Month: November 2018

Cobb Police coat drive accepting donations at precincts

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East Cobb Government Center, Cobb Police Precinct 4, Cobb Police coat drive

The Cobb County Police Community Affairs Unit is conducting its second annual coat drive for those needing them this winter.

Last year more than 2,000 coats and other items were collected as part of “Giving the Gift of Warmth.”

Those wishing to donate new or gently used coats, scarves, hats and gloves can do so now by dropping off items at Cobb Police precincts. In East Cobb, that’s Precinct 4 at the East Cobb Government Service Center (4400 Lower Roswell Road).

The hours to make donations are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, excluding holidays. A cutoff date for the drive will be announced later.

The other precinct locations are as follows:

  • Pct. 1—2380 Cobb Parkway, Kennesaw;
  • Pct. 2— 4700 Austell Road, Austell;
  • Pct. 3—1901 Cumberland Parkway, Atlanta;
  • Pct. 5—4640 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs;
  • H.Q.—140 North Marietta Parkway, Marietta.

Those who donate to the coat drive and who are interested in adopting a pet can get the adoption fee waived by the Cobb Department of Animal Services.

To receive a voucher, donate either five hats, five pairs of gloves or one coat. Those items must be new, and you should indicate to the precinct staff where you drop off that you’re interested in getting a pet adoption voucher.

Vouchers can be obtained starting Nov. 19, and can be used for an adoption from Dec. 3-21.

Those who want to donate but cannot do so in person are asked to call Sgt. Jeff Tatroe, the Cobb Police Community Affairs Unit supervisor, at 770-499-3981 or email him at jeff.tatroe@cobbcounty.org for a scheduled pick-up.

 

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Walton football season ends in heartbreak; Kell trounced by Buford

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Walton football season, Daniel Brunner
Daniel Brunner has lost just three games in his first two seasons as Walton coach. (ECN file photo)

The second round of the Georgia High School Association football playoffs on Friday proved to be the end of the road for the two East Cobb teams still competing.

The Kell Longhorns fell behind early at Buford, which kept piling up the scoring in a 44-11 rout in the Class 5A bracket.

In an all-Cobb battle in Powder Springs, the Walton Raiders and Hillgrove Hawks fought to the final whistle in Class 7A.

After trailing and then drawing even most of the night, the Raiders caught up again in the fourth quarter on a touchdown catch by star wide receiver Dominick Blaylock.

But unbeaten Hillgrove got the ball back and kicked a field goal with time expriring to advance 23-20.

For Walton (10-2), it was the second heartbreaking loss of the season. The Raiders’ only other loss came at Raider Valley, when Roswell scored a touchdown late to get to within one point, then converted a two-point play and held on for a 32-31.

For the second year in a row, Walton’s season ends in the second round. The Raiders also will say goodbye to a senior class that includes Blaylock, quarterback Austin Kirksey, linebacker Malik Adams and others who guided the team’s resurgence under second-year coach Daniel Brunner.

Kell went into the Buford game as one of the hottest teams in the state, having won nine games in a row. Buford has won several state titles in a row in recent years, and the high-powered Longhorns’ offense couldn’t get much going.

The game marked the end of the line for Kell quarterback Evan Conley. However, star running back Ebony Jackson is only a junior.

Second-year coach Brett Sloan, who like Brunner is a former Walton assistant, has continued a tradition of post-season excellence at Kell, which has qualified for the state playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons.

Brunner and Sloan were two of the four head coaches in East Cobb that were hired before the 2017 season. Another second-year coach, Tab Griffin of Pope, also has guided the Greyhounds to the post-season in his first two years.

The other, Brett Vavra of Sprayberry, is like Griffin in coaching at his alma mater. Despite a 3-7 record, the Yellow Jackets were competitive in a region that includes Creekview and Sequoyah, which are still alive in the Class 6A playoffs.

Wheeler missed out on the playoffs after losing four of its last five games. Lassiter went 1-9 and will have a new coach next season.

Jep Irwin resigned after completing his ninth season with the Trojans. They reached the Class 7A semifinals in 2011 but missed the playoffs the last two seasons.

 

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East Cobb Teriyaki Madness closes at Sandy Plains Centre

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Late Friday afternoon the owners of the Teriyaki Madness restaurant in East Cobb announced the location was closing for good:East Cobb Teriyaki Madness restaurant closes

We want to graciously thank all the customers that have passed through our doors over the past year and a half. We’ve enjoyed serving each of you. We have other Teriyaki Madness locations opening in the Atlanta area in 2019 – please visit teriyakimadness.com to see where the next TMAD will be in the Atlanta area. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

The husband-and-wife team of Joe and Robin Cleveland opened Georgia’s first Teriyaki Madness location as franchisees in early 2017 at Sandy Plains Centre (2960 Shallowford Road).

On Thursday, they were posting usual messages on social media, including a spirit night event for Addison Elementary School, as well as promoting promoting Uber Eats, Grub Hub and Door Dash delivery options.

Teriyaki Madness, based in Denver, operates 77 restaurants across the country.

 

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Williams declared Georgia House District 37 winner after recount

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The Cobb Board of Elections on Friday announced that Mary Frances Williams is the official Georgia House District 37 winner after a recount.

Mary Frances Williams, Georgia House District 37 winner

The recount was requested by her opponent, incumbent Republican State Rep. Sam Teasley, after he finished 137 votes behind Williams, a Democrat from Marietta.

She was initially certified as the winner on Monday. In the recount, she still had the same 11,928 votes she received in the general election, while Teasley lost a vote, totaling 11,754.

Teasley, a real estate agent, has represented the district that includes a portion of Northeast Cobb since 2010.

Williams, who was running for elected office for the first time, is the daughter of a former Marietta mayor and legislator and has been a lobbyist for children’s issues at the General Assembly.

She is one of three Democratic challengers to defeat Republican incumbents in East Cobb races on Nov. 6. Lucy McBath ousted U.S. Rep. Karen Handel in the 6th Congressional District election, while Charisse Davis beat Scott Sweeney for a seat on the Cobb Board of Education.

Also on Friday the Cobb elections board revised its overall county certified vote totals to include six more voters who cast provisional ballots.

Cobb Elections also has released a precinct-by-precinct breakdown of state and local races, as well as ballot issues, that were on the general election ballot.

More election coverage

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Sandy Plains Road bank robbery suspect sought after Halloween heist

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Sandy Plains Road bank robbery suspect

Police need the public’s help locating a Sandy Plains Road bank robbery suspect who got away after a holdup on Halloween.

UPDATED, Nov. 20, 2:20 P.M.: Police say the suspect apparently shot himself this morning as they attempted to serve him with a search warrant.

On Friday Marietta Police released surveillance photos of the man they say held up the SunTrust Bank branch at 1840 Sandy Plains Road.

The robbery took place at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, according to police, who said the man handed a teller a note demanding cash and saying he had a gun.

He left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

The suspect is described as a slender white male, between six feet and 6-foot-5, with police adding that he bears “unique physical features including birthmarks and his distinct chin structure.”

Police also said the circumstances of this robbery resemble a similar bank robbery at a Wells Fargo Bank at 2687 Sandy Plains Road on June 22.

Anyone with information about the Oct. 31 robbery is asked to contact Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS or Marietta Detective Greene at 770-794-2365.

Call Cobb Police at 770-499-3945 with information about the June robbery.

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Cobb school calendar tops board’s 2019 legislative priorities

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The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday adopted a set of legislative priorities for the 2019 session, and the contentious issue of school calendars tops the list.

Scott Sweeney, Cobb school board, Cobb school calendar
Scott Sweeney

The board voted 6-0 to endorse Superintendent Chris Ragsdale’s recommendation that the Cobb County School District determine when school years should begin an end.

The issue came up this year with the creation of a special State Senate study committee.

Some within the Georgia tourism industry have indicated that starting school in early August has had a detrimental effect on their business.

The study committee has held hearings around the state and is meeting now during a special session. Among the bills being considered would call for a statewide school start after Labor Day.

As far as Cobb schools are concerned, that should be a matter of local control.

“Whether it is giving Cobb the flexibility to test a new assessment system that has the potential to benefit all students in Georgia or allowing local communities, like Cobb, to approve school calendars that best serve the needs of their students and staff, local control is a must,” Ragsdale said in a statement.

Earlier this decade members of the Cobb school board sparred over setting the calendar. In recent years, however, it’s adopted what’s called a “balanced” calendar, with an early August start date and more breaks than a calendar with a later start time.

The balanced calendar also is strongly supported by the Cobb County Association of Educators.

In October the school board voted 6-1 to adopt balanced calendars through 2020 that have Aug. 1 start dates.

The board also included in its legislative priorities proposed changes to the “Local Fair Share” component of the Georgia Quality Basic Education Act.

In this provision, school districts are levied five mills of their local property tax rate, with the funding going to the state.

East Cobb board member Scott Sweeney noted at a work session earlier Thursday that Cobb sends $144 million annually to the state, and advocates capping the Local Fair Share amount at $100 million.

Cobb schools said that getting $44 million in return would enable it to hire 488 teachers or build two new schools.

Other priorities include changing graduation rate calculations “that more accurately reflect schools’ academic process” and pushing for a return to local control of K-12 dual enrollment programs.

Current graduation rate guidelines require school districts to count all students enrolled in a four-year period, regardless of how long they attended classes in that time.

In 2018, Cobb reported a countywide graduation rate of 85.18 percent. While that’s a record, district officials said the graduation rate would be 97.1 percent if only students who attended high school in Cobb all four years were counted.

 

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Simple Needs GA to have Saturday open house in Marietta

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A couple weeks ago we wrote about Brenda Rhodes of Simple Needs GA, who was named the East Cobb Citizen of the Year.Simple Needs GA open house

She noted that the non-profit she started to help people in need with basic, everyday items is holding an open house Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

They’ve got a warehouse in the Marietta area, and will be giving tours, discussing their programs and asking for volunteers to help them help families in need. Here’s more from Rhodes:

 

“We’re inviting everyone in our community to stop by the warehouse to chat, grab a bite to eat, meet some clients and learn about our mission. The open house is a great opportunity to see for yourself what Simple Needs GA does for people in need in Cobb County and to learn how you can get involved. Those who take the tour always learn something new about our programs.”

The open house coincides with a donation drive in which SNGA is collecting household items, winter wear and more. For more details, visit simpleneedsga.org.
For more information and to get the warehouse address e-mail: brenda@simpleneedsga.org.

 

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Freeze warning Thursday night for Cobb, North Georgia

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Cobb freeze warning

Our dreary weather week has a new twist tonight: A freeze warning that includes Cobb and north Georgia.

The National Weather Service in Atlanta issued the warning from 11 p.m. Thursday through 8 a.m. Friday.

The watch area is on a line north from West Point to Macon to Louisville.

The freeze warning comes as most of the metro Atlanta area and north Georgia has been enduring heavy rains this week that came with flood and flash flood watches and warnings.

The rain had largely stopped by Thursday afternoon but roads are still wet, with some minor flooding and tree and other debris.

Temperatures also have dropped into the mid-30s and tonight’s low could fall into the high 20s.

There could be some patchy black ice on roads where residual water freezes over.

Friday could see the return of the sun, with clear skies forecast and high temperatures in the low 50s.

The weekend is expected to be the same, with sunny days and highs reaching into the 60s through Monday.

UPDATED, 7:50 P.M.

The Cobb County School District issued this message a short while ago:

We are aware of low temperatures tonight leading to possible ice on the roads in the morning. We are currently working with the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) to monitor the weather, looking for any impacts on school operations. If necessary, an update will be provided in the morning should there be any delays or closures. Remember it’s going to be cold tomorrow, make sure to bundle up. Stay warm!

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East Cobb Weekend Events: Sprayberry Craft Show; Georgia Philharmonic Concert; Little Red Riding Hood; and more

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Sprayberry Craft Show, East Cobb weekend events

This weekend’s events in East Cobb aren’t all about the holidays, which will be kicking into full gear around Thanksgiving and beyond. But the Sprayberry Craft Show, which returns for its 36th year, gives early-bird shoppers another chance to stock up before season begins in earnest.

The Sprayberry Craft Show takes place from 9-5 Saturday and from 10-4 Sunday on campus (2525 Sandy Plains Road), features more than 200 vendor booths with artisanal goods, photography, Christmas decorations and more. There will be food trucks and other things to eat, and Santa Lane also returns with crafts and face-painting for kids. The show is the Sprayberry PTSA’s lone fundraiser benefits student scholarships, teacher grants and other programs at the school.

This is billed as the Men’s Book Club, but it’s not just limited to the fellas: Saturday’s meeting at the East Cobb Library (4880 Lower Roswell Road) goes from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., and the work being discussed is George Orwell’s novel “1984.”

Kids of all ages are invited to the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road) for a special rendition of Little Red Riding Hood, starting at 2:30 p.m. It’s a special presentation of the Wheeler High School Drama Club, and the show takes place in the library’s community room.

On Saturday night, the Georgia Philharmonic will present the “Impressions of the New World” at the Lassiter Concert Hall (2601 Shallowford Road).The featured composers include Smetana and Dvorák as th show celebrates music’s power to bridge divides. Tickets are $10-$25, and the show starts at 7.

Check our full calendar listings for more things to do in East Cobb this weekend, and beyond.

Did we miss anything? Do you have a calendar item you’d like to share with the community? Send it to us, and we’ll spread the word! E-mail: calendar@eastcobbnews.com, and you can include a photo or flyer if you like.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, make it a great one! Enjoy!

 

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East Cobb Honest-1 to have 5th anniversary celebration

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East Cobb Honest-1

On Saturday, Nov. 24, the East Cobb Honest-1 automotive repair business is having its fifth anniversary celebration.

The festivities are from 10-4 and include door prizes, games for kids, a cookout with free hamburgers and hot dogs and a photo opportunity with Cousin Eddie from the “Christmas Vacation” movie.

There also will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. with the East Cobb Business Association.

Owner Butch Carter is active in the community as a member of the ECBA and the Rotary Club of East Cobb.

As part of the celebration, Honest-1 also is collecting items for the food pantry at Brumby Elementary School.

You’re asked to bring like peanut butter, jelly, canned meats, beef stew, spaghetti noodles and sauce and granola or breakfast bars.

Anyone who brings a bag with those items to the event will receive a voucher for a free synthetic blend oil change.

Honest-1 is located at 1391 East Cobb Drive, next to the East Cobb Station post office and behind Pinestraw Plaza (Trader Joe’s and California Pizza Kitchen).

Tell us about your business

Do you have business news to share? We’ll post your openings and non-sales events here, including charitable activities. E-mail us at editor@eastcobbnews.com.

If you want to promote your business (including sales and specials other than grand openings), email us at advertising@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll be glad to send you a media kit.

 

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Recount ordered for Georgia House District 37 election

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The Cobb Board of Elections will conduct a recount into one of the closest legislative races in the state this year, in Georgia House District 37.Sam Teasley, Georgia House District 37

The district includes part of Northeast Cobb, as well most of the city of Marietta and some of west Cobb.

The recount was requested by Republican State Rep. Sam Teasley (pictured), who according to results certified Monday by Cobb Elections lost to Democrat Mary Frances Williams by 137 votes.

According to official numbers, Williams received 11,928 votes (50.34 percent), to 11,755 votes for Teasley, or 49.61 percent.

Teasley, first elected in 2010, is a real estate agent who works out of the Atlanta Communities office on Roswell Road in East Cobb.

Williams is a first-time candidate who has been a children’s advocate at the Georgia General Assembly. Her late father was the mayor of Marietta and served in the legislature.

According to Cobb Elections Supervisor Janine Eveler, her agency will conduct the recount at its offices on Whitlock Avenue in Marietta. The Cobb Board of Elections, which is appointed, is tentatively set to meet to certify the recount at noon Friday, according to county spokesman Ross Cavitt.

More election coverage

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East Cobb resident Karen Hallacy re-appointed to Cobb Development Authority

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Karen Hallacy of East Cobb was reappointed to serve on the Cobb Development Authority this week.Karen Hallacy

She was reappointed by a 4-0 vote on Tuesday by the Cobb Board of Commissioners. Her new term will run through March 13, 2022.

The development authority is a seven-member board that oversees some economic development activities, including financial incentives for expanding or relocating businesses, and to market Cobb County to businesses and industries.

It considers tax abatements requested by companies seeking to redevelop or reoccupy properties on the county’s redevelopment list.

Among them is the MarketPlace Terrell Mill development that commissioners approved earlier this year. The developer, which is including a Kroger superstore as an anchor, has been seeking a tax break that was granted by the development authority.

Hallacy was opposed, concerned about setting a precedent for retailers getting abatements.

That tax break is being contested by East Cobb resident Larry Savage, whose successfully appealed in Cobb Superior Court. The developer and development authority have appealed that denial to the Georgia Supreme Court.

Hallacy has been active in many community activities in East Cobb, the county and the state and is the president-elect of the Georgia PTA.

She is the development authority appointee of District 2 commissioner Bob Ott.

 

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The East Cobb Holiday Guide is here! Send us your news, events, photos and more!

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East Cobb Holiday Guide
Local youth will be performing in “The Nutcracker” at the Cobb Civic Center on Thanksgiving weekend. (Photo: Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre)

It won’t be long now, and already we’re getting all kinds of notices we’ve been adding to our special calendar for a special time of year: The East Cobb Holiday Guide is your one-stop community resource.

We’ve got all the holidays here: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah, as we keep adding to our calendar listings, and provide coverage of holiday events.

They include Santa visits, religious services, arts and entertainment events, caroling, tree lightings, holiday sales, meals, fundraisers and more.

Very soon we’ll begin listing Christmas worship services here, as some churches are getting out word about their schedules.

If you have holiday events to share with the public, e-mail us at calendar@eastcobbnews.com.

For photos and news related to the holidays, get in touch with us at editor@eastcobbnews.com.

If you’re interested in running holiday advertising, let us know at advertising@eastcobbnews.com.

 

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Cobb flash flood watch continues through Thursday morning

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Cobb flash flood watch

The rain lightened up on Tuesday, but more is expected before a flash flood watch is due to expire Thursday morning.

At 4 p.m Tuesday, the National Weather Service in Atlanta expanded the watch for most of central and north Georgia, including Cobb County.

The area under the watch could get between an inch to three inches of rain through Wednesday and into Thursday, worsening already-soggy conditions that include flooding of rivers, streams and some roads.

In Cobb, Sope Creek was flooding during Tuesday’s heavy rains, and some roads were affected.

Cobb DOT said today that the heavy rains were clogging drains, including an area of Davidson Road in East Cobb.

The possibility of more flooding of roads remains for the rest of the week, after the watch expires.

The NWS said another two or three inches of rain is possible on Wednesday, with the heaviest rainfall expected in the afternoon and evening.

In Cobb, the chance of rain will be between 60 to 100 percent on Wednesday, mainly after 11 a.m.

For now, the local forecast is between three-quarters of an inch to an inch of rain. On top of that, it’s going to get colder, with highs expected in the high 40s and lows Wednesday night in the high 30s.

The rain is expected to continue into Thursday morning, with a 60 percent chance of remain. Cold temperatures will linger, with highs only in the mid 40s and lows hovering near freezing Thursday night.

Friday is expected to be sunny and warmer, with highs in the low 50s, but wet conditions and flooded areas may not recede by then.

The rest of the weekend and the early part of next week also are forecast to be clear and warmer than this week.

 

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Cobb school bus camera program extended for five years

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The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved an agreement to continue a joint school bus camera program with county courts and public schools for another five years.

The automated enforcement system issues citations to motorists who ignore school bus “stop arm” signs. The cameras, equipped on about 100 of nearly 1,000 buses in the Cobb County School District, take photos of the license plates of violating vehicles.

The agreement (agenda item here, formal agreement doc here) includes the Cobb County State Court Clerk, the camera manufacturer American Traffic Solutions and the Cobb Board of Education, which also must approve the agreement.ATS school bus camera, Cobb school bus camera program

The commissioners’ action comes after the original agreement was extended by a year.

Cobb State Court judges had not been enforcing the violations for a time earlier this year, questioning their legality. Enforcement resumed in February, but the county said the burden of handling stop arm violations required additional staffing.

In September, commissioners approved the creation of three positions in Cobb State Court and two more in the Cobb Solicitors office to start with the fiscal year 2019 that began in October.

County officials estimate more than 8,000 such cases are generated annually. Each violation comes with a fine of $300.

The fine money, which exceeded $2 million in 2017, is split evenly between the county, Cobb schools and ATS, which provides the cameras at no charge.

 

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Temple Kol Emeth teen participates in Teen Israel Leadership seminar

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Eli Roberts, Temple Kol Emeth teen

Eli Roberts, whose family is active at Temple Kol Emeth in East Cobb, was one of 24 teens who gathered last month at Emory University for the second Teen Israel Leadership Institute hosted by the Center for Israel Education and the Emory Institute for the Study of Modern Israel. 

Roberts, pictured in the middle above, is the son of Jodi and Tim Roberts, Kol Emeth congregants. He is an 11th grader at The Weber School, a private Jewish school in Sandy Springs.

Here’s more about what happened from the Center for Israel Education:

The weekend featured a mix of activities, discussions and educational games designed to expand students’ knowledge and understanding of Israel and Zionism and to help them plan learning programs back home.

Rich Walter, Center for Israel Education
Center for Israel Education Vice President Rich Walter introduces the teens to the card game Atzmaut, which teaches early Israeli history.

The 24 teens came from Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Michigan and California. Interactive sessions included having teens develop a program goal and craft a program outline.

For example, the students formed a human timeline representing Zionist and Israeli events from 1881 (the start of the First Aliyah) to 2007 (Hamas’ takeover of Gaza), picked out the eight prime ministers among 16 head shots, identified the Israeli locations of cat photos, and played a version of the Food Network show “Chopped” in which six teams made hummus that had to include such ingredients as wheat crackers, hot sauce and orange Gatorade.

“I have a lot of Jewish friends in NFTY. Every one of them supports Israel, but I don’t think a lot of them know about Israel too much,” Roberts said. “I feel like I’m going to be able to teach them and also talk to my friends in Israel.”

CIE and ISMI emphasize context and documentary evidence in the study of Israel’s issues and history but do not advocate specific views, allowing students to reach their own conclusions. To that end, CIE President Ken Stein led two sessions to help the teens own Israel’s story and confront the Israeli-Arab conflict, and the teens got to choose among two or more programs several times during the weekend.

The program included the Abrahamic Reunion, a team of Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Druze leaders, and explored different perspectives on Israel’s independence in 1948 and diverse elements in modern Israeli culture.

Although Israel was the focus of the weekend, it also addressed anti-Semitism, a topic that took on unexpected immediacy when the massacre occurred at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha synagogue while the institute teens were worshiping and studying at Emory’s Marcus Hillel Center.

(Photos courtesy of the Center for Israel Education)

 

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Cobb election results certified; state to follow after Tuesday deadline

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District 37 Georgia House, Sam Teasley, Mary Frances Williams
Sam Teasley finished 173 votes behind Mary Frances Williams in the State House District 37 race.

On Monday, Cobb election results were certified from last Tuesday, with the possibility of a recount looming in a legislative seat that includes part of Northeast Cobb.

Tuesday 5 p.m. is the deadline for all county elections boards in the state to certify their results and report them to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, which was closed Monday for the Veterans Day holiday.

Stacey Abrams
Stacey Abrams won Cobb but Brian Kemp took most East Cobb precincts.

Most counties, including Cobb, have finished. DeKalb and Gwinnett county elections boards are the subject of a lawsuit filed Monday by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

Abrams, who won Cobb County, has not conceded to Republican Brian Kemp, who holds an unofficial lead of under 60,000 votes and who has declared victory. She is vying for a runoff.

A runoff could take place in State House District 37, where Republican incumbent Sam Teasley trailed Democratic challenger Mary Frances Williams by 137 votes. That seat includes part of Northeast Cobb, much of the city of Marietta and a portion of West Cobb.

That’s the closest race that was certified on Monday by the Cobb elections board. More Cobb results from the Georgia Secretary of State website.

Related stories

The re-elections of Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell and Cobb school board member David Chastain (Kell and Sprayberry) were certified, as was Charisse Davis’ win for another Cobb school board seat in East Cobb that had been held by Scott Sweeney (Walton and Wheeler).

David Chastain
David Chastain was re-elected to the Cobb Board of Education.

Other East Cobb legislative incumbents all won last Tuesday, but final results have to be certified in some of those races since they include more than one county.

The same goes for the 6th Congressional District race, which includes East Cobb, North Fulton and north and central DeKalb. Democrat Lucy McBath edged Republican incumbent Karen Handel by a little more than 3,000 votes.

Also certified by Cobb elections on Monday was the biggest landslide winner of them all: the so-called “Sunday brunch bill,” which would allow for Sunday alcohol sales as early as 11 a.m., instead of the 12:30 p.m. start currently permitted.

In unincorporated Cobb, voters approved the measure with a whopping 71 percent of the vote. The measure passed in Cobb cities by similar margins.

Georgia Governor

Brian Kemp (R) Stacey Abrams (D) Ted Metz (L)
Statewide 1,976,614 1,918,847 37,173
State % 50.26 48.79 0.95
Cobb only 138,850 168,764 4,194
Cobb % 44.50 54.09 1.34

6th District Congress

Lucy McBath (D) Karen Handel (R-I)
Districtwide 159,945 156,752
District % 50.50 49.50
Cobb only 40,807 51,297
Cobb % 44.26 55.63

Cobb Commission 3

JoAnn Birrell (R-I) Caroline Holko (D)
Total Votes 36,450 34,290
Vote % 51.46 48.41

Cobb school board 4

David Chastain (R-I) Cynthia Parr (D)
Total Votes 20,630 17,907
Vote % 53.50 46.43

Cobb school board 6

Charisse Davis (D) Scott Sweeney (R-I)
Total Votes 21,771 20,640
Vote % 51.29 48.63

State Senate 32

Includes most of East Cobb and portions of North Fulton.

Kay Kirkpatrick (R-I) Christine Triebsch (D)
Total Votes 52,870 39,288
Vote % 57.37 42.63
Cobb Votes 47,558 33,718
Cobb % 58.49 41.47

State House 37

Mary Frances Williams (D) Sam Teasley (R-I)
Total Votes 11,928 11,755
Vote % 50.34 49.61

State House 43

Sharon Cooper (R-I) Luisa Wakeman (D)
Total Votes 13,122 12,379
Vote % 51.52 48.41

State House 44

Don Parsons (R-I) Chinita Allen (D)
Total Votes 14,170 11,422
Vote % 55.33 44.60

State House 45

Includes parts of East Cobb and North Fulton.

Matt Dollar (R-I) Essence Johnson (D)
All Votes 17,003 11,681
Vote % 59.28 40.72
Cobb Votes 15,896 9,574
Cobb % 62.39 37.57

State House 46

Includes part of Northeast Cobb and Cherokee.

John Carson (R-I) Karin Sandiford (D)
All Votes 17,458 10,783
Vote % 61.82 38.18
Cobb Votes 11,679 7,707
Cobb % 60.22 39.74

Cobb ‘Brunch Bill’

To allow Sunday alcohol sales at 11 a.m. instead of 12:30 p.m.

Yes No
# Votes 217,806 85,879
Vote % 71.72 28.28

Cobb Elections Miscellany

  • No. of Registered Voters in Cobb: 486,697
  • No. of Votes Cast in General Election: 312,510
  • Turnout: 64.21 percent
  • Absentee mail-in votes: 25,453
  • Absentee electronic votes: 554
  • Advance votes in person: 111,696
  • Total advance votes: 137,691

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Man ejected from truck after Northeast Cobb car crash Monday

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Cobb Police said a motorist was thrown from a pickup truck Monday morning in a collision with another vehicle at Canton Road and Piedmont Road.Northeast Cobb car crash

Officer Sarah O’Hara, a spokeswoman for Cobb Police, said Patrick Bruce, 38, of Marietta, was driving a maroon 1998 Ford F-150 north on Canton Road when the truck left the road.

The truck struck a utility pole and a stone wall before returning to Canton Road, then hit a black 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer SS, also heading north, according to police.

O’Hara said the Chevrolet driver was able to bring her vehicle to a stop at Canton and Old Piedmont Road, while Bruce was ejected during the collision.

O’Hara said Bruce was taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the Chevrolet, Donna Kelley, 53, of Marietta, was not injured, police said.

O’Hara said the crash is still being investigated and that police expect to file charges. Anyone with information is asked to Cobb Police at 770-499-3987.

 

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Inaugural East Cobb Tour of Homes announces call for entries

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East Cobb Tour of Homes

Thanks to Sharon Renaud for the photo and information about the very first East Cobb Tour of Homes, which is taking place April 27-28, 2019.

Organizers Kelly Lamb and Todd Barney (above) have issued a call for entries for the tour, which will feature private residences featuring “exquisite interior design, architecture, landscaping and the art of good living.”

Here’s more from Lamb:

“East Cobb has a well-established reputation as a great place to raise families and enjoy a high quality of life at a superior value. It’s also increasingly recognized for elegant new housing and beautifully maintained older homes. We’re inviting homeowners to ‘share their flair’ during the East Cobb Tour of Homes, which will showcase the qualities that make our community unique in metro Atlanta.”

Owners of homes that will be included in the tour will get complimentary admission to a gala opening night party on April 26.

The theme for the tour is “Share Your Flair!” and the application deadline is Dec. 31.

For more information and to apply, visit the tour website or e-mail: info@eastcobbtourofhomes.com.

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Cobb flood warning issued; Sope Creek experiencing flooding

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NWS, Cobb Flood Watch

UPDATE, 6:15 P.M. TUESDAY

Cobb remains under a flash flood watch through Thursday morning, with more rain expected.

UPDATE, 6:20 P.M. MONDAY

Cobb government officials said late this afternoon that Cobb County is now under a flash flood WARNING, and some areas, including Sope Creek in East Cobb, are experiencing some flooding.

The warning was due to expire at 10:30 p.m., but heavy rains are expected the rest of the evening and into Tuesday.

Here’s the message that was sent out around 5:30:

Cobb’s EMA is watching the situation that includes at least 6 roadways with flooding reports and Allatoona and Sope Creeks reporting minor flooding.

The rain is expected to continue for several days.

IF YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD ZONE please review your emergency plans and take precautions for continued rainfall.

Do not attempt to drive through a flooded roadway.

Click this link to monitor stream gauges in Cobb. 

A message from the Catholic Church of St. Ann said that due to the rains, parts of Bishop Lake Road are under water, between entrances to the Chimney Lakes neighborhood.

Cobb DOT is reporting flooding on a number of roads throughout the county, including Davidson Road in East Cobb. Downed trees also are affecting traffic.

If you notice flooding, power outage or other weather-related issues where you are, let us know (and send photos too): e-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com or phone/text 404-219-4278.

ORIGINAL POST, 12:30 P.M. MONDAY

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch from 3 p.m. Monday through 7 a.m. Wednesday that includes Cobb and much of North Georgia, as a heavy downpour soaks a good bit of the state.

A watch means that conditions exist for flooding based on weather forecasts.

The metro Atlanta area and Cobb have already gotten between 2-3 inches of rain, according to the NWS. Creeks and rivers could rise out of their banks and possibly close roads and impact homes and other buildings.

Thus far we have not heard any reports of any such issues in Cobb but we will update this story with pertinent information.

The Cobb area could ultimately get around four inches or more through the end of the week, as we’re not likely to see the sun until late in the week.

It’s also expected to be cold, with highs reaching 50 only on Tuesday. Lows most nights this week could get into the 30s.

Monday’s forecast into the evening calls for 100 percent chance of rain, and it’s going to rain into Tuesday morning, with patchy fog and highs only in the high 40s. There’s a 40 percent chance of rain Tuesday night.

Heavier rain is forecast on Wednesday, with a 70 percent chance during the day and 90 percent by Wednesday night.

Thursday is expected to be mostly cloudy, with the rain tapering off Thursday night.

The sun is expected to come out by Friday, and the weekend should be clear and sunny as well, with high temperatures rising back into the 50s.

 

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