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.
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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!:
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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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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!
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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Just click the link below! And thank you so very much!
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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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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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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.
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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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.
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.
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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:
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 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.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The signature public Easter-related event is Saturday at Sprayberry High School (2525 Sandy Plains Road). The Northeast Cobb Community Egg Drop is hosted by the Cobb County School District and Piedmont Church and sponsored by Superior Plumbing, SA White Oil Company, Inc. and C and S Paving.
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., includes food, games, and around 90,000 eggs to be collected, dropped onto the football field via helicopter. Kids can have their photos taken with the Easter bunny. Free admission; proceeds from vendor sales support local charitable organizations.
Overflow parking is at Sprayberry Square Shopping Center (2550 Sandy Plains Road).
As we noted earlier this week, Saturday is a very special day in the Walton High School Community. The school’s 50th anniversary celebration takes place from 1-4 p.m. all over the campus (1590 Bill Murdock Road), and will include an open house, tours, music, food, booths featuring school-related organizations and a “Walton Through the Years” retrospective with photos, yearbooks, and memorabilia. Free admission.
Spring cleaning is also in season, and on Saturday you can get rid of unwanted materials at the Pope HS Band Recycling event. It’s from 9-2 at the Northeast Cobb YMCA (3010 Johnson Ferry Road) and they accept metal, electronics, appliances, paint, and offer paper shredding while you watch! For a full list, visit: http://www.popeband.com/recycling.html.
Friday and Saturday is another spring tradition in Cobb County: The 25th Annual Cobb Master Gardener Plant Sale and Expo, at Jim Miller Park (2245 Callaway Road).
The event is from 10-4 both days, and dozens of vendors will be on hand. Plants, gardening supplies, bird and bee products, yard art, crafts, pottery, food, and more will be available. Admission is free.
The Prokofiev classic “Peter and the Wolf” will be performed Saturday by the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, which is staging two sensory-friendy concerts at Wheeler High School (375 Holt Road). The first show is at 2 p.m. and includes sensory activities, followed by a family-style show at 4 p.m.
Easter Sunday is filled with religious and family activities. Check out our listings of church service times, Two Sunrise services of note, that are off-campus if you will: At 6:30 a.m. featuring ministers and music from East Cobb’s Piedmont Church at the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.
A 7 a.m. Sunrise service of Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church will be held at nearby Mabry Park (4466 Mabry Road).
There’s also a public concert on tap as well later on Sunday.
The first of the spring Music in the Park series takes place from 4-6 p.m. at East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road). You can bring a blanket and chairs, food and drink to the back quad and enjoy the sounds from the concert stage.
Additional events in the series, presented by the Friends of East Cobb Park. are April 27, May 4 and May 11. The sponsors are Wellstar, Rotary Club of East Cobb, Frameworks Gallery, Home Depot and Site One Landscaping.
Send us your event news!
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.
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. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Walton High School is celebrating a remarkable milestone—50 years of Raider pride, tradition, and achievement. Since opening its doors in the fall of 1975, Walton has grown into one of the top public high schools in Georgia and has earned a national reputation for academic excellence, innovation, and student success.
The community is invited to commemorate this golden anniversary on Saturday, April 19th, with a special open house and festival on campus from 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Location: Walton High School, 1590 Bill Murdock Rd, Marietta, GA 30062
Date: Friday, April 19, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
A Festival of Raider Pride
The anniversary celebration will be an engaging and family-friendly event that reflects the school’s dynamic community spirit. Sports teams, student organizations, and academic groups will host booths outside the school, offering informational displays, student projects, and activities for kids. Whether you’re a longtime Raider, a new Raider, or a future Raider, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Guests will also have a chance to explore some of the most innovative areas of Walton’s campus, including:
The state-of-the-art gymnasium
The cutting-edge sports medicine facility
The high-tech robotics annex
The school’s modern theater
Walton Through the Years: A Walk Down Memory Lane
Inside the Information Center, visitors can step back in time to see “Walton Through the Years.” This retrospective includes a collection of Walton yearbooks, a video montage of memorable moments, and memorabilia spanning five decades of Raider tradition and excellence.
Continuous Music and Delicious Bites
While guests explore Walton’s past and present, the celebration continues with live musical performances inside the Theater throughout the event. Outside, food and snack options will be available, giving visitors a chance to grab a bite while strolling down memory lane or learning about the impressive opportunities available to Walton students.
A Legacy of Excellence
Since opening its doors in the fall of 1975, Walton High School has grown into one of the most recognized and high-performing schools in Georgia and the nation. Known for its strong academic performance, dedicated teachers, and successful extracurricular programs, Walton continues to be a model of student achievement and community involvement. You can explore more of Walton’s accomplishments here.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up and you’re good to go!
Last week we heard from Brian O’Malley, a former East Cobb resident we talked to recently about his upcoming attempt to scale Mount Everest.
On Tuesday he began that journey to Nepal, and taped this message on his Facebook page before heading off.
He and his wife Shelley, who raised their three children here—all Lassiter High School graduates—recently relocated to the Northern Virginia area to be closer to them for the next couple of years.
O’Malley is using the trip with his brother-in-law to raise funds for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which provides mortgage-free homes for the families of fallen first responders, Gold Star families, and catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.
They’re calling it the “Boomer Veterans and First Responders Mt Everest Summit Expedition 2025” and they’ve raised more than $16,000 thus far, about two-thirds of their goal (you can donate here).
Here’s more about his “why” that he furnished to us, with details on his family’s long history of military service, including two of his three children. Luke O’Malley is currently attending the U.S. Naval Academy, like his parents and one of his sisters:
Why am I attempting to summit Mt Everest?
“Because it’s there.” Famous quote by early English Everest mountaineer George Mallory.
Since my latest successful back surgery about a year ago which has resulted in me feeling better than I have in 40+ years, I made a decision to attempt one of the ultimate physical and mental endeavors on this earth. I’ve always been enthralled by Mt Everest. The “records” of oldest Navy Veteran, top 10 oldest ever, etc, are also contributing factors that helped push me during training and helped me get both my physical body and my mind in a positive attitude and direction while attempting one of the most challenging endeavors out there, summiting Mt Everest.
Why do I want to support Tunnel to Towers Foundation, “T2T”?
Simple…T2T’s mission to assist first responders and our military when they are most in need for our support. Few really know exactly what our first responders and military personnel experience on a continuous basis, especially when extreme tragedy strikes them and their families. Frank Siller and T2T is the absolute best resource for these people in their deepest moments of need. There are so many examples of what T2T actually does for our National Heroes who protect us domestically and internationally that I hope to bring awareness to throughout my expedition to summit My Everest. I wholeheartedly want to bring continued awareness and financial support to this incredible helpful organization, T2T.
With the utmost humility and sincerity, God has blessed me and my life with so much; the most loving wife in the world, amazing kids and family, special loved ones, incredible friends, great leaders and some personal somewhat decent physical abilities. I feel that it is my obligation, while I still can, to do His will and to help those who need it most.
I’ve also been extremely blessed to have incredible parents, family, friends (especially my Aurora, IL buddies from elementary school, the “Click”, my teachers, squadron mates (especially my F-14 Tomcat Black Knight squadron mates), teammates, military and civilian leaders and peers whom have supported me and have offered continued encouragement during my life of service and always doing my very best with my God given talents. We have all experienced and know that life on this earth can be very fragile and God often calls his Angels (our loved ones and friends) at anytime…many times when we least expect it. I am so blessed and I truly believe that life on this earth is but a nanosecond in time and that we will all be together again in His Majesty’s Grace for Eternity. While I can, I want to continue to challenge the talents blessed upon me by God and do what I can to help those true heroes in our Nation whom protect all of us at home (first responders) and abroad (military service personnel).
What connection do I have to T2T?
T2T has been one of our family’s favorite charities mainly due to our immediate connection to the very people T2T supports. Namely:<
Myself: 1986 U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Naval Flight officer for approximately 10 years.
My wife of 35+ years, Shelley O’Malley: 1987 U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Naval Aviator for about 10 years. I owe everything to my wife, Shelley. She has always supported me and has been the “rock” of our family. Shelley, among other incredibly great life accomplishments, was the first female Aircraft Carrier Landing Signals Officer “LSO”. I could not do what I’m embarking on without the support of my beautiful, loving, caring, tough, dedicated (not enough positive acronyms to describe) love of my life! Shelley is the main reason that I can focus and do what I can to both challenge myself and to help others through organizations such as the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
My children:
Shannon McKinney: U.S. Naval Academy “2015” Naval Academy recruit and “Academy Summer Seminar Attendee and candidate”; University of Georgia College All-American and 2 x National Champion; 2 x Olympic Trials Qualifier and World Ironman Triathlon Championship qualifier conducted in Helsinki, Finland.
Lauren O’Malley Stephenson: U.S. Naval Academy 2019 graduate and Brigade Commander (highest student leadership position at the Naval Academy); Naval Surface Warfare Officer; Served high-level Naval leadership in daily analysis of combat operations and readiness.
Luke O’Malley: U.S. Naval Academy Midshipman (Class of 2027) and future U.S. Naval Officer and Leader. of 2027)
Son-in-Law: Jared Stephenson, U.S. Naval Academy 2018 graduate and active Marine Corps Infantry Officer.
Father: James O’Malley, Retired Aurora / Chicago area Firefighter
Mother: Edna Mae O’Malley: Retired Nurse
Father-in-Law: James Laurilla, U.S. Airforce Veteran
Brother-in-Law: Steve McDaniel, U.S. Airforce Veteran, State of Georgia police officer and accompanied me on the approximate 100 mile trek through the Himalayas to Everest Base Camp. Steve is an incredible inspiration and high-achiever and loving husband to my sister, Kari McDaniel (a Naval and Airforce Officer spouse and nurse).
Best Man and Life Brother: Steve Wisotzki, 1986 U.S. Naval Academy graduate; U.S. Navy Special Operations (Seal)
Brother-In-Law: JP Aragon, U.S. Naval Aviator
Niece: Natalie Aragon, U.S. Naval Medical Nursing Corps Officer
Nephew: Camden Aragon, U.S. Naval Aviator
Special consideration and appreciation to our incredible lifelong community of friends in Marietta and Woodstock, Georgia, in the Chicago / Aurora area and the Norfolk / Virginia Beach, Virginia area, my loving family, teammates, squadron mates, professors, and much loved peers whom have always supported me and our family throughout our life’s journey.
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Tuesday is April 15, or Tax Day for most individuals and businesses.
But in Georgia, there’s been an extension granted to file certain state and federal income tax returns.
The Georgia Department of Revenue granted the extension in the wake of Hurricane Helene last fall.
In October, the state set a new deadline of Thursday, May 1, following an emergency declaration in all 159 counties of Georgia by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The highlights of the extension, as GDOR announced it at the time:
The May 1, 2025, extension date applies to individuals and businesses that have a 2024 income tax return normally due during March or April 2025; calendar year corporations whose 2023 extensions run out on October 15, 2024; quarterly estimated income tax payments due on January 15 and April 15, 2025; and quarterly payroll tax returns normally due on October 31, 2024, January 31, 2025, and April 30, 2025.
Affected taxpayers who had a valid extension until October 15, 2024, to file their 2023 income tax return will now have until May 1, 2025, to file their return. Because income tax payments related to these 2023 returns were due on April 15, 2024, however, those payments are not eligible for this relief.
The extended deadlines for filing and payments do not apply to information returns in the W-2 and 1099 series; or to Forms 1042-S; or to employment and excise tax deposits. However, penalties on deposits due on or after Sept. 24, 2024, and before October 9, 2024, will be abated as long as the tax deposits are made by October 9, 2024. It also does not apply to International Fuel Tax Agreement interest or scheduled payments which are the result of a taxpayer entering into an Installment Payment Agreement since those liabilities were due prior to the disaster relief.
The Department is also extending limited relief for sales and use tax, excise tax, and other miscellaneous taxes. The relief includes quarterly and monthly returns and payments originally due in the month of October 2024 (e.g., September 2024 sales and use tax returns due October 21, 2024). These returns and payments are now due on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.
Likewise, the Internal Revenue Service granted an extension to May 1 in Georgia for certain individual and business tax returns.
All returns must be received or postmarked by May 1 to be considered filed in time to avoid late penalties.
Georgia is one of nine states with tax extensions, due to FEMA emergency declarations. All taxpayers in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina also have until May 1, while taxpayers in certain locations in Alaska, New Mexico, Tennessee and Virginia also have an extra two weeks to file.
In Los Angeles, where wildfires destroyed thousands of home this winter, taxpayers will have until October to file their returns.
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Yes, I am showing you a photo of a cute pet to get your attention for something else.
My little cat Whisper (aka the Big Bopper) is as camera-shy as I am, but I couldn’t help myself when he jumped into the car the other day as I had the window down.
He knows I keep of a bag of treats with me, and went right for it after I snapped this picture.
Once rewarded, he wanted no further attention—that’s how felines are, after all, and I didn’t mind.
He knows where to come when he needs something, and that’s what pet owners sign up to do.
We do it out of love for these creatures, and ask for nothing in return.
I find some parallels to publishing this local news site. I began East Cobb News to serve the community with daily news and information that wasn’t available anywhere else.
It has been a labor of love, especially building it into a sustainable business that will stand the test of time.
One of my objectives was to make local news accessible to everyone. That’s why there’s not a paywall, unlike many corporate media outlets.
But even though East Cobb News has a true hyperlocal, down-home focus, we do have expenses. Local business advertising provides most of the revenue, but we’re asking for readers to help support us financially.
Over the last few months, so many of you have generously done that. I know it can seem annoying, but we’d like for those of you who have not contributed to consider doing so.
We raised around $1,000 from readers last month. That may not sound like much, but it goes a long way. And every dollar is appreciated! Click below if you’re ready to help out right now!
We’re off to a slow start this month—especially coming off spring break—but I’d like to ask those of you who enjoy East Cobb News, and value what you get here, to consider becoming a recurring donor.
We’re suggesting $6 a month, but you can donate at whatever amount you like, whether is on a monthly, annual or one-time basis.
If we could get to $1,000 a month again in April, that would be fantastic!
Why do we do this, every week, to ask for your support?
The state of local news in many communities is dire. In East Cobb, we launched this site more than seven years ago to address that dearth here, and many of you have responded.
We think we’ve built up a good following of engaged residents who appreciate what happens here, and that turns to East Cobb News to find out.
We have nearly 9,300 newsletter subscribers, for example, and that has grown organically. We appreciate people spreading the word about East Cobb News, which is produced for you—the citizen, voter, homeowner and stakeholder in this community.
We get reader comments all the time—many positive, some with complaints, but we welcome and value them all the same. They help us to serve you better.
I just got an e-mail from a reader who’s moved out of the area, but continues to read East Cobb News. Why? Here’s what she told us:
“You are so great at traditional ‘just the facts’ news with a balance of information and happenings. It is so refreshing. I hope your work is rewarding in every aspect. Local news is so critical to all of us. Thanks for all you do to continue to make it happen.”
Yes, this work is very rewarding—the most gratifying of my professional career in journalism, which spans more than 40 years. And yes, local news is very critical for everyone who lives in any community.
And absolutely yes, I want to continue to make it happen.
But I’d like to ask you to help me with this.
I feel blessed to have grown up in East Cobb, like my reader’s children did, and have always appreciated what the people and institutions here did to nurture me along the way.
Unlike my cat’s treats, I like to think of what we produce for you at East Cobb News to be more than just occasional noshing. You come here when you want to know what’s going on, but I’d like for you to think of this site—and the community resource we aim to be—as contributing to the social capital of East Cobb.
If you find value in what you get from East Cobb News, please consider making a donation today, if you haven’t already.
Press Patron, our online platform is safe, secure and easy to use, and you can manage your account however you like.
Just click the link below! The Big Bopper and I thank you so very much!
The Music Studio Atlanta, a private music instruction business that includes a location in East Cobb, and Peachtree Hearing, also of East Cobb, were named among the Top 25 small businesses for 2025 by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.
Cecilia Rowe, The Music Studio Atlanta
In addition, The Music Studio Atlanta was named the Chamber’s top woman-owned business for 2025.
Those and other honorees will be recognized by the Chamber at a May 12 luncheon at the Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre in the Cumberland area.
The Chamber selects small businesses to recognize each spring, and the “winners are determined by a thorough selection process including applications and site visits by a panel of outside judges,” according to a release.”
The small business of the year will be selected from the Top 25 recipients and annonced at the luncheon.
The Music Studio Atlanta opened in Vinings and later expanded in East Cobb at the Pavilions at East Lake Shopping Center under founder Cecelia Rowe. Last year, the business was named the 2024 School of the Year by Music Academy Success, the largest international coaching organization dedicated to music academy owners.
Peachtree Hearing opened on Lower Roswell Road in 2016, and founder Dr. Melissa Wikoff was recognized by Cobb Young Professionals, a development arm of the Chamber.
She is on the board of directors on the national level for the American Tinnitus Association (ATA) and at the local level for Aloha to Aging, an East Cobb-based non-profit that helps seniors and their caregivers.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The new Walton fine arts performing center and gym sits on land that once housed the original classroom building.
I’m old enough to remember how things were in East Cobb before some of the landmarks of the community we all know today came into being.
Next weekend, there will be an extravaganza at Walton High School to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the school.
An open house from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, April 19 will include food, music and plenty of shared memories, as alumni revisit and reconnect with one another. The entire community is invited, and the event is free to the public.
It was in the fall of 1975 that Walton opened, on land across from a subdivision on Bill Murdock Road and near Pine Road.
The school was meant to relieve overcrowding at Wheeler High School, where I had just finished my freshman year, and remember that well.
We were on split sessions during that time, and like Walton would soon come to know, we had vastly outgrown a small, single-story campus building.
In those days, school buildings were constructed with money derived from bond issues. In other words, you built the school you could with the money you had at that time, and not necessarily the one that you needed for the long term.
Not long after Walton opened, it too became overcrowded, and in 1981 Lassiter opened, followed by Pope in late 1980s.
This was the second major “boom” period of growth in East Cobb.
As a result, so much has changed, as we now live in a community with nearly 200,000 residents, many drawn here to the public schools.
Both Wheeler and Walton have been rebuilt with sales tax revenues and house state-of-the-art space for classrooms and other activities. Sprayberry High School is undergoing the same process.
Pope and Lassiter have received sparkling performing arts and gymnasiumspace to accompany their main facilities.
These are more than buildings for education and extracurriculars; they’re community hubs that have helped create a sense of place.
So are our many faith communities. When I was a kid, it was basically Protestant churches. As I entered high school, Holy Family and Transfiguration were being planned to cater to Roman Catholics.
And in that same year of 1975, the Jewish community in Cobb finally had a place of worship they could call their own. Congregation Etz Chaim came into being that year, and moved to its current location on Indian Hills in 1980.
It’s one of three synagogues in East Cobb, and later this month will be observing its Golden Anniversary.
As our Jewish friends and neighbors observe Passover and as Christians prepare for Holy Week, it’s a reminder of how far East Cobb has evolved as a welcoming community for people of all faiths and creeds.
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Not long ago I received a note from a reader who had unsubscribed from our weekly newsletter, saying that she “hated” the format.
I e-mailed her to find out what she didn’t like about it, and she replied that “I struggled with the different font sizes and so many different sections, multiple bullet points.”
It was hard for her to read this on her phone—which is how three-quarters of you read the newsletter and all East Cobb News content.
She said she still follows what we post on Facebook, and “realize what you’re doing is a thankless job. I do love being informed and know what’s going on in our community—so thank you.”
Again, this is all very helpful for me, and I apologize if any of you have a negative or unsatisfying experience. I want to know if you’re unhappy or disappointed with what we do here at East Cobb News—it’s how we get better—so don’t hesitate to reach out.
Whether it’s about technology or content or anything else, I do keep these things in mind as I contemplate changes.
For the time being, I will experiment with giving you the newsletter in a condensed fashion, with non-featured items listed under either “This Week’s News” or “Living” tabs, to see how that goes.
Let me know what you think—I’m always open to suggestions that would improve your experience. Get in touch via e-mail: wendy@eastcobbnews.com. Our aim is to make it more relevant and useful for you, because that’s what we’re all about.
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The Power of Local—which is not only our theme but a core of our mission—comes from being in this community every day, and being all-in in this community, whether it’s covering stories, talking with prospective advertisers or sharing some goodwill about what makes this place so special for all of us.
If you find value in what you get from East Cobb News, please consider making a donation today, if you haven’t already.
We’re asking for a $6 donation on a recurring monthly basis, but you can contribute whatever amount you like, either monthly, annually or on a one-time basis.
Press Patron, our online platform is safe, secure and easy to use, and you can manage your account however you like.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
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.
