Month: May 2019

Cobb schools fiscal year 2020 budget expected to be adopted Thursday

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Due to graduation ceremonies next week, the Cobb school board has moved up its May meeting by a week, and is scheduled to act on the fiscal year 2020 budget on Thursday.

Charisse Davis, Cobb Board of Edcucation, Cobb schools fiscal year 2020 budget
Charisse Davis

There will be a work session starting at 2:30 p.m., a public hearing on the budget at 6:30 p.m. and a regular meeting starting at 7 p.m., in which the board is expected to vote on the budget.

The meetings will take place in the board room at the Cobb County School District Central office, 514 Glover St., in Marietta.

(You can view the agenda for the meetings here.)

Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale has proposed a $1.17 billion budget with raises for all CCSD, ranging between 8 and 12.6 percent.

He said the proposed raises were made possible by $3,000 raises for teachers that were included in the state education budget. The fiscal year 2020 budget begins on July 1.

Details of the budget proposal can be found in several ways:

Senior tax exemption panel rejected

Earlier this month the school board held a retreat and spurned a proposal by board member Charisse Davis to create a special committee to examine possible changes to the Cobb schools property tax exemption for seniors.

Cobb is only one of two school districts in the metro Atlanta area to offer the exemption to homeowners 62 and older without any qualifications (such as income levels). School district officials estimate the exemption will amount to nearly $112 million this year.

Davis, who represents the Walton and Wheeler clusters, pointed to a recent vote in Forsyth County to eliminate a senior tax exemption for homeowners who have students living with them but who are not legal guardians. Forsyth schools will gain an additional $500,000 in annual revenue.

But Davis’ proposal just to form a committee was voted down 4-2 (with the board’s four Republicans all voting against), and came just a few days after board chairman David Chastain, who represents the Kell and Sprayberry clusters, adamantly said the senior exemption isn’t being taken away.

Davis, one of three Democrats on the Cobb school board, reiterated after the retreat that in Forsyth, “a Republican school board asked a Republican delegation to put a senior tax change up for a vote, the state legislature overwhelmingly approved it, and then the county’s voters approved it. Imagine that.”

She also drew up a map (bigger version on her website) showing the various school senior tax exemptions in metro Atlanta school systems.

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Vintage Lower Roswell Road home torn down at Woodlawn Drive

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1930s Lower Roswell Road home
A photo of the former Wilce Frasier home taken over the winter, as the land was put up for sale. (ECN file)

One of the older buildings in East Cobb stands no more. A home more than 100 years old and located at 4658 Lower Roswell Road, at Woodlawn Drive, has been demolished by Cobb County government, which has had plans for several years to rework the intersection.

The demolition of the home and two smaller structures behind it took place following an expedited decision granted by Cobb commissioners on April 30 to County Manager Rob Hosack, at a cost of $18,625.

A low bid for the demolition work was awarded to Tucker Grading & Hauling, with the funds coming from the 2011 Cobb SPLOST account, according to a memo to Hosack from Cobb DOT Director Erica Parish and dated Tuesday.

The demolition was necessary, according to the memo, because the properties were in poor condition and trespassing had been taking place there.

On Tuesday, commissioners “ratified” the decision to tear down the buildings by a 4-0 vote. Commissioner Bob Ott of East Cobb was absent. The memo was included as an agenda item.

The home had been vacant since Jan. 2018, when the homeowner, Wilce Frasier Jr., died at the age of 93. According to deed records with the Cobb County Superior Court Clerk’s office, Frasier had lived in the home since the early 1960s.

A family member, Lisa Frasier McCalvin, said the home dates from the late 1800s: “Wilce grew up in this house with his brothers and sisters . . . . it never left our family . . . . the memories I have of playing in that house are some of my fondest from my childhood.”

Wilce Frasier’s obituary noted that he was a Navy veteran during World War II and worked at Lockheed-Georgia for 30 years, and that he is buried at the Mt. Bethel church cemetery just around the corner on Johnson Ferry Road.

(After we posted this story, a reader passed along a link to a slideshow remembrance of Frasier.)

His heirs had been in negotiations with Cobb DOT regarding right-of-way for the intersection improvements. The 0.9 acres owned by Frasier, put up for sale over the winter, has been sold. It had been marketed for possible commercial use.

The intersection project is part of Lower Roswell Road improvements stretching from Woodlawn, across Johnson Ferry Road and to Davidson Road and is part of the 2011 SPLOST.

A contract for the project was approved in 2012 but the county still needs to make more right-of-way acquisitions.

The improvements at Lower Roswell and Woodlawn will include installing a median and additional turn lanes at a clogged intersection.

 

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Pope HS Habitat for Humanity chapter gets $5K matching grant from State Farm

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Pope HS Habitat for Humanity Chapter
From L-R: NW Atlanta Habitat for Humanity CEO Jessica Gill; Campbell and Pope Students; State Farm Agent Veronica Adadevoh; State Rep. Sharon Cooper; Pope HS Advisor Cindy Ford.

Submitted information and photos:

Alan C. Pope and Campbell High School Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapters have each been awarded $5,000 after raising matching amounts for this year’s annual Cobb High School Coalition Habitat build. The grants were awarded at the home dedication of United States Veteran Danny Burgess on Old Bankhead Highway in Mableton on Saturday, May 11.

Pope and Campbell High School Habitat chapters are a part of the Cobb High School Coalition, which comes together annually each Spring semester to build a Habitat house over nine weeks. This year’s home began in February and was dedicated on Saturday. The 2019 Coalition consisted of chapter students from Allatoona, Campbell, Hillgrove, Pope, Walton and Wheeler High Schools.

Students representing each school participated in the dedication ceremony through the singing of the national anthem, the presentation of the homeowner Bible and key, and the reading of the Habitat Litany. Cobb County State Representative Sharon Cooper spoke at the ceremony and optimistically told the students, “You are our future leaders” and encouraged them to “never stop giving back.”

“We are grateful to have been selected as one of the matching grant recipients,” said Pope High School chapter teacher/advisor Cindy Holland. “The grant will help us to build another house for a well-deserving family in our community.” 

A Habitat campus chapter is a student-led, student-initiated organization on a high school or college campus that partners with the local Habitat affiliates to build, fundraise, advocate and educate to support the work of Habitat for Humanity.   

“We are proud that our funding is helping to engage young leaders in advancing Habitat’s mission in communities across the country,” said Ed Woods, Human Resources Director, Philanthropy/Diversity & Inclusion at State Farm. “State Farm is here to help life go right and is committed to building safer, stronger and better educated communities.”

Habitat has several programs to engage youth ages 5 to 25. In addition to the ongoing support State Farm offices provide to local Habitat organizations across the United States, State Farm has provided support for Habitat for Humanity’s youth programs since 2007.

Students from Allatoona, Campbell, Hillgrove, Pope, Walton and Wheeler HS with new homeowner Danny Burgess.

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East Cobb sports update: Pope baseball, Lassiter and Walton boys lacrosse reach state semifinals

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The Pope baseball team’s hopes of winning three consecutive state championships is alive. There’s also a chance for an all-East Cobb boys lacrosse state final.

The Greyhounds, who ousted Lee County 2 games to 1 in a home baseball series this week, moved up the finale of that series on Thursday to avoid the rain, and came away with a 9-1 victory.East Cobb sports update

The victory came in a rematch between the finalists for the 2017 Georgia Class 6A title. Lee County won the opener 8-7 and Pope rallied with an 18-8 win in the second game of a doubleheader.

Pope is 28-7 on the season and won’t have to travel far in the semifinals, meeting Harrison, which eliminated Houston County Friday in a game that was delayed by rain from Thursday night.

This will be the fourth consecutive semifinal appearance for Pope. The series with Harrison begins with a doubleheader on Tuesday, and a third game, if necessary, would be played on Wednesday.

Walton’s baseball season came to an end this week when the Raiders were swept in the Class 7A quarterfinals by Parkview, by scores of 5-3 and 7-4. The teams have won two of the last three titles.

Lacrosse playoffs

New Lassiter High School gym, Lassiter back stadium parking lotThe Lassiter boys lacrosse team has reached the semifinals of the Class 6A-7A tournament after defeating Mill Creek 16-9 this week. The Trojans, who have reached the finals three years in a row, will next play the team they’ve met in those championship games.

The Lambert Longhorns downed North Gwinnett 12-4 and will play host to Lassiter on Tuesday or Wednesday. Lambert, in Forsyth County, has beaten the Trojans in two of those three title games.

The Walton boys reached the other semifinal match in Class 6A-7A, as the Raiders toppled Etowah 8-5 on the road on Friday. They will be playing host to Centennial.

The Walton girls team was eliminated Friday in the quarterfinals, losing at North Paulding 14-13.

Soccer semis

The Pope boys have reached the Class 6A semifinals, and will be playing at Dalton on Tuesday. The Greyhounds defeated Tucker 3-2 in the quarterfinals this week.

The Kell boys were eliminated in the first round in Class 5A by Lithia Springs, while Walton reached the second round in Class 7A before falling to Hillgrove. The Lassiter boys also lost in the second round in 7A to another Cobb school, Kennesaw Mountain. 

In girls soccer, the Walton girls also were ousted in the second round by Hillgrove, while Lassiter beat Kennesaw Mountain to advance to the Class 7A quarterfinals, where they were beaten by Parkview.

In Class 6A, the Pope girls were eliminated in the quarterfinals this week by Heritage of Conyers, and Johns Creek downed Sprayberry in the first round.

 

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‘Backyard Birds’ discussed at Wright Center open garden event

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Wright Center open garden

Submitted information and photo from the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, which is holding its next Open Garden event next Thursday, May 16, at the Wright Environmental Education Center in East Cobb:

Joe Ranney of Wild Birds Unlimited will speak at 9:30 and 10:30 on Backyard Birds, including songbirds, migratory birds, owls, and raptors (hawks, vultures). He will bring nest boxes, feeders, seeds, etc. Make plans to attend the talks and to walk the trails of this beautiful urban forest.

The Wright Center is located at 2661 Johnson Ferry Road; parking is in the adjacent Chestnut Ridge Christian Church, accessible via Post Oak Tritt Road.

Related story

 

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Reminder: East Cobb 2019 graduation schedule

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East Cobb high school graduation dates

The last week of the 2018-19 year for the Cobb County School District is coming up, with graduations a little more than a week away.

Here are the dates, times and venues for commencement exercises for the six high schools in East Cobb:

Tuesday, May 21
Kell, 3:30 p.m., KSU Convocation Center

Wednesday, May 22
Wheeler, 6:30 p.m., Wheeler Gymnasium

Thursday, May 23
Lassiter, 2:30 p.m., KSU Convocation Center

Friday, May 24
Walton, 10 a.m., KSU Convocation Center
Pope, 7 p.m., KSU Convocation Center

Saturday, May 25
Sprayberry, 7 p.m., KSU Convocation Center

There are more details here about each school’s event, including directions and parking, as well as a link to watch via the web and order DVDs of the ceremonies.

They’ll be among 8,000 high school seniors in the Cobb district getting their diplomas.

 

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Lassiter students named winners of 2019 Congressional art competition

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Lassiter students Congressional art competition
Left to right: 2nd place winner Sophia Maier, 1st place winner Holly Mostyn, Rep. Lucy McBath, 3rd place winner Emily Marie Phillips.

Submitted information and photos from the office of U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath:

This week, Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Marietta) hosted her first Congressional Art Competition Reception at the Roswell Visual Arts Center for student artists and their parents and teachers. During the exhibit, McBath announced that Holly Mostyn’s photograph, “Splatter” won first place and will be on display in the halls of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. for one year as a part of the nationwide Congressional Art Competition: An Artistic Discovery exhibit. Her artwork will be on display alongside winners from other Congressional Districts across the nation. Holly is a senior at Lassiter High School in Marietta.

Additionally, Sophia Maier’s colored pencil, marker and acrylic piece “BusBOY” won second place and will be on display in McBath’s Washington, D.C. office. Sophia is also a senior at Lassiter High School in Marietta. McBath announced that Emily Marie Phillips won third place for her ink and marker on paper piece, “Silence.” Emily is 16 and attends Cambridge High School in Milton. Her artwork will be displayed in Rep. McBath’s Sandy Springs District Office.

“It was a delight to see all of the art on display from talented young artists in Georgia’s Sixth,” said Rep. McBath. “Congratulations to this year’s winners – Holly, Sophia, and Emily! I look forward to seeing their art on display as I walk through the U.S. Capitol building and in my Sandy Springs and Washington offices.”

This year, the judges serving on the panel to decide the winners included Althea Foster, Laurianne Love, Craig Ford, and Nancy Fairchild.  Ms. Foster is the Curator and Program Director at the Johns Creek Art Center. Ms. Love is the Visual Arts Coordinator for the City of Roswell Department of Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs. Mr. Ford is a painter, graphic artist, and teaches at the Roswell Visual Arts Center. Ms. Fairchild teaches art classes at the Roswell Visual Arts Center.

Each student participant in attendance received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Rep. Lucy McBath. The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for Members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have participated in the nationwide competition.

Below, Rep. McBath and Lassiter student Sophia Maier with her artwork, “BusBOY.”

U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, LAssiter student Sophia Maier, Congressional art competition

 

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East Cobb cityhood group talks budget, taxes at Powers Ferry civic forum

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David Birdwell, East Cobb Cityhood group
“We think we have time to get feedback and do this thing right,” said David Birdwell of East Cobb Cityhood group. (ECN photo)

In their third public appearance, leaders of an East Cobb cityhood group announced Wednesday they had formed a finance committee to put in motion a working budget proposal.

David Birdwell and Rob Eble, the spokesman for the cityhood steering committee, said the panel is made up of financial experts, including corporate CFOs.

They wouldn’t identify those with the financial committee for now, but Eble said after a Powers Ferry Corridor Alliance meeting at Brumby Elementary School that one of the individuals has some public budgeting experience.

The committee also will be scrutinizing a financial feasibility study conducted for the cityhood group by researchers at Georgia State University (read it here).

“They’re going to go line-by-line through that feasibility study,” Eble said, to ensure it’s accurate and “to try and create a budget.”

The feasibility study concluded that a City of East Cobb providing police, fire and community development services (including planning and zoning), and based on a population of 96,000, would have projected revenues of $49.8 million, and expenses totalling $45.6 million (see chart from the study in graphic below).

That’s with a property tax rate levied at 2.96 mills, the same paid by homeowners in unincorporated Cobb now for fire services.

Revising the map?

The feasibility study was requirement for a cityhood bill to be filed in the recent Georgia legislative session, which includes a proposed city charter and a proposed map that is likely to change.

(View the interactive city map here)

The cityhood group also was scheduled to meet Thursday with officials at the state reapportionment office about the possibility of changing the boundary lines.

Birdwell and Eble both characterized the meeting as seeking out “scenarios” for moving the lines beyond the current boundaries, roughly the East Cobb portion of commissioner Bob Ott’s District 2, to include more of the Pope and Lassiter attendance zones.

The proposed city does not include any of the Sprayberry or Kell clusters.

Both said they didn’t know how the final lines might be drawn, as that is a function of the legislature as it considers the cityhood bill next year.

Birdwell did reiterate the cityhood group’s insistence that those living in a City of East Cobb wouldn’t be paying higher tax rates than they are now.

Changing the city lines would mean changing all those financial numbers, and Birdwell said that “if it’s a real material change, we’ll figure out a way to do the feasibility study to satisfy the [legislative] process.”

Skepticism remains

One citizen trying to keep an open mind is Connie Day, a member of the PFCA board who lives near Brumby in the Stratford neighborhood.

Mike Boyce
Mike Boyce

While she said she appreciates the cityhood group for addressing “what’s on peoples’ minds” about the issue, she wonders what the impact will be on taxes.

When asked if she thought the city could be run at or below the current county millage rate, Day laughed for a second, then said, “the skeptic in me says it’s going to be a challenge.”

Day said her property tax assessment has gone up by 20 percent, so she’s already paying more in taxes anyway. That’s not her only question.

“If feels like another layer of government,” she said. “I’m not dissatisfied with the level of services I’m getting now. Right now, I’m not feeling the pain point” that might persuade her to support cityhood (a referendum would take place if the legislature passes the cityhood bill next year).

Also listening to the cityhood group’s presentation Wednesday was Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce, who has noted previously that all six Cobb municipalities have higher tax millage rates than the county.

He said he was encouraged to hear about the budget proposal, so “we can get a real comparison.”

Eble said the budget committee’s work could be done in another 60 days or so.

The cityhood group is planning another town hall in mid-June.

More East Cobb News Cityhood Coverage

 

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Cobb school retirees include long-serving East Cobb teachers, staff

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Cobb school retirees

Of the 229 Cobb school retirees honored by the Cobb County School District on Thursday, some of the longest-serving teachers and staff have been at East Cobb schools. They include the following, with their total years of service to the district:

  • Lassiter High School food services manager Jeannie Ledbetter, 39 years;

    Deborah Poss, Cobb school retirees
    Deborah Poss
  • Lassiter High School teacher Donald Slater, 38 years;
  • Walton High School custodian Lawrence Moon, 36 years;
  • Lassiter High School teacher Deborah Poss, 35 years;
  • East Side Elementary School teacher Debra Denise Clackum, 35 years.

“It is the greatest part-time job with benefits that you could ever have. You get summers off. You get to enjoy life,” Ledbetter said.

The luncheon took place at Roswell Street Baptist Church, and Lassiter student Will Cole took part in the festivities by singing the national anthem; he’s pictured below.

The total service logged by the retiring 229 employees comes to 5,009 years.

(Information and photos submitted by Cobb County School District)

 

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East Cobb rape suspect indicted by Cobb grand jury

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An East Cobb man charged with raping a woman at her home in the Johnson Ferry Road area in February has been indicted.Cobb County logo, Cobb 2017 elections, East Cobb rape suspect

Kendal Guerin Chaves, 34, of Lerose Court, was indicted by a Cobb grand jury last week on one count of aggravated sodomy, one count of aggravated assault, one count of first degree burglary and one count of battery.

He was charged by Cobb Police on Feb. 10, two days after a woman living on Colony Drive, off Little Willeo Road, said a man knocked on a window in the morning and attacked her after she answered the door.

According to the indictment, Chaves gained unlawful entry into the home, committed anal rape against the victim, choked her and caused bruises to her neck, face and arms.

Chaves was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond, according to jail records.

He also was charged with DUI, a misdemeanor, at the same time. Chaves pleaded guilty in late January to a cocaine possession charge and had been sentenced to three years’ probation, according to court records.

The court records further show that his probation was revoked due to the DUI charge, and on March 26, Chaves was resentenced to serve two years.

According to Cobb jail records, Chaves was released to the custody of the Georgia Department of Corrections on April 11.

 

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Lower Roswell rezoning/annexation request tabled again; mediation looms

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A controversial rezoning and annexation request on Lower Roswell Road at the Loop was tabled again on Wednesday by the Marietta City Council.

Cobb County officials delivered a letter to city officials earlier on Wednesday, reiterating their objections under a state law that gives counties that right in high-density cases.

Traton Homes wants to build 37 townhomes and 15 single-family residences on 7.48 acres at the northeast intersection of Lower Roswell and the Loop, a plan that residents in an adjacent neighborhood have opposed.

Many living in Sewell Manor are in the county, and they grew concerned when the Marietta City Attorney suggested Tuesday that a vote could go ahead because Cobb commissioners hadn’t voted on formalizing the objection.

At a town hall meeting elsewhere in East Cobb Wednesday, Cobb commissioner Bob Ott said the council tabled the request, and that he had spoken to Marietta Mayor Thunder Tumlin.

The parties “have agreed to follow the steps of HB 489,” Ott said, referring to the state law in question. That allows counties to enter mediation when there’s such a dispute.

The law kicks in when a city wants to annex unincorporated land that would be zoned for more than four residential units an acre. Traton’s initial request was for more than 11 units an acre, but it’s revised it to 6.5.

That still didn’t set well with Sewell Manor residents who think the project not only remains too dense (their neighborhood density is 1.75 units an acre), but that they also believe will contribute to traffic issues at a clogged intersection.

Ott said the mediation process would include going back to county commissioners, but the possibility looms that the city could annex the land under Georgia home rule provisions.

The property includes three tracts of land already part of the city that front Lower Roswell, and six residential parcels that were once part of Sewell Manor, a community of small homes built in the 1950s.

 

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East Cobb National Merit Scholarship recipients announced

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The National Merit Scholarship Corporation on Wednesday announced that around 2,500 high school seniors around the country were recipients of $2,500 National Merit Scholarships for 2019. Eleven of those recipients are from East Cobb schools.

Students are chosen for having “the combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.”

EAst Cobb National Merit ScholarsThe recipients were chosen by college admissions officers and high school counselors. The winners also indicated their probable career field (in parenthesis) on their applications:

  • Campbell: Alexander Eaton, who’s from East Cobb (business administration);
  • Lassiter: Dennis G. Goldenberg, with a probable career field in mathematics.
  • Walton: William Ellsworth (computer science), Vineet Gangireddy (business administration), Nicholas Hong (neurobiology), Ryan Li (computer science) and Grace Xu (undecided);
  • Wheeler: Fianko Buckle (computer science), Caden M. Felton (physics), Arya N. Mevada (intellectual property law) and Keshav K. Shenoy (computer science).

The field began with 15,000 applicants, and more than 7,600 students will receive scholarship money totalling $31 million by the end of the school year.

The NMSC also recently awarded corporate scholarships, which are renewable for up to four years and range from $500 to $10,000, that go to the children of company employees, live in the communities those companies serve or who plan to go into career fields the sponsor wishes to encourage.

The following East Cobb students were awarded those scholarships on April 17:

  • Mariah K. Butts, Wheeler (Marsh & McLennan Companies Scholarship), probable career field medicine;
  • Eashan Gandotra, Walton (ADP Henry Taub Memorial Scholarship), mathematics;
  • Tarunnum Lakdawala, Campbell (PWC Charitable Foundation Scholarship), computer science;
  • Zachary Yahn, Wheeler (Georgia-Pacific Foundation Scholarship), electrical engineering.

 

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East Cobb Food Scores: Straight ‘A’ grades for local schools

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New Brumby Elementary School

The following East Cobb restaurant scores from April 29-May 10 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing to view details of the inspection:

BB Kabobs
1260 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 115
April 29, 2019 Score: 91, Grade: A

Brumby Elementary School
815 Terrell Mill Road
May 2, 2019 Score: 96, Grade: A

East Cobb Middle School
825 Terrell Mill Road
April 29, 2019 Score: 99, Grade: A

Mzizi Coffee Roaster
2995 Johnson Ferry Road
May 2, 2019 Score: 96, Grade: A

Powers Ferry Elementary School
403 Powers Ferry Road
May 9, 2019 Score: 100, Grade: A

Sope Creek Elementary School 
3320 Paper Mill Road
May 8, 2019 Score: 100, Grade: A

Vespucci’s Pizza & Pasta Tavern
4805 Canton Road, Suite 100
May 7, 2019 Score: 83, Grade: B

Waffle House
621 Johnson Ferry Road
May 1, 2019 Score: 90, Grade: A

Wendy’s
2961 Shallowford Road
May 9, 2019 Score: 95, Grade: A

 

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Georgia ‘heartbeat’ abortion bill signed into law by Gov. Kemp

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One of the most controversial bills to come up in the Georgia legislature this year was signed into state law Tuesday

State Rep. Sharon Cooper, Georgia heartbeat abortion bill
State Rep. Sharon Cooper

Gov. Brian Kemp signed HB 481, the Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act, to go into effect next January, amid promises that there would be legal challenges.

(Read the text of the bill here.)

The law bans abortions in Georgia once a doctor can detect a heartbeat, which is usually around six weeks from conception.

The exceptions are for rape and incest, if the life of the mother is endangered and if a doctor determines a fetus is not viable for medical reasons.

Women also must file a police report in the case of rape or incest.

Previous Georgia law, passed in 2012, banned abortions after 20 weeks. HB 481 was sponsored by Rep. Ed Setzler, an Acworth Republican, but two of his fellow GOP colleagues from East Cobb did not support it.

Both State Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick and State Rep. Sharon Cooper, who are pro-life Republicans, opposed the bill. Kirkpatrick was out of town attending a funeral when the bill came up for final Senate action and was excused from voting. Cooper, the chairwoman of the House Health and Human Services Committee, voted no on final passage.

They said the bill is unconstitutional, and as retired medical care providers, they opposed provisions to punish OBGYNs, physician assistants and nurses (women and pharmacists also could face criminal charges).

The bill included “personhood” language for fetuses, lets parents claim an embryo as a dependent on their taxes and could order fathers to pay child support for unborn children during pregnancy.

East Cobb’s other Republican state House members, John Carson, Matt Dollar and Don Parsons, voted for the bill. Mary Frances Williams, a Marietta Democrat who represents part of East Cobb, opposed HB 481, as did Democratic senators Jen Jordan and Michael Rhett, who have slivers of East Cobb in their districts.

Georgia is one of several states whose legislatures have enacted abortion legislation in anticipation of possible action regarding Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1973 that legalized abortion nationwide.

Some of those laws have been struck down by courts.

 

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Cobb library system Summer Reading Program starts May 20

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Cobb library system summer reading program

The school year is almost over and the Cobb library system is getting its summer reading program underway just as the last classes dismiss.

The dates are May 20-July 27, and the system notes that the program is for adults too, and not just kids:

The Early Literacy Program is about young children building reading and language skills. Reading to young children, even infants, increases word recognition and vocabulary.

The Children’s Program engages kids in language skills development for success. Students are at risk of losing 2-3 months of reading and math over the summer. The Summer Reading Program is a fun way to keep students learning!

The Teen Program motivates teens to read and talk about literature. Teens who participate in Summer Reading tend to perform better academically and achieve greater academic gains than those who don’t

The Adult Program is about experiencing the joy of reading. Reading relieves stress, strengthens the brain, and builds empathy.

The library supports family bonding time and shared learning experiences. Each program includes activities which have been designed to encourage participation by the whole family because learning doesn’t stop when you leave school.

There’s a kickoff event on Saturday, May 25, from 5-7 p.m. at the Cobb County Civic Center (548 S. Marietta Parkway). Here’s more on “A Universe of Stories,” the theme for this summer’s program:

Calling all Earthlings, astronauts, space adventurers and explorers, Jedi, Doctors, future Mission to Mars scientists, martians, and space robots –

🌟 Suit up in your favorite outer space gear and blast off on our Summer Space Jam dance floor.
🌟 Explore official Cobb County Police vehicles and a Cobb County Fire truck.
🌟 Meet and read to our favorite 4-legged friends from CAREing Paws.
🌟 Get creative with out-of-this-world arts, crafts, and activities.
🌟 Enjoy spaced-theme storytimes.
🌟 We come in peace! Meet our community partners from Communities in Schools, Cobb County School District, Marietta City School, and Cobb PARKS.
🌟 Be on the lookout for stellar special guests including the KSU iTeach Maker Bus and Fernbank Science Center and their portable planetarium!

This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. Bring all your friends – from our galaxy and beyond!

Find more information about Summer Reading at cobbcat.org/srp.

 

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East Cobb cityhood leaders to speak at Powers Ferry community meeting

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East Cobb cityhood leaders
The East Cobb cityhood group continues its public appearances on Wednesday. (ECN file)

On Wednesday East Cobb cityhood leaders will address a meeting of the Powers Ferry Corridor Alliance.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at Brumby Elementary School (815 Terrell Mill Road). The PFCA, formerly known as the Terrell Mill Community Association, is a civic group, which has occasional community meetings.

Also scheduled to speak are Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce and Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott, with topics including county police staffing issues and a transit update.

Other updates include what’s happening in the Powers Ferry corridor, including the MarketPlace Terrell Mill and Restaurant Row redevelopment projects.

Part of the Powers Ferry corridor would be included in the proposed City of East Cobb, down to around the intersection at Terrell Mill Road.

Below that, the Powers Ferry area is included in the Cumberland Community Improvement District, which is not included in the proposed city limits.

Last week, the cityhood group held a town hall meeting of its own at Walton High School (see links below).

Related stories

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Georgia DRIVES updating title and vehicle registration system in May

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Submitted information:

Plan ahead if you are going to to register your car title in May. Georgia will be upgrading its title and vehicle registrations starting May 21, leading to some services being unavailable and reduced office hours until the end of the month.

The system upgrade, called the Georgia Driver Record and Integrated Vehicle Enterprise System, will make online and kiosk services unavailable May 21-27. In preparation for the upgrade, some county tag offices will have reduced hours and fewer services available May 21-23 and May 28-29. All vehicle registration and titling services will be unavailable statewide May 24–27.

For more information, go to the Georgia DRIVES resource page.

 

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East Cobb Jason’s Deli ribbon-cutting slated for May 23

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East Cobb Jason's Deli opening, East Cobb food scores

Submitted information:

Jason’s Deli is teaming up with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce to host a ribbon cutting for their Marietta location on May 23, at 11 a.m. The deli is located at 1401 Johnson Ferry Rd.

The East Cobb community is encouraged to stop by the deli and enjoy free samples until 12 p.m. Guests will also be able to order lunch from their diverse menu, such as Reuben THE Great, the California Club, and the Garden Fresh Salad bar that features 50+ ingredients, including select organics.

“We are so excited to be a part of the East Cobb community, and we’re looking forward to celebrating with the Chamber of Commerce and East Cobb community,” said Managing Partner Greg Felter.

More information for the event can be found on the deli’s Facebook page.

 

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Marietta recovery center The Extension holds open house, sign dedication

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The Extension Marietta

Submitted information and photos:

On Thursday, May 2nd, Marietta city and county officials, Senator Kay Kirkpatrick, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, The Extension Board of Directors, staff and friends of The Extension gathered to dedicate The Extension’s new sign and enjoy lunch and  an open house event. The sign dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting ceremony was officiated by Marietta’s Mayor Steve Tumlin. Tyler Driver, The Extension’s Executive Director, spoke about the solution to homelessness and addiction in our community. After the ceremony, the guests enjoyed a catered lunch and tours of the facility.

The Extension, located on the Church Street Extension in Marietta, is a somewhat obscure building. According to Renee McCormick, the Director of Community Relations at The Extension, “People said that they had been passing by our building for years not knowing what it was, they assumed we were part of the County or Must Ministries. We needed a way to set ourselves apart and to make ourselves more visible.” The Extension Board of Directors came together and donated the funds to build a beautiful monument styled sign that accomplished their objectives.

“For us, it is not just about the opioid crisis or focusing on the disease of addiction, it is about focusing on the solution, and giving those who are suffering and their families real hope for recovery and restoration,” says Driver. For over thirty years, The Extension has saved lives and restored families in Cobb County. They are a nonprofit, nine to twelve month, residential treatment program for men and women twenty five and older who are homeless as the result of a drug and/alcohol addiction. They have fifty seven men in their men’s program and twenty four women in their women’s program.

The Extension partners with local businesses, churches and civic organizations to meet the needs of their clients. For more information about The Extension or to make a donation go to their website www.theextension.org or connect with them on Facebook www.facebook.com/The-Extension-Inc-180185961985

The Extension Marietta
From L-R, Marietta Mayor “Thunder” Tumlin, The Extension executive director Tyler Driver and Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce.

 

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East Cobb Race Trac participating in free fuel day for teachers

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East Cobb Race Trac free fuel teachers

Submitted information:

In celebration of National Teacher Appreciation Day on Tuesday, May 7, Cobb County based Race Trac invites all Cobb County teachers to fuel up for free as a thank you for fueling the minds of children and all that you do for the community.

You are invited to stop by one of the Race Trac locations in Kennesaw or Marietta from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday to get a free $20 gift card to fuel up on Race Trac, while supplies last.

WHERE: Two participating locations: 1625 Old Hwy. 41, Kennesaw, 30152 // 3103 Roswell Rd., Marietta, 30062

WHEN: 4:00-6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, 2019

HOW TO REDEEM THE OFFER:

  1. Choose one of the stores listed above
  2. Park at a gas pump, and visit the marked table at the front of the store
  3. Show your valid Cobb County school ID to receive your $20 gift card
  4. Return to your vehicle to redeem the gift card at the gas pump station
  5. Fuel up, on Race Trac!

Race Trac is proudly based in Atlanta and Cobb County. The company’s mission is making people’s lives simpler and more enjoyable, and Race Trac believes it is important.

to do so through giving back. Race Trac hopes that this free fuel will show you just how much you are appreciated for all that you do.

 

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