Month: October 2023

Richardson advisor declares intent for Cobb commission campaign

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A member of Cobb commissioner Jerica Richardson’s “community cabinet” is considering making a run to succeed her in 2024.Richardson advisor declares intent for Cobb commission campaign

Kevin Redmon, an East Cobb resident, filed a declaration of intent form with the Cobb Elections Office on Oct. 23.

According to the filings, Redmon, an IT sales and account manager, would be running as a Democrat in District 2.

A declaration is not a formal filing for a campaign, but Redmon formed a campaign committee in August.

On Richardson’s cabinet, he serves as an East Cobb community liaison, and is a regular presence at Cobb Board of Commission meetings during public comment periods.

“I love being engaged and I was wanting to do more,” Redmon told East Cobb News.

A resident of East Cobb since 2005, Redmon said he initially got involved in community issues with the anti-cityhood group East Cobb Alliance, whose leader, Mindy Seger, introduced him to Richardson.

Thus far Redmon, who is married with a daughter, is the only individual who has expressed at least semi-formal interest in running in District 2.

Richardson, a first-term Democrat, has filed to run for the 6th Congressional District after legislative reapportionment in 2022 drew her out of her commission district.

Redmon said his priorities include “just really communicating with residents in a clear way about what’s happening.

“Complex issues are being presented to the public,” and he said it’s not always clearly understood what the potential impact of a pr0posed service or spending issue may be.

Some of those issues include stormwater management, which has become a growing concern in East Cobb since severe flooding in Sept. 2021.

The county is preparing a possible funding solution that would impose an impact fee, based on amount of impervious surface on a property, that Redmon said would likely affect larger commercial customers more than average homeowners.

“It’s a simple message, but there’s been a lot of pushback,” Redmon said.

Redmon said that it’s important to place “a focus on the future.”

Cobb’s population is growing older, and he said “the future is coming at us pretty quickly.

“We need to make decisions that respect people who have been here many years but we also have to attract people who are moving in and raising families.

The District 2 boundaries would include most of Smyrna and Marietta and areas north along the Interstate 75 corridor.

The map drawn by the legislature in 2022 placed most of East Cobb in District 3, represented by Republican JoAnn Birrell.

That electoral map is currently being contested in Cobb Superior Court after the commission’s Democratic majority voted to invoke home rule. Another hearing is scheduled for Nov. 20.

Richardson and her party colleagues are seeking to employ maps that would place the East Cobb area in Districts 2 and 3, similar to what they had been before reapportionment.

As that dispute began, Richardson launched a civic and political education non-profit, For Which It Stance, at which Redmon also serves as a community captain.

He also participated in a recent cybersecurity awareness event held by Richardson and other Cobb County officials.

The District 2 seat is one of three that will be on the 2024 ballot, and all of them are currently held by Democrats. Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid has announced she’s seeking re-election. District 4 incumbent Monique Sheffield of South Cobb will be completing her first term.

Redmon said until there’s a court ruling on what the District 2 boudaries may be, he’s going to continue “getting out to events and talking to people.

“There is a real desire for a hyperlocal focus on the job. That’s what I’m finding people are caring about.”

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Cobb to create ‘stability court’ to address evictions issues

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Submitted information:Cobb to create 'stability court' to address evictions issues

Cobb County will break new ground with a revolutionary new accountability court targeting the eviction crisis. The Board of Commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding between the county’s Magistrate Court and a nonprofit to form the Housing Stability Court.

“We’re incredibly excited about the program. We’ve been charged with bridging the gap to the future,” said Cobb’s Chief Magistrate Brendan Murphy. “This will bring resources to bear so folks can lift their families to a better situation.”

The program will be funded from a $1.3 million federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) allocation, which can only be used for rental and mortgage assistance. The court wanted to wait until the ERA funds designated for direct assistance were exhausted before starting the program. The county received more than $23 million from the federal government for housing assistance during the pandemic.

The Magistrate Court will work with the Marietta-based Center for Family Resources to administer the program. Participants will be referred to the Housing Stability Court, and there is no mechanism for people to apply to the program directly.  The unique court program will help families avoid losing their homes by providing small monetary assistance combined with wrap-around services to work with landlords and tenants to avoid the eviction process.

The court will crank up in the coming weeks.

 

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Guthrie’s Chicken files for rezoning for East Cobb restaurant

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Guthrie's Chicken files for rezoning for East Cobb restaurant

A small commercial building at a corner of Lower Roswell Road and Johnson Ferry Road could be converted into a fast food chicken restaurant.

Guthrie’s Chicken, which specializes in chicken finger menu items, is scheduled to have a first hearing on its rezoning application next Tuesday before the Cobb Planning Commission.

The request seeks a change from a planned shopping center (PSC) to a neighborhood retail commercial (NRC) category for 0.3 acres at 4774 Lower Roswell Road.

The 2,000-square foot building is currently vacant but previously has housed small medical offices, including a COVID-19 testing location. It’s located in front of a CVS pharmacy, and plans call to remodel the building.

The application by DG East Cobb Guthrie’s LLC (you can read it here) calls for drive-through-only service from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. An existing single point of access on Lower Roswell would be retained in the proposed site plan.

The request also seeks a reduction from the existing 15 parking spaces to 12 and a reduction of the front setback from 50 feet to 20 feet, and would increase the impervious surface maximum from 70 to 92.9 percent.

The Cobb Zoning Office is recommending approval of the application.

Based in Alabama, Guthrie’s is a Southern franchise operation with more than 50 locations in eight states, including one in Mableton and two in Canton.

The Guthrie’s in East Cobb would be located across the intersection from Zaxby’s, another Southern chicken chain.

DG Guthrie’s purchased the land and building for $1.2 million last September, according to Cobb property tax records.

The Cobb Planning Commission, an advisory body, meets next Tuesday at 9 a.m. For more information and a meeting overview, click here.

Guthrie's Chicken files for rezoning for East Cobb restaurant

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Cobb Police probing ‘Heil Hitler’ message on I-75 bridge

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Cobb Police said Monday they are investigating an anti-Semitic message that was projected on a bridge over Interstate 75 near Chastain Road.Northeast Cobb car crash, Cops on Donut Shops

Sgt. Wayne Delk said that officers reported to calls from drivers on Sunday that that a moving message had been displayed along the side of an overpass.

According to social media postings, the message said “This land is our land, Heil Hitler.”

The message comes as tensions are mounting in the Middle East, with Israel airstrikes continuing into Gaza after terrorists massacred nearly 1,500 Israelis in an Oct. 7 attack aimed at civilians.

“We recognize the deep distress and concern incidents of this nature may cause, particularly to our Jewish community members and other targeted groups,” Delk said in a release. “We stand in solidarity with all residents of Cobb County and are dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of every individual. Hate has no place in our community, and we will work to ensure that those responsible for any violations of law are held accountable. ”

The message mentioned the Goyim Defense League, which targeted the Chabad of Cobb synagogue in East Cobb in June with swastikas and anti-Semitic messages.

That incident prompted an interfaith service at East Cobb United Methodist Church that included the presence of Cobb Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer and various elected officials.

State Rep. John Carson, a Republican who represents part of East Cobb is a co-sponsor of a bill that would include anti-Semitic messages in a hate crimes bill that has failed to pass the Georgia legislature.

In a social media post Monday, he called the I-75 incident a “stunt that is digusting. Behavior like this has no place here in Georgia. Example # (I’ve lost track) of why it’s time to pass HB30.”

Teri Anulewicz, a Smyrna Democrat who heads the Cobb legislative delegation, in referring to the GDL, said that “I don’t care that this depraved group isn’t based in Cobb. I am devastated and outraged that they continue to believe they have an audience here.”

Last week, Cobb commissioners dropped a proposed resolution condemning Hamas for the attacks on Israelis after Muslim citizens and those of Palestinian descent complained they were not included in the process.

That followed objections from Muslim and Palestinian parents about a message sent out by the Cobb County School District about an “international threat” by Hamas they said was needless and fear-mongering

Cobb Police didn’t indicate how the “Heil Hitler” message might have been placed on the I-75 overpass.

Delk said in the release that “it is important for our entire community to understand that proactive steps are being taken to address this incident. We want to reassure the community that acts of this nature will be rigorously investigated. Individuals found responsible for illegal conduct could face a range of charges, from traffic violations to more serious offenses. We are coordinating and will continue to coordinate with other law enforcement partners during this investigation.

“The Cobb County Police Department remains vigilant and is committed to ensuring that all residents can live and work in a community where they feel safe, valued, and respected.”

He said anyone with information is asked to contact Cobb Police at 770-499-4111 or cobbpolicecrimetips@cobbcounty.org.

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East Cobb Weather Update: Freeze watch to start November

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East Cobb weather update
Temperatures reached 80 degrees again on Monday, but we’ll be having cooler weather until the weekend.

Not long after trick-or-treating winds down on Tuesday, the weather in the East Cobb area will be taking a very chilly turn for a few days.

The National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch for most of metro Atlanta and parts of North Georgia from late Tuesday evening until 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Sub-freezing lows are forecast for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with highs from the mid-50s to low 60s during those days.

Frost and freeze conditions can kill crops and garden vegetation and damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. People with in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-
ground pipes to protect them from freezing.

Pets also should be shielded from freeze conditions and brought inside.

High temperatures over the weekend will range from the high 60s to low 70s, also with sunshine. But the lows will still be colder than they have been‚ in the 40s into next week.

For more on local weather conditions in the coming days, click here.

 

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There will be sunny skies all week and

Untangled Mind, Dynamic Growth Counseling open in East Cobb

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Untangled Mind and Dynamic Growth Counseling open in East Cobb
All photos by Stuart Hasson, Hasson Photography

Submitted information and photos:

Untangled Mind, LLC and Dynamic Growth Counseling and Consulting Services, LLC are thrilled to announce their new joint business venture opening in East Cobb. The need for mental health care has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the owners of these two businesses have created a holistic approach to mental health care called the Dynamic Mind Approach. This model incorporates Adlerian psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for the most effective and holistic care of individuals.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Oct. 19 at 1501 Johnson Ferry, Road, Suite 104, with members of the East Cobb Business Association as Dr. Susan Belangee and Piper Harris, M.A., highlighted the growing need for quality, holistic mental health counseling and consulting services in the greater Atlanta area.

Untangled Mind, LLC and Dynamic Growth Counseling and Consulting Services, LLC aim to become active members of the East Cobb community and look forward to collaborating with local organizations to promote mental health awareness, education, and well-being. Both companies are fully committed to providing compassionate care for anxiety, trauma, and grief and consulting services to effect organizational change, personalized treatment plans, and a nurturing environment for clients to thrive.

Untangled Mind and Dynamic Growth Counseling open in East Cobb

Untangled Mind and Dynamic Growth Counseling open in East Cobb

Untangled Mind and Dynamic Growth Counseling open in East Cobb

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, Oct. 9-13, 2023

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Creekside Bluffs, East Cobb real estate sales
Creekside Bluffs

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports. They include the subdivision name and high school attendance zone in parenthesis:

Oct. 9

1429 Old Virginia Court, 30067 (Salem Ridge, Wheeler): $376,000

Oct. 10

3960 Riverlook Parkway Unit 207, 30067 (Willows by the River, Walton): $305,000

3621 Stonehenge Way, 30066 (Stocktons Mill, Lassiter): $500,000

3653 Post Oak Tritt Road, 30062 (Pope): $1.075 million

896 Fairfield Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills, Walton): $1.928 million

1461 Shadowrock Drive, 30062 (Woodstream, Sprayberry): $450,000

1485 Pleasant View Circle, 30062 (Sewell Mill Heights, Walton): $478,000

2780 Post Oak Drive, 30062 (Christophers Corner, Sprayberry): $465,000

1591 Blackwell Road, 30066 (Sprayberry): $650,000

3829 Bluffview Drive, 30062 (Creekside Bluffs, Lassiter): $514,000

Oct. 11

400 Arbor Trail, 30067 (Arbor Trail Estates, Wheeler): $560,000

2637 Arbor Glen Place, 30066 (Arbor Glen, Sprayberry): $325,000

4550 Wenden Lane, 30062 (Breckenridge, Pope): $730,000

3861 Meadow Lane, 30062 (Rolling Acres, Pope): $500,000

3797 Upland Drive, 30066 (Highland Park, Lassiter): $665,000

1525 Huntingford Drive, 30068 (Walton): $905,000

301 Parkaire Crossing, 30068 (Parkaire Crossing, Walton): $265,000

Oct. 12

2968 Bellehurst Drive, 30062 (Oaklyn Estates, Pope): $1.365 million

2567 Draw Drive, 30066 (Gardens at Laura Creek, Sprayberry): $465,000

3354 Stovehill Court, 30067 (Old Paper Mill, Wheeler): $745,000

1854 Starlight Drive, 30062 (Hasty Acres, Sprayberry): $455,000

1186 Lake Colony Drive, 30068 (Lake Colony, Walton): $675,000

4607 Chattahoochee Crossing, 30067 (Chattahoochee Plantation, Walton): $880,000

Oct. 13

3044 Gaston Circle Unit 5, 30067 (Cobblestone Walk at Terrell Mill, Wheeler): $555,000

2557 Chimney Springs Drive, 30062 (Chimney Springs, Pope): $625,000

3629 Summerford Way, 30062 (Summerford, Lassiter): $750,000

3666 Outlook Court, 30066 (Highland Ridge, Lassiter): $790,000

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Cobb Drug Treatment Court observes 20th anniversary

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Cobb Drug Treatment Court observes 20th anniversary

Submitted information and photo:

For 20 years, Cobb’s Drug Treatment Court has led people out of the criminal justice system and into long-term recovery. To celebrate this milestone, on Thursday, October 26, 2023, Cobb Superior Court Judge Kimberly A. Childs led a large gathering of judges, court employees, community stakeholders, and many other supporters in celebration of two decades of changing lives through the County’s Drug Treatment Court program.

At the celebration, Judge Childs, who currently presides over the program, presented a special award to Senior Judge George H. Kreeger, the first Drug Court judge, for his many years of service to the program and the county.

“Today, we celebrate 20 years of creating paths to wellness. Drug Courts are saving lives, reuniting families, reducing crime, and saving money,” said Porsha Middlebrook, Program Coordinator. “Drug Courts work!”

Speakers at the event included Chief Assistant District Attorney John Pursley, who served as the prosecutor on the Drug Court team for several years, and Grady Moore, who served as a prosecutor and later as defense counsel for the Drug Court program for nearly 20 years.

Former DTC graduate Daniel Spinney spoke about his experience before and after participating in the program. Since then, he has been an integral part of the recovery community in Cobb County, including serving as the long-time Director of Program Services at The Zone in Marietta. “Drug Court is a major part of the person I am today. It gave me the tools to be a better son, father, and grandfather. I would not be where I am today without the Drug Court program,” Spinney said.

Judge Childs also awarded DTC community partner and certified sober living facility Four Winds Recovery for their continued partnership and services to the program and participants. The availability of quality sober living housing opportunities has been a mainstay of the DTC, enabling otherwise homeless individuals into the program by offering a stable residence in Cobb County.

Sherrod Jones, the Career and Training Coordinator with CobbWorks, was also recognized for his service as a team member in all the Cobb accountability courts for over eight years. Mr. Jones provides comprehensive services to DTC participants for employment and education. These services are pivotal to ensuring participants obtain stable jobs and achieve independence and sustainability during and after the program.

Hope the Comfort Dog also received recognition for her devotion to the participants of the Cobb DTC and for always providing a calming influence on participants each week in the court hearings. Hope comes to court for every accountability court session. Marietta’s Faith Lutheran Church and School sponsor the Lutheran Charities K-9 Comfort Dogs, and Judge Childs thanked the Church for supporting Cobb’s accountability court participants.

For more information about Cobb Drug Treatment Court, please contact Porsha Middlebrook, Program Coordinator, at 770-528-1933 or email CobbDTC@cobbcounty.org.

 

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Wheeler teacher honored by Georgia Art Educators Association

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Wheeler art teacher honored by Georgia Art Educators Association
Bill Rembert Sr.

Bill Rembert Sr., an art teacher at Wheeler High School. has been honored by the Georgia Art Education Association.

He is the 2023 recipient of the association’s Croy West Special Needs Art Educator of the Year Award, according to the Cobb County School District.

That goes to an educator for how they support special needs students.

A former special education teacher, Rembert collaborates with departments throughout the school, including special education, “to ensure all students can share their voices and feel the impact of art in their world,” the district release said.

Those projects include the creation of a sensory art space for special education students.

“Mr. Rembert works to show his school community the importance of art in their day-to-day lives through the installation of murals, display of work throughout the building, and inclusion of a variety of contemporary artists into his lessons. Mr. Rembert has always worked to create a sense of unity and connectedness in his classroom by showing students how all voices are welcome and needed in art spaces,” said Laura LaQuaglia, the district’s supervisor of learning design and visual arts.

He will be formally honored at the GAEA conference in November.

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Ga. redistricting maps thrown out; special session called

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Richardson Congressional campaign kickoff
The Congressional maps passed in 2021 substantially redrew the 6th District that once included most of East Cobb.

Georgia lawmakers will be called to a special session to redraw the state’s Congressional and legislative maps after a federal judge ruled Thursday that they violate civil rights law.

U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones in Atlanta said the maps drawn by the Georgia legislature in 2021 substantially diluted minority voting strength, especially in parts of metro Atlanta, under the U.S. Voting Rights Act.

Gov. Brian Kemp has signed an order calling for a Nov. 29 special session after Jones ordered new maps be completed by Dec. 8.

Among the particulars in Jones lengthy ruling (you can read it here) is the creation of a majority-black Congressional district in the western part of metro Atlanta, and several majority-black legislative districts in the Atlanta and Macon areas.

The plaintiffs included a number of civil rights organizations, the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Georgia and individuals alleging their voting rights have been diminished due to the 2021 reapportionment.

They cited black population growth in Georgia over the last two decades that has not been reflected in political representation in the U.S. House and legislature.

Nine of Georgias’s 14 Congressional seats are held by Republicans, including three who represent portions of Cobb County.

Georgia’s black population has grown by 484,048 people since 2010, while the white population fell by 51,764.

“In the last decade, all of Georgia’s population growth was attributable to the minority population, however, the number of majority-Black congressional and legislative districts remained the same,” Jones wrote in his ruling.

“Based on the 2020 Census, the combined Black population in Cobb, Fulton, Douglas, and Fayette Counties is 807,076 persons, more than necessary to constitute an entirely AP Black congressional district—or a majority in two congressional districts.”

That could affect how Congressional lines are drawn in the East Cobb area. Until 2021, East Cobb was mostly contained in the 6th Congressional District.

That was represented from 2019-2022 by black Democrat Lucy McBath after many years of GOP representation, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

But the redrawn map included a lesser portion of the 6th District in East Cobb and pulled in some of the 11th District, aimed at ensuring Republican seats.

The 6th now includes some of north Fulton, Forsyth and Dawson counties, which are conservative.

McBath moved to the 7th Congressional District, based in Gwinnett County, after that. Rich McCormick, a conservative Republican, won the 6th and veteran GOP House member Barry Loudermilk was re-elected in the 11th.

Jake Orvis, a McBath spokesman, issued a statement Thursday saying that she “applauds the court for upholding the principles of fair and equal representation. While the outcome of the process remains unclear, one thing is certain: Rep. McBath will not be letting Republicans in the state legislature determine when her work serving Georgians is done.”

Jerica Richardson, a Cobb Commissioner from District 2 in East Cobb, has announced she is running for the 6th District seat, and she has been campaigning in Dawson and Forsyth.

After being drawn out of her commission seat that expires at the end of 2024—and for which a home rule dispute is still pending in Cobb Superior Court—she said in a statement Thursday that while she agrees with the ruling, it doesn’t change her plans to seek federal office.

“This race for me was never about this court decision,” Richardson said. “From day one, I’ve made it clear I was committed to representing the 6th district and bringing back compassionate leadership to our community.”

She said regardless of how the new lines are drawn, “I’m here to represent the people, to fight for their issues, needs, and concerns. I am grateful to today’s decision, and am more committed than ever to winning this race.”

One of the plaintiffs in the voting rights lawsuit is Coakley Pendergrass, an associate pastor at Turner Chapel AME in Marietta and a community and faith leader who lives in the redrawn 11th District.

Jones said in his ruling that Pendergrass and his related plaintiffs “have shown that Georgia’s Black population in west-metro Atlanta is geographically compact to comprise a majority of the voting age population in an additional congressional district.”

The 2021 maps included a portion of South Cobb in the 14th District, represented by Republican firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Jones’ ruling is the second by a federal judge ordering new maps in Southern states under the Voting Rights Act. The Alabama legislature was ordered earlier this year to create a new map with an additional black-majority seat in the southern part of the state.

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East Cobb Weekend Events: Boo Bash; Music in the Park; more

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Boo Bash Halloween fun

With Halloween right around the corner, several events in the East Cobb area will be rounding out the final weekend before Tuesday’s All Hallows Eve.

For the second year in a row, Avenue East Cobb and East Cobb Church are teaming up to present the Boo Bash, a kid-oriented carnival. It runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the shopping center (4475 Roswell Road), and will have some expanded space due to the newly opened plaza.

There will be trick or treating, groovin’ music and two costume parties, along with games, balloons, face-painting and other activities.

If you’re inclined to take part in a dressy Halloween event for adults, our sponsor Elegance Events (2080 Lower Roswell Road) is having its first Masquerade Ball on Saturday from 6:30 to midnight. There will be food, dancing and more, with tickets at $50 a person or $75 for the VIP treatment. Call (813)817-4659 for tickets and information.

The last of the fall concert series Music in the Park takes place from 4-6 Sunday at East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road), this time featuring musicians from the Bach to Rock music school in East Cobb.

You can bring food, blankets and chairs and spread out on the back quad as the sounds come alive in the concert stage.

Halloween isn’t the only festive occasion that is celebrated on Oct. 31. That’s also Reformation Day, and from 4-6 Sunday there will be a special Reformation Day Concert and Oktoberfest Dinner at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection (4678 Paper Mill Road).

Music from J.S. Bach will be performed by the church’s choir and chamber orchestra, and the food is classic German fare—bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels and more from a local bakery. The event is free and open to the public.

Back at Avenue East Cobb on Sunday is a special Relay for Life Fundraiser from 4-8. It’s done by the American Cancer Society, and Panera Bread will be donating a portion of its sales during that time to the Cobb County Justice League.

On Monday, another family-oriented Halloween event is on tap, the 3rd annual East Cobb Library Spooktacular. It’s from 4-5 at the library branch (4880 Lower Roswell Road) and includes crafts, games, and the chance to win the first two illustrated Harry Potter books. Kids 10 and older are welcome to show up in their costumes.

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Cobb commissioners drop pro-Israel resolution after objections

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Cobb commissioners drop pro-Israel resolution after objections
Cobb resident Ghada Elnajjar holds up a photo of a cousin she says was killed in Gaza by Israeli reprisals against Hamas.

Members of Cobb County’s Muslim and Palestinian communities spoke out against a proposed resolution before the Cobb Board of Commissioners Tuesday to condemn attacks on Israeli citizens by Hamas.

The day after commissioners agreed to drop the resolution—sponsored by East Cobb District 3 member JoAnn Birrell—they formally voted to reject it in order to collect more community input.

During a regular meeting public comment session Tuesday night, several citizens spoke out strongly against Birrell’s motion, which calls for “unwavering support” of Israel following Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 that killed more than 1,400 Israeli citizens and in which others were taken hostage.

Ghada Elnajjar, the daughter of Palestinian refugees whose family has lived in Georgia for 37 years, told commissioners she’s lost members of her extended family, “too many to count,” in Israel’s immediate response.

“You see Israel as a friend and an ally. I get it,” she said, getting emotional. “As a good friend, it is your responsibility to tell them they are wrong.”

Elnajjar said more than 6,000 Palestinians have been killed, nearly half of them children.

“A resolution declaring unwavering support of Israel is essentially saying you support the killing of innocent Palestinian civilians, like my cousin.”

JoAnn Birrell
Commissioner JoAnn Birrell said she’s “open and willing” to meet with different groups but wants to take a strong stand “against a terrorist group.”

She held up a photo of a young man she said was killed in Israeli reprisals in Gaza. “He had dreams and he had aspirations. They were cut short.”

Elnajjar said a revised resolution must mention the Palestinian people “by name” and must call for a cease-fire and restoration of water and electricity to Gaza, as well as acknowledging “the pain and suffering of my community,” in Cobb County, Georgia, and the U.S.

After the initial group of speakers, Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said that her office had received many more e-mails after a Monday work session at which the resolution was first discussed.

She and Commissioner Keli Gambrill said that a revised statement be brought back to reflect the views of the broader Cobb community.

“We have a lot to learn by listening to each other,” Cupid said, adding that she’s having a meeting this week with local religious leaders.

Birrell repeated her stance from Monday, saying her resolution was meant only to denounce Hamas and was recommended to her by “several individuals who said that “we should make a stand.

“It makes no derogatory mention of any Palestinians,” Birrell said, “except Hamas, which is a terrorist group.”

She said she has ancestors from Lebanon, and “I’m supporting Israel against the attacks by Hamas.”

Birrell agreed to work to revise the resolution after hearing from her colleagues.

Commissioner Monique Sheffield said that “I want to be mindful of the entire community because that’s who we serve.”

Commissioner Jerica Richardson of District 2 in East Cobb said she wants a 5-0 vote on any resolution.

“There’s no equivocation on my part in denouncing Hamas,” she said. “They’re a U.S.-declared terrorist group and that needs to be made clear.”

While the acts against Israeli citizens “were heinous,” Richardson said “there are complexities” and the resolution needs to reflect the entire community.

She said later that she’s received “hundreds of letters from multiple perspectives” on how to proceed, and that it’s important for the measure to come up at the commission’s next meeting Nov. 14.

After the vote, more speakers during public comment implored the board against what they said was a one-sided resolution.

That would “undermine the Palestinian people,” Zakir Said said, adding that Hamas’ “horrific action deserves condemnation.” But retaliatory measures “have been unprecedented. No two wrongs make it right.”

Richardson and Birrell offered extended remarks at the end of the meeting, which you can view below starting around the 3:48:00 mark.

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Police: East Cobb man shoots brother, commits suicide at home

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Cobb Police said Wednesday that an East Cobb man shot his brother at a residence off Sandy Plains Road, then turned the gun on himself after a standoff that summoned SWAT units to the home.Northeast Cobb car crash, Cops on Donut Shops

Sgt. Wayne Delk, Cobb Police Public Information Officer, Philip Tokos, 29, died Tuesday night in an apparent suicide.

Delk said that police were called to the scene of a home on Plains Way, behind Mountain View Elementary School, at 5:41 p.m. after receiving reports of a person having been shot.

Delk said that Tokos and his brother, Michael Tokos, 32, “had been involved in a heated argument” and that Philip shot Michael in his lower right leg. Police didn’t say what the argument was about.

But they said Michael Tokos was able to leave the home and get medical assistance, and was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Delk said that “officers had reason to believe that Philip Tokos was still alone inside the residence” and they obtained an arrest warrant and a search warrant.

A SWAT team also arrived on the scene, and when police went inside the home, they found the body of Philip Toskos, whom they said was deceased due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Delk said next of kin has been notified and the Cobb Police Special Victims Unit is taking over the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at 770-801-3470.

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East Cobb Food Scores: Williamson Bros.; Suburban Tap; more

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Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q, East Cobb Food Scores

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

Duck Donuts
1281 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 116
October 23, 2023 Score: 100, Grade: A

Great American Cookies/Marble Slab Creamery
4101 Roswell Road, Suite 308
October 23, 2023 Score: 100, Grade: A

Marietta Donuts
1282 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 109
October 23, 2023 Score: 95, Grade: A

Starbucks and Pizza Hut at Target 
1401 Johnson Ferry Road
October 26, 2023 Score: 99, Grade: A

Starbucks
1207 Johnson Ferry Road
October 26, 2023 Score: 92, Grade: A

Suburban Tap
1318 Johnson Ferry Road
October 26, 2023 Score: 89, Grade: B

Williamson Brothers Bar-B-Q
1425 Roswell Road
October 25, 2023 Score: 94, Grade: A

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Cobb schools redistricting plaintiffs file for injunction

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Cobb schools redistricting plaintiffs file for injunction
Cobb Board of Education electoral maps before 2022 reapportionment (left) and after (right).

Attorneys for plaintiffs seeking new electoral maps for the Cobb County Board of Education have filed a motion seeking a preliminary injunction.

The motion, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, seeks to prevent the Cobb Board of Elections from setting up 2024 elections with maps passed by the Georgia legislature in 2022 and asks for a ruling by December.

Four of the seven posts on the Cobb school board will be on the 2024 ballot, including Post 5 in East Cobb.

Attorneys from the Southern Poverty Law Center and other organizations claim those maps violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and want them thrown out and redrawn before 2024 primaries in May.

The plaintiffs have claimed in their lawsuit, filed last year, that the three school board posts in South Cobb presently held by Democrats have been racially gerrymandered to dilute black and Hispanic voting strength.

They include Post 6, which previously included the Walton and Wheeler clusters and which are now in Post 5.

Republicans hold a 4-3 majority on the board, and three GOP-held seats will be up for re-election next year.

In their motion (you can read it here), the plaintiffs allege that the maps passed by the legislature placed a majority of black and Hispanic voters in the three southern posts and “bleaches the population of the northern districts,” in which the white populations of three of them were increased.

The motion says that the white population shift was most crucial in Post 7 in West Cobb, where incumbent Republican member Brad Wheeler narrowly won re-election in 2020 over a black Democrat. (see chart below).

The white population in Post 7 at the time was 47.55 percent. The maps passed last year increased the white population to 58.17 percent. Wheeler’s seat is among those set to expire in 2024.

The two posts in East Cobb have the highest percentage of white populations. While Post 5 didn’t change much (going from 66.97 percent to 67.24 percent), the Post 4 difference also was noticeable, rising from 57.24 percent white to 65.56.

David Chastain, one of the four GOP members of the school board, was re-elected to a third term in Post 4 last year.

The plaintiffs’ motion for an injunction comes as the Cobb elections board agreed to begin settlement talks. Ben Mathis, the lead attorney for the Cobb County School District, which had been released from the case, issued a charged statement last week accusing the elections board of “a total surrender” to what he called “leftist political activists” who wanted to usurp the power of the legislature to redraw the Cobb school board maps.

While Democrats control the Cobb Board of Commissioners and the county’s legislative delegation, Republicans currently control only the Cobb school board.

“After they discovered they could not change the direction of education in our county at the ballot box, they manufactured this unlawful court case,” Mathis said, referencing the plaintiffs.

Last week, the district’s attorneys filed a motion in federal court seeking a preliminary injunction to file an amicus brief and introduce rebuttal experts it says are necessary to respond to plaintiffs’ experts on racial discrimination in electoral maps who otherwise would have no opposition in court.

East Cobb News has left a message with the Cobb school district seeking comment on the motion for a preliminary injunction by the plaintiffs.

The school board majority hired Taylor English Decisions, a lobbying component of Cumberland-area law firm, Taylor English Duma LLP, to redraw the maps in 2021.

The Democratic-led Cobb delegation opted for maps that would keep the boundaries relatively unchanged.  Republican State Rep. Ginny Ehrhart of West Cobb—whose husband, former legislator Earl Ehrhart, was CEO of Taylor English Decisions at the time—sponsored maps redrawn by the school board’s law firm.

Those maps were approved in the GOP-dominated legislature, while the Cobb delegation’s maps did not receive a vote. Earl Ehrhart is now managing director of Freeman Mathis Decisions, the lobbying arm of Freeman Mathis & Gary, which the board hired this year to fight the redistricting suit.

The plaintiffs’ motion concludes by asking their motion be granted by Dec. 15  “so that an interim remedial map be adopted by January 22, 2024, well in advance of the 2024 elections to avoid hardship to Cobb County’s election administration and to mitigate voter confusion.”

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Cobb New Horizons Band to honor late Wheeler band director

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The Cobb New Horizons Symphony Band, which is made up of senior adults, will hold a special concert Thursday to honor the memory of Wheeler High School band director Madison Argo.Wheeler HS band director dies

The concert takes place at 12 p.m. at the school, and will include works from John Williams and John Philip Sousa.

Another featured piece is “The Mandalorian” by Ludwig Göransson and which will be conducted by Debbie Davies, Wheeler’s first female marching band drum major.

A Cobb County School District spokesperson said the concert is not open to the public and had been scheduled before Argo’s death.

Here’s what Dr. Charles Jackson, head of Cobb New Horizons, said:

“We planned this concert several weeks ago but a new required form was created in the Cobb County Schools requiring visiting groups to go through an additional extensive vetting process. During the delay is when the passing of Madison Argo occurred. When I realized that our concert was going to take place after such a sudden and unexpected loss, I thought it would be nice to dedicate the program to celebrating his life. All of the 98 senior adult members of my band were inspired during their youth by a band director like Madison Argo who instilled a love of making music that was so deep and profound, that it inspired these people to continue playing their band instrument over the course of their life. Some members have now been playing for 50, 60, and over 70 years!  What a great legacy for a teacher to share with the world. I want his students to know that he dedicated his life to something that will add beauty and enjoyment over the rest of their life and they should never give up on this gift that he helped them to develop.“

Argo, 32, was in his second year as director of the Wheeler band programs when he died on Sept. 28. A cause of death has not been announced; his family has raised more than $18,000 for burial expenses.

He was a native of Alabama and graduated from Auburn University, where he was a drum major. Argo earned a master’s degree in fine arts from Ball State University and performed with the Cobb Wind Symphony, among other local musical organizations in the Atlanta area.

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Cobb commissioners withdraw resolution supporting Israel

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A resolution submitted by East Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell pledging support for Israel will not be considered at Tuesday’s business meeting.

Cobb Republican commissioners leave meeting
Commissioner JoAnn Birrell

That’s because the proposed resolution was pulled after an agenda work session on Monday.

Birrell’s resolution referenced “brutally inhumane” attacks on Israeli citizens by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 that killed more than 1,000 civilians, and that states that “the Cobb County Board of Commissioners offers full and unwavering support of Israel’s self-defense and offer our condolences to those families that have lost loved ones in this horrific war.”

(You can read the resolution by clicking here).

But Chairwoman Lisa Cupid read an e-mail from a Cobb Muslim leader noting the fate of several thousand Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip who have been killed and injured in Israeli airstrikes in response, as well as a decades-long conflict with Israel, which was formed in 1948.

The Israeli government urged an estimated 2 million Gaza citizens to evacuate the northern part of the strip prior to its reprisals.

Amjad Taufique, the head of the West Cobb Islamic Center, said in an e-mail to Cupid that the county should consider a resolution acknowledging the “basic human rights and self-determination” of the Palestinian people.

Birrell said her resolution was specifically a response to Hamas, which she called a “terrorist organization.” But Commissioner Jerica Richardson of District 2 in East Cobb wanted a resolution to include more inclusive language reflecting other ethnicities and religions.

Chabad of Cobb, one of three East Cobb synagogues, held a special service two days after the Hamas attack.

Richardson noted a recent rise in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents in Cobb. After an anti-Semitic protest in front of Chabad in June, she was among the speakers at a special interfaith service at East Cobb United Methodist Church.

On Oct. 12, Cupid issued a standalone statement saying that “what is going on in Israel is utterly heinous”–in particular acts against children—and that “as a political leader, I would ask for the division overseas not to further entrench ours. Tragedy that brings us together as a county or country need not begin on our own soil.”

The resolution, which was to have been included on Tuesday’s consent agenda, is expected to be revised and brought back before the board.

The Cobb Muslim community also lashed out last week at the Cobb County School District for sending an alert message about an “international threat” from Hamas, saying the e-mail was needlessly fear-mongering. Some parents said they and their children were harassed and bullied as a result.

A parent told Cobb school board members on Thursday that the message reflects “the rampant ignorance prevalent with Americans equating Hamas with Muslims.”

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale denounced the mistreatment but defended sending the alert as a security measure.

Commissioners on Tuesday will hold their final public hearing on proposed code amendments as well as a proposal by Birrell to spend $1 million in discretionary capital contingency funding for the proposed Cobb Veterans Memorial.

Commissioners also will be asked to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Cobb school district to complete a pedestrian bridge between the Walton High School campus and a new sports complex.

The commission meeting begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the second floor board room of the Cobb government building (100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta), and the full agenda can be found by clicking here.

You also can watch on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.

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East Cobb News fall fundraising drive continues: Please contribute today!

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We’ve set a challenging—but reachable—goal as we continue our fall fundraising drive at East Cobb News.East Cobb News fall fundraising drive continues

Between now and the week of Thanksgiving, we’d like to add 100 new subscribers who contribute $6 a month on a recurring basis.

That’s 25 new contributors a week as we ask for reader support to keep giving you the local news you love!

It’s part of the “6 for 6” campaign we launched this summer in honor of our 6th anniversary.

East Cobb News generates most of its revenue from local business advertisers, but we hear from readers all the time how much they value the news and community information they get from East Cobb News.

If that’s you, please consider donating $6 a month. That’s a couple of cups of drive-through coffee or less than a lunch entree.

Here’s more on how you can support East Cobb News!

Every penny of your support goes to providing you with more of the truly authentic local news that nobody does in greater depth in this community.

We’ve been at this since July 2017, after many years at a variety of local newspapers and local news outlets.

We cover the basics of local government and schools, politics and elections, crime and public safety, local business openings (especially restaurants!), arts and entertainment, recreation and quality of life issues in East Cobb.

We’re like a general interest newspaper except we’re all online, and we’re dedicated directly to our readers and advertisers.

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This is independent, homegrown local news and business promotion without a corporate filter. East Cobb News is all about community first!

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Walton HS marching band to perform free community show

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Walton Band free community show

From JJ McKelvey, Taste of East Cobb event coordinator (and main fundraiser for the Walton Band programs), comes word of a free community show the Walton Raider Marching Band is performing Tuesday.

It starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Raider Valley football stadium (1591 Bill Murdock Road) and it’s the “Alice Underground” show that has won recent multiple awards, including first place at the Buford Marching Band Classic (outstanding music, outstanding visual, and outstanding effect).

Two weeks ago, the Walton band was named Grand Champion, Highest Music Award, Most Entertaining, and several 10 other awards at the Super Bowl of Sound Marching Band Competition at Central High School in Carrollton.

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, Oct. 2-6, 2023

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St. Regis Park, East Cobb real estate sales
St. Regis Park

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports. They include the subdivision name and high school attendance zone in parenthesis:

Oct. 2

1776 Millview Drive, 30062 (Barnes Mill Lake, Wheeler): $314,900

3708 Thornwood Way, 30062 (Country Woods, Lassiter): $360,000

4525 Forest Peak Circle, 30066 (Highland Pointe, Lassiter): $575,000

Oct. 3

963 Bridgegate Drive, 30068 (Bridge Gate, Walton): $567,500

Oct. 4

2330 Trellis Lane, 30067 (Gardenside at Powers Ferry, Wheeler): $480,000

1596 Alexandria Court, 30067 (Bentley Ridge, Wheeler): $267,000

Oct. 5

1868 Wilkenson Crossing, 30066 (St. Charles Square, Sprayberry): $604,000

4782 Ellington Court, 30067 (Wyndham Manor, Walton): $710,000

4080 Clubland Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills, Walton): $950,000

1731 Rugby Road, 30062 (Hasty Acres, Sprayberry): $290,000

3231 Belford Drive, 30066 (Chaucer Place, Sprayberry): $543,210

3550 Davis Road, 30066 (Pope): $700,000

4342 Stonehaven Trace, 30075 (Loch Highland, Lassiter): $772,000

Oct. 6

3406 Nirmal Court, 30068 (Karsan’s Place, Walton): $1.22 million

399 Lamplighter Lane, 30068 (Fox Hills, Wheeler): $500,000

3002 Kalah Place, 30067 (St. Regis Park, Wheeler): $695,000

1170 Gray Squirrel Crossing, 30062 (Providence Corners, Walton): $535,000

1505 Dansford Court, 30062 (Penhurst, Walton): $935,000

1981 Kinridge Road, 30066 (Piedmont Bend, Sprayberry): $480,000

1751 Aleta Drive, 30066 (Village North, Sprayberry): $330,000

3033 Timberline Road, 30062 (Mountain View, Sprayberry): $315,000

3160 Hembry Court, 30062 (Bradford, Pope): $500,000

3454 Winter Hill Drive, 30062 (Winter Chase, Pope): $465,000

3301 Woodrun Trail, 30062 (Country Woods, Lassiter): $525,000

699 Willow Mill Court, 30068 (River Springs, Walton): $530,000

4994 Olde Towne Way, 30068 (Olde Towne Colony, Walton): $522,500

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