Cobb Police are asking for the public’s help in investigating the death of a young metro Atlanta woman who was last seen in the East Cobb area.
Police said on Friday that they’re tracking leads in the case of Maury-Ange Faith Martinez, 20, of Alpharetta. She was reported missing in Gwinnett County last fall and her skeletal remains were identified in January in an area near Chattanooga, Tenn.
Cobb Police said in a release Friday that Martinez was last seen in unincorporated Cobb, “near Powers Ferry Road,” but didn’t elaborate further.
They’re asking for anyone who may have seen her or had any contact with her around the time of the disappearance to contact them at their Crimes Against Persons unit at 770-499-3945 or Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 770-577-TIPS (8477).
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Submitted information from Stretch Zone East Cobb (4371 Roswell Road), which is accepting food items as noted below through June 8:
Stretch Zone East Cobb is proud to announce the launch of a food drive to support the Wheeler High School Food Pantry. This initiative aims to ensure that no child goes hungry this summer by providing meals for families in need.
With approximately 50 percent of Wheeler High School students receiving free or reduced-cost lunches, the food pantry plays a crucial role in supporting these families. Stretch Zone East Cobb is stepping up to help fill the gap and provide much-needed resources for the community.
From now until the end of the drive, community members are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items at Stretch Zone East Cobb. As a token of appreciation, anyone who donates 10 items will receive a free stretch session.
Kelly Boatright, owner of Stretch Zone East Cobb, expressed her commitment to the cause, stating, “We believe in supporting our community, and the Wheeler High School Food Pantry is an essential resource for many families. By coming together, we can make a significant impact and ensure that our students have the nutrition they need to thrive.”
Items needed for the food pantry include:
1-2 lb bags of rice and beans
Canned vegetables, soups, or chili
Peanut butter and jelly
Canned meals
Fruit snacks
Peanut butter crackers, chips, or crackers
Cereal
Noodles
Donations can be dropped off at Stretch Zone East Cobb during regular business hours. The food drive is an excellent opportunity for the community to unite and support local students and their families.
For more information about the food drive and how you can contribute, please visit Stretch Zone East Cobb or contact us at (678) 971-2905.
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At the end of the school year high school leaders in the Cobb County School District round up stories of what they call “inspiring seniors” to highlight around graduation.
Vanessa Washington, Kell High School
These students “stand out for their remarkable stories of perseverance, resilience, and achievement,” according to the district, and a number of them have overcome health obstacles and other hardships, or are recognized for their accomplishments in school and service to others in the community.
The Cobb school district provided information on “inspiring seniors” from every high school, and summaries of those students from schools in East Cobb, Class of 2024, are included below.
Kell High School Vanessa Washington played volleyball and was the yearbook editor, and in the classroom took multiple literature and writing classes. She has committed to play volleyball at the University of North Dakota and will be majoring in journalism.
Washington’s classmate, Ricky Solorzano, was a starting pitcher for the Kell varsity baseball team and assisted the school’s football and baseball athletic trainers. He has overcome learning challenges in his academic career, and according to school leaders, “puts in the extra hours, those optional hours not required by any individual, towards his learning and future.”
Solarzano’s mother is a Cobb elementary school teacher and “is an excellent representation of the CCSD mission statement of what it looks like to work as a team towards a goal for student success.” He plans to attend Andrew College in Cuthbert, Ga. next year on a baseball scholarship and to study health and exercise science.
Lassiter High School Kiara Evans will attend the University of Pittsburgh and was selected as a Chancellor’s Scholar for that research university. At Lassiter, she was involved in varsity basketball, being named an honorable mention selection for the All-Cobb County team, and track and field.
Samantha Marcus battled and overcame leukemia during high school while maintaining academic success with a rigorous AP schedule and earning a 4.45 GPA. She is involved in the Lassiter community and “a source of great pride for Trojan Nation,” according to school leaders.
Jennifer He, Walton High School
Pope High School Sebastian Torres Urzua came to Pope in 10th grade from his native Mexico, and not only learned English fluently, but also taught himself several programming languages – Python, Java, HTML, CSS, and Arduino. “Sebastian has the chops for a highly rigorous higher education and I’m excited to see how he succeeds in the future,” school leaders said.
At Pope, he played varsity tennis and “takes seriously all the activities he takes part in and puts full effort into those things.” His plans include majoring in industrial engineering and working in operations in the corporate world.
Sprayberry High School Jordan Tolliver, the school’s Class of 2024 salutatorian, started the school year undergoing an emergency appendectomy and had complications with the surgery. “We were unsure if Jordan would be able to keep up with his course load of all AP classes or if he would be able to return to school at all with the recovery from the surgeries,” school leaders said.
Tolliver earned all A’s when he returned to school, and is headed to the University of Pennsylvania.
Walton High School Jennifer He was a finalist for the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars as a senior, and will be attending Princeton University in the fall. Her last year at Walton included a variety of volunteer activities, including a role providing school supplies to homeless youth. For those efforts, she was awarded a scholarship by the East Cobb County Council of Parent Teacher Association. Her other scholarships include the 2024 InspirASIAN National and Doris L. Kays NJCL scholarships.
Wheeler High School
Jordan Tolliver, Sprayberry High School
Jay Imperatori was awarded one of Georgia Tech’s elite Stamps President’s Scholarships, awarded to the most promising students from across the nation to foster their development as scholars, leaders, and citizens of the greater community through purposeful programming, mentoring, and enhanced educational opportunities.
Marlon Louie endured the loss of his father and the school’s band director within a few weeks, and “has exemplified unwavering strength and optimism, inspiring all who know him,” school leaders said. In addition to music, Louie is involved in drama activities and a math teacher said he “continued to radiate positivity towards his peers and teachers.” According to his drama director, Nicholas Morrett, Louie demonstrated “boundless energy and unwavering positivity.”
Alex Morrisette was told that he would not be able to graduate. He has attended four different schools during his high school career. He took six classes this year and was able to graduate on time, with plans to enlist in the Air Force.
Addison Kowall “excels in everything that she does, a Wheeler teacher said. “She is an incredible dancer, student and friends. She lost her father at a young age, but she remains positive. She loves teaching dance to young students at Rhythm Dance Center.”
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Cobb government officials said Tuesday that more than 12 million gallons of wastewater were released from the Cobb County Water System’s Northwest Water Reclamation facility last week that “did not fully” meet its standards.
A release said that 6.46 million gallons were released on May 21 and another 5.7 million gallons on May 22, but that the wastewater had been treated and “will not impact drinking water supplies.”
Cobb Water officials on Tuesday declared the wastewater to be below standards, per Georgia Environmental Protection Division criteria, after receiving routine compliance sampling results, but they didn’t elaborate.
“CCWS operations staff are investigating the cause but report that the plant is operating normally,” according to the release, which added that upstream and downstream water quality testing has begun in the discharge location around the lake.
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Family Promise of Cobb County was recently awarded an $18,000 grant from Clayton Homes and Family Promise National that will ensure families in Cobb County receive the support they need to remain safely housed.
The grant is a portion of the $1.3 million dollars that Clayton and Family Promise National are dispersing to the Family Promise network nationwide. The funds are a result of the recently announced partnership extension between Family Promise and Clayton. A Future Begins at Home, the program that arose from the collaboration, focuses on helping families who face homelessness remain in their homes and quickly regain stability. Since its inception in 2019, A Future Begins at Home has catalyzed millions in additional funding resulting in more than 25,000 families served.
“Thanks to the grant from Clayton and Family Promise National, we can provide children and families with safe, stable housing without funding concerns. Thank you, Clayton and Family Promise National, for your commitment to ending family homelessness and supporting our mission.” – Autumn Sines, Executive Director, Family Promise of Cobb County.
In addition to the grant program, Clayton has donated 16 homes to the Family Promise network since 2019. These homes are used primarily as transitional housing for families working with Family Promise. The homes allow families to stay together and regain stability as they work to find a new home.
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In honor of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day next month, the Cobb County Victim Witness Unit and the Family Advocacy Center will host Elder Abuse Training on June 12. This comprehensive session will provide essential insights and strategies for addressing elder abuse effectively. This training an opportunity for professional development and also offers POST Credits for attendees. Registration is now open.
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Cobb government sent out the following message late Tuesday afternoon:
“A utility installation at the southern corner of Shallowford Road at Wesley Chapel Road will cause significant lane closures Wednesday, May 29. This project will install a large self-supporting concrete pole that will replace three wooden poles, one of which is located at the southern corner of the intersection. That wooden pole has been hit several times and due to the safety issues, the Cobb Department of Transportation and Georgia Power Company will jointly fund this project.
“Lane closures will begin 6 a.m. Wednesday and last through 6 p.m. Wesley Chapel Road will have its northbound lane closed and northbound traffic will be rerouted into the Wesley Chapel Road southbound left turn lane. Southbound traffic will be shifted into the Wesley Chapel southbound right turn lane. Shallowford Road will see three lanes closed consisting of the two northbound lanes plus the center two way left turn lane.”
Police said the road reopened to traffic around 8 am.
Updated, 3 pm:
Cobb Police said the closure will continue late into Monday evening.
Original report:
Here’s a message from Cobb Police around 10:45 a.m. Monday:
“Due to multiple trees and power lines down on Lower Roswell Road between Indian Hills Parkway and Lindsey Road, the roadway is closed for an extended period of time. Crews are working to clear the roadway and restore power. Please avoid the area and take an alternate route. We will provide an update when the roadway is reopened.”
The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports and county property records. They include the street address, subdivision name, high school attendance zone and sales price:
May 6
4256 Biltmore Place, 30062 (Biltmore, Walton): $1.775 million
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting America’s first responders, Gold Star families and military veterans, is bringing its commitment to eradicating veteran homelessness to the Atlanta area. The organization held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new “Atlanta Veterans Village” on May 17, 2024 in Mableton. When completed in 2025, the location at 65 S. Service Road will provide permanent and transitional housing to nearly 100 veterans in Atlanta and surrounding areas.
At the groundbreaking, Tunnel to Towers (T2T) announced details of its plans to turn the former Wingate by Wyndam hotel into a Veterans Village.
Long-term living spaces will include apartments with a bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom
The renovated facility will also have a gym, business center, great room, cafeteria and commercial kitchen
Male and female veterans will be able to live in the facility
The facility in Mableton is part of a nationwide Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Homeless Veteran Program. In 2023, the Foundation provided housing assistance and services to more than 3,000 veterans. It also provides mortgage assistance to catastrophically injured Veterans, Gold Star families and Fallen First Responder Families with prior military experience.
“This new Homeless Veterans Village in greater Atlanta is a part of Tunnel to Towers’ commitment to eradicating veteran homelessness nationwide. In a few short months, this facility which was once a blight on this community, will soon serve as a beacon of hope, says Gavin Naples, Vice President of the T2T Homeless Veteran Program. “We want to ensure that the men and women who served our country have a dignified home they can call their own and facilities like this one are the least we can do for those who sacrificed so much. We will not let our heroes down.”
Ted Decker, President and CEO of The Home Depot, also attended the groundbreaking. The Home Depot Foundation is one of the nonprofit’s earliest partners, supporting the T2T mission from the start. The Home Depot Foundation pledged to donate $500,000 to the new facility in Austell as renovations get underway.Tunnel to Towers is in the process of several transformative projects aimed at making a tangible difference in the lives of those it serves. A similar project was completed by T2T last November in Houston, TX where the Foundation converted a former hotel into a high-end, affordable apartment complex. It now provides permanent and transitional housing to more than 100 veterans in the greater Houston area.
The Foundation’s Homeless Veteran Program currently provides housing to Veterans in Riverside, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Austin, TX, and Phoenix, AZ. Additionally, it is in the process of creating homes for Veterans in twenty other cities including Las Vegas, NV, Denver, CO, and Orlando, FL.
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(Front) Margy Rogers, Kiwanis Club Marietta Golden K; Mila Kornuth, Silver Peb award winner and Dana Popovich, Kiwanis. (Back) Jim Perry and Paul Smith, Kiwanis
Submitted information and photos:
In May of 2024, The Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K proudly presented the coveted Silver Pen award to students from 5 Cobb County Elementary Schools. Fourth graders from Acworth, Addison, Powers Ferry, Rocky Mount and Tritt Elementary Schools were presented with the award. In addition, a FIFTH GRADE Silver Pen award was presented to a student from Powers Ferry Elementary School.
The awards included: A Silver Pen; $25 dollars in cash in the form of uncirculated 1 dollar coins from a US mint and an engraved plaque
The topic of the essays that the 4th grade (and 5th grade) students wrote about this year was “What They Want to be When When Grow Up.” The essays were submitted for judging at the school level, then winning essays from each school were further submitted for judging by a team of Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K judges. After the rigorous judging process was completed, final Silver Pen award winners from each school were announced.
As Jim Perry, past president of Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K stated, “There were some first this year that are worthy of note:
We presented six awards this year, which is an all time record, adding two new schools: Addison and Powers Ferry.
We presented the first Fifth Grade Silver Pen Award ever anywhere in the Georgia District of Kiwanis at Powers Ferry Elementary School.
The winning student at Acworth Elementary School has been taught by a teacher who has now had four Silver Pen Award Winners!
The mother of the winning student at Acworth Elementary School was a Key Club member when she attended North Cobb High School!
Parents, faculty, staff, and Kiwanis members were privileged to recognize these talented students who displayed their respective thinking and writing skills.
Acworth – Elias Nunez – Pilot
Addison – Mila Kornuth – Pro Golfer
Powers Ferry – 4th Grade – Isaque Fernandes – Professional Soccer Player
The Silver Pen award is a national award and everyone is extremely proud of these exceptional writers. We wholeheartedly congratulate them and we are confident that these talented writers will be successful in whatever professions they choose.
(L-R) Paul Smith, president of Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K; Jim Perry, Kiwanis; Gitma Davis (mom), Quinnlyn Davis, Silver Pen award winner; Nate Davis (dad) and Dana Popovich, Kiwanis.
Paul Smith, Kiwanis; Lucy Hostetler, Silver Pen award winner: Jim Perry and Dana Popovich, Kiwanis.
(L-R) Jim Perry, Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K; Paul Smith, President Kiwanis; Jaden Artiga Hernandez, 5th grade Silver Pen winner; Isaque Fernandes, 4th grade Silver Pen winner, Rosie Teague and Dana Popovich, Kiwanis.
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Start your summer with a splash at Cobb PARKS’ two outdoor pools opening Memorial Day weekend. Cool off with the family at Sewell Park Pool and Seven Springs Water Park.
Sewell Park Pool 2051 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta Open May 25 – July 27 Hours: 1 – 6 p.m., seven days a week Holiday hours – 1 – 5 p.m., in effect on these days: • Memorial Day Monday, May 27 • Juneteenth, Wednesday, June 19 • Independence Day, Thursday, July 4 • Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2
From July 28 – Sept. 2, the pool will be open 1 – 6 p.m. weekends and closed weekdays. Fees are $3.50 for youth, $4.50 for adults and $3 for seniors 55 and older. More information on Sewell Pool can be found at https://bit.ly/3ymUoK9.
Seven Springs Water Park 3820 Macedonia Road, Powder Springs Dive into the summer season starting May 25. The pool and water park will offer two separate sessions, noon – 3 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m., seven days a week through July 28, then weekends through Labor Day, Sept. 2. Fees are $6 for adults, $4 for children and $3 for seniors 55 and older. Passes are available. Please here for more details: https://bit.ly/4dFLHL9.
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Police said around 4 pm that the boy has been located and he is safe.
Original Post:
Cobb Police have sent out this message Thursday afternoon:
“There will be a significant police presence in the area of Autumn Leaves Lane. Several units from our uniformed patrol division and special units will be searching for a missing juvenile in the area.”
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Cobb County Government offices will be closed in observance of Memorial Day, May 27. Many county services will remain available online through cobbcounty.org. Memorial Day is a solemn time when we remember and honor those who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Memorial Day ceremonies in Cobb:
• Pay your respects at noon Monday at the Marietta National Cemetery, 500 Washington Avenue NE.
• Powder Springs Memorial Day Ceremony will be at noon Monday at the Veteran’s Memorial in front of the Powder Springs Library, 4181 Atlanta Street, Powder Springs.
• Smyrna Memorial Day Ceremony is scheduled for 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Veterans Memorial next to City Hall, 2800 King Street SE, Smyrna.
• Acworth Memorial Day Ceremony is 10 – 11 a.m. Monday at Cauble Park, Patriots Point, 4425 Beach Street, Acworth.
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A rendition of Beowulf at a previous MiniCon at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center.
Submitted information and photo:
Sewell Mill Library & Cultural Center welcomes back MiniCon, a free fan convention, on June 22, 2024, from 10am-5pm. Fans of all ages are invited to celebrate everything fantasy, Sci-Fi, and anime with their community.
MiniCon 2024 is set to be the best one yet! “We are all so excited to see MiniCon return once again in an even bigger “mini” fashion…[E]very corner of Sewell Mill will be buzzing with activity,” says Recreation Program Coordinator Christopher McDoniel.
Young fans can start their day with an intergalactic themed story time and craft before walking in the Children’s Costume Parade. Throughout the day, fans of all ages can attend a variety of panel discussions, watch live entertainment, and shop the Artist Alley that features 30 local artists. Cosplay enthusiasts are invited to enter the cosplay contest in one of three categories: Youth, Teen, or Adult. Guests can wrap up the day singing along in Cosplay Karaoke.
Local food trucks, C’est Tou Bon 2 Eat and Pelican’s Snowballs, will be next to the flagpole with delicious food and treats.
Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center are under Cobb County Libraries and Cobb PARKS, and they offer creative programming through their gallery, arts classes, and Creative Studios in addition to other library resources. For more information regarding MiniCon 2024, email smcc@cobbcounty.org or call 770-509-2711.
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Pause originated in the Los Angeles area and is expanding franchises nationwide
The national wellness studio Pause has announced it’s opening a location this fall at Avenue East Cobb.
Services include cold plunge, floatation therapy, IV vitamin drip, cryotherapy, infrared sauna, contrast therapy, compression therapy, LED light therapy, and more.
The local owners, Lisa and Evan Benson, will be having a meet and greet at the Avenue plaza from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday.
The 3,000-foot-space (website here) will be located next to the Xfinity store (4475 Roswell Road, Suite 420) and is one of two new Georgia locations operated by the Bensons.
Other products to be available include the Osea skincare line, Le Labo bath products, and Rishi herbal tea.
Pause has five locations in Southern California, and is planning more in Florida, Bentonville Ark. and Nashville, in addition to Buckhead.
North American Properties, which manages Avenue East Cobb, said Pause is the 15th “permanent brand” to come to the retail center on Roswell Road over the last two years.
Pause was founded in 2016 in the Los Angeles area in what’s been termed the “experiential wellness” field and has been a “technology recovery partner” for the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and the Professional Golf Association Tour.
The company recently began to award franchise locations and according to Fitt Insider, Pause is “riding demand for sauna and cold plunge” in the boutique wellness industry.
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In the spirit of honoring our fallen heroes, the Cobb New Horizons Symphonic Band is proud to present a special musical performance on the 27th of May, 2024. The band, under the direction of Dr. Charles R. Jackson, will be performing at The Park at City Center, located at 101 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock, GA 30188.
The event will commence at 9:30 am with the special musical performance, followed by the main ceremony at 10:00 am.
The Cobb New Horizons Symphonic Band is renowned for its exceptional musical prowess, and this Memorial Day, they will be showcasing their talent with a special performance. The band will be playing a selection of patriotic and classical music to honor the memory of those who have served and sacrificed for their country.
We invite you to join us for this heartfelt and meaningful ceremony. Let us come together to honor and remember those who have given their lives for our country.
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Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
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“The sexualization of children can never become normalized,” Cobb superintendent Chris Ragsdale said Thursday, and not for the first time during a contentious 2023-24 school year.
The 2023-24 academic year in the Cobb County School District ended just as the way it started on a key cultural issue that has been roiling public schools around the country:
The removal of books from school libraries and classrooms that contain sexually explicit and adult-themed material.
What critics have called “book bans” that amount to censorship, Cobb superintendent Chris Ragsdale insists are measures to protect students from harmful materials and prioritize parental rights.
At a Cobb Board of Education meeting last week, Ragsdale fired back at his critics for a third time since the flap began last September.
During his monthly remarks, Ragsdale blasted a civil rights complaint filed against the Cobb school district by the National Women’s Law Center, saying the removals have created a hostile environment for students of color, as well as from the LGBTQ community and other groups.
“Flamer”—which features a gay youth coming to terms with his sexuality—is one of the books pulled from Cobb school district shelves.
The NWLC action was filed with the Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Education, and includes allegations that the Cobb school district shut down attempts to create a gay-student alliance at Walton High School.
The complaint asks for the removed books to be restored to Cobb school library shelves and for future removals to be halted.
The complaint also wants the Cobb school district to create clear mission statements and policies that “value diversity and are committed to ensuring safe, inclusive, and supportive campuses free from discrimination.”
But Ragsdale said the allegations are “lies …. spread by an out-of-state political action group that seeks to impose their political agenda on our children.”
Cobb has removed seven titles from school bookshelves during the past school year, out of more than a million pieces of materials that he said represent a wide variety of diverse elements and perspectives.
Following complaints by parents about the books, Ragsdale said the district found them to be lewd, vulgar and sexually explicit.
“This complaint isn’t about any facts, but an attempt to push a specific political agenda of a D.C.-based advocacy group on the students and citizens of Cobb County,” Ragsdale said.
“We will not bow to their demands to break the law, and we will always protect the students of Cobb County no matter their gender, race, nationality, religion or any other protected class.
“I will not be moved. The sexualization of children can never become normalized.”
Laura Judge
Om Sunday, the district reiterated the message on its social media channels, pledging to update parents when books are removed for explicit and graphic content.
“Some will continue to fight for sexually explicit content in schools, to flip our Board majority in November, and to remove our Superintendent and staff.”
A part of that message prompted a response from a school board candidate from East Cobb.
Democrat Laura Judge posted on her candidate Facebook page Monday that “it’s problematic that we have a district communication team that continues to lean politically one way with posting their fear of ‘flipping the board majority.’ “
Judge is seeking the Post 5 seat being vacated by Republican David Banks. Republicans have a 4-3 majority on the school board, and three of those seats are on the November ballot. She and Republican John Cristadoro, both parents in the Walton cluster, will be facing off in the general election.
That partisan wrangling has been at the heart of a number of school board disputes in recent years, and the book removals are no exception.
The Cobb school district’s social media thread on Sunday referenced a partisan 4-3 vote by the board to extend Ragsdale’s contract in February, calling it an attempt to “heighten political pressure” against the Republican majority and the superintendent.
Parents critical of Ragsdale and who regularly address the board at meetings have started an informal “public comment book club” in a social media group to read the titles that have been removed in Cobb schools. A few wondered if the Bible also has been removed, in tongue-in-cheek fashion.
“All that talk about incest, rape, prostitution, nudity and the like. Lewd, lewd, lewd!” said one parent, with another linking to just such a decision in schools in Utah, and with passages from the Old Testament.
But other parents said that they found the books inappropriate for the schools, with one saying that “perhaps you could show your children this material if it is important to you, rather than fight to get it disseminated to others’ children.”
Judge, who has said occasionally that the school board composition shouldn’t be partisan, said in her Facebook post Monday that “until we have a board that is willing to hold the superintendent accountable for actual problems we have within our schools, rather than this manufactured one that has happened under the current majority and/or leadership, we will continue to see our students and schools treated as political pawns by this district on their social posts or through our CTLS platform.”
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