The beautiful weather we’ve had all week is going to change on Saturday in dramatic fashion.
The National Weather Service in Peachtree City said that much of North Georgia will be the path of a line of severe thunderstorms late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, including the possibility of tornadoes.
A hazardous weather outlook issued Friday said that Cobb is included in an area for severe weather that is expected to arrive by Saturday afternoon.
“All severe weather hazards including tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail are possible
with this event,” the NWS said in its forecast.
The chance of rain is 50 percent on Saturday afternoon, with thunderstorms most likely after 2 p.m. Highs will be in the high 70s.
That will increase to 100 percent chance of rain Saturday night, with winds gusting between 20-30 mph as well as lows around 60.
On Sunday, the chance of rain will lower to 30 percent, with a high around 70, as the storms move east. A 10 percent chance is in the forecast for Sunday night.
The weather will clear up into Monday morning, with sunny skies and highs in the low 60s on Monday, then highs in the 70s for most of the rest of next week.
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!
The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office invites the public to attend its first community briefing of the year. As part of Sheriff Owens’ ongoing commitment to fostering trust and transparency with Cobb County residents, this event provides an opportunity for community members to engage with the Sheriff’s Office and the command staff, gain insights into agency operations, and pose questions.
Additionally, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office will be recognized by KultureCity for completing its certification in sensory training. This certification enhances the office’s ability to serve individuals with sensory needs, including those with autism. As part of this initiative, KultureCity will provide sensory bag items and tools to the Sheriff’s Office, including:
Fidget Tools – For calming and focus
Noise-Canceling Headphones – For reducing sound input
Visual Cue Cards – For communication and emotional expression
Weighted Lap Pads – For deep pressure and regulation, useful in high-seating demand areas
KultureCity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sensory accessibility and acceptance for individuals with invisible disabilities and sensory needs. They work to create sensory-inclusive environments by training staff and certifying them for sensory accessibility. This initiative reinforces the Sheriff’s Office’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility for all members of the community.
The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office will also celebrate the graduation of its latest Citizens’ Academy cohort.
To wrap up the community briefing, our Special Operations Division will host a dynamic showcase featuring the Mounted Patrol Unit, SWAT, Drone Unit, and Motor Unit.
Who: Cobb County Sheriff’s Office
What: An open-to-the-public community briefing allowing Cobb County’s community leaders and residents to understand the efforts of the sheriff’s office in ensuring public safety and the range of services it offers.
Why: The community briefing gives the public an opportunity to hear directly from Sheriff Owens about the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office’s ongoing efforts to ensure public safety, strengthen community relations, and outline future goals.
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 Superior Court Judge Ann B. Harris presided over the Mental Health Court graduation on Thursday, March 6, where officials, community members, attorneys, family members and friends came together to congratulate five graduates of the Cobb County Mental Health Court (MHC).
MHC provides accountability and treatment to Cobb County citizens who are diagnosed with mental illness and find themselves involved in the criminal justice system The graduates were recognized for successfully completing the program which is a rigorous 18- to 24-month program offering supervision, accountability, and intensive treatment services. The overriding theme was a sense of accomplishment, hope, and excitement for the next chapter of their lives.
The Cobb County Mental Health Court strives to improve mental health, promote self-sufficiency, reduce recidivism, and offer cost effective alternatives to incarceration and hospitalization. Cobb MHC represents an effort to increase effective cooperation between two systems: the mental health system and the criminal justice system. The MHC holds participants accountable while assisting them in achieving long term stability, becoming successful community members, and remaining law abiding citizens.
The Cobb MHC has been recognized as a Model Court in the state of Georgia by the Council of Accountability Court Judges and has served as a mentor court to other mental health courts in the state. Cobb MHC is a voluntary, pre-, or post-plea, judicially supervised, treatment-based program for those individuals with a documented mental health diagnosis. Cobb MHC partners with Highland Rivers Behavioral Health to provide comprehensive treatment services.
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!
The Marietta Greek Festival returns to the East Cobb area in May.
Spring is bursting out everywhere, and so many kinds of activities are coming up in the East Cobb area.
We invite individuals and organizations holding public events to share their items with East Cobb News, so we can let the whole community know.
Our calendar listings (check out what’s coming up soon) include community events and festivals, fundraisers, educational sessions, arts and entertainment activities, civic meetings, and more.
We hear from all kinds of community members in a variety of ways, and here’s the best way to ensure that your calendar listing is shared on East Cobb News:
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Send us the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.
Please limit your events to the East Cobb/City of Marietta area. We get requests to list events in other parts of Cobb County and metro area, but we cover a big community with a lot going on and our pledge is to be all local, all the time.
We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.
We STRONGLY PREFER E-MAIL SUBMISSIONS over other forms of transmission. While we get text and private social media messages about events for publication, we don’t monitor those accounts as often as our inboxes. Please e-mail your information, photos, graphics, etc. to calendar@eastcobbnews.com.
If you are a new business, we cover grand openings, ribbon-cuttings, etc., as a news item. Please send that information to editor@eastcobbnews.com.
If you are interested in promoting your event or business on East Cobb News, with paid advertising, we would be glad to discuss our many dynamic digital options with you. Contact us at advertising@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll get in touch right away.
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As graduation season approaches, Cobb County School District is dedicated to preparing students for their next big step. To help guide them through the transition, Cobb Schools is hosting a College Fair on Tuesday, March 25, at Hillgrove High School.
This event is designed to equip students with the tools they need to continue to the successful start they earned in Cobb. By connecting with representatives from over 50 universities, students and families can explore academic programs, learn about admissions requirements, and get answers to key questions about their postsecondary options.
Event Details:
Hillgrove High School (4165 Luther Ward Rd, Powder Springs, GA 30127)
Tuesday, March 25
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Overview of the U.S. College Application Process
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM | College Fair
Additional Informational Sessions:
Financial Aid Overview – Learn how to navigate the financial aspects of college or trade school.
Understanding the Role of the College Essay – Get advice on crafting a compelling personal statement.
HBCU Experience Panel – Gain insights from alumni about Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Taking Advantage of the Hope & Zell Grant – Discover how Georgia’s programs support the Technical College System of Georgia students.
From Graduation to the Next Chapter
Cobb Schools has a strong tradition of preparing students for success beyond high school, and this college fair is just one of the many ways the district ensures students are ready for their next journey. As seniors prepare to walk across the stage this May, underclassmen can use this event to start planning for their own futures.
Register Today!
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to take charge of your future! Scan the QR code or visit ScholarTrek/Cobb to sign up. The journey to college and career success starts here—see you at the College Fair on March 25!
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!
The East Cobb Rotary Club proudly announced the distribution of $100,000 to 29 local charities during a special giveback ceremony held on March 4, 2025, at Piedmont Church. These funds were raised through the club’s highly successful annual Dog Days Road Race.
The ceremony brought together representatives from the recipient charities, race sponsors, Rotary members, and community guests to celebrate the collective impact of their efforts. The $100,000 will directly support a diverse array of organizations serving the East Cobb community, focusing on crucial areas such as youth programs, housing, mental health services, and more.
“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who participated in and supported the Dog Days Road Race,” said Jonathan Lyons, the current President of East Cobb Rotary. “This significant contribution reflects the strong commitment of our community to supporting those in need. It is a testament to the power of collective action and the spirit of giving that defines East Cobb.”
The Dog Days Road Race has become a cornerstone event for the East Cobb Rotary, consistently generating substantial funds for local charities. Over the past 19 years, the event has raised and distributed over $1.2 million, directly benefiting the community. More than 10,000 runners have participated in the 5K race, which is held annually at the McCleskey East Cobb YMCA.
This year’s race marks the 20th anniversary of the Dog Days Road Race and is scheduled for August 9, 2025. The East Cobb Rotary invites runners and potential sponsors to join in the celebration and continue the tradition of community support.
“We are excited to celebrate 20 years of the Dog Days Road Race,” said Liz Myers, President-Elect of East Cobb Rotary. “We look forward to another successful event and the opportunity to further our impact in the East Cobb community.”
For more information about the Dog Days Road Race and how to participate or become a sponsor, please visit: https://dogdaysrun.com/.
About East Cobb Rotary:
The East Cobb Rotary is a service organization dedicated to making a positive impact in the East Cobb community and beyond. Through various initiatives and events, the club strives to support local charities, promote goodwill, and foster community engagement. For more information, go to https://www.eastcobbrotary.com/
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Former State Rep. Erick Allen has defeated Jaha Howard in a Democratic runoff in a special election for District 2 on the Cobb Board of Commissioners.
Allen will face Republican Alicia Adams in the April 29 general election for District 2, with the winner to succeed Jerica Richardson.
In the runoff, Allen received 1,958 votes to 1,494 for Howard, a former member of the Cobb Board of Education (56.7 percent to 43.2 percent), with only three percent turnout (full results here).
District 2 formerly included much of East Cobb, but now includes only several precincts in the East Cobb area.
The special elections were ordered by a Cobb judge after May 2024 primaries were invalidated due to electoral maps that were ruled to be in violation of the Georgia Constitution.
Those maps were drawn by Allen, of Smyrna, then the chairman of the Cobb legislative delegation, but never received a vote. Since leaving office, Allen has been the head of the Cobb Democratic Party.
Howard, a dentist in Vinings, served on the Cobb school board from 2019-22. He also ran unsuccessfully for the Georgia Senate and for Georgia Superintendent of Schools.
After the court rulings, Cobb Commissioners voted to vacate the District 2 seat that had been held by Richardson, a Democrat, who was drawn out of her East Cobb home in redistricting.
Richardson and her two Democratic commissioner colleagues honored the Allen maps for more than two years in making a “home rule” challenge. But two Cobb judges ruled those maps were illegal because only the legislature can conduct county reapportionment.
In January, Richardson lost her final appeal to stay in office—although her term expired on Dec. 31—and the commission has been operating with four members since then.
In the other special election, first-term Democrat Monique Sheffield won her primary in February in District 4 in South Cobb, and will face Republican Matthew Hardwick in the April 29 general election.
Sheffield’s term also expired on Dec. 31, but she has been allowed to continue serving until the special elections are decided.
Cobb Elections estimates the special elections will cost around $1.5 million.
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The Cobb Police DUI Task Force has been working out of a new precinct building in Northeast Cobb that will eventually include some patrol beats and other functions.
On April 4 there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Precinct 6, located near the Mountain View Aquatic Center, followed by tours that are open to the public.
The event, which lasts from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (3141 Hong Way) is a culmination of a years-long process to build and staff a new precinct.
According to Cobb officials, the total price tag for the construction will be $8.2 million. That includes an additional $500,000 coming from discretionary funding via District 3 Commissioner JoAnn Birrell. In 2023, commissioners approved $7.7 million to complete a project that was initially budgeted for $5 million in 2016 Cobb SPLOST funds.
But construction cost increases delayed the opening of Precinct 6.
When commissioners approved the additional $2.2 million in spending in 2023, the building was only 60 percent complete, with most of the interior build-out still to come.
Work was halted altogether after groundbreaking in 2021, as construction costs for a number of county projects skyrocketed.
After the Precinct 6 ribbon-cutting, some Cobb Police officers and administrative personnel will be working during daytime hours at the Precinct 6 building.
Cobb spokesman Ross Cavitt told East Cobb News that “Cobb PD is studying its precinct beats and will eventually reconfigure beats in Precincts 1, 4, and the new 6 to have six beats running out of the new precinct. That process is expected to take 12-18 months.”
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Lee Miller of the Foothills District of the Atlanta Area Council for Scouting America (based nearby across from Truist Park) says the organization is inviting all scout members of the council to a service project at East Cobb Park in early May.
It’s a cleanup project of Sewell Mill Creek on May 3 from 10-2, and includes cleaning up debris along the creek, environmental education sessions, team-building activities, and prizes for the most trash collected.
Participants will earn community service hours, learn about conservation and sustainability, improve the local ecosystem and meet other scouts.
Interested scouts should show up at East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road) “ready to learn and have fun! Youth and adults of appropriate ages and abilities are welcome. Wear shoes and clothes that can get wet.”
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Credit Union of Georgia is excited to announce the launch of Credit Union of Georgia Community Foundation, a new initiative designed to create a meaningful impact on the local communities the Credit Union serves. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in supporting individuals, schools, non-profits, and community organizations through charitable giving, volunteerism, and strategic partnerships.
As part of its commitment to enhancing lives, the Credit Union of Georgia Community Foundation aims to provide solutions and guidance for every stage of life, working alongside local groups and organizations to foster growth and opportunity. By investing in community-based programs and initiatives, the Foundation aims to build stronger, more vibrant communities where every individual can thrive.
“At Credit Union of Georgia, our members and their communities are at the heart of everything we do,” said Amanda Arnold, Director of Community Outreach for Credit Union of Georgia. “Through the creation of the Credit Union of Georgia Community Foundation, Inc. we are taking the next step in continuing our longstanding mission of making a positive, lasting difference. This initiative embodies our belief in giving back, supporting local efforts, and helping to empower those around us.”
The vision for the Credit Union of Georgia Community Foundation is simple: to build stronger communities, one initiative at a time. By aligning efforts with the values of the Credit Union, the Foundation will provide resources to enhance educational opportunities, support charitable organizations, and ensure that those in need have the tools to succeed. Through volunteerism, partnerships, and financial support, the Foundation will help strengthen the community, fostering growth for generations to come.
With this new initiative, Credit Union of Georgia reaffirms its dedication to its members and the surrounding communities. The Foundation will operate as a platform for charitable giving, organizing community outreach programs, and facilitating partnerships that make a tangible difference. It represents a continued commitment to the credit union’s values of trust, service, and community-centered growth.
Credit Union of Georgia Community Foundation will be operated by a volunteer Board of Directors, which currently includes Credit Union of Georgia President/CEO, Brian Albrecht as Chairman, Credit Union of Georgia Chief Operating Officer, Kathy Day as Vice President, Credit Union of Georgia Chief Financial Officer, Brian Hawkins as Treasurer, Director of Administrative Support, Kim Elliot as Secretary and Chief Lending Officer Jason Walker and Vice President of Marketing, Michelle Dobbins as Board Members.
For more information about the Credit Union of Georgia Community Foundation and how to get involved, visit cuofga.org/foundation.
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!
Wheeler players celebrate with the GHSA trophy. GPB screengrab
After building a 14-point lead in the second quarter, the Wheeler Wildcats had to claw out their 10th boys basketball state championship the hard way on Saturday.
They trailed heading into the fourth quarter, and were holding on to a slender 57-55 lead against Newton in the final minute when “they found a way,” in the words of coach Larry Thompson.
That’s when junior Colben Landrew stepped up, scoring the final 10 points as Wheeler prevailed 61-56 in Macon to win the Class 6A Georgia High School Association crown.
Landrew had 21 points and guard Kevin Savage had 17 for Wheeler (29-3), which becomes only the sixth school, boys or girls, to win 10 or more state titles.
As the clock expired, Thompson was overcome with emotion. It was his fourth state title at Wheeler, and the Wildcats’ fourth in the last six years.
But he was thinking about the last time his team won the state championship, in 2023.
That was the last time his now-late mother would see her son coach, as he told Georgia Public Broadcasting after the game.
Wheeler coach Larry Thompson is overcome with emotion after winning another state title.
“These guys were nothing but great,” Thompson said of his current players, who won their last 21 consecutive games.
They roared to a 29-15 lead before Newton (21-10) reeled off a 15-5 run to end the half, with Wheeler clinging to a 34-30 lead.
Wheeler pushed ahead to stay midway in the fourth quarter. A 3-pointer by Zach Harden got Newton to within two at 57-55, but that’s when Landrew stepped up.
He made four free throws in the final 17 seconds to clinch the championship.
“We had to dig deep to find a little more toughness,” Thompson said.
“These guys found a way and they found a way all year.”
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Well, I don’t know what to say to this but: Wow!
When I asked readers last week to help us get to $1,500 in donations for the month of March, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I checked the totals thus far.
We’re already around a quarter of the way there, after only a few days!
Thank you to all of you who have donated in March, and especially a reader who contributed $300! That’s the biggest single donation we’ve received in this and previous requests for reader support.
I’m so touched by that gesture, but we know that not everybody can donate that much.
When I started the “1500 Club” it was with the goal of having 1,500 readers make recurring monthly donations.
I still want to reach that figure, but for the month of March, we’re simply asking for $1,500 in reader donations.
In February we surpassed the $800 mark, and I think this new goal is definitely achievable.
It’s a big goal, but this news site was founded on big dreams, and we’ve been able to do so much more than I initially envisioned.
I want to continue to grow this site and its role in our community and give it a lasting presence for many years!
If what you see here at East Cobb News is of any value to you, please click below to show your support.
We’re asking for $6 a month as a recurring monthly donation, but you can give an amount of your choosing, either monthly, annually or on a one-time basis.
Your contribution powers the work of East Cobb News in serving this community like no one else—with daily stories about local government, schools, public safety, small business, transportation, the arts, community service and more—and grows an engaged audience as a result.
East Cobb News is among dozens of local independent online news sites that have emerged in recent years to offer grassroots news for their communities with an authentic local touch from publishers who are fully invested in everything that goes on there.
Unlike other corporate-0wned outlets, East Cobb News does not charge for reader access. While we’re a for-profit entity, we’re not unlike those who ask readers for their assistance in not just preserving, but strengthening local news.
Nor do we charge for our newsletter—one of the more popular ways readers keep up with East Cobb News—and we invite public comments on all our stories. We’ve got a healthy, vibrant community that comes online to discuss the top headlines of the day, and I’m proud of what’s been built up here.
Press Patron, our online platform is safe, secure and easy to use, and you can manage your account however you like.
The warm weather we’ve been having in recent weeks will continue as Daylight Saving Time rolls in on Sunday.
Set your clock ahead before going to bed Saturday night—spring forward—and enjoy daylight that extends past 7 p.m.
While the Sunday forecast itself will be cooler—with a 50-80 percent chance of rain and highs in the high 50s—the rest of the week calls for temperatures reaching into the mid 70s and plenty of sunshine.
According to the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, lows will remain in the mid 40s most nights in the coming week.
On Monday, there also will be a 50 percent chance of rain, with highs in the low 60s.
Tuesday and Wednesday will be warmer and sunnier, then cloudy skills will move in toward the end of next week and the weekend.
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!
Democratic voters will decide on Tuesday their party’s nominee in a special election for District 2 on the Cobb Board of Commissioners.
Early voting ended Friday in the runoff between former State Rep. Erick Allen and former Cobb Board of Education member Jaha Howard, and turnout has been very light.
Only 1,469 votes were cast in early voting this week, according to Cobb Elections.
On Tuesday, voters will go to their assigned precincts to vote. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the precincts in the East Cobb area that are in District 2 are as follows:
Chattahoochee 01: The Paces Foundation, 2730 Cumberland Boulevard
East Piedmont 01: Shady Grove Baptist Church, 1654 Bells Ferry Road
Elizabeth 01: Cobb EMC, 1000 EMC Parkway
Elizabeth 02: Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2881 Canton Road
Elizabeth 4: Gracelife Church, 1083 Allgood Road
Marietta 6A: Kenyan American Community Church, 771 Elberta Drive
Marietta 6B: Mt. Paran Church of God North, 1700 Allgood Road
Powers Ferry 01: Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center, 2051 Lower Roswell Road
Sewell Mill 03: Immanuel Korean United Methodist Church, 945 Old Canton Road
(Please note: Not all voters in these precincts are in District 2. To check your status, visit the My Voter Page at the Georgia Secretary of State’s website.)
The runoff winner will face Republican Alicia Adams in the April 29 general election.
The special elections were ordered by a Cobb judge after May 2024 primaries were invalidated due to electoral maps that were ruled to be in violation of the Georgia Constitution.
Those maps were drawn by Allen, of Smyrna, then the chairman of the Cobb legislative delegation but never received a vote. Since leaving office, Allen has been the head of the Cobb Democratic Party.
Howard, a dentist in Vinings, served on the Cobb school board from 2019-22. He also ran unsuccessfully for the Georgia Senate and for Georgia Superintendent of Schools.
After the court rulings, Cobb Commissioners voted to vacate the District 2 seat that had been held by Democrat Jerica Richardson, who was drawn out of her East Cobb home in redistricting.
In January Richardson lost her final appeal, and the commission has been operating with four members since then.
One of them, first-term Democrat Monique Sheffield, won her primary in February in the special election in District 4 in South Cobb, and will face Republican Matthew Hardwick in the April 29 general election.
Cobb Elections estimates the special elections will cost around $1.5 million.
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The Wheeler boys basketball team travels to Macon for a Saturday date in the Georgia High School Association Class 6A state championship game.
The Wildcats (28-3) will be playing Newton at 7:30 p.m. at the Macon Coliseum, in pursuit of the school’s 10th state title and their fourth in the last six years.
A livestream of the game will be shown on Georgia Public Broadcasting at this link.
Only five other schools in Georgia history have won 10 state titles, and Wheeler’s dynasty stretches back more than 30 years.
It was in 1994 that Wheeler won its first state title, with future college star Shareef Abdur-Rahim. That was under coach Doug Lipscomb, whose tenure set off a long line of Wildcat standouts who went on to star in college and professional basketball.
Coach Larry Thompson has three titles at Wheeler under his belt, and has quickly rebuilt after the 2023 state title led by guard Isaiah Collier, now playing with the NBA’s Utah Jazz.
Senior forward Tylis Jordan, who will be attending the University of Mississippi, leads this Wheeler team, which has won 20 games in a row.
Wheeler defeated Grayson in the semifinals last weekend. The Class 6A title game almost became an all-Cobb County affair, but Newton (21-9) held off Pebblebrook in the other semifinal.
The Walton boys team reached the Class 6A quarterfinals, equalling the Raiders’ best finish in the school history. In Class 5A, the Sprayberry boys reached the second round, and in Class 4A, the Kell boys, a state champion in 2024, were eliminated in the first round.
In the GHSA’s private school classification, the Mt. Bethel Christian Academy boys reached the second round, as did The Walker School boys.
In the girls state tournament, the Lassiter reached the second round in the Class 5A tournament, and the Kell girls did the same in the Class 4A tournament. The Mt. Bethel Christian and The Walker School girls were eliminated in the first round of the private school tournament.
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Mt. Bethel Christian Academy’s master plan to accommodate new classroom buildings and relocated athletics facilities was adopted in December.
A request by Mt. Bethel Christian Academy for up to $50 million in tax-free bonds to expand its upper-school campus on Post Oak Tritt Road will be heard by the Cobb Board of Commissioners Tuesday.
According to an agenda item, Mt. Bethel is asking commissioners to adopt a resolution from the Development Authority of Cobb County “to finance the costs of, constructing, expanding, improving and/or equipping certain educational facilities for the use and operation” of the private school facility, where a high school campus has been in operation since 2014.
Private businesses and other entities seek the bonds for expansion projects, and commissioners are asked to adopt those resolutions.
But public money is not used for what are called “Lease Revenue” bonds, which lower the cost of borrowing compared to standard corporate bonds.
The agenda item (you can read it here) further states that “the proposed Bonds will not be an obligation of the County, or of the State of Georgia or of any county, municipal corporation, or political subdivision of the State of Georgia. The proposed Bonds will not be paid from taxes, but will be payable by the Issuer solely from amounts to be paid or provided by the Company.”
Mt. Bethel, which began under the auspices of the now-Mt. Bethel Church in 1998, is planning to move its middle school grades to the 33-acre site near Holly Springs Road.
It enrolls nearly 700 students at all grade levels, including around 200 in high school. The expansion project would allow up to 625 students in grades 6-12.
The school is proposing to build a multi-story classroom building and other academic facilities and construct a new dining hall.
In December, commissioners adopted a master plan for the Post Oak Tritt property to relocate and expand some existing athletic facilities and allow a second access point to the campus.
The school separated from the church in 2021 and has rented K-8 class space at the church property on Lower Roswell Road.
But the school’s lease is up in 2028, and academy officials are also seeking a new site for the K-5 grades.
There’s not room on Post Oak Tritt Road for the entire school, which school officials envision having around 1,000 students in the future.
The development authority held a public hearing for the Mt. Bethel proposal on Jan. 24, and according to Tuesday’s agenda item, there were no speakers commenting either for or against the bond proposal.
But some nearby residents were concerned about some of the changes that were eventually incorporated into the master plan, including lighting and noise issues stemming from the athletic facilities, as well as a buffer between the school and the neighborhood.
The Board of Commissioners meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the second floor board room of the county office building at 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta. You can view the full agenda by clicking here.
You also can watch the hearing on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.
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!
“Crime stories are interesting because they are about human drama,” Brandi Bradley said.
A newspaper reporting career in the small-town South provided Brandi Bradley not only with a rich vein of stories to tell but also a window to the writing life she really dreamed of having.
“I always wanted to be a novelist,” said Bradley, a 12-year resident of East Cobb, who this month will have her second work of fiction published.
But what kind of novelist she would become wasn’t clear at the outset.
She thought about writing Romance novels, but her stories “just kept getting darker and darker.”
Her biggest influences were Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich—”I love the airport novels,” she says—but the style and real-life experiences of her journalistic work poured out as well.
“I wrote like a journalist because I was a journalist,” she said. “I still do.”
She covered courts and trials in places like Paducah, Ky., where she was the only female reporter on staff, and the stories practically wrote themselves.
“I love a good crime story,” Bradley said. “Crime stories are interesting because they are about human drama.”
In 2023, she self-published her first novel, “Mothers of the Missing Mermaid,” set in Destin, Fla.
It’s about a young woman who learns that she was kidnapped as a toddler and raised in the Gulf beach town.
Her new novel, also self-published on her own platform, Rumor Mill Press, is called “Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder,” and is set in a fictitious Kentucky town called Pleasant Springs.
If that sounds intentionally noirish, it is. Bradley describes her new novel as a noirish tale of a young entrepreneur’s death, investigated by a distracted detective who uncovers a motive that unfolds very gradually, and intensely.
As the dead man’s relationships are examined, the female investigator’s wife’s ex-boyfriend—who was the sperm donor for their baby—decides to return to Pleasant Springs.
“There’s a lot of small-town human drama,” Bradley said. “Being suspicious of new people, and asking the question: What is the fight really about?”
Bradley grew up on a farm in western Tennessee, and was hooked on reading and writing at an early age, devouring the novels of true-crime author Ann Rule in high school.
There wasn’t a high culture revolving around bookstores, so public libraries filled her reading cravings.
She and her husband both worked for newspapers in Kentucky. He left the business for law school, then the family relocated to East Cobb when he became an attorney for the U.S. Treasury Department in Atlanta.
They have two sons, one a Walton High School graduate, and another who attends Dickerson Middle School.
“We just fell in love with East Cobb,” she said, mentioning the writing workshops she’s been a part of with writing groups at the East Cobb Library.
“I love working with the libraries,” she said. “They have saved me many, many times.”
Until she recently got a study room of her own at home, Bradley did a good bit of her own writing at Panera Bread at Avenue East Cobb and local coffee shops.
“I learned how to write in the margins,” she said. “I write when I can.”
Since 2020, she has been a full-time non-tenured teacher of English composition and creative writing at Kennesaw State University, and she’s on campus four days a week.
She’s set up what she calls a “write in” space for students who want to meet, talk, or just hang out. A good bit of her job is to encourage students who haven’t been given much encouragement.
“The students who are told in high school that they’re bad writers,” she said, “they realize they’re good. And I tell them that. They’re trying to validate experiences with their writing.”
She notes that during her youth, before the online world, reading and writing books were made to seem like chores.
Now she sees something of the reverse taking place.
“The digital spaces feel like school” to students today, “and the physical spaces don’t feel like school.
“I like to tell them you get to touch the thing you own.”
Bradley, who said she prefers self-publishing to have control over her own work, updates readers on her author’s website, BrandiBradley.com.
She says she’s at work on the very early stages of another novel, also set in Pleasant Springs, “but it’s not a sequel.”
“Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder” will be published on March 14.
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The next couple nights are going to dip around freezing in the Cobb area.