Month: August 2025

RaceTrac rezoning plans on historic NE Cobb site to be heard

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NE Cobb rezoning historic preservation efforts

The Bells Ferry Civic Association is opposing plans for a RaceTrac gas station on a busy intersection in Northeast Cobb where an 1840s-era historic home was recently relocated.

The BFCA sent a written letter to Cobb zoning staff last month, before an attorney for the applicant asked for a continuance and submitted a new site plan and additional stipulations.

A request by RaceTrac, Inc. to rezone 2.009 acres at 2595 Bells Ferry Road and across from Bells Ferry Elementary School is on the Cobb Planning Commission agenda for Tuesday.

The applicant wants to rezone the land from planned shopping center (PSC) to neighborhood retail center (NRC) for a 24/7 fueling facility with a convenience store.

What was called the McAfee House was the headquarters for Union Gen. Kenner Garrard, whose cavalry troops guarded the Noonday Creek valley after Northern troops seized Big Shanty in June 1864, in the run-up to the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

Earlier this year the house was relocated by preservationists to Cherokee County. In 2023, a car wash was proposed for the land, owned by the Medford Family LP, and the Cobb Planning Commission recommended approval. But the request was withdrawn by the applicant due to what it said were other business obligations.

In its letter (you can read it here) the BFCA referenced a glut of gas stations in the area—it counted 10 within two miles—as well as alcohol sales and gasoline fumes near the school and an adjacent KinderCare child care facility.

The civic group also referenced the historical nature of the property, asking that “prior to any development on this property, it is essential that a thorough search be conducted for Indian and Civil War artifacts, trenches, gravesites, and other items of historical significance. Furthermore, a memorial plaque needs to be erected at the corner of Bells Ferry and Barrett Pkwy to identify and commemorate an important part of our county’s history.”

In its analysis, the Cobb Zoning Staff offered brief historic preservation comments, saying that it recommending “an archaeological survey and report before any development occurs. Any artifacts discovered during the survey should be donated to an appropriate museum.”

The staff is approving recommendation (full analysis here) with none of the variances requested by RaceTrac.

Last week, RaceTrac attorney Kevin Moore submitted a stipulation letter (you can read it here) that includes an eight-foot landscape buffer around the property, and agrees with the historic preservation comments about doing an archaeological survey and report if rezoning is approved.

The Cobb Planning Commission 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.

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Dodgen MS chamber orchestra to perform at The Midwest Clinic

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Dodgen MS chamber orchestra to perform at The Midwest Clinic

Submitted information and photo:

The Dodgen Middle School Chamber Orchestra recently received one of the highest honors possible—the opportunity to perform at the 2025 Midwest Clinic! The junior high musicians and their chaperones will head to Chicago during December’s Holiday Break.

“An invitation to perform at the Midwest Clinic is the highest honor any orchestra or band can receive in the nation. It is the equivalent of winning the Super Bowl,” said Dodgen Orchestra Director Ashley Culley. “We applied by audition with a recording and a video. A panel of judges chose us from hundreds of applicants based on our performance.”

The Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference offers workshops, exhibits, and performances. Over 18,000 attendees come from all 50 states and more than 40 countries to participate, listen, and learn. The Midwest Clinic offers educators and students a memorable opportunity to network and enjoy all things music.

The Dodgen MS Chamber Orchestra is one of only two middle school orchestras invited to perform at the 2025 Midwest Clinic. They are the only ensemble (band or orchestra) selected from the state of Georgia this year. The Dodgen Chamber Orchestra includes 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students.

“Directors Ashley Culley and Evelyn Champion have led their orchestra programs for many years and have earned many performance honors and accolades, but this is a dream come true for these directors and their students,” said Dodgen Principal Dr. Patricia Alford. “Performing at The Midwest Clinic is a rare privilege, and I am so proud of these teachers and their students! I know they will represent Dodgen and Cobb very well.”

The students have been preparing for this since they held an orchestra minicamp in July. This allowed the students to get to know each other and their music. The entire Midwest Clinic performance has already been planned and approved, and includes a wide variety of styles and difficulty levels. The students rehearse four mornings a week before school with additional after-school rehearsals to prepare for this major performance.  

“They are very excited about their performance in Chicago. They talk about it every day in class. They know what a tremendous honor it is to be selected to perform at the Midwest Clinic. We hope they learn that perseverance and hard work really do pay off,” said Director Culley.

“We are sincerely grateful to all of the families that continually support their young musicians throughout this journey to the Midwest Clinic. We would also like to thank Principal Alford and the Dodgen administration and faculty. We couldn’t accomplish this without the full support of the entire Dodgen community,” Director Culley concluded.

A Midwest Clinic “Preview Concert” will be held on Thursday, December 4, at 7:00 pm in the Walton High School Theater. All are invited to attend.

For more information, visit the Dodgen MS Orchestra website.

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Gov. Kemp suspends Cobb Superior Court Clerk from office

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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday issued an executive order suspending Cobb Superior Court Clerk Connie Taylor while she faces charges of destroying government records and violating her oath of office.Cobb Superior Court Clerk Connie Taylor

Kemp issued the executive order after a three-member review commission he appointed determined that Taylor’s indictment by a Cobb grand jury “does relate to and adversely affect the administration of the office of Clerk of the Superior Court.”

If she is convicted, Taylor could be removed from office. Earlier this week, she pleaded not guilty to two counts of destroying government records and two counts of violating her oath of office.

Taylor, a Democrat first elected in 2020, was indicted July 31 after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducted a probe into the matter following allegations that Taylor tried to direct an employee to delete government e-mails and financial records in response to an open records request in late 2022.

Taylor had come under fire for personally pocketing $425,000 in passport fees, on top of her $170,000 annual salary.

Under state law, court clerks are allowed to personally keep such funds. But Rebecca Keaton, Taylor’s predecessor, forwarded some of those monies to the county’s general fund.

Maya Curry, who worked in the clerk’s office, said Taylor ordered her to destroy records about the passport application fees when The Atlanta Journal-Constitution filed an open records request seeking that information.

According to Curry, Taylor said that “we’re just going to Donald Trump this thing,” a reference to deleting any files or records that would be germane to an open records request.

The Attorney General’s Office is leading the legal proceedings after Cobb officials, including judges, recused themselves from the case.

Taylor’s attorney, former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, hasn’t commented on the case.

After Friday’s announcement of Taylor’s suspension, Cobb County government issued a statement saying “we respect the Governor’s order. Since the Clerk of Superior Court is a constitutional officer and not under the authority of the Board of Commissioners, we will not be commenting further. Our focus remains on ensuring that county services continue without interruption.”

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‘Best in Show’ event to feature pets, arts and community

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Submitted information:

Mark Saturday, Sept. 6 with a big, bold circle and keep 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. wide open for a whirlwind of pet-loving, art-dazzling, community fun! This family-friendly bash at the Sewell Library and Cultural Center is your ticket to supporting local furballs and showcasing artistic pizzazz.

The kiddos will have a pawfect experience at crafts, story time, and face painting. Come shake paws with Rose, the superstar comfort dog from the Cobb District Attorney’s Office. Thanks to our buddies at Cobb Animal Services, you can match up with a pet and adopt a forever friend for free. Don’t forget to peruse the Best in Show animal art exhibit.

Enjoy free pet adoptions courtesy of Cobb Animal Services, and don’t miss the special Gotcha Day Celebration for Rose, the beloved comfort dog from the Cobb District Attorney’s Office. Get creative with hands-on crafts, enjoy a youth storytime, explore the Best in Show art gallery, and be there for the exciting exhibition awards announcement at 1 PM. This family-friendly event is the perfect way to support local animals and artists alike!

 

 

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Former Braves scout and East Cobb resident Roy Clark dies

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A former executive with the Atlanta Braves who helped the team draft and sign of some its most recent stars has passed away.Former Braves scout and East Cobb resident Roy Clark dies

Roy Clark, 68, who lived in East Cobb, died on Aug. 22, and had been experiencing heart issues in recent years.

He was called “the Dale Earnhardt of scouting” for his work with Braves from 1989 to 2008 and from 2015 to 2018. During those periods, he evaluated and signed Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann, Charlie Morton, Freddie Freeman, Craig Kimbrel, Jason Heyward, Mike Soroka, Austin Riley and A.J. Minter, among others.

Freeman, Morton, Riley and Minter were key players during the Braves’ World Series championship season in 2021.

Clark joined the Kansas City Royals in 2022 and also worked for the Cleveland Guardians, Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers during his career.

A native of North Carolina, Clark played baseball in college and was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 1979, and played three seasons of minor league baseball.

Survivors include his wife Debbie and their three grown children. A celebration of life service will be held will be held Friday, Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. at H.M. Patterson and Son-Canton Hill Chapel at 1157 Old Canton Road in East Cobb.

 

 

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East Cobb Food Scores: Toastique; Prickly Pear Tapas; more

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East Cobb restaurant update: Toastique Cafe coming soon

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

876 Nyam Minz
1475 Terrell Mill Road, Suite 106
Aug. 26, 2025, Score: 82, Grade: B

Beer Barrel
1294 Roswell Road
Aug. 28, 2025, Score: 94, Grade: A

Little Caesars
2856 Delk Road, Suite 304A
Aug. 22, 2025, Score: 87, Grade: B

Prickly Pear
2022 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 270
Aug. 26, 2025, Score: 85, Grade: A

Sedalia Park Elementary School
2230 Lower Roswell Road
Aug. 22, 2025, Score: 100, Grade: A

Subway
1295 Powers Ferry Road, Suite B
Aug. 26, 2025, Score: 80, Grade: B

Taco Bell
4880 Lower Roswell Road
Aug. 21, 2025, Score: 100, Grade: A

Toastique
4205 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 510
Aug. 21, 2025, Score: 100, Grade: A

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Cobb rejects additional county funding for veterans memorial

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Cobb rejects additional county funding for veterans memorial

Some Cobb veterans showed up in dress uniforms. Others were attired to indicate the details and places of their military service.

On Tuesday a few dozen of them showed up to convince Cobb commissioners to spend an additional $1 million in county funding for a veterans memorial.

But even after their emotional comments, commissioners turned down the request by a 4-1 vote.

Commissioners had an extra $175 million to allocate in current 2022 Cobb SPLOST (Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax) revenues, due to healthy economic activity.

According to SPLOST regulations, only projects on the list that were submitted to voters for the sales tax referendum are eligible for the additional funds.

But while the Cobb Veterans Memorial, which has been in the works for a decade at the behest of county officials, was on the 2022 SPLOST list, it wasn’t on the list of items eligible for the $175 million in additional revenues.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell

So Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of East Cobb proposed taking $1 million in her contingency account for the development of Ebenezer Downs Park and transfer that amount to the veterans memorial to complete the project.

But she couldn’t get any of her colleagues to go along, and was openly frustrated at the proceedings.

“How can you put a price tag on our veterans?” Birrell asked, near the end of delivering prepared remarks.

Due to construction cost increases, the veterans memorial, which is being proposed for a site at Larry Bell Park in Marietta, was priced at nearly $8 million.

The county had already committed $3 million—$1 million in previous SPLOST allocations and $2 million from Birrell and Chairwoman Lisa Cupid in other discretionary funds.

Another $1 million been raised by the Cobb Veterans Memorial Foundation, a non-profit. The foundation reduced the scope of the memorial to get the cost to just under $5 million, cutting out a POW memorial and honor walls.

Cobb has an estimated 60,000 military veterans, and Birrell asked those in attendance Tuesday to stand, and they did, to applause.

Vietnam veteran T.D. Jorgensen

One of them, Skip Bell, a member of the memorial’s board, said that “it’s easy to say you love and support veterans.

“Everybody says that. You are in a position,” he told commissioners, to prove that support.

But that didn’t sway new Commissioner Erick Allen, whose District 2 includes the proposed memorial site.

He noted that other park projects on the list for additional revenues “aren’t getting anything over and above what was on the original list” and pledged to help raise the money from private sources to close that $1 million gap.

He added that the original memorandum of understanding didn’t intend for the memorial to be a county-funded project, and said the elements of the memorial that don’t have funding now could be added later.

“We can break ground today with the funding that has been raised and with the funds that have been committed,” calling his suggestion a compromise.

Allen also said it was “insulting” to hear accusations that his opposition to another $1 million in county funds was likened to “spitting on the veterans coming home from Vietnam.”

Cobb Veterans Memorial Foundation president Donna Rowe

But Donna Rowe, the memorial foundation’s board president and a former captain in the U.S. Army nursing corps in Vietnam, recounted that history from her perspective, and rattled off the changing cost estimates and county stipulations for getting the work done.

“We cannot do this in phases,” she said in response to Allen, thanking Birrell and Cupid for their “undying devotion” to getting the memorial built.

After the vote, Marietta resident Donald Barth, a frequent public commenter, said the memorial can be completed without more public funding.

“We are going to have a memorial and we all know it,” he said. “We need people who will move the ball forward.”

That summed up the thoughts of some of the veterans who were hoping for a different vote.

“There are Americans who are going to support this with or without you,” Vietnam veteran T.D. Jorgensen said, thanking Rowe and the others advocating for the memorial.

“God bless you. We need this.”

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East Cobb traffic updates: Little Willeo project nearly done

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East Cobb traffic updates: Little Willeo project nearly done

Earlier this week Cobb DOT posted the aerial photo above showing the extended turn lane that’s being built on Little Willeo Road at Johnson Ferry.

That’s the right turn onto Johnson Ferry northbound from that’s subject to quite a few back-ups.

Cobb DOT said that the project, funded with current 2022 Cobb SPLOST funding, is expected to be finished in September.

Jamerson Road at Davis ES

As we noted last week, Cobb DOT is enhancing safety features on Jamerson Road at Davis Elementary School, where a boy was seriously injured near the crosswalk in June.

Cobb Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved spending $146,966 for a project that would realign traffic lanes and install a rapid flashing rectangular beacon at a crosswalk. Signage has already gone up.

Preston Veal, 12, a student at Mabry Middle School, is recovering after being hit by a van while crossing Jamerson Road near the school after shooting basketball there. He was hospitalized with numerous broken bones and internal injuries, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help pay for his medical expenses.

“Thank you,” Commissioner JoAnn Birrell told Cobb DOT director Drew Raessler before the vote.

“The neighbors thank you, the schools thank you and our prayers go out” to Veal and his family.

Coming Holly Springs Road changes

Cobb DOT announced last week that there will be improvements on Holly Springs Road, near St. Andrews Way, from September-December.

The center turn lane on Holly Springs near that intersection was being “misused,” and that DOT said it has heard from the public.

The project will repurpose portions of the two-way left turn lane along Holly Springs with “dedicated left turn lanes and small medians.” for more information, click here.

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Revel Arts Collective to present interactive display showcase

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Revel Arts Collective to present interactive display showcase

Submitted information and photo:

The public will be able to witness this amazing showcase at The Rooftop at Crabapple, located at 12630 Crabapple Road, #340 Milton, GA 30004, starting on November 14, 2025, and continuing until November 15, 2025.

The artists that make up the collective in the belief that visual art is a God-given universal language that is effectively spoken to receptive hearts through the hands of a creative, whether it be through whimsical or meditative paintings, organically molded pottery ware, or sculptures produced from salvaged metals.

A new legacy, rooted in the old. The Revel Arts Collective honors a 25-year history of art in the Alpharetta/East Cobb/Roswell/Milton area. First established in the heart of Alpharetta in 1997, The MAC was an early champion of local artists, earning acclaim from publications like Creative Loafing and the Roswell/Alpharetta Neighbor. The gallery, described by critics as a “visual feast” and a champion of the arts, spent a decade showcasing unique art and fostering a vibrant creative community. The MAC’s legacy inspired a new generation.

In 2024, five women—a career artist, a retired English teacher, a corporate bigwig, a graphic designer, and an art educator—came together with a shared vision, forming the Revel Arts Collective.In November 2024, their inaugural exhibition celebrated this artistic heritage by featuring three generations of The MAC’s founding family. The turnout was amazing: over 300 people attended the show, which was generously hosted by local realtor Jenny Doyle. With more than 75 artworks sold, the community proved its love for local art. The collective is just getting started.

Find the perfect holiday gift at this year’s art show. Our artists will have original, one-of-a-kind work on display, with a wide range of pieces available to fit any budget. Give a thoughtful gift that will be treasured for years to come, created by artists whose work is held in collections across the country.

The Artists:

David Clegg:https://www.instagram.com/cleggobots/

Ansley Smith Denihan:https://www.instagram.com/alizardincrimsonstudio/

Sarah Mangalapalli:https://www.instagram.com/sarahmangalapalliart/

Don Rank:https://www.instagram.com/donrankpottery/

Eve Rumbaugh:https://www.instagram.com/everumbaughart/

Donna Pittman Smith:https://www.instagram.com/donnapittmansmithart/

Amy Younkins:https://www.instagram.com/amyyounkinsart/

Please follow us on Instagram for show news:https://www.instagram.com/revelartscollective/

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Tommy Nobis Center accepting student advisory applications

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Submited information:Tommy Nobis Center

Tommy Nobis Center is proud to announce the return of its Student Advisory Board, now entering its fourth year of inspiring and empowering the next generation of leaders across Metro Atlanta. This unique, semester-long program offers high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to make a difference in their communities while gaining valuable real-world experience through leadership, philanthropy, and service.

Student Advisory Board members will contribute valuable perspectives and serve as youth ambassadors, helping to shift mindsets and narratives about people with disabilities. Students will also have opportunities to earn volunteer hours, engage with community leaders, and be considered for one of three college scholarships.

“Our Student Advisory Board continues to be a powerful platform for young leaders who want to make a difference,” said Monica Oliveira, Director of Development. “Not only do they grow as individuals and emerging leaders, but they also play a key role in building a more inclusive future for all.”

Applications are now open through Wednesday, September 10th, 2025. For more information or to apply, visit: https://tommynobiscenter.org/student-advisory-board/.

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New townhouse plans filed on rejected East Marietta site

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Wooded tract along I-75 proposed for townhome development

 

A real estate investor whose attempts to redevelop land in the South Marietta Parkway-Powers Ferry Road area were unsuccessful four years ago is proposing another high-density residential community there again.

RGM Properties Partnership, LLLP and McMullan Partners, LLC, based in East Cobb, are seeking rezoning of nearly 20 acres along Interstate 75, off of Powers Ferry Road and north of the Loop, for a residential development.

According to plans filed with the City of Marietta, the applicant wants to turn that property—most of it a wooded lot fronting the interstate—into a townhome-focused community of up to 119 units.

The homes would be built by Traton Homes Inc., a prominent homebuilder based in Marietta, and the applicant has hired high-profile zoning attorney Kevin Moore to represent it before the City of Marietta.

An initial hearing before the Marietta Planning Commission is scheduled for next Tuesday (you can read through the filing here).

The application calls for 80 townhomes, with the rest single-family detached homes, for a density of 6.2 units per acre.

But the details present similar issues and concerns that foiled property owner Ruben McMullan’s attempts in 2021 to build a high-density residential development in the same community.

The Marietta City Council turned down plans for Laurel Park, which was proposed for 204 townhomes on much of the site that’s being proposed now.

That was part of a push by McMullan’s real estate interests to build in that vicinity. But Marietta also quickly rejected plans for what was proposed to be Nexus Gardens—featuring apartment buildings, a senior-living facility and restaurant and retail space—after heated community opposition.

That project also would have been accessed through neighborhood streets in the Meadowbrook subdivision off Powers Ferry Road, south of the Loop.

At the time, Moore said the Loop corridor between Roswell Road and Interstate 75 hasn’t seen new development in 50 years. The Nexus Gardens project, Moore said, is an opportunity that “would be fantastic for the city and fantastic for the nearby community.”

Before the 2021 vote, Moore whittled down the Laurel Park proposal—which stretched across 30 acres—to 134 units, but the council rejected both requests unanimously with little discussion.

There isn’t a name for the newly proposed community, nor are there any renderings. In its analysis, the Marietta zoning staff noted that a home would be demolished to create access to the new project from Crestridge Drive (see zoning map below). Three other residential lots, on Blanche Drive and Herbert Road, would be turned into another access point.

The analysis noted that projects like this usually require direct access to arterial and collector roads, but the RGM/McMullan proposal calls for access via local streets.

City zoning staff also noted that while the application says 80 townhomes would be built, the site plan (above) shows 113 units, with 52 of them three-story units, and the others two stories.

The analysis, which didn’t make a recommendation, also notes parking and stormwater runoff issues, and concerns expressed by the Marietta Fire Department regarding emergency access that may not meet city code. The city’s public works department also has asked for a traffic study to be done but the transportation department hasn’t offered any comments.

The zoning analysis concluded that the large wooded tract of land that’s zoned for large-scale retail along I-75 has never been developed for a reason.

“With access only available through existing single-family neighborhoods, developing a ‘regional retail center’ at this location does not appear feasible. Considering also current market conditions and the need for housing, rezoning the property for residential use is more suitable.”

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Vietnamese Catholic church planned at old Eastvalley ES site

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Vietnamese Catholic school planned at old Eastvalley ES site

Here’s an update to our story on Friday about the sale of the former Eastvalley Elementary School site to the Roman Catholic Archiodecese of Atlanta:

Maureen Smith, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese, told East Cobb News on Monday that a church catering to the local Vietnamese community will be opening on the former Eastvalley site.

The Cobb County School District announced last week that it had sold the building and nearly 10 acres of property on Lower Roswell Road at Holt Road for $4.25 million.

Smith said the church will be named after Our Lady of Lavang, an apparition of the Virgin Mary that dates back to the late 1700s, when Catholics in Vietnam were suffering persecution. A basilica named Our Lady of Lavang was dedicated in the village of La Vang, near Hue in central Vietnam, in 1962.

This will be the third Vietnamese church in the Atlanta area run by the archdiocese, joining Our Lady of Vietnam in Riverdale and Holy Vietnamese Martyrs in Norcross.

The former Eastvalley site has been closed since 2023, when the new school campus opened on Holt Road, across from Wheeler High School.

The building opened in the early 1960s and includes 50,000 square feet of space.

Smith said that “there are no plans for major renovations or construction at this time. The church hopes to use the facility as-is for now.”

She didn’t have specific timeline for when the church would open, but said that “it will take some time to finish all the contracts and paperwork before we can start using it.”

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MetroAtlanta Ambulance CEO named new Cobb Chamber chairman

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Submitted information and photo:MetroAtlanta Ambulance CEO named new Cobb Chamber chairman

The Cobb Chamber’s Board of Directors have named Pete Quinones, CEO of MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service, Inc., as its 2027 Chairman of the Board.

Quinones will succeed Melissa Cantrell, President and CEO of CDH Partners, who begins her term as Chairwoman of the Board in 2026. Quinones will start his term in January 2027 as Board Chairman and will serve as Board Chair Elect in 2026.

“I am humbled and honored to have been selected to serve as the 2027 board chairman. I am deeply passionate about our community, and I am committed to promoting business opportunities for everyone’s success,” said Pete Quinones. “I am excited to be working alongside our Chamber leaders and local businesses to continue to build on its long-standing history of excellence and help shape the economic and business landscape of our county. I look forward to carrying on the Chamber’s mission as we continue to utilize our collective power to foster collaboration among businesses and advocate for policies that promote sensible growth and prosperity.”

Quinones is the Founder and CEO of MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service, a business that started and maintains its headquarters in Marietta, Ga. Over 25 years, Quinones has grown the business from one ambulance and four employees to now employing more than 800 employees, with a fleet of over 200 vehicles, serving more than one million residents in Bartow, Cobb and Paulding counties. 

Quinones is a long-time member and investor in the Cobb Chamber and its economic development strategy, SelectCobb. He has served on the Cobb Chamber Board of Directors since 2012 and the SelectCobb Board of Directors since 2014. He has served on the Chamber’s Executive Committee since 2022 and on the Government Affairs Committee for decades. In 2022, Quinones played a critical role in leading the Cobb Chamber’s strategic planning process as the Co-Chair of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. 

Since launching MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service, Quinones and his business were quickly recognized with various awards and accolades from community organizations, industry associations and other entities. In 2006, MetroAtlanta Ambulance earned the coveted Cobb Chamber Small Business of the Year award. In 2011, the Georgia Hispanic Chamber named Quinones the Businessman of the Year. MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service and Pete Quinones have earned prestigious recognitions and awards by the Georgia Association of Emergency Medical Services, the American Ambulance Association, the Region III EMS Council, the State Office of EMS & Trauma, Georgia Institute of Technology, the City of Marietta and the WellStar Foundation.

Quinones has also served in many community and state leadership roles. He is the Chair of the Cobb County Board of Health, a board he has served on since 2018. He is a board member and treasurer of the Georgia Trauma System Commission. He is a member of the Governor’s Healthcare Task Force Commission and a board member of Highland Rivers and the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Scheller School of Business.

“Pete Quinones has been a steadfast leader, not only for the Cobb Chamber, but for our entire community and state,” said Sharon Mason, President & CEO of the Cobb Chamber. “His decades of commitment, from building MetroAtlanta Ambulance into a vital community asset to guiding our Chamber’s strategic plan, speak to his ability to lead with both vision and heart. We are thrilled to have Pete serve as our 2027 Chairman of the Board and know his leadership will strengthen our organization and the community for years to come.”

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Please support East Cobb News! We keep working hard for you!

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East Cobber parade
At East Cobb News, we juggle a lot to give you the local news you love. Please visit eastcobbnews.presspatron.com to donate today. Thank you!

The last week was a very busy one here at East Cobb News, for all the right reasons, and a bit more than usual.

First of all, there was the sheer volume of important news stories during the week—you can read them all here, in our weekly newsletter—from the sale of the former Eastvalley ES school site, to the arrest and firing of a police officer in our community, and the story of a neighborhood cafe continuing to adapt to serve customers.

All these stories matter to our readers, and not just because of the topics, but also in how we deliver the news to you. We go deeper, and show their relevance to you, and get them to you as they happen.

It’s the heart of our hyperlocal focus that comes to you every day, unlike any other media outlet or publication.

Nobody else does what East Cobb News does every day.

We’ve been at this since 2017, and we intend on staying at it for a long time to come—giving you the local news that you love, and that makes a difference in this community.

East Cobb News promotes local businesses with dynamic digital advertising—and we’ve been busy as well signing up new advertisers that we’re excited to share with you soon.

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With our growth has come some additional costs, and while we’re thrifty, we have bills that come due every month.

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, Aug. 11-15, 2025

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Holcomb Lake Village, East Cobb real estate sales
Holcomb Lake Village

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports and Cobb County property records.

They include the street address, subdivision name and sales price listed under their respective high school attendance zones:

Kell

4260 Keheley Lake Drive, 30066 (Lake Colony): $365,000

4458 Trickum Road, 30066 (North Landing): $435,044

Lassiter

2996 Treeside Terrace, 30066 (Edgewood East): $1.78 million

3544 Chestatee Drive, 30066 (Shallowford Heights): $695,000

4380 Wood Creek Drive, 30062 (Raintree Forest): $500,000

3820 Fox Creek Court, 30062 (Raintree Forest): $950,000

3837 Fenway Crossing, 30062 (Beacon Hill): $720,000

3617 Lassiter Road, 30062 (Rock Mill): $390,000

4016 Upland Trace, 30066 (Highland Park): $675,000

4841 Township Ridge, 30066 (Jefferson Township): $830,000

Marietta

697 Anderson Walk, 30062 (Barnes Mill Townhomes): $300,000

481 Meadowbrook Drive, 30067 (Meadow Brook): $400,000

1545 Center Cross Pass, 30062 (Hamilton Corners): $590,000

688 Anderson Walk, 30062 (Barnes Mill Townhomes): $270,000

Pope

4004 Charrwood Trace, 30062 (Charrington): $1.025 million

3420 Cranborne Chase, 30062 (Dorset): $670,000

2489 Woodfern Court, 30062 (Cedar Forks): $705,000

4372 Jenkins Drive, 30075 (Havenridge): $800,000

3145 Wendview Lane, 30062 (Wendwood): $400,000

2236 Chimney Springs Drive, 30062 (Chimney Springs): $668,750

Sprayberry

158 Bluffington Way, 30066 (Old Bells Ferry): $422,250

1549 Lake Holcomb Lane, 30062 (Holcomb Lake Village): $625,250

2289 Addison Road, 30066: $335,000

2868 Wyndcliff Court, 30066 (Wyndcliff at Town Center): $538,000

1777 Chasewood Park Lane, 30066 (Chasewood Park): $485,000

2329 Milstead Circle, 30066 (Landsdowne): $510,000

3090 Karen Lane, 30062 (Mountain View): $326,000

270 Piedmont Road, 30066 (Bristol Mill): $510,000

1615 Lancaster Drive, 30066 (Huntington Woods): $555,000

Walton

4720 Cliffside Court, 30067 (Rivercliff): $1.75 million

1773 Huntingford Drive, 30068 (Willow Point): $795,000

607 Riverview Drive, Unit 607, 30067 (Overlook at Riverview): $240,000

2190 River Heights Court, 30067 (Overlook): $165,000

4930 Heritage Trace Court, 30062 (Heritage Trace) $515,000

2221 Meadow Wood Court, 30062 (Meadow Wood): $499,000

1670 Nordic Trace, 30068 (Lake Fjord): $745,000

2162 Heritage Trace Lane, 30068 (Heritage Trace): $600,000

Wheeler

882 Cedar Canyon Square, 30067 (Cedar Canyon): $294,500

1539 Cedar Bluff Trail, 30062 (Cedar Bluff): $244,000

2929 Torreya Way, 30067 (The Woods): $286,600

2969 Rivergreen Lane, Unit 243, 30339 (Riverwalk at Wildwood): $599,000

502 Spring Creek Way, 30068 (Spring Creek): $265,000

3300 Windy Ridge Parkway, 30339 (Horizon at Wildwood): $430,000

2630 Weddington Place, 30068 (Weddington): $1.15 million

3290 Winthrop Circle, 30067 (Amberley Park): $825,000

751 Willow Ridge Drive, 30068 (Willow Ridge): $485,000

162 Daltree Court, 30068 (Sentinel Lake): $970,000

912 Edgewater Circle, 30062 (Barnes Mill Lake): $305,000

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Cobb Police: Fired officer exposed himself at Kincaid ES

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Cobb Police: Fired officer exposed himself at Kincaid ES

A Cobb Police officer fired this week for distributing obscene materials, public indecency and violating his oath of office is alleged to have committed those offenses while on duty in Precinct 4 in East Cobb.

An arrest warrant for Matthew Abbott, 36, said that the offenses occurred in February and in June and included sending electronic messages depicting child pornography and exposing himself in public, including the parking lot at Kincaid Elementary School in Northeast Cobb earlier this summer.

Cobb Police said Thursday that Abbott was “relieved of duty” after a Georgia Bureau of Investigation probe, and after being notified by the Utah Attorney General’s Office about an investigation identifying him.

Interim Cobb Police Chief Dan Ferrell said Thursday that “the allegations in this case are extremely disturbing and do not reflect the values of our department,” but neither Cobb Police nor the GBI detailed the charges in their public statements.

Abbott was arrested at his Marietta home Thursday morning on one count of violating his oath of office, a felony, and one count of distribution of obscene materials and two counts of public indecency, which are misdemeanors. He remains in the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond, according to Cobb Sheriff’s Office booking reports.

His arrest warrant said that on Feb. 5, Abbott sent electronic messages “describing explicit sexual acts with children between the ages of 8 and 12 years old, knowing the obscene nature of said material” to an unidentified person while on duty at the Precinct 4 headquarters on Lower Roswell Road.

Abbott also is accused of “performing an act of lewd exposure of his sexual organs in a public place” while on duty in the parking lot at Kincaid ES on the afternoon of June 2. The warrant doesn’t state if anyone else was present, but that date was during the Cobb County School District summer break.

The warrant also alleges that on June 9, Abbott also exposed himself and masturbated in the parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on New Macland Road in Powder Springs, also while on duty.

Abbott could be facing further charges, according to Cobb Police, who said they have turned over all investigative duties to the GBI “to ensure a fair and impartial process.”

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Cobb school district sells former Eastvalley ES properties

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Cobb school district sells former Eastvalley ES properties

UPDATED:

The former Eastvalley ES site is being planned as a church for the Vietnamese Catholic community.

ORIGINAL POST:

The Cobb County School District has sold the former site of Eastvalley Elementary School on Lower Roswell Road.

The Cobb Board of Education announced on Thursday that it approved the sale of two parcels of land where the school once held classes for $4.275 million.

Board member John Cristadoro said after an executive session that the land has been sold to AoA Properties Holding Inc.

That’s a non-profit that handles property and real estate matters for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta, which operates a number of private schools in the metro Atlanta area.

They include St. Joseph School in Marietta and Siena of St. Catherine School in Kennesaw. There are no Catholic schools in the East Cobb area other than preschools at the Holy Family, St. Ann and Transfiguration parishes.

East Cobb News has left messages with the Atlanta archdiocese seeking information.

The Cobb school district had been shopping the Eastvalley site since 2023, when the new campus opened on Holt Road on the former site of East Cobb Middle School.

The original Eastvalley building has 50,000 square feet and the property includes athletic facilities and an undeveloped wooded area.

Eastvalley opened on Lower Roswell at the intersection of Holt Road in the early 1960s. In its final years, the school was heavily overcrowded, and operated with trailer classrooms that were the subject of parental complaints.

Cristadoro said that the Cobb school district would be retaining control of two telecommunications leases on the property after closing.

The sale comes amid expansion and relocation of private schools in the East Cobb area. Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is in the process of moving off the campus of Mt. Bethel Church, and Eastside Christian Church, located next to the former Eastvalley site, is adding a high school.

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Review commission to probe Cobb Superior Court Clerk case

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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has appointed a three-person commission to review an indictment against Cobb Superior Court Clerk Connie Taylor.Cobb Superior Court Clerk Connie Taylor

Taylor was indicted last month by a Cobb grand jury with two counts of destroying government records and two counts of violating her oath of office related to her office’s handling of passport fees.

An executive order signed by Kemp on Thursday gave the commission 14 days to provide a written report recommending whether Taylor should be suspended from office while her legal case proceeds.

The commission will be asked to determine if the indictment affects Taylor’s ability to carry out her duties and if “the rights and interests of the public are adversely affected” by the indictment as a result.

Superior Court clerks in Georgia oversee the management of court documents and records, including real estate transactions, and are elected constitutional officers on a partisan basis.

The commission members selected by Kemp are Keith Blackwell, a retired Georgia Supreme Court justice, and two county court clerks, Tim Harper of Banks County and Rhett Walker of Dodge County. Blackwell served in a non-partisan position, while Harper and Walker are both Democrats.

Taylor, a Democrat first elected in 2020, was indicted July 31 after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducted a probe into the matter following allegations that Taylor tried to direct an employee to delete government e-mails and financial records in response to an open records request in late 2022.

Taylor had come under fire for personally pocketing $425,000 in passport fees, on top of her $170,000 annual salary.

Under state law, court clerks are allowed to personally keep such funds. But Rebecca Keaton, Taylor’s predecessor, forwarded some of those monies to the county’s general fund.

Maya Curry, who worked in the clerk’s office, said Taylor ordered her to destroy records about the passport application fees when The Atlanta Journal-Constitution filed an open records request seeking that information.

Curry’s allegations (you can read her attorney’s letter here) include a comment by Taylor that “we’re just going to Donald Trump this thing,” a reference to deleting any files or records that would be germane to an open records request.

The Attorney General’s Office is leading the legal proceedings after Cobb officials, including judges, recused themselves from the case.

Taylor has hired former Gov. Roy Barnes to represent her.

She could be suspended by Kemp without pay upon a recommendation of the review commission. If she is convicted, Taylor would be removed from office, and she would be reinstated if acquitted.

Taylor is facing an arraignment in Superior Court on Sept. 2.

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Cobb Police officer fired amid ‘extremely disturbing’ probe

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The Cobb Police Department said Thursday it has arrested one of its own officers and terminated him following an investigation into what the interim chief is saying are “extremely disturbing” allegations.Northeast Cobb car crash, Cops on Donut Shops

Officer Aaron Wilson said in a release that Matthew Abbott has been “relieved of duty” after being taken into custody Thursday morning on charges of violating his oath of office, distribution of obscene material and public indecency.

Wilson did not provide specifics about the case, but said Cobb Police were notified by the Utah Attorney General’s Office about an investigation identifying Abbott, and that Cobb authorities then contacted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is conducting its own probe.

A GBI release issued late Thursday afternoon said that the charges involve child exploitation. The GBI said its probe was conducted in connection with Cobb Police and the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force “and led to a search warrant for Abbott’s home and his arrest.”

The GBI didn’t offer further details except to say that its investigation “is part of the ongoing effort by the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, housed within the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, to identify those involved in the trade of child sexual abuse material.”

Abbott, 36, was arrested at his home in southwest Marietta, according to his booking report.

According to Cobb Sheriff’s Office records, Abbott was taken into custody late Thursday morning and is still being booked at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.

Interim Cobb Police Chief Dan Ferrell said that “the allegations in this case are extremely disturbing and do not reflect the values of our department. While the legal process moves forward, the officer has been relieved of duty, and we have initiated our own internal investigation. We will follow the facts, uphold due process, and take the actions necessary to maintain the trust of our community.”

Abbott could be facing further charges, according to Wilson, who said Cobb Police have turned over all investigative duties to the GBI “to ensure a fair and impartial process.”

Wilson said that the Cobb Police Department “is cooperating fully with investigators to ensure accountability. We are committed to full transparency and will continue to provide updates as this investigation moves forward.”

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Cobb schools: ‘No plan’ to revive events center at Marietta site

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Former Cobb schools special events site proposed for parking area
The Cobb school district wants to improve traffic access between its main facilities in Marietta and create additional parking.

The Cobb County School District wants to use property it purchased for a special events center for more parking space and to better connect its central office facilities in Marietta.

During a Cobb Board of Education work session Thursday, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said he has “no plans” to revive efforts to build an events center at that location that was canceled last year.

The board voted 5-2 Thursday night to approve a $1.97 million contract to improve 3.42 acres on Glover Street, next to the district’s central office. What remain are concrete slabs from former office buildings that have been torn down.

Marc Smith, the district’s chief technology and operations officer, said during a work session Thursday afternoon that the project would removing the slabs and improve frontage access along Glover Street as well as build the parking space.

He didn’t indicate how many parking spaces would be provided. In addition to the central office building, the district is surrounded by separate buildings for its data recovery center and a maintenance on Glover Street and its human resources building on Glover Street at Fairground Street.

Glover Street is a two-way street with small industrial-type businesses.

The proposed events center, which would have cost $50 million to house graduations and other major activities, was initially approved by the board in 2023. The center would have included an 8,000-seat arena, plus conference space and parking decks.

But Ragsdale cited economic concerns for the cancellation, which came last July, and after critics of the special events center revealed a site plan that had not been previously released by the district.

When board member Becky Sayler asked if “anything new” is to be built on the properties, Ragsdale said “it’ll be parking.

“As far as discussions that have taken place in executive session, I will continue to update the board on any kind of requirements. What I will say is that there is no plan now or moving forward for the multi-purpose facility to be there.

“It will be paved for parking and if anything additional is needed central office-wise the board will be apprised in discussion in executive session about land acquisitions and anything we might be doing in the future,” he said, not ruling out the possibility of eyeing an events center elsewhere.

Sayler was the only vote against the special events center and the purchase of the properties in 2023 for $3 million.

Board member John Cristadoro asked Ragsdale if there was a “super secret, covert mission” to revive the special events center on Glover Street, and the superintendent said simply, “No.”

Board member Randy Scamihorn said the work also will clear out an abandoned rail spur and and relieve traffic congestion on Glover Street that’s used heavily by district employees.

“There’s a considerable amount of work to be done just to get that property appearance acceptable in my opinion,” Scamihorn said.

He compared the site, with the slabs and bumpy asphalt, to “an outdoor house.”

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