If you’re feeling the itch to reprise some of the best lines, scenes and style of Humphrey Bogart films, The Art Place is seeking a few good local actors for its forthcoming presentation of the play “Murder at Cafe Noir,” inspired by the David Landau book.
The auditions are this coming Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at The Art Place (3330 Sandy Plains Road), with callbacks on Wednesday.
Landau’s work is a comic tribute to Bogart’s 1940s detectives roles. After the owner of the Cafe Noir is murdered, a private investigator is called in, and you probably have a good idea about the rest of the story.
There’s more on The Art Place Facebook page about the characters, but there’s a good variety of roles to audition for, including the protagonist PI Rick Archer.
They include Madam Tourreau, the cafe manager, a black market dealer-turned-bouncer, a fortune teller, a gun runner and a disgraced lawyer.
If you’re chosen for the callbacks, they’ll also be at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, with the cast read-through on Feb. 11 and rehearsals starting Feb. 14.
Performances are March 23-24.
For more information, please email: meryl.manfre@cobbcounty.org.
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Five individuals will be inducted into the Wheeler Hall of Fame next weekend, including a former Wildcat state champion golfer who played professionally on the PGA Tour and in Europe.
The inductees will be honored between games of Wheeler’s varsity basketball home doubleheader against East Coweta next Saturday, Jan. 27, and the official ceremony takes place at 3:45 p.m. in the school orchestra room.
The following information and photos were supplied by Wheeler:
Bill Bergin, Class of 1977
Bill Bergin
Bergin played on Wheeler’s 1976 state championship team and starred at Auburn University. He played on the PGA and European pro tours, and competed in three U.S. Opens and two British Opens, in the latter finishing in a tie for 14th in 1984 at St. Andrews. Bergin runs Bergin Golf Designs in Atlanta and last year was selected as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative People in Golf by Golf Inc.
Cristina Cabrera Burns, Class of 1989
She was a four-year swimming and diving letterwinner at Wheeler, finishing third in the Georgia state high school diving meet in 1988 and and second in 1989. She competed in college at Florida and the University of Georgia, and earned an interior design degree from Georgia State. She is an interior designer and YMCA personal trainer and lives in Kansas City, Mo., with her husband Greg Burns, also a Wheeler graduate, and their four children.
Margarita Cabrera Nickell, Class of 1984
Maragarita Cabrera Nickell
Margarita was on the Wheeler swimming and diving team and was first in the Georgia high school diving meet in 1983 and 1984. She earned an athletic scholarship at the University of Georgia finishing second in the one-meter springboard event at the SEC championships and third in the three-meter event in 1988. She is married to Wheeler alumnus Jeff Nickell and they have two children. She taught at Tritt Elementary School and currently teaches at Mill Creek Elementary in Woodstock.
Donnie Keener, Class of 1975
At Wheeler, Keener played basketball and baseball, hitting .418 with seven home runs, 22 RBIs and 10 doubles in his senior season in 1975, when the Wildcats won the state championship. He played baseball at Georgia Tech and Chipola Junior College, then transferred and played baseball at UGA. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners and was invited to spring by the St. Louis Cardinals. Keener owns a landscape construction company and he and his wife have five adult children.
Gordon Pritz, Wrestling Coach
Gordon Pritz
Pritz was Wheeler’s wrestling coach from 1980 to 1985 before going to McEachern, and also was a football assistant coach for the Wildcats. Thirteen of his Wheeler wrestlers placed in the top four at the state meet, and four became state champions. Pritz also coached Wheeler’s only state wrestling title team in 1985. He was 192-32 in his overall coaching career before becoming a school administrator in Cobb County, Marietta and Paulding County. Pritz is a retired superintendent of schools in Douglas County and with his wife has four grown sons.
The Wheeler Hall of Fame was created in 2008, and inductees include Corky Kell (football coach), Shareef Abdur-Rahim (NBA player and executive), Robby Ginepri (pro tennis), Randy Edwards (Alabama football and NFL Seattle Seahawks), Theresa Gernatt (Georgia Tech basketball), David McDonald (baseball coach), Jeremy Hermida (Major League Baseball), Byron Capers (FSU football, NFL, CFL) and Krista Kilburn (basketball coach).
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While another winter storm was brewing this week, the Cobb County Public Library System unveiled a new program to increase access for students at all of its branches. The Cobb Library PASS program is available to all Cobb and Marietta students who show their student IDs, and it’s for print and digital materials.
While it’s the kind of resource that comes in handy when schools are closed, as they have been since Wednesday, the Cobb Library PASS program is available year-round, as well as from remote locations and by physically visiting a branch.
PASS stands for Public Library Access for Student Success, and here’s what the library system has sent along to explain how the program works. Basically, a student ID serves as a library card number that can be used just like a card for any other library patron:
PASS links K-12 student identification numbers to the new PASS accounts for online connections to the Cobb public library from the home, classroom or library.
Lisa Cleary, Community Engagement Manager for Cobb libraries, said expanding access to the Cobb library is a major step for improving educational attainment levels in the county, especially for students with limited opportunities to visit libraries in person. All students have access to school media center resources, yet only about one-fourth have Cobb library cards, she added.
Through Library PASS accounts, area public school students may checkout books and eBooks, and explore online resources like research publications on science, history, technology and more.
Officials with the library system and schools spent several months developing PASS and preparing teachers and school staffs for the PASS launch. The collaboration between the public library and schools is bolstered by the relationships the three organizations developed for annual Summer Reading programs and other joint initiatives throughout the year.
Cobb County Schools Library Media Education Supervisor Holly Frilot said the groundwork for Library Pass involved many local meetings, discussions with library institutions in other states, and the involvement of several departments in the three partner organizations.
“We strive every day to improve and enhance the digital and print literacy skills of our students – skills that are crucial for success in school, career, and life,” Frilot said. “The PASS partnership directly speaks to this goal.”
Here’s more about the PASS program at this FAQ page, including PIN numbers, limits on materials to check out and daily computer usage and downloading library system apps.
Further information can be found here for parents.
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Sunshine helped melt much of the snow, including at East Cobb Park, but icy roads are expected to freeze over again Thursday night. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)
The word’s just come down that for the third day in a row, Cobb schools will be closed on Friday.
The Cobb County School District cited “hazardous road and travel conditions throughout the county,” and that includes a number of areas of East Cobb.
The major roads are clear for the most part, but along roads without the direct sunshine that helped the melting process today, there’s still a lot of ice and slush. That’s expected to freeze over again tonight as temperatures drop down into the mid-to-low 20s.
When we went out earlier this afternoon, we noticed this too, especially along Robinson Road near Fullers Park, and along Robinson on either side of Old Canton Road.
That’s one of a couple dozen or so icy patches in East Cobb that remain treacherous. Earlier today, some social media postings included a lot of ice on Hembree Road near Pope High School, and around Walton High School.
Sandy Plains Road at Wigley Road and north on Wigley Road;
Several areas along Mabry Road;
Ebenezer Road;
Several spots along Bells Ferry Road;
Barnes Mill Road;
Roswell Road near Barnes Mill;
Post Oak Tritt near Johnson Ferry Road;
Shallowford Road east of Johnson Ferry;
Johnson Ferry Road at Oak Drive;
Sewell Mill Road near Old Canton Road;
Johnson Ferry at the Chattahoochee River;
Several areas along Powers Ferry Road.
Cobb County government will have normal working hours on Friday.
Mt. Bethel Christian Academy will be holding classes as normally scheduled on Friday.
The Walker School also announced it would be trying to make a go of classes on Friday, tweeting out this message not long after the Cobb announcement:
Due to lingering conditions from this week’s winter weather, we will have a delayed school start time of 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 19. Carpool will begin in all divisions at 10 a.m. Middle & Upper School students will report to their E block class at 10:35 a.m.
On Friday, warmer weather is expected to stick around longer, with highs into the low 50s and lows in the high 20s, with the chance of ice returning again Friday night.
It’s going to get gradually warmer over the weekend, into the low 60s by Sunday.
It’s also expected to be mostly sunny, with partly cloudy skies on Sunday and rain on Monday.
Send us your weather news and photos, if you have them, to: editor@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll post them here.
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The Circle K location at 1760 Bells Ferry Road. (Marietta Police photo)
Three men have been arrested by Marietta Police after two Bells Ferry Road robberies and a shooting and stabbing incident during an apparent drug deal last week.
Police said Thursday that Anthony Dishawn McCuen, 19, and Antonio Williams, 43, have been charged with with aggravated assault with intent to murder.
Demarquez Simmons, 19, and McCuen have also been charged with two counts of armed robbery each for alleged incidents on Jan. 10 at a Circle K convenience store at 1760 Bells Ferry Road.
Marietta Police allege that Simmons and McCuen are members of the Gangster Disciples gang, and they have also been charged with violating the Criminal Street Gang Act.
According to Cobb Sheriff’s Office records, McCuen and Simmons reside in Northeast Cobb, on Fairington Drive and Bristol Lane, respectively. Both in custody at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center. Williams is from Marietta, police said.
Police said they received reports of gunfire around 8:30 p.m. last Wednesday, Jan. 10, near Bells Ferry Road and Williams Drive, which is near the Circle K. Investigators said a dispute broke out near the Circle K parking lot about a narcotics purchase in which Williams allegedly stabbed McCuen.
According to police, McCuen ran after Williams and shot him several times. Police said Williams is recovering but did not detail his injuries.
Simmons was also involved in the dispute, according to police, who said he initially provided a false identification.
Police said two hand guns were located near the original crime scene, which prompted them to expand their investigation. According to police, McCuen and Simmons also had committed two armed robberies at the same Circle K earlier that day, in the morning.
The investigation also led to stolen items in Simmons’ possession, according to police, who said they are connected to a vehicle break-in on the previous day, Tuesday, Jan. 9.
McCuen also faces charges of firing a weapon near a street, possession of a firearm while committing a crime and theft by receiving.
Simmons is also charged with giving a false name and date of birth, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, obstruction of an investigation, two counts of possessing a firearm during the commission of a crime and is wanted for a probation violation.
Marietta Police are continuing the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Braxton at 770-794-5380.
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As temperatures climbed toward freezing this morning, Cobb County government offices and libraries opened, and road clean-up continued, aided by some very welcome sunshine.
Late last night, Cobb spokesman Ross Cavitt said that around 200 accident calls were reported to county 911 dispatchers within the first 24 hours of the storm, including 15 stranded motorists, 10 hit-and-run incidents and two needing fire extrication from their vehicles.
No serious injuries have been reported, but the roads are still icy and slushy in some places.
Earlier this morning Cobb DOT said there were 50 reports of black ice throughout the county overnight:
Most major roads in good shape but side streets, especially those in shade, remain problematic. Be safe if you are venturing out. Fortunately traffic is light.
If you’re a CobbLinc rider, local and paratransit service began at noon, but XPress bus services are cancelled today.
Temperatures could reach the high 30s or even 40 by mid afternoon, with lows tonight and overnight falling back into the mid-to-low 20s.
Then it’s getting warmer starting Friday, and for most of next week. Friday’s highs could get into the low 50s and by Sunday we could get into the high 60s.
We a few updates about openings, closings, cancellations and postponements from East Cobb businesses, faith communities and other organizations beyond what was posted on the link just above, but we’ll keep adding to this list below during the afternoon.
We’ll also update with news about whether Cobb schools will have classes Friday. They’re closed again today, and today’s school board meetings have been postponed to next Thursday.
We’ll also be catching up with some other news that we’ve been wanting to post here the last couple days—and there’s a lot going on to share in East Cobb—starting later today and tomorrow as well.
Thursday openings
Transfiguration Catholic Church
XenGo Fusion Kitchen & Sushi
The Avenue East Cobb
Ted’s Montana Grill
Johnny’s New York Pizza
Book Exchange
St. Andrew UMC, at 1 p.m.
Once and Again Books
The Art Place-Mountain View, at 1 p.m.
East Cobb and NE Cobb YMCA open until 7 p.m.
Thursday closings/cancellations
Tonight’s Walton PTSA open house and general meeting
All practices/activities for East Marietta Basketball
The Cobb Watershed Stewardship program’s Privet Pull Mob for this afternoon at Noonday Creek Park
Send your weather news and photos and we’ll post it here: editor@eastcobbnews.com.
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With a forecast of more sub-freezing temperatures tonight and overnight, Cobb schools will be closed again on Thursday.
The Cobb County School District said the closure is for students and staff for the second day in a row.
The Cobb Board of Education work session and regular meeting, both scheduled for Thursday, have been postponed to next Thursday, Jan. 25.
A state of emergency declared by Gov. Nathan Deal for 83 counties in Georgia, including Cobb, remains in effect.
Temperatures are expected to dip back into the teens tonight and overnight, as any snow and ice that melted today will refreeze and create black ice.
Weather conditions may not reach above freezing in Cobb until Thursday afternoon. Here’s what Cobb County government posted earlier Wednesday afternoon:
Bill Shelton, Cobb County DOT Road Maintenance Director, says crews are restocking supplies of gravel for what will be a long day and night of treating roads. “I don’t see conditions on the roads changing much overnight,” Shelton said. “Even when the temperature gets above freezing Thursday, shady spots and low-lying areas will not thaw out. So we will keep running routes and treat all those areas to make sure roads are safe.”
Shelton says so far Cobb DOT crews have; – Put down 3400 gallons of brine before the snow started, – Used 300 tons of salt and 1200 tons of gravel since the snow fell, – Eight trucks continuously running routes, with others restocking material.
Morning sessions at Studio 348 for Women cancelled. Afternoon sessions still scheduled;
Thursday Postponements
East Cobb Middle School PTSA meeting and volunteer appreciation scheduled for Thursday will be held Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 6 p.m. in the ECMS Media Center;
Primrose School at East Cobb’s parent information meeting tonight at 6:30, was scheduled for Camps Kitchen & Bar, rescheduled to Sunday, Jan. 28 at 3:30 p.m. at the same venue;
Thursday delayed openings
Cobb County Government, 10 a.m. Thursday; Cobb libraries 11 a.m.;
Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, 10 a.m. Thursday;
East Cobb and Northeast Cobb YMCA, 10 a.m. Thursday (tentative);
St. Ann Catholic Church parish office, 10 a.m. Thursday. No 6:30 a.m. or 9 a.m. Mass services;
Mansouri Family Dental Care, noon-5:30 p.m.;
Olde Towne Athletic Club, opening at noon;
Atlanta Swim Academy, opening at 1 p.m., all morning classes cancelled.
We’ll be continuously updating other closings, cancellations, postponements and road and weather news for the rest of your Wednesday afternoon and evening here.
Send your weather news and photos and we’ll post it here: editor@eastcobbnews.com.
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Many areas of East Cobb got a half-inch to an inch of snow Tuesday; temperatures are not expected to rise above freezing until Thursday.
Here’s your mid-day Wednesday Cobb winter weather update, and we’ll keep adding more information as we get it the rest of the afternoon:
Cobb County government offices will be closed all day today because of the icy road conditions, and with temperatures not expected to rise out of the 20s.
That includes courts, public libraries and all CobbLinc bus service. Late last night county officials had indicated a delayed starting time of 10 a.m., but road conditions have made it hazardous to travel, as ice is packed under snow.
Accidents are taking place in many areas; Marietta Police said this morning that at least 15 accidents have taken place in the city, and that number is expected to climb. There’s no word yet on major accidents in the East Cobb area, but we will update any information that becomes available.
Any roads with melting ice are expected to refreeze tonight, and crews will be back out treating major routes. The Cobb Commute link has updates on roads that have been treated.
Cobb government sent out this message via social media earlier this morning:
Cobb DOT crews spent the night treating roadways and crews continue to work the roads, now on their second run over their countywide routes. But as the snowfall moves out, the number of accidents in the county has increased, with police reporting some hills and bridges impassable.
County officials will get more updates from the DOT crews and make a determination later today when to resume operations.
After Tuesday’s snow, temperatures fell dramatically below freezing. Cobb DOT had work crews out all night and into the morning, but because of icy conditions and sub-freezing temperatures into Thursday afternoon, motorists are advised not to get out on to the roads unless they have to.
As of 11 a.m. Cobb schools have not communicated any new information, including whether there will be classes on Thursday.
As of this writing the temperatures are in the mid teens in East Cobb, with highs projected only in the low to mid-20s. Lows tonight are forecast to fall back into the teens, with highs in the 40s expected on Thursday, but not until the afternoon.
East Cobb News will continue to update this post during the day with the latest information about closures, cancellations, postponements and other weather-related news.
Send your weather news, and photos if you have them, to: editor@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll post them.
What follows below are the latest closings/delayed openings/cancellations/postponements from this morning, not including those we posted last night on the link above:
Closings
Mass and all activities at Holy Family Catholic Church
Dog City Bakery
Haven, The Dog Spot
Tritt Animal Hospital
Rescued Too
Johnny’s New York Pizza
Ronald Sachs Violins
East Cobb and Northeast Cobb YMCA
All activities at Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation
LGE Community Credit Union
All Fidelity Bank branches
Kids’ Zone Daycare and Learning Center
Club Pilates East Cobb
Lemon Grass Thai Restaurant
Montrose Animal Hospital
Studio 348 for Women
Book Nook Marietta
Office and activities at St. Andrew UMC
Peace Love and Pizza
All activities at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church
Gigi’s Cupcakes
Once & Again Books Shallowford
Cat Clinic of Cobb
Book Exchange
Chick-fil-A Lassiter
All activities at Eastminster Presbyterian Church
Offices and all acitivities at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church
Intrigue Salon
Kids Kuts Salon
Atlanta Swim Academy
Three-13 Salon
Righteous Que
Free-Flite Bicycles
Mansouri Family Dental Care
All activities at Eastside Baptist Church
Parisian Nail Salon
Massage Heights East Cobb
Openings
Zaxby’s Lower Roswell Road, 11 a.m.
Muss & Turner East Cobb, noon
Frankie’s Italian restaurant, Roswell Road
Loyal Q, 11 a.m.
Winston’s Food and Spirits
Terrell Mill Animal Hospital, 10 a.m.
Chick-fil-A Woodlawn Square, open until 4 p.m.
Marietta Donuts, open until 5 p.m.
Marietta Fish Market, 4 p.m. depending on road conditions
Chick-fil-A East Lake
The Wing Cafe and Tap House
WellStar East Cobb Health Park
Marietta Ice Center revised schedule for public skating sessions: 1:15-3:15 p.m.; 3:30-6 p.m.; 6:15-8:45 p.m.
Cancellations
East Cobb UMC Wednesday Night Supper
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Shortly before 8:30 tonight, the Cobb County School District announced that Cobb schools will be closed on Wednesday, for students and staff, “due to road and travel conditions.”
Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency for 83 counties in Georgia, including Cobb, and non-essential state government offices will be closed Wednesday.
Cobb DOT crews are working in 12-hour shifts, starting at 5 p.m. today, and switching to fresh crews at 5 a.m. Wednesday, to treat major roads with a salt and gravel mix as between a half-inch to an inch of snow is forecast to fall on Cobb, and turn to ice as temperatures reached freezing.
Cobb County government is on a delayed opening Wednesday until 10 a.m., including libraries.
With the wind chill, temperatures in the morning could feel as cold as several degrees below zero. A winter weather advisory is in effect for Cobb and most of north Georgia until 10 a.m. Wednesday and a wind chill advisory is in effect until 7 a.m.
CobbLinc will delay the start of all bus services until 10 a.m.
Snowfall began falling in East Cobb a little after 7 tonight, as temperatures fell to around the freezing mark.
The Walker School also is closed on Wednesday, as are Mt. Bethel Christian Academy, the Wood Acres School, Gracepoint School and Faith Lutheran School.
All campuses of Kennesaw State University are closed on Wednesday, but dining services will continue. All campuses of Chattahoochee Tech also will be closed Wednesday.
The Eastside Christian School open house scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed a week to Jan 24 at 9:30 a.m. All classes are cancelled Wednesday.
The St. Catherine’s Episcopal preschool is closed Wednesday, as is the St. Ann Catholic preschool.
At Transfiguration Catholic Church, preschool, PREP classes and Adult Education classes are cancelled Wednesday, and perpetual adoration will be closed until noon.
The Northeast Cobb Business Association luncheon Wednesday has been cancelled.
The East Cobb YMCA and Northeast Cobb YMCA are delaying opening until 10 a.m.
Olde Towne Athletic Club is opening at noon Wednesday.
More updates will posted here as they become available.
ORIGINAL REPORT, posted 4:55 p.m.:
With public and private schools already having cancelled Tuesday evening events, here’s the latest Cobb winter storm update. We’ll keep posting additional information as we have it, including any news about Cobb schools for Wednesday.
The Cobb County School District has been saying this afternoon that “a decision about school for Wednesday will be made either late tonight or early tomorrow morning.”
Send your news about cancellations/postponements to: editor@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll add it here.
Weather Conditions
From the National Weather Service, precipitation is expected to come through a line from Carrollton to Canton and into northeastern Georgia around 6 p.m. tonight (as shown in map above), and as temperatures plunge dramatically.
Temperatures were in the high 40s in the East Cobb area around 4:30 p.m., but dropping temperatures, along with the wind chill, could make it feel a few degrees below zero overnight and into early Wednesday morning.
Closings/cancellations/postponements
Cobb County government, including libraries, is closing at 6 tonight, and programs and events scheduled for tonight are cancelled or rescheduled. All government offices, agencies and facilities are slated to open on a delayed basis on Wednesday at 10 a.m.;
The East Cobb and Northeast Cobb YMCA branches are cancelling all after school activities, as well as paid programming. The branches plan to stay open until 7:30;
Transfiguration Catholic Church is cancelling all evening parish activities and meetings, PREP classes and adult ed classes, and Perpetual Adoration is closed from 6 tonight to noon Wednesday. Tonight’s 7 p.m. Mass will be held “as long as the weather holds up,” according to a social media post from around 1 p.m.;
St. Ann Catholic has cancelled Wednesday Mass services at 6:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.;
The Walker School is cancelling all after school-activities, including practices and games;
The Wood Acres After School Tree House is closing at 5 p.m.
After-school care at Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is closing at 5 p.m. and North campus athletics are cancelled;
All after-school activities at Eastside Christian Academy will conclude at 5:30, and pickup is required by that time. JV basketball games at Mt. Paran are cancelled;
All campuses of Kennesaw State University are closing at 5 p.m., and all night classes after that are cancelled;
The same goes for all campuses at Chattahoochee Tech, closing at 5 p.m.;
The Walton High School wrestling team’s picture day and senior night event scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed a week, to Jan. 24.
Cobb DOT/Roads
The Cobb DOT road maintenance division has been pretreating roads with brine this morning and is treating roads with salt and gravel mix on designated major routes this afternoon. Between a half-inch and an inch of snow is expected in Cobb. A total of 15 crews will be rolling out by 5 p.m., with another similar number of crews to follow at 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Emergency Information
The Cobb 911 office issued this information around 3 p.m. Tuesday:
Cobb County and much of North Georgia is preparing for the possibility of hazardous weather. Here are some numbers that you might need. Call these numbers instead of 911 if there is not an emergency. Call 911 if you need the fire department, an ambulance or the police. 911 is unable to give time frames on power outages.
Do Not Call 911 unless it is a life-threatening emergency. This would include someone who is utilizing life-sustaining equipment that requires electricity. 911 will not report your outage to any utility company.
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All afternoon and evening activities are canceled for Tuesday, January 16, except for ASP which will operate on a normal schedule. Parents are encouraged to pick up students from ASP as early as possible.
Classes resumed today in the Cobb County School District after Monday’s Martin Luther King holiday, but the system released this statement shortly before 9 a.m. regarding the winter weather advisory issued yesterday about the National Weather Service:
We are monitoring weather forecasts and temps for late Tuesday into Wednesday, January 17, and the impact the weather may have, if any, on Tuesday evening activities and Wednesday classes.
Marietta City Schools have cancelled all Tuesday evening exracurricular activities.
In East Cobb, the only postponement/cancellation we have thus far is Johnson Ferry Christian Academy delaying its scheduled open house tonight to next Monday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. in the chapel.
Some school districts in north Georgia, including Bartow County, are releasing early today, but thus far Cobb has not indicated that will be happening here.
Tuesday’s high temperatures in Cobb and metro Atlanta are expected to be in the high 40s.
The snow isn’t expected until late this afternoon, with very cold weather moving in this evening.
That winter weather advisory area includes Cobb and goes into effect from 5 p.m. tonight to 7 a.m. Wednesday. In addition, a wind chill advisory has been issued that also includes Cobb from 9 p.m. tonight to 1 p.m. Wednesday.
The NWS has extended its advisory area to include most of Georgia; the map below was issued earlier this morning.
More updates will be posted here when they become available.
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The following East Cobb restaurant scores from Dec. 13-Jan. 12 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing to view details of the inspection:
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The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Cobb and most of north Georgia that begins at 4 p.m. Tuesday and continues through 7 a.m. Wednesday.
Cobb and Marietta are included in an area outlined in white in the map below, at right, that could get up to an inch of snow, starting late Tuesday afternoon. In addition, temperatures are expected to fall between five degrees above zero to zero Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, in what the NWS refers to as wind chill values at “dangerous levels.”
Original report, posted at 1:06 p.m.
In addition to really having to bundle up again—below freezing temperatures are back, along with wind chills that will make it feel like it’s in the single digits—there’s a chance of light snow for Cobb, metro Atlanta and most of northwest Georgia Tuesday afternoon.
The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement that up to an inch of light snow is possible across an area above a line from LaGrange to Conyers to Commerce
as early as Tuesday afternoon and into Wednesday morning.
While Tuesday’s daytime highs could reach into the 50s, it’s in the late afternoon and evening hours that the precipitation is most likely to occur, and temperatures are expected to plunge into the high teens in metro Atlanta.
Wednesday’s temperatures are not expected to reach freezing, with lows also in the teens. Skies will be sunny, but the wind chill factor will linger at least through Wednesday.
Here’s more from the NWS advisory, which was issued early Monday morning:
Although forecast amounts will mainly be less than 1 inch, temperatures will be well below freezing Tuesday night. Any snow that falls, no matter how light will likely remain on the roads and ground through Thursday morning.
Low temperatures Wednesday morning will range from 12 to 20 degrees with wind chill readings from 10 above to near zero.
Temperatures are expected to drop into into single digits, so any snow that falls will stick.
We will update this forecast if it changes, which the NWS said is likely, including possible school closures.
The weather will get warmer for the weekend, with highs in the 50s and possibly even into the low 60s on Sunday, when a light chance of rain is in the forecast.
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The new address is 2800 Canton Road, at the corner of Piedmont Road, in Suite 900 of the Piedmont Village Shopping Center (where a driver’s license office used to be). The phone number is 770-590-8989. The business received its new occupancy license on Jan. 9.
The Cobb Antique Mall closed at its old location on Dec. 15 to prepare for the move. The new store has 10,000 more square feet and according to management will feature many of the same vendors. Here’s more information for prospective vendors, with a Jan. 31 deadline for a year’s lease that includes either free rent or no commission taken for the year.
The hours for the Cobb Antique Mall are Monday-Saturday 10-7 and Sunday 12-6.
Salata to open Feb. 1
As we noted on Friday, the Salata restaurant at Providence Square (4101 Roswell Road, in the former Uncle Maddio’s spot), is opening on Feb. 1. At The Avenue East Cobb, Smallcakes, a cupcake and ice cream store, opened last week.
Also at The Avenue, J. Crew closed on Sunday as part of a larger reduction of stores for the clothing and apparel chain, and the Justice girls clothing store also will be closing soon.
Aspens halts Sunday brunch
The East Cobb location of Aspens Signature Steaks and Seafood (2942 Shallowford Road), is “taking a break” from serving Sunday brunch, but the announcement didn’t indicate when it might resume. Dinner service continues seven days a week starting at 5 p.m.
New East Cobb businesses
The following businesses are the first in East Cobb to be granted operating licenses in 2018:
A Healthy Liquid Seasoning, 2501 E. Piedmont Road, Suite 144 (groceries);
Anytime Fitness, 3595 Canton Road, Suite D (fitness center);
Dominican Beauty Salon, 2359 Windy Hill Road, Suite 270 (beauty salon);
Earth Clean Concepts, 2265 Roswell Road, Suite 100 (janitorial service);
Fay Alterations, 4651 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 108 (alterations);
Home Inspection Pros, 2350 Sumter Lake Drive (home inspection service);
Marco Silva, 3920 Canton Road, Suite 155 (fitness trainer);
Nancy’s Vintage Shop, 1050 E. Piedmont Road, Suite 102 (antique sales);
Marietta Technical Solutions, 3000 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 201 (computer service and repair);
Raven Microblading, 2627 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 202 (tattoo parlor);
Team Rehabilitation, 1401 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 340 (physical therapy);
Tyson Mayers, 2993 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 220 (insurance agent).
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Leadership Cobb, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s premier leadership development program, is seeking nominations for members of the 2018-2019 class.
Class members will be selected from business, industry, education, government and other professions, as well as from volunteer, civic and religious organizations. Leadership Cobb develops leadership skills and promotes professional and personal growth through experiential learning opportunities.
Class members are introduced to a variety of viewpoints, illustrating the array of economic, political, educational and social factors at work in Cobb County. Leadership Cobb program days combine lectures and dialogue with speakers, as well as class member interaction with leaders representing all facets of the Cobb community.
Nominees should be able to assume increased community responsibilities, as the program demands significant time and effort for 10 consecutive months.
Attendance is mandatory for all regularly scheduled events, which usually are held one day per month, plus two three-day retreats in the fall and spring and periodic evening sessions. The program begins fall 2018 and runs through spring 2019.
The program, which is in its 35th year, provides a learning environment that enhances personal and professional growth to benefit the community and the region.
The deadline for nominations is Monday, Feb. 12, 2018. Fill out a nomination form online at www.cobbchamber.org or email the nominee’s name, title, employer, mailing address, email address and business or mobile telephone number to Michele Howard at mhoward@cobbchamber.org.
Tripp Boyer of Wells Fargo Advisors and Christina Martin of Kaiser Permanente will be co-chairs for the 2018-2019 program year. The Yearlong Presenting Sponsor is Kennesaw State University Coles College of Business Executive MBA Programs.
For more information on the Leadership Cobb nomination and selection process, please contact Michele Howard atmhoward@cobbchamber.org.
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Teachers from three East Cobb schools have been awarded grant money for lab ideas pitched at the Cobb County School District’s annual “Cobb Tank” competition.
A total of $71,00 in grant money was handed out to teachers at 10 schools in the district. They include Zakary Jezequel and Amy Morris at Hightower Trail Middle School (above, all photos submitted by CCSD), who will receive $6,595 to develop a project in which students will race toward a healthy lifestyle using spin bikes.
At Kell High School, English teacher Lauren Forbes’ grant of $1,600 is for an “Escape from the Ordinary Classroom” program, as her students will take a true literary escape in their studies.
Dickerson Middle School teacher Lawton Willingham is receiving a Cobb Tank grant worth nearly $11,000 for a music prototyping and programming program.
The program is modeled after the TV program “Shark Tank.” All recipients pitched their “Cobb Tank” ideas at CCSD headquarters. Per a CCSD release, here’s how the competition went:
Through lively, creative, and effective presentations, many involving their students, the teachers appealed beneath TV camera lights for the sharks to fund their ideas to enhance classroom instruction.
A panel of judges, or “sharks,” included several school district teachers and administrators, including assistant superintendent David Chiprany, a former principal at East Cobb Middle School and Wheeler High School, as well as business and community leaders.
A video presentation of the entire competition will be made available later this month on Cobb edTV, the school district’s cable access channel.
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Earlier this month, East Cobb News turned six months old, as this community-focused news resource strives to cover more events and provide readers with local information they can’t get anywhere else.
Most of you find us through search engines like Google, but many of you also have East Cobb News stories delivered to you through social media channels, especially Facebook.
If you get East Cobb News stories mainly through Facebook, what you’ll see from us in your newsfeed will be changing very soon.
In fact, you’ll be getting less and less of what East Cobb News and other publishers share with you, even though you may like and follow our Facebook page and want to get your news this way.
That’s because Facebook this week announced major changes in what users will get in their news feed and will begin limiting the content you see from news organizations like ours.
“As we roll this out, you’ll see less public content like posts from businesses, brands, and media,” Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook account.
Facebook hopes this change will increase the quality of the news in your feed and give users more time to connect with the people most important to them.
Many of you rely on Facebook to see the content we post every day on East Cobb News. As I have learned as publisher and in a previous job covering East Cobb for AOL, many of our most engaged users, active East Cobb citizens, congregate on Facebook to share the latest news with their friends and neighbors.
It’s a shame that Facebook is making this move while upstart, independent local news outlets, like East Cobb News, are fighting to fill the gap left by newspapers and other media organizations. We’re just getting going with East Cobb News, and building an engaged readership, online as well as in the community.
One thing you can do if you follow the East Cobb News Page is to change your News Feed settings to “See First” (as shown at left) instead of “Default.” This prioritizes the pages you want to see, and was introduced a couple years ago by Facebook. Here’s more about See First, and for now, it appears it’s remaining as a user option.
As things change, however, we’re also finding that more and more East Cobb citizens are are signing up every day for our free weekly newsletter, the East Cobb News Digest, which is delivered every Sunday afternoon.
The Digest includes highlighted stories from the previous week and a glimpse of what’s on tap in the coming week, as well as useful community information.
Due to the changes being made by Facebook, I will be including a few more links from stories of the past week in the newsletter. Eventually I may increase the frequency of the newsletter to a couple times a week and send out alerts for major breaking news. East Cobb News does not sell or rent its newsletter subscriber list to anyone.
The simplest way to deal with these changes, if you are a Facebook user and get your news from East Cobb News, is to subscribe to our newsletter. If you haven’t done so, it’s free, and signing up is easy. After clicking the button below, you’ll never miss an important story about what’s going on in East Cobb.
Thanks for your readership of East Cobb News, and please let us know what you think. Feel free to contact me anytime at: wendy@eastcobbnews.com or call 404-219-4278.
Cobb commission chairman Mike Boyce faced a full house at the East Cobb Senior Center Friday (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)
Before Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce made his case for increasing charges for senior services, including the creation of an annual membership fee, he issued an apology.
Not for the idea of raising fees. As he reiterated several times, often to the derision of some in attendance at a town hall meeting at the East Cobb Senior Center Friday morning, “We’re all in this together” in addressing Cobb’s mounting budget problems.
Rather, Boyce regretted the way the announcement was handled in November, when commissioners voted to impose an annual $60 membership fee to use Cobb senior centers and in some cases charge steep increases in renting rooms for events at those facilities.
Those new charges are set to go into effect on Feb. 1, but because of strong pushback from seniors, Boyce scheduled a series of town hall meetings this month.
The first was at the East Cobb center on Sandy Plains Road, one of the busiest of the five senior centers run by the county, and with a robust schedule of activities and organizations that meet there.
“You’re angry because you feel like we’re shoving this down your throat,” Boyce said to a standing-room only crowd. “That’s why we’re here.”
Many were angry about any increases in general, with some citing living on fixed incomes, and wondering how much the new charges would help solve a budget deficit projected to be $30 million or more for fiscal 2019.
“I’m hoping it’s only $30 million,” Boyce said, rattling off a long list of things that the county isn’t buying these days—including public safety and senior services vehicles—due to the budget crunch.
He deflected criticism that the county’s obligation for SunTrust Park is contributing to the budget woes, which were $20 million for fiscal 2018. Cobb pays $8.4 million annually for its share of the new home of the Atlanta Braves.
When an attendee charged that the county is “Mickey Mousing us around” instead of addressing funding for the stadium, Boyce was adamant:
“The Braves didn’t create this hole. All they did was accelerate the inevitable.”
Of the $405 million fiscal year general fund budget for 2018, around $170 million is earmarked for required services under state law: public safety, courts, roads and water.
A longer list of “essential” services includes code enforcement, finance and budget and planning and zoning. That totals another $146 million.
The longest list of all, “desired” services, has the smallest budget sum of the three: $86 million, and it’s where the budgets for popular programs for parks, libraries and seniors all come from.
Each senior center costs around $250,000 a year to operate, but county officials estimate only 6,100 of Cobb’s 165,000 seniors use them at all.
When a senior asked why the elderly are being asked to share the burden this way, Boyce offered his standard response—”because we’re all in this together”—to a chorus of boos and groans.
“You may not like the answer, but if we don’t fill this [budget] hole, we may have to close places,” he said.
Boyce faced greater opposition to the room rate increases, which in some cases would be 200 or 300 percent higher than what they are now, as well as class fees.
Currently, the Foxtrotters Dance Club pays $120 for its monthly events, and the Marietta Golden K Kiwanis Club pays the same amount for several meetings a year at the East Cobb center.
Those rentals would go up to $200 an event. Class fees would go up from $48 to $112 and $160 for painting classes and from $30 to $50 for yoga and tai chi sessions.
Some worried that their fellow seniors may drop out of coming to the centers, which have become a vital social hub.
One suggestion Boyce said he definitely would take back to the commissioners is a $5 monthly fee, which may be more affordable for some seniors who can’t pay $60 in advance.
After the town hall meeting, East Cobb senior resident Chris Vail said he appreciated Boyce taking the heat, and for apologizing at the outset.
Vail is member of the Golden K Kiwanis, which has met at the East Cobb Senior Center for 22 years. He’s concerned that higher charges for room rental and other club activities would cost the organization $12,000 a year, about the same amount of money the group raises for various children’s charities every year.
“That would put us out of business,” said Vail, a retired police officer from Albany, Ga., and a former Congressional investigator. “There’s a lot of benefit for us to be here.”
He said a user fee for seniors would be fine with him “as long as it is reasonable.” Vail said while he was glad for the chance to be heard, “I only pray that they will listen to us.”
Additional town hall meetings will take place week at the North Cobb, West Cobb, Freeman Poole and Marietta senior centers. The commissioners will discuss the feedback at a work session later this month before scheduling a vote on the new fees.
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It’s been a busy week on the new restaurant front in East Cobb. In addition to the opening of Ming’s Asian Kitchen we posted on Wednesday, Salata, the long-awaited salad and healthy foods eatery that’s been preparing space in Providence Square Shopping Center, has announced that it will open for business on Feb. 1.
The announcement came late Thursday on the Salata Twitter feed as well as the company’s Facebook page, although there was no news posted when we went by earlier today.
It’s the third Georgia location for the Houston-based Salata, which is at Atlantic Station and Glenridge Point. Salata has nearly 70 restaurants, mostly in Texas, as well as California, Illinois and Oklahoma.
The J. Crew store at The Avenue is one of five to close in Atlanta this month.
The salads can be made with a selection of more than 50 vegetable toppings, 10 dressings, fruits, cheeses, fish, chicken and turkey and egg, croutons, bacon and pasta and protein options. In addition to salad wraps, Salata serves soups, desserts, lemonade and teas.
The hours of operation will be Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Salata is located in the freestanding former Uncle Maddio’s space at 4101 Roswell Road, Suite 1100. The phone number is 470-200-0876 and online ordering will be available.
Comings and goings at The Avenue
At The Avenue East Cobb, there’s good news and bad news: Smallcakes, a cupcake and ice cream shop, has opened in Suite 1550, next to the soon-to-be-shuttered Justice, a girls clothing store, and two doors down from Panera Bread.
It’s the second attempt in East Cobb for Smallcakes, which had a location at 2424 Roswell Road. The chain operates around 200 stores in 31 states.
J. Crew, the clothing retailer, is preparing to shut down operations at The Avenue. According to a report at Tomorrow’s News Today, it’s one of five Atlanta-area stores to close this month, and the last day of business is Sunday. When we went by today, however, the store was nearly empty, as packing up was continuing.
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The Summit Trio will be performing Sunday at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church.
We’ve got a short, but impactful selection of East Cobb weekend events on tap through the extended holiday weekend (and please do check out our full calendar listings for more):
On Saturday, you can get your diet, health and nutrition plans in order for the new year at a special presentation by WellStar from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the East Cobb Library (4880 Lower Roswell Road). A nutrition expert will be on hand providing tips on making dietary changes. The workshop is free but registration is required by calling 770-509-2730;
The Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road) continues its horror movie series from 11-1 Saturday with a screening of “The Girl With All the Gifts,” a 2016 British post-apocalyptic zombie thriller directed by Colm McCarthy. It’s free and you can bring your own food and drink to the black box theater, but the film is for adults only;
The concert series at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church (571 Holt Road) continues Sunday at 4 p.m. with a performance by The Summit Trio, Kennesaw State University faculty members specializing in the piano, violin and cello. The event is free but free-will donations will be accepted;
On Monday, school will be out and local government closed in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday. The official Cobb County and Cobb NAACP celebration is from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday at Turner Chapel AME Church (492 North Marietta Parkway), with WSB TV’s Fred Blankenship serving as emcee.
Did we miss anything? Do you have a calendar listing to share, for this weekend or beyond? Let us know! E-mail your information to: calendar@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll post it right away. Have a great weekend!
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