Proposed Cobb schools FY 26 budget ‘far from gloom and doom’

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Proposed Cobb schools FY 26 budget 'far from gloom and doom'
“It’s concerning, looking ahead,” Chris Ragsdale said about future budget prospects for the Cobb County School District.

After a few years of generous employee pay raises and spending growth, the Cobb County School District is taking a more judicious approach to its fiscal year 2026 operating budget.

Amid an uncertain economic climate and with lower growth in the Cobb tax digest, district financial officials on Thursday proposed a $1.8 billion budget Thursday that provides modest pay raises and includes reclassifying some teaching positions.

No layoffs are planned, but the cost of Georgia Teacher Retirement System benefits for Cobb educators, as well as other employee health benefits, has risen by $33 million from the current FY 2025 budget of $1.8 billion, Chief Financial Officer Brad Johnson said during a Cobb Board of Education work session Thursday afternoon.

For employees eligible for a step pay increase, those raises could go as high as 4.6 percent.

The budget proposal includes using $43 million in reserve funding to help balance the budget, with the property tax rate holding steady at 18.7 mills for the third year in a row. The district has a fund balance of $198 million.

“It’s not a great budget, but it’s far from gloom and doom,” Cobb Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said.

But he said there are “storm clouds” possible beyond the coming academic year.

“We’re not the only district in this position. It’s concerning, looking ahead.”

(The district did not have the budget proposal available online until after the board’s Thursday night meeting; details can be found at this link.)

After near double-digit increases in the Cobb tax digest in recent years, only two percent growth is projected for 2025, which would yield around $17.4 million in school revenue.

Last year, Cobb had tax digest growth of more than 7 percent and 15 percent in 2023.

Johnson detailed the major personnel changes, which would shift 57 school-leaving interventionist positions to fill classroom vacancies.

The interventionists help detect possible learning issues, but Ragsdale said their work will continue, just in different fashion.

Another 68 teachers who had been on special assignment will be also redirected to classroom teaching positions.

“We’re hoping the economy turns around and that we’ll have a different conversation [about the budget] this time next year,” Ragsdale said.

The school board will hold a second budget public forum on May 15, right before it is scheduled to adopt the budget.

The Cobb school district’s fiscal year runs from July 1-June 30.

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Cobb school district removes ‘American Psycho’ novel

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A notorious novel that’s been banned for adults and children in some parts of the world for years has been removed from the Cobb County School District.Cobb school district removes 'American Psycho' novel

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said Thursday that the district’s continuing review of books deemed inappropriate for minors has culled “American Psycho,” written by Bret Easton Ellis and published in 1991.

At a Cobb Board of Education work session, Ragsdale did not elaborate on the reason, nor did he say which schools carried the book.

The Cobb school district has removed more than three dozen books over the last two school years for what Ragsdale has said contain sexually explicit, lewd, graphic or otherwise inappropriate content for minors (here’s the full list).

Some citizens have objected to what they have called “bans,” and filed a civil rights complaint, saying many of the books have minority and LGBTQ themes.

After last November’s elections Ragsdale, asked his critics “to take a break.”

“American Psycho” has been the subject of bans and removals for much of its history, even before its publication.

Protagonist Patrick Bateman, a successful New York investment banker in the 1980s, also is a serial killer, and the novel is replete with graphic descriptions of murderous violence, sex and sadistic behavior.

Feminist groups organized boycotts due to the book’s depictions of violence against women, and Ellis received death threats.

“American Psycho” was made into a film in 2000 starring Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe and Reese Witherspoon.

At the book’s 25th anniversary, Ellis told Rolling Stone that he wanted his novel to be a scathing, satirical condemnation of the excesses of Wall Street and American finance at the time:

“I created this guy who becomes this emblem for yuppie despair in the Reagan Eighties—a very specific time and place—and yet he’s really infused with my own pain and what I was going through as a guy in his 20s, trying to fit into a society that he doesn’t necessarily want to fit into but doesn’t really know what the other options are.”

He said the book also “was really about the dandification of the American male. It was really about what is going on with men now, in terms of surface narcissism” and that themes revolving around male culture “seemed to me much more interesting than whether he is or is not a serial killer, because that really is a small section of the book.”

The American Library Association placed “American Psycho” on its most banned book list for the 1990s. In some parts of Australia, the book was banned altogether, or sold to adults only with wrapping paper on the cover.

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Cobb County government says data breach affects 10 people

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Cobb County government said Thursday that a cybersecurity hack has affected 10 individuals, including three county employees.Cobb County Government logo

The county said it’s begun notifying individuals “whom we believe had information accessed and copied from a limited number of Cobb County systems by an unauthorized actor.”

A release sent by the county Thursday morning also said the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been notified, but didn’t indicate how that agency may be involved.

The county also didn’t say what information or data may have been compromised, and that it “varies by individual. We are providing these individuals with guidance on how to protect themselves, and, in select cases, we are providing identity theft protection and credit monitoring if their case involves certain types of information.

“We will notify any additional potentially affected parties as necessary and where required.”

Last month, the county’s IT department noticed “unusual activity” on its servers, which were taken offline for a few days to detect the breach.

“Unfortunately, these incidents are all too common today, and no one is immune,” the Cobb release Thursday said. “Today, Cobb County systems are operational and serving constituents’ needs. Our vendors and partners have restored connections to our network. We are moving rapidly to help our community while the investigation is still underway.”

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East Cobb Weekend Events: Garage sale; fishing rodeo; more

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Hyde Farm Nature Camp
Hyde Farm is a regular venue for the Cobb PARKS fishing rodeo.

Another loaded event schedule in the East Cobb area starts Friday morning with some spring cleaning, and ends Sunday with another Music in the Park concert.

The annual Indian Hills Garage Sale takes place Friday and Saturday from 9-4 at select homes throughout the neighborhood (addresses and detailed lists here and here).

If you’re looking to clear out your own closet, bring unwanted shoes between 9-12 Saturday to Wheeler High School (375 Holt Road) for the Wheeler Band Booster Club Shoe Drive. Donations of gently worn, used and new shoes will be accepted, and in any size (more details here). They’ll have one more collection date, on May 10.

The Pope High School Band Car Wash Fundraiser is Saturday from 9-2 at Midtown Tire (2950 Johnson Ferry Road), with proceeds benefitting band programs, and you’ll get free refreshments while you wait.

Kids 3-16 are invited to bring their rods and bait and come to the Cobb PARKs Fishing Rodeo Saturday from 9-11 at Hyde Farm Park (726 Hyde Road). There will be awards given and the cost is $5 per child. To register click here.

Also on Saturday, Cobb PARKs is putting on its Spring Arts Festival from 10-4 at Jim Miller Park (2245 Callaway Drive). More than 100 artisans and vendors will be selling their wares, with food, music, glass art demonstrations and other activities and entertainment. Parking and admission are free.

Faith Lutheran Church (2111 Lower Roswell Road) is holding a Wine Tasting and Silent Auction Saturday from 6-9 to benefit its K-8 school. Tickets are $25/person ($25/couple for staff members). Childcare will be availablem and to sign up click here.

The Cobb Schools Foundation and Ivy Lane women’s clothing boutique are teaming up Saturday for the 9th annual Sources of Strength Fashion Show, to raise funds and awareness for teen suicide prevention.

A $20 ticket includes lunch at noon at Paradise Grille (3605 Sandy Plains Road), followed by the fashion show at 1 p.m. at Ivy Lane a few doors down. Attendeees will get a swag bag with gift cards from local businesses.

After some or all of that, Sunday’s for relaxing. Music in the Park returns to East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road) for another free concert from 4-6. Bring food and a chair/blanket to the concert stage and enjoy. Organized by the Friends for the East Cobb Park and presented by Wellstar, the Rotary Club of East Cobb, Frameworks Gallery, Home Depot and Site One Landscaping.

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If your organization or entity is holding an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

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Congregation Etz Chaim rabbi speaks to Christian men’s group

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Congregation Etz Chaim rabbi speaks to Christian men's group
Rabbi Daniel Dorsch of Congregation Etz Chaim

During a significant week for his congregation, Etz Chaim Rabbi Daniel Dorsch visited with a Christian men’s group at the adjacent Grace Resurrection Methodist Church on Indian Hills Parkway.

On Wednedsay Etz Chaim was holding a joint event with the Catholic Church of St. Ann to commemorate Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day.

On Sunday, another Holocaust observance will take place at Etz Chaim, followed by a 50th anniversary celebration as Cobb County’s first synagogue. Dorsch and Etz Chaim were recognized last week by the Cobb Board of Commissioners for that milestone.

On Tuesday, he “delivered a powerful and enlightening presentation on the Jewish faith—covering its rich tradition,” Grace said in a summary of the event [including the photos in this post], and “a visit next door to Etz Chaim Synagogue, where Rabbi Dorsch personally led a tour, pointing out the significance of various symbols and artwork throughout the space.

“We closed the night with thoughtful conversation and a renewed sense of connection. The Grace Men’s Group extends heartfelt thanks to Rabbi Dorsch and the Etz Chaim congregation for their generous hospitality. The evening reminded us of the beauty that unfolds when faiths listen to one another, neighbors become friends, and hearts open not just to learn—but to grow.”

Congregation Etz Chaim rabbi speaks to Christian men's group
In the Etz Chaim sanctuary, Bubba Cooper and Lee Thrasher, Men’s Group co-chairs, with Rabbi Dorsch.

Congregation Etz Chaim rabbi speaks to Christian men's group

Congregation Etz Chaim rabbi speaks to Christian men's group
Rabbi Dorsch and Rev. James Williams of Grace Resurrection Methodist Church, left.

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Female inmate at Cobb jail found dead; cause being probed

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A 42-year-old woman inmate at the Cobb Adult Detention Center was found dead at the facility on Tuesday, according to the Cobb Sheriff’s Office.Cobb Sheriff's Office

According to a release issued Wednesday, the cause of death for Bunnie Large is being investigated by the Cobb Medical Examiner’s Office, and an internal probe in the Sheriff’s Office also is underway.

The release said that Large was homeless and officials were able to notify next of kin “after some due diligence.

“Time and time again, jails across our state are de facto homeless shelters, mental health facilities, and hospitals—the last resort for the most marginalized and broken amongst us,” Cobb Sheriff Craig Owens said in the release. “As a society, we must address the root causes of these issues, rather than solely relying on law enforcement to manage the fallout. It’s time we invest in real solutions and get people the help they so desperately need.”

He didn’t elaborate specifically on what issues Large may have had. The Cobb Sheriff’s Office said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation declined to open a separate investigation.

According to her booking report, Large was taken into custody on Jan. 9, at the East-West Connector in Austell, on a felony charge of theft by shoplifting. She was being held without bond, and the booking report said that her detention was a hold for the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

She’s the second Cobb female inmate to die since December. Clara Palmer died of an apparent suicide after being found unresponsive in her cell. She was awaiting charges on possessing a weapon while committing a crime, possession of methamphetamine, theft by receiving stolen property and tampering with evidence.

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Cobb school board to be presented proposed FY 2026 budget

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The Cobb Board of Education and the public will get a first look the Cobb County School District’s proposed fiscal  year 2026 budget on Thursday.

The presentation will take place at an afternoon work session, to be followed by a public forum on the budget and a second presentation Thursday evening.

According to an agenda item, the proposed budget is $1.86 billion, a slight increase from the current district FY 2025 budget of $1.8 billion.

The agenda item contained no further details and did not indicate whether there would be a change in the property tax millage rate; the district has said that information would be posted after the budget proposal is introduced.

The budget presentation takes place at a work session that starts at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

The budget public forum starts at 6:30 p.m., and the board’s monthly voting meeting, which includes tentative budget adoption, starts at 7 p.m.

All meetings Thursday take place in the board room of the CCSD Central Office, at 514 Glover St. in Marietta. An executive session will follow the work session.

You can read through the agenda details for the meetings at this link; and you can watch the public meetings on a livestream on the district’s Boxcast Channel.

The budget proposal anticipates $1.81 million in revenues but does not indicate how the difference would be made up.

The final budget hearing is scheduled for May 15, also at 6:30 p.m., shortly before the board is scheduled to adopt the budget.

In July, the school board adopts a property tax millage rate after the final Cobb tax digest is issued.

The Cobb school district’s fiscal year runs from July 1-June 30 of each year.

Also on Thursday’s agenda, the board will be asked to set a maximum price of $15.9 million for the construction of a second career academy on the campus of Allatoona High School.

The board will be asked to ratify a $439,497 purchase of a new video scoreboard at the Walton High School athletic stadium. The funding was raised privately by parents but it must be confirmed by the board.

The also board will be asked to spend $1.7 million to purchase 10 48-seat school buses, and another $450,000 for the acquisition of two K-9 dogs to assist with school security measures.

At the Thursday evening meeting, recognitions include Wheeler High School’s boys state basketball championship team as well as Susan Sharrow of Pope High School, the Cobb school district’s 2024-25 library media specialist of the year.

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East Cobb students receive National Merit Scholarships

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Submitted information:East Cobb National Merit Scholarship Program

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) released the names of the first group of winners in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Approximately 830 distinguished high school seniors have won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards financed by about 124 corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations. Also included in this category are awards supported by several foundations and individual donors who have established endowments with NMSC.

Scholars were selected from students who advanced to the Finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met criteria of their scholarship sponsors. Corporate sponsors provide National Merit Scholarships for Finalists who are children of their employees, who are residents of communities the company serves, or who plan to pursue college majors or careers the sponsor wishes to encourage.

Most of these awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $1,000 to $10,000 per year. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.

Funding for these National Merit Scholarships is provided by corporate organizations that represent nearly all sectors of American industry. Sponsors from the business community have underwritten awards offered in all 70 competitions, expending or committing nearly $882 million to support the intellectual development of the nation’s scholastically talented youth.

  • Declan Amerault, Wheeler. National Merit Truist Scholarship. Probable career field: Applied Mathematics

  • Andrea Joya, Lassiter. National Merit Truist Scholarship. Probable career field: Biomedical Engineering

  • Nathan Thomas Kiesel, Wheeler. National Merit ViaSat Scholarship. Probable career field: Science/Research

  • Ethan A. Konnick, Mt. Paran Christian. National Merit James E. Casey Scholarship. Probable career field: Information Systems Management

  • Eugene G. Li, Walton. National Merit Truist Scholarship. Probable career field: Computer Programming

  • Spencer Lieth, Walton. National Merit Vulcan Materials Company Scholarship. Probable career field: Engineering

  • Eric Mo, Walton. National Merit James E. Casey Scholarship. Probable career field: Electrical Engineering

  • Dhriti Raguram, Walton. National Merit James E. Casey Scholarship. Probable career field: Neuroscience

  • Vikram Sharma, Lassiter. National Merit Schneider Electric North America Foundation Scholarship. Probable career field: Medicine

  • Isha Varughese, Walton. National Merit Truist Scholarship. Probable career field: Finance

  • Adam Wang, Walton. National Merit Norfolk Southern Scholarship. Probable career field: Computer Science

  • William Zhao, Walton. National Merit Siemens Scholarship. Probable career field: Classics

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East Cobb robotics team shines at FIRST world championships

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East Cobb robotics team shines at FIRST world championships

Submitted information and photos:

A group of young East Cobb innovators has returned home after proudly representing Georgia—and the world—on one of the biggest stages in youth robotics, the 2025 FIRST championship @ Houston TX (April 16 to 19).  A local FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) Challenge team, composed of six boys ages 10 to 14, recently competed at the 2025 FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas, placing an impressive 62nd out of 160 top-tier teams from 55 countries.

The team was one of only two from Georgia selected to attend the World Festival, a rare honor considering nearly 500 teams competed statewide throughout the season, which began last August.

The team members are:

  • Zeeno Tang, 11, Sope Creek Elementary
  • Ryan Zhang, 11, Pickett’s Mill Elementary
  • Ryan Chen, 12, Westminster Schools (Mt. Bethel Elementary graduate)
  • Jasper Wu, 12, Westminster Schools (Mt. Bethel Elementary graduate)
  • Ming Chen, 14, Durham Middle School
  • Ty Tang, 14, Dickerson Middle School

All six boys participate in the Robotics Club at Hongfan Chinese Academy, a Sunday extracurricular program in East Cobb that played a key role in developing their skills in programming, engineering, and collaboration.

Judges praised the team’s impressive technical understanding  as well as their creative and research-driven approach to solving real-world problems. They also highlighted the team’s inclusive and supportive dynamic,  and commended how the boys collaborated during the whole process.

The team’s journey is a testament to the strength of East Cobb’s academic and extracurricular community, parent involvement, and the boundless curiosity and creativity of youth. With their success on the global stage, these young East Cobb students have not only represented their community with pride—they’ve inspired it.

East Cobb robotics team shines at FIRST world championships

East Cobb robotics team shines at FIRST world championships

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Let East Cobb News know what’s going on with your organization, or about any recognitions, to share with the community. We love to get photos and stories like the above, as well as calendar event listings and more.

We want to be the go-to source for all the many ways people in East Cobb are enjoying the spring, and year round!

It’s what we call The Power of Local, and we’d love for you to take part!

Pass along your details/photos/videos/information to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

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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, but d0 send them as attachments to your email.

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First responders, veterans treated to appreciation luncheon

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First responders, veterans treated to appreciation luncheon

Submitted information and photos:

The Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team proudly hosted its semi annual First Responders Appreciation Luncheon this Wednesday [April 17], drawing a heartfelt crowd to honor the dedication and service of local heroes. The event, held from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the team’s East Cobb office, welcomed police officers, firefighters, EMTs, military personnel, and other first responders from Cobb County and surrounding areas for a well-deserved barbeque lunch.

This year’s luncheon was a resounding success, with dozens of first responders in attendance. The community showed its gratitude with smiles, handshakes, and warm “thank you’s” throughout the afternoon. Guests enjoyed a delicious spread of barbeque generously provided by Supreme Lending, along with an array of sides and refreshments sponsored by All-Atlanta Ameri Spec, First American Home Warranty, and Arrow Exterminators.

“We are so incredibly grateful for the courage and commitment of our first responders,” said Janice Overbeck. “This luncheon is just a small way for us to say thank you and let them know how much they are appreciated.”

Attendees lined up to grab hotdogs and hamburgers. The event not only offered a hot lunch but also a strong sense of community support and appreciation. Local businesses and citizens were excited to take part in recognizing some of the hardest working men and women in the region.

First responders, veterans treated to appreciation luncheon

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East Cobb teen named Swim Across America junior ambassador

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East Cobb teen named Swim Across America junior ambassador

Submitted information and photo:

Swim Across America, a national nonprofit dedicated to raising money for cancer research through nationwide swimming events has selected Kahn Peterson, an East Cobb resident, to join other elite metro Atlanta swimmers for Swim Across America Atlanta’s 2025 Junior Ambassador program. Kahn is a sophomore at Campbell High School in Smyrna.

Fifteen students from 11 schools were selected out of 50 applicants to serve in the 2025 Junior Ambassador (JA) program for Swim Across America—Atlanta (SAA—Atlanta). This is the first year Peterson has served. This year, he launched the first SAA-Atlanta team from Campbell High School. The team has set a goal to raise $5,000 for Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. To date, SAA—Atlanta has raised $3.7 million.

Junior Ambassadors work in tandem with the Junior Advisory Board and an accomplished Core Event Committee that includes Olympians and master swimmers who are supporting the Atlanta open water event at Lake Lanier Olympic Park on Saturday, September 20, 2025 (www.swimacrossamerica.org/atlanta). This year’s event will be funding 5 young investigators focusing on leukemia, osteosarcoma, neuroblastoma and survivorship research here in Atlanta at the Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

In 2024, the Junior Advisory Board and Junior Ambassadors collectively raised almost $100,000.

The Atlanta open water event hosts nearly 20 Olympian supporters each year. Olympians swim and volunteer alongside 750 swimmers and volunteers over either a half-mile, one-mile, or 5K course. To join or donate to Peterson’s team, visit his personal fundraising page. You do not have to be a student at Campbell to participate. The entire community is encouraged to be involved!

Kahn tells us that he’s also a competitive swimmer for Swim Atlanta at the Mt. Bethel location, and for the last two years he’s qualified for the Georgia High School Association state meet as a team member at Campbell, where he’s a student in the school’s International Baccalaureate program.

He’s also a summer lifeguard and an assistant coach for his neighborhood swim team in Jacksons Creek, and is recruiting some of his Campbell teammates to join him in the Swim America cause: “Raising money for cancer research through something I love—swimming– is something I am very excited about!:

Send Us Your News!

Let East Cobb News know what’s going on with your organization, or about any recognitions, to share with the community. We love to get photos and stories like the above, as well as calendar event listings and more.

We want to be the go-to source for all the many ways people in East Cobb are enjoying the spring, and year round!

It’s what we call The Power of Local, and we’d love for you to take part!

Pass along your details/photos/videos/information to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send 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.

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, but d0 send them as attachments to your email.

Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Thanks for your cooperation and we look forward to hearing from you!

 

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Cobb Public Safety to offer citizens academy program

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Cobb Police to offer Citizens Public Safety Academy program

Submitted information:

The Cobb County Department of Public Safety (DPS) is announcing its 2025 session of the Citizens Public Safety Academy. This 16-week program provides an opportunity for Cobb County citizens to obtain an insider’s look into the various entities that comprise the Department of Public Safety. During the course, participants will gain knowledge and insight as to how the Police, Fire, Animal Services, and 911 departments are organized and the important role each one plays in fulfilling the myriad of tasks that ensure the safety of all the citizens of Cobb County.

In order to participate, interested citizens should either live in Cobb County or work for Cobb County Government or Schools and be at least 21-years-of age or older.

The Academy start date is Tuesday, 20 May 2025, at 6 P.M. at the Cobb County Public Safety Police Training Academy, located at 2435 East West Connector, Austell, GA 30106-8196.

In order to be accepted into the program, applicants must fill out an application. This application can be e-mailed to you or be picked up in person at the DPS Training Center located at 2435 East West Connector, Austell, GA 30106-8196.

The application will need to be taken to the Cobb County Public Safety Office of Professional Standards, located at 545 S. Fairground St., Marietta, GA 30060 by Tuesday, 13 May 2025, at 3 p.m. You must bring your driver’s license or state issued ID or U.S Passport with you as they will need to make a copy of this for the application process.

The academy may fill quickly, so applications that are Wait-Listed will be held over to the 2026 program if necessary. If you do not have an e-mail address, please make sure to provide a phone number.

The first night of the Citizens Academy we will meet at the Cobb County Public Safety Police Training Academy, 2435 East West Connector, Austell, GA 30106-8196.

Participants will meet some of the Training staff and receive a presentation from one of our various units. Please note, the first night begins at 6:00 p.m. (18:00 hours) and all subsequent sessions will meet at 6:30 p.m. (18:30 hours) at various Cobb County Public Safety locations. Classes will be conducted every Tuesday evening for 15 weeks with graduation being the 16th week and at 6:00 p.m. (18:00 hrs).

A few of the planned activities include:

Meeting with distinguished members of the Public Safety Department

  • Touring the 911 Communications Center and the Medical Examiner’s Office
  • Receiving demonstrations from DPS Police Training on weapons/firearms safety and defensive tactics
  • Participating in classes from the Fire Department Special Operations (i.e., Hazardous Materials, Heavy Rescue Squad).

The complete schedule will be given out on the first night along with other information.

If you have any questions about the Public Safety Citizens Academy, please contact Sergeant DR Reid at (770) 590-5517 or by email at David.Reid@cobbcounty.org.

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Editor’s Note: Please shower us with April reader donations!

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Editor's Note: As springtime blooms, a thanks to readers

The last full week of April is supposed to bring some rainy relief to this hot spell we’ve been having—and wash away the pollen too!

As we head into the final third of the month, we’d like to ask East Cobb News readers to support the work we do giving you the local news you love.

Spring’s been blooming this month, and we know you’ve been busy enjoying the great outdoors that surround us here in East Cobb, as well as spring break.

But if you could take just a moment to set up a recurring donation on our payment system linked just below—we’re suggesting $6 a month—we would appreciate it very much!

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While corporate media outlets hammer you with prompts and paywalls, promising to “unlock” for you their content with frustrating and cumbersome technology, East Cobb News comes to you for free.

We don’t charge for our content or our newsletter, and we want to keep it that way. But we do ask readers for financial contributions if they value what we do.

We know that y0u do—we hear from many of you all the time—and we also know that there is a limit on your time and money.

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Update: More Taste of East Cobb 2025 vendors, music schedule

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Taste of East Cobb 2025 music schedule and vendors announced
The Walton II Jazz Band performs at the 2024 Taste of East Cobb. ECN file photo.

We’re less than two weeks away from the 2025 Taste of East Cobb (and East Cobb News is sooooo pleased to be a sponsor for the third year in a row!), and festival organizers have updated the list of who’ll be there with food, services and products.

The May 3 event at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road) is a fundraiser for the Walton Band Parent Association, and proceeds go to support all the bands and music events at the school.

Here’s the latest list of restaurants that will be offering samplings:

  • Kona Ice
  • Marlow’s Tavern
  • Seed
  • Sidelines Grille
  • La Madeleine
  • Mediterranean Grill
  • New York Butcher Shoppe
  • Smallcakes
  • Press Waffle Co.
  • Cafe Rivkah
  • Mirko Pasta
  • Provision Cafe
  • J’mz
  • Taqueria Tsunami
  • Ted’s Montana Grill
  • Zama Mexican Cuisine
  • Camps Kitchen and Bar
  • Chick-fil-A Woodlawn
  • Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar
  • Green Coyote Cantina
  • Schmoo Pies
  • AFA Indian Vegetarian Cuisine
  • Righteous ‘Que

The Taste of East Cobb also features live jazz all day from students at a number of schools, and here’s the music schedule announced last week:

  • 11 am—Dickerson Middle School Jazz Bands, Will Grimes, Director
  • 11:30 am—Dickerson Middle School Jazz Bands, Will Grimes, Director
  • 12 pm—Dodgen Middle School Pops Ensemble, Brian Westphal & Regan Mack, Directors
  • 12:30 pm—Walton High School Jazz Band I, Andrew Clark, Director
  • 1 pm—Walton High School Jazz Band II, Andrew Clark, Director
  • 1:30 pm—GMEA District 12 Honors Jazz Band, Mark Hoskins, Director
  • 2 pm—GMEA District 12 Honors Jazz Band, Mark Hoskins, Director
  • 2:30 pm—Walton High School Jazz Band II, Andrew Clark, Director
  • 3 pm—Kell High School Jazz Band, Andrew Clark, Director
  • 3:30 pm—Wheeler High School Jazz Band, Mark Hoskins, Director
  • 4 pm—Walton High School Jazz Band II, Andrew Clark, Director
  • 4:30 pm—Walton High School Jazz Band , Andrew Clark, Director; “Best of” Contests announced

And the local businesses and organizations that will be on hand:

  • PeakZen Yoga
  • Mojo Vitality
  • OMS Urgent Care
  • Detail Tech East Cobb
  • Mosquito Shield Pest Control
  • Body 20
  • Clear Skies Restoration
  • Cobb County Public Library
  • Atlanta Swim Academy
  • AAA
  • Kendra Scott
  • H.M Patterson and Son Canton Hills Chapel
  • My Vinyl Cut
  • Cobb County Republican Party
  • Prime IV Hydration and Wellness
  • White Tiger Martial Arts
  • Misty Med Spa
  • Heyday East Cobb
  • Peachtree Curling Association
  • Club Pilates Merchants Walk
  • Triple T Salon
  • Spenga East Cobb
  • Stretch Zone East Cobb
  • Dermatology and Surgery Specialists of North Atlanta
  • Citizens for Free Enterprise
  • Roadrunner Sports

We’ll post a final update the week of the festival. Admission is free; tickets for food samplings can be purchased here and there are discounts for online advance sales through April 30.

 

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, April 7-11, 2025

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Highland Point, East Cobb real estate sales
Highland Point

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

None

Lassiter

3542 Jefferson Township Parkway (Jefferson Township): $875,000

3370 Creek Hollow Drive, 30062 (The Glenns): $404,000

4165 Liberty Trace, 30066 (Windsor Oaks): $881,000

4350 Highborne Drive, 30066 (Highland Point): $752,500

Pope

6 Alicia Court, 30062 (Heartwood): $590,000

2626 Shadow Woods Circle, 30062 (Shadowwoods): $717,000

2762 Whitehurst Drive, 30062 (Jacksons Square): $525,000

2318 Edgemere Lake Circle, 30062 (Edgemore Estates): $1.3 million

Sprayberry

3270 Sweet Buckeye Drive, 30066 (North Chestnut Grove): $613,000

1236 Nottoway Trail, 30066 (St. Charles Square): $590,000

3030 Scott Road, 30066 $409,300

Walton

816 Serramonte Drive, 30068 (Villas at Parkaire): $375,000

5530 Aven Road, 30068: $2.2 million

4861 Karls Gate Drive, 30068 (Karls Gate): $575,000

88 Lakeshore Drive, 30068 (Hidden Valley): $2 million

584 Indian Hills Parkway, 30068 (Indian Hills): $2.5 million

1284 Waterford Green Trail, 30068 (Waterford Green): $2.1 million

Wheeler

2153 Powers Ferry Drive, 30067 (Sunvalley Estates): $368,000

2423 Cedar Wood Court, 30068 (Cedar Cove): $675,000

211 Creekside Court, 30067 (Fox Hills): $550,000

886 Cedar Creek Court, 30067 (Cedar Canyon): $394,500

3183 Powers Ford, 30068 (Old Paper Mill): $925,000

580 Holt Road, 30068: $450,000

1936 Oak Ridge Court, 30062 (Woodmont): $525,000

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Editor’s Note: A golden anniversary for Walton—and East Cobb

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Editor's Note: A golden anniversary for Walton—and East Cobb
The shiny floor at the main Walton High School gymnasium, which opened in 2019. ECN photos and video.

While orchestral students played music in the cool indoors, games, food, and other activities were being enjoyed on a warm, sunny day outdoors at Walton High School Saturday.

The school community came together to celebrate the school’s 50th academic year, which ends next month, and with many organizations providing information and a cool tent respite at their booths.

It was a low-key festival, but exemplified the ethos and spirit of a high-performing school that has grown with its community.

Students drew and painted artwork that was displayed on the walls of the performing arts center, which opened along with a new gymnasium in 2019.

A painting of George Walton, with the backdrop of the main school entrance.

They sit now where the original classroom building was located when Walton opened for classes in the fall of 1975 on a winding stretch of Bill Murdock Road.

What had been farm country not that many years before would soon become a busy hub for a fast-growing, sprawling East Cobb.

Walton’s opening alleviated heavy overcrowding at Wheeler High School, where I had been a freshman just the year before.

While I missed many of my friends who had begun attending the—ahem—other WHS, I could see how fast things were changing in East Cobb.

There was land along the greater Johnson Ferry Road corridor that was being scarfed up, going from animal-grazing to new subdivisions and retail centers in quick fashion.

It didn’t take long for Walton to be overcrowded, too, and in 1981 Lassiter High School opened, followed by Pope High School (named after a former Walton teacher) in 1987.

When I returned to East Cobb in 1990, after more than a decade being away at college and as a young adult, I almost didn’t recognize the place.

Yes, it had the classic suburban look, just as I remembered, but the feel was different. East Cobb had gotten busy, and Walton had become one of the highest-rated high schools in Georgia, coming under a novel conversion charter governance.

Walton was a magnet for families seeking academic and extracurricular excellence, and there’s hardly a neighborhood in its attendance zone that doesn’t advertise that fact when the “for sale” signs go up.

Many of the booths at the Walton celebration Saturday displayed trophies from past athletic competitions. Others showed off plaques commemorating orchestral trips to Carnegie Hall.

Little about the present campus—the new classroom building opened in 2017—resembles what was there in 1975. But Walton’s evolution reflects so much about what East Cobb has become, and how we think of the community today.

Students’ artwork hanging on the walls in the theatre building also exemplify that spirit. One was a painting of George Walton, one of America’s founding fathers and a Georgia signatory to the Declaration of Independence.

Many featured the schools’s logo and sports themes, while others rendered past and present buildings and campus landmarks.

There are so many ways that thousands of students have experienced Walton for the past 50 years. In a half-century, Walton’s impact on the community is unmistakeable.

As the Dorian Orchestra played “Fields of Gold” (video below) in the theatre, it was easy to close one’s eyes and get swept away with memories from high school days—no matter where one may have gone to high school—when the future of young people seemed so limitless.

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Cobb schools postpones safety sessions—for safety reasons

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The Cobb County School District was to have kicked off a series of educational sessions about school safety later this month with an in-person public meeting at Hillgrove High School.Campbell High School lockdown

But the district announced Friday—due to safety reasons, of all things—that series is being postponed.

Instead, the district will offer those sessions online, with dates and details of the first seminar to be announced later. The Hillgrove town hall had been scheduled for next Monday, April 28.

“After being briefed about violence in other townhalls in our community, we have decided to postpone a series of educational seminars about school safety,” the district said near the bottom of a posting about the sessions, which will now be all-digital.

“While not directly associated with our schools, intentional disruption and acts of violence do not allow for effective communication with you and have a significant impact on the well-being of our entire county.”

The announcement Friday did not mention other incidents, but it follows a contentious town hall meeting in Acworth this week by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, at which three people were arrested and six others were escorted out.

One of those persons also was Tasered by police in front of the town hall crowd, which was limited to constituents in Greene’s district that includes Northwest Cobb.

The arrested individuals were charged with misdemeanor obstruction, battery and disorderly conduct. Local Democrats have said the people arrested and ushered out have had their First Amendment rights violated and that police used excessive force.

Greene, a Republican and a supporter of President Donald Trump, said the disruptive citizens were properly dealt with (see video at bottom).

The Cobb school district is undertaking a variety of safety initiatives in the wake of a deadly shooting last year at Apalachee High School.

In October the district hired a private security firm with former intelligence and military officials to provide what it calls proactive solutions to address not only potential active-shooter situations but also gang activity, cyberviolence and other safety threats.

Two canine detection teams also will be employed, with another security firm training CCSD officers to work with the dogs who can identify “person-worn or concealed-carried explosives and firearms.”

Friday’s posting by the district explained some of those initiatives, and further said in explaining the switch to virtual safety sessions that “we have experienced disruptions during similar District events and look forward to a time when we can listen and learn together, safely.”

The district wasn’t specific about disruptions at its own events, but some citizens have been removed from Cobb Board of Education meetings in recent years during public comment sessions.

In 2022, some citizens protested a decision by the school board to hire armed, non-police professionals to provide school security.

And last year, two parents filed a lawsuit against the Cobb school district over a scuffle while trying to sign up for a public comment session at a school board meeting in 2023.

In recent months, the district has enacted a policy that requires all attendees at school board meetings to pass through an electronic security screening system.

The Cobb school board meets on Thursday with the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to be presented.

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Cobb school board, commission announce FY ’26 budget process

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Cobb school board, commmission announce FY '26 budget dates
The Cobb Board of Education will hear a tentative fiscal year 2025 budget proposal Thursday.

Spring and summer in Cobb County is also budget season for Cobb government and the Cobb County School District.

The Cobb Board of Education will be presented with the district’s fiscal year 2026 tentative budget on Thursday, and will hold a public budget forum Thursday evening.

The budget presentation takes place at a work session that starts at 1:30 p.m. The budget public forum starts at 6:30 p.m., and the board’s monthly voting meeting starts at 7 p.m.

All meetings Thursday take place in the board room of the CCSD Central Office, at 514 Glover St. in Marietta. An executive session will follow the work session.

The final budget hearing is scheduled for May 15, also at 6:30 p.m., shortly before the board is scheduled to adopt the budget.

In July, the school board adopts a property tax millage rate after the final Cobb tax digest is issued.

The Cobb school district’s fiscal year runs from July 1-June 30 of each year.

The current district FY 2025 budget of $1.8 billion was adopted last year that held the property tax rate at 18.7 mills and included broad employee raises.

(Here’s the full district budget calendar.)

Watching the Funds-Cobb, a citizens financial watchdog group, has been critical of the district’s budget process, saying it doesn’t provide the public with adequate time to examine or speak to the budget.

The budget hearings take place the day the budget is presented, and the day it is to be adopted. The group has suggested having hearings somewhere in between those dates.

“Yes, the district holds the legally required public hearings—but they defy the spirit of the law,” the group posted on its Facebook page in late March. “It’s all for show.”

For most homeowners, school taxes comprise around two-thirds of their property tax bills. Seniors 62 and older can claim a general exemption from school taxes.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners will be presented a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at a work session on June 24.

Public hearings on the budget and millage rate will take place on July 8 at 9 a.m., July 16 at 6:30 p.m. and July 22 at 7 p.m., with adoption scheduled for the latter date.

Last month commissioners were presented with a wish list by county department heads that would add 290 employees (much of it for public safety agencies) and $92.7 million to a budget that would add up to $1.3 billion.

Last July commissioners also held the property tax rate but spending went up $63.7 million, despite pleas from residents to roll back the millage.

Cobb government’s budget details can be found here.

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Cobb Veterans Memorial to hold fundraising gala event

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Submitted information:Cobb Veterans Memorial groundbreaking

Celebrate veterans with a VIP reception, dinner, dancing, and silent auction, 6 p.m., Saturday, May 17, at the Marriott Atlanta Northwest at Galleria, 200 Interstate North Parkway SE, Atlanta. Tickets are now available on the website. Proceeds will help build the Cobb Veterans Memorial. Email cvmfmilitaryballgala@gmail.com for more information.

The Cobb Veterans Memorial is a project planned as a park to honor veterans, teach history, and inspire future generations to live meaningful and purposeful lives of service. 

Steps you can take right now to support the project are:

  • Click Facebook.com/CobbVetMemorial to “Like” the project on Facebook

  • Make a donation HERE to help raise the funds to start construction of the Memorial. Every dollar helps!

  • Want to do even more? If you would like to host a fundraising event, make a corporate/foundation donation, or help some other way, please email contact@cobbvmf.com.

 

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Cobb government offices, libraries closed for Good Friday

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Submitted information:

Cobb County Government offices will be closed Friday, April 18. The Good Friday holiday allows our staff members additional time to spend with their friends, family and loved ones for the holiday weekend. Cobb Libraries will also be closed Sunday, April 20, for Easter. Information and many services remain available 24 hours a day online at cobbcounty.org.

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