Month: April 2024

Whataburger seeks site plan changes for East Cobb location

by

East Cobb O'Charley's restaurant closes

It’s been nearly a year since the closing of the longstanding O’Charley’s restaurant on Sandy Plains Road at Shallowford Road.

Recently the Whataburger fast food chain filed plans with the Cobb Zoning Office to replace the nearly 7,000-square foot restaurant building and construct a new facility on the same site.

It would be the fifth Whataburger location in Cobb County, but a site plan amendment is needed to do so.

According to the preliminary files (you can read them here), there are a number of stipulations dictating future land use for the 1.31-acre parcel.

Whataburger seeks site plan changes for East Cobb location
For a larger view click here.

Among them are restrictions against a fast-food restaurant and anything with a drive-through service. The Whataburger site plan, drawn up by a Cumming-based architect, calls for a double-lane drive-through fronting Sandy Plains Road.

Those were among the stipulations included in a 1998 pending litigation settlement between Cobb County and Sembler Family Partnership, a retail developer, over a rezoning case that permitted the O’Charley’s.

The land once belonged to the prominent Gordy’s family (of Varsity restaurant fame) that owned many parcels in the area, and is part of a larger retail center currently anchored by a Target store.

Cobb property tax records indicate that the land, owned by the 1987 Donig Living Trust Nov 23 87, sold for $2.575 million in 2004 and has an an appraised value of nearly $2 million.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hear the request on May 21, and the zoning staff has not yet issued a full analysis or a recommendation.

Rezoning isn’t needed because the community retail commercial (CRC) designation includes restaurants.

Whataburger, which started in Texas in 1950, has nearly 1,000 restaurants, mostly in Texas and the South.

There are three open in Cobb: On Cobb Parkway near Akers Mill Road, on Barrett Parkway near I-75 and at Chastain Road and George Busbee Parkway. Another is planned for the Acworth area.

There’s also a Whataburger on Highway 92 in Woodstock near I-575.

Related stories

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb Water System online services unavailable this week

by

Submitted information:Cobb Water System to ask for rate increase

The Cobb County Water System is currently transitioning to a new online customer account service system. ALL online services, including billing and payment systems, will be unavailable from Monday afternoon, April 29 through Monday, May 6. During this time, we will have no access to customer accounts. For more information, visit cobbcounty.org/water/customer-service/request-service.

You can still make a cash or check payment in person at 660 South Cobb Drive, Marietta. This payment will not be applied to the account until the new system is available. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

Outdoor burn ban in Cobb County runs from May 1-Sept. 30

by
Submitted information:Cobb Fire Department fireworks safety reminder
Open burning  is banned  from May 1 – Sept. 30 in Cobb County. You may not burn leaves, tree limbs or other yard waste, forest land or use air curtain destructors for land clearing. This rule is in addition to the year-round state ban on the burning of household garbage.
Cobb Fire and Emergency Services staff enforce this state-issued burning ban in unincorporated Cobb County, and the cities of Acworth, Kennesaw and Powder Springs.
For more information, click here https://bit.ly/4aPeCdD

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb commission candidates campaigning amid map confusion

by
Pamela Reardon

Pamela Reardon doesn’t have another Republican to run against in her campaign for the District 2 seat on the Cobb Board of Commissioners.

Not after the Cobb Board of Elections disqualified another GOP hopeful for living outside the map boundaries that are being used for the May 21 primary.

Reardon, a retired real estate agent who’s active in local Republican politics, knows her name also could be scratched from the general election ballot if a long-running legal dispute over commission electoral maps is decided before November.

But she’s campaigning anyway, as two courts are mulling over where commission districts might be formed that affect the East Cobb area in particular.

“Until something changes, this is how it is,” Reardon told East Cobb News on Monday, as advance primary voting got underway. “I’m not going to take a chance and not be on the ballot.”

She lives in the East Cobb portion of the current District 2 boundaries that are being observed by Cobb Elections for the primary. The district also includes the Smyrna-Vinings-Cumberland area.

They’re roughly the same boundaries that make up the area Democrat Jerica Richardson has represented since 2021.

But the Georgia legislature drew Richardson out of her seat during reapportionment in 2022, prompting an unprecedented maneuver by the commission’s three Democrats to claim home rule authority in redistricting.

Their vote in October 2022 challenges a long-held Georgia Constitutional provision that only the legislature can conduct redistricting. A Cobb Superior Court judge recently ruled the Cobb action unconstitutional, but the county has appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court, and hearings were conducted earlier this month.

Another Cobb judge recently heard the appeal of Alicia Adams, a Republican who lives in what the legislature drew to be District 3, comprising most of East Cobb and part of the Kennesaw area, and who was disqualified from the primary.

In 2022, East Cobb voters found the District 3 race on their ballots, and Republican incumbent JoAnn Birrell was re-elected to a fourth term.

Cobb commissioners redistricting resolution
At left, maps recognized by Cobb Democratic commissioners, with District 2 in pink and District 3 in yellow. At right, maps approved in 2022 by the Republican-majority Georgia legislature.

While plenty of confusion abounds, Reardon thinks there’s more to come. She doesn’t believe either legal case will be decided before the primary, if at all.

“Are they really going to stop the primary? Do you really think that’s going to happen? No,” she said.

Five Democrats qualified for the District 2 seat after Richardson announced her candidacy for the 6th Congressional District.

Among them are two East Cobb residents, Will Costa and Kevin Redmon, the latter a former member of Richardson’s “community cabinet.” Another Democratic candidate is Taniesha Whorton, who lives in the Powers Ferry Road area that’s also in the county-recognized District 2.

They also could be affected by a court ruling along residency lines. Two other Democrats were disqualified by the Cobb Democratic Party for similar reasons: former Marietta City Council member Reggie Copeland and Marietta resident Donald Barth.

East Cobb News has left messages with Costa, Redmon and Whorton seeking comment.

Redmon’s campaign said in an e-mail response that “the courts have taken the posture of taking their time to get this right and we will respect their decision. As it stands today, the Home Rule map is what Cobb is operating under and what the Cobb Board of Elections is using for this election.

Richardson advisor declares intent for Cobb commission campaign
Kevin Redmon

“We’re out in the community at public and private events, knocking doors, meeting for coffee doing what it takes to show up for District 2,” the statement said. “[Redmon] will stand up for District 2 when elected. We encourage folks to vote on or before May 21.”

The other Democrats are in the Smyrna area that would be in District 2 either way: former Cobb Board of Education member Jaha Howard, and former State Rep. Erick Allen, who as Cobb legislative delegation chairman drew the maps the county is following.

Reardon finds it ironic that Cobb Democrats are fighting to redraw District 2 lines that include East Cobb. Richardson barely edged GOP nominee Fitz Johnson in 2020 with similar boundaries.

Reardon said she thinks District 2 as is and which previously was held for three terms by Republican Bob Ott, is “red.”

In the meantime, Reardon said she continues to canvass, not just in her own race but with other Republicans. She’s against the 30-year proposed Cobb transit tax that’s on the November ballot, wants the property tax millage rate to be rolled back, opposes a proposed stormwater impact fee and thinks the county needs to rein in spending.

“I’m not going to be devastated if they change the maps,” Reardon said, referring to what she calls “Home Rule 2,” adding that she’s considering a run in District 3 in 2026 (Redmon has filed a similar declaration of intent).

“I want to help give our citizens and the ordinary people of Cobb County a voice.”

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

East Cobb Weather Update: Breezy start to balmy week

by

East Cobb Weather Update: Breezy start to balmy week

Temperatures are going to feel a little summer-like as April turns into May in East Cobb.

On Sunday, temperatures hovered around 80 but it was a bit on the windy side, perfect for flying a kite at East Cobb Park.

As the week unfolds, highs will reach into the high 80s, and some thunderstorms are in the forecast, according to the National Weather Service in Peachtree City.

There’s an 80 percent chance of rain on Tuesday, mostly in the morning, with a slighter chance in the afternoon. Highs will be in the high 70s and lows will dip into the high 50s.

Wednesday is expected to be start of a warming trend, with sunny skies and highs in the mid 80s. Thursday’s forecast is similar, with highs in the high 80s, followed by mostly sunny weather and highs in the mid 80s on Friday.

But thunderstorms are forecast throughout the weekend, starting with a 30 percent chance on Friday afternoon.

Satuday’s weather is expected to be partly sunny, with highs in the low 80s, and a 50 percent chance of rain.

On Sunday, temperatures will reach into the low 80s, with a 30 percent chance of rain.

For more local weather information, click here.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

2024 advance primary voting in Cobb: Races; wait times; more

by

Advance voting is underway in Cobb County in the 2024 Georgia primaries, and will continue for another three weeks.East Cobb advance voting

The locations include two in East Cobb, at the East Cobb Government Services Center (4400 Lower Roswell Road) and the Tim D. Lee Senior Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road).

Their hours are as follows:

  • April 29-May 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • May 6-10 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 11 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • May 13-17 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The East Cobb Government Service Center will have a dropbox available on those dates, during those voting hours. Early voters also may go there for the two Sundays of advance voting, May 5 and May 12, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

There several locations in the county where voters can cast their ballots ahead of the formal election day, May 21, and you can go to any location you choose.

You can get the latest updates on estimated wait-times at those polling locations by clicking here.

A we noted previously, there are a number of contested primaries involving incumbents at the federal, state and local levels.

They include Democratic races for Cobb Commission Chair, Cobb District Attorney, Cobb Sheriff, Cobb Superior Court Clerk and Cobb Tax Commissioner.

Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk also has primary opposition, as do some local legislative office-holders.

The Cobb Comission District 2 race has several Democratic hopefuls and a Republican seeking to replace incumbent Jerica Richardson, who’s running for Congress.

But the Georgia Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on contested redistricting lines for that seat. It recently heard an appeal by Cobb County, whose Democratic commissioners approved “home rule” maps that include some of East Cobb in District 2.

A Cobb Superior Court judge ruled that the county must abide by maps approved by the legislature in 2021 that put East Cobb almost entirely within District 3, drawing Richardson out of her seat.

A Republican candidate for District 2 is appealing a decision by the Cobb Board of Elections to disqualify her, based on the county-approved maps.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

East Cobb residential real estate sales, April 8-12, 2024

by
Mallard Lake, East Cobb residential real estate sales
Mallard Lake

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

April 8

4420 Cheston Bend, 30075 (Havenridge, Pope): $780,000

2224 River Heights Court, 30067 (Overlook, Walton): $252,000

1378 Old Virginia Court, 30067 (Salem Ridge, Wheeler): $355,000

2310 Windmere Court, 30062 (East Lake Ridge, Wheeler): $454,000

2289 Lavender Drive, 30066 (Vandiver Heights, Sprayberry): $405,000

3261 Devaughn Drive, 30066 (Village North Crossing, Lassiter): $565,000

370 Dogwood Trail, 30067 (The Columns@ACC, Walton): $1.14 million

April 9

3034 Holly Mill Run, 30062 (Holly Springs Crossing, Pope): $555,000

692 Smithstone Court, 30067 (Dogwood Park, Wheeler): $520,000

1447 Evanston Lane, 30062 (Gables at East Worthington, Marietta): $414,900

3419 Corral Drive, 30066 (North Forty, Sprayberry): $440,000

1840 Mallard Lake Drive, 30068 (Mallard Lake, Walton): $800,000

April 10

2864 Laureate Court Unit 3, 30062 (The Laureate on Lassiter, Pope): $538,000

1605 Morningside Trace, 30062 (Alexandria at East Park, Marietta): $512,5000

768 Woodmont Drive, 30062 (Woodmont, Wheeler): $530,000

1999 Benthill Drive, 30062 (Benthill, Pope): $428,500

2191 Lessie Maude Drive, 30066 (Wright Pines, Sprayberry): $325,000

1338 Shaw Drive, 30066 (Pine Valley, Sprayberry): $379,500

1521 Rubes Landing, 30066 (Jamerson Forest, Kell): $330,000

2262 Hill Creek Way, 30062 (Heritage Trace, Walton): $546,000

April 11

2740 Timbermill Drive, 30062 (Mill Creek Estates, Pope): $1.355 million

3518 Billingsley Drive, 30062 (Princeton Corners, Walton): $723,000

2615 Holly Lane, 30062 (Holly Hills Estates, Walton): $445,000

1713 Kinsmon Cove, 30062 (East Hampton at the Village, Walton): $975,000

April 12

3506 Clemont Circle Unit 7, 30062 (Edenton, Lassiter): $755,000

1211 Spence Court, 30062 (Sterling Walk, Walton): $1.36 million

4000 Riverlook Parkway Unit 208, 30068 (Willows by the River, Walton): $287,000

346 Scott Drive, 30067 (Powers Ferry Hills, Wheeler): $358,900

247 Rockwood Court, 30068 (Indian Hills, Walton): $2.15 million

2526 Hunton Court, 30068 (Farrington Estates, Wheeler): $630,000

880 Chestnut Lake Drive, 30068 (Hampton Woods, Walton) $835,000

1932 Ferry Drive, 30066 (Kings Wood Estates, Sprayberry): $360,000

2183 Carlyle Drive, 30062 (Cedar Hill Estates, Pope): $529,900

2582 Morgan Lake Drive, 30066 (Pine Valley Farms, Sprayberry): $399,000

3051 Wendwood Court, 30062 (Wendwood, Pope): $520,000

3285 Ember Street, 30066 (Shaw Woods, Sprayberry): $365,000

3418 Shaw Road, 30066 (Sprayberry): $460,000

1923 Enchanted Woods Trail, 30066 (Enchanted Woods, Kell): $590,000

1402 Mountain Overlook Court, 30066 (Jamerson Forest, Kell): $368,000

1751 East Bank Drive, 30068 (Jacksons Creek, Walton): $660,000

Related:

 

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

East Cobb schools ranked among best in Ga. by U.S. News

by

Walton HS sports complex pedestrian bridge

Three high schools in East Cobb have been ranked in the Top 25 in Georgia public high schools in the 2024 U.S. News compilation of high school rankings.

In addition, Dickerson Middle School was rated No. 1 among public middle schools in the state. Mt. Bethel Elementary School was No. 15 and Sope Creek ES was No. 16 in the K-5 listings.

The magazine’s annual high school listings, which were released this week, have Walton High School ranked fourth, with Lassiter at No. 12 and Pope at No. 25.

They topped the Cobb County School District rankings (you can read the Georgia listings by clicking here).

Wheeler is listed at No, 41, Sprayberry is at No. 69 and Kell is at No. 78. More than 400 public schools were included in the state rankings.

Dodgen Middle School was ranked No. 3 in the middle school category in Georgia. Mabry Middle School came in at No. 12, with Hightower Trail at No. 24 and Simpson Middle School at No. 32.

U.S. News evaluated more than 17,000 high schools across the country based on a variety of factors, including taking AP exams; math, reading and science proficiency; and graduation rates (methodology explained here).

Walton’s “scorecard” of 98.85 out of 100 (details here) shows that 68 percent of students took at least one AP exam and 64 percent of them passed. The school also had a 97 percent graduation rate in 2024.

Walton is listed at No. 203 nationally and in Georgia, only Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Technology and Science, Columbus High School and the Alliance Academy for Innovation ranked higher.

Lassiter (scorecard here) had similar numbers, and is ranked No. 395 nationally; Pope (scorecard here) is at No. 772.

The middle school rankings in Georgia (listings here) evaluated more than 1,000 schools on student-teacher ratio, and math and reading proficiency.

Dickerson’s latter numbers were 82 and 80 percent, respectively, while Dodgen’s are 79 and 77 percent.

Other statewide rankings for East Cobb middle schools are McCleskey at No, 90, Daniell at No. 130 and East Cobb at No. 219.

A total of 1,888 elementary schools (listings here) were evaluated along similar lines. The other East Cobb elementary schools are ranked as follows statewide:

  • 24 Timber Ridge
  • 27 Tritt
  • 31 Murdock
  • 33 Mountain View
  • 37 East Side
  • 60 Shallowford Falls
  • 61 Garrison Mill
  • 80 Rocky Mount
  • 109 Davis
  • 140 Kincaid
  • 180 Addison
  • 227 Eastvalley
  • 251 Nicholson
  • 334 Bells Ferry
  • 363 Keheley
  • 480 Sedalia Park
  • 513 Blackwell
  • 606 Powers Ferry
  • 897 Brumby

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Model Atlanta Regional Commission seeking youth applicants

by

Submitted information:ARC Cobb open house

Attention high school students interested in getting more involved in their community — The Atlanta Regional Commission offers an exciting opportunity just for you. The Model Atlanta Regional Commission (MARC) is a youth leadership program designed to explore the planning challenges facing our region. Through engaging activities and discussions with peers who share your interests, you’ll delve into topics like transportation, sustainability, and community development.

MARC is open to rising 10th and 11th graders who live or go to school in the 11-county Atlanta region (Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties, as well as the city of Atlanta).

Apply now before the May 3 deadline. This program is completely free, but spots are limited, so don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity.

Click here to apply.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra seeks young musicians

by

Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra seeks young musicians

Auditions have begun for the Marietta-based Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra, which is seeking young musicians for the fall 2024 season.

The program is one of the largest in the Southeast, serving students from 17 metro counties in elementary through high school. It includes five orchestras and seven instrumental chamber ensembles, including jazz and percussion.

Two students currently in the program are Antonia Patel, a member of GYSO’s Camerata orchestra, who joined GYSO three years ago, and her brother Aidan, a violinist in the philharmonic orchestra who first auditioned for GYSO five years ago.

“I love the challenge of playing harder and harder music and seeing my friends each week,” Antonia Patel said.

Here’s more from the GYSO about the program, plus information on auditions and scholarships:

What sets GYSO apart is its dedication to providing a nurturing and supportive environment for young musicians to develop their skills and perform at the highest level. Led by professionals in their fields, each ensemble works tirelessly to prepare for performances throughout the year, giving students a comprehensive music experience that fosters excellence on both an individual and collective level.

For more information about the GYSO program, audition process or need-based scholarships, visit georgiayouthsymphony.org.

Related:

 

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Keep Cobb Beautiful to hold medication take-back event

by

Submitted information:Keep Cobb Beautiful spring recycling

Safely dispose of unused and expired medications by bringing them to our FREE Medication Take Back Event on April 27, 2024 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)!

1. Precinct One, 2380 Cobb Pkwy NW, Kennesaw
2. C. Freeman Poole Senior Center, 4025 South Hurt Rd, NW, Smyrna
3. Tim D. Lee Senior Center, 3332 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta

Accepted Items
Creams Patches Prescription, over-the-counter liquid and pill form
Ointments Pet medications Vials

There are NO limits on quantity. 

Need to know how to dispose of needles/sharps in Cobb county?

Email us at:  KeepCobbBeautiful@cobbcounty.org

Items Not Accepted
Aerosol cans* EpiPen Needles and sharps of any type
Bio-hazardous materials (anything containing body fluid or blood) Household hazardous waste (paint, pesticides, oil, gas, etc.)* Personal care products (shampoo, soaps, lotions, sunscreens, etc.)*
Blister packs Illegal drugs
Durable medical equipment (CPAP, nebulizers, etc.) Mercury thermometers*

*These items can be disposed of at our Annual Household Hazardous Waste Event.

Staff and law enforcement personnel will be at these locations to collect medications that will be properly disposed in compliance with federal law. Medicines do not have to be removed from their containers and labels do not have to be removed. Everything collected will be immediately sealed in boxes and destroyed.

Medications flushed down the toilet may contaminate our lakes, streams and groundwater causing harm to humans, wildlife and vegetation. Medications thrown in the trash can cause poisoning by accidental ingestion by young children, pets and even wildlife. (Nothing will be accepted at this address or by any Cobb County staff person before or after the scheduled drop-off day)

 

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

East Cobb Food Scores: La Madeleine; Los Bravos; more

by

Los Bravos East Lake, 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:

Cinco Mexican Cantina
2851 Akers Mill Road
April 22, 2024 Score: 100, Grade: A

Cook Out Restaurant
9 Cobb Parkway North
April 23, 2024 Score: 85, Grade: B

Good2Go Food Truck
2697 Windy Hill Road, Suite 130
April 24, 2024 Score: 96, Grade: A

Jambo Grill
2555 Delk Road, Suite A11
April 23, 2024 Score: 100, Grade: A

La Madeleine
4101 Roswell Road, Suite 812
April 23, 2024 Score: 85, Grade: B

Los Bravos
2125 Roswell Road, Suite B-40
April 23, 2024 Score: 91, Grade: A

Panda Express
4275 Roswell Road
April 23, 2024 Score: 100, Grade: A

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

PHOTOS: First responders treated to appreciation lunch

by

First responders appreciation lunch

Submitted information and photos:

 The Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team proudly hosted their 10th semi-annual Appreciation Lunch on Wednesday, April 24th, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, dedicated to honoring our local heroes – police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and military personnel. The event was a huge success, with the largest turnout they have seen to date!

PrimeLending served BBQ with a variety of sides and drinks, sponsored by Arrow Exterminators. Attendees were welcome to use the patio to enjoy their meal, or they could take it on the road, ensuring that our hardworking heroes could enjoy a well-deserved break amidst their duties. In addition to the delicious lunch, each attendee received a goodie bag filled with awesome items as a token of appreciation for their service and dedication.

Additional sponsors for the event included Amerispec /All Atlanta Inspection Services, First American Home Warranty, American Home Shield, and Chick-fil-A East Lake. For more information about upcoming community events hosted by the Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team, please visit www.JaniceOverbeck.com.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb government office building after ex-county manager

by
Cobb government office building after ex-county manager
Cobb County Government photo

The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to name the county government’s main office building on the Marietta Square in honor of late Cobb County Manager David Hankerson.

Commissioners also issued a proclamation to Hankerson’s family during their Tuesday business meeting, and the Atlanta Braves contributed an honorary jersey with his name, and signed by the team.

Hankerson was the Cobb County Manager for 24 years. During his tenure, Cobb continued its designation with AAA national bond ratings, completed the construction of the East-West Connector and opened the new Atlanta Braves stadium and The Battery Atlanta.Former Cobb County Manager David Hankerson dies

Hankerson also started the Public Safety Make-A-Wish 5K and was instrumental in developing the county’s Safety Village.

“David truly loved Cobb County,” Hankerson’s widow, Janet Hankerson said. “Knowing David, he is looking down upon us with a big smile on his face acknowledging this proclamation.”

He died on January 25, 2024 at the age of 77.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

 

GBI: New evidence found in case of slain East Cobb couple

by

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says it has collected some new evidence related to its investigation into the homicides of an East Cobb married couple in south Georgia in 2015.Elrey and June Runion, murdered East Cobb couple

The GBI said Monday that a citizen found a .22 caliber rifle while fishing in Horse Creek near McRae, Ga., in Telfair County, on April 14.

The same citizen two days later went to the same location, and using a magnetic device, found a bag and driver’s licenses and credit cards belonging to Bud and June Runion, as well as a cell phone thought to belong to them, according to the GBI.

The GBI said its agents and the Telfair County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a home on two separate occasions after that last week, adding that investigators recovered unspecified further evidence that’s being sent to the state crime lab for further analysis.

The GBI didn’t identify who lived in the home and didn’t indicate in its release on Monday if the rifle could be the murder weapon.

A suspect arrested shortly after the murders, Ronnie Adrian Towns, is scheduled to go on trial for the killings in August.

The Runions, who lived off Holly Springs Road, were in their 60s when they ventured to Telfair County in January 2015 to buy a 1966 Ford Mustang. Bud Runion had posted an interest in making such a purchase on Craigslist.

The Runions were reported missing by their daughters the following day, and four days later their bodies were found on a rural road, not far from where their vehicle was spotted in a pond near McRae, 75 miles south of Macon.

Authorities said the Runions had been robbed and shot in the head, but a murder weapon had not been found. Towns, then 28, turned himself in and was charged with murder and armed robbery.

But his murder indictment was overturned in 2019 by the Georgia Supreme Court, upholding a lower court ruling of improper jury selection.

Towns was re-indicted in 2020.

The Runions were married for 38 years. According to their obituaries, in 1991 the Runions founded Forever Greatful Ministries, which helps families in need in the Marietta area. Bud Runion was retired from AT & T and June Runion was a preschool teacher at Johnson Ferry Christian Academy.

They were longtime members of Mt. Paran Church of God North on Allgood Road.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

No injuries reported in Canton Road funeral home fire

by

Cobb Fire fighting blaze at Canton Road funeral home

A fire broke out at the Medford-Peden Funeral Home on Canton Road Tuesday, but there were no injuries, according to the Marietta Fire Department.

Deputy Fire Marshall Steve Gau said Marietta and Cobb fire crews were dispatched to 1408 Canton Road around 2:30 p.m. and found heavy fire and smoke conditions.

He said crews brought the fire under control in around 20 minutes, and there were no remains of any deceased in the funeral home.

Gau said a cause hasn’t been determined and that Marietta Fire is conducting the investigation.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

Cobb jail inmate dies after arrest due to sex offender status

by

The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office announced that a 68-year-old male detainee passed away Saturday at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital after suffering from cancer.Cobb Sheriff's Office

A release said the man, who was unidentified, was homeless and declined to provide family contact information.

The Cobb Sheriff’s Office said “he was last arrested for violating restrictions based on his sex offender status,” but didn’t say how long he had been in custody.

“All signs pointed to this individual being homeless with no access to medical care,” Sheriff Craig Owens in a statement. “We believe he wanted to be arrested so he could live his remaining weeks in a more comfortable environment.”

The Sheriff’s Office said that following a medical screening upon his arrest “it became clear he was facing a serious health challenge.”

He was “routinely” taken to Kennestone for treatment, and “due to the detainee’s sex offender status and to protect the public, Sheriff Owens mandated that he remain incarcerated.”

Owens said in the release that “I say often that jails across our metro and the state have become de facto hospitals and mental health facilities.

“This detainee’s death is another example of that fact, and we must collectively do more outside of the criminal justice system so that folks don’t intentionally go to jail to receive life or death medical treatment.”

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb school board Post 5 candidates receive endorsements

by

Cobb school board candidate reports nearly $30K in fundraising

The two hopefuls for the open Post 5 seat on the Cobb Board of Education don’t have opponents in the upcoming primaries, but they’re picking up endorsements.

Last week the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Action Fund endorsed Democrat Laura Judge as part of a slate of endorsements in metro Atlanta school board and county commission races.

And on Tuesday, Republican John Cristadoro announced he had received the endorsement of Educators First, a teachers’ organization.

Post 5, which includes the Walton and Pope and some of the Wheeler attendance zones, is being vacated by four-term Republican David Banks.

According to its website, the SPLC Action Fund “is focused on lifting up communities of color, particularly in the Deep South, who face systemic oppression, poverty and structural racism. To overcome these injustices, the organization is committed to reimagining the political, economic and social systems that sustain them to create a world where all people can thrive. ”

Judge, a Walton-area parent, noted in a social media posting that she got the endorsement “on a day that I spoke out at the school board meeting for a student in my Post who had to deal with racial discrimination in one of our schools.

“I will continue to advocate for the safety of our students, stand up against hate within our district, and empower our community to use their voice.”

Judge also has received endorsements from Cobb school board member Becky Sayler of Post 2 in Smyrna, Democratic State Rep. Lisa Campbell of Cobb, the Georgia Working Families Party, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and the 3.14 Action Fund, which supports Democratic female candidates with science backgrounds.

Educators First represents professional teachers as an alternative to older organizations such as the Georgia Association of Educators.

Educators First says it offers “all the advantages of a traditional union, but without the high costs and partisan politics.”

Based in Kennesaw, Educators First was founded in 2011 and its CEO and co-founder is John Adams, a former Cobb County School District deputy superintendent.

“I am honored to have received the Educators First endorsement,” Cristadoro said in a statement Tuesday. “Educators First’s endorsement in my campaign clearly demonstrates the wide appeal and local grassroots support of our campaign.”

According to his latest campaign disclosure report in February, Cristadoro has raised more than $33,000 and has more than $28,000 in cash on hand.

Judge also filed a financial disclosure report in February listing more than $18,000 in contributions and more than $2,000 in cash on hand.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

Ex-officer indicted for shooting death in NE Cobb car chase

by

A Cobb grand jury has indicted a former Woodstock police officer after a suspect fleeing a traffic stop in Northeast Cobb last fall was shot to death.East Cobb man convicted

The April 18 indictment charges Grant Matthew Shaw, 23, of Canton, with a felony count of involuntary manslaughter for the Oct. 14 death of Emmanuel Millard, 20, of Marietta.

According to Cobb Police, Millard fled a traffic stop on Oct. 12 at Highway 92 and Hames Road, near the Cobb County line.

According to a preliminary Georgia Bureau of Investigation report, Woodstock police pursued Millard into Northeast Cobb for several miles, before stopping his vehicle near the intersection of Highway 92 (Alabama Road) and Old Mountain Park Road, near the Cobb-Roswell line.

As officers tried to remove Millard from the car, he was shot once, and officers rendered aid until EMS arrived on the scene, according to the GBI.

The GBI said Millard was taken to North Fulton Hospital, where he died two days later. Shaw was placed on administrative leave and resigned several days later as an investigation continued.

Cobb prosecutors sought indictments for felony murder and aggravated assault, but the grand jury concluded that Shaw did not intend to cause Millard’s death.

Shaw was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center Monday and is being held without bond, according to Cobb Sheriff’s Office records.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb advance voting for 2024 primaries starts Monday

by

Advance voting in the 2024 Georgia primaries starts Monday and continues through May 17.Georgia runoff elections

Voters will chose Democratic, Republican or non-partisan ballots (consolidated countywide sample ballots here) in a variety of federal, state legislative and local races.

Contested primaries (our previous qualifying story)  include Cobb Commission Chair (Democrat) and U.S. House District 11 (Republican).

In Cobb County, voters can cast their ballots early in-person at nine locations, or via a dropbox at six venues during regular business hours.

Those locations include the East Cobb Government Services Center (4400 Lower Roswell Road) and the Tim D. Lee Senior Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road).

Both of those East Cobb locations will have extensive advance voting hours:

  • April 29-May 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • May 6-10 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 11 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • May 13-17 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The East Cobb Government Service Center will have a dropbox available on those dates, during those voting hours. Early voters also may go there for the two Sundays of advance voting, May 5 and May 12, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Advance voters can vote at any advance voting location in the county. More information can be found by clicking here.

No voting will take place from May 18-20, and on primary day, Tuesday, May 21, voters will go their assigned precincts between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

To check your polling station and which races will be on your ballot, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s GA My Voter Page.

All voters must go to the polls with proof of identification (details here).

Cobb Elections also is seeking poll workers to staff 148 precincts on primary day.  Visit https://bit.ly/CobbPollWorker to learn more and apply today.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!