Month: August 2021

East Cobb resident takes up swimming challenge for 9/11 organization

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East Cobb resident 9/11 swimming challenge
“I’m not really a swimmer,” said Jim Whitcomb, who’s taking part in a 10-mile swim Sept. 10 to help the Tunnel to Towers “in my own little way.”

It’s been nearly a year since East Cobb resident James Whitcomb learned about the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a non-profit set up after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks to provide seriously injured first responders and military veterans with mortgage-free homes and other housing assistance.

“I thought, ‘What a great foundation? What can I do to help to in my own little way?’ ” Whitcomb said.

To mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Tunnel to Towers has organized a “Swim2Help” campaign to encourage donations.

Whitcomb, who splashed in the many lakes of his native Minnesota as a young boy and has lived in East Cobb for 20 years, admits that “I’m not really a swimmer.”

But for several months now, he’s been building up his endurance with weekday swims at the Mountain View Aquatic Center.

On Saturday, he logged seven miles, his longest swim yet, in about four hours, to get ready for the climax to his “Swim to Help” effort that’s been underway in other respects.

Next Friday, Sept. 10, he’s undertaking a 10-mile swim at the Mountain View pool, with some rest and hydration breaks, to get over a substantial fundraising goal he set for himself

Whitcomb has raised nearly $15,000 of a targeted $25,000, mostly through word-of-mouth efforts.

“I’m not a social media guy,” he said, adding that a flyer he posted on Facebook didn’t generate much of a response.

He has created his own website to explain what he’s doing, and why, with some video footage here, here and here.

He’s broken down what he calls his “mega” swim like this: 52,800 feet, or 17,600 yards, or 352 laps in a 25-yard pool.

Whitcomb is inviting the public to come cheer him on, and “make sure I’m still afloat.”

The swim begins at 6 a.m. sharp, and he estimated it will take 6-7 hours with those breaks.

Donations can be made at this link anytime, and many of the donations range between $25-$100.

Whitcomb, a finance executive with J.P. Morgan Chase, said donors can offer any amount they wish.

Wrote one donor: “I work hard to swim ONE mile at Mt. View Aquatic center. You’re awesome. We support T2T also. Good luck.”

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Cobb schools to temporarily increase substitute teacher pay

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Submitted information from the Cobb County School District:Campbell High School lockdown

Substitutes in Cobb Schools will soon have an extra reason to smile when they see their paychecks. Effective September 6, substitute teachers, supply teachers, substitute nurses, and supply nurses in Cobb Schools will be eligible for pay increases temporarily through May 2022. The increase will reflect in the employees’ October 29 paycheck. 

“Whether they are part-time, temporary, or full time, every Team member can change a student’s life. This raise is another example of Superintendent Ragsdale’s priority of putting CARES Act relief dollars as close to the classroom as possible,” said Chief Human Resources Officer Keeli Bowen. 

The daily rate for substitute teachers in Cobb will increase to $189 temporarily, while the rate for supply teachers will increase to $212 temporarily. Both substitute and supply nurses in Cobb Schools will also see a temporary hourly rate increase by $4 per hour. For example, the hourly rate for an RN nurse supply position will increase to $27.89 temporarily.  

Those interested in joining the Cobb Schools team should visit here.  

Cobb Schools teacher substitutes and nurses are not the only ones this year to see a monetary thank you. 

Superintendent Ragsdale recently announced a $1,200 retention bonus for all bus drivers and monitors payable in their December payroll. To be eligible for the retention bonus, each driver and monitor must be employed by September 24th.   

For specific questions related to pay and the temporary rate increases, contact Cobb Schools Human Resources Department. 

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Cobb included in flash flood watch through Wednesday afternoon

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Cobb flash flood watch

The remnants of Hurricane Ida continue to move through the Southeast, causing heavy rains and flooding that have prompted a flash flood watch that includes Cobb County.

The National Weather Service issued the flood watch for portions of northwest Georgia starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday through 2 p.m. Wednesday.

The watch area that includes Cobb is expected to get 3-5 inches of rain, raising the chances for flooding.

Heavy rains began in metro Atlanta Monday afternoon, and the forecast calls for a nearly 100 percent chance Tuesday and Wednesday.

High temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday are forecast to be in the high 70s but with high humidity, and lows in the high 60s.

The rain forecast calls for a 40 percent chance by Wednesday afternoon as the stormy weather clears out.

Sunny and warmer weather will return starting Thursday, with highs in the high 80s and lows in the high 60s through Friday.

The weekend and early next week will be the same, before rain is expected by the middle of next week.

 

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East Cobb-based tutoring group to hold Red Cross blood drive

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East Cobb tutoring group blood drive

Walton High School students Abhishek and Abhinav Kona reached out to pass along the word that the tutoring group they helped co-found, the American Assimilation Helpline, will be holding a blood drive over the weekend.

They and Elly Kang of the Marist School started the non-profit in 2017 to provide free, virtual, one-on-one academic assistance to students from low income, immigrant and refugee backgrounds. Since then, they estimate they’ve connected with more than 750 students with the help of more than 400 tutors (some of whom are seen in the photo above).

The AAH also has been getting involved in community efforts closer to home, including the Cobb Adopt-A-Mile Program, CPR training and blood drives.

Their next blood drive event in conjunction with the American Red Cross will take place on Sunday, Sept. 5, from 2-7 p.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Incarnation (1200 Indian Hills Parkway).

As for the ongoing tutoring program with AAH, Abhishek and Abhinav report that the subjects include English, Math, Science and Social Studies, as well as Computer Science.
“The unique setup of pairing the student and tutor for a focused 1hr tutoring session provides a significant opportunity for the student and tutor to freely work on individual needs and help with better understanding of the subject. Today, AAH! has students from all over the United States and countries across the globe, including South Korea, Japan, India, Brazil, and Romania.

“AAH! Founders and tutors from different backgrounds and believe in ‘Knowledge is power and knowledge shared power multiplied’ and teaching is rewarding experience. AAH looks forward to reaching out to students in need of help while providing an opportunity for those wanting to reduce educational gaps between marginalized and privileged students.”

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East Cobb Business Association Expo returns to Olde Towne

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ECBA Expo

After being cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, the East Cobb Business Association Expo is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 5 at the Olde Towne Athletic Club from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

It’s a networking event for local business owners and citizens. Exhibitor costs range from $150 for a standard member space to $200 for non-members. For networkers, advance admission is $5 and $10 on the day of the event.

There will be food, promotional giveaways, business card drawings and a grand raffle prize.

More information can be found on the flyer below and by clicking here.

DISCLAIMER: East Cobb News is an ECBA member and will be an exhibitor at the Expo. Please make sure to say hello!

East Cobb Business Association Expo

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Where to get help in Cobb as CDC evictions moratorium ends

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Submitted information from Cobb County Government:Cobb County Government logo

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling has ended the moratorium on evictions currently in place. Cobb’s Chief Magistrate says evictions proceedings will resume, but still not at full capacity due to COVID health restrictions. Click here to read his full FAQ on the situation.

Nonprofits partnering with Cobb County to get federal rental and utility assistance to those impacted by the pandemic have distributed 60 percent of the allocation. Help is still available and if you face eviction or are behind in utility payments seek help! To learn how to get help visit www.cobbcounty.org/ERA.

During a recent briefing, the Sheriff’s Office explained the evictions process and its role in it. For details watch the video at https://youtu.be/bpSvqm5b-XY.

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Wellstar East Cobb Health Park among new COVID-19 test sites

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East Cobb Health Park

We noted a couple weeks back that there’s a constant traffic backlog along Roswell Road for private drive-up COVID-19 testing at East Cobb United Methodist Church.

Due to an increase in demand because of the Delta variant and rising infection levels, Cobb and Douglas Public Health and Wellstar Health Systems are partnering to offer more testing.

Starting on Tuesday, you’ll be able to get tested at the Wellstar East Cobb Health Park (3747 Roswell Road).

The hours are Monday-Saturday from 9-6 and Sunday 10-2. While the testing is free, your insurance will be billed.

Testing also is available at Wellstar Acworth Health Park (4550 Cobb Parkway); Monday-Saturday 8:30-5 and Sunday 10-2.

You also won’t need to sign-up in advance to get tested there, but you’re strongly encouraged to do so and can pre-register by clicking this link.

Cobb and Douglas Public Health and Wellstar didn’t indicate how long those locations will be conducting testing.

Cobb and Douglas Health had operated COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution at Jim Miller Park until earlier this summer, when case figures were below the “high community spread” level (a 14-day average of 100 cases per 100,000 people or less).

That two-week figure is now pushing toward 800 cases, and Cobb and Douglas Public Health has had only one location for testing, at Chuck Camp Park in Smyrna.

The Georgia Department of Public Health also has a site finder to locate private testing services that it notes “are not endorsed, vetted, or managed by public health. Individual test providers can set their own testing fees.  Ask about the cost, availability, and requirements before testing.”

Cobb and Douglas Public Health offers the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to those 12 and older at four locations in both counties, and you can get more information by clicking here.

In an urgent message issued this week, Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, implored the public to wear masks in public, get vaccinated and take precautions.

“I know that we are all struggling through this Delta surge. For the next few weeks, I advise everyone to be cautious,” Memark said. “The virus is around you EVERYWHERE. Your best defense is getting vaccinated and wearing your masks. Until numbers come down, I would not gather in large groups. We can only get through this by working together. That being said, do what you can to keep yourselves and your families safe.”

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Aloha to Aging to hold first ‘Generation to Generation’ Expo

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Submitted information:

This free family friendly event will offer individuals of all ages multiple opportunities to learn, grow and most importantly connect and have fun! 
A few highlights for the day:
“Managing A Life Interrupted” speaker panel featuring legal, health and wellness professionals who will guide us on how to best manage the unexpected!
The deadline to sign up as a vendor is this coming Wednesday, Aug. 31, and you can get more information and register by clicking here.
Aloha Aging Generation Expo

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Cobb schools report 1,033 COVID cases; 69 at Sprayberry HS

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Sprayberry High School

After reporting nearly 1,000 new active COVID cases last week, the Cobb County School District went over that threshold with 1,033 being reported in its weekly update on Friday.

Several schools are reporting high numbers of cases this week, including Sprayberry High School in East Cobb, where there are 69 active cases, and 120 overall since July 1.

Those are the highest weekly and overall totals in the district since the new school year began.

The first two games of the Sprayberry football season have been cancelled, although an official reason for those decisions has not been announced.

The figures in Cobb, which doesn’t require mask use, are similar to those in Gwinnett, which has a mask mandate.

Gwinnett, the largest school district in Georgia with 180,000 students, reported 1,041 cases this week and 1,548 close contacts.

The Cobb school district doesn’t break down the numbers of cases between staff and students, nor does it disclose how many people are out due to quarantine policy or how many individuals are tested.

The Cobb statistics also do not indicate how many serious illnesses and hospitalizations may stem from infections at the schools.

Fifth graders at East Side Elementary School in East Cobb did virtual learning for a week and a half after an outbreak there; this week 22 more cases were reporting, for a cumulative total of 106.

At Sope Creek Elementary School there were 18 new cases reported; 17 each at McCleskey Middle School, Walton High School and Wheeler High School; 15 at Kell High School; and 14 at Lassiter High School.

Since July 1, there have been 2,797 cases reported in the Cobb school district, which has 109,000 students and 18,000 teachers and staff and is the second-largest in the state.

Cobb remains one of the few school districts in metro Atlanta that doesn’t require universal mask usage. Marietta City Schools issued a mask mandate that began this week, and as community spread metrics continued to rise.

The 14-day average of cases per 100,000 people in Cobb was nearing 800, several times above the “high community spread” threshold of 100 cases per 100,000.

Cobb and Douglas Public Health director Dr. Janet Memark sent out another urgent message Thursday, imploring the public to wear masks and get vaccinated.

“We are also seeing concerning numbers of children being infected with COVID-19,” she said. “In children 5-17 years-old, there has been a 60% increase in cases since last week, and we have seen numbers double for children aged 11-17. The number of cases and outbreaks reported in schools is also very high.”

She didn’t provide numbers on how many more cases overall are being reported for children. Memark has urged the schools to follow current CDC guidance recommending mask usage in schools.

“I know that we are all struggling through this Delta surge. For the next few weeks, I advise everyone to be cautious,” Memark said. “The virus is around you EVERYWHERE. Your best defense is getting vaccinated and wearing your masks. Until numbers come down, I would not gather in large groups. We can only get through this by working together. That being said, do what you can to keep yourselves and your families safe.”

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East Cobb-based Widow Strong non-profit to hold fundraiser

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Widow Strong fundraiser

Submitted information:

Widow Strong invites you to its Red Carpet Fundraiser and Streaming Television Premiere of its new partner program, Rebuild & Restore, on Saturday, August 28, 2021. 

Widow Strong is a 501c3 registered nonprofit, founded by 180 Your Life author, speaker, & Atlantan, Mishael Porembski, and is headquartered in Marietta, GA. Widow Strong serves the widows and their children both locally & nationally through online workshops & resources, in-person and online grief support, as well as growing local chapters with a focus on widow empowerment and leadership training. Learn more at WidowStrong.com

Rebuild & Restore is a home makeover style show that partners with Widow Strong and focuses on renovating widows’ homes while restoring their hearts. The show debuts on Pure Flix, a national and international online streaming network, on September 1, 2021. Learn more here. 

The Widow Strong Red Carpet Fundraiser begins Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. at Life University’s Socrates Cafe. Shari Rigby, an actress known for the film Overcomer, will be in attendance to represent Pure Flix. Rebuild & Restore Co-Hosts, Shannen Fields, International Christian Film Festival’s People’s Choice Actress of the Year for 2021, and Ken Fletcher, DIY expert and show creator, will also be attending the VIP reception and premiere episode screening with a panel discussion afterward.

Rebuild & Restore is an official selection of the Christian Worldview Film Festival 2021. The episodes were filmed across Atlanta and focus on helping local widows and their children. There are 22,000 widows across the Atlanta area, and Widow Strong is committed to providing them help beyond the casserole. Watch the trailer here. 

Saturday’s event is in-person, and will also be streamed online and viewed across the country. The in-person option includes the opportunity for a meet-and-greet with the cast of Rebuild & Restore. Several widows will also share their stories of triumph after tragedy. View our digital dashboard for this event by clicking here. 

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East Cobb investment advisor accused of $110M Ponzi scheme

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An investment advisor who’s been active in youth sports and community activities in East Cobb is being accused of running an extensive Ponzi scheme by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.East Cobb man convicted

According to an SEC complaint filed on Aug. 20, John J. Woods and others are accused of raising more than $110 million from more than 400 investors in 20 states over the last decade by selling investments in several investment funds, but that turned out to be fraudulent.

Woods is a former chairman of the Walton Touchdown Club and was a member of the original East Cobb Cityhood committee in 2019. He is is not listed among the current group of committee members leading a revived cityhood effort for the 2022 Georgia legislative session.

A native of Tennessee, Woods is the owner of the Chattanooga Lookouts minor league baseball team and also has been the head of the Friends of Chastain Park Foundation in Atlanta, according to an older Southport Company biography.

That appears to be the only mention of him, as he is no longer listed on its leadership team.

Woods and others are accused of violating provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

In an emergency action, the SEC on Tuesday received a temporary restraining order from the U.S. District Court for Northern Georgia to freeze the assets of Woods and two entities he controls: Livingston Group Asset Management Company, d/b/a Southport Capital, and investment fund Horizon Private Equity III, LLC.

Those are investment funds SEC investigators say that investors, many of them retirees, placed their money and where they were told it would be ” safe, would be used for different investment activities, would pay a fixed rate of return, and that investors could get their principal back without penalty after a short waiting period,” according to an SEC release.

However, the release continued, “these statements were false and misleading: Horizon did not earn any significant profits from legitimate investments, and a very large percentage of purported ‘returns’ to earlier investors were simply paid out of new investor money. The complaint also alleges that Woods repeatedly lied to the SEC during regulatory examinations of Southport.”

According to the SEC complaint, Woods and his team promised investors returns of 6-7 percent interest, and that the money would be invested in government bonds, stocks and small real estate projects.

The SEC alleges that the investors were not being told that their money was being used to pay previous investors, and said Horizon “has not earned any significant profits from legitimate investments; instead a very large percentage of purported ‘returns’ to earlier investors were simply paid out of new investor money.”

The SEC concluded that the assets of Southport and Horizon are worth too little to have any realistic chance of paying back investors.

The SEC said at the end of July 2021, Horizon had liquid assets of only $16 million.

In seeking emergency relief, the SEC said Woods and Horizon through Southport’s advisors have raised more than $600,000 a month in new investments “during the most recent months for which the Commission has been able to obtain bank records. The Commission believes that additional victims are being defrauded on a daily basis.”

The SEC also accuses Woods of concealing his ownership of Southport from 2008-2018 because he was working at another investment firm.

David Chaiken, an attorney for Woods, told East Cobb News that “we were pleased with the Court’s decision not to place Southport into receivership or restrain its assets. Going forward, we are going to let the judicial process play out and limit any further comments or information to the courtroom at this time.”

The SEC said the investigation is continuing.

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East Cobb food scores: Five Guys; Reveille Cafe; more

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East Cobb Five Guys

The following Cobb food scores for the week of Aug. 23 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

Domino’s Pizza
2323 Shallowford Road
August 23, 2021 Score: 85, Grade: B

Dunkin’ Donuts
611 Johnson Ferry Road
August 23, 2021 Score: 96, Grade: A

Five Guys
4269 Roswell Road, Building 200
August 25, 2021 Score: 96, Grade: A

Marietta Burger Bar
1392 Roswell Road, Suite B
August 24, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Papa John’s Pizza
1860 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 105
August 24, 2021 Score: 96, Grade: A

Reveille Cafe
2960 Shallowford Road, Suite 114A
August 24, 2021 Score: 91, Grade: A

Smoothie King
1271 Johnson Ferry Road
August 25, 2021 Score: 90, Grade: A

Starbucks/Pizza Hut at Target
1401 Johnson Ferry Road
August 26, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Suburban Tap
1318 Johnson Ferry Road
August 26, 2021 Score: 90, Grade: A

Subway 
2200 Roswell Road, Suite 110
August 25, 2021 Score: 94, Grade: A

Waffle House
2805 Delk Road
August 24, 2021 Score: 91, Grade: A

Wellstar East Cobb Health Park Parkside Bistro
3747 Roswell Road
August 24, 2021 Score: 96, Grade: A

Wendy’s 
2961 Shallowford Road
August 23, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Zaxby’s
3030 Johnson Ferry Road
August 23, 2021 Score: 99, Grade: A

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UGA football legend Herschel Walker to run for U.S. Senate

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Former University of Georgia football star Herschel Walker has announced he will be running for the U.S. Senate in 2022.Herschel Walker, U.S. Senate candidate

A first-time political candidate, Walker said Tuesday he will be seeking the Republican nomination for the seat currently held by Democrat Raphael Warnock.

Walker, who guided the Bulldogs to the college football national championship in 1980 and won a Heisman Trophy, announced earlier this week that he had registered to vote in Georgia after living in Texas for many years.

He played for the Dallas Cowboys and other NFL teams as well as the New Jersey Generals of the U.S. Football League in the 1980s.

That team was owned by former President Donald Trump, who’s maintained a close friendship with Walker and who said several weeks ago that Walker would be “unstoppable, just like he was when he played for the Georgia Bulldogs, and in the NFL. . . . Run, Herschel, Run.”

In an introductory video on his campaign website, Walker said that too many politicians like to divide America, by race as well as in other ways.

“I don’t believe in that garbage,” said Walker, who hailed his small-town roots in Wrightsville, Ga.

“I’m a conservative not because someone told me to be,” he continued. “I’m a conservative because I believe in smaller government, a strong military and making sure all people have the same opportunity to pursue their dreams.

“That’s an America worth fighting for.”

As he spoke, the background featured the voice of Georgia football radio announcer Larry Munson and footage of Walker’s days at UGA.

Among the Republican candidates in the Senate race is Georgia Agriculture Secretary Gary Black.

Walker has name recognition and Trump’s backing, but according to a report in Politico, some Republican leaders in Washington are concerned about his chances in the 2022 general election.

Warnock, the former pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, won a runoff election in January to unseat Republican Kelly Loeffler. She was appointed in Jan. 2020 by Gov. Brian Kemp following the retirement of Johnny Isakson.

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New Gritters Library project moves ahead with $1.9M state grant

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Gritters Library reopening

The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday accepted a $1.9 million grant from the Georgia Public Library Service to help fund the reconstruction of Gritters Library.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell made the motion “with pleasure and with gratitude” toward the Cobb legislative delegation, which helped secure the funding.

GPLS, part of the Georgia Board of Regents, provides state bond funds to local library systems for renovations of public libraries.

The Gritters branch opened at its current location in Shaw Park in 1973 and will be completely rebuilt, with construction expected to begin in December.

The $6.8 million project is part of the 2016 Cobb SPLOST and was originally earmarked for $2.9 million. Initially plans called for a renovation, but the new branch will be built near the existing structure.

An estimated completion time for the new building has not been announced.

Gritters is the last of the library projects remaining in the 2016 SPLOST. That collection period funded the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center that replaced the East Marietta Library.

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Top Cobb law firm to draw school board reapportionment map

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David Banks, Cobb school board
David Banks is the only sitting member of the Cobb Board of Education who’s gone through a previous reapportionment process.

The Cobb Board of Education last week voted to hire a high-profile law firm in Cobb County to draw a map of school board posts for reapportionment.

While the board’s three Democrats were in the minority of a 4-3 vote, David Banks of East Cobb, part of the four-member Republican majority, initially said he couldn’t support the hiring of Taylor English Duma LLP, based in the Cumberland area.

Banks, the only sitting board member to go through reapportionment from the 2010 Census, said at a board work session last Thursday that he didn’t think hiring a third party was appropriate and that the maps would be “whatever the legislature decides it looks like.”

But he joined his GOP colleagues later in approving the hiring of Taylor English Duma to draw the board’s political lines based on 2020 Census results.

The board will be asked later to approve a contract for Taylor English Duma after a cost estimate is determined.

(PLEASE NOTE: These lines are for the seven posts, or districts, for elected Cobb school board seats, which are determined by the Georgia General Assembly. They have no bearing on specific school attendance zones, which are drawn administratively by the Cobb County School District staff.)

Board chairman Randy Scamihorn said he wanted Taylor English Duma because of what he said was a bipartisan track record of reapportionment work. He presented no other bidders.

The Democrats objected on other grounds, saying they weren’t given much information beforehand, including how much the mapping work will cost.

They also wanted to consider additional bidders, and didn’t like that former State Rep. Earl Ehrart of West Cobb, a staunch Republican, is the CEO of Taylor English Decisions, a government and economic development consulting arm of Taylor English Duma.

Taylor English Decisions—whose staff includes noted Cobb zoning attorney James Balli and former Cobb County Manager Rob Hosack—is not involved in reapportionment matters.

Cobb school board post map
For a more detailed view, click here. The area in white is the map for Marietta City Schools.

The map forwarded to the Cobb legislative delegation from the school board would only be advisory. While Democrats hold a one-seat majority in the county delegation, the final decision on the map would come from the Republican-dominated legislature.

So how those boundaries may change figures to be a subject of intense scrutiny, given the board’s partisan divide.

Until 2018, the board held a 6-1 Republican majority. That’s when Democrats Charisse Davis and Jaha Howard were elected to seats held by Republicans.

They’ve vocally and openly clashed with the Republicans on a number of issues in their nearly three years on the board.

And both of their seats will be up in the 2022 elections, after the new map takes effect. How Post 6, represented by Davis, may change could prove worth watching.

That post includes most of the Walton and Wheeler clusters, but Davis, who lives in the Campbell High School cluster, edged Republican incumbent Scott Sweeney of East Cobb due to a high turnout in her part of the post.

Also up for election in 2022 will be the seat of Republican David Chastain of Post 4 in Northeast Cobb, which includes the Kell and Sprayberry clusters.

He’s indicating he will seek a fourth term; Howard and Davis have not announced their plans.

Democrats missed a golden chance to swing the majority in their favor with the other three Republicans on the ballot in the 2020 elections. Scamihorn won easily in Post 1 in Northwest Cobb, while Brad Wheeler foiled a Democratic challenger by fewer than 2,000 votes in his West Cobb Post 5.

So did Banks in Post 5—the Pope and Lassiter clusters—who held off Democratic newcomer Julia Hurtado by 2,639 votes to win a fourth term.

East Cobb school board post map
Current school board maps in East Cobb—Post 4 (green), Post 5 (pink) and Post 6 (purple) and the schools included in them.

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‘The Freeze’ prevails again, thanks to a stumbling fan

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Durran Dunn, who opened an Anytime Fitness location last August at Parkaire Landing, is continuing his alter ego role as “The Freeze” at Atlanta Braves games this season.

The former track sprinter gives a fan a very long head start in a footrace around the outfield warning track.

While Dunn occasionally hasn’t been able to eclipse his slower competitor, the way he crossed the finish line first at Monday’s Braves-Yankees game was truly novel.

It looked as though “The Freeze” was about to be bested, but the fan ran out of gas and stumbled just a few yards away from victory.

The ballpark interlude became national news (Deadspin and Yahoo! Sports accounts) as the fan missed out on more than a chance for a $100 gift card.

 

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Cobb school district sends out COVID-19 testing survey

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Among the measures Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale announced last week about COVID-19 protocols was a forthcoming survey for parents to gauge their interest in voluntary testing of their children. Campbell High School lockdown

“We believe keeping students in face to face classrooms is critical for both students and families,” the Cobb County School District said in a message issued at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

The message, sent through its ParentVUE portal, indicated that the survey period would last last until 5 p.m. Thursday.

If parents agree, their children would be tested as a means of reducing “the time students are not in a face-to-face classroom.”

Only enrolling parents have access to the survey, which the district said would be part of a “local and state public health” partnership. The single question on the survey asks parents if they would participate in such a testing program for their students.

In addition to maintaining a masks-optional policy, Ragsdale said last week that the district was altering its quarantine protocols regarding close contacts. Students who are quarantining at home for three days can return after that, as long as they are asymptomatic.

That policy took effect Monday, just after the district announced 942 new active COVID-19 cases among students and staff last week, double the previous week’s total.

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East Cobb Cityhood group to hold virtual town hall Wednesday

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Submitted information:East Cobb Cityhood virtual town hall

The East Cobb Cityhood Committee is hosting our third virtual town hall to provide information to the residents of East Cobb. People who live within the boundary of the proposed new city are invited to attend.

This will be a live session with Brian Johnson, City Manager of Peachtree Corners, hosted by the East Cobb Cityhood Committee. Brian L. Johnson became the City Manager of Peachtree Corners, Georgia on November 21, 2016. As City Manager, he is the Chief Executive Officer of the City and is responsible to the Mayor and City Council for the management of all city departments and of all city affairs.

Please, register in advance to reserve a spot in the virtual town hall. You can submit questions about cityhood during the registration process. There will also be an opportunity to submit questions during the live session.

Date: August 25, 2021

Time: 6:30pm ET

Location: REGISTER HERE

If you are not available at this date and time, you will be able to view the recording of this webinar. It will be posted shortly after the live session on the website.

Those previous town halls featured Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood and State Reps. Matt Dollar and Sharon Cooper, East Cobb Republicans who are co-sponsors of the cityhood bill to be taken up in the 2022 session of the Georgia legislature.

That bill, if approved, would call for a November 2022 referendum to establish a City of East Cobb of 55K along mainly the Johnson Ferry Road corridor.

In late June the East Cobb Cityhood group said it wanted to add transportation to the proposed services, along with zoning and planning, code enforcement and parks and recreation.

A financial feasibility study is expected to be completed by Nov. 1.

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2021 Heisman High School scholarship applications available

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Submitted information:Heisman High School scholarships

The Heisman Trophy Trust opened applications for the 2021 Heisman High School Scholarship program, presented by Acceptance Insurance. The program honors hundreds of the nation’s most accomplished, community-minded high school senior athletes each year. This year, the college scholarship amounts have been doubled, increasing support for each student-athlete’s education.

“We would like to thank our partners at Acceptance Insurance for sponsoring this tremendous program which extends the Heisman prestige to the nation’s most esteemed high school seniors,” stated Michael Comerford, President of the Heisman Trust. “We are very excited to announce that we have doubled the scholarship amounts this year. We look forward to recognizing the most deserving, community-minded scholar athletes and rewarding them with additional funds to help offset their college tuition.”

The Heisman High School Scholarship program will recognize a winner from each high school in the nation that has student participation in the Program by way of application.  The top male and female applicants from each state will be awarded $1,000. Among the top male and female applicants from each state, the twelve (12) most outstanding will be identified as national finalists and win at least $2,000. Of the national finalists, a male and a female winner will be selected as the winner of the $10,000 National Heisman High School Scholarship.

Community-minded scholar-athletes can learn more and apply at https://heismanscholarship.com.

By inviting students from schools across the country to share their stories of leadership and impact, the program aims to inspire all students to harness their potential, push their limits, and use their talents not only to advance their own futures but to improve the communities and world around them. Over the past 27 years, the program has honored more than 600,000 of the nation’s most esteemed high school seniors and provided over a million dollars in college scholarships to students throughout the United States.

“The values we promote at Acceptance Insurance – integrity, excellence, and service – are the values embodied by the students earning this recognition. Helping them realize their visions for stronger communities and greater achievement along with the Heisman Trophy Trust is an honor and a privilege,” says Larry Willeford, President and COO of Acceptance Insurance.

The 2021 application for The Heisman High School Scholarship program presented by Acceptance Insurance is currently open. All high school students graduating as part of the class of 2022 are encouraged to apply. The deadline to submit applications is October 19, 2021. Applicants will have the chance to win a college scholarship valued up to $10,000 and  the possibility of attending and being highlighted during the ESPN televised Heisman Trophy Presentation Ceremony. 

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