Month: December 2017

Cobb schools closed Monday; latest on road/tree/power issues, openings/closings and more

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East Cobb weather update

UPDATED, 1:05 P.M. SUNDAY:

Cobb schools posted this notice on its Twitter account just a few moments ago:

All Cobb County schools are closed Monday, December 11, for both students and staff, due to continued power outages at multiple schools and poor travel conditions on secondary roads in the northern part of the county.

ORIGINAL REPORT, POSTED 12:47 P.M. SUNDAY: 

By noon Sunday, East Cobb was still digging out of snowy and icy weather as temperatures gradually began to rise above freezing.

Work crews were out early Sunday morning, treating roads, removing trees and restoring power. Some areas of East Cobb were affected.

The only remaining road closure in the county is in East Cobb, at the intersection of Davis Road and Holly Springs Road, according to Cobb DOT. There, power lines were tangled with trees, and even after repair work is complete, motorists are advised not to travel through that area (where the roundabout is located).East Cobb weather update, Davis Road at Holly Springs Road

Bill Shelton, Cobb DOT’s road maintenance manager, said in a statement that “We hope to have the majority of trees cleaned up by mid-afternoon. We’ll spend much of the week picking up the debris off the right-of-way. It will be a long week, but we are up to the task.”

Cobb DOT crews treated roads overnight Saturday into Sunday, treating “black ice” on roads as temperatures dropped into the low 20s, refreezing melted snow and water. More than 50 locations were treated.

Cobb DOT crews also are dealing with tree removal issues on major roads and in county right-of-way areas today. A total of 55 calls were addressed by right before 8 a.m. Sunday, with another hundred or so remaining.

Send us your photos and news!

  • Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them, as well as business or other closings or cancellations. E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Some East Cobbers were still without power this morning, some for more than a day since several inches of snow began falling on Friday afternoon.

East Cobb United Methodist Church, on Roswell Road near East Piedmont Road, did not hold services today because it’s still without electricity. The same was the case for St. Andrew United Methodist Church on Canton Road, which also cancelled a holiday concert scheduled for Sunday.

By mid Sunday morning, Cobb EMC reported that it was still working on repairing several broken utility poles in the county, including Ebenezer Road in East Cobb.

Around 5,000 Cobb EMC customers, some of them in East Cobb, were still without power by mid-morning. The agency said it cannot estimate the time when service might be restored.

As noted here Saturday, a good number of outages in East Cobb were above Sandy Plains Road.

Earlier this morning, Cobb EMC said it is still working in that area, and in portions along Paper Mill Road, to restore electricity. Here’s an outage map that indicates more detail; those who haven’t reported outages should call 770-429-2100.

Georgia Power offered some general time blocks for restoring power to affected areas, including by 3 p.m. in metro Atlanta and by 6 p.m. in Atlanta North.

Its latest outage map shows that most customers in metro Atlanta who have lost power have had it restored, with most remaining issues in north Georgia.

OPENINGS/CLOSINGS, ETC.

Here’s the latest on what we know, at around noon Sunday. Send your news/photos to: editor@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll add it here, or in future posts:

  • Lutheran Church of the Resurrection cancelled all Sunday services and is postponing today’s Christmas Pageant and Advent Dinner to a later date;
  • Cactus Car Wash is open from 12-6 today;
  • The Pope Showcase of the Arts that was scheduled for today has been postponed to Sunday, December 17th at 7:30 p.m.;
  • As of now (around 12:30 p.m. Sunday), the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony concert at 4 p.m. at the Lassiter HS concert hall is still going on as scheduled;
  • The Johnson Ferry Christmas Festival concerts at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. are still scheduled as of now, and a makeup concert from Saturday will take place at 7 p.m. Monday;
  • Sunday ChrisTeen classes at Transfiguration Catholic Church (4:30 and 7:30 p.m.) are cancelled;
  • The Carols for Christmas concert at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church at 6 p.m. is still scheduled;
  • The St. Nicholas Holiday Market scheduled from 12-4 today at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Catholic Church is being postponed to next Sunday, Dec. 17, as power at the church was only restored at midnight;
  • The Empty Bowl Brunch today at The Art Place-Mountain View also is being postponed a week, to Sunday, Dec. 17. If you have tickets and cannot make it next week, please contact The Art Place on Monday for a refund; the event is a benefit for MUST Ministries;
  • A Monday holiday concert of the Sprayberry High School chorus also is cancelled since there will be no school tomorrow;

Here are some social media postings yesterday and today from around East Cobb; we’ve also been iced in at East Cobb News and are going to try and get out a little bit today!

 

 

Send news of opening/closing/cancellations and photos of the snow near you to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

 

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Winter Wonderland in East Cobb: Latest closings, cancellations, outages as cleanup continues

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East Cobb Winter Weather
Snowfall estimates in Cobb County range from two to eight inches, and freezing temperatures are in the Saturday night forecast.

UPDATED, 4:30 P.M. SATURDAY: 

Shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday, Cobb EMC indicated that around 16,000 customers were still without power combined in all of its five counties of service, with the following numbers of customers without power in the following East Cobb ZIP codes:

  • 30062: 1,624
  • 30066: 2,621
  • 30067: 536
  • 30068: 990
  • 30075: 1,620 (Cobb and Fulton)

In a Tweet sent out at 4:15 p.m., Cobb EMC said its hardest-hit areas that remained in East Cobb were along Lower Roswell Road, Little Willeo Road, Timber Ridge Road and Sandy Plains Road.

Here’s a Cobb EMC outage map to check for further updates.

Georgia Power doesn’t have a number of customers still needing power to be restored, and says it can’t give estimates on when the lights will go back on, but also has been updating an outage map.

Although temperatures have risen above freezing this afternoon, and combined with sunshine have caused some melting of snow, state and local officials are urging citizens to stay home for the rest of Saturday, since freezing temperatures will be in effect.

All of metro Atlanta and north Georgia has been subjected to downed trees and power lines, and work is underway to clear them.

At 3 p.m. Cobb government sent a message saying that the county DOT is undertaking tree removal tasks.

“Most main roads are considered to be in good shape,” the DOT message said, indicating that crews will be out again on Sunday “to make sure every road is open by the end of the weekend.”

Residents should report downed trees by calling Cobb County 911.

The Bethlehem Walk holiday event scheduled for 7-9 Saturday at Mountain View United Methodist Church has been cancelled, as it was on Friday.

SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICE UPDATES:

While some businesses—and especially restaurants—have decided to open today, at least for dinner service, many remain closed. The weather situation also is prompting some churches to call off or reschedule not only holiday events scheduled for the weekend, but also Sunday services. Here’s what we have thus far:

  • Piedmont Church will not be holding Sunday services after earlier cancelling its Christmas Festival that had been scheduled for Friday and Saturday;
  • Johnson Ferry Baptist Church has cancelled its Christmas Festival services that were scheduled for 4 and 7 today. The Sunday Christmas Festival services slated for 4 and 7 on Sunday are still on for now, and a service has been added for 7 p.m. Monday to make up for today’s cancellations. The 8:30 a.m. worship service and related Bible Studies or activities will be held on Sunday, but the 9:50 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. worship services and Bible Studies, and activities scheduled around them are still on;
  • Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is holding regular worship services Saturday and Sunday;
  • St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church is holding one combined service at 11:15 a.m. Church school classes and the 7:45 and 8:45 services are cancelled;
  • Mt. Zion United Methodist Church also is holding just one service Sunday, at 11 a.m.;
  • Catholic Church of St. Ann will have most regular Sunday services and events as scheduled, except for hospitality hour;
  • Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church will have an 11 a.m. service only at its Lower Roswell campus. Here’s more, per the church’s Facebook page: “Nursery will be available, but all Sunday school classes and breakfast are cancelled, and shuttles will not run. Carols for Christmas is still planned for 6pm. North Campus will hold its 10:30 service only. All other NC activities are cancelled.”

We’ve got other openings/closings/cancellations listed below that we posted earlier, with some additions.

Send us your photos and news!

  • Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them, as well as business or other closings or cancellations. E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

ORIGINAL REPORT, POSTED AT 11:37 A.M. SATURDAY:

By mid-morning Saturday, the sun was starting to sneak out in East Cobb, and some of Friday’s record snowfall was starting to melt away.

But citizens throughout metro Atlanta and north Georgia are being asked to stay off the roads if at all possible today as work crews travel to repair downed electrical lines and trees, restore power and prepare roads for sub-freezing temperatures tonight.

So you’re being asked to enjoy this holiday winter wonderland at home, at least for another day.

As was the case on Friday, many East Cobb businesses are closed, holiday and other events have been cancelled or postponed all day Saturday.

There are still some Georgia Power and Cobb EMC customers without power in East Cobb, although western and more northern portions of the county were harder hit.

Georgia Power has been posting most of the morning that it is not able to give estimated times for restoration of power. It is updating on its outage map.

Cobb EMC is reporting “high volume with our outage reporting channels,” and also is tracking via an outage map that is working intermittently.

More than 30,000 Cobb EMC customers in the county are without power, including an estimated 7,500 customers in the East Cobb area.

Of those East Cobb outages, around 3,200 have been reported in the 30066 ZIP Code of Northeast Cobb. Cobb EMC has asked for outside help from crews in middle Georgia and other parts of the state as it works to restore power.

Cobb EMC is asking those without power to call 770-429-2100. If the call volume is high (you’re likely to get a constant busy signal), e-mail your outage to memberservices@cobbemc.com. While you won’t get a reply, Cobb EMC said it is logging all e-mails.

Traffic accidents have been reported just about everywhere, with vehicles stranded beside roads, and the hazards of downed trees and power lines are widespread. Here’s what Cobb DOT issued right before 10 a.m. Saturday:

  • Major roads are mostly passable, but avoid traveling unless absolutely necessary;

  • Reports of 100 trees down countywide, crews are still in the process of clearing 50 of those;

  • Another 1.5 inches of snow fell overnight. Reports of 7+ inches in parts of the county are common.

Here’s another update from Cobb DOT, sent at 11:20 a.m.:

Cobb DOT crews working 12-hour shifts have kept most of the main roads passable, but the 911 center has taken hundreds of calls about trees down many blocking roads. Cobb DOT is calling in extra tree-cutting crews at noon to help PARKS crews already dealing with the increasing amount of calls.

Cobb residents that encounter trees blocking roadways or on power lines should report those locations to Cobb County 911.

“We’re hoping the sun stays out and the breeze helps clear the moisture off the roadways,” said Bill Shelton, Cobb County Road Maintenance Division Manager. “If the roads can dry up before temperatures drop back below freezing that would be the best-case scenario.”

Most of the main roads closed by downed trees had been reopened by 11 a.m., but other calls were coming in. Road sensors across the county were reporting temperatures several degrees above freezing.

Here’s else what we know, as of 10:30-11 a.m. or so, about what’s open and what’s not in East Cobb, and what’s been cancelled. Some of this information is obviously very fluid and subject to change. We’re getting e-mails and monitoring social media traffic for most of these items, so please let us know if we need to make a correction/update.

We will be posting significant updates at the top of this post if/when they become available:

CLOSED/CANCELLED

  • All Cobb public library branches, Cobb Linc service also will be out of operation;
  • Piedmont Church Christmas Festival is cancelled and is not being rescheduled;
  • All Upward Basketball games and pictures have been cancelled at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, as have today’s Christmas Festival services. They’re still on for Sunday at 4 and 7 and a 7 p.m. Monday service that’s been added;
  • Righteous Que restaurant is closed;
  • Montrose Animal Hospital is closed, Saturday appointments will be rescheduled starting Monday, dropoff for pets with boarding reservations accepted until 2 p.m. today around the back;
  • Chattahoochee Nature Center is closed all day;
  • All Saturday services at Transfiguration Catholic Church are cancelled, as well as the 8 a.m. Sunday Mass;
  • C’est Moi is closed all day Saturday.

OPENINGS/DELAYED STARTS

  • Loyal Q and Brew restaurant opening at 11 a.m. with limited staff on hand;
  • The WellStar East Cobb Urgent Care is open from noon to 7 p.m. today;
  • Simply Fresh Market is open from 12-4 today;
  • Chick-fil-A Lassiter is tentatively opening between 11:30 a.m. and noon with a limited menu;
  • Rose and Crown Tavern is closed for lunch and is tentatively planning to open for dinner service at 6 p.m.;
  • Seed, Stem Wine Bar and Drift are opening for dinner service at 5 p.m.;
  • Bradley’s Bar & Grill and Zeal Restaurant & Bar are both open Saturday;
  • Frankie’s Italian Restaurant on Roswell Road opened at 12 pm.;
  • WZ Tavern on Shallowford Road is open Saturday;
  • GTC Merchants Walk Cinema is open Saturday;
  • Both locations of Moxie Burger and La Novia Taqueria will be open until 8 p.m. Saturday;
  • Black Swan Tavern opening was delayed to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Some East Cobb social media postings to share below, illustrating the depth of the snow, and the danger of the ice underneath that will be freezing again tonight:

Didn’t see that one coming! Wow!! Consistent 9.5-10″ at my house❄☃⛄#snowday#snowpocalypse2017pic.twitter.com/bFtGsiwT5x — Peter Giles (@_WHSPrincipal) December 9, 2017

 

Send news of opening/closing/cancellations and photos of the snow near you to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

 

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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!

East Cobb bank robbery suspect sought after Regions Bank heist

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East Cobb bank robbery, Regions Bank Roswell Road
Cobb Police released surveillance photos of the robbery suspect at the Regions Bank, 2486 Roswell Road. 

Cobb Police are looking for a suspect in an East Cobb bank robbery Thursday afternoon.

They released surveillance camera photos of a man whom they say approached a teller at the Regions Bank, 2486 Roswell Road, around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, and issued a note demanding money.

The suspect received undisclosed cash and left on foot, according to police. They described the suspect as a black male, 5-foot-5 or 5-foot-6, between 25-30 years of age, and with a thin build.

He is bald with a goatee and was wearing a “Punisher” t-shirt with dark pants and dark shoes and a black ball cap with the words “Beware I Bite” on the front, according to the police description.

Police are asking anyone with information to call 770-499-3945.

Anonymous tippers can receive a reward of up to $2,000 by contacting the Greater Atlanta Crime Stoppers organization at 404-577-TIPS (8477).

Tipsters can also text tip information to Crime Stoppers by typing “CRIMES” (274637).

The Regions Bank branch robbed Thursday was also hit by a serial bank robber who was tried and convicted for robbing several East Cobb and metro Atlanta banks in 2016. A 52-year-old Marietta man, Kevin Ray Williamson, was sentenced to 25 years in prison in June.

 

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EAST COBB WEATHER CLOSINGS: Schools, government, roads, businesses, holiday events and more

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East Cobb weather closings
The start of Friday’s snow in East Cobb, which got between 2-4 inches in two waves of storms. A winter storm warning is in effect for Cobb County, metro Atlanta and most of north Georgia until 10 a.m. Saturday. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

UPDATED, 8 P.M. FRIDAY:

The National Weather Service has extended its winter storm warning that includes Cobb to 10 a.m. Saturday, as a second wave of snow and winter weather passed through metro Atlanta and north Georgia late Friday afternoon.

Cobb was expected to get between 2-4 inches of snow overall, but those amounts are likely to vary.

Roads in Cobb and elsewhere are becoming increasingly treacherous, as Cobb DOT, Georgia DOT and other crews work to brine roadways, bridges and overpasses overnight Friday. Temperatures have generally dropped below freezing in Cobb and Saturday’s high is expected to be only 40 degrees.

The chance of “black ice” is one of the major concerns, as well as the possibility of falling trees and reduced visibility on roads due to the unexpectedly heavy amounts of snow.

Cobb libraries will be closed on Saturday, after closing at noon on Friday along with other Cobb government offices and facilities.

The second blanket of snow came through metro Atlanta later Friday evening, behind early afternoon storms that prompted school, government, business and many other closures, and as commuters, buses and other vehicles created an early, messy rush hour.

Check the Georgia DOT 511 Navigator for updated conditions, including closures and accidents.

Georgia DOT is urging motorists to treat an intersection with traffic light outages as a four-way stop. They should also call 511 to report outages when they reach a safe destination.

Georgia Power and Cobb EMC were reporting scattered outages. As of 6:30 p.m., Cobb EMC reported that its outage reporting channels were down and they’re working to fix the problem.

Cobb EMC customers who have lost power can download an outage on the Cobb EMC app or call 770-429-2100. The web link still wasn’t working as of 7:30 p.m. but an link can be found here that will link to detailed outage information when it’s available online.

(At 9 p.m. Friday an East Cobb News reader called to say that the Cobb EMC power outage phone number was down, and had been down for about an hour.)

Most of the estimated 5,500 Cobb EMC customers without power as of 8 p.m. were in western and north Cobb, with outages also being reported in several parts of Northeast Cobb.

Georgia Power is asking its customers to consult its outage map but has indicated it is not able to estimate when power may restored to an affected area.

Some closings for Saturday to report are below. E-mail us at: editor@eastcobbnews.com with your news of closings, and any weather photos to share. We’ll keep updating as long as we’re in a pre-Christmas Winter Wonderland:

  • Holy Trinity Lutheran Church has postponed Saturday’s Breakfast With Santa until next Saturday, Dec. 16, at 9 a.m.;
  • All events/classes at Studio 348 for Women have been cancelled for Saturday;
  • East Cobb Pediatrics will be closed Saturday;
  • Club Pilates East Cobb is closed Saturday;
  • St. Andrew UMC is postponing its Christmas concert to 6:30 p.m. Sunday (updating information below in this post about a 2 p.m. start);
  • All parish activities at Transfiguration Catholic Church will be postponed until noon Saturday. The Saturday 9 a.m. Mass will be held if weather permits.

Original report, with some updates from earlier Friday afternoon:  

We’re keeping an updated tab on East Cobb weather closings for Friday, with the announcements earlier today of the early release of Cobb schools and the closing of Cobb government at noon.

Here’s what Cobb DOT sent out around 1:15 p.m. Friday:

“With conditions on Cobb County roadways deteriorating faster than expected, Cobb County Department of Transportation called in crews early and began treating trouble spots.  By 12:30 traffic slowed to a crawl on many of the county’s roadways and crews manned trucks with salt to head out to the worse areas.

“DOT’s Road Maintenance Division planned on running full shifts until 2 pm Saturday, concerning falling temperatures could cause icing.  Some crews concentrated at areas around schools where Cobb’s Elementary Schools, the last to dismiss early, would send buses out at 1:30 pm.

“The division’s full complement of trucks, 15 vehicles in all, will run predetermined routes treating much of the county’s 2500 miles of roadways, including state highways.

“Traffic maps at cobbcommute.org showed many of the county’s thoroughfares either running very slow or at a standstill. Officials urged people not already on the roads to avoid going out until the system moves away.”

Temperatures in Cobb and metro Atlanta are staying around freezing all day, and will be plummeting below that by Friday evening.

Information about closings is coming via e-mail, social media posts and other sources. If you know of closings (schools, businesses, churches, organizations, etc.), and especially planned activities, please let us know and we’ll share it with the community. E-mail news, photos, etc. to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Related coverage:

Cobb schools are on early release, with the last phase elementary school students at 1:30 p.m. There will be NO extracurricular activities, including the ACT testing, which will be rescheduled

Most private schools in East Cobb are either under an early release or have closed.

Cobb government closed at 12 p.m., including libraries, which will be monitoring road conditions to determine whether to open on Saturday.

The Cobb government closures also include The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road), and tonight’s Center Stage North performance of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” has been cancelled.

East Cobb weather closings
Roswell Road at WellStar East Cobb Health Park, shortly after 12 p.m. Friday (From Georgia 511 camera)

Send us your photos and news!

  • Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them! If you know of school, church, business or other closings or cancellations too! E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Here are the latest updates about openings/closings for local businesses, organizations, churches (especially for holiday events):

  • The Piedmont Church’s Christmas at Piedmont festival scheduled for 5-9 Friday has been cancelled; updates about Saturday’s 10-5 session will be posted on its Instagram account;
  • Mt. Zion United Methodist Church has postponed its Breakfast With Santa, which was to have been from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Saturday;
  • All Fidelity bank branches were closing around noon Friday;
  • The Lockheed-Georgia Credit Union also closed Friday around noon;
  • Tonight’s Christmas concert at St. Andrew United Methodist Church (3455 Canton Road) is being postponed until Sunday at 2 p.m., with a reception to follow;
  • Friday’s Bethlehem Walk from 7-9 at Mountain View United Methodist Church is cancelled; the final session of the holiday event is still on for the same time on Saturday;
  • At The Avenue East Cobb, carriage rides from 4-7 have been cancelled, but Santa Claus will be in the Santa Suite next to J. Jill for visitors and photos during that time;
  • The Carols for Christmas program Friday at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church has been cancelled. In its place will be a service at 6 p.m. Sunday
  • East Cobb Pediatrics closed at 1 p.m. Friday;
  • All J. Christopher’s locations closed before the normal 2 p.m. closing time;
  • Olde Towne Athletic Club has closed and will delay Saturday opening until 12 p.m.;
  • Chicago’s Steak & Seafood is closed Friday;
  • Seed, Stem Wine Bar and Drift are closed Friday;
  • The British Swim School of North Atlanta is cancelling Friday lessons and offering free makeup lessons;
  • Book Exchange is closing early Friday, but an author open house is still scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday;
  • Righteous Que is closing at 3 p.m. and is not accepting any more phone orders Friday;
  • Johnson Ferry Baptist Church offices have closed for Friday, and all Friday activities are cancelled. As of 2 p.m. Friday, the Christmas Festival services at 4 and 7 Saturday and regular Sunday worship services are still scheduled;
  • Big Peach Running Co. closed at 2 p.m. Friday and will update Saturday opening based on weather conditions;
  • WellStar Medical Group offices closed by 2 p.m. Friday. All WellStar Urgent Care locations were closing at 3 p.m. and are scheduled to open at 10 a.m. Saturday;
  • All CobbLinc public transit services will be suspended at 8 p.m. Friday and will open Saturday, with service times TBA.

Cobb DOT is urging motorists not to get on the roads if they don’t have to. Conditions are deterioarating and crews will be working to treat the roads as the day continues. To monitor the latest conditions visit the Cobb Commute site.

East Cobb weather closings
Sandy Plains Road at East Piedmont Road, also around 12 p.m. Friday (Georgia 511 camera)

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Cobb schools releasing early Friday; all weekend activities cancelled

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Cobb schools releasing early, NWS Winter Storm Warning
Cobb County was placed a winter storm warning area early Friday morning by the National Weather Service.

The Cobb County School District announced right around 10 a.m. Friday that it will be releasing classes early today and cancelling all weekend activities, due to winter weather conditions.

The early release schedule is as follows:

  • High schools, 11:30 a.m.;
  • Middle schools, 12:30 p.m.;
  • Elementary schools; 1:30 p.m.

In addition, all after-school programs are cancelled on Friday, as are extracurricular events scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

Those activities include ACT test sites at Cobb schools, which will be rescheduled.

Not long before Cobb announced early release times, Paulding County schools also announced they would be releasing early. Marietta, Bartow County, Douglas County and Cherokee County schools also were releasing students early.

Here’s what we have thus far for private school closings in East Cobb:

  • Both campuses of Mt. Bethel Christian Academy will be releasing students at 12:30 p.m., although after-school programs will be operating. Extracurricular activities will operate at the discretion of the coach or sponsor;
  • The Walker School is closed Friday for all classes and activities;
  • Faith Lutheran School is releasing all students at 1:30 p.m. Friday;
  • The Catholic Church of St. Ann preschool is releasing at 11:30 a.m.;

All Cobb County government facilities are closing at noon today, including all public library branches.

The closures also include The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road), and tonight’s Center Stage North performance of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” has been cancelled.

A few church-related items to share:

  • The Piedmont Church (570 Piedmont Road) announced around 11 a.m. that its Christmas at Piedmont holiday festival is going on as scheduled from 5-9 tonight, and from 10-5 Saturday;
  • Tonight’s Christmas concert at St. Andrew United Methodist Church (3455 Canton Road) is being postponed until Sunday at 2 p.m., with a reception to follow.

Send us your photos and news!

  • Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them! If you know of school, church, business or other closings or cancellations too! E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Cobb schools began as scheduled on Friday, although Cobb was placed in a winter storm warning area around 6 a.m. by the National Weather Service.

However, by mid-morning, what had been rain was turning into snow or snow mixed with rain, including some areas in East Cobb. Here’s a view of the football field at Lassiter High School, posted on the school’s Twitter feed:

Temperatures in Cobb and metro Atlanta are expected to reach only into the high 30s on Friday, with freezing temperatures forecast for the evening and into overnight. Accumulated snowfall is expected to be less than in inch in most of Cobb, but more in northern and western parts of the county.

The winter storm advisory, which includes Cobb, Paulding, Douglas, Cherokee and Bartow in metro Atlanta and most of mountainous north Georgia, where 1-2 inches of snow has been forecast.

Winter weather has stretched across unexpected areas of the South, with snow falling in San Antonio and parts of Texas, before that storm front headed toward Georgia.

Temperatures aren’t expected to get much warmer in metro Atlanta over the weekend, with Saturday and Sunday highs in the low 40s. There is a 30 percent chance of snow on Saturday, with lows in the low 20s, but the sun also is expected to come out.

Sunday’s high will be around 40, with clear skies. Lows are expected in the low 20s.

 

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Cobb schools open on Friday; Cobb included in winter storm warning area

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The Cobb County School District posted the following message on its Twitter feed shortly after 6 a.m. Friday:Cobb schools open on Friday“All Cobb County schools open as normal today, Friday, December 8. Temps forecast to remain above freezing throughout the day with road temps a few degrees warmer.”

After-school programs also will operate on schedule but extracurricular activities are cancelled for Friday and Saturday.

Schools in Marietta and most of metro Atlanta also are open as the line for winter weather notifications issued by the National Weather Service is running northwest of Marietta and Cobb.

The National Weather Service has revised the areas to be included in a winter storm warning, and that includes Cobb, Paulding, Douglas and Cherokee counties.

Being in the storm area means that “periods of snow” are expected during the designated warning period, through 7 a.m. Saturday.

A social media message issued by Cobb government around 6:30 a.m. Friday said that the Cobb Emergency Management Agency and Cobb DOT are “watching situation carefully” but offered no other information.

A number of school districts in north Georgia have cancelled classes due to freezing rain and snow, but they are well north of metro Atlanta.

Early Friday morning the precipitation in most of metro Atlanta was rain, with temperatures just above freezing. The highs in the area for Friday, including Cobb, are forecast to be in the high 30s, with freezing temperatures expected by Friday evening.

Cobb DOT reported early Friday morning, also around 6 a.m., that most road temperatures in the county along the Interstate 75 corridor were above freezing.

UPDATED, 7:12 a.m.: Shortly after 7, Cobb schools tweeted this information:

“We will continue to monitor conditions and confer with forecasters and public safety officials throughout the day. We will continue to keep you informed via our website.”

That link can be found here.

NWS Winter Storm Warning
Cobb County was included in a winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service shortly before 6 a.m. Friday.

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Winter weather advisory issued for Cobb, north Georgia

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Winter Weather Advisory, Cobb weather, National Weather Service

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for most of north Georgia and metro Atlanta, including Cobb County, starting early Friday morning.

The advisory, which was issued around 3 p.m. Thursday, lasts from 5 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday and includes the possibility of between a half-inch to an inch of snow or rain mixed with snow throughout the advisory area.

What’s expected to start out as rain could become rain mixed with snow or sleet in the pre-dawn and morning commuting hours of Friday.

Earlier Thursday afternoon, Cobb DOT trucks were out pre-treating bridges and overpasses with a brine mixture.

“You can pretreat with the brine up to 48 hours ahead of the storm,” said Bill Shelton, Cobb DOT’s Road Maintenance Director, in a statement issued by Cobb County government. “The cost to do the whole county, every bridge and overpass, is probably $100 worth of salt. It is worth it to be proactive and keep our roads safe for the traveling public.”

The NWS advisory area runs north of a line from LaGrange to Jonesboro to Lawrenceville to Hiawassee.

The likelihood of rain or snow will be strongest after 5 a.m. Friday, according to the weather advisory. Temperatures in the Cobb area are expected to be in the high 30s, and the chance of precipitation is 90 percent.

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, the Cobb County School District had not announced whether school activities will take place on Friday.

UPDATE: Here’s what the CCSD posted on its Twitter account around 10:40 p.m. Thursday:

“@CobbSchools has been monitoring and discussions with meteorologists throughout the day and evening. As of 10:30 pm Thursday schools are open Friday 12/8. We’ll be up at 3:30 am to check roads and forecasts to make an announcement, if anything changes.”

More rain and snow are likely before late Friday night, with lows dropping into the high 20s. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent Friday night.

On Saturday, temperatures are forecast to be in the 40s, with partly sunny skies as the winter weather clears the metro Atlanta area. The low Saturday is expected in the mid 20s, and Sunday’s high is expected to be in the low 40s.

Cobb officials said that as of late Thursday afternoon there were no road closures in the county.

 

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East Cobb high school graduation dates for 2018 announced

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Cobb high school graduation dates

East Cobb high school graduation dates have been announced for the Class of 2018, with five of the six schools holding commencement exercises at the Kennesaw State University Convocation Center in May.

The KSU Convocation Center (590 Cobb Ave., Kennesaw) will be the venue for all but three of the 16 Cobb public high schools.

Among the exceptions is Wheeler High School, which will be holding graduation on campus (375 Holt Road).

Here’s the schedule for the East Cobb schools:

  • Walton: Tuesday, May 22, 7 p.m. (KSU);
  • Sprayberry: Wednesday, May 23, 3:30 p.m. (KSU);
  • Wheeler: Wednesday, May 23, 6:30 p.m. (Wheeler Gym);
  • Kell: Thursday, May 24, 2:30 p.m. (KSU);
  • Lassiter: Saturday, May 26, 2:30 p.m. (KSU);
  • Pope: Saturday, May 26, 7 p.m. (KSU).

Here’s the full schedule from the Cobb County School District.

Each school will announce separately its schedule for other graduation-related activities.

 

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Redevelopment of blighted Canton Road property may be altered after zoning hearing

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Canton Road

One of the ugliest blots along a Canton Road corridor that’s long been the subject of redevelopment efforts appears to be going away soon, but what will come in its place is uncertain.

The owner of an 0.87-acre parcel of land just north of the Canton Road Connector wants to convert a long-abandoned gas station into a kitchen and cabinet showroom, but after a Cobb Planning Commission meeting Tuesday, those plans might be in limbo.

Planning board member Judy Williams, who represents the Canton Road corridor, expressed frustration that the property owner hadn’t submitted detailed plans. Those include meeting design guidelines as part of the Canton Road Corridor Plan.

PetroPlex Joint Venture, the property owner, has not forwarded any renderings, and was to have included stipulations to remove the canopy and front signage from the old gas station.

PetroPlex had requested to rezone the land currently designated for general commercial (GC) to neighborhood retail commercial, or NRC (agenda item packet), since it had been vacant for so long.

Saying she “had high hopes” for the redevelopment of the property, Williams made a motion instead to recommend approval of a low-rise office category (LRO), and her motion passed 5-0.

The planning board’s vote is advisory. The Cobb Board of Commissioners will make a final decision on Dec. 19, but the case illustrates the challenges of cleaning up blighted properties along Canton Road.

Canton Road redevelopment
A former gas station at 2120 Canton Road (starred) is located within a Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC) future land use area.

The property at 2120 Canton Road has been vacant since 2003. Civic and business groups in the area didn’t like the rezoning request because of the lack of details.

While the former gas station has been “a true eyesore” in the community for years, Carol Brown of the Canton Road Neighbors civic association was troubled that no stipulation letters specified the canopy removal.

Her group drafted a letter including that request and asked for a prohibition against southbound turns onto Canton Road, limiting traffic to “a right in, right out” pattern.

Eric Hodge of PetroPlex said he has “spent a lot of money abating a nuisance,” telling the planning board he found out about the canopy removal request only on Tuesday. Fuel tanks from the old gas station were removed earlier this year, as the company acquired the land. Plans call for renovating and expanding the existing building for the showroom, which would be open from 8-5 Monday-Friday and employ 4-6 people.

He said keeping the canopy “is an integral part of the business,” and that he has been “trying to take a bad property and make it nice.”

Williams said she didn’t understand how leaving the canopy standing would have that effect. In her motion, she included language that it be removed, and that new signage fitting the design guidelines also be part of the site plan.

 

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Cobb volunteers, officials honored at Keep Georgia Beautiful awards

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Keep Cobb Beautiful

Release from the Cobb County Communications Office, dated Dec. 2:

Cobb County’s tireless efforts to keep the county clean were recognized at the Keep Georgia Beautiful Awards Ceremony in Atlanta. The county’s Keep Cobb Beautiful organization was recognized a half dozen times during the ceremony at the Marriott Century Center.

Erin Mulgrew was recognized as the Keep Georgia Beautiful “Woman of the Year.”  Mulgrew was appointed to the Keep Cobb Beautiful Board by Commissioner JoAnn Birrell.

Barry Krebs, appointed to the Keep Cobb Beautiful Board by Commissioner Lisa Cupid, was named the organization’s “Man of the Year.”

The annual program honors individuals and organizations working to improve Georgia’s environment.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell was recognized as the “Elected Official of the Year,” an award that honors a state or local elected official that strongly supports environmental and community improvement activities. Birrell had served on KCB’s Board for ten years before she was elected to the Cobb County Board of Commissioners.

KCB was also recognized with a Waste Reduction and Recycling Award, the South Cobb Lions received the 2nd place award in the Litter Prevention category, and the local organization received first place recognition as a Keep Georgia Beautiful affiliate.

Created in 1978 by Governor George Busbee, the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation is based on a fundamental premise that the environmental interests of the state of Georgia and the people who live here are best served when public and private interests work hand-in-hand to achieve common goals.

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Georgia State Senate runoff culminates successful elections for female candidates

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State Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick
Kay Kirkpatrick of East Cobb won a special election runoff in June to succeed State Sen. Judson Hill. (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)

Atlanta attorney Jen Jordan won a Georgia State Senate runoff special election Tuesday that includes a portion of Cobb County. Her election also wound up a successful year of political campaigns in metro Atlanta and Georgia by female candidates.

In an all-Democratic race, Jordan easily defeated Jaha Howard, a Vinings dentist, to claim the Georgia State Senate District 6 seat vacated by Republican Hunter Hill, who is running for Georgia governor. Jordan received 10,681 votes, or 64 percent, to 6,017 votes for Howard, or 36 percent (full results here).

The district includes south Cobb, the Terrell Mill precinct in the Powers Ferry area and part of the city of Atlanta. Howard won the Cobb portion by a 60-40 margin, but Jordan, a self-described progressive, won her home base in Fulton by a 74-26 percent margin.

She was endorsed by former Cobb state representative Stacey Evans, who also is running for governor.

Tuesday also saw the second female elected mayor of Atlanta, as city council member Keisha Lance Bottoms edged fellow council member Mary Norwood in a hotly-contested runoff. Norwood, who was supported by Shirley Franklin, Atlanta’s first female mayor, has asked for a a recount.

Felicia Moore was elected president of the Atlanta City Council on Tuesday, and Roswell’s new mayor is Lori Henry, who succeeds longtime mayor Jere Wood.

Smyrna elected its first black member of the city council, Maryline Blackburn, and Cheryl Richardson won a seat on the Marietta City Council.

In conservative East Cobb, Republican women also won special elections this summer. Kay Kirkpatrick, a retired surgeon at Resurgens Orthopedics and a longtime civic leader with the East Cobb Rotary Club, won a special election to succeed State Sen. Judson Hill in District 32.

He resigned to run for the 6th District Congressional seat won by former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel. She downed heavily-financed Democratic novice Jon Ossoff in a race watched around the nation.

U.S. Rep. Karen Handel
U.S. Rep. Karen Handel got strong support in East Cobb in her bid to succeed Tom Price.

Handel earned some of her biggest margins in East Cobb, where she was strongly supported by Cobb commissioners Bob Ott and JoAnn Birrell.

Birrell, who represents District 3 in Northeast Cobb, is up for re-election next year, and has already drawn Republican primary opposition from Tom Cheek, who sued Cobb County and filed an ethics complaint against former commission chairman Tim Lee over the Atlanta Braves stadium vote.

Handel and Kirkpatrick also have to run for re-election in 2018, as does East Cobb Republican State Rep. Sharon Cooper, a longtime member of the state house. All seats in the legislature will be on the ballot, as well as governor and other statewide offices.

Two East Cobb posts on the Cobb Board of Education will also be up for election in 2018. They are currently held by Republicans Scott Sweeney of Post 6 (Walton and Wheeler high school districts) and David Chastain of Post 4, which includes the Kell and Sprayberry districts.

 

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Cobb Planning Commission votes to hold Terrell Mill Towne Center rezoning case

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Terrell Mill Towne Center
The Terrell Mill Towne Center, proposed as a major boost for the Powers Ferry corridor, has drawn strong and mixed reaction from nearby residents.

After nearly two hours of discussion that included heated opposition from residents in a nearby townhome complex, the Cobb Planning Commission on Tuesday voted to hold the long-delayed rezoning request for the proposed Terrell Mill Towne Center.

By a 3-2 vote, the Planning Commission—which is an advisory board to the Cobb Board of Commissioners—requested more time to sort out a major, complex application that was filed in January.

Traffic and density issues were the primary concerns raised by Thea Powell, Galt Porter and Skip Gunther, the three planning board members who opposed the proposal to rezone nearly 23 acres at Powers Ferry Road and Terrell Mill Road. The mixed-use project, which would be anchored by a Kroger superstore, was to have gone before Cobb commissioners Dec. 19.

The latest delay will push back a formal vote until at least February, since Cobb zoning cases are not heard in January.

The $200 million Terrell Mill Towne Center (agenda packet item) also would also contain restaurants, retail shops, and most controversially, a 310-unit luxury apartment complex abutting the Salem Ridge townhomes on Terrell Mill Road.

Related coverage:

Cobb Planning Commission Chairman Mike Terry of East Cobb, who represents District 2, where the Terrell Mill Towne Center would be located, was in strong support of the development by Eden Rock Real Estate Partners. So was Judy Williams of District 3 in Northeast Cobb, who said the project “would be good for the neighborhood, but will have to be tweaked.”

While the Powers Ferry Corridor Alliance—formerly known as the Terrell Mill Community Association—overwhelmingly supported the rezoning, Salem Ridge homeowners expressed strong opposition, especially to the residential component they say is excessively dense for the area.

“Why do we have [zoning] codes at all if we are going to ignore them?” asked Amy Patricio, who represented the opposing Salem Ridge residents.

She argued that the multiple variances requested by developers amounted to “taking the code and rewriting it to serve their purposes.”

Although Terry and Garvis Sams, the attorney for the developers, pointed out that the full proposal is suitable under the Cobb future land use plan and Power Ferry Master Plan, it was the residential component and a self-storage facility that opponents objected to the most.

In particular, Patricio said the UC zoning category sought for the apartments—Urban Condominium—was far more dense than should be allowed, and that there were an “egregious” number of variances as part of the project.

Porter, of South Cobb, agreed about the density issue, pointing to the project’s proposed 60 units an acre, as compared to the current nearby maximum of five units an acre.

“This just doesn’t match Salem Ridge or anything else around here,” he said, calling it “the definition of spot zoning.”

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PHOTOS: Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center opens its doors

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Sewell Mill Library opens
The main browsing area of the new Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center. (East Cobb News photos and slideshow by Wendy Parker)

With a whiff of asphalt greeting patrons—the parking lot isn’t quite finished—the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center opened to the public on Monday, and quite a few people were waiting to have a look around.

Adult patrons, as well as toddlers, babies and home-schooled students and their parents, were the first to get a public tour of the 28,000-square-foot facility at 2051 Lower Roswell Road. It replaces the East Marietta Library, which was demolished last month after 50 years in service.

Related Coverage:

Sewell Mill Library opens

Sewell Mill Library opens

Built at a cost of $10.6 million, the facility is a joint project of the Cobb County Public Library System and the Cobb Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department.

In addition to a large adult browsing room, there’s also a roomy children’s section. The first event at the new library was a pre-school storytime session, and it was well-attended.

Sewell Mill Library opens

Sewell Mill Library opens

One of the parents watching her children was Kara Sutton, who grew up not far from the old East Marietta Library. She and her family live off Canton Road, and she brings her 4-1/2-year-old twins and a two-year-old to public libraries at least twice a week.

“We live closer to Gritters, and love it there,” she said. “But it’s great to have a newer space to visit.”

Sewell Mill Library opens

Sewell Mill Library opens

But the new branch is much more than a library with traditional library services. The “cultural center” component features visual and digital creative space, including a black box theater and an outdoor amphitheater where concerts and film screenings will be presented.

Sewell Mill Library opens

Sewell Mill Library opens

The opening events reflect that commitment to multi-media, including a photography class on the first evening, a comics workshop, enrichment sessions about classic filmmakers and classical music composers, as well as meetups for filmmakers and writers.

Sewell Mill Library opens

The cultural art space also includes “a digital maker space commons” with small recording rooms, an art gallery and art classrooms, conference and study rooms, a public computer room, a separate room for teenage-themed materials and a cafe.

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There will be a formal ribbon-cutting for the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center at 2 p.m. on Jan. 9. It has the same hours as the former East Marietta Library:

  • Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.;
  • Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.;
  • Saturday, 1-6 p.m.;
  • Closed Sunday.

Parking is available behind the building, as work crews finish paving the parking lot and complete the new entrance for Sewell Park Drive at the site of the former East Marietta Library.

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East Cobb Biz Notes: Chick-Fil-A Woodlawn Square expansion would include double drive-through

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Chick Fil A Woodlawn canopy rendering

The congested layout for the Chick-Fil-A Woodlawn Square location on Johnson Ferry Road will be getting a makeover.

According to documents filed with the Cobb Zoning Division, Interplan LLC, which operates the Chick-Fil-A store at 1201 Johnson Ferry Road, wants to redo the parking lot and drive-through layout as part of an overall restaurant expansion.

In order to do that, it wants to add an adjacent .15 acres of vacant land that’s zoned community retail (CRC). A proposal to rezone from CRC and neighborhood shopping, the freestanding restaurant’s current category, to all neighborhood shopping (NS) will be heard Tuesday by the Cobb Planning Commission.

The applicant’s information packet and zoning staff analysis can be found here, and includes the above rendering and site plan modifications shown below.

What Chick-Fil-A wants to do is construct two lanes winding around the back of the restaurant, along the current route of the current single-lane drive-through, with a canopy at the order station.

If you’ve been in that drive-through lane, you’ve noticed that cars parked next to the building are essentially blocked in because of the long lines. Employees are often manually taking orders standing next to the line to speed up the process.

Chick Fil A Woodlawn site plan

In the new configuration, customers would give their order, then proceed into a single line to the window. It’s a set-up similar to other Chick-Fil-A stores with this feature.

In the Cobb zoning staff analysis, it was noted that a variance is being sought for the front setback from 50 feet to 15 feet in order to accommodate the new canopy. Staff is recommending approval with several conditions, including approval of the architecture of the building and canopy plans by the district commissioner (Bob Ott).

The NS zoning classification is consistent with the rest of Woodlawn Square, which includes Muss & Turner’s, Fresh Market, J. Christopher’s and other retail stores at the shopping center. The adjacent Starbuck’s, also freestanding, is zoned CRC.

In other East Cobb business news, Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar (The Avenue East Cobb, 4475 Roswell Road) has appointed Thomas Hill as its new executive chef.

According to Eater Atlanta, Hill moves over from Seed and Stem Wine Bar, where he worked under Drift owner Doug Turbush. Hill also has also worked at restaurants in Alaska and Oregon.

The following new businesses in East Cobb were granted licenses last week by the Cobb Community Development Department:

  • Atlanta Eco Tree, 1651 Smithwood Drive (tree trimming service);
  • Braemar Partners LLC, 1642 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 250 (land development);
  • East Cobb Embroidery, 895 Fairfield Drive (printing and embroidery services);
  • M V Auto Body Repair, 1991 Powers Ferry Road (auto repair);
  • Nest Interiors, 3411 Ebenezer Road (interior design);
  • Southland Partners, 2100 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 300 (building contractor);
  • Studio Glamoureux, 2550 Sandy Plains Road (cosmetics);
  • Treestone Touring, 1000 Johnson Ferry Road (entertainment services).

 

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PHOTOS: Holiday Lights at East Cobb Park

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Holiday Lights East Cobb Park
(East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)

Several hundred East Cobbers—many of them young children happily dancing with glowsticks and awaiting the arrival of Santa—gathered around the pavilion at East Cobb Park Sunday for the annual Holiday Lights celebration.

Holiday Lights East Cobb Park

Holiday Lights East Cobb Park

Sponsored by the Friends for the East Cobb Park, the event also has the support of WellStar East Cobb Health Park, the East Cobb Rotary and other community organizations and businesses.

Related Coverage

Holiday Lights East Cobb Park
The crowd was warmed up right before dusk by the Dodgen Middle School Pops Band.

Holiday Lights East Cobb Park

Holiday Lights East Cobb Park

Holiday Lights East Cobb Park
The East Cobb Rotary Club provided refreshments while the crowd waited for the tree lighting and Santa.
Holiday Lights East Cobb Park
Santa Claus arrived, and parked his sleigh right in front of the newly lighted tree.
Holiday Lights East Cobb Park
Lines of children waited their chance for a visit and photo with St. Nick.

Holiday Lights East Cobb Park

Holiday Lights East Cobb Park

Holiday Lights East Cobb Park

Holiday Lights East Cobb Park
The walking paths around East Cobb Park also were adorned with lights for the rest of the holiday season.

To see more East Cobb holiday events, please consult our Holiday Guide. Send your holiday news (including photos) to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

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Terrell Mill Towne Center rezoning goes before Cobb Planning Commission

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Terrell Mill Towne Center

We posted back in October some details about the proposed Terrell Mill Towne Center development that’s finally coming up for rezoning this month after months of delays.

The first step in the process comes Tuesday, when the developer, Eden Rock Real Estate Partners, gets a hearing before the Cobb Planning Commission for its 23-acre plan at the northwest corner of Terrell Mill Road and Powers Ferry Road.

The meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the 2nd floor commissioners meeting room, 100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta.

The Cobb Zoning Staff packet and analysis includes a general recommendation of approval of the application with quite a few stipulations related to traffic, including that the developer conduct a traffic study.

The staff document also contains photos of landscaping and lighting plans submitted by the developer, as well as signage height dimensions for the Kroger superstore that’s the anchor component of the project.Kroger sign Terrell Mill Towne Center

Eden Rock (the formal applicant is SSP Blue Ridge, LLC) wants to convert land presently zoned for general commercial, neighborhood shopping and low-density residential (including the present location of Brumby Elementary School) to community retail commercial and urban condominium categories.

In addition to the 100,000-square-foot Kroger, Terrell Mill Towne Center would include restaurant and retail space and 340 luxury residential units.

Here’s Eden Rock’s prospectus it posted in October.

Also in October, the developers and Cobb government and school officials outlined the project at a meeting of the Powers Ferry Corridor Alliance, a civic group formerly known as the Terrell Mill Community Association. That group has expressed general support for the Eden Rock project as a boost for the Powers Ferry area.

The development also is timed for the opening of a new Interstate 75 interchange at Terrell Mill Road.

In its analysis, the Cobb Zoning staff recommended that the developer donate right of way for traffic improvements, including a minimum of 50 feet on the west side of Powers Ferry Road, and a similar distance on the north side of Terrell Mill Road.

Terrell Mill Towne Center landscapingThe traffic study recommendation includes a long-term build-out assessment of 10 years, as well as the installation of traffic signal on Powers Ferry Road at least that’s at least 1,000 feet from the intersection of Terrell Mill Road.

Eden Rock also has proposed a traffic signal on Terrell Mill Road that would partially shut off access to the Terrell Mill Plaza (where the LA Fitness Center is located).

Zoning staff is recommending that a new access point be created at the rear of Terrell Mill Towne Center to coordinate with the Terrell Mill Plaza entrance, and that the developer build raised concrete islands on Powers Ferry Road and Terrell Mill Road.

The rest of Tuesday’s Cobb Planning Commission agenda can be found here, along with preliminary staff analysis.

Staff recommendations and the planning commission’s votes are advisory; the final say comes from the Cobb Board of Commissioners on Dec. 19.

 

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Lower Roswell Road accident near Sewell Park kills pedestrian

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Lower Roswell Road accident

An 81-year-old Marietta woman died Thursday when she was struck by a minivan on Lower Roswell Road.

Cobb Police said Qinxian Fu was pronounced dead after being taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital after the accident.

According to police, the victim was a pedestrian who stepped off the north side of Lower Roswell Road between Pioneer Trail and the entrance to Sewell Park Drive, and into the road, and was hit by the minivan.

The area of the accident was also near Faith Lutheran Church.

The vehicle, a gray 2007 Honda Odyssey, was driven by Vevodova Ladislava, 41, of Acworth, who was traveling westbound on Lower Roswell when she struck Fu with her right fender, police said.

The motorist was not injured, according to police, who are still investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to call 770-499-3987.

PHOTOS: Apple Annie Arts & Craft Show at Catholic Church of St. Ann

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Apple Annie Arts & Crafts Show
(East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)

The 37th Apple Annie Arts & Craft Show takes place Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Catholic Church of St. Ann (4905 Roswell Road), and on Thursday, we swung by the volunteer and VIP event to get a glimpse of what’s on store for the weekend.

It’s part of a big holiday weekend of events in East Cobb. See our earlier post here, as well as our full Holiday Guide for more.

More than 120 artisanal artists and craftsmakers are selling their wares at Apple Annie—some, but not all of it—with a Christmas theme. This is one of the bigger juried arts and crafts shows in the area, and vendors are lined up not only in the fellowship area but downstairs and in classroom and meeting room space.

Apple Annie

Apple Annie

Apple Annie

Apple Annie

Apple Annie

In addition to the arts and crafts sales, a bake sale will be available and the Apple Annie Cafe will serve soups, sandwiches and beverages, with the proceeds going to the St. Ann’s preschool.

Apple Annie

Apple Annie

There also will be continuous raffle prizes every 15 minutes from show artisans and there will be a separate raffle for a handmade 98″ x 98″ quilt.

Admission is $3 (no strollers), and proceeds go to church parish and local charities. Free parking is in the church lot, with overflow space and shuttle service available at the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1795 Johnson Ferry Road).

To see more East Cobb holiday events, please consult our Holiday Guide. Send your holiday news (including photos) to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

 

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