Month: July 2022

Cobb Police offer back-to-school traffic and safety tips

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Cobb Police back-to-school safety tips
Kindergarteners at Tritt ES get off the school bus during a ride-along event Thursday. Photo: Cobb County School District.

This week the Cobb Police Department has been rolling out safety-related information with another school year about to begin on Monday in the Cobb County School District.

The Cobb school district, which serves nearly 107,000 students at 112 schools, is  unveiling a new school crisis alert system with the 2022-23 school year. In the wake of the school shooting in May in Uvalde, Texas, the district announced that each school will be having at least one Code Red drill.

The Cobb Board of Education also has approved the hiring of non-police-certified armed guards and will permit some non-teaching staff to voluntarily carry weapons on campus.

Cobb also announced this week it has created the position of assistant superintendent for school safety initiatives and hired Osborne High School principal Josh Morreale to take on that role.

In addition to traffic reminders related to bus stops and child pedestrians, police also have provided safety tips for students at school.

On the roads, motorists are required to do the following:

  • Stop for school buses with safety lights activated and storm arms extended;
  • Stop and yield to pedestrians crossing at a crosswalk or intersection;
  • Stop for a crossing guard holding up a stop sign;
  • Never pass another vehicle stopped for pedestrians;
  • Obey all traffic signs posted in and around a traffic zone, including speed and parking restrictions.

It’s a violation of state law to disobey the instructions of a traffic control device unless directed by a law enforcement officer.

Students walking to and from school should observe the following:

  • Never walk while texting; step aside to let others pass by on a sidewalk;
  • Do not cross the street while using an electronic device;
  • Look left, then right, then left again before crossing the street and cross only at crosswalks;
  • Do not wear earbuds or headphones while walking across the street, and stay alert.

Inside the school buildings, police encourage students to take the following measures to protect themselves and their belongings:

  • Always keep lockers locked and don’t preset the combination to the last number for easy entry;
  • Secure belongings inside a locker; do not leave them on top, on benches, or in a classroom or bathroom;
  • Never share a locker combination with anyone;
  • If riding a bike, lock it to a rack or another stationary object;
  • If driving, keep the vehicle locked, windows closed and belongings out of sight;
  • Do not bring certain valuables to school, especially large amounts of cash or expensive jewelry;
  • Do not bring weapons to school, and if you see one, immediately report it to school officials and resource officer;
  • Report suspicious activities to the police, school officials, and your parents;
  • Tell a teacher, parent, or another trusted adult if you feel unsafe or if someone is bullying or threatening you;
  • Say no to adults if they ask you to do something you know is wrong, or if it makes you feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

For more information about school safety, visit the Cobb County School District’s Cobb Shield resource page; more information about school buses can be found by clicking here.

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Cobb Food Scores: El Nopalito; On the Border; Sushi Village

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El Nopalito, Cobb food scores

The following Cobb food scores for the week of July 25 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

Bahama Breeze
755 Ernest Barrett Parkway
July 27, 2022 Score: 99, Grade: A

Chick-fil-A
2661 Windy Hill Road
July 27, 2022 Score: 89, Grade: B

Cracker Barrel
2150 Delk Road
July 25, 2022 Score: 87, Grade: B

El Nopalito Mexican Restaurant
840 Ernest Barrett Parkway, Suite 600
July 25, 2022 Score: 94, Grade: A

Fried Tomato Buffet
840 Ernest Barrett Parkway, Suite 478
July 25, 2022 Score: 91, Grade: A

On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina 
790 Cobb Place Boulevard
July 27, 2022 Score: 88, Grade: B

Sushi Village 
2647 Cobb Parkway
July 25, 2022 Score: 93, Grade: A

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2022 East Cobb high school football teams keep rivalry games

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East Cobb football schedules

After enjoying plenty of rivalry games over the last two years, five of the six East Cobb high school football teams are no longer in the same region.

The Georgia High School Association did keep three of them—Lassiter, Pope and Sprayberry—in the same region, and reunited two other longtime rivals together in Walton and Wheeler.

But a number of those backyard brawl games remain on their schedules in non-region format for the 2022 season, which gets underway in mid-August.

As has been the case in recent years, Kell and Walton will be getting an early start in the Corky Kell Classic.

The Longhorns, who have a new coach in Bobby May, formerly of Westlake High School in Atlanta, have dropped from Class 6A to Class 5A (classification is based on overall student enrollment).

He’s the only newcomer to the coaching ranks among the six East Cobb schools.

Before Kell gets into Region 6 play, it will be facing neighboring rivals Pope and Sprayberry in September.

In Class 6A Region 7, games between Lassiter, Pope and Sprayberry will take on extra meaning in a region with several schools in North Fulton.

Lassiter is maintaining a non-region rivalry game with Wheeler in the season opener for both teams, and a Pope vs. Walton game continues this season. Pope also will be meeting Wheeler in non-region play.

Walton, which reached the Class 7A semifinals last year, remains there, but is now in Region 5, which includes North Cobb, Kennesaw Mountain, Osborne,  Cherokee and Wheeler.

The Raiders will once again play at Mercedes Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta against Mill Creek in the Corky Kell Classic, then plays at Brookwood.

For the first time since 2017, Walton will square off against Wheeler at Raider Valley on Nov. 4, in the regular season finale for both schools.

The head coaches and select players from all six public high schools in East Cobb will appear before the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 11.

It’s the annual East Cobb Pigskin Preview, and more information and a registration link can be found by clicking here.

Opponents with a * indicate region games.

Kell Longhorns

Class AAAAA Region 6
2021 Record: 6-5
Aug. 17, 5:30 p.m. vs. Cedar Bluff (Corky Kell Classic at Johns Creek HS)
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. vs. Allatoona
Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. vs. Pope
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. at Sprayberry
Sept. 23 7:30 p.m. at Centennial*
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. at Northview*
Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. vs. Cambridge*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. at Greater Atlanta Christian*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. vs. North Springs*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. vs. Chattahoochee

 

Lassiter Trojans

Class AAAAAA Region 7
2021 Record: 4-6
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. at Wheeler
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. at Woodstock
Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. vs. Dalton
Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m. at Johns Creek*
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. vs. Roswell*
Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. vs. Alpharetta*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. at Pope*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. at Sprayberry*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. vs. Blessed Trinity*

 

Pope Greyhounds

Class AAAAAA Region 7
2021 Record: 7-4
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. vs. River Ridge
Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. at Kell
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. at Walton
Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. vs. North Paulding
Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m. vs. Alpharetta*
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. at Blessed Trinity*
Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. vs. Roswell*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. vs. Lassiter*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. at Johns Creek*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. at Sprayberry*

 

Sprayberry Yellow Jackets

Class AAAAAA Region 7
2021 Record: 3-6
Aug. 19, 7:30 p.m. at Campbell
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. vs. Paulding County
Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. at River Ridge
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. vs. Kell
Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m. at Blessed Trinity*
Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m. at Alpharetta*
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. vs. Johns Creek*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. at Roswell*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. vs. Lassiter*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. vs. Pope*

 

Walton Raiders

Class AAAAAAA Region 5
2021 Record: 9-4
Aug. 20, 7 p.m. vs. Mill Creek (Corky Kell Classic at Mercedes Benz Stadium)
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. at Brookwood
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. vs. Pope
Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. at Marietta
Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m. at North Paulding
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. vs. North Cobb*
Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. at Kennesaw Mountain*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. vs. Cherokee*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. at Osborne*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. vs. Wheeler*

 

Wheeler Wildcats

Class AAAAAAA Region 5
2021 Record: 1-9
Aug. 19, 7:30 p.m. at Centennial
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. vs. Lassiter
Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. at South Cobb
Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. vs. North Atlanta
Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m. at Campbell
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. vs. Cherokee*
Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. at North Cobb*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. vs. Osborne*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. vs. Kennesaw Mountain*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. at Walton*

 

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Cobb Animal Services to hold special free pet adoption Sunday

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The Cobb Animal Shelter remains closed due to a case of strep zoo, but a number of animals who have been medically cleared bv the facility’s veterinarian will be available for free adoptions on Sunday.Cobb Animal Shelter free adoption event

The pop-up event takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside of the shelter (1060 Al Bishop Drive, Marietta). They’ll be located in a trailer and they’re the only animals that will be available for adoption.

The shelter has been closed for adoptions since late last week and will begin reopening next week.

A dog was diagnosed with strep zoo and most of the 285 animals housed there have been placed in quarantine and given antibiotics.

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Walton HS assistant principal appointed as new principal

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The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday approved the appointment of Richard Tischler, an assistant principal at Walton High School the last seven years, as its new principal.Walton assistant principal named principal

He succeeds Dr. Catherine Mallanda, who was named the Cobb County School District’s Chief Academic Officer earlier this month. Tischler begins his new position on Friday, as the 2022-23 academic year begins on Monday.

The school board voted 6-0 to ratify the district’s recommendation to appoint Tischler in a special meeting following an executive session for personnel matters.

The school board also voted 6-0 to appoint Osborne High School principal Josh Morreale to the newly created position of assistant superintendent for school safety operations.

Absent from the meeting was Post 6 board member Charisse Davis, who represents the Walton and Wheeler clusters in East Cobb.

In his role as assistant principal, Tischler was responsible for 12th grade students, ESOL, communications, substitute teachers, graduation and other activities at Walton.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in social science education from the University of Georgia, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Kennesaw State University and a master’s degree in educational supervision from Berry College.

The Cobb school district prepared a principal profile to announce Tischler’s appointment, including a Q and A.

“I am looking forward to continuing the tradition developed by Walton school leaders before me to foster the excellence that Walton has in academics, arts, and athletics,” he said.

Other East Cobb schools with new principals in the coming year are Pope High School, Daniell Middle School, Brumby Elementary School, Eastvalley Elementary School, Powers Ferry Elementary School and Rocky Mount Elementary School.

Morreale will directly oversee a variety of school safety programs. The Cobb school district announced this summer it is changing its vendor for school crisis alert systems and each school will have a Code Red drill during the school year.

The school board voted this month to approve the hiring of non-police-certified armed guards and permit some non-teaching staff to voluntarily carry weapons on campus.

That measure drew protests from some parents and other community members, including the Democratic candidate for state school superintendent.

The Cobb school district has 67 police officers to cover 114 school campuses. The new armed guards would be “badged” employees of the school district, and select personnel on those campuses would be notified of those who are carrying arms in the schools on a “need to know” basis.

Under the policy approved by the school board, teachers and other personnel with classroom supervisory authority will not be allowed to carry weapons.

In a release, Cobb schools superintendent Chris Ragsdale said the creation of the new assistant superintendent position “will make sure our school buildings are as safe and prepared as they can be, so our principals and teachers can concentrate on teaching and learning.”

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East Cobb real estate sales, July 5-8, 2022

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Chadds Ford, East Cobb real estate sales
Chadds Ford

The following deeds for residential East Cobb real estate sales were filed July 5-8, 2022 with the Cobb Superior Court Clerk’s Office Real Estate Department.

The addresses include ZIP Codes and the subdivision names and high school districts are in parenthesis:

July 5

3117 Sycamore Lane, 30066 (Oak Creek Estates, Sprayberry); Colby Stewart to SFR Acquisitions 3 LLC; $430,000

833 Stansbury Drive, 30066 (Colleton Plantation, Sprayberry); Purchasing Fund 2020-1 LLC to Collin and Emma McClure; $397,919

2945 Rio Montana Drive, 30066 (Rio Montana, Sprayberry); Penny Smith to Nasrallah Innovative Properties LLC; $280,000

1432 Grovehurst Drive, 30062 (Grovehurst, Walton): 1432 Grovehurst LLC to Aman Bali and Deepali Sharma; $687,000

2300 Old Sewell Road, 30068 (Wheeler); Christopher Smith to BAF 3 LLC; $421,000

July 6

106 Park Ridge Circle, 30068 (Park Ridge Condos, Walton): Emory Harris to Camille Arden; $205,000

195 Club Ridge Drive, 30068 (Hampton Farms, Walton): Janette Samples Maulding, trustee to John Frank Smith and Kaitlyn Banks; $750,000

2518 Canopy Court, 30066 (Tanglewood North, Lassiter): Mark Esshaki to Mark and Angela Esshaki; $1.175 million

4684 Bluffside Court, 30066 (Bluffs at Jamerson, Lassiter): Roberto Privitera to Mark and Christine Tom; $1.25 million

3582 Clairington Drive, 30066 (Overlook at Chastain, Sprayberry): SDH Atlanta LLC to Parker Austin and Renee Petrosyan; $385,435

1779 Apple Boulevard, 30066 (North Ridge, Sprayberry): I & G SFR TRS II Borrower LLC to Davendra Dinananth and Norma Rodriguez; $435,000

3519 Bonaire Bluff, 30066 (Northampton, Lassiter): Aditya Bansal to Himanshu Mattoo and Harvinder Kaur; $782,000

3232 Bells Ferry Road, 30066 (Broohaven, Sprayberry): Fahad Hussein to Mario Leyva and Jacinto Chavez; $395,000

1915 Mozelle Drive, 30062 (Sprayberry): Veronika Mix to Courtney and Princess Thompson; $710,000

2180 Winslow Cottage Circle, 30062 (Village Green at East Cobb, Sprayberry): Charles Genovese to Susan Debardeleben; $585,000

2277 Engineers Drive, 30067 (Red Oak Park, Wheeler): Barbara and Joseph Boyd to Ante and Snjezana Pesa; $250,000

2626 Crockett Drive, 30067 (Red Oak Park, Wheeler): Frank Shirley to Morgan Murdock and Demoins Simpson; $435,000

1272 Tigerwood Bend Unit 5, 30067 (Ivy Crest Townhomes, Wheeler): Michael Choi to Prateek and Ramakrishna Bharadwaj; $545,000

440 Somerset Lane, 30067 (Somerset, Wheeler): Arthur Lyness to Megan Hosch and Harris Baker; $635,000

July 7

3541 Winfair Place, 30062 (Woodbine, Lassiter): Christopher Fudger to Tatum Crocker and Daniel Aicardi; $430,000

3294 Rangers Gate Drive, 30062 (Pine Springs, Pope): The Estate of Joanne Hardeman to I One Home Inc.; $155,000

2991 Pauls Way, 30062 (Barbara Estates, Pope): Paul Howard to Tarlindsa McCann; $510,000

3296 Brintons Mill, 30062 (Chadds Ford, Pope): Abby Wanner to Brian Whetzel, Donna Brodie and Lois Ann Whetzel; $502,000

1670 Holly Springs Road, 30062 (Walton): Glynda Crawford to Realistry Acquisitions LLC; $300,000

1152 Mitsy Hollow Drive, 30068 (Mitsy Forest, Walton): Hines-Strickland Family Revocable Trust to Jason and Melissa Cooper; $580,000

2868 Blackberry Lane, 30068 (Cobb Estates, Wheeler): Alexandra Hester to Michelle Plumer and Andrew Cairns; $475,000

264 Shaded Oaks Lane, 30067 (Shaded Oaks, Wheeler): Todd Bute to Elena Bowman; $257,000

1906 Riverview Drive, 30067 (Overlook at Riverview, Walton): Tarlindsa McCann to Patrick Charles Weiland; $335,000

July 8

4847 Township Trace, 30066 (Jefferson Township, Lassiter): Rachel Murphy Hyder, executor to Daniel Creviston; $725,000

2991 Forest Chase Terrace, 30066 (Forest Chase, Lassiter): Elena Yasmin Rojas Vida de Vasco to Joseph and Kathryn Palmer; $450,000

4069 Omra Drive, 30066 (Village North Crossing, Lassiter): Benjamin Hall to James Raymond Brandon III; $407,000

490 Embry Lane, 30066 (Addison Heights, Sprayberry): Joseph Ellis, trustee to Andrew Roland and Maria Arguelles; $397,500

2993 Hunt Cliff Drive, 30066 (Piedmont Hills, Sprayberry): Patricia Herndon to Alaina Ellis and Roy Covington; $400,000

2938 Governors Court, 30066 (Piedmont Place, Sprayberry): Leo Wang to Opendoor Property Trust; $239,500

2781 Stillwater Lake Court, 30062 (Stillwater Lake, Sprayberry): Meredith Adams-Kaltman to Shruti Patel; $486,000

3411 Camelot Drive, 30062 (Camelot, Pope): Joseph Grant to DGS Residential Properties LLC; $375,000

2286 Fraser Road, 30066 (Fraser, Sprayberry): Jacqueline Neault to Dexter Stacy; $434,000

868 Dogwood Drive, 30066 (Sylvan Hills, Sprayberry): Gary Cavitt to Scott Knudsen; $294,000

1754 Kinsamon Cove, 30062 (Easthampton The Village, Walton): Criston and Philip Odom to Thomas and Leta Virant; $855,000

1820 Allgood Road, 30062 (Sprayberry): Shaillie Gattis to Shane Prentiss; $232,000

1200 Fairfield Drive, 30068 (Fawn-Quail Ridge/Pinecrest, Walton): Sirisha Narasapurapu to Tusharkumar and Mamta Joshi; $660,000

4122 Shosone Valley Road, 30068 (Seven Springs, Walton): Adam and Sara Boudreaux to Thi Le and Thi Kim Phuong Nguyen; $525,000

1034 Hidden Hollow Drive, 30068 (Hidden Hollow, Walton): Richard Reed to Pinar and Hakki Gurkas; $600,000

536 Flintwood Drive, 30068 (Beverly Hills Esates, Wheeler): Julie and Jeffrey Harris to John and Kristen Snow; $560,000

1562 Dewberry Trail, 30062 (Briarwood Hills, Wheeler): Heidi Pfaffinger to Heath Hatmaker; $335,000

92 Ridgetree Lane, 30068 (Sentinel Lake, Wheeler): Steven Rondone to Zachary and Allison Smith; $750,000

3036 Canton Pines Place, 30068 (Old Canton Pines, Wheeler): Norbert and Mary Ore to Denzel and Grace Ngoma; $1 million

3805 Berrybridge Way, 30067 (Berrybridge, Wheeler): Wendy Smith to Thomas and Robin Stevens; $960,000

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Cobb adopts $1.2B fiscal 2023 budget; maintains millage rate

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Cobb adopts $1.4B fiscal 2023 budget
Commissioner JoAnn Birrell supported raising the millage rate for fire services, saying “they’re hurting and they need to be revived.”

In a split vote along party lines, the Cobb Board of Commissioners adopted a $1.2 billion fiscal year 2023 budget Tuesday night that expands the size of county government and provides substantial employee pay raises.

Commissioners also voted to maintain the general fund millage rate and other millage rates except the fire fund, which is going up slightly.

The board’s three Democrats voted to adopt the budget, with Chairwoman Lisa Cupid saying that while the spending package isn’t a “panacea . . . it helps us to move significantly further ahead” in addressing what she has long said are chronic staffing, salary and other issues that have affectEd service provision.

The budget includes the creation of 147 new jobs in what have been described as “critical” positions and a rise in the minimum wage for county employees from $11.50 to $17 an hour.

The two Republicans voted against the budget for varying reasons. Keli Gambrill cited “philosophical differences in budgeting” and the growing amount of reserve funding that totals nearly $52 million, saying that “to me, we are expanding government.”

JoAnn Birrell of East Cobb repeated publicly expressed doubts about the higher minimum wage. “I’m concerned if it’s sustainable year to year,” said Birrell, who also wants the county to prioritize filling existing vacancies before creating new jobs.

Commissioners also approved, by a 4-1 vote, to implement the recommendations of a new pay and classification study by a consultant that will cost $22 million in the new budget, and nearly $2 million in the current budget.

Among the recommendations is an average pay increase for full-time workers of nearly 11 percent. Gambrill was the lone vote in opposition.

The general fund millage rate—funded by property taxes and that provides for most of the budget—is staying at 8.46 mills.

But the fire fund is rising from 2.86 mills to 2.99 mills. The extra 0.13 mills is being transferred from a parks bond that is due to expire, and after fire officials said they have been deferring capital maintenance and other expenses.

Birrell supported that increase, saying in recent years, the fire fund rate has been reduced twice.

“They are hurting and they need to be revived,” said Birrell, who is seeking a fourth term in November and who has frequently said public safety needs should be at the top of budget priorities.

Cobb Tax Assessor Stephen White

The board’s vote came after a brief recess called by Cupid, who allowed public commenters to chime in, and they did so in occasionally intense fashion.

As she heard in a town hall in East Cobb last week, quite a few wanted the board to roll back the millage rate, saying inflation is taking a toll.

The Cobb tax digest has grown by 12.3 percent in 2022, netting an additional $60 million for the budget. But property tax assessments have gone up astronomically across the county.

Jim Jess of the Franklin Roundtable, a conservative group based in Cobb County, said rising gas prices alter “how people spend money in their households. People out here are hurting,” referring to senior citizens and workers who aren’t getting much of a pay raise.

Salleigh Grubbs, head of the Cobb Republican Party, told commissioners “you don’t acknowledge the looming recession.”

Debbie Fisher of East Cobb accused the county of not properly notifying the public of a tax increase in the millage rate for the fire fund.

Another East Cobb resident, Leroy Emkin, used his time not to comment on the county budget, but to rail against the World Economic Forum, the Green New Deal and wind turbines, speaking in fulminating fashion from prepared remarks.

Another East Cobb resident rose in support of the budget.

“I don’t know if Cobb is planning any wind farms,” said William Parker, “but the planet is on fire.

“Yes, some people are hurting. But it costs money to operate a county.”

Residential and commercial properties are assessed roughly every three years in Cobb County, tax assessor Stephen White said, and the state can penalize counties if they don’t perform updated fair market value assessments.

“We’re taking in a tremendous amount of [tax] money,” Gambrill said. “I agree that we need to be rolling back the millage rate.”

Birrell and Cupid are holdovers when commissioners rolled back the general fund millage rate in 2016, then faced a $32 million budget shortfall two years later.

Cupid voted for a tax increase pushed by her predecessor, Mike Boyce, while Birrell voted against it.

But with some county departments reporting staffing shortages of as much as 40 percent—including DOT, water and other frontline services, “now is the time for auction,” said commissioner Jerica Richardson, whose district includes part of East Cobb.

County department heads had requested a total of 658 new positions.

“Tonight will not be a panacea,” Cupid said. “But I believe that we are making the right decisions for today.”

The fiscal year 2023 budget takes effect Oct. 1.

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The Avenue East Cobb to hold redevelopment groundbreaking

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The Avenue East Cobb groundbreaking

The Avenue East Cobb (4475 Roswell Road) has announced that it will have a groundbreaking celebration to kick off redevelopment plans on Aug. 25.

The event takes place from 5-7 p.m. on that date in the Central Lot, in front of what had been the Bravura store, with live music, “lite bites” and beverages.

The groundbreaking is free and open to the public and RSVPs can be made by clicking here. Guests may still be able to walk up and receive complimentary entry the day of the event, but they’re encouraged to sign up in advance.

Cobb commissioners in June approved a site plan change at The Avenue, which is being managed by North American Properties, developer of Avalon and redeveloper of Atlantic Station and Colony Square.

The Central Lot area is the focal point of the “jewel box” plans that include a public plaza with a live music and performance stage, restaurant and retail space and concierge service.

Bravura is relocating to the Alpharetta area, and The Avenue has moved its on-site offices there.

As we also reported earlier, a couple of restaurant/food changes are taking place at The Avenue, with Stockyard Burgers & Bones closing, and New York Butcher Shoppe opening in the fall, next to the J. Jill store.

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Power restored at Cobb County Adult Detention Center

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After being out in some areas for more than two days, electrical power has been fully restored at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.Cobb Sheriff's Office

Sgt. Jeremy Blake, the public information officer for the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, said in a release Tuesday morning that electricity was restored at 2:15 a.m. Tuesday.

On Saturday afternoon the Towers, an inmate housing area with around 600 detainees, experienced intermittent power disruptions and electricity was lost to certain areas of the facility.

Blake said maintenance crews said the outage was caused by a water leak that had damaged a power line, preventing emergency generators from providing power to the affected areas.

He said contractors and jail maintenance staff worked over the weekend and into early Tuesday to get the parts and make repairs.

During the outage, Blake said, additional law enforcement was called to the scene. Inmates “were provided with continuous ice and water and deputies increased the frequency of safety and security checks. Extra medical staff were on standby in the towers in case of a medical emergency,” Blake said.

A number of buildings at the jail complex, which opened in 1989, are currently or will be getting overhauled. The detention center is located at 1825 County Services Parkway in Marietta.

“I would like to publicly recognize the efforts by our staff over the last 36 hours,” Cobb Sheriff Craig Owens said in the release. “Our staff came in early and stayed late to make sure every detainee was safe and taken care of. Even simple tasks like delivering three meals a day required a team effort to complete. Our staff had to carry everything up and down multiple flights of stairs to make sure everyone’s needs were met.”

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Temporary closures underway at Johnson Ferry North trails

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Johnson Ferry North Trail closures

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area announced Monday that closures and restricted areas are in effect along portions of the Johnson Ferry North trails.

Specifically, trails are closed between the J8 and J9 markers, located at the Owl and Arrowhead branches respectively. (see map above) for the duration of the construction, which is expected to last two months.

The Chattahoochee River NRA said that access to the northern trails ending at Mulberry Creek is possible by hiking between markers JN3 and JN4.

For more information, visit the Chattahoochee NRA website.

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East Cobb Restaurant Update: Cava Grill gets business license

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East Cobb Cava Grill gets business license

The sign’s been up on what had been Zoës Kitchen for several weeks now, as an East Cobb location of Cava Grill is getting closer to opening.

Last week the new Mediterranean fast casual restaurant received an occupational license from the Cobb Business License Division.

When we checked with Cava earlier this month, they said they didn’t have a specific opening date.

We followed up Monday with another request and here’s what we got back:

“Unfortunately, we don’t have an exact opening time set yet, but we’re aiming for soon. Be sure to follow us at @cava (https://twitter.com/cava) for all of our updates and announcements!”

Cava Group Inc., the parent company of Cava and Zoës, has been replacing the latter with the former concept in a number of locations, including metro Atlanta.

The East Cobb location at Merchants Exchange Shopping Center (4400 Roswell Road, Suite 157) totals nearly 3,000 square feet, according to a directory map of Columbia Properties, the center’s owner.

The Cava chain started in Maryland in 2011 and there are currently 133 locations across the country. There are 15 in metro Atlanta and Athens, including the Cumberland and Town Center mall areas, all of which were former Zoës locations that converted starting last year.

The menu (you can check it out here) includes a variety of “build your own” meal combinations, including salads, grains, dips and spreads, falafel, chicken, lamb, meatballs, roasted vegetables and Mediterranean-style toppings and dressings.

Cava also sells some of its product line at Whole Foods and other food retailers.

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East Cobb produce service evolves from pop-up to delivery

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Holland Botanical East Cobb produce service
“Southern Born…Southern Bred…And today because of you, Janis Holland…I am well and Southern fed! Yum! Thank you…. Holland Botanical!” wrote a customer.

For East Cobb resident Janis Holland, simply delivering fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables to her customers isn’t enough.

She likes to show what they do with the food they get from her mom-and-pop service, Holland Botanical, every week.

Holland also takes photos of meals she’s prepared for herself and her family, including most recently a bowl of peaches and cream oatmeal with grainless granola and honey.

“It really makes you feel good to know you’re doing a good job,” Holland says of the testimonials she’s received from customers.

For nearly nine years, she and her husband Jonathan have been serving the East Cobb, Roswell and Woodstock area, initially in a weekend pop-up format, and since the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily home delivery.

Holland Botanical vegetable basket
A mixed vegetable and fruit basket arranged by Holland Botanical.

They’ve also put their sons, former and current football players at Pope High School, to work in what’s become something of a family business.

“It was a side hustle, but we wanted it to be something bigger,” said Holland, whose husband still runs a landscaping business. “We saw a need in the community for produce.”

Like any such entity, Holland Botanical has had to adapt quickly and in dramatic ways.

She said she switched from Saturday set-ups at the Shallowford Falls Shopping Center because “people here are busy on the weekends and they just couldn’t get here.”

She still does some pop-ups tied to community fundraisers and some seasonal mobile farmers markets at select locations in Atlanta.

But she reflects on the original format now as “a great idea at the wrong time.”

The overhead for a full-time farmers market is prohibitive, so going to an all-delivery format—with free delivery to ZIP Codes 30062, 30066, 30067, 30068, 30075 and part of 30188—has made the work she does more efficient.

“Everything stopped,” Holland said, referring to the onset of the pandemic, “and we rebooted it.”

Now it’s a full-time job for her, serving typically between 75-100 customers a week. They fill out their orders on her website by Monday afternoon, and she delivers Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Holland travels once or twice a week to the State Farmers Market in Forest Park, filling out orders that include separate fruit and vegetable baskets and a combined fruit-veggie basket. She chooses some of the items based on availability and seasonality, and customers can make special requests.

Janis and Jonathan Holland with the Wit’s End Llama at The Bishop apartments in Sandy Springs, where Holland Botanical holds a seasonal mobile farmers market.

Holland Botanical charges $25 for a basket, which contains enough food for a typical family supply for a week. The emphasis is on Georgia-grown products, including items from other suppliers.

“We want to make it affordable to eat healthy,” Holland said.

While her delivery service is free, she does have a place on her order form for customers to add a gasoline tip, which she said is very helpful in times of soaring fuel prices.

While the margins are tight and the nature of a fresh produce delivery service remains fluid, she’s convinced this type of business is viable.

Despite the reality of the pivots she’s had to make, Holland’s passion for what she does hasn’t subsided.

“I don’t think we could sustain an à la carte menu,” she said. “But I believe in getting healthy food into peoples’ hands.”

While some remain careful accepting their food due to COVID concerns, “our customers are just so happy to see us.”

Holland also gives back to the community by donating leftover food to those who need it.

“Just message me,” Holland said.

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Earthwise Pet Supply store in East Cobb closing this week

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Earthwise Pet Supply store closing East Cobb

The Parkaire Landing location of Earthwise Pet Supply store in East Cobb will be closing its doors for good on Saturday.

The store posted a social media notice earlier this month saying that “the odds were against us in this market. Inflation has risen so high, we are unable to keep up with current market rent rates.”

The store has been open for seven years, and in addition to providing wholistic and natural pet supplies and treats also has offered grooming and self-washing services.

Everything in the store is 30 percent off and grooming services also are being offered at a discount. The store is updating those sales on its Facebook page.

“We will be notifying everyone of where our groomers go so those of you who would like to keep your groomer can,” the message stated.

“Thank you so much for being loyal to us all these years. Unfortunately covid & inflation got the best of us. We wish you all the most abundant blessings. God Bless.”

Earthwise is located at 4880 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 10. The hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Phone: 678-909-6805.

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Lutheran Church of the Incarnation closes after 42 years

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Lutheran Church of the Incarnation closes

Sunday was the last day of worship services at the Lutheran Church of the Incarnation in East Cobb.

In addition to its scheduled Sunday morning service, the congregation that’s part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America also held a special Holy Closure service for members Sunday afternoon.

Holy Closure is the process in the ELCA by which congregations are turned over to their synods, or regional governing bodies.

The church opened in 1980 and two years later dedicated its building at 1200 Indian Hills Parkway, at the corner of Roswell Road. It is located adjacent to Congregation Etz Chaim, which opened in 1975 as the first synagogue in East Cobb.

Incarnation’s sanctuary featured a segmented glass-stained window in the back of the sanctuary, between the organ pipes (below) and another stained glass Rose Window depicts a vine, branches, grapes and shafts of wheat with readings from John and the words of Christ (“I am the true Vine and my father is the gardener.”)

Incarnation leaders announced the Holy Closure process last month, citing declining membership and financial difficulties, and after a congregational meeting in late May to detail those issues.

The church’s property and other assets will be managed by the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA in Atlanta.

Incarnation is the second church in the synod to close recently, along with the Lutheran Church of the Messiah in Decatur.

In his final sermon, Incarnation Pastor Uijin Hwang preached about “The Living God” and cited the Book of Hosea:

“We have to live a life that does not fall into the ideology of abundance and fertility, but opens our heart to the depth of God’s creation and life that is much deeper and richer.

“In life itself, not prosperity, there is the satisfaction of our soul. They say this is the normal life, but the truth is that they have a lot of greed.

“The reason we do not feel any problem in our life is that we are already accustomed to the Baal faith and cannot get hold of another dimension of life.

“It’s just sad that even as Christians, we don’t know a newer dimension of life as Jesus ever proclaims, that is, the Kingdom of God.

“As Christians, we do believe the living God. And this God declares that we are the chosen ones to live as children of the living God.

“Please live like a Christian!”

Incarnation has held a yard sale and conducted other special activities to prepare for its closing.

There are two other ELCA churches in the East Cobb area: Lutheran Church of the Resurrection on Paper Mill Road and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Sandy Plains Road.

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Cobb school board to hold special called meeting Thursday

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Cobb school board COVID-19

The Cobb Board of Education will hold a special called meeting Thursday to discuss personnel matters.

The board will meet at 12 p.m. in the board room of the Cobb County School District Central Office (514 Glover St., Marietta).

According to a notice on the district website, the board “may then reconvene in open session to take action on items from Executive Session, if necessary.”

Public elected bodies in Georgia may meet in executive session for personnel, land and legal reasons, and school boards also may meet behind closed doors for student disciplinary matters.

Thursday’s meeting will place just before the Cobb school district’s 2022-23 academic year begins on Monday, Aug. 1.

The board must approve staff appointments at the principal level or above, including certain central office positions.

Walton High School in East Cobb will be getting a new principal after former principal Catherine Mallanda was named the district’s chief academic officer earlier this month.

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East Cobb schools stand out in 2022 Georgia Milestones scores

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Timber Ridge Elementary School, East Cobb schools, CCRPI
Timber Ridge Elementary School students turned in some of the best reading scores in the 2022 Georgia Milestones tests.

After two uneven years of Georgia Milestones testing results due to COVID-19 disruptions, the 2021-22 scores released Friday by the state Department of Education painted a more complete picture of student achievement.

Elementary, middle and high schools in East Cobb turned out some of the best overall and grade- and subject-specific results in the Cobb County School District and the state.

According to information sent out by the Cobb school district, 73.7 percent of Cobb students taking the Milestones tests read at or above their grade level, slightly ahead of Fulton County and the highest in metro Atlanta.

Cobb students also outpaced their peers in other nearby districts with the highest average of “proficient” learners across multiple grade levels and subjects.

Students in grades 3-12 are categorized in one of four levels: Level 1 is Beginning Learner, Level 2 is a Developing Learner, Level 3 is a Proficient Learner and Level 4 is Distinguished Learner.

The evaluations are based on End of Grade (EOG) tests at the elementary and middle school levels, and End of Course (EOC) tests at the high school level.

An even 80 percent of Cobb students are “proficient” or above in English Language Arts, 80.7 percent in math, 75.4 percent in science, and 81.7 in social students.

That averages out to 79.6 across all subjects and grade levels, higher than Fulton, Marietta, DeKalb and Atlanta.

In grade-level scores, several elementary schools in East Cobb were at or near the top of the list in Georgia with the highest percentage of readers at or above third-grade reading levels.

Tritt third graders posted a third-grade reading score of 98.4 percent, and four of the top 10 elementary schools in the state in overall reading scores were  Mt. Bethel (576), Timber Ridge (574), Mountain View (571), and Sope Creek (568).

“No one should make comparisons to previous year’s results in Cobb or across the state. The impacts of the pandemic over the last couple of years make it impossible to do so in a reliable way,” John Floresta, the Cobb Schools Chief Strategy and Accountability Officer, said in the district release.

“We know our students are doing well compared to their peers, and we are focused on what each student knows and what they need to learn.”

The Cobb figures do compare favorably to 2018-19, the last full school year before the pandemic.

In 2021-22, middle school students in Cobb outpaced students in metro Atlanta school districts, including averaging 16 percentage points higher in eighth-grade physics and more than 15 percent in high school history.

More than half of all Walton High School students tested in biology (57.6 percent) achieved distinguished learner status. At Dickerson Middle School, 97.2 percent of students tested in alegbra earned the same designation.

On the other hand, some East Cobb schools face challenges in some areas. Only 52 percent of Brumby Elementary School third-graders were reading at or above grade level, and fewer than half of the students tested in algebra at Sprayberry, Wheeler and Kell high schools are considered at or above proficiency levels.

Here’s more of a breakdown on the Milestones assessments from the Georgia DOE, including state, school system and school level scores from both last winter semester and the past spring semester.

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Cobb Animal Shelter temporarily closed due to strep zoo case

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Cobb animal shelter closes

Cobb County government sent out a message Friday afternoon that the county animal shelter is temporarily closed to the public after a confirmed case of strep zoo involving a dog being housed there.

Cobb spokesman Ross Cavitt said in a release that shelter staff suspected the case after the dog “suddenly became ill” and a portion of the shelter was quarantined as a result.

A test result confirmed the case, and Cavill said the quarantine has been expanded to the entire shelter, which currently houses 285 animals.

“The quarantine will remain in place until shelter staff can treat the entire animal population with antibiotics and conduct further testing,” he said.

Strep zoo is a highly contagious bacterial infection that affects the respiratory systems of animals.

Cavitt said shelter staff will contact individuals who have recently adopted animals at the shelter or who have made appointments.

“Treatment of the population will start when the shipment of antibiotics arrives,” Cavitt said. “A thorough cleaning will take place before the facility reopens. So far, no other animals have displayed symptoms.”

The Cobb Animal Shelter has been closed a few other times in recent years due to dog strep zoo cases, including February 2021 and October 2020.

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Postponed Wheeler HS reunions rescheduled for October

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Wheeler reunion picnic rescheduled
For a larger view click here.

Back in April 2020, the earliest graduating classes from Wheeler High School were supposed to have a collective reunion picnic.

That would have been the 50th anniversary of Wheeler’s first senior class in 1967, and invitations were expanded to go through the Class of 1972.

The COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to that gathering, and reunion organizer Nancy Collier got back in touch this week to say that the event has finally been rescheduled.

It’s now taking place on Saturday, Oct. 8, at the same location of the originally scheduled event (Riverside Day Use Area of Lake Allatoona on Lake Allatoona Dam Road) and the same cost ($25 person, $40 couple).

“It’s on, come hell or high water,” as noted in the attached flyer, which also helpfully points out takes place on the same day as the UGA-Auburn football game.

Two years ago they wanted to have it in the spring to avoid such a conflict, but it’s been a long wait.

The festivities began at 11 a.m. and include food catered by Williamson Bros. BBQ, live music and more.

Check the flyer for more details or visit http://wheeler69.com/. There are instructions in both places on how to pay in advance. If you show up unannounced, “you will go to the back of the food line.”

 

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East Cobb residents challenge Cupid on budget, diversity issues

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Less than a week before a new fiscal year county budget is to be adopted, Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid took her message about taxes, spending and other issues to an East Cobb audience that was largely skeptical of many of her priorities.

A town hall Wednesday at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center dubbed “All In Cobb” was the last of four such meetings she’s held in each of the Cobb commission districts.

With East Cobb-area commissioners Jerica Richardson and JoAnn Birrell in attendance, Cupid said during the nearly two-hour event that the concerns she heard have been similar around the county over the last month.

Some East Cobb residents didn’t like seeing a slide presented by Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid about diversity issues.

Her proposed fiscal year budget of $1.4 billion holds the general fund property tax rate at 8.46 mills, but due to rising assessments many Cobb homeowners will be paying substantially higher taxes.

Cupid defended a proposal to add nearly 150 new county positions and raised the minimum wage for county employees to $17 an hour due to chronic staff shortages in many departments, including road maintenance, stormwater management and public safety.

She said while they don’t come close to addressing all those needs, with this budget “we’re going to try to fix” what she said have been long-standing concerns.

“What you’re getting from your government are beautiful buildings like this one,” she said. “I think Cobb County can do better” to provide services for a county of nearly 800,000.

“I keep hearing not to spend” on certain priorities, she said, “but you still want stellar services. It’s not working right now.”

Throughout the evening, she tried to tie affordable housing to budget and spending issues, because “people who work here should be able to afford to live here.”

She noted that the average price of newly built homes in Cobb averages around $300,000. A county employee making her proposed minimum wage of $17 an hour would earn only $33,000 in gross pay, not nearly enough to afford even that.

But a woman in the audience who owns rental housing said that some of her tenants have been forced to leave because they couldn’t afford to pay higher rents. She said she reluctantly raised them because of skyrocketing assessments.

East Cobb resident Craig Harfoot said a record Cobb tax digest is a “false digest” due to higher assessments.

“That’s too much taxes,” she said, pointing out that such renters “are the people who need” affordable housing options.

“It’s a challenge and I recognize it,” Cupid said.

Another resident said when she travels to West Cobb, she sees new sidewalks and pocket parks and “I feel like East Cobb has become the golden goose.”

Cupid said it’s a comment she hears wherever she goes in the county.

East Cobb resident Craig Harfoot said the Georgia legislature needs to look at how property taxes are reassessed.

“You’re pricing all the poor people out of their homes,” he said.

But Cupid rebuffed calls in the audience to “roll back” the millage rate in light of the proposed budget being nearly $100 million more than the current fiscal year.

“We’re trying to address things that we haven’t addressed for years,” she said. “I’m keeping the millage rate but we’re not funding” for the level of service she hears citizens demanding.

Making repeated references to Rumpelstiltskin—about turning straw into gold—Cupid said that “rolling it back won’t help that.

“There is this misperception about how robustly resourced the county is.”

Others were cool to government-driven ideas for resolving affordable housing issues.

East Cobb resident Leroy Emkin blasted the proposed creation of a diversity, equity and inclusion officer for Cobb County government.

When a resident challenged her about letting the market dictate housing costs, Cupid—who holds engineering and law degrees—said “there’s a place for government and there’s a place for the market. They co-exist.”

Some shouted “noooooo!” at those remarks.

Some audience members were rankled about a slide Cupid presented about diversity, saying it’s not just about race, but also geography and income levels, among other factors.

A woman said “I don’t treat anybody differently” to some cheering.

East Cobb resident Leroy Emkin, a frequent commenter at commissioners’ public address, was critical of a proposal in the budget for the creation of a diversity, equity and inclusion officer position.

“What the hell do we need a director for that kind of office?” he said to considerable applause.

County manager Jackie McMorris corrected his assertion that it would cost $400,000, saying that the $150,000 to be earmarked for that post—suggested by Cupid’s predecessor, the late Mike Boyce—comes from federal COVID-19 stimulus funds and is just one job, with no staff.

McMorris acknowledged “a philosophical difference in what we value,” including the acceptance of American Rescue Plan Act funds altogether.

Cobb County Manager Jackie McMorris said the proposed FY ’23 spending package “is just not a bloated budget.”

After the town hall, Birrell said she was hoping for more discussion on the budget.

“There are some things I like and some things I don’t like,” said Birrell, who is up for re-election in November in a newly redrawn district that includes most of East Cobb.

She didn’t offer any particulars, but Birrell and fellow Republican commissioner Keli Gambrill have expressed concerns about future budget impacts should the $17 an hour minimum wage be adopted.

“Some things are critical, that we need,” Birrell said. “But I am concerned about this budget being sustainable,” especially when many citizens are reeling from higher tax assessments and inflation.

Commissioners will hold a final public hearing on the proposed budget and millage rate next Tuesday night before voting on adoption then.

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3 teens charged with arson for Chimney Lakes gazebo fire

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Cobb Fire investigators say three 14-year-old boys have been charged with third-degree arson in connection with a fire that was set to the gazebo of the Chimney Lakes subdivision in East Cobb. Cobb Fire Department fireworks safety reminder

Chief investigator Brian Beaty said in a release Thursday that delinquency complaints were filed with the Juvenile Court of Cobb County on Wednesday.

He said that Cobb Fire and Emergency crews responded to an outdoor fire on July 7 around 5:38 p.m. at a residential address on Johnson Ferry Road near Chimney Lake Drive.

According to fire investigators, Cobb Fire staffers found the lakeside gazebo “involved by fire” and that preliminary findings indicated that the three males deliberately set the structure on fire.

Beaty said that anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Cobb Fire and Emergency Services at 770-499-3869.

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