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Get ready to kick off the holiday season with joy and excitement! The Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team invites families to join us for our highly anticipated Sweets with Santa 2024 event. It’s a day full of festive fun, delicious treats, and magical memories for all ages.
On Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, come to 2249 Roswell Rd for an unforgettable day of holiday cheer! Guests will have the opportunity to meet Santa Claus, indulge in scrumptious sweet treats, and enjoy a ride on a trackless train. This event is the perfect opportunity for families to get into the holiday spirit and create lasting memories together.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, December 14, 2024
Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Line closes at 4:00 PM)
Location: 2249 Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA
Activities: Sweet treats, trackless train ride, free digital photos & printed photos with Santa
This festive event is free and open to the public, but we encourage everyone to RSVP to ensure they don’t miss out on all the fun. Secure your spot and save time by registering through Eventbrite. Go to https://janiceoverbeck.com/events/ and click “Register Here!”
“We are so excited to welcome families to our annual Sweets with Santa event,” says Janice Overbeck, founder of the Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team. “It’s the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit, enjoy sweet treats, and create magical memories with Santa!”
Don’t miss out on this holiday tradition! Be sure to mark your calendars and come join us for a day filled with fun, laughter, and plenty of holiday cheer.
We can’t wait to see you there!
For more information about the event or to RSVP, visit https://janiceoverbeck.com/events/ or contact the Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team at 404-585-8881.
Send us your holiday event news!
If your organization or entity is holding such 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.
Kennesaw State University’s Bailey School of Music will present the 2024 Holiday Concert on Sat., Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. The annual concert features almost 280 KSU students performing as part of the Choirs, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Jazz I.
This year’s offerings will delight and surprise patrons as they are treated to a wide range of holiday music, from Duke Ellington and Tchaikovsky to a Brazilian folk song and an African American spiritual. New this year is the inclusion of Jazz I, bringing their unique sound to the holiday mix.
The Wind Ensemble begins the family-friendly concert with Kenny Bierschenk’s A Festival Christmas. Resplendent sounds of the season burst through in this familiar and joyful medley of holiday tunes, including Come, O Come, Emmanuel, The First Noel, and Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
John Wasson’s In the Christmas Mood takes holiday favorites and mixes them with the swing classic In the Mood. The result is the Wind Ensemble performing a medley giftwrapped for the audience, including Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty The Snowman, and Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.
In 1960, jazz buffs might have found Duke Ellington’s record The Nutcracker Suite under the Christmas tree. The Jazz Band I will perform The Nutcracker Suite – Overture from the album featuring jazz interpretations of The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, arranged by Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.
The Chamber Singers will perform the Brazilian folk song A Nossa Lapinha. This rousing arrangement is based on a celebration that ends Christmas and takes place on Three Kings Day. Participants write their hopes for the new year on slips of paper and put them into the Lapinha, a nativity scene. Made of dried leaves and incense, the Lapinha is then burned, in the belief that nativity items are holy and should not be reused. Some believe that not burning the items brings bad luck in the new year.
Fast forward a few millennia to Cool Yule by the Jazz Band I, which is a delight for the band to play and for the audience to hear. This jovial jaunt on television personality Steve Allen’s tribute to the holiday season, courtesy of Sherman Irby, bears a resemblance to the classic style of the Count Basie Orchestra.
The Combined Trebles will thrill patrons as they exchange alleluias in the African American spiritual A Christmas Alleluia, arranged by Undine Smith Moore. This spiritual was originally written for the Spelman College Glee Club in 1971.
Not to be outdone, the Mixed Choirs will perform Abreme la Puerta, arranged by Cristian Grases. This traditional folk song from Puerto Rico is usually sung at Christmastime. Singers knock on the door of a neighbor or friend’s house and ask them to “open the door!” so they may come in and celebrate Christmas together.
In a delightful way to end this year’s Holiday Concert, the Combined Choirs and Symphony Orchestra will perform A Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas by Craig Courtney. It starts with a chant, and each successive day finds a different (and hilarious) parody. Expect incognito appearances by musical greats, ending with a pseudo-Sousa Stars and Stripes Forever.
The 2024 Holiday Concert will be held on Sat., Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., at the Morgan Concert Hall in the Dr. Bobbie Bailey and Family Performance Center. Tickets are available online or by calling 470-578-6650. Please purchase tickets early, as this event will sell out quickly.
Send us your holiday event news!
If your organization or entity is holding such 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.
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 Cobb County Government released information about the first of three installments of a Unified Development Code.
The UDC incorporates zoning, planning and land-use with design, landscaping, architectural and other guidelines into a single comprehensive planning guide.
In metro Atlanta, the cities of Atlanta and Roswell have implemented UDCs, as has DeKalb County.
It’s been more than two years since Cobb officials began presentations to bring various regulations into one process under the UDC, but little has been presented to the public since then.
Some citizens have objected, calling the UDC “a war on the suburbs.” No public meetings are pending regarding the most recent updates.
The new material includes a 97-page public draft of the UDC (you can read it here) that includes general provisions, transitional provisions, definitions, terms of construction and related topics. Related documents can be found by clicking here.
The primary updates for the first installment cover administrative articles that establish procedures for the review of all development applications, including applications for rezoning, special land-use permits, for subdivisions and for zoning variances.
According to a draft public review questionnaire, This article consolidates the decision-making bodies and review procedures from the current Zoning Ordinance into a single chapter. This is done in in order to better improve the usability and readability of the County’s land development regulations, as discussed in the [November 2023] Code Assessment.”
The questionnaire further states that “the way development applications are reviewed and decisions are made is not changing significantly.”
Among the changes is an additional step in the development process that requires zoning and land-use permit applicants to hold a community meeting before their case is reviewed by county staff.
“The goal of the Neighborhood Meeting is to provide an opportunity for applicants and nearby residents to discuss a project at an early stage,” questionnaire states.
Also new is an administrative variance procedure to address “limited, discrete changes to development standards such as required building setbacks to accommodate specific site conditions, as long as these changes would not impact the surrounding community.”
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From L-R: Left to Right: Chief Deputy Rhonda Anderson (CCSO), Sheriff Craig Owens (CCSO), Sgt. John Beasley (CCSO), Sgt. Anthony Mosby (CCSO), Assistant Chief Deputy Gina Hawkins (CCSO).
Submitted information and photos:
On Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office hosted a heartfelt retirement ceremony for K-9 Krush, a black Labrador retriever with over eight years of distinguished service. Held at the Advanced Operation Center, the event celebrated Krush’s remarkable contributions to public safety and his impact on the Cobb County community.
Trained by US K9 Unlimited in narcotics detection, K-9 Krush was a critical asset in hundreds of drug inspections, aiding in the seizure of approximately $4.5 million worth of drugs, cash, and assets. One of his career highlights was his largest single seizure of 17 kilograms of heroin.
The ceremony featured a retrospective of Krush’s career, recognition of his handlers—retired Sgt. Kite, Deputy Perez, and Sgt. Beasley—and a tribute to his unwavering dedication to public safety.
The most heartwarming moment of the ceremony came at the very end when K-9 Krush was reunited with his former handler, retired Sgt. Kite, whom he hadn’t seen in eight months. Overcome with excitement, Krush whimpered and eagerly jumped on Sgt. Kite. With his tongue hanging out and his eyes fixed lovingly on Sgt. Kite, it was clear he was thrilled to be reunited with the person who had been such an important part of his K-9 career. Sgt. Kite, now Krush’s retirement caretaker, expressed his gratitude and shared his excitement for Krush’s well-deserved retirement.
Krush will enjoy a slower pace of life, filled with lake swims, road trips, fetch, and plenty of affection. His legacy as a dedicated and skilled K-9 officer will continue to inspire the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office and the community it serves.
We thank K-9 Krush for his exceptional service and wish him a joyful and restful retirement!
Krush is reunited with his retired handler, Sgt. Kite.
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A shopper browses the merchandise at Casabella, where holiday items have been stocked since September. ECN photos and video.
Almost as soon as Christmas sales are over, Cathy Linton will begin making plans for the 2025 holiday shopping season.
The owner of the Casabella boutique home furnishings, decor, women’s clothing and gifts store at Merchants Exchange Shopping Center (website here) will order next year’s supply in January, with some items shipping as early as May.
“We’re not like the chains,” said Linton, who has owned Casabella for the last eight years of its 22-year history. “We can’t order any more” after that.
Since September, she and her staff have been stocking the shelves of the nearly 12,000-square-foot store with Christmas items of almost every imaginable holiday gift idea in mind: from trees, ornaments and college-themed merchandise, to jewelry and handmade goods.
Casabella also is expanding its supplies of Judaica items as Hanukkah begins this year on Dec. 25.
In an area with plenty of national chain powerhouses to compete against, Casabella has carved out a loyal niche of customers focused on local attention, as well as novelty.
One of the more popular features at Casabella for the holidays is a mechanical reindeer who turns his head while songs of the season are played.
Linton said that “kids come just to hear that every year.”
“It’s the only store like this in this area,” said Linton, a former corporate executive who lives in East Cobb and touts her partnerships with nearby organizations and vendors, including craftswomen who put their personal touches on their work.
“Local mom, local mom, local mom, local mom,” Linton said, pointing to items on the shelves that truly are locally sourced.
It’s all part of an effort to sell customers on the idea of shopping locally, and supporting local businesses, some of whom may be neighbors or people they know.
While Casabella’s shop local mantra is year-round, the theme is especially emphasized during the holiday season. In addition to Small Business Saturday, Casabella also urging its customer base to support what it’s dubbing “Pink Friday: Local First” in lieu of the corporate-themed Black Friday.
“We are lucky to have so many amazing locally owned gift shops that support each other throughout the year,” states the Pink Friday promotion. “We are all owned by local moms. We hire local and support local schools, sports teams and charities.”
That includes giving them a shout-out on her social media pages, and even making referrals with Findlay Rowe, Ivy Lane, Little Red Bird and Signatures.
“We send people to each other all the time,” Linton said. “So many of our people support the local shops. We want them all to succeed.”
She noted several new restaurants that have come to Merchants Exchange recently, and said that while it doesn’t necessary affect her foot traffic, “I just want small businesses to survive.”
To get a head start on the season, Casabella held an open house with special sales in early November.
Linton also highlights special areas of merchandise—such as college-themed goods—on her social media pages.
For gift-hunters, there’s no shortage of ideas, even down to snack items and last-minute Thanksgiving food prep assistance.
One thing Casabella is not is an online store. Even during COVID-19, while it was closed for a few months, Linton and her son made home deliveries to customers who called in their orders.
“People want to come in and walk around,” she said. “They know the ladies who work here.”
Losing that personal touch, she added, would change the dynamic of the business and the shopping experience that she’s tried to maintain.
Casabella is located at 4400 Roswell Road, Suite 128. Hours are Monday-Saturday 10-6, and Sunday 12-5. Closed Thanksgiving.
Cathy Linton, at right, has been Casabella owner for the last 8 years.
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A third location of the Johnson Ferry Road-based Marietta Donuts will be opening soon, and will be the second in East Cobb.
A social media posting last week indicated that the new space is in the Sprayberry Collection shopping center (2520 East Piedmont Road, Suite 3) and that plans are to open before Christmas.
Sokcheat Heng opened the first Marietta Donuts next to a gas station (now Shell) at 1282 Johnson Ferry Road with his girlfriend and business partner, Sophal Chhim, in 2016.
In addition to a wide variety of doughnuts, the shop sells fritters and kolaches, a Polish-style pastry with sausage, as well as croissants, cinnamon rolls, eclairs, breakfast biscuits, bagels, coffees and teas.
In 2021, a second Marietta Donuts opened on Cobb Parkway in Kennesaw.
East Cobb News has left a message with Marietta Donuts seeking more information.
Sprayberry Collection is located on East Piedmont near Sandy Plains Road and Sprayberry High School. The small retail center used to house Cafe 33 and other small businesses but there are mostly empty storefronts now.
But it’s also located near the now-razed Sprayberry Crossing Shopping Center that’s being redeveloped. The first phase of that project, EVOQ of East Cobb, is a 55-and-older apartment building that is under construction.
Townhomes and retail spaces also are planned for the redevelopment which has been named East Cobb Walk.
The Marietta Donuts space will take up 1,200 square feet that formerly was occupied by a hair salon at Sprayberry Collection.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
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Sunday and Monday were unseasonably warm in East Cobb, and the weather is expected to get colder and wetter by the time Thanksgiving Day arrives.
Temperatures were expected to reach 70 with sunny skies by Monday afternoon, and they’ll stay as high as the low 60s until Friday.
That’s when colder temperatures will settle in for a few days, including a very chilly weekend.
The Turkey Day forecast calls for highs in the low 60s and lows in the mid 40s, along with a moderate chance of rain that could start by Wednesday evening.
That’s all the precipitation that’s in the forecast for the next week or so, but you’ll need to bundle up for Black Friday and beyond.
Highs on Friday are expected to get only to 50 degrees, and similar highs are expected for Saturday and Sunday.
Next Monday, it may not get out of the 30s, and overnight lows from Friday through the middle of next week are likely to stay at or below freezing.
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!
Friday night’s first tree lighting at Avenue East Cobb brought out all ages.
Many of them, of course, were children, who waved red- and green-colored glowsticks as they awaited a visit from Santa.
Their parents sipped hot chocolate and munched on fare from nearby restaurants on a chilly night at the public plaza, and some huddled around heaters.
Live music played up to the culmination of the evening’s highlight—the lighting of the tree.
Shortly before 8 p.m., the tree lights went on just in front of Round Trip Brewing Co., and kids rushed to scoop up mounds of confetti.
For the next month or so, the retail center will be decked out with festive lights.
You can see the dazzling display after dark from Roswell Road as you enter, and follow trees decorated with lights and colors all around the parking and public areas.
It’s a real sight to behold.
On Dec. 29, Avenue East Cobb will hold a Menorah lighting event during Hanukkah.
Send us your holiday event news!
If your organization or entity is holding such 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.
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 Sprayberry High School football team advanced to the quarterfinals of the Georgia High School Association Class 5A playoffs Friday with a 35-7 win over Newnan.
In doing so, the Yellow Jackets also set a school record for most victories in a season.
Sprayberry scored five unanswered touchdowns in the second half at Jim Frazier Stadium to move to 11-1 on the season.
Kell was defeated 42-35 Friday in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs as the Longhorns’ season ended with a 7-5 record.
According to Georgia High Football Historians Association records, the only other time Sprayberry has recorded double-digit wins in a season was in 1982. In that year, the Jackets also reached the quarterfinals in going 10-3.
No other Sprayberry team has ever advanced past that stage in 69 seasons of varsity football. In 1977, the Jackets were 8-3 and lost in the quarterfinals.
Head coach Brett Vavra has a record of 41-44 since taking over in 2017, posting three 6-5 seasons in that time.
Sprayberry has reached the playoffs for three consecutive years.
But this year, the Jackets have been dominant from the start, scoring no fewer than 23 points in a game.
Their only loss came to East Cobb rival Pope by a 34-23 score on Sept. 6.
They rolled over their next six opponents to win Region 6-AAAAA, then downed Lanier 27-14 last week to start the playoffs.
Sprayberry will have to hit the road on Friday in its quarterfinal game against No. 2 Lee County (12-0), a perennial powerhouse and state champion in 2017 and 2018.
Only one other Cobb public high school team is still in the playoffs: Hillgrove, which advanced to the Class 6A quarterfinals.
North Cobb Christian also advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 3A-A private school division.
Walton and Wheeler reached the Class 6A playoffs but were defeated in the first round.
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Clergy and speakers at the 20th Interfaith Thanksgiving Service ham it up for the cameras. ECN photos and videos
On a cool, blustery evening, the warmth inside a packed East Cobb synagogue radiated with the energy of foot-tapping music, somber reflections and joyous laughter.
As well as tables full of delicious desserts.
At the 20th Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Thursday at Temple Kol Emeth, the themes of faith, community and fellowship were reprised at the start of a holiday season.
The service begun in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by now-retired Kol Emeth Rabbi Steven Lebow this year carried the theme of “Embracing Responsibility: Doing Our Part.”
Retired Kol Emeth Rabbi Steven Lebow.
Lebow, who retired five years ago, returned to point out the difference that a single letter can make—from human to humane.
“We will not be human until the last of our hostages are returned to Israel,” he said in reference to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas that began in October 2023.
“But I also would not be humane if I didn’t mention the Palestinian children” whom he said have been “placed in harm’s way by Hamas terrorists.”
Kim Garrett of the Church of Latter-Day Saints on Trickum Road referenced a final line from “Les Miserables” in defining responsibility: “To love another person is to see the face of God.”
For Ron Green of the Four Corners Group, an Austell-based non-profit that helps to reduce juvenile recidivism, responsibility meant having to turn his life around in dramatic ways.
Ron Green of the Four Corners Group.
He turned to crime and addiction as a young man, then absconded his duties to his own children as he became imprisoned and then homeless, holding up signs begging for help.
At the age of 44, he “had a moment of clarity” in determining to come clean.
“I was essentially invisible to the world,” Green said, with members of the Four Corners staff and some of the youth the organization is helping in attendance.
“I got on my knees and said, ‘God, help me now. . . . I had to have personal responsibility. I had to stop looking out the window and look in the mirror.”
The offering at Thursday’s service will be donated to Four Corners, which will soon open a third location in Cobb to work with youth who’ve dropped out of school, are enrolled in alternative schools, attend Title I schools or who have been involved in the juvenile court system and facilities.
Cobb District Attorney Flynn Broady Jr. stressed the importance of adults transmitting the themes of responsibility to young ones.
He noted that his 3-year-old daughter pointed out that “to everyone in her class, they are brown.
“Kids don’t know anything but love,” he said, “until we tell them different. We are all the same. Your voice does have power. We can turn everything around just by speaking positively. Let’s be kind together, and let’s make the world a better place.”
Teens from participating faith communities reflected on the subject of responsibility.
The theme of responsibility echoed to Rev. Bronson Elliott Woods, assistant pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church of Atlanta, who said “it’s about each of us doing our part in many ways every day.
“Let’s get to work and get into good trouble for humanity.”
Current Kol Emeth Rabbi Chase Foster said “this is what we need, this moment, this evening.”
The faith communities taking part included Atlanta Chinese Christian Church, Chestnut Ridge Christian Church, Congregation Etz Chaim, East Cobb United Methodist Church, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church, St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, Transfiguration Catholic Church and Unity North Atlanta Church.
Music was performed by joint choirs and performers from several East Cobb faith communities.
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Cobb Police said Thursday they’ve arrested and charged a 14-year-old whom they said made separate false threats of violence that prompted a code red lockdown at Allatoona High School.
Officer Joseph Wilson said in a release that the juvenile’s actions “caused significant harm” at the school in North Cobb.
The incidents were the latest in the Cobb County School District involving reported threats of violence since a deadly school shooting in Barrow County in September.
The 14-year-old, who was identified only as an Allatoona student, was charged with making terroristic threats, transmitting a false public alarm and disrupting operation of a public school, according to Cobb Police.
Wilson said that the Cobb 911 center received a report from the 988 Lifeline Crisis hotline around 11:45 a.m. Tuesday from an individual who texted a message “claiming to be at Allatoona High School with a firearm and intending to harm students.”
The Cobb County School District Police Department was the primary responder, with patrol assistance from Cobb Police, Wilson said.
He said the Cobb Police Criminal Investigations Unit began an independent investigation and concluded that the report was a hoax.
Another 988 Lifeline hotline message was reported to Cobb 911 on Wednesday with identical claims, according to Wilson, who said that “this time, detectives were able to pinpoint the suspect—a 14-year-old male student at Allatoona High School.”
Wilson said the student admitted to making false threats during an interview with police. He was then charged and taken into custody, according to police.
Cobb Police issued a statement from a Cobb school district spokesperson saying that “we are grateful for the quick response of Cobb Schools Police and local law enforcement in investigating the reported threats this week. Their efforts donfirmed the threats were fake, and our students and staff are safe—our top priority.
“In the months since the terrible incident in Barrow County, Cobb schools have been inundated with fake threats, false reports of threats, and incidents of ‘swatting.’ The District takes all reports very seriously and will prosecute those involved to the full extent of the law. This kind of disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. We appreciate students, staff, and parents immediately reporting any safety concerns to the District’s Tipline bycall, text, or email.”
School district officials said the Dickerson student was facing criminal charges but didn’t specify them nor did it indicate that individual’s status at the school.
In response to concerns about safety procedures in the Cobb school district, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale announced the hiring of a private intelligence firm he said would augment existing security measures.
Some critics were suspicious of the secretive nature of the announcement, including concealing the name of the company and its leaders who briefed the Cobb school board last month.
Last week, after the firm’s name was publicly revealed, Ragsdale acknowledged that information but also urged his detractors to “take a break.”
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As we noted previously, the Avenue East Cobb is holding its first tree lighting celebration on Friday.
The event is from 5:30-8 p.m. in the public plaza area, and the retail center has prepared a few reminders for those wishing to attend:
Getting here – Parking is free and open to the public. Should parking fill up, we suggest parking at Merchant Exchange across the street. Parking will fill up quickly, we recommend carpooling or using ride-share to ensure a smooth arrival & departure.
Important Details – Activity Row begins at 5:30 PM. Lines for the activations will close at 7:15PM in preparation for Santa lighting the tree. At that time we recommend gathering in The Plaza.
Event Highlights – A detailed schedule of events can be found on our website, including the activations in activity row.
Avenue East Cobb also will be holding a Menorah lighting event for Hanukkah on Sunday, Dec. 29, from 5:30-8 p.m. at the plaza area.
Send us your holiday event news!
If your organization or entity is holding such 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.
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!
Get in the holiday spirit with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra’s annual Holiday Pops, presented by Moore Colson. These special seasonal concerts will take place on December 7th and 8th at the Marietta Performing Arts Center.
GSO Music Director and Conductor Timothy Verville will lead the orchestra and 100-plus members of the GSO Chorus in performances of timeless favorites and fresh new classics including music from The Nutcracker, Winter Wonderland, Hanukkah Fantasy, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Silent Night, and more. At the conclusion of the concert, audience members will be invited to join in caroling alongside the chorus, certain to be a magical holiday experience.
Adding to the festive fun of the season, St. Nick himself will be making an appearance as a guest conductor! A special Santa photo opportunity will be available to patrons following the concerts.
If your organization or entity is holding such 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.
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!
Cobb Library Director Helen Poyer (holding check) with staff in April, when the system was recognized for being named the Georgia Library of the Year by the Georgia Public Library Service.
Helen Poyer, who has been the director of the Cobb County Public Library System since 2009, is retiring from her post.
He is Keith Schuermann, director of the Harris-Troup Regional Library System in LaGrange.
Under Poyer’s leadership, the 15-branch Cobb library system has undergone a number of expansions and constructed new facilities, including the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center and the replacement Gritters Library, which opened recently.
Those two East Cobb branches are conducting operations with Cobb PARKS to spearhead expanded services and programs.
Sewell Mill offers art and spacemaker classes to the public and conducts events in a blackbox theatre.
The new Gritters Library is housed with the Northeast Cobb Community Center and CobbWorks, the county’s workforce development agency.
Earlier this year, the Cobb library system was named the library of the year by the Georgia Public Library Service “for its commitment to serving its community by partnering with numerous organizations within its county and statewide, and for efforts to expand access to materials and essential services to its community.”
Other library branches in East Cobb, include the East Cobb Library at Parkaire Landing and the Mountain View Regional Library.
Poyer began in Cobb at the South Cobb Library in 2006 before becoming the system’s director three years later.
Schuermann has been in his present role since 2012 and has been a librarian since 2003. He started his library career in the Cleveland, Ohio area, followed by stints at libraries in Cape Coral, Fla., and Gwinnett County.
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Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan F. Murphy has appointed Norman Barnett and Mellori Lumpkin-Dawson and re-appointed Judge Jennifer Inmon to serve as full-time Magistrate judges for the upcoming term. Those appointed were selected after an open application and interview process from a competitive field of well-qualified candidates.
“This top-notch team brings together sharp minds, hearts dedicated to service, and excellent legal experience,” said Judge Murphy. “Norman, Mellori, and Jennifer are people of genuine character with demonstrated records of hard work who will follow the law and truly listen to the people we serve. I’m excited for them to build on our work of increasing access to justice for our Cobb community.”
The Magistrate Court operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, with a heavy criminal and civil caseload. Known as the People’s Court, the Magistrate Court provides an easily accessible forum to resolve disputes for tens of thousands of self-represented litigants annually. Presiding over initial hearings in most criminal cases, the Court also plays an essential role in considering public safety and the accused’s Constitutional rights. The Court’s 90-member team is committed to welcoming warmly, helping efficiently, and hearing fairly.
Norman Barnett
Norman Barnett currently serves as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, where he handles both criminal and civil matters. He has previously served as a Senior Assistant District Attorney in the Cobb County DA’s anti-gang unit and felony prosecutor in Douglas County. Mr. Barnett began his legal career in private practice, handling a wide variety of civil matters.
“I am grateful for the trust placed in me to serve as a Magistrate judge,” said Mr. Barnett, “I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to serve the Cobb County community in this role.”
Mr. Barnett is a proud “Double Dawg,” graduating twice from the University of Georgia where he played with the Redcoat Marching Band. He is a leader with the State Bar’s High School Mock Trial program and uses his musical talents in the Atlanta Bar Association’s popular “Courthouse Line” productions. Mr. Barnett resides in Smyrna with his family.
Mellori Lumpkin-Dawson
Mellori Lumpkin-Dawson is a skilled litigator with a large, global law firm. She has previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Civil Elder Justice Coordinator for the Northern District of Georgia. Before entering public service, Ms. Lumpkin-Dawson handled complex litigation with her current firm and another large international law firm.
“I am honored to be appointed to the Cobb County Magistrate Court,” said Ms. Lumpkin-Dawson, “I look forward to serving the citizens of Cobb County and ensuring fairness, transparency, and accessibility to the Court.”
A graduate of Florida A&M University and the University of California Berkeley Law School, Ms. Lumpkin-Dawson is active in the profession and community. She serves as a Board member of the Georgia Appellate Practice & Educational Resource Center and Ebenezer Baptist Church Missionary Union. Ms. Lumpkin-Dawson is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and resides in Smyrna with her family.
Judge Jennifer Inmon
Judge Jennifer Inmonhas distinguished herself on the Cobb Magistrate Court bench for 25 years. Before serving full-time, she also managed her private practice for two decades. Judge Inmon started her legal career at the People’s Court as a law clerk to then-Chief Magistrate Judge Vic Reynolds.
“It has been my privilege to have served the Magistrate Court of Cobb County as a Magistrate Judge,” said Judge Inmon, “I am humbled by the confidence Judge Murphy has placed in me by reappointing me as a full-time judge, and I appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve the citizens of this community as a member of the People’s Court.”
Judge Inmon is a knowledgeable leader in the statewide Council of Magistrate Court Judges. She currently serves as Chair of the Rules Committee and as a member of the Benchbook Committee. Judge Inmon previously served as District Representative for the 7th Judicial District. She is a frequent instructor and mentor judge with the Magistrate Court Training Council. Judge Inmon is a Wittenburg University and Vanderbilt University School of Law graduate. She resides in East Cobb with her family.
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Michele Swann, General Manager & CEO of the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority, has announced that she will leave her leadership position effective December 31, 2024.
In her role with the Authority since 1995, Swann has been responsible for the administrative oversight and strategic growth of the Cobb Galleria Centre, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Galleria Specialty Shops and ArtsBridge Foundation. An announcement about a new General Manager and CEO will be made in early December.
“Michele deserves all the credit for her steady leadership and execution of the Authority’s vision – among other things – to develop the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, create the ArtsBridge Foundation, launch the capital plan to construct the performing arts center, guide the operations through a pandemic and oversee the design and programming for the renovation and expansion of the Cobb Galleria Centre,” said Jerry Nix, Chairman of the Authority. “She has been a watchful steward of the Authority’s assets, and the longevity and tenure of her staff is a testament to her quiet, humble leadership.”
Connie Engel, Chairwoman of the Authority’s Personnel Committee, said, “I struggle adequately finding the right words, but we at the Authority (and moreover those of us in Cobb County) are extremely grateful to Michele for the dedication and heart she has put into everything she has done over the last 29 years, including the years spent integrating the Cobb Galleria campus and parking with the new Braves development. Her leadership has resulted in a successful partnership with the Atlanta Braves, Cobb County and other area stakeholders.”
A 40-year veteran of the venue management industry, Swann has opened, operated, and expanded a variety of facilities including convention centers, arenas and performing arts centers in Atlanta, College Park, Ga., Augusta, Ga., and Niagara Falls, N.Y.
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Proposed changes at MBCA include a second traffic access point on Post Oak Tritt Road and relocating sports facilities. For a larger view click here.
As Mt. Bethel Christian Academy prepares to relocate, the private school has been developing a master plan to build out what has been its high school campus on Post Oak Tritt Road.
On Tuesday, MBCA went before Cobb commissioners to sign off on the proposal, which contain some major changes.
But commissioners voted 5-0 Tuesday to hold the request (you can read it here) until December following some community opposition.
Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of East Cobb said she wanted to conduct a “walk through” of the campus and meet with nearby residents who say they’re already enduring noise issues.
During a zoning hearing, MBCA attorney Kevin Moore said the master plan would add a second traffic access point on Post Oak Tritt and relocate an existing swimming pool and tennis courts from the east side of the property to a central location, near other sports facilities.
That’s part of a larger plan to construct permanent classrooms on the 33-acre site, where MBCA has operated a high school since 2014. The current enrollment in grades 9-12 is around 200, but permanent two-story buildings have been proposed to accommodate future growth and expansion.
The school was started by Mt. Bethel Church in 1998 but became a separate entity in 2021, right before before the church’s departure from the United Methodist Church. Since then, the academy has leased space from the church for Grades K-8 on its grounds on Lower Roswell Road.
But last year, Mt. Bethel Church decided to terminate the school’s lease by 2028, prompting the academy to find new facilities.
MBCA purchased the land on Post Oak Tritt Road, near Holly Springs Road, in 2013 from the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, which operated a day-care campus there. Currently, the maximum approved capacity is for 625 students.
MBCA will be moving middle school grades there, and the continued build-out of the property has brought it back before the county, and with nearby community opposition.
Commissioners approved a site plan change in 2022 to allow for athletic fields and as MBCA agreed to create an 85-foot undisturbed buffer between the field and nearby homes. MBCA also agreed to develop a master plan.
At Tuesday’s zoning hearing, Moore said that MBCA has planted an additional 200 trees in that buffer area, which is adjacent to Alberta Drive north of the school property.
Some responses to MBCA plans have indicated that that the school “has been a bad neighbor,” Moore said. “We don’t think that’s true.”
Alberta Drive resident Gary Hughes
He said other public high schools in Cobb County are in residential neighborhoods, and “they’ve all thrived, because they have a school in their neighborhood.”
But Alberta Drive resident Gary Hughes responded by saying that “thousands of trees were removed,” and that he and his neighbors have been subject to consistent noise disruptions stemming from the increased sports activities.
With an Olympic-sized swimming pool and tennis courts moving closer to his property line, he fears there may be even more noise.
“We’ve been forced to accept the football field,” Hughes said, adding that “we’re David against Goliath.”
Richard Grome of the East Cobb Civic Association said MBCA hasn’t reapplied for an expired special land-use permit for the modular classrooms, among other issues.
“The applicants believe they can do whatever they want on their property with no consequences,” he said, calling the master plan proposal “nothing more than labeled rectangles on a piece of paper.”
Birrell said that she checked with Cobb code enforcement and learned that only one noise complaint has been issued, in 2013, so new complaints were news to her.
Commissioners will reconsider the matter at their Dec. 17 zoning hearing.
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