Lower Roswell.

During the hours of the repaving, traffic on Lower Roswell Road will be reduced to one lane.

Here’s the Cobb DOT fact sheet for the project.

UPDATE: East Cobb bank robbery suspect arrested following Crime Stoppers tip

September 19, 2017 6:29 PMSeptember 15, 2017 2:27 PM by Wendy Parker

The man wanted for an East Cobb bank robbery last week has been arrested, with assistance from a tip via the Greater Atlanta Crime Stoppers tip line.

Cobb Police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said Eduardo Estrada, 35, of East Point, has been charged with robbery by intimidation in connection with a holdup at the Fifth Third Bank branch at 2100 Roswell Road last Thursday.

Estrada was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center late Wednesday and remains in custody on a $7,500 bond, according to Cobb Sheriff’s Office records.

At around 10 a.m. last Thursday, Cobb Police said a man walked up to a teller at the bank branch, located in a Kroger store at the Pavilions at East Lake Shopping Center and demanded money. According to police, he did not reveal a weapon but left on foot with cash, possibly heading toward Wheeler High School.

Wheeler and East Cobb Middle School were on a brief lockdown as the suspect was being pursued.

Pierce said the tipster could be eligible for a $2,000 reward for assistance in the robbery investigation. Crime Stoppers can be contacted with tips at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or by texting CSA + your tip to CRIMES (274637). Tipsters remain anonymous.

UDPATE: Victims in East Cobb fatal accident identifed

September 19, 2017 6:31 PMSeptember 15, 2017 11:56 AM by Wendy Parker

Cobb Police said the two male victims in an East Cobb fatal accident earlier this week were from Florida.

Joseph C. Gerace, 21, of Tampa, and Matthew L. Silvester, 24, of St. Augustine, were positively identified Thursday via dental records in Florida, Cobb Police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said.

Police said Gerace was the driver and Silvester was the passenger in a white Dodge Challenger that crashed off Lower Roswell Road at the entrance to the Gold Branch Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area shortly after midnight on Tuesday.

The car lost control as it traveled north on Lower Roswell near Asheforde Drive, then slammed into a stone sign at the park entrance and caught fire, according to police. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police cited wet roads and the vehicle traveling faster than the posted 40 mph speed limit as factors. Pierce said the accident investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Cobb Police at 770-499-3987.

EAST COBB TRAFFIC ALERT: Road closures for East Cobber parade

September 15, 2017 11:13 AM by Wendy Parker

The one Saturday out of the year in which you can actually see unicyclists pedaling down Johnson Ferry Road is this Saturday. That means it’s time for the East Cobber parade, which begins at 10 a.m. and includes some significant closures along one of East Cobb’s busiest traffic arteries.

If you’ve experienced this before, the schedule is familiar, and remains essentially the same. Cobb Police will be shutting down Johnson Ferry Road between Roswell Road and Johnson Ferry Road between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

There may be some changes to this, in terms of time and precise closure points. Sometimes you can drive all the way to Princeton Lakes Drive, where the parade route begins, out of Mt. Bethel Elementary School, up until around 9:45 a.m.

It’s best to observe the 9:30-11 window, and the Roswell-Lower Roswell boundaries, especially to give yourself time to find parking and a vantage point, and in case there are any logistical changes.

Woodlawn Drive will remain open, and is a good route to find a place to watch the parade—the Johnson Ferry Baptist Church parking lot will be available—but expect delays due to the closures.

Princeton Lakes Drive will be closed entirely from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday as the parade route assembles at Mt. Bethel Elementary School and heads south on Johnson Ferry Road.

Cobb DOT also is setting up detours at the following intersections, and these too have been done in previous years:

Intersection of Roswell Road and Indian Hills Parkway;
Intersection of Lower Roswell Road and Indian Hills Parkway;
Intersection of Roswell Road and Timber Ridge Road;
Intersection of Lower Roswell Road and Timber Ridge Road.

If you can’t get to the parade but want to watch, it’s being streamed live on East Cobber‘s Facebook page (link here) and Instagram account (link here).

The festival begins at 11 a.m. in the Johnson Ferry Baptist parking lot near the athletic fields. Here’s a full list of parade and festival participants. Here’s more on this weekend’s events in East Cobb.

EAST COBB WEEKEND: East Cobber parade & festival; garden tour; Sunday Funday & more

September 14, 2017 7:33 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb weekend events, East Cobber parade — *The Walton High School band, including the flag team, will once again participate in Saturday’s East Cobber parade. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)*

After a harrowing week of stormy and fall-like weather, the East Cobb weekend schedule is perfectly suited for the Indian Summer-like conditions that are on tap.

In other words, get—and stay!—outdoors! In addition to some local rivalry football tilts, one of East Cobb’s biggest most festive events returns, while another that figures to become a big hit makes its debut. Check our full calendar listings for more, but here are some of the highlights of a jam-packed schedule of events designed to soak up some welcome sun and warmth in mid-September:

Walton vs. Wheeler football, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Raider Valley (1590 Bill Murdock Road) is the site for this backyard bout, which also is a key regional game. The Raiders are 3-0 and Wheeler is 2-1;
Lassiter Homecoming: Parade starts at 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by the 3-0 Trojans vs. Marietta at 7:30 (2601 Shallowford Road);
East Cobber Parade & Festival, Saturday 10 a.m.: Johnson Ferry Road from Princeton Lakes Drive to Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road) for the parade, featuring dozens of schools, faith communities, organizations, businesses, elected officials and more. The festival featuring exhibitors, food, live music and more takes place in the church parking lot from 11-3;
East Cobb Garden Tour, Sunday 12-5 p.m.: The inaugural event, sponsored by the Cobb Master Gardeners, starts at the McFarlane Nature Park (280 Farm Road) and extends to several nearby Chattahoochee Plantation homes;
Sunday Funday at East Cobb Park, Sunday 4-6 p.m.: Free family entertainment includes live music from The LooSe ShoEs Band. Bring a blanket and picnic food in the last Sunday Funday of the summer. 3332 Roswell Road.

Check out our full calendar listings for more events, including more football games and live music. Did we miss something? Would you like to let the community know about your event? E-mail us: calendar@eastcobbnews.com.

Please keep in touch, and have a great weekend!

East Cobb students named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists

September 15, 2017 10:17 AMSeptember 13, 2017 3:13 PM by Wendy Parker

UPDATED, 10:16 a.m. Friday: The CCSD has provided the names of an additional 12 students from Wheeler to its original release that were initially omitted. The figures in the story reflect those changes. — WP

A total of 71 East Cobb students have been named semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarships, the Cobb County School District announced today (a per-school list follows below).

Of the East Cobb students named semifinalists, 33 come from Walton High School, and 19 more are students at Wheeler High School. According to the CCSD, Walton has the second-highest number of semifinalists for any school in Georgia. Kell, Lassiter and Pope all had semifinalists, and Cobb schools overall had 82 semifinalists.

A CCSD release explains the program and process from here:

“These academically-talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth about $32 million that will be offered next spring. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.”

Demolition of original Walton High School building on Cobb school board agenda

September 13, 2017 1:29 PMSeptember 13, 2017 12:51 PM by Wendy Parker

The original Walton High School building stands empty, with a new classroom facility having just opened.

Tearing down the old building, which opened in 1975, is needed to complete the Walton rebuilding project, making room for a new gymnasium and fine arts building.

A proposed demolition contract is on the Thursday agenda for the Cobb Board of Education, which is holding its monthly work session (from 2 p.m.-5 p.m.) and business meeting (beginning at 7 p.m.) on the same day due to the upcoming fall break the week of Sept. 25-29.

(See the attached PDF for the full agenda packet).

School officials have received a low bid of $3.584 million from Triad Construction Co. of College Park and are recommending board approval (pages 35-36 of agenda) of the Walton demolition.

The new Walton gym and fine arts components, which are expected to be completed in 2019, represent the final part of the $48 million Walton rebuild, which was approved by Cobb voters in 2013 in the Cobb Ed-SPLOST IV referendum.

EAST COBB TRAFFIC ALERT: Riverside Drive closed at Heards Ferry Road in Sandy Springs

September 13, 2017 11:27 AM by Wendy Parker

Riverside Drive at Heards Ferry Road — *The intersection of Riverside Drive and Heards Ferry Road is one of several traffic closures in Sandy Springs. Click to view larger map.*

For East Cobb commuters who use Riverside Drive in Sandy Springs to get to Interstate 285 and beyond, you’ll have to find another route, at least for another day or two. That’s because of downed power lines and trees caused by Tropical Storm Irma.

This morning the City of Sandy Springs issued a notice saying that the intersection of Riverside Drive and Heards Ferry Road—the last major intersection south of I-285—remains closed, and that eight Georgia Power trucks will be needed to make repairs. Seven power poles were damaged in the storm at that juncture.

More details here about that closure and others in Sandy Springs that may affect your commute:

“Public Works is setting up variable message signs (VMS’s) in advance to alert drivers. We are alerting motorists at Johnson Ferry Rd/Riverside Dr and Johnson Ferry Rd/River Valley Rd that Riverside Dr is closed. We are also placing a VMS at the Riverside Dr and I-285 westbound roundabout alerting motorists that Riverside is closed. On Heards Ferry Rd, VMS’s will be placed at Raider Dr west of Riverside Dr and Mount Vernon Hwy east of Riverside Dr alerting motorists that Heards Ferry Rd is closed.”

Here’s the full link to what’s being distributed today by Sandy Springs, including a full list of road closures (and they had quite a few).

East Cobb weather returns to sunny, warm conditions after Irma

September 13, 2017 6:04 AM by Wendy Parker

Little Willeo Road near Johnson Ferry Road, East Cobb weather — *Crews work on a power line on Little Willeo Road near Johnson Ferry Road Tuesday afternoon. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)*

As work crews repaired power lines and cleared tree and other debris from roads Tuesday, East Cobb started to return to normal after riding out Tropical Storm Irma. Although partly cloudy skies and some rain are expected Wednesday, by the end of the week East Cobb weather will pick up where it left off before Monday’s storm.

Cobb County was spared the worst of the powerful storm’s damage that has crippled much of Georgia and other parts of metro Atlanta.

Cobb EMC reported no power outages as of late Tuesday afternoon, while several hundred Cobb customers of Georgia Power, mostly in South Cobb, were still without electricity.

Cobb officials said fewer than 100 trees were reported down throughout the county, and no major roads or streets were closed as a result of that or other damage.

Little Willeo Road 9.12.17, East Cobb weather — *An AT & T service truck flashing caution lights to passing motorists on Little Willeo Road on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)*

The Cobb County School District is the only major school system to return to classes Wednesday (East Cobb News post here), as sizable areas of metro Atlanta remain without power and have road hazards.

There are still plenty of minor branches and light debris scattered about East Cobb. In addition to electric crews, trucks from AT & T, Comcast and other utility companies were repairing lines, cables and other connection points that experienced lost service.

Irma carried sustained winds of more than 30 mph in many places around metro Atlanta, and gusts in some cases exceeding 50 mph, but those winds never got as strong in Cobb.

In nearby Sandy Springs, wind damage knocked down trees along many major roads, and a falling tree killed a man sleeping in his home. Motorists were advised not to travel to Sandy Springs from East Cobb via those affected areas (East Cobb News post here).

As Cobb students return to classes and business fully open on Wednesday, the rain will gradually dissipate and warmer temperatures will return. A 30 percent chance of showers is forecast for East Cobb, mainly in the afternoon, along with partly sunny skies. The high temperature should be around 75 (here’s the 7-day local forecast by the National Weather Service).

Thursday also is expected to be party sunny, with a high near 79, and Friday will be mostly sunny with temperatures in the low 80s.

By the weekend, with the East Cobber Parade & Festival on Saturday and the East Cobb Garden Tour and a Sunday Funday event at East Cobb Park on Sunday, mostly sunny skies are forecast and temperatures will be in the mid-80s.

Cobb schools resume classes on Wednesday

September 12, 2017 6:44 PMSeptember 12, 2017 6:07 PM by Wendy Parker

Shortly after 3:30 p.m. today, the Cobb County School District announced that all classes and operations will return Wednesday to their normal schedules. Cobb schools resume classes after being closed Monday and Tuesday due to Tropical Storm Irma.

Some schools have had to reschedule their administering of the Iowa Basic Skills Test, which was to have started on Monday.

East Cobb Middle School has announced that the start of the IBST period will be Thursday; we’ll add more details about other East Cobb schools and their new testing periods as we get them. Please send an e-mail to editor@eastcobbnews.com if you have information to add here.

There’s no word yet on how the weather days on Monday or Tuesday may be made up; Cobb schools will be having their annual fall break from Sept. Sept. 25-29.

Cobb made it through Irma in much better shape than surrounding areas of metro Atlanta, some of which are still without electricity. Atlanta, DeKalb, Clayton, Fulton, Gwinnett and Henry are among the school districts that will will remain closed tomorrow.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, nearly half of all DeKalb school buildings still had no power, and in many parts of the metro area work crews were still clearing roads of trees, power line and other debris.

Two killed in Lower Roswell Road accident early Tuesday morning

September 19, 2017 6:31 PMSeptember 12, 2017 2:09 PM by Wendy Parker

Two people were killed in a one-car accident off Lower Roswell Road in East Cobb early Tuesday morning, according to Cobb Police.

The victims, both males, died when the white Dodge Challenger in which they were riding slammed into a stone wall at the entrance to the Gold Branch Trail of of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area shortly after midnight and caught fire.

Police said the men were pronounced dead at the scene, and that the Cobb County Medical Examiner’s Office was working to identify them.

Police said the vehicle was traveling on Lower Roswell Road near Asheforde Drive when the driver apparently lost control.

In addition to the roads being wet, police said the vehicle apparently was exceeding the posted 40 mph speed limit.

Anyone with information about the accident should call Cobb Police at 770-499-3987.

Cobb cleans up after Irma; travel alert issued for Sandy Springs

September 12, 2017 12:48 PMSeptember 12, 2017 12:09 PM by Wendy Parker

*A northbound view of Johnson Ferry Road at Princeton Lakes Drive, at 11 a.m. Tuesday. (Georgia 511 photo)*

Cobb County got plenty of rain and high winds and power outages on Monday as Tropical Storm Irma engulfed metro Atlanta and Georgia, but it could have been a lot worse.

Cobb schools and government remain closed today as the cleanup continues following the passage of the large storm, which has been downgraded to a tropical depression.

Two people died in metro Atlanta and more than 1.5 million customers in Georgia lost power during Irma, whose arrival prompted a statewide declaration of a state of emergency.

Some motorists are out on the roads and some businesses are open today, but local and state officials are warning of downed trees and power lines, debris and standing water.

Compared to other communities in metro Atlanta, Cobb dodged the worst of Irma. As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, Georgia Power reported around 50 power outages in the county remaining (after several thousand initially), compared to several hundred in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Clayton (here’s more).

*In this Georgia Power outage map as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, the red colors indicate power outages between 5k-15k, orange 500-5k and green under 500.*

Cobb EMC reported late Monday evening that fewer than 200 customers were without power, but hasn’t updated that figure this morning.

Many of the dozens of roads in Atlanta, Fulton County, DeKalb and elsewhere that closed Monday still hadn’t reopened as of late Tuesday morning. Cobb DOT as yet hasn’t identified any road closures but all major East Cobb thoroughfares are open; we’ll be getting out soon to take a look around.

Also hard-hit in Monday’s storm was Sandy Springs, adjacent to East Cobb, where a man died when a tree fell on his house while he was sleeping.

Several major roads in Sandy Springs remain closed this morning, and Cobb officials urged motorists who may be headed there to seek alternative routes.

Trees were reported down on Johnson Ferry Road in Sandy Springs, not far from the Chattahoochee River and the border with East Cobb. Here’s the advisory sent out by Cobb government this morning:

“The City of Sandy Springs is asking all motorists to stay off the roads on Tuesday. Georgia Power is not able to begin repairs on any down power lines until Tuesday morning.

“Sandy Springs has more than 30 roads impacted by down power lines. Of those, ten roads are major connections for residents throughout the metro area as part of their daily commute including: Spalding Drive, Riverside Drive, Johnson Ferry Road, Powers Ferry Road, Lake Forrest, Northside Drive, High Point Road and Glenridge Road.

“There is no timeline on when to expect roads to reopen. The City has closed its offices on Tuesday and encourages other businesses within the city to do the same.”

And as we noted here yesterday, the Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for today, including the final public hearing and adoption of the fiscal year 2018 budget and passage of the Cobb 2040 Comprehensive Plan has been postponed to Sept. 22.

How did you fare during the storm? Let us know! Send your news, including photos if you have them, to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

We’ll post another update later today after we take a drive around the community.

Vote on Cobb County budget, other commission meetings delayed due to weather

September 11, 2017 1:20 PM by Wendy Parker

A final public hearing and vote on the fiscal year 2018 Cobb County government budget was scheduled to take place on Tuesday but is being put on hold because of Tropical Storm Irma.

Cobb government offices are closed Monday and Tuesday (East Cobb News coverage here) due to severe weather.

Shortly after 12 p.m. on Monday, Cobb government announced that Tuesday’s regularly scheduled Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting was being rescheduled for Friday, Sept. 22, at 10 a.m.

At that meeting, commissioners will conduct a final public hearing on the budget and vote on final approval. Chairman Mike Boyce is recommending an $890 million spending package, with $405 million coming from the general fund, and no millage rate increases (East Cobb News coverage here and here).

The Sept. 22 meeting also will include a vote on the Cobb 2040 Comprehensive Plan, a road map for suggested future land use and other long-term community growth and development strategies to be submitted to the Atlanta Regional Commission.

The commission’s agenda work session that was to have taken place Monday morning has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 3 p.m., following the commission’s monthly zoning hearing (which starts at 9 a.m.)

The commission’s work session also slated for today will take place instead on Monday, Sept. 25, at 1:30 p.m., and will feature additional budget presentations.

All of the board’s meetings will take place in the second floor boardroom of the Cobb BOC Building, 100 Cherokee St., in downtown Marietta.

East Cobb motorists stay off roads as Tropical Storm Irma arrives

September 11, 2017 12:23 PMSeptember 11, 2017 11:45 AM by Wendy Parker

Johnson Ferry and Roswell Road, East Cobb motorists — *The intersection of Johnson Ferry Road and Roswell Road, one of East Cobb’s busiest, shortly after 10 a.m. Monday. (Georgia 511 camera photos)*

The typical morning rush hour was anything but on Monday, as East Cobb motorists heeded the warnings of Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and other officials to stay off the roads as Tropical Storm Irma pushed into metro Atlanta.

With schools and government offices closed (previous East Cobb News coverage here), as well as a growing number of businesses, what normally would be traffic bottlenecks around East Cobb took on the appearance of lonely stretches of backwater roads.

For most of Monday morning, moderate to heavy rain from Irma engulfed the entire state of Georgia, although the center of the storm was passing through central Alabama.

(At 10:40 a.m. Monday, Cobb County government announced all offices and services, including courts and libraries, would be closed on Tuesday.)

The rain began overnight, along with winds around 15-20 mph, but they were expected to pick up substantially into Monday afternoon. Up to 5-7 inches of rain are being forecast by the National Weather Service throughout the metro area into Monday evening, and sustained winds of 35-40 mph and gusts possibly surpassing 60 mph.

Because of the low temperatures—in the mid-to-high 50s late Monday morning—the likelihood of tornado weather has been drastically reduced.

Powers Ferry Road at Windy Hill Road, East Cobb motorists, Tropical Storm Irma — *Powers Ferry Road at Windy Hill Road.*

Deal declared a statewide state of emergency on Sunday afternoon, and tropical storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service on Saturday were to continue indefinitely.

Cobb, metro Atlanta and most of Georgia also remain under a flash flood watch until early Tuesday. The potential wind damage to trees and power lines, as well as debris and glass falling from buildings, has prompted some rare actions. MARTA bus and rail service has been suspended for Monday. As of 11 a.m. Monday the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport remains open, although hundreds of flights have already been cancelled.

Roswell Road at 120 Loop — *Roswell Road at the 120 Loop.*

After tearing through Florida on Sunday, Hurricane Irma entered south Georgia Sunday night as a Category 2 storm, and was expected to be downgraded to Category 1 and tropical storm status as it traveled north.

But the power of the storm has caused plenty of serious damage to Georgia already. State emergency officials and law enforcement agencies have been reporting big trees and power lines being down in roadways, and damage from buildings and other debris endangering motorists, pedestrians and emergency crews.

By mid-morning Monday, those reports included locations in the metro Atlanta area.

Hundreds of thousands of Georgians are already without electricity, and those numbers figure to skyrocket as the effects of Irma move through the state and into Alabama and western Tennessee by Monday evening.

Georgia citizens are being urged to stay where they are for the remainder of Monday. However, Georgia DOT is advising that “if you are out and about and come to a traffic light out—treat as four way stop.”

Cobb residents are being urged to acquaint themselves with safety information provided by the Cobb Emergency Management Agency. The basics include having flashlights, batteries, fully-charged cell phones, mobile devices and portable radios ready, along with procedures for moving to a safer part of a home or other building if necessary.

To prevent against being injured by falling trees, broken glass or other debris from high winds, move to a room without windows.

You can track CEMA updates here.

If you lose power, know the emergency phone number and procedures for contacting for your service provider.

Georgia Power is asking customers to report outages at its outage information link. (At 11:30 a.m., Georgia Power reported that about 330,000 customers statewide were without power, including around 85,000 in metro Atlanta, numbers that were “growing fast.”)

If you are a Cobb EMC member, report outages on its free app or call. 770-429-2100. Do not report outages to its social media channels.

Cobb braces for Irma with heavy rain, high winds; school closed Mon. & Tues.

September 10, 2017 7:03 PMSeptember 10, 2017 1:01 PM by Wendy Parker

It may not seem like it today, but East Cobb, metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia are about to get major tropical storm weather.

On Sunday it’s been beautiful, with sunny skies and temperatures rising to the low 70s, and humidity levels around 40 percent. But those conditions will change dramatically on Monday.

Late Saturday night, the National Weather Service in Peachtree City issued a tropical storm warning for the metro Atlanta area that is expected to last until early Tuesday.

The NWS is forecasting heavy rains and high winds as what’s left of Hurricane Irma pushes into Georgia, after the powerful Category 4 storm made landfall in south Florida Sunday morning.

Shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency for the entire state, and said state government offices will be closed on Monday and Tuesday. Many local governments and school districts quickly followed suit.

Tropical storm conditions are expected all day Monday in Cobb and metro Atlanta, with between 1-2 inches of rain possible (and likely more), as well as winds possibly gusting to 55 mph and even higher.

The possibility of flash flooding is also in the forecast, and already some metro Atlanta school districts and colleges, including Kennesaw State University, have cancelled all classes and activities. A flash flood watch is in effect for Cobb until 8 a.m. Tuesday.

UPDATED: Cobb County School District officials announced at 1:40 p.m. Sunday that there will be no school on Monday or Tuesday; all other activities also will be cancelled on those days and the school system’s main offices will be closed as well.

UPDATED, 7 PM SUNDAY: Cobb County government offices will be closed on Monday. Libraries also will be closed, and the Cobb Board of Commissioners work session scheduled for Monday has been cancelled.

In a Facebook message to Cobb school parents Saturday night, deputy superintendent John Adams said the district was considering possible power outage concerns as well as rain and wind conditions affecting travel.

Atlanta Irma wind speed — *National Weather Service rainfall and windspeed estimate maps as of 1 p.m. Sunday.*

“We are also interested to see if the Governor expands the State of Emergency to include metro Atlanta. Rest assured that we will always err on the side of student safety and will seek to make a decision about school on Monday as soon as reasonably possible.”

On Friday, the CCSD issued a message urging parents to visit its website homepage for updates, and to refer to the school system’s inclement weather page for details.

Already some brisk winds are whipping up in the East Cobb area. By early Sunday afternoon, the winds were reported at around 15 mph, and they’re expected to get even stronger as tropical storm-like weather approaches north Georgia.

The rain in metro Atlanta is expected to arrive overnight, with thunderstorms most likely after 7 a.m. Temperatures are expected to be only in the mid 60s, but the chance of precipitation is 100 percent.

On Monday night, tropical storm conditions are expected to continue, with more showers and the possibility of thunderstorms. The low temperature is expected to drop to 60.

On early Tuesday morning, as the tropical storm warning is projected to end, more showers are in the forecast, with highs in the high 60s. Winds between 15-20 mph could gust to 30 mph, and the chance of rain is 80 percent.

Over the weekend, Cobb County government urged residents to take safety measures and provided a page with emergency links and other related information.

East Cobb pipeline installation finalized as project nears completion

September 9, 2017 11:35 AM by Wendy Parker

*Lower Roswell Road near the Sope Creek Bridge was the last area for the East Cobb Pipeline Project water main to be installed. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)*

The new 54-inch water main along a 6.1-mile stretch of Lower Roswell Road and Terrell Mill Road has been put in place. But the East Cobb Pipeline Project isn’t quite finished.

Post-installation work continues and will conclude with repaving. The $47 million project, which began two years ago, will still involve some traffic disruption in the coming weeks. More about what’s ahead from Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott, who sent out this message on Friday:

Over the next several weeks, the East Cobb Pipeline project will come to a close. Commuters will continue to see crews on site performing final backfill, testing, paving and cleanup activities with single lane closures decreasing in frequency. By the end of this week, the entire pipeline will be filled with water for pressure testing the week of 9/11 while other crews continue to prepare the road for repaving. During the week of Sept. 18, disinfection of the pipeline will take place, as well as possible paving from Sope Creek to Lindsey Road, depending on weather and progress. After testing and commissioning of the pipeline, final resurfacing will take place by Cobb County Department of Transportation. For questions or concerns, please call the project hotline at 770-514-5301.

Walton, East Cobb ACT scores top record Cobb results

September 8, 2017 4:31 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb ACT scores represented the four highest Cobb County school-wide composite figures for 2017, led by Walton High School.

ACT results were released Friday by the Cobb County School District. Walton’s composite score of 27 (out of a possible 36), led the way for all 16 high schools in Cobb, followed by East Cobb neighbors Pope (25.6), Wheeler (25.1) and Lassiter (25.0.)

Cobb’s composite score of 22.9 is a record for the district, and for 2017 it is four points higher than the national ACT composite and 1.5 points above the Georgia composite (full Cobb release).

The other two East Cobb high schools posted composite scores just below the Cobb average: Kell (21.6) and Sprayberry (21.0). The 2017 scores for all six East Cobb high schools represented increases from 2106, according to data released by the CCSD.

The ACT, a major barometer for college admissions and merit scholarships, is taken by high school students and consists of four subject-area sections (English, math, reading and science). A total of 7,800 Cobb graduating seniors took the ACT in 2017, about 54 percent of the high school enrollment.

Ten individual students recorded perfect ACT scores, including five from Walton and one each from Lassiter and Wheeler.

“These scores are just one indication of the quality of public education in the Cobb County School District and underscore our mission of One Team, One Goal: Student Success,” Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale said in a statement Friday. “The credit for the results goes to our hard-working students and dedicated teachers and administrators.”

Wheeler’s score of 25.1 represents the biggest gain in the CCSD from 2016, a full point higher than a year ago. Principal Peter Giles said in a statement that the school in recent years began giving freshmen pre-ACT tests to prepare them for their senior exam.

“This gives students exposure to the format of the ACT,” Giles said, “while showing students that they are not limited to the SAT.”

Here’s how many East Cobb high school students took the ACT, school-by-school:

Kell: 214 students tested (62.6% of all seniors): 21.6 composite score;
Lassiter: 363 students tested (72.2%): 25.0;
Pope: 334 students tested (69.4%): 25.6;
Sprayberry: 164 students test (40.3%): 21.0;
Walton: 483 students tested (74.9%): 27.0;
Wheeler: 221 students tested (48.6%): 25.0.

More information on the Cobb ACT results can be found here.

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