April 2020

Gov. Kemp lifting shelter-in place order for most Georgians

May 1, 2020 8:23 PMApril 30, 2020 3:21 PM by Wendy Parker

Kemp lifting shelter-in-place order

The shelter-in-place order Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp extended once already will be expiring right before midnight Friday.

As the clock strikes midnight, and as April gives way to the month of May, most Georgians will be free to roam about their communities a bit more.

In a statement issued Thursday afternoon, Kemp said he’s still urging citizens to stay at home as much as possible and to observe social distancing practices and wear masks when they go out.

Here’s a summary of his new order, which details provisions for businesses that are open, who must remain in shelter-in-place and criteria for currently closed businesses to reopen by May 13.

He thanked citizens for heeding advice to stay home, “affording us time to bolster our health care infrastructure and flatten the curve.

“We were successful in these efforts, but the fight is far from over,” Kemp said.

As of noon Thursday, Georgia had reported 26,155 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 Coronavirus, with 1,120 deaths and 5,156 hospitalizations. Of the latter, there were 1.171 intensive care admissions.

In Cobb County there are 1,599 cases and 91 deaths, with 464 hospitalizations.

Georgia has a population of 10.6 million people but has conducted only 149,000 tests for the virus.

In addition, those businesses allowed to reopen over the last week must continue to follow proscribed safety and sanitation regulations, including social distancing guidelines, through May 13.

That’s when statewide a public health emergency was due to expire. However, Kemp on Thursday said he would extend that order through June 12.

Under that order, elderly citizens (aged 65 and older) and “medically fragile Georgians” must continue to follow shelter-in-place rules.

Kemp said extending the public health emergency is also being done to continue testing for the virus, begin contact tracing and provide for adequate emergency response operations.

Senior living, nursing-home and long-term care facilities will be ordered to follow “enhanced infection control protocols” through June 12.

“My decisions are based on data and advice from health officials,” Kemp said. “I will do what is necessary to protect the lives and livelihoods of our people.”

Kemp’s actions to allow some personal touch businesses and restaurants to reopen in the last week has generated plenty of controversy.

On Thursday, Dr. Karen Landman, an Atlanta-based writer and epidemiologist, wrote in an op-ed piece in The New York Times that Georgia’s reopening, the first by a state in the country, has been mishandled.

She accused the governor of using selected data to guide his decision and said overall numbers are still too high.

“It’s not just about having favorable data, or even enough testing,” she wrote. “It’s about having the right infrastructure to assess it and ensure sustained decreases in cases.”

At The Atlantic, Lassiter High School graduate Amanda Mull made similar points in an article published Wednesday with the headline “Georgia’s Experiment With Human Sacrifice.”

Mull, who now lives in Brooklyn, talked to health experts and small business owners in the state, including Sabra Dupree of Kids Kuts Salon in East Cobb, and concluded that “Georgia’s brash reopening puts much of the state’s working class in an impossible bind: risk death at work, or risk ruining yourself financially at home.”

SCENE IN EAST COBB: Messages of hope on Johnson Ferry Road

May 1, 2020 1:21 PMApril 30, 2020 1:52 PM by Wendy Parker

Johnson Ferry Road messages of hope

Motorists heading south along Johnson Ferry Road can see a steady stream of signs as they pass the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul.

From the church’s driveway at the intersection of Bishop Lake Road to its back parking lot, the intermittent signs read “Don’t Give Up!” (and its Spanish equivalent, “No Te Rindas,”), “You Are Not Alone,” “One Day at a Time” and “You Got This!”

(In the background of the first and last photo is Mt. Zion United Methodist Church.)

The messages are meant to comfort during the Coronavirus crisis, but they also extend to part of the broader ministry of St. Peter and St. Paul. The church conducts a monthly food box pickup event in conjunction with There’s Hope for the Hungry, a North Georgia ministry that also includes Mt. Zion and Noonday Baptist Church as participating congregations in East Cobb.

Those in need can pick up a free box of food can come to St. Peter and St. Paul (1795 Johnson Ferry Road) on the first Tuesday of each month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The next pickup event is this coming Tuesday, May 5.

Tom Martin, head of service ministries at St. Peter and St. Paul, said the food distribution program started in early 2019. When visitors come by, they’ll get a box with enough food to feed a family of four for two weeks.

The church also has provided voluntary spiritual counseling sessions for those needing help getting back on their feet. Martin said that won’t be happening in May because of the COVID-19 situation, and food distribution also will be done in accordance with social distancing guidelines.

On Tuesday, those picking up food are asked to pull into the main driveway and follow signs to the back of the church. Once there, they’ll receive a food voucher and delivery of the food box in their trunks, without having to leave their vehicles.

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Got a story tip, photo or other news item about East Cobb? Send it to us and we’ll share it with the community. E-mail: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

East Cobb openings/closings update 4.30: Restaurants, shops and more

May 2, 2020 12:02 PMApril 30, 2020 10:33 AM by Wendy Parker

Chicago's Restaurant

With Georgia’s shelter-in-place order expected to expire later today, and as selected businesses are allowed to reopen, we’re updating what’s opening and what’s staying closed for now in East Cobb.

We’ll be adding to this during the day, so let us know your status. E-mail us: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Williamson Bros BBQ on Roswell Road has been fully closed, but announced this morning it’s open as of today for drive-thru service only, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call 770-071-3201 to order in advance. They’ve been testing this approach at other locations and the dining room is still closed.

Chicago’s Steak and Seafood, at Shallowford Corners, had been closed completely but is now resuming dining room service for dinner. Proprietor Mark Zwolak said during the closure the restaurant underwent a full deep cleaning and some renovations and is taking extra safety precautions, including use of “a non-contact infrared thermometer to screen the temperatures of our employees and patrons.”

A few doors down, East Cobb Tavern is reopening Monday and will be open from 3-8 p.m. for dining room and curbside service. It was open only a few weeks after being rebranded from Keegan’s Pub, and has been closed completely since mid-March.

The Eggs Up Grill, also at Shallowford Corners, has been fully closed for a couple of weeks, after trying pickup/takeout/delivery. Management announced Wednesday the dining room is reopening in seven days, after saying over the weekend it would hold off despite the governor’s reopening plans. “We will be adhering to all safety guidelines for social distancing, sanitation etc. We look forward to get back to serving the community we so love! It has been too long!” was Wednesday’s message.

On Monday, Suburban Tap reopened its dining room and will allow only 10 patrons per square foot and dining parties of six people or less per table. Salad bar and buffet service are discontinued for the time being.

As we noted last week, among the first East Cobb restaurants to reopen its dining room is Bradley’s Bar & Grill on Lower Roswell Road.

Most restaurants in East Cobb that are open are limiting their operations to pickup/takeout/delivery for now, even though they could open their dining rooms on Monday.

Hair and nail salons, barber shops and other “personal touch” businesses were allowed to open on Friday, and a few are doing so (more in-depth on a few of those in another post) very gradually.

Nancy’s Salon on Johnson Ferry Road said Wednesday it would be reopening on May 12. The day before, on May 11, Zeba Hair Salon is reopening at Merchant’s Festival.

Some pet-related businesses have closed and a few will be opening up again soon. Haven, The Dog Spot is aiming for a May 11 “business almost as usual” reopening date, and has detailed its safety protocols.

Likewise at Hot Dogs, Cool Cats at Paper Mill Village, a pet spa and grooming boutique that also is shooting for May 11 to open back up.

Most of the gyms and fitness centers in East Cobb that also have been allowed to reopen remain closed, at least for now, and are offering virtual classes.

Some medical offices are starting to reopen. One is East Cobb Foot and Ankle Care, which is requiring all patients to wear masks or a face covering and will be checking temperatures.

Carwash USA at East Cobb Crossing is reopening on Thursday, but in a limited mode. No more than two customers will be allowed in the indoor waiting room at any given time, although there is outdoor seating as well.

Cobb DA’s office seeking support for liveSafe Resources

April 30, 2020 8:26 AM by Wendy Parker

Submitted information:

Cobb District Attorney Joyette M. Holmes asks community members to help provide hope to Livesafe Resources by stocking the shelves for victims of domestic violence, as part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

While pandemic precautions have strained our community and locked many into violent homes, Marietta-based liveSAFE Resources remains at work, caring for domestic-violence survivors and performing sexual-assault exams.

You can help by purchasing items on Amazon and having them sent directly to liveSAFE’s offices. A wish list can be found at: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/PPBY3HHZ9MMW…

Monetary donations to liveSAFE can be made here: https://4agc.com/donat…/e4e1e5c5-f1e4-4920-8e40-ee2277d0bfd1

Help is available for anyone suffering abuse in an intimate relationship. liveSAFE Resources’ 24-hour crisis line is 770-427-3390, and they are on the web at www.livesaferesources.org

This ‘Stock the Shelves’ event is hosted by the Cobb DA’s Office as part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Events have been extended and moved online this year as a result of current health guidelines.

First designated by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week increases general public awareness of, and knowledge about the wide range of rights and services available to people who have been victimized by crime. The theme for 2020 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is “Seek Justice, Ensure Victims’ Rights, and Inspire Hope.”

For additional information about 2020 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities or about victims’ rights and services in Cobb County, please contact the Victim Witness Unit in the DA’s Office at 770-528-3047 or visit our website at www.cobbda.com.

For information about national efforts to promote 2020 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, please visit the Office for Victims of Crime website at www.ovc.gov.

The National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators is a non-profit organization that represents the 56 state agencies that distribute money from the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Crime Victims Fund to more than 4,000 direct victim assistance service providers. The money in the Crime Victims Fund comes from fines collected from offenders convicted of federal crimes and not from U.S. taxpayers.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Johnson Ferry-Shallowford master plan review period extended

April 29, 2020 3:56 PM by Wendy Parker

Johnson Ferry-Shallowford master plan

Right before the Coronavirus crisis prompted government, school and business closures, the Cobb Community Development Agency issued its Johnson Ferry-Shallowford master plan recommendations and made them available for public comment for a month.

That month, of course, was dominated by the Coronavirus response, and county government has been in limited operations mode.

Last week the agency sent out another notice that the master plan proposal, and related documents, would be available for public review until May 27.

There’s also a storymap that’s been put together that runs through all the components of the two-year study, which includes land use, transportation, housing, demographics, stormwater and sense of place.

JOSH future land use map — *The future land use map of the JOSH area, which currently has nearly 27,000 residents. Light areas are low-density residential.*

That information was compiled from feedback at town hall meetings and surveys. The agency uses the phrase “small area plan” in reference to this particular project, but the process has been similar to the Johnson Ferry Design Guidelines and the Powers Ferry Master Plan in East Cobb in recent years.

There’s a lot of material to cover in the “JOSH” report (the draft was released last summer), and we’ll highlight below a couple of areas that generated the most interest.

Here’s staff commentary from the land use section:

“Throughout the community engagement process, it was apparent that preservation of the low-density nature of the area was a reoccurring theme. Most of the JOSH study area is built-out, however, there are pockets of large tracts that could potentially be developed in the future. Whether they are CUVA tracts or underdeveloped properties, the community desires that the character of the existing neighborhoods does not change by virtue of what is developed around them.”

As a result, most of the related documents lay out potential future development that’s not much different from what exists now.

Johnson Ferry-Shallowford master plan — *Low-density neighborhoods like Chimney Lakes comprise the vast majority of residential development in the “JOSH” area.*

The staff also put together several scenarios for public feedback regarding the redevelopment of the area around Maddox Lake, at the southwestern corner of the Johnson Ferry-Shallowford intersection.

That’s a 30-acre assemblage for rezoning that went before the Cobb Board of Commissioners as a proposed townhome and single-family residential development before the request was withdrawn in early 2017.

The options presented in the JOSH storymap include redevelopment as a community park and stormwater management facility, with multi-family residential and some retail and restaurant space (see the map below).

The transportation recommendations call for improving intersections in a number of places, including Johnson Ferry-Shallowford, Shallowford-Wesley Chapel, Shallowford-Mabry and creating a roundabout at Hembree Road and Lassiter Road.

The “sense of place” suggestions include design guidelines along Johnson Ferry and Shallowford that would include streetscape amenities including decorative street lights and pedestrian lights, unified landscaped medians, wider sidewalks and street furniture.

The study also suggests the creation of a “community based stakeholder association” that would consider citizen ideas and collaboration on new development and design.

Comments on the JOSH recommendations and storymap can be sent to: comdevplanning@cobbcounty.org or Cobb County Community Development, Planning Division, P.O. Box 649, Marietta, GA 30061-0649.

JOSH Lake Park Concept

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb Chamber of Commerce relaunches Coronavirus website

April 29, 2020 1:05 PM by Wendy Parker

Submitted information:

The Cobb Chamber, in partnership with web developer DynamiX, has launched a redesigned COVID-19 resources site for business owners, community leaders and anyone impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Covidsupport.cobbchamber.org includes resources and information on the CARES Act federal stimulus, reopening guidelines, upcoming Cobb Chamber webinars and learning opportunities, a list of companies that are currently hiring, among many other resources. The redesigned site also promotes businesses and initiatives, including the donation-driven Operation Meal Plan, Cobb Shops To Go, Thank a Healthcare Hero, and more. The website also provides up-to-date content as news develops and as needs are realized throughout our community.

“The Cobb Chamber has been focused on providing resources, advocacy and support to help our businesses and community through this difficult time,” said Sharon Mason, Cobb Chamber President & CEO. “With the redesign of our COVID-19 website, we’re able to take our support one step further by helping you quickly find the resources you need. We will continue working with our many partners and our Economic Recovery Taskforce to drive initiatives that will lead to our community’s recovery.”

One of the core tenants of the Cobb Chamber’s mission is to aid entrepreneurs and small businesses—and drive community and economic development. By hosting a wealth of resources on a single lightweight, responsive site, the Chamber can offer a one-stop-shop experience for every sector of the community that has been impacted by COVID-19.

DynamiX, a Kennesaw-based web design company, built out the site free of charge for the Cobb Chamber. Aiming to highlight organizations standing up for their employees, community and other businesses, DynamiX provided covidsupport.cobbchamber.org as a public service to the Cobb Chamber in order to promote positivity and awareness in their community.

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Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb architecture firm starts quarantine coloring contest

April 29, 2020 12:56 PMApril 29, 2020 8:48 AM by Wendy Parker

Cobb architecture firm quarantine coloring contest — *Coloring book contestants Olivia and Caitlin Silva of Marietta.*

Submitted information and photo:

Kennesaw-based architectural firm CROFT & Associates has launched a Quarantine Coloring Book that turns client renderings into coloring pages for kids and adults.

“We thought it would be a fun way to lift spirits and boost morale,” said Stacey Chapman, Vice President, Corporate Strategy at CROFT. “Our architects and graphic designers loved repurposing the renderings. It meant a lot to them to know that their work would now be a source of joy and inspiration.”

CROFT selected renderings of community mainstays it has designed in recent years, such as fire stations, community centers and churches. To add to the educational component, each coloring activity offers fun facts about the building and the role it plays in the community.

The series began with CROFT’s rendering of a local fire station. Artists were encouraged to share finished pieces on social media and tag their own neighborhood fire station with a message of thanks.

“We wanted the coloring book to be entertaining, educational and uplifting,” added Chapman. “We saw it as a way to foster connection and celebrate community, especially those in our community who are getting us through these challenging times.”

How to Participate: The downloadable coloring pages are available on CROFT’s website and Facebook page. Coloring artists can submit their finished works into the CROFT Quarantine Coloring Book Competition. Completed artwork can be submitted via CROFT’s Facebook (@CroftandAssociates) or Instagram (@croftandassociates) pages or by email to schapman@croftae.com. Artists are encouraged to use the hashtag #CROFTColors.

All entries must be received by noon Fridays. Winners are selected weekly. The prize is a kid’s architecture kit consisting of a sketch pad, colored pencils, an architectural scale and architecture book.

For more information on CROFT, visit www.croftae.com.

Cobb schools postpone in-person graduation ceremonies

April 29, 2020 4:11 PMApril 28, 2020 4:04 PM by Wendy Parker

Lassiter graduation, Cobb schools 2020 graduation schedule — *Lassiter High School’s 2019 graduation ceremony at Kennesaw State University.*

Some high school principals in the Cobb County School District had sent out word in recent days about seniors picking up caps and gowns in hopes of having graduation ceremonies.

They told those members of the Class of 2020 that they were still waiting to hear the final word from the district about whether some form of commencement exercises would take place.

That decision has been released, and it’s not what anyone wanted to hear: There won’t be “in-person” graduation ceremonies in May, as had been scheduled.

A brief unsigned, undated note on CCSD letterhead went out to the “Cobb Schools Community” that due to continuing public gathering and other guidelines due to the Coronavirus crisis, those graduation events will be “postponed.”

That note is also contained on the CCSD’s Coronavirus guidance page, but a formal release was not issued.

The message said that regardless of what public health measures may be in effect in the near future, “we do know we will recognize and honor the graduating class of 2020 in a memorable way.”

Further details, the note said, will be announced by June 1, and that “virtual and in-person graduation alternatives are being considered.”

One of the Cobb principals who’s been regularly communicating graduation possibilities is Dr. Chris Richie of Lassiter High School.

On Sunday, his message to that school community said that “the District has indicated to principals their desire to have a traditional ceremony, but the ceremony may not look the same as it has in the past.”

Most Cobb high schools have had their graduations at the Kennesaw State University Convocation Center. Some, like Wheeler, have held commencement in their gyms.

East Cobb News contacted the CCSD’s communications department for further details about graduation, including possible alternatives, but a spokeswoman repeated the message issued below.

Cobb schools cancel graduation ceremonies

Cobb pastors urge commissioners to fund emergency food aid

April 29, 2020 2:12 PMApril 28, 2020 3:20 PM by Wendy Parker

Cobb non-profit funding delayed — *Rev. Ike Reighard*

A request from Cobb non-profits for $1 million in county funding for emergency food aid during the Coronavirus crisis got an extra push Tuesday from pastors.

Several members of the clergy told members of the Cobb Board of Commissioners that food needs for those thrown into chaos and in many cases out of work in the last few weeks is greater than ever.

The Cobb Community Foundation has made the $1 million request on behalf of various non-profits around the county, and lined up a variety of speakers to plead for the assistance.

At a work session on Monday, Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce said he would delay the request after objections from Commissioner Keli Gambrill over how to determine those needs.

At Tuesday’s first regular board meeting in nearly a month—partially via teleconference—Boyce also said the delay was necessary for the county attorney to draw up a document stating how the food would be distributed if commissioners approve.

Some speakers were phoning in and others were present.

“We’re seeing people who don’t know how to ask for food because they’ve never done it before,” said Rev. Roger Vest of First United Methodist Church of Powder Springs.

“They are looking simply to survive.”

His church is among those in the South Cobb area that’s been seeing a major increase in the number of people seeking food, whether it’s at churches or via other non-profits.

Dr. Ike Reighard, pastor at Piedmont Church in Northeast Cobb and the CEO of MUST Ministries, said his non-profit’s Food Rapid Response Program has provided more than 227,000 meals since it was formed six weeks ago.

In addition, more than 16,000 people have been fed already this year, compared to more than around 10,000 in all of 2019.

“That’s how rapid the growth has been for people who need food,” he said.

MUST will be conducting its 25th summer lunch program for students in Cobb and Cherokee counties, feeding around 5,000 children a day, a project Reighard estimates will cost around $750,000.

Rev. John Hull, senior pastor of Eastside Baptist Church in East Cobb, told commissioners that at the Mosaic Church in Marietta, an Eastside ministry located on Austell Road, more than 500 boxes of food are being picked up every week, as are “hundreds of snack lunches” for students.

But the needs for food will continue to increase as the summer months approach. Some of the issues he’s facing, Hull added, are about preparing and serving warm meals for those in need, providing meals for seniors with special dietary needs and getting food to those who can’t get to grocery stores or other distribution points.

“We are going to be in this for the long haul,” Hull said.

He also referenced the work of the Noonday Association, which comprises nearly 130 churches in Cobb and metro Atlanta that provide general assistance to those in need.

Howard Koepka of the Noonday Association said the amount of food his non-profit is providing “three to four times” what it had been before the crisis.

Excess food provided by grocery stores is no longer being provided due to supply chain disruptions and stores not having some food available since the crisis.

He also said donations made to the non-profit also are down.

Cobb Chamber of Commerce CEO Sharon Mason also phoned in to urge the commissioners to provide the funding. Even after the worst of the crisis is over, she said, “Cobb’s most vulnerable populations will continue to be hit hard.”

Boyce said there will be a special-called meeting to take up the funding request, but he did not give a date, saying only it will be “sometime in the very near future.”

He said he wants to have “something to take to the board in a format that they can vote on.”

East Cobb high schools score well in U.S. News rankings

April 27, 2020 4:10 PM by Wendy Parker

ast Cobb high schools U.S. News rankings, Walton student charged

Three East Cobb high schools—Walton, Lassiter and Pope—are listed among the best in Georgia in the latest U.S. News school rankings.

The annual public high school rankings were released last week (here’s the top of the Georgia list) with Walton 5th in the state, Lassiter 11th and Pope 24th.

Nationwide, those rankings are 187th, 321st and 702nd, respectively.

Wheeler comes in at No. 56 statewide, Sprayberry is at No. 70 and Kell No. 121 in Georgia.

The scores are based on a variety of data, including graduation rates, math and reading proficiency, Advanced Placement offerings and what U.S. News calls a College Readiness Index.

The rankings, in fact, are strongly skewed toward college-bound academic programs, and heavily favor those with ample AP course offerings. There’s no inclusion of vocational or other career-ready programs in the rankings.

The four schools in Georgia listed above Walton are all specialty schools: the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, the Davidson Magnet School in Augusta, Columbus High School and the DeKalb School of the Arts.

All of them have higher or comparable AP participation rates to Walton’s 71 percent. Lassiter’s rate is 70 percent, and Pope’s is 55 percent.

U.S. News data also includes racial and ethnic minority enrollment figures, and details on economically disadvantaged students.

Georgia comes in at No. 22 in the state-by-state rankings.

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Walton volleyball coach honored as one of Top 100 nationally

April 26, 2020 2:20 PM by Wendy Parker

Walton-Lassiter volleyball

Melissa Watkins of the Walton Volleyball Booster Club sends along this news about Lady Raiders head coach Suzanne Fitzgerald:

She’s been named as one of the Top 100 high school coaches in the country by MaxPreps.

That’s a high school sports website and the rankings aren’t just for volleyball, but for all sports.

The list isn’t a ranking—the coaches are named in alphabetical order, and Fitzgerald is only one of four coaches from Georgia to be included.

In December, Walton won its fifth consecutive state championship, beating East Cobb rival Lassiter in the finals.

Walton has won nine state titles in the last 10 years and has 14 championships overall.

Fitzgerald, who teaches English at Walton, was named the MaxPreps national prep volleyball coach of the year when the Lady Raiders were crowned that organization’s national champions.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Sprayberry Crossing developer responds to community questions

April 25, 2020 1:08 PM by Wendy Parker

Sprayberry Crossing developer

Updating a post from a couple weeks ago about the proposed redevelopment of Sprayberry Crossing:

Atlantic Residential, which has made some changes to its mixed-use proposal, also sought feedback from the community. Here’s a link to the questions and responses between the developer and members of Sprayberry Crossing Action, a Facebook group of nearby citizens.

The mixed-use proposal includes a number of changes from last fall’s site plan revision, including a national grocer, apartments, senior living and townhomes, retail shops, co-working space and a community greenspace centered by a town green.

The latest renderings show four-story buildings throughout the development.

Many of the concerns revolve around the number of apartment units. The latest revision reduced those units from 195 to 177, but one of the questions asked if there might be “a greater focus on senior and owned townhomes,” but the response was as follows:

“The current plan is optimized for the intended uses due to the requirements of the grocer location and the fixed position of the cemetery, so there are constraints on how much flexibility that we have in the site plan.”

Atlantic Residential said the proposed rents would range from $1,400 to $2,100 a month (one- and two-bedroom units, respectively) and start at 700 square feet. The same price range is being proposed for the senior apartments.

Other concerns about the project include traffic, and Atlantic Residential said an updated traffic study is in progress, and is estimated to be available to the public in 45 days:

“It is our belief that peak traffic generated by the proposed development will be materially less than traffic generated by a retail center permissible under the existing zoning.”

The Sprayberry Crossing land is on a Cobb County redevelopment list that would be eligible for tax abatements, but Atlantic Residential said it would not be seeking them.

The developer needs to get rezoning from the Neighborhood Shopping designation to an unspecified mixed-use classification.

At the Sprayberry Crossing Action Facebook group, leader Joe Glancy said neither he nor any of the group administrators could see the submissions or the developer’s replies.

The tentative timeline for the redevelopment calls for demolition and site work in the first quarter of 2021 and construction ending in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

East Cobb restaurants reluctant to fully reopen on Monday

April 24, 2020 6:28 PMApril 24, 2020 5:51 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb restaurants opening, Bradley's Bar and Grill — *Bradley’s Bar and Grill is reopening its dining room while maintaining takeout/pickup/delivery service. (ECN photo)*

Following up an earlier post from this week about the reluctance of East Cobb restaurant owners to fully reopen, including dining room service:

Not many will be doing that when they’re allowed to do so on Monday, per Gov. Brian Kemp’s reopening provisions.

(There are 39 guidelines that restaurants must follow under Kemp’s Reviving a Healthy Georgia Order that he issued on Thursday.)

Bradley’s Bar & Grill on Lower Roswell Road indicated it will be opening its dining room Monday, “with restrictions,” and “will follow the strict guidelines for social distancing and have already begun to remove chairs and bar stools.”

Bradley’s will continue takeout, curbside and delivery service and online ordering, as many restaurants have been doing since the state’s shelter-in-place order went into effect earlier this month.

All of the Ted’s Montana Grill locations—including the East Cobb restaurant at Parkaire Landing—have been completely closed since the shutdown began.

Ted’s CEO co-founder George McKerrow sent out a note Friday that its dining rooms will remain closed for now, but that it also will begin curbside pickup on Monday, with more details to come.

“While the Governor has allowed restaurants to open their dining rooms, we do not feel it is safe for our Team Members and Guests,” McKerrow said. “We look forward to the day we can experience made-from-scratch food in a great atmosphere together again. Until then, be safe and see you soon.”

A number of the restaurants we’ve listed in our East Cobb Open for Business Directory are going to continue some combination of takeout/pickup/delivery without opening up their dining rooms for the time being. They include:

AJ’s Seafood and Po’Boys
Camps Kitchen & Bar
Lucia’s Italian Restaurant
Mellow Mushroom Johnson Ferry
Mezza Luna Seafood & Pasta
Paradise Grille
Rosa’s Pizza
Tijuana Joe’s

We’ll be updating this list as restaurants and businesses begin changing their service; please pass along your updates to: editor@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll note that in this and future posts as well as our directory.

East Cobb artisan boutique owners begin wellness gift drive

April 24, 2020 12:30 PM by Wendy Parker

K Squared Wellness Gifts

Katy Colvin and Kesha Darji, owners of the K Squared Artisan Boutique at The Avenue East Cobb, have begun a fundraiser to purchase wellness gifts for healthcare workers and to support the work of their fellow artisans.

Colvin sent along word to East Cobb News that the gifts will be distributed to workers at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and the WellStar North Fulton Hospital. Details here:

“Donations will be collected through the GoFundMe website at www.gf.me/u/xx5ipu. One donation of $10 will go towards a wellness gift valued at $12 to $20. Not only will this donation provide a gift for a local healthcare worker to show that the community supports them, but the money will also be used to purchase gifts made by local artisans to help them deal with the financial impacts of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.”

Katy further says that “it’s a rewarding situation for both sides. So many artists have been impacted by the cancellation of art shows and were forced to close their doors, leaving them without anyway to earn income. Doctors, nurses, and hospital staff are the real action heroes of the crisis and we have the opportunity to lift their spirits and show them we care. We are hoping that this can do a little bit to help.“

She said the GoFundMe fundraiser has raised over $1,000 with a goal to raise $10,000 to provide 1,000 wellness gifts for both hospitals.

The gifts will be distributed next week and another fundraiser may begin soon to extend the gift-buying program.

She said some of the artisanal businesses they sell include, but are not limited to:

Regina’s Farm Kitchen
The Toasted Nut
Jack Be Nimble
LRW Designs
Elizabeth Matthews Designs
The Sassy Buck
Lexicon of Love
True & Radient
Iron Angel
Stoneridge Foods

“It’s hard to choose though. We love all our artisans we sell and they are just great people who are so passionate about what they do! They are all small local businesses and we adore them all!”

Katy Colvin, Kesha Darji, K Squared Artisanal Boutique

Ga. National Guard to open Coronavirus testing site at KSU

April 24, 2020 7:26 AM by Wendy Parker

Cobb Commissioners Coronavirus meeting

Submitted information:

Under the direction of Governor Brian Kemp, the Georgia National Guard has selected Kennesaw State University to host a new, drive-thru site to test Georgians for COVID-19. The testing site, located on the university’s Kennesaw campus, will be commanded by the Georgia National Guard, with testing performed by medical personnel from Augusta University. This is a continued collaboration between the State and the University System of Georgia to utilize the assets of institutions like Kennesaw State and Augusta University in the fight against the coronavirus.

Testing will be by appointment only; no walk-up testing will be allowed in order to protect workers. The testing facility at Kennesaw State will operate daily, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will be able to facilitate 240 tests each day. This location will be operated as a controlled environment with personnel following the strictest health and safety protocols.

Individuals may request a virtual screening for the virus at www.augustahealth.org or download a virtual screening app for their smart phone through AU Health ExpressCare. Through this virtual screening, medical officials can assess symptoms and assist individuals who meet the testing criteria, in finding an appointment to be tested at a state facility near their home, including at Kennesaw State.

Individuals who need additional assistance or information should visit the Georgia Department of Public Health or call the COVID-19 hotline at (844) 442-2681.

East Cobb, Northeast Cobb YMCA help to provide food relief

April 23, 2020 5:10 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb Northeast Cobb YMCA food relief — *Misty Latham, Northeast Cobb Family YMCA staff*

Submitted information and photos:

The YMCA of Metro Atlanta is serving the community amid the coronavirus outbreak by providing hunger relief for children and families. To date, the Y has distributed 26,180meals and more than 6,264backpacks of food.

In Cobb county, McCleskey-East Cobb Family YMCA and Northwest Cobb Family YMCA have packed over 2,464 backpacks supporting Marietta City School students and families. Additionally, nearly 1,480 grab and go meals have been served from four Early Learning Centers – one of which is Chattahoochee Early Learning Center in Cobb county.

Northeast Cobb YMCA/ Marietta City Schools

Northeast Cobb YMCA serves as a delivery site for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Volunteers package 250 bags of food each week to be delivered to school district families with their lunch.

Chattahoochee Early Learning Center

All snacks and meals are distributed through drive-thru pickup to maintain social distancing. Early learning families can pick up their lunch and backpack meals at Chattahoochee Early Learning Center from 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Mount Paran North Church

All donations given to Mount Paran North Church are being delivered by Cobb YMCA staff and volunteers to the following nearby hotels and apartment complexes: Green Roof Inn, Superior Creek Lodge, Woodlands of Kennesaw, InTown KSU and InTown Marietta.

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UPDATE: Fundraiser for family of Eastvalley ES student tops $50K

April 23, 2020 1:42 PM by Wendy Parker

Mahoney family

A fundraiser begun by an Eastvalley Elementary School teacher to help the family of one of her students who was tragically killed over the weekend has netted more than $50,000.

A GoFundMe drive created by Jennifer Swafford indicates that a little more than $51,000 of a goal of $55,000 has been pledged thus far to aid the Mahoney family of East Cobb.

Blake Mahoney, age 11 (in the bowtie), died Sunday after a car hit him and the bicycle he was riding near his home on Lucky Drive.

Since then, friends, co-workers, and those who know the family through Eastvalley—where Blake’s mother Dawn is the school nurse—have sent in contributions.

“The generosity of people near and far is mind blowing!,” said Swafford, Blake’s 5th grade teacher this year. “Thank you for your love and support for the Mahoney family!”

One donor who pledged $500 wrote that “I donated because he was my best friend in school and I miss him so much and let him rest in piece. It was good meeting you Blake in this short time God bless you and your family.”

Also contributing were those who know the Mahoneys through the East Marietta National Little League, where Blake played baseball.

On Wednesday a memorial sign was set up at the entrance of Sewell Park, with flowers being left behind.

“If your child learned something from Blake as his teammate we would love to hear about that as well,” the youth baseball organization said in a Facebook post. “The loss is immeasurable but so is the love left behind. Today let’s celebrate our love!”

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb County to reopen some passive parks, trails this weekend

April 24, 2020 9:15 PMApril 22, 2020 12:58 PM by Wendy Parker

Ebenezer Road park, Cobb parks master plan — *Ebenezer Downs Park on Ebenezer Road in Northeast Cobb.*

Cobb residents will have some more elbow room to get outdoors and recreate as soon as Saturday.

County government spokesman Ross Cavitt said Wednesday that selected passive parks and trails will be reopened, including the Noonday Creek Trail and Ebenezer Downs Park and Hyde Farm in East Cobb.

What won’t be open are East Cobb Park, Mabry Park and other parks with playground facilities, as well as parks with sporting fields.

“The passive parks allow for more social distancing under public health guidelines,” Cavitt said. “Based on Public Health guidance, those who use these facilities and trails will be required to adhere to social distancing guidelines and wear masks.”

Here’s a full list of what’s reopening:

TRAILS

Silver Comet Trail
Noonday Creek Trail
Bob Callen Trail

PASSIVE PARKS

Allatoona Creek Park, 5690 Old Stilesboro Road, Acworth
Camp McDonald, 2726 Watts Drive, Kennesaw
Ebenezer Downs Park, 4057 Ebenezer Road, Marietta
Furr Family Park, Old Westside Road, Austell
Green Meadows Preserve, 3780 Dallas Highway, Marietta
Heritage Park, 60 Fontaine Road, Mableton
Hyde Farm, 721 Hyde Road, Marietta
Kemp Family Park, 4331 Burnt Hickory Road, Acworth
Old Clarkdale Park, 5195 Clark Street, Austell
Price Park, 4715 Stilesboro Road, Acworth
Schmidt Park, 451 Anderson Road, Marietta
Shoupade property, 4770 Oakdale Road, Smyrna
Stout Park, 5315 Brownsville Road, Powder Springs
Trolley Line Park, 4700 North Church Lane, Smyrna

Kettle Krush 5K becomes virtual Race in Place broadcast

April 22, 2020 10:12 AM by Wendy Parker

Submitted information:

Due to current coronavirus shelter-in-place restrictions, the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary has revised plans for its annual Kettle Krush 5K walk/run fundraiser so the race can go on – just in a different format.

The event will now be a Race in Place awards event broadcast on Facebook Live (www.Facebook.com/KKAtlanta5K) on May 16 at 9 a.m. that can be viewed from the comfort of everyone’s own homes, according to east Cobb resident Cindy Theiler, the auxiliary’s president and event co-chair. “We decided not to postpone or cancel the event because The Salvation Army needs our financial support more than ever now – particularly during this COVID-19 crisis – to help “krush” poverty, homelessness, and sex trafficking, and support veterans and youth enrichment in the metro Atlanta area, including in Cobb County.

“Any participant can now win the top race awards in our awards drawing because no running or walking is required,” said Dawn Menear, east Cobb resident and event co-chair. “We will still promote individual and team participation and have a drawing for top male and female runners and top male and female masters runners as well as 16 age groups from 10 & under to 80 & over.”

In addition, drawings for special giveaways and team awards for the top 2 teams that have the most participants registered (minimum 10) will be provided. Alicia Roberts, CBS46 news anchor, will emcee the event once again this year.

Registration is available at ItsYourRace.com; $30 per participant if received by May 6 and $35 through May 14. Donations can also be made by check payable to The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary with “Kettle Krush” on the bottom “for” line of the check and mailed to Kettle Krush c/o Salvation Army, 1000 Center Place, Norcross, GA, 30093.

The auxiliary, that includes about 40 east Cobb women, annually coordinates the Kettle Krush 5K. Mt. Bethel UMC is the title sponsor for this year’s event.

Anyone is invited to tune into the broadcast, which will feature the awards drawing for race awards and giveaways as well as information about The Salvation Army’s initiatives, including during COVID-19.

If you have any questions about Kettle Krush Race in Place, please contact Menear at dgmenear@gmail.com or Theiler at cindy.theiler1@gmail.com.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

East Cobb students named National Merit Scholarship winners

May 13, 2020 10:52 AMApril 22, 2020 7:11 AM by Wendy Parker

Four high school students from East Cobb—three from Walton and another from Pope—were named recipients of corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarships.

They’re among 1,000 high school seniors nationwide to earn the corporate scholarships, which range from $1,000 to $10,000.

Russell Emerine, Walton, Georgia-Pacific Foundation Scholarship. Probable career field: Computer Science;
Sanjeet C. Harry, Pope, James E. Casey Scholarship, United Parcel Service. Probable career field: Undecided;
Nidhi Manikkoth, Walton, Leidos, Inc., scholarship. Probable career field: Medicine;
Anant P. Rajan, Walton. Sogeti USA Scholarship. Probable career field: Neurosurgery.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation will announce more winners in April, May and June and expects to award 7,600 students an estimated $30 million in scholarships.

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