Muslim, Jewish leaders admit tensions at East Cobb service

Dr. Nabile Safdar, at left, of the Roswell Community Masjid, and at right, Rabbi Alexandria Shuval-Weiner of Temple Beth Tikvah. ECN photos.

As they reflected on recent events in the Middle East, the leaders of two metro Atlanta faith communities acknowledged the difficulties they’ve been having absorbing what’s been happening in Israel and Gaza.

Dr. Nabile Safdar of the Roswell Community Masjid spoke of how he and his fellow Muslims supported their Jewish friends after a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018.

Rabbi Alexandria Shuval-Weiner of Temple Beth Tikvah, also in Roswell, recalled reciprocating following a mass shooting at a mosque in New Zealand the following year.

At the 19th annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service Thursday at Temple Kol Emeth in East Cobb, they admitted that the recent atrocities committed by Hamas against Israeli civilians, and Israel’s military response in Gaza, have more than unnerved them, their congregants and those in their respective faiths.

“We can’t pretend that everything is okay with us,” Shuval-Weiner said as she spoke interchangeably with Safdar.

“We are not okay, and our communities are not okay.”

The service was begun in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks by retired Kol Emeth Rabbi Steven Lebow and a local imam to forge better understandings of people of all faiths.

Hassan Faye of the Roswell Community Masjid with the Muslim call to prayer.

The theme of this year’s service, “Creating Courageous Connections,” had already been planned before the Israel-Hamas conflict began on Oct. 7.

Concerns over the response to those hostilities in the U.S. prompted service organizers to require online registration and issue a clear-bag policy as “safeguard” measures for the first time.

More than two dozen East Cobb and metro Atlanta faith communities and a few hundred attendees turned out.

“Tensions have soared,” Shuval-Weiner said. “There’s a lot of fear. There’s a lot of anger. There’s a lot of pain.”

She added that “trustful relations between our communities are extremely strained.”

She and Safdar noted that those resulting tensions have led to tragedies in the U.S.: a Muslim boy in Chicago, and a Jewish community leader in Detroit, both of whom were murdered in what appear to be sectarian reprisals.

“We cannot allow that to be imported to our community here,” Safdar said to applause. “We are committed to seeing each other’s humanity.”

A local Cobb political response fell through earlier this week, when the Board of Commissioners decided not to vote on a resolution condemning Hamas.

The resolution by East Cobb District 3 commissioner JoAnn Birrell—who attended the Ecumenical service—faced objections from the Cobb Muslim and Palestinian community.

There were meetings with faith leaders to recraft the resolution to include more perspectives, but ultimately they could not agree on a message.

That matter wasn’t referenced at the Thursday interfaith service, which included music as well as reflections from local clergy. It also continued a practice of having a Muslim call to prayer from a member of Safdar’s mosque.

Rev. Kristin Lee of East Cobb United Methodist Church organized an interfaith service in June after neo-Nazi protestors held up swastika flags in front of the Chabad of Cobb synagogue on Lower Roswell Road.

On Thursday, she vowed that “hate will never have the last word. Love and light will” and she praised “a community that’s courageous enough to love.”

Shuval-Weiner concluded her remarks by stressing the need “to keep the door cracked open, so that when the time is right, we can again strive to build meaningful relationships between our communities, and for generations to come.”

Then she and Safdar exchanged copies of the Torah and the Koran and shook hands.

A choir representing nine faith communities in East Cobb and north metro Atlanta sings “We Are One” as a finale.

In his closing marks, Kol Emeth Rabbi-educator Daniel Alter said that “with our presence here tonight, we’re trying to be a testament to the power of community.”

The offering will benefit Solidarity-Sandy Springs, which feeds several hundred needy families every week in metro Atlanta.

The other East Cobb faith communities taking part were the Catholic Church of St. Ann, Congregation Etz Chaim, East Cobb Islamic Center, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Pilgrimage United Church of Christ, St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, Transfiguration Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Trickum Road, Unity North Atlanta Church and Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church.

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East Cobb retail update: Evereve, Drybar open at Avenue

Evereve opens Avenue East Cobb

A couple more openings at Avenue East Cobb to note, in the clothing and hair care sectors:

On Tuesday women’s fashion retailer Evereve opened in a 3,500-square-foot space next to Warby Parker. Evereve features a mix of what it terms “exclusive, on-trend pieces for everyday style.” As part of the grand opening, customers will get 15 percent off their purchases through Saturday.

Evereve, based in Minnesota, also has stores at Avalon, Shops Around Lenox and Perimeter Mall.

Hours for Evereve at Avenue East Cobb are 10-8 Monday-Saturday and 12-6 Sunday.

On Saturday, Drybar, a blowout hair salon, will open next to Kendra Scott. A ribbon-cutting takes place at 10:30 a.m. followed by complimentary bites and beverages for guests throughout the day.

Based in California, Drybar has nearly 100 hair styling salons across the country, including seven others in metro Atlanta.

Hours for Drybar at Avenue East Cobb are 7-7 Monday-Friday, 7-8 Saturday and 9-7 Sunday.

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Friends for the East Cobb Park details Holiday Lights festivities

2022 East Cobb Park Holiday Lights

The Holiday Lights celebration is just a couple weeks away, and today the Friends for the East Cobb Park released some details about the festivities.

The date is Sunday, Dec. 3, from 5-7:30 p.m., and follows a familiar schedule from past years. The main sponsors are Wellstar Health System and the Rotary Club of East Cobb.

Music will kick off the event at the concert stage, with Director John Jeffries and the Dodgen Pops performing, followed by Director Thomas Chafin and the Wheeler Chorus.

2022 East Cobb Park Holiday Lights
State Rep. Sharon Cooper and Cobb Commissioner Jerica Richardson at Holiday Lights in 2022.

At 6 p.m., the annual tree lighting will be done by this year’s East Cobb Citizen of the Year, Irene Barton, a member of the East Cobb Civitan Club.

Shortly after 6, Santa will arrive in his sleigh with Mrs. Santa and Rudolph, and will be on stage to meet every child who wants to see him. Parents will have the opportunity to take pictures of their children with Santa.

Elected and other public officials also will be on hand and will be introduced.

Admission is free, but the Friends group will be selling festive items. Alumni Cookie Dough, one of the event’s sponsors,  will be selling cookie dough delicious treats and hot chocolate will proceeds going to the Friends group.

The group also will have a table with membership information about the organization, which puts on special events at East Cobb Park and has also recently started a garden club.

Like other events at East Cobb Park, including concerts, you’re free to bring chairs/blankets and your own food. Public parking will be available in the upper lot only.

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Major League Baseball All-Star Game coming to Cobb in 2025

The Battery Atlanta, World Series Security

After taking away the Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Truist Park in 2021 for political reasons, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Thursday it will be scheduled for the Atlanta Braves’ ballpark in 2025.

Manfred said in a statement that “as a model of success on and off the field, the Braves deserve to host the All-Star Game. Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta will provide fans a world-class experience in 2025. We look forward to working with the Braves and local leaders to deliver a memorable All-Star Week that brings people together and benefits the community in many ways.”

He didn’t mention that he unilaterally moved the game in April 2021, right before the season began, because of a new Georgia election law.

The Republican-dominated legislature passed sweeping legislation that was quickly signed by GOP Gov. Brian Kemp and roundly denounced by Democratic and voting-rights interests.

The law—which is still on the books—added identification requirements for mailed ballots, restricts the use of absentee ballot drop boxes, requires more advanced voting across the state and shortens runoff elections.

The legislature also was given oversight of proposed changes to election rules by the Secretary of State and state elections board.

Newly-elected President Joe Biden publicly demanded the game be moved, calling the law “Jim Crow on steroids,” comments that new Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said sent an “unfortunate message.”

In a statement, the Braves said Thursday that getting the All-Star Game two years from now “will be an exciting and unique opportunity to showcase all that our organization, our partners and our city have to offer.”

Cupid responded by saying that “I am grateful that Major League Baseball has again considered Cobb County, Truist Park, and the Atlanta Braves to host the All Star Game in 2025.

“We have a winning baseball team and community that create a premier destination for this annual occasion.

“Our restaurants, businesses and attractions surrounding Truist Park, the Battery, and beyond will create a memorable experience for all.”

Planning has already begun with Public Safety and I know our lessons learned in winning the World Series combined with the enthusiasm and support of community partners and citizens will showcase Cobb as a great place to live, work, and enjoy as we host  another successful and impressive event.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger posted on the social-media platform X—formerly Twitter—that “in the longest instant replay review of all time,  MLB‘s head office finally overturned a bad call. Georgia’s elections are safe, secure, and accessible to serve our voters.”

The 2021 All-Star Game and MLB Draft also scheduled for Truist Park took place in Denver instead.

Cobb Commissioner Jerica Richardson, who had just begun her term representing District 2 where Truist Park is located, at the time called the relocation decision a lost opportunity “to show leadership.”

She was part of a new Democratic majority on the all-female commission, and said that while there some parts of the law she likes and others she does not, trouble arises “when you choose division.”

She said that “the people who were most impacted by that bill were not listened to. You can’t solve anything when people aren’t talking to each other.”

Manfred did have to show up up at Truist in the 2021 season, however, as the Braves won the World Series.

Atlanta has had two All-Star games in its past, in 1972 at Atlanta Stadium, and in 2000 at Turner Field.

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Cobb Landmarks renews effort to save Power-Jackson Cabin

Power-Jackson Cabin preservation effort

Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society, a Marietta-based historic preservation non-profit, has begun a fundraising drive to collect an estimated $65,000 in donations to relocate an 184os log cabin on Post Oak Tritt Road to the county-run Hyde Farm in East Cobb.

The organization believes the Power-Jackson Cabin may be the oldest existing structure in Cobb County.

But a recent rezoning case involving the land where the cabin sits has triggered a new effort to save it, as well as an evaluation by a log cabin expert, Vic Hood.

In May attorneys for Kenneth B. Clary withdrew a rezoning request for a proposed subdivision on 13 acres of undeveloped land on Post Oak Tritt Road near McPherson Road after opposition surfaced for historical and stormwater issues.

That’s where the cabin, which initially belonged to William Power before it was given to his daughter, Martha Jane, still sits, in badly deteriorating shape.

At a zoning hearing, cemetery preservationists also noted that a young mother—likely Power’s daughter—and two infants are buried on the site, further complicating development efforts.

In a message that the organization sent out Tuesday, Cobb Landmarks is asking for donations to disassemble, tag and relocate the logs to Hyde Farm. Clary’s family has agreed to allow Cobb Landmarks to remove the cabin.

“The purpose of Hood’s visit was to determine if the cabin could be saved and the scope of work a restoration project might entail,” Cobb Landmarks said in its Tuesday update. “Hood determined the cabin is still salvageable, but that time is running out.”

Hyde Farm is where another Power family cabin exists, as part of a working 1840s farm that was in family hands until the 1990s.

Cobb PARKS oversees that property off Lower Roswell Road, and the Cobb Landmarks message noted that the department has been discussing the possibility of using 2016 Cobb SPLOST funds to restore the cabin.

“Having the Power-Jackson Cabin join her sibling cabins at Hyde Farm creates a unique opportunity for the public to view three pioneer log cabins that, at one time, all belonged to members of the same family,” the Cobb Landmarks message said.

“Commissioner Jerica Richardson believes this to be a worthwhile investment to the community. With approval of restoration, Cobb PARKS would be responsible for maintaining the cabin in perpetuity.”

East Cobb News has left a message with Richardson’s office seeking comment.

SPLOST funds have been used to preserve other structures at Hyde Farm, which was turned over to the county in 1999 by the Trust for Public Land. Cobb Landmarks maintains the cabin and conducts tours of the property.

“This partnership between Cobb Landmarks and Cobb County PARKS represents a meaningful and significant investment in the preservation of local history and offers a path for the rescue and protection of the Power-Jackson Cabin,” Cobb Landmarks said in its update.

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East Cobb Food Scores: The Wing Cafe; Belen de la Cruz; more

The Wing Cafe, 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:

Belen de la Cruz Empanadas and Pastries
1050 E. Piedmont Road
November 15, 2023 Score: 100, Grade: A

Brazilian Bakery Cafe
1260 Powers Ferry Road, Suite A
November 17, 2023 Score: 89, Grade: B

Lemon Grass Thai Restaurant
2145 Roswell Road, Suite 190
November 15, 2023 Score: 100, Grade: A

Little Caesars Pizza
3372 Canton Road, Suite 100
November 14, 2023 Score: 90, Grade: A

Mabry Middle School
2700 Jims Road
November 14, 2023 Score: 100, Grade: A

Marietta Crawfish and Seafood
1420 Roswell Road
November 14, 2023 Score: 87, Grade: B

Papa John’s Pizza
4811 Lower Roswell Road
November 15, 2023 Score: 100, Grade: A

Starbucks Coffee
2424 Roswell Road, Suite 1
November 15, 2023 Score: 94, Grade: A

The Wing Cafe and Tap House
2145 Roswell Road, Suite 170
November 13, 2023 Score: 100, Grade: A

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7 East Cobb schools recognized as Georgia ‘Literacy Leaders’

East Cobb schools recognized as Georgia 'Literacy Leaders'
Dr. Shannon McGill, Principal at Timber Ridge Elementary School, is flanked by Ga. School Superintendent Richard Woods, at left, and Cobb superintendent Chris Ragsdale. CCSD photo

Ten schools in the Cobb County School District—seven of them in East Cobb—were visited last week by Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods for earning the state’s designation as Literacy Leaders.

A total of 155 schools in the state were recognized for “exceptional achievement or growth in third-grade reading.”

Schools with 90 percent or more of their third-grade students reading at grade level or above were recognized for outstanding achievement, and schools with a 15 percent or higher increase from 2021-22 to 2022-23 were recognized for outstanding growth.

Seventy schools in Georgia were recognized for achievement, 84 for growth, and one school was recognized in both categories. In Cobb, eight schools were recognized for literacy achievement and two for literacy growth.

As reported in July, East Cobb elementary schools had some of the best scores in Cobb on the Milestones tests, with Timber Ridge (96.7 percent), Mt. Bethel (95), Tritt (94.9), Shallowford Falls (93.1), Murdock (92.2), Mountain View (91.6) and Sope Creek (90.1) leading the way with students at or above grade-level.

Austell, Ford and Riverside elementary schools were recognized for major increases in grade-level reading scores.

“The ability to read opens up the doors not only to the rest of a student’s education but to their ability to continue learning throughout their life,” Woods said in a release. “That’s why we are laser-focused on literacy at the Georgia Department of Education and as a state. These schools—our Literacy Leaders—are doing exceptional work to ensure every student is equipped with the lifelong skill of literacy, and it’s an honor to recognize them.”

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East Cobb restaurant update: Sidelines Grille coming soon

Sidelines Grille coming to East Cobb

The former Egg Harbor Cafe space at Stonewood Village (once the site of the longstanding Ritter’s restaurant) has been vacant since right before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared.

But shortly after the first of the year, it will be the home to a new Sidelines Grille in Cobb County, and the fifth for Canton-based GFY Hospitality.

The family-style sports bar concept has been around since 1994, with locations in Canton, Hickory Flat, Woodstock and Cartersville. (There was a Sidelines Grille on Roswell Road across from Williamson Bros. that closed; the space later was the spot for Hoyle’s Kitchen + Bar).

The Sidelines Grille menu goes beyond traditional sports bar food (burgers, sandwiches, wraps) and drink (two dozen draft beers on tap, craft made cocktails) to include full pasta, seafood, chicken and steak entrees, along with salads and soups, Tex-Mex items and desserts.

Renovations were continuing when we stopped by (4719 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 4200), and in a social media posting last week, management indicated that the anticipated opening is between late January and early February 2024.

“We’re more than just a sports bar; we’re a family-friendly retreat that celebrates local teams, fosters community connections, and serves up smiles with every meal,” the message said.

Sideliness Grille will be moving into competitive turf in East Cobb. Bradley’s Bar and Grill and McCray’s Tavern are close by on the other side of Johnson Ferry Road; further up Johnson Ferry is Montana’s and Westfield Tavern opened earlier this year.

When Egg Harbor closed in December 2019, the company said it was leaving due to leasing issues, and specifically, roof leaks and water damage to the building that “has rendered it an unacceptable situation for our business standards.”

East Cobb News has left a message with GFY Hospitality over that matter and other information about the Sidelines Grille opening.

In response to a question from a reader about mold issues in that space, Sidelines management responded on the East Cobb News Facebook page that “we have totally gutted the space and are in the process of rebuilding. No mold here!”

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Urthy Scents opens at Woodlawn Square Shopping Center

Urthy Scents opens East Cobb
“We make everything ourselves,” Urthy co-owner Jen Rotondo said. ECN photos.

The aromas—all 27 of them—are unmistakeable when you walk into Urthy Scents.

And they’re all natural, too.

On its grand opening day last week, the boutique body- and skincare store made shopping even more enticing with special discounts–some as much as 50 percent off.

The location at Woodlawn Square Shopping Center (1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 105, next to Half Price Books) is the second for Urthy Scents, which opened its first store last year in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., near Sarasota.

Jen Rotondo and her sister Ali East developed the idea of making and selling non-scented body products because thy both have autoimmune issues and can’t use any traditionally manufactured scents.

Their venture started out as a hobby, as they began making clean-burning coconut wax candles during COVID-19. Quickly they began to expand their product line along the same concept using clean, scented non-toxic and naturally-derived plant ingredients.

Those include an olive squalane oil, firming lupin seed extract, and healing chamomile bisabolol. They’re part of what the sisters are calling their KWENCH body products line, emphasizing moisture and hydration.

Urthy Scents opens East Cobb

Urthy Scents opens East Cobb

“Everything we sell is non-toxic,” said Rotondo, who lives in Sandy Springs. “It’s all plastic-free.”

The decision to drop all phthalates—chemicals that make plastics more durable—means that all the products are made on-site.

“We make everything ourselves,” said Rotondo, as her staff milled about the 1,600-square-foot space, helping customers.

Those includes body lotions, scrubs and oils, perfumes, bath bombs, scent notes, candles, scent towers, as well as room sprays and diffusers.

The scents are organized into eight different groups, ranging from mystic sea, lavendar and cactus bloom to midnight sky, velvet orchid and blushing goddess.

(If you want to know what scents suit you, Urthy has put together a scent quiz.)

And about those coconut wax candles? Rotondo said because they burn slower, they last longer, with the 12-ounce candle lasting up to 60 hours.

Urthy Scents is featuring holiday candles and other holiday products as it opens, and has a loyalty program and online ordering.

Urthy Scents is open 10-6 Monday-Saturday and 11-4 Sunday. Phone: 770-857-3447. E-mail: info@urthyscents.com.

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East Cobb restaurant update: LongHorn opening; Reunion Kitchen forthcoming

Longhorn opening East Cobb

The sign has recently gone up in front of the relocated LongHorn Steakhouse in East Cobb: The opening is next Monday, Nov. 20, starting at 3 p.m. for dinner service.

There was no further information available; we’ve left a message seeking comment.

The standalone building at 4370 Roswell Road is on an outparcel at the Merchants Exchange Shopping Center, and it where a BB & T bank branch and originally a Black Eye’d Pea restaurant once stood.

The new restaurant will be roughly the same size as the former Lower Roswell Road location, a little less than 6,000 square feet, according to planning documents submitted with the variance request.

LongHorn had been at 4721 Lower Roswell Road since 1983, and when it marked its 30th anniversary there is 2013, it was the longest-standing original location for the Orlando-based chain.

After opening day, the hours will be the same as the other LongHorn locations: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Phone: (770) 977-3045.

Reunion Kitchen and Bar

Coming Soon: Reunion Kitchen and Bar

Late last year, a new restaurant concept was announced for the former Red Sky Tapas and Bar space at Market Plaza on Johnson Ferry Road.

It was to be called 1255 Social (the number matching the street address) featuring a wood-fire grill and oven and locally- and regionally-sourced dinner fare.

A sign also went up bearing the 1255 Social name. But that sign has since been removed, and when a reader inquired with us about it, Ilene Kapper Oxman, a former East Cobb resident and a partner in the venture, told East Cobb News that “we changed the name to Reunion and opening soon.”

That was in September; now a sign has gone up and a website with some basic information on a forthcoming opening (but no timeline). Here’s the concept, per the website:

“Reunion is a place where locals gather regularly and first-timers are made to feel like regulars. We exist to create positive personalized experiences, in a setting that takes warm & inviting and mixes it with vibrant & fun to create the consistently high-quality food and drinks our neighborhood deserves.”

The menu features the “freshest ingredients, often locally grown/crafted, and reunites them with time-honored cooking techniques that emphasize individual ingredient flavors. Our plates are not architecturally placed lab experiments, but instead simple dishes full of flavor invoking memories of the best meals of our past. Our menu takes its inspiration from classic bistros serving soups, salads, sandwiches, and ‘comfortable’ entrees. The menu is priced to encourage any-day dining while the assortment range inspires special occasion users to stay awhile.”

East Cobb News got in touch with Kapper Oxman—an owner of Harry’s Pizza and Subs in Sandy Springs—and she said she’ll be providing more information soon.

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, Oct. 23-27, 2023

St. Charles Square, East Cobb real estate sales
St. Charles Square

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. 23

717 Princeton Mill Run, 30068 (Princeton Mill, Wheeler): $682,000

1831 Walter Road, 30066 (Sprayberry): $3345,000

2662 Shadow Bluff Drive, 30062 (Shadowwoods, Pope): $489,000

1314 Shadowood Trail, 30066 (Blackwell Road, Sprayberry): $440,000

1150 Pathfinder Road, 30066 (Philmont Estates, Sprayberry): $483,000

2404 Stockton Drive, 30066 (Stocktons Ford, Lassiter): $4467,000

Oct. 24

154 Dickson Court, 30066 (Sprayberry): $252,000

Oct. 25

3311 Sulky Circle, 30067 (Ward Meade Farm, Wheeler): $1.1 million

934 Edgewater Circle, 30062 (Barnes Mill Lake, Wheeler): $274,000

2653 Spencers Trace, 30062 (Holly Springs East, Pope): $870,000

2727 Briar Lane, 30062 (Chimney Springs, Pope): $475,000

Oct. 26

2130 Arbor Oaks Drive, 30062 (Arbor Oaks, Sprayberry): $465,000

152 Weatherstone Parkway, 30068 (Weatherstone, Wheeler): $450,000

628 Anderson Walk, 30062 (Barnes Mill Townhouses, Wheeler): $275,000

3811 Valley Green Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills, Walton): $911,500

1652 Cedar Bluff Way, 30062 (Cedar Bluff, Wheeler): $300,000

1934 Oak Ridge Court, 30062 (Woodmont, Wheeler): $505,000

2246 Cedar Forks Drive, 30062 (Cedar Forks, Pope): $430,000

3014 Cynthia Court, 30062 (Mountain View, Sprayberry): $430,000

3872 Manhassett Place, 30066 (Cambridge Crossing, Lassiter): $594,000

1490 East Bank Drive, 30068 (Jacksons Creek, Walton): $765,000

Oct. 27

271 Cross Gate Drive, 30062 (Heritage Woods, Wheeler): $505,000

1529 Monarch Drive, 30062 (Glen Crest, Sprayberry): $660,000

2040 Dayron Court, 30062 (Piedmont Chase, Sprayberry): $512,000

2412 Mirrabeau Court, 30066 (St. Charles Square, Sprayberry): $625,000

3957 Brintons Mill, 30062 (Chadds Ford, Pope): $700,000

3170 Wendwood Drive, 30062 (Wendwood, Pope): $500,000

1802 Tilliewood Trail, 30066 (Stocktons Chase, Kell): $480,000

4910 Tremont Drive, 30062 (Tremont, Kell): $475,000

4964 Secluded Pines Drive, 30068 (Rose Oak, Walton): $675,000

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Wellstar Health System holds 2nd annual Day of Service

Wellstar Day of Service

Submitted information and photos:

Wellstar hosted its second Day of Service on Thursday, November 9th. Wellstar Day of Service creates volunteer opportunities for team members to support local community-based organizations that address social determinants of health. This year, Wellstar team members served community partners that provide access to food and housing, which were identified as priority health needs in Wellstar’s 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan.

Wellstar Health System hosted its first Day of Service in 2019, where team members served over 1,000 hours supporting 13 healthy food access agencies. Due to the pandemic, Wellstar could not host an annual Day of Service from 2020-2022. As we emerged from the pandemic, Wellstar relaunched the annual Day of Service this year with over 300 registered volunteers.

As a nonprofit, community-based health system, our mission is to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve. “We are so blessed to be part of a community that cares,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System.

The impact of this event will expand beyond a single Day of Service, nurturing these community partnerships through ongoing volunteer opportunities and program collaboration.

The Giving Garden:

– The garden was established in October 2016 with just a handful of volunteers working on the land behind a local church. Since then, the Giving Garden has donated over 10,000 pounds of organic produce and 12,000 eggs to the Sweetwater Mission Food Pantry. In addition to the Sweetwater Mission, the garden has also been responsible for gathering donations such as other food items, books, and coats for families in need across the community.

– About the Our Giving Garden volunteer project: Volunteers worked on garden maintenance (weeding, harvesting, mulching, or planting), helped with an improvement project, and stock the pantry.

The Gateway Center: 

– The Gateway Center connects people experiencing homelessness with the support necessary to become self-sufficient and find a permanent home.

– About the Gateway Center volunteer project: Volunteers worked on food assistance projects, making sandwiches and plating meals.

MUST Ministries: 

– Founded in 1971 by the Rev. Wayne Williams, MUST Ministries’ initial programs included a grocery bus ministry for older adults, a youth tutoring program, and outreach ministries to young people. Since its inception, MUST has fulfilled Wayne’s vision of connecting people who have a desire to help those who need help the most.

– About the MUST Ministries Community Room volunteer project: Volunteers worked on projects that benefit MUST clients, such as packing hygiene kits, making birthday kits, and preparing stocking stuffers and reading kits for the MUST Toy Shop. Volunteers at the donation center sorted and packed 500 hens and fresh produce for Thanksgiving (from Tip Top Poultry and Concrete Jungle) and non-perishable food boxes and bags, which were distributed at Cherokee High School to approximately 125 families in the Canton area.

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Cobb school district to ask for legislation on book ratings

The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday approved a slate of legislative priorities requested by Cobb County School District officials that include a number of rollover items.

There also is a new item that follows in the wake of a school library controversy in the district over sexually explicit materials.

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale is asking that the Georgia General Assembly consider developing a book rating system, similar to movies, that he said would clear up confusion about what’s appropriate to have on school library shelves.

He said public school districts are required by federal law, for example, to follow the Children’s Internet Protection Act for discounted rates on internet and telecommunications services.

“We have nothing for books whatsover,” Ragsdale said during a board work session Thursday afternoon.”It just makes common sense to put a rating system in place.”

He said such a rating system—which he didn’t think would get legislative approval right away—would also provide guidance for publishers of school books and other materials.

There wasn’t any opposition from board members, but at a voting session Thursday night, Post 2 member Becky Sayler made a motion to remove language substituting a ban on “inappropriate” materials for “sexually explicit” and “pornographic.”

Sayler, one of three Democrats on the board, said “inappropriate” is a vague word that could create more confusion. Her motion failed 3-4 along partisan lines.

So did three other motions relating to the book rating priority, and she ultimately asked for a delay in a vote for another month for more public feedback.

“I truly cannot believe that we’re having a conversation again about what books should contain,” Ragsdale said during the work session. “It’s common sense. It speaks for itself.”

The Cobb school district has come under fire for removing three books that contained sexually explicit content fromseveral middle- and high school libraries, despite protests from some parents that the district was engaging in book banning.

At the October board meeting, Sayler proposed a change in the book policy that would have created local media committees to provide feedback for library operations, with the district media committee having the final say.

She said that content should be allowed that has won awards and is used in book fairs and other related competitions.

But Ragsdale, who issued a lengthy statement in September defending the decision to remove the books, was adamant that materials deemed to be “vulgar, sexually explicit, lewd, obscene, or pornographic” will continue to be removed.

Before Thursday’s vote on the legislative priorities, he took The Marietta Daily Journal and the head of a local teachers association to task regarding the book issue.

On Oct. 29 the newspaper published a lengthy report about “hundreds of books” being removed from Cobb school district libraries since the school year began in August.

The MDJ obtained the information through an open records request and also published a 62-page school-by-school list of the titles that were no longer on shelves.

In reading from prepared remarks, Ragsdale said that in spite of the headline, the reality was “a bit more bland.”

He said the district purchases around new 100,000 library titles a year and there’s only so much space on the shelves.

Many of the materials, he said, were older items that “were weeded to make room for new items.”

Ragsdale said that the routine replacement of materials was, “unfortunately, not grabby enough” and the media outlet mentioned the removing of books containing themes “that are commonly challenged in school districts around the country.”

But he said that amounted to 14 titles in all, and “this was a wonderful opportunity for those wishing to agitate and wildly and unhelpfully speculate, arguing that it is part of some secret culture war or political attack.”

Ragsdale denied accusations by Jeff Hubbard, head of the Cobb County Association of Educators, that what was happening in Cobb is part of a broader effort nationwide to restrict materials in school libraries, especially in Republican-friendly locals.

“Unfortunately for Jeff, one of the books that was replaced was Webster’s New Book of Facts,” Ragsdale said, tongue-in-cheek.

Ragsdale said that anyone looking at the 62-page list can, “if they try hard enough . . . find something to give offense.”

He said the district will not permit “taxpayer supported unrestricted access” to sexually explicit books “for children.”

Related:

Before the board vote, Ragsdale

Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland coming to Cobb PARKS

girl dressed up waving

Submitted information:

Infuse your holiday season with a mega dose of Christmas cheer as Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland makes its grand debut at Jim R. Miller Park and Event Center. This all-new, award-winning drive-through light show is sure to be a highlight of your festive celebrations. Take a magical journey through custom-built light displays perfectly synchronized with Christmas musical favorites nightly 6 – 10 p.m. Nov. 17 – Jan. 7, including holidays, rain or shine.

This dynamic show features a 300-foot tunnel that surrounds you in a kaleidoscope of colors, Christmas trees sparkling at 50 feet tall, towering walls of lights and much more! Also along the tour, you’ll catch a glimpse of how the elves, reindeer, and Mr. and Mrs. Claus live at the bustling North Pole.

After the show, visit Santa’s Village and engage in activities, enjoy tasty treats and take photos with Santa. So load up your sleigh, tune in your radio, and prepare to be amazed!

More information and advanced discount tickets available here.

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East Cobb Food Scores: Vespucci’s; Windy City Grill; more

Vespucci's, 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:

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream
2044 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 100
November 7, 2023 Score: 97, Grade: A

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
2716 Sandy Plains Road
November 7, 2023 Score: 90, Grade: A

Marco’s Pizza
3595 Canton Road, Suite 300
November 8, 2023 Score: 98, Grade: A

Mazzy’s Sports Bar & Grill
2217 Roswell Road, Suite A-200
November 9, 2023 Score: 86, Grade: B

Vespucci’s Italian Kitchen
4805 Canton Road, Suite 100
November 9, 2023 Score: 88, Grade: B

Windy City Grill
4017 Canton Road
November 8, 2023 Score: 90, Grade: A

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East Cobb Weekend Events: Two Veterans Day concerts on tap

From our calendar listings and beyond, here’s a glimpse of what’s coming up in the East Cobb area this weekend:East Cobb Weekend Events

The Junior League of Cobb-Marietta Mistletoe Market takes place from 9-6 Friday and from 9-4 Saturday at the Cobb Civic Center (548 S. Marietta Parkway) with tickets available at the door only. A one-day ticket for a wide variety of holiday gifts and decor items is $10, and the proceeds will assist JLCM efforts to support women and children in need in the community.

The first of two Veterans Day concerts in the community starts off the observances on Friday as the Lassiter High School Chorus and the 116th United States Army Band will be performing in a free event at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road) starting at 7 p.m. Other military units will also be participating.

The City of Marietta is the focal point for related events on Saturday, which is Veterans Day.

The 9th Annual Veterans Memorial 5K Run, sponsored by Post 29 of the American Legion, starts at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the Marietta Square, with proceeds to benefit veterans and organizations that serve them.

After that’s over the Square will the end point of the 19th Marietta Veterans Day Parade, which starts at the Post 29 headquarters on Gresham Avenue at 11 a.m., then on Roswell Street to the Square.

A ceremony follows on the Square with a keynote speaker and other dignitaries.

On Sunday, the Cobb Wind Symphony will be performing a Veterans Day concert starting at 3 p.m at the Lassiter Concert Hall (2601 Shallowford Road). “Let Freedom Ring,” which will include a military guest conductor, is free and open to the public.

If you like music and drama, you can get both with this weekend’s presentations of “High Society,” the Cole Porter classic performed by Wheeler Theatre. Porter’s American standards are included in this adaptation of “The Philadelphia Story.”

Remaining shows are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and the finale at 3 p.m. Sunday. Advance tickets are $10 and can be reserved by clicking here; otherwise they’re $15 at the door. Cobb County School District faculty and staff receive one free ticket with ID.

Other holiday events are already popping up on various schedules, and on Monday a Holiday Craft Fair takes place from 10-3 at the Tim D. Lee Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road), for those wishing to get a head start on their shopping.

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East Cobb Citizen of the Year is Cobb Collaborative director

2023 East Cobb Citizen of the Year named
From L-R: Sharon Mason, President & CEO of the Cobb Chamber; Irene Barton, 2023 East Cobb Citizen of the Year; Greg Teague, 2023 Cobb Chamber Chairman. Photo courtesy Cobb Chamber.

Irene Barton, long active in East Cobb civic and community activities, has been named the East Cobb Citizen of the Year for 2023.

Barton, the executive director of the Cobb Collaborative, a non-profit agency, was honored Thursday morning by the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce at a breakfast at Indian Hills Country Club.

She’s been in that post since 2018, and her work has included launching the Connecting Cobb Veterans program (previous ECN post here), brought mental health, suicide prevention and trauma-credentialed training to more than 4,000 individuals through the Mind Your Mind mental health awareness campaign, distributed more than 8,300 books to children, installed more than 50 Little Free Libraries across the county and grown the membership from 78 to 125.

Barton is a member of the East Cobb Civitan Club and is currently its president.

She has been a board member of the McCleskey Family-East Cobb YMCA Board of Directors and the creation care team at the Catholic Church of St. Ann.

Barton also has been involved with the Georgia PTA, Cobb Community Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse, Get Georgia Reading Cabinet, Cobb Executive Women,and Honorary Commanders Alumni Association.

Barton, a member of the Leadership Cobb Class of 2024, “has consistently put service above self in all she does, dedicating herself to helping improve the quality of life in East Cobb” in 25 years in the community, the Chamber said in a release.

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Teen gets life for gang killing at East Cobb apartment complex

Teen gets life for gang killing at East Cobb apartment complex
Brayan Rivas

A teenager who was 15 years old when he was charged with the murder of another juvenile has been given a life sentence for the crime, the Cobb District Attorney’s Office said Thursday.

Brayan Rivas, now 18, was given a life sentence without parole plus 20 years by Cobb Superior Court Judge Kimberly Childs after he pleaded guilty in court to charges of malice murder and street gang terrorism, the DA’s office said in a release.

Rivas was indicted in January 2021 on 12 felony counts and was on trial for the April 8, 2020 murder 14-year-old of Janina Valenzuela.

She was riding her bicycle at the Arbors of East Cobb apartments, accompanied by her boyfriend, who was walking with her, according to testimony presented at the trial.

The DA’s office said Marietta Police concluded that they were confronted by a male juvenile, later identified as Rivas (and who is identified as Brayan Segura in court filings).

Janina Valenzuela

Prosecutors said Rivas threatened them both with a knife and tried to start a fight with the other boy. Valenzuela ran away on foot and her boyfriend used a bicycle to escape, according to the DA’s office, with Rivas in pursuit.

The DA’s office said investigators determined that the girl was chased into the woods behind the apartments and was stabbed to death by Rivas. Valenzuela’s body was found in a creek at the back of the complex, according to police.

After Rivas was arrested, he initially denied responsibility, but in a letter he mailed from jail that was obtained by law enforcement, he confessed to killing the girl as part of an initiation rite with the MS-13 criminal street gang, the DA’s office said.

Prosecutors also said that the knife that was used in the killing and that was found at Rivas’ residence was confirmed by the GBI as having the victim’s DNA.

“This was one of the most heinous and senseless murders that I have ever worked,” Cobb Assistant District Attorney Jay Winkler said. “I only hope that the family has some peace knowing that the man responsible will spend the rest of his days behind bars.”

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Mixed-use project at ex-Harry’s Farmers Market site vetoed

Mixed-use project OK'd at former Harry's Farmers Market site
An aerial rendering of the proposed Accent Marietta Crossing.

UPDATED, Nov. 9:

Marietta mayor Steve Tumlin vetoed the rezoning approval on ‘Thursday, the day after the City Council voted 6-1 to approve it.

The council can override the veto with at least five votes at its monthly meeting in December.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

It’s been more than six years since Harry’s Farmers Market closed on Powers Ferry Road in the East Cobb area, in a former retail center that has sat virtually empty since then.

On Wednesday, the Marietta City Council approved a rezoning request to use that property for a mixed-use developement featuring luxury apartments and townhomes.

The long-delayed request for what’s being called Accent Marietta Crossing got a vote of 6-1.

But Mayor Steve Tumlin, who has been adamantly opposed to new apartment construction in the city in recent years, said right after the vote that he may veto the measure.

During a discussion after the rezoning presentation, he said that “I just can’t support these numbers. This just isn’t right. I can’t support this as presented.”

Westplan Investors of Atlanta had been seeking some changes to the conditional mixed-use zoning designation to build more than 200 apartments, 28 townhomes, and 14,389 square feet of retail space in an $80 million investment.

The property was zoned for a specific site plan when Studio Movie Grill came in in 2017, as Harry’s was set to close, so the Council was being asked to approve a new site plan.

(You can read the filing by clicking here.)

Parks Huff, Westplan’s attorney, said in a presentation to the Council that the project would transform an area that for “the last 30 years has looked the same.

“This is something that will invigorate this area,” he said, noting that the Marietta Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval and that there’s no community opposition.

“That’s because it fits.”

“Please don’t stand in the way of progress,” Studio Movie Grill owner Brian Schultz said.

The Studio Movie Grill and an outparcel on Powers Ferry with existing businesses will remain, but the rest of the nearly 20-acre center—including the former Harry’s and adjacent empty space—would be demolished.

Westplan is envisioning the new development as a critical part of an effort by Marietta officials to redevelop Roswell Road eastward from Cobb Parkway. A CobbLinc transit station is being planned for the former Sear’s property across from the Big Chicken.

Westplan’s plans call for “rehabbing” a vacant retail building of nearly 15,000 square feet that fronts Powers Ferry Road, and will keep the existing parking lot that serves the Studio Movie Grill.

Brian Schultz, the Studio Movie Grill owner, said “this property needs a spark.” He addressed also Tumlin’s reluctance.

“I’m literally imploring you to let us bring this community together,” he said. “Please don’t stand in the way of progress.”

In April, Tumlin vetoed a mixed-use project at the former Kroger store on Powers Ferry Road and Delk Road that called for more than 300 apartments, after the council voted 5-2 to approve it.

The council tried to override the veto, which needed five votes, but the vote to override passed only by a 4-3 count.

Several other citizens spoke in favor of the Westplan project, citing the need for quality rental residential space.

The 236 apartments (down from an initial 300), spread out over five buildings, and the townhomes would form a density of 16.93 units per acre. Amenities call for a leasing office, swimming pool, two gazebo/grill areas and patio space.

The two apartment buildings to face Powers Ferry would have commercial/office space on the ground floor.

The total parking would come to 844 spaces, both in surface spaces and two-level parking deck. A total of 13 percent of the site is deemed for recreational purposes, including walking trail areas and a dog run.

Westplan also has agreed to construct new sidewalks along Powers Ferry and Roswell Road to increase pedestrian connectivity.

“If this doesn’t get approved, we have to question what mixed-use is, because this is it,” City Council member Cheryl Richardson said before the vote.

Council member Andre Sims noted that his own children, in their late 20s and early 30s, “can’t afford to buy a $300,000 house” and that younger generations are struggling to afford to become homeowners.

Harry’s was once the anchor of a shopping center that opened in the 1990s, featuring Builders Square and Sports Authority stores and a Revco/CVS drug store. But after those businesses closed, Harry’s became the lone occupant of what was later named Harry’s Crossing.

Harry’s downsized its original space following the opening of the East Cobb Whole Foods store at Merchants Walk in 2012.

Whole Foods, which acquired Harry’s in 2001 but allowed the farmers market concept to retain its name, decided to close the Marietta store and open a Whole Foods in Kennesaw.

Harry's Marietta store

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McCormick closes district office ‘due to serious threats’

McCormick closes district office 'due to serious threats'
McCormick speaking from the House floor Tuesday on a resolution to censure Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib over the Israel-Hamas conflict.

U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, a Republican whose 6th District includes East Cobb, is temporarily closing his district office in Cumming due to what he said are “serious threats of violence against my staff.”

He didn’t specify what they were in a social media posting Tuesday on X (formerly Twitter), but he added that the “threats have been reported to Capitol Police and will be investigated fully.”

McCormick said his district staff will be working remotely and constituents can contact them via phone and e-mail.

McCormick is in his first term representing the 6th, which was redrawn to include East Cobb, some of North Fulton, as well as Forsyth and Dawson counties and a portion of Gwinnett, where he lives.

He is in Washington this week as the House voted to censure Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib for comments critical of Israel.

He opposed a resolution by fellow Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene accusing Tlaib of “leading an insurrection at the United States Capitol.”

McCormick filed his own resolution Monday and on Tuesday, he posted on X saying that “that this is not a First Amendment issue. Rashida Tlaib has the right to spew antisemitic vitriol and even call for the destruction of the Jewish State. But the House of Representatives also has a right to make it clear that her hate speech does not reflect the opinion of the chamber, and that is what my resolution is about.”

In remarks from the House floor Tuesday, McCormick—a former emergency room physician—also said that while his “heart goes out to the Palestinian people,” especially those injured and killed in a hospital bombing—Tlaib’s public statements that it was from an Israel attack were incorrect.

The House voted 234-188 to censure Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, the 26th time that has happened to a member of Congress.

“I was proud to lead a bipartisan coalition of our members to hold Rashida Tlaib accountable for her dishonest and antisemitic behavior,” McCormick posted on X late Tuesday night. “Thank you to all the other members who helped me refine the language of the bill, who cosponsored and spoke on the floor in support, and the 22 Democrats that had the courage to join us in voting for final passage. This is the right way to get things done.”

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