As the calendar turned to October the weather started to feel like fall, and this weekend will be perfect for taking in the festivities of the new season.
The earliest of the many community arts and craft shows leading up to the holidays starts on Friday. It’s the St. Andrew United Methodist Women’s 20th annual “Fall Into Crafts Marketplace,” which takes place in the Keheley Center building at St. Andrew UMC (3455 Canton Road) from 11-6 Friday and 10-4 Sunday.
Several dozen vendors will be displaying their products, along with a variety of other homemade items, and there’s food available for purchase and a silent auction.
The proceeds benefit the mission work of St. Andrew’s women’s ministry. The church also has a pumpkin patch that’s open from 10-8 seven days a week through Oct. 31. Info: Call 770-926-3488.
Holland Botanical, a local produce service, is having not one but two fall farm and pumpkin patch events this weekend (they’ve been featured here previously).
The first is Saturday from 9-3 at Sewell Mill Baptist Church (2550 Sewell Mill Road). In addition to sales of fresh fruits and vegetables, a 75-pound pumpkin will be raffled off, with the proceeds to benefit the church-run Richards Christian Academy.
On Sunday, the Congregation Etz Chaim Sukkahfest takes place from 11-3 at the synagogue (1190 Indian Hills Parkway).
The Good Mews Outdoor Market takes place Saturday from 10-2 at the shelter (3805 Robinson Road), books for all ages, delicious baked goods, plus new and gently used pet merchandise. There’s also a group walk starting at 9 a.m. at Good Mews that proceeds to East Cobb Park and back to the shelter.
Gardeners can prepare for the season with a Fall Planting Workshop Saturday from 11-12 at the Mountain View Regional Library (3320 Sandy Plains Road). It’s offered by the UGA Cobb Extension, and covers planting, lawn care and ornamentals.
At the end of what’s expected to be a beautiful weather weekend, take some picnic food, blankets/chairs to East Cobb Park for the second of three Music in the Park concerts this fall. The entertainment is provided by the popular local Loose Shoes duo, as they play crowd favorites from across the decades and genres.
You can find our calendar listings in one handy place on our site. If you have events to share with the public, please e-mail: calendar@eastcobbnews.com and we will post them here.
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The Cobb Department of Transportation will be holding a ribbon-cutting event next Thursday, Oct. 13 for the newly completed Windy Hill-Terrell Mill Connector.
The event takes place at 11 a.m., and you’re asked to do two things—park at1950 Spectrum Circle and take a shuttle to the venue, and wear comfortable shoes.
Construction has been underway for the last three years on the $45.7 million, 0.7-mile project, which was built with 2016 Cobb SPLOST funds as an alternate route from Windy Hill Road to access the I-75 Northwest Corridor Express Lanes.
The four-lane connector stretches from the intersection of Windy Hill Road and Spectrum Circle, and continues north to the intersection of Terrell Mill Road and Bentley Road. The connector also has a raised center median that includes a sidewalk and multi-use trail.
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A second East Cobb location of Crumbl Cookies will be opening soon in the Parkaire Landing Shopping Center.
The Utah-based chain, which opened its first shop in 2017, will be moving into the former Cold Stone Creamery space at 640 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 110, next to Ted’s Montana Grill.
Cold Stone Creamery’s signage disappeared last week, and although Parkaire Landing hasn’t removed the store from its directory the store’s website said it’s “temporarily closed.”
A response from Crumbl to an inquiry from East Cobb News said that “this store is still in the early stages. . . we are at the very beginning and months away from opening. . . permits, buildout and staffing still ahead.”
Crumbl Cookies makes fresh-baked cookies on premises, allowing customers to watch. After starting with a single product—chocolate chip cookies—Crumbl has grown its product line to include a rotating menu, and with ubiquitous pink carry-out and curbside pickup boxes.
Aggressive social media campaigns, especially on TikTok, also have helped Crumbl Cookies’ rapid expansion to nearly 600 locations nationwide.
Locally, Crumbl Cookies has opened at Sandy Plains MarketPlace, as well as Kennesaw and Marietta.
East Cobb News also has left a message with Cold Stone Creamery.
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From L-R: (l-r) Courtney Green of the Cobb Schools Foundation; Brenda Reid of Publix; Cobb School Superintendent Chris Ragsdale; Cobb Schools Foundation Executive Director Felicia Wagner. Photo Courtesy Cobb County School District
Publix Super Markets has awarded a $175,000 donation to the Cobb Schools Foundation as part of its “Tools for Back to School” campaign.
The foundation is a non-profit organization that supports students, teachers and educational needs in the Cobb County School District.
“Tools for Schools” includes participation from Publix patrons during the month of July, resulting in a donation to Cobb schools that was the largest in the state of Georgia.
The donation of gift cards will be used to purchase basic learning materials like pens, markers, crayons, and notebooks, particularly for students who are economically disadvantaged.
A district release said an estimated 50,000 of its 107,000 students fit that description, and their teachers often have had to buy those materials for them.
“Cobb Schools Foundation received the largest donation in the state of Georgia for this campaign,” Brenda Reid, the Publix community relations manager for the Atlanta region, said in the release. “We appreciate the generosity of our customers in donating to the school systems and foundations in our 7-state service area. Thank you for the partnership and all the great work Cobb School District does year-round.”
Said Felicia Wagner, the Cobb Schools Foundation executive director, said of Publix: “They can know that their support at the register is appreciated and is helping students in their own community. This donation will be distributed throughout our schools to serve students in need as well as teachers who are doing all that they can to create the best learning experience for students.”
For more about the Cobb Schools Foundation, click here.
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The Moxie Restaurant Group opened its fourth Moxie Burger location last month in the Kennesaw area.
On Tuesday, the East Cobb-based company announced it has sold its Moxie Taco restaurant at Paper Mill Village.
In a Facebook message Tuesday morning, the Moxie Restaurant Group said that the new owners are those who operate Camps Kitchen and Bar next door.
The new name of the restaurant will be the Green Coyote Cantina, and it will have a similar menu.
“We’ve truly loved building Moxie Taco into a favorite neighborhood restaurant within the East Cobb community and are so thankful for everyone who supported Moxie Taco with their visits, parties, and catering,” the Moxie Restaurant Group message said. “We ultimately made the difficult decision to sell, so that we can focus our efforts on putting Moxie Burger locations into more local community neighborhoods.
“The decision was made easier by knowing it will be handed over to seasoned, successful owners, who are passionate about the concept,” the Moxie message said. “We know our loyal MT customers will be in the best of hands.”
Robert Caswick, a co-owner of Camps, told East Cobb News that his ownership team, the MooCoo Group, took over operations of Moxie Taco last week and has begun a gradual transition to the Green Coyote Cantina.
The restaurant is open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and Caswick said hours will expand “once we are staffed up.”
He said the menu (see below) will feature scratch Tex-Mex entrees and specialty margaritas.
“We’re smoking meats in-house and have a margarita menu like no one else” he said. “We love East Cobb and are excited to serve the community we’ve met through Camp’s Kitchen & Bar.”
He said the interior of the Green Coyote will be updated gradually over the coming months during off-hours to make it resemble “a Far West Texas cantina.”
There also will be an expansion of the back patio overlooking the Paper Mill pond.
Moxie Taco opened in 2017 as La Novia Taqueria, then changed the name to reflect the Moxie brand.
Moxie Burger was started by Pope High School graduate Chas D’Huyvetter, who opened his first gourmet hamburger restaurant at Paper Mill Village in 2011.
The newest Moxie Burger is located at 1600 Kennesaw Due West Road, joining other locations on Shallowford Road near Lassiter High School and in Roswell.
The Moxie Restaurant Group message Tuesday said that there are “more to follow soon.”
East Cobb News has left a message with Moxie Burger.
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East Cobb resident Anna Hunt has been named an associate at terra alma, a commercial real estate advisory based in Alpharetta that specializes in emerging retail and restaurant brands.
She had previously worked at Van Michael Salons as a hair stylist and in a management capacity and has a decade of experience in customer relations and in building relationships.
“I’ll have a hand in transactions from the beginning and the opportunity to work with unique, exciting clients,” Hunt said in a release. “Best of all, I’m not just a number and not doing landlord work like I would have been doing at a bigger firm. I get the opportunity to work all over Atlanta with cool developments.”
Edie Weintraub, terra firma’s founder and Chief Community Builder, said Hunt’s “enthusiasm and eagerness are contagious.”
Hunt attended Valdosta State University and Georgia Perimeter College. She holds a cosmetology license from Aveda and is a former member of the Atlanta Board of Realtors.
She and her husband have two dogs and a cat and they enjoy hiking in North Georgia, taking the dogs on long walks, hiking, camping, exploring the great outdoors and traveling around the country.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
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Cobb Police Det. Zachary Stannard. Photo: Karl L. Moore/Mooreshots LLC, courtesy Cobb Chamber of Commerce
A Cobb Police detective who linked a double murder to the stabbing of a police officer, leading to the apprehension of the suspect, was named the 2022 public safety employee of the year Monday by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.
The award, according to a Cobb Chamber release, “is given to an employee who has performed his or her job with exceptional skill, exhibited leadership and critical incident management and a devotion to their responsibilities.
Det. Zachary Stannard was called to investigate the double murder of a Cherokee firefighter and his wife in November in a north Cobb home, the day before a Sandy Springs police officer was stabbed in the face and neck.
Initially the cases were not connected, but Matthew Lanz, 22, of Acworth was taken into custody two days later and charged in both incidents.
He was indicted on 13 counts by a Cobb grand jury in April, including malice murder in the slayings of Timothy and Amber Hicks.
Lanz also has been indicted on 35 counts in Fulton County, including attempted murder.
“Detective Stannard worked for days without rest to deliver justice for the family of the deceased,” the Cobb Chamber release states, including keeping “the family updated throughout his investigation and even attended the funeral of the victims.
Earlier last year, Stannard responded to the murder of a father who was shot while driving with his daughter in their car. The detective eventually identified the vehicles of the suspects and tracked them several hundred miles away.
“Detective Stannard maintains a fierce devotion to aid the citizens of Cobb County. Long hours and stressful cases can certainly demoralize many in the law enforcement profession. However, he has shown his ongoing desire to serve as the voice of those who cannot speak for themselves, and he provides closure for the families of his victims. Detective Stannard’s dedication, exceptional skill and expertise are what make him the incredible public servant he is to Cobb.”
The Award of Merit was given to the Cobb Fire and Emergency Service’s Squad 7 and Rescue 23 for their lifesaving actions during a house fire.
Cobb Emergency Communications Officer Theresa Carcioppolo was named the recipient of the Outstanding Community Contribution Award for her work educating children and adults about the 911 industry.
The Cobb Chamber luncheon on Monday included a tribute to the two Cobb Sheriff’s deputies who were killed last month in the line of duty. You can see that presentation below.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
A woman was arrested and charged with murder Friday in the strangulation death of an elderly woman at a home in the Loch Highland subdivision of Northeast Cobb.
A warrant taken out by Cobb Police against Gretchen Fortney, 52, of a Loch Highland Pass address, indicates she has been charged with murder in the commission of a felony and two felony counts of aggravated assault, including one involving strangulation.
She is being held without bond at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center, according to Cobb Sheriff’s Office booking reports.
The arrest warrant said that Martha Fortney, 78, was assaulted with “an unknown object or objects” by Gretchen Fortney shortly after 5 a.m. Friday at the residence, resulting in multiple injuries to the older woman’s torso and head.
The warrant states that the victim “was observed with what appeared to be the belt from her robe tied or looped around her neck” and there was a “visable ligature mark which resulted in her death.”
The warrant doesn’t indicate the relationship between the two women. Cobb property records show that Martha Fortney was the homeowner of the Loch Highland Pass residence.
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Outdoor burning is allowed in Cobb County from Oct. 1 to April 30, enabling citizens to burn limited yard debris such as leaves, pine straw, and small limbs from growth on their property.
However, there are some restrictions, as explained by the Cobb Fire and Emergency Services Department:
Burning is allowed between the hours of 10 a.m. and one hour before sunset (no smoldering or hot coals remaining). Yard waste fires must be completely extinguished one hour prior to sunset.
No burning is allowed on windy days (10 mph or higher) or on days when the atmospheric conditions (cloudy, overcast, or raining) would cause the smoke to remain low to the ground.
Burning must be attended by an adult who must be watching the fire at all times. Never leave a fire unattended.
A water hose long enough to reach the fire must be on hand and ready for use.
Fires may not be started with petroleum-based products.
Only clean wood may be burned. Clean wood means natural wood which has not been painted, varnished, or coated with a similar material; has not been pressure treated with preservatives; and does not contain resins or glues as in plywood or other composite wood products.
Yard waste (small) fire must be at least 50 feet from all structures, including fences of combustible material, limbs no larger than 6” diameter, pile no greater than 6’ x 6’, at least 25’ from roads with speed limits greater than 35 mph.
Yard waste fires larger than 6’x6’ require a Yard Waste (large) permit.
Burning in a barrel is prohibited.
Burning of garbage is prohibited. Garbage is any waste material that includes but is not limited to plastic products, Styrofoam, fiberglass, recycling wire (burned to access metal), tires, clothing, furniture, mattresses, boxes, papers, stumps, root balls, and kudzu vines.
Any yard debris that is moved from one property to another cannot be burned. For information regarding alternative methods to dispose of yard waste, contact the Georgia Environmental Protection Division at (404) 362-2537.
Even if all guidelines for burning are followed, you may be required to extinguish the fire if it adversely interferes with another’s enjoyment of life, use of property, or if someone with a health problem is affected.
The Cobb Fire Marshal’s Office has prepared a complete guide to outdoor burning that can be found by clicking here and here.
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State Rep. John Carson, a Republican who represents part of East Cobb, has been appointed to the board of directors for MUST Ministries, which serves the needs of homeless people and others in need in metro Atlanta.
“I look forward to joining the MUST Ministries leadership team and serving my constituents in this new capacity,” Carson said in a release. “For half a century, this organization has effectively changed the lives of Cobb and Cherokee County residents with compassion and without judgement, and I am honored to become a part of their mission.”
MUST has been serving Cobb, Cherokee and surrounding counties for 50 years, providing emergency shelters for unhoused individuals and families and provides food to those in need. MUST also has workforce development programs and a health clinic.
According to the organization’s website, MUST encompasses more than 17,000 volunteers and typically serves 33,000 people in a year. Since March 2020, MUST has fed almost 173,000 people two million pounds of food.
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