A portion of the Bells Ferry Road bridge over Noonday Creek that was built in 1959.
The Georgia Department of Transportation and the Cobb Department of Transportation are proposing a replacement project for the Bells Ferry Road bridge over Noonday Creek, and are asking for public feedback.
Interested citizens can review the project here and respond at this link by July 25. The projected cost for the project, which is in the preliminary design stage, would be $10.3 million, most coming from state sources.
The 160-foot-long bridge, three-beam steel bridge was built in 1959, long before Cobb County became suburbanized, and has two travel lanes.
The shoulders and railings do not meet current standards and the bridge also is located in a designated floodway, according to the Federal Emergency Management Association.
The proposed replacement would have three lanes, with a left turn lane, as well as a southbound right-turn lane at the approach to the driveway for the Noonday Creek Trailhead. The new bridge also would have pedestrian sidewalks, which do not exist now.
GDOT said in related documentation that construction, which is expected to be completed in 2028, “would be staged that no off-site detour would be required.
The following graphic is a GDOT project layout that from left to right indicates northbound traffic along Bells Ferry Road.
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 children’s room at the new Gritters Library. ECN file photo.
We covered the ribbon-cutting for the new Gritters Library back in November, before the full range of services were available to the community.
In addition to the library, the new building in Shaw Park (880 Shaw Park Drive) is a venue for Cobb PARKS activities as well as Cobb WORKS, the county government’s workforce development arm.
Om Saturday there will be a community “block party” open to the public to celebrate the reintroduction of all of those programs.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be a live DJ, along with a Cobb Fire engine, inflatable games and arts and crafts, a food truck, face painting, a Bollywood dance challenge, bilingual story time and a basket-making demonstration, among other things.
The event is free and is open to the public.
Here’s more from the Cobb County Public Library System about what’s on tap:
“Attendees can look forward to a lively afternoon filled with music, activities, and a taste of local flavor! A live DJ will keep the energy high while families enjoy inflatable games, face painting, bilingual storytime, and community resources. The event will also feature a high-energy Bollywood Dance Challenge and special appearances from local partners and sponsors. Food will be available for purchase from The Patty Wagon and King of Pops, offering delicious bites and cool treats to enjoy throughout the day.
“This event is all about bringing the community together in a fun and welcoming space,” said Slone Williams, Communications/Community and User Engagement Division Manager. “We’re excited to partner with CobbWorks and Cobb PARKS to offer families a chance to connect, enjoy free entertainment, and learn more about local resources—all while having a great time at the library. We reopened Gritters Library to the public last year, and this event is our way of reintroducing ourselves to the community. We want everyone to know: we’re here for you.
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The middle of July continues with extreme heat in the forecast, as indexes once again will be tipping toward the century mark.
The combination of high temperatures and humidity is expected to break into triple figures early this week, but it’s going to be hot and humid for longer than that.
Monday’s heat index is forecast to be at 99, according to the National Weather Service, and on Tuesday it’s expected to get to 100.
There is a chance of thunderstorms Tuesday-Thursday, which will provide some relief, but not much.
Highs for those days will be in the low-to-mid 90s, with lows dropping into the mid 70s in the evenings.
The later part of the week and the weekend are expected to be the same, with a 30-50 percent chance of rain from Friday through Sunday, and highs in the mid 90s.
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The Atlanta Braves are not having a banner season, but the area around their home ball park in Cobb County is already lighting up with festivities leading up to Tuesday’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Events began on Friday around Truist Park and The Battery and beyond, to include Budweiser Clydesdale horses in Smyrna and a family fun event Saturday at the Kroger at Terrell Mill MarketPlace sponsored by OxiClean.
From now through Tuesday, the Capitol One All-Star Village will take place at the Cobb Galleria Centre, featuring entertainment, interactive games, ballpark fare and All-Star Week atmosphere that includes former players, photo ops and a Gaming Zone.
The Village will be open from 12-8 Sunday and 12-6 Monday and Tuesday; tickets are available at this link.
On Sunday is the 4.4 Miler, a fun run in honor of Braves great Henry Aaron’s jersey No. 44, at Center Parc Stadium in downtown Atlanta (formerly the Atlanta Olympic Stadium and Turner Field).
The MLB Draft takes place on Sunday and Monday at the Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre.
Monday is the Home Run Derby at Truist Park, and the participants include Matt Olson of the Braves, who is replacing Ronald Acuña Jr. The event starts at 8 p.m.; info here for tickets and parking.
Tuesday starts off with an All-Star Red Carpet Show at The Battery, starting at 2 p.m., and will be shown live on the MLB Network.
The All-Star Game itself starts at 8 p.m., and the gates open at 5 p.m. There is some ticket availability remaining, with prices starting at $220; parking will cost you at least $76 per vehicle.
The All-Star Game events will be spread around Truist Park, The Battery Atlanta, and the Galleria Centre. Lane closures and detours will impact roads around the Battery complex and the Galleria.
CobbLinc is stepping up to the plate for All-Star Game weekend, offering dedicated shuttle service at least every 30 minutes during peak hours to help fans easily reach the festivities. Beginning Friday and running through Tuesday, the expanded service will connect the Marietta Transfer Center to Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta, where thousands are expected to gather for the All-Star game and fan experiences.
The additional CobbLinc shuttles aim to ease traffic congestion and provide a reliable, free option for attendees looking to avoid parking headaches. Fans can focus on enjoying the action, not fighting traffic. Riders can track buses in real time using the CobbLinc mobile app or by visiting the CobbLinc website.
Georgia DOT will suspend work and lane closures on interstates and state roads near the Truist Park area throughout the duration of the All-Star events.
Traffic and travel disruptions around the Cumberland area are expected to be minimal during this event. However, please keep an eye on this page for any updates.
And Cobb Travel and Tourism has put together this guide with suggestions on other things to do in and around Truist Park/The Battery and the county during the next few days.
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On Saturday, July 12, OxiClean™ and Kroger kicked off MLB All-Star Weekend with a high-energy, family-friendly event at the Kroger Marketplace Terrell Mill in Marietta. Over 300 community members gathered for live stain-fighting demos by OxiClean’s own Anthony “Sully” Sullivan, participated in family games, and enjoyed free food and giveaways.
The event also had a meaningful community impact, collecting over 200 non-perishable food items, which will benefit the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy through MUST Ministries and support local families facing food insecurity.
“We would like to thank our high-powered partner OxiClean for using their power to make lives a little brighter and lighter for students in need at Marietta’s Sixth Grade Academy,” said Victor Smith, president of Kroger’s Atlanta Division. “OxiClean is helping Kroger and MUST Ministries silence the hunger in the community, ensuring our children can get up and go to school hungry for knowledge – not hungry because they don’t have access to fresh, nutritious food. We truly appreciate the power OxiClean brings to the fight against hunger and to Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste mission.”
Send Us Your News!
Let East Cobb News know what’s going on with your organization, or about any recognitions, to share with the community. We love to get photos and stories like the above, as well as calendar event listings and more.
We want to be the go-to source for all the many ways people in East Cobb are involved in the community.
It’s what we call The Power of Local, and we’d love for you to take part!
Pass along your details/photos/videos/information to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.
Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.
We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file, but d0 send them as attachments to your email.
Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.
Thanks for your cooperation and we look forward to hearing from you!
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 PARKS has closed the upper playground at East Cobb Park through Aug. 15 for maintenance. According to a message relayed by Friends for the East Cobb Park, the upper pavilion remains open, as does the lower playground behind the main quad.
On July 17, East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road) will have a Cobb PARKS Roving Rangers event from 9-11 a.m. It’s a free event for all ages to learn about animal bones, feather, shells and engage in outdoor recreation activities including archery and nature games.
The event is free and you can register at this link.
A couple of other East Cobb Park-related notes: The next meeting of the East Cobb Park Garden Club is Aug. 2 at 10 a.m., and the fall series of Music in the Park begins on Sept. 14.
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!
Next Wednesday marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Skip Wells and four other military personnel who were shot and killed during a terrorist attack in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Wells was a Sprayberry High School graduate who was a Marine lance corporal at the time of his death.
Wednesday’s ceremony takes place at 10:30 a.m. at the Committal Service Shelter 1, Georgia National Cemetery, 1080 Scott Hudgens Drive, Canton.
That’s where Wells, who was 21, was laid to rest. He had served in the Marines for a year, and was on a temporary assignment in Chattanooga.
“The public, fellow Marines, veterans, and community members are welcome to reflect on the sacrifices of LCpl Wells and his comrades,” Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell noted in her weekly e-mail newsletter Thursday.
A gunman, Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, 24, went to three military recruiting offices in the Chattanooga area in a 30-minute span on the morning of July 16, 2015 and opened fire.
Wells and the four others who died were shot at the Navy Operational Support Center/Marine Corps Reserve Center, the second location on the rampage, which ended a short time later at a third location at which Abdulazeez was shot and killed by law enforcement.
As the attack reached his location, Wells texted his girlfriend “ACTIVE SHOOTER,” the final message he would send. He and Caroline Dove met as students at Georgia Southern University before he followed a long family tradition of serving in the military.
Wells’ mother was watching television coverage of the shootings with Marines visited the family home to deliver the tragic news.
Wells, Marine Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan, Marine Staff Sgt. David A. Wyatt, Marine Sgt. Carson L. Holmquist and Navy Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Randall Smith were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 2016.
The FBI declared the attacks an instance of domestic terrorism. Authorities found multiple weapons in the home and vehicle of Abdulazeez, who grew up in the Chattanooga area and was from a Muslim family hailing from Kuwait.
At Sprayberry, Wells was a member of the Band of Gold marching band, playing for four years, and also played in the symphonic band.
Wells served in the 3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve. He had received the National Defense Service Medal and an Certificate of Appreciation.
Cobb County honored Wells’ memory by renaming what had been Bells Ferry Park the Skip Wells Park.
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We’re excited to announce the launch of the updated Cobb County Government mobile app, redesigned to make staying connected with your local government easier and more convenient.
The new CobbGov app puts key county services and information right at your fingertips. With an improved design and user-friendly interface, the app provides quick access to:
County news and emergency alerts
Upcoming events and public meetings
Commissioner contacts and district information
Road closures, traffic updates, and construction alerts
Parks, facility locations, and public safety resources
Contact information and service requests
You can also enable push notifications to receive real-time alerts about major events, weather updates, or service changes impacting your area — ensuring you’re always informed when it matters most. Whether you need to look up your commissioner, report a pothole, or check the latest traffic advisory, the CobbGov app is your go-to tool for staying informed and engaged with your community.
Download the app today by searching for “CobbGov” in the Apple App Store or Google Play:
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The Marietta History Center is honored to present Witness to the Holocaust, a traveling exhibit presented by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust. “Witness to the Holocaust” is a photographic essay of one of Atlanta’s leading African American citizens, William Alexander “W.A.” Scott III, who witnessed the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp through the lens of his camera.
The exhibit also draws parallels between the Jim Crow Laws of the 1880s–1960s implemented in the United States and the Nuremberg Race Laws of 1935–1945 implemented in Germany and Nazi-controlled areas of Europe.
Through a series of striking photographs and historical context, visitors will explore the life and legacy of W.A. Scott III, whose rare and courageous documentation sheds light on the atrocities of the Holocaust, as well as the injustices faced by African Americans in his own country. The exhibit encourages reflection on themes of racism, injustice, and human rights across time and place.
Witness to the Holocaust will be on display at the Marietta History Center starting on Tuesday, August 12 through Friday, October 10, 2025, and is included in the price of regular admission
For more information, visit www.MariettaHistory.org or follow us on social media @MariettaHistoryCenter.
Where: Marietta History Center 1 Depot Street, Marietta, GA 30060 Cost: Adults-$10.00, Students & Seniors (60+) – $7.00 Members, Children under 5 & Active Military and Veterans–Free Guided Tours (10 or more persons)-$10.00
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“La Traviata” is part of a star-studded lineup for the Atlanta Opera’s upcoming season.
Submitted information and photo:
The Atlanta Opera—”a powerhouse in the Atlanta arts scene” (ArtsATL) and “one of the most exciting opera companies in America” (OperaWire)—embarks on its 46th season in 2025-2026. Tickets for all individual productions will go on sale July 15, offering audiences the opportunity to experience a season themed around twilight and transformation (website and info).
This season features six productions, including Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun’s new production of Richard Wagner’s Twilight of the Gods (“Götterdämmerung”), the fourth and final opera in The Atlanta Opera’s Ring cycle. This highly anticipated production will showcase world-class talents such as Stefan Vinke, Lise Lindstrom, and Morris Robinson, running from May 30 to June 7.
The mainstage series at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre will also feature a stellar lineup of productions, including Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata, featuring Mané Galoyan and Long Long, directed by Francesca Zambello (Nov 8–16); W.A. Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro with Sydney Mancasola and Luke Sutliff (March 14–22); and Angela Meade in the title role of a new Zvulun production of Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot opposite Piero Pretti (April 25–May 3).
A co-production between The Atlanta Opera and Alliance Theatre of Fiddler on the Roof, a blockbuster American musical, will open the season for both companies (Sep 4-Oct 5). Additionally, the critically acclaimed Molly Blank Discoveries Series will present Philip Glass’s opera for film and ensemble, La Belle et la Bête (Nov 15). The evening’s performance will feature a “masquerade” as guest are invited to wear their best ballroom wear and creative masks for post-show entertainment.
TICKETS
Single Tickets:
Flex subscriptions with benefits: Including priority seating with an option to select 3 or more of the productions offered this season, Flex subscriptions make it easy to fit opera into your schedule and personal tastes.
Full season subscriptions with full benefits: Including renewable seat assignments, advance purchase options, shopping discounts, and other benefits, a full-season subscription offers concierge-level services. A full-season subscription starts at $180 for our 4 mainstage operas (La traviata, The Marriage of Figaro, Turandot, and Twilight of the Gods).
Specialty tickets: Groups of 10 or more save up to 25% off the full price. Student tickets are $25 for all productions. Forte tickets for young professionals (21-49 years) include social networking, pre-opera cocktails, and small bites along with excellent seating.
Veterans & Military: Honoring those who serve or have served, veterans and active-duty military are hosted as guests of the Opera at all mainstage performances. These free tickets are offered through the support of The Home Depot Foundation.
Don’t miss the chance to secure your tickets starting July 15 and be part of this transformative season at The Atlanta Opera.
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This weekend’s East Cobb events include the revival of a long-standing religious revival that dates back just about as long as there’s been a Cobb County.
The 187th Marietta Campmeeting gets underway Friday with an opening potluck picnic and service starting at 6 p.m., kicking off daily events through July 20 at the Marietta Campground (2301 Roswell Road).
On Saturday, the 7:30 p.m. service features a Gospel concert by the group Old Tradition, followed by a watermelon-cutting.
You can find the full slate of services, speakers and events by clicking here; they’re free and open to the public.
Female business professionals are invited on Friday to the monthly Professional Women of East Cobb luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at J. Christopher’s Woodlawn Square (1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 114). There’s open networking and a speaker from among the membership; cost is $20-30.
Step out to East Cobb Park Saturday morning from 9-10:30 for the monthly Walk With a Doc session organized by the Living at Your Finest Wellness clinic, an event marking its second anniversary. The guest speaker is Allison Adams, owner of Icebox Cryotherapy of East Cobb, who will discuss reducing inflammation, boosting recovery, and enhancing overall well-being.
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is coming to Truist Park this week, and special events in the run-up include a family fun event Saturday morning at the Kroger at Terrell Mill MarketPlace (1310 Powers Ferry Road). From 12-4, you’re asked to bring to the OxiClean-Kroger Family Pop-Up Benefit Event a non-perishable food item to benefit MUST Ministries.
There will be free food, games, and exciting giveaways, including a chance to win All-Star and MLB event tickets and high-energy Oxi-Clean demos offering free products.
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.
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Delta Community Credit Union Logo (PRNewsFoto/Delta Community Credit Union)
Delta Community Credit Union, Georgia’s largest credit union, is now accepting applications for its 2026 Philanthropic Fund Program. Through its annual initiative, Delta Community will award a total of $150,000 in grants to support 20 metro Atlanta nonprofit organizations that align with the credit union’s commitment to help families manage household finances and improve the physical and financial well-being of youth.
“Community investment and engagement are essential to good corporate citizenship,” said Hank Halter, Delta Community’s CEO. “We allocate a minimum of two percent of our annual projected earnings to local community development as a means to foster the ongoing prosperity and success of the municipalities and counties where Delta Community operates. Although our investments take many forms, our annual philanthropic grants have been fundamental to our approach for 13 years.”
Grant awards of $10,000, $7,500 and $5,000 will be awarded to selected organizations. Applications must be submitted online at DeltaCommunityCU.com/PhilanthropicFund by 5 p.m. ET on Aug. 29, 2025.
Since launching the Philanthropic Fund Program in 2013, Delta Community has invested approximately $1.3 million in more than 240 organizations that provide educational opportunities, job and career training, and medical and human services support to people in need. Delta Community also invests in local communities through scholarships, school partnerships, and support for chambers of commerce and civic organizations.
Send Us Your News!
Let East Cobb News know what’s going on with your organization, or about any recognitions, to share with the community. We love to get photos and stories like the above, as well as calendar event listings and more.
We want to be the go-to source for all the many ways people in East Cobb are involved in the community.
It’s what we call The Power of Local, and we’d love for you to take part!
Pass along your details/photos/videos/information to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.
Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.
We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file, but d0 send them as attachments to your email.
Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.
Thanks for your cooperation and we look forward to hearing from you!
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!
After nearly six years in business, the SPENGA East Cobb fitness studio has closed at Merchants Walk.
A notice was posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday saying “thanks for the memories East Cobb” with a heart shape. At the bottom of notice it said “location permanently closed.”
There was no explanation given after readers on the page inquired.
“SPENGA East Cobb was the absolute best!,” wrote one. “Everyone is going to miss the classes, staff and amazing instructors so much. How I wish someone would buy it and keep it going.”
Denese Faulkner, the studio’s owner, told East Cobb News that “I closed SPENGA because it was time for me to move on to a new chapter in my life. I would love for someone to buy it and keep it in the community!”
On July 1 SPENGA asked for customer testimonials for a chance to win a gift card, and had posted a full schedule of designated workout sessions for the month of July.
“Covid changed our trajectory and we had a hard time recovering,” Faulkner said. “Therefore, it’s time for me to start a new chapter. It was a hard decision to make but it was the right decision for me.
“The East Cobb community welcomed us 6 years ago with open arms and excitement and has embraced us with such kindness and warmth over the last few days. We had AMAZING members and I will miss them all terribly.”
Faulkner said that members received an e-mail letting them know that their memberships will be pro-rated and canceled.
SPENGA is a fitness franchise based in Evanston, Ill., and was founded in 2015. It features a trio of exercise concepts—spin, strength training and yoga—into a 60-minute workout, and has locations in more than 20 states.
SPENGA opened at Merchants Walk, across from Marlow’s Tavern, in the fall of 2019. The only other Georgia location is in Roswell.
The East Cobb area has become a magnet for a variety of national fitness franchises, including multiple locations of Club Pilates, Orangetheory Fitness and LA Fitness, as well as a number of yoga-specific studios.
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Leadership Cobb, the Cobb Chamber’s premier leadership development program, has selected 60 new participants for the 2025-2026 class. Founded in 1983, Leadership Cobb brings together diverse business and community leaders for a 10-month journey focused on personal and professional growth. The program accomplishes this through leadership training, teambuilding, and educational experiences highlighting our community’s greatest success stories and most significant ongoing challenges.
The 2026 Class:
Kimberly Allred, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
Kate Beasley, Walton Communities
Priti Bhatia, Georgia Institute of Technology
Mike Bonnette, Kennesaw State University
Nicholas Booth, O’Dell Hungerford Blanchard & Booth
Tonya Byrd, Gilbane Building Company
Carl Carlson, The Walker School
Lauren Cedor, Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Chase Clark, Brasfield & Gorrie
Vic Collins, Hounds Town Atlanta – Smyrna
Christina Cummings, Kidz2Leaders
Rodney Drinkard, The Coca Cola Company
David Esterline, CROFT & Associates
Richard Freeman, Wellstar Health
Chuck Gardner, Marietta City Schools
Jenn Garner, Papa Johns
Jessica Guinn, Cobb County Government
Jules Harper, The Four Walls Group
Gina V. Hawkins, Cobb County Sheriff’s Office
Karen Heard, Marietta Wine Market
Tim Henderson, LGE Community Credit Union
Molly Holm, Glory Haus
Amanda Hughes, Cobb Travel & Tourism
Stephanie Idland, Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Simon Janman, Nothing Bundt Cakes
Keisha Jeffcoat, City of Mableton
Kyle Johnstone, TK Elevator
Shea KonigsmarkMetro Regional Educational Service Agency, Metro RESA
Rachel Langelotti. City of Marietta
Kyoung Lee. Arcadis
Kafi London, Kafi London Intl.
Jose Lopez-Vera, Northside Hospital
Toby Mabry, Cobb EMC
Christopher McKellar, Mauldin & Jenkins
Daniel McKinney, RaceTrac, Inc.
Tomeca Mosley, Cox Enterprises
Ben Needle, Osborne High School
Scott Orr, Cetera Investors
Gina Owens, Verizon
Tahnicia Phillips, Cobb County State Court
Paul Powers, Powers Electrical Solutions
Brian Rutledge, City of Marietta
Courtney Santry, CDH Partners
Alisha Thomas Searcy, Center for Strong Public Schools
Abby Smith, Visit Marietta
Andy Stearns, Atlanta Braves
Zach Strickland, Croy Engineering
Darrell Sutton, Sutton Law Group
Jaret Usher, Cobb County State Court
Ryan Varchetti, US Air Force/Dobbins Air Reserve Base
Dan Vasquenza, id8
Heather Walker, Cobb County Tax Commissioner’s Office
Ashley West, Georgia Power Company
Anthony White, Adio Chiropractic
Megan Will, Cumberland Community Improvement District
LaTonya Williams, Vanderlande Industries
Jordan Wilson, Corporate Tax Advisors
Laurie Wong-Burns, Reflections of Trinity Inc.
Crystal Wyche, Vinsere Group
Darrell Young, Compliments Salon and Barbers
Joyette Holmes, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, and Eddie Wade, Croy Engineering, will be co-chairs for the 2025-2026 program year. Andy Gaines, Earl and Rachel Smith StrandTheatre, and Tricia Newton, Waterworks Atlanta, will be the vice co-chairs for the 2025-2026 program year. This year’s class theme is “Lead the Way.”
The Leadership Cobb class of 2026’s Yearlong Presenting Sponsor is Kennesaw State University Executive MBA; and Legacy Sponsors, Accounting Consultants of Cobb, CDH Partners, Cobb Travel & Tourism, Croy Engineering, Genuine Parts Company, Johnson & Alday, and Mauldin & Jenkins. For more information about Leadership Cobb, contact Kai Lawrence at 770-859-2346 or klawrence@cobbchamber.org.
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The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a contract for traffic improvements at the intersection of Shallowford Road and Gordy Parkway in Northeast Cobb.
The project was awarded to Backbone Infrastructure of Sugar Hill in the amount of $995,561, and was the low bidder out of four companies.
According to an agenda item, the work will focus on the western intersection of Shallowford and Gordy, including realigning the turn lanes and pavement markings onto Gordy northbound and modifying the traffic signals.
The Shallowford-Gordy intersection is in a congested area with a heavy mix of commercial, residential and institutional uses. It includes Highland Plaza Shopping Center, the Sandy Plains Centre Shopping Center, several outparcel businesses and provides access to subdivisions along Gordy Parkway.
It sits between the Shallowford-Sandy Plains intersection and Lassiter High School, and traffic issues there have played into zoning and other development issues in recent years.
There was a movie theatre at the western intersection, the Park 12 Cobb, that was proposed to be a Lidl grocery store. But commissioners rejected the rezoning in 2017 following community oppositions concerned about traffic.
A self-storage business now occupies the former theatre building. In 2023, the King’s Hawaiian restaurant chain got approval from commissioners to alter the site plan to occupy space at the intersection despite traffic concerns being raised again.
But King’s Hawaiian backed out, saying that the conditions imposed in the approval “weren’t going to make it work,” including reductions in buffers to accommodate parking and drive-through service.
Commissioners approved the traffic project 4-0 on its consent agenda at Tuesday’s meeting, with Commissioner Erick Allen absent. The agenda item states that the contractor is expected to finish the work in 300 days after getting notice to proceed.
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 5th Annual “Backing the Need” Backpack & School Supply Drive is happening Now—July 19th. KIDS CARE, a Marietta based nonprofit, and the Cobb County Police Department are seeking new donations to support local students in need. Donations of new backpacks and school supplies for students of all ages are being collected in several locations throughout the county AND on the final day of the drive—July 19th. Any donations are greatly appreciated!
Business Partners collecting donations for this drive are: The Champion Firm, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office, Redbud Family Justice Center, The Credit Union of GA, LGE Community Credit Union, School of Rock West Cobb, School of Rock Woodstock, The Artful Rabbit, Sterling Estates of West Cobb, Staples (Dallas Hwy), Edward Jones Financial (Kennesaw), Burn Boot Camp Sprayberry, STV Inc., LiDL (Mableton), Kroger (Mableton), Walmart (Austell) and the Cobb County Civic Center.
JULY 19TH AT THE COBB CIVIC CENTER 9 am – 2 pm. Bring new backpacks & school supplies on this day & enjoy the following:
Meet “Rose” the Comfort Dog who will be onsite to meet and greet. Presented by the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office, “Rose” and her amazing handler Angela, will be visiting with us all day. Come get a belly rub in & a cute pic with this pup!
Watch Cobb PALS Youth Step Team Perform @11:15 & 11:45 am. Led by Officer Mitchell of the Cobb County Police Athletic League. Drop your donations off and catch their FREE performances.
Look inside a Cobb County Police Department patrol car & meet a Police Officer.
FREE RECYCLING & SMILES! Keep Cobb Beautiful will be onsite to help us manage our waste & will also be accepting recycling from the public. {Accepted items include: flattened cardboard, plastics, aluminum cans, food grade glass bottle/jars and hard to recycle plastics in the orange Hefty bag.}
Most Needed Items: new backpacks (all ages), spiral & composition notebooks, paper, folders, scientific & pocket calculators, USB drives, 3 ring binders, markers, glue, scissors, pencils, crayons, pens, highlighters, eraser—etc.Prefer to Shop Online? Order directly from KIDS CARE’s Amazon or Walmart Wishlist and have your donations shipped hassle-free!
Monetary Donations Welcome! 100% of funds go towards bulk purchasing of backpacks and school supplies. Every item or dollar helps! https://kids-care2018.org/donate
Thank you! In the past four years, the “Backing the Need” Backpack & School Supply Drive has donated 1,963 new backpacks & school supplies to Cobb County students in need. Your support helps students start the school year with the essential supplies they need—and the confidence to succeed. For a list of donation recipients please visit: “Backing the Need” – RECIPIENTS
Let East Cobb News know what’s going on with your organization, or about any recognitions, to share with the community. We love to get photos and stories like the above, as well as calendar event listings and more.
We want to be the go-to source for all the many ways people in East Cobb are involved in the community.
It’s what we call The Power of Local, and we’d love for you to take part!
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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!
On July 8, 2017, East Cobb News published our first story—about a motorcycle ride honoring a slain Sprayberry HS graduate—and we’ve been rolling ever since!
Eight years ago today, East Cobb News came into existence, and our first post, although rather modest and short, still holds immense value for me, and not just for sentimental reasons.
The specific plans to launch an independent local news site in the community that I call home was years in the making, after I had spent many years as a newspaper reporter.
But in truth, the idea to start what seemed at the time an improbable dream may have flickered decades before that, and I just didn’t know it.
2018: Students enjoy a a Wheeler HS STEAM symposium.
A lot of journalists I know get into this business because they want to serve—their communities, their readers, those whose stories need telling—and deep down, that’s what was at the heart of what I really wanted to do.
Not long after first pushed the button on this site, I wondered “What was I thinking?” and I’ve thought that a few times ever since. Because this isn’t just a news site, but a small business, something I’ve never tried before.
It’s been challenging at times, especially with COVID, the East Cobb Cityhood saga and a good bit of political conflict that continues today.
But I have never wavered in the belief that old-fashioned, independent, hometown local news would find an engaged and growing audience here, and East Cobb News continues to strive to serve all of you who bother to read.
2019: East Cobb cityhood town halls featured packed houses—and a parish hall.
We’ve published more than 6,000 stories and just about as many calendar listings, with many of you contributing to that. You’ve given us news tips, your own stories and events to share, or asked us to look into something.
We’ve tried to follow up on every suggestion we get, knowing we can’t answer all your questions, or make everyone happy.
All that I can pledge to you is to be accessible, to hear you out and try to understand what makes this community tick. I grew up here, but East Cobb continues to evolve with younger generations, and with newer sensibilities.
There’s still so much to learn, and so much that surprises me, about a place where I’ve been for many years. It fuels the daily objective of giving people here more than just a snapshot of the community, but a way for them to feel more invested in it.
That’s one of the most enjoyable things about being a journalist—you never know who you’re going to meet, or what’s going to happen. No two days running this site have been the same, and while some people want predictability, I think it’s important to remain flexible.
2020: Supporting medical professionals during COVID at Wellstar East Cobb Health Park.
We’re living in changing times, and it’s intriguing to me as I continue in middle age to chronicle how this community changes.
And that includes reaching out to and appealing to business owners with our digital advertising products. One of the main reasons I think local news is best done online is because it’s the best bet for local businesses to market themselves.
East Cobb News provides local business owners with something they can’t get anywhere else—dozens of dynamic formats and customized reporting to show how their ad is performing.
I think it’s a win-win for readers and businesses, and it’s my highest commitment to continue serving you all as best I can.
2021: An East Cobb resident’s swimming challenge helped veterans and first responders.
I have always envisioned East Cobb News having impact beyond the headlines, and I hear this quite often from readers.
Just the other day, after the newsletter was published, a reader wrote to say that “you are a true journalist, not a loyalist, reason why I look forward to getting your publication every weekend! Keep up the good work in our community.”
I’m not sure what a “loyalist” means, except that I’m loyal to those who take the time to read what’s published here, and to stay in touch. Even those who have complaints, I do want to hear from you.
In an age of lower trust—especially the news media—and heated, tribalized rhetoric about almost everything, East Cobb News hasn’t shied away from explaining how that has happened here.
2022: Live entertainment at Avenue East Cobb ramps up an overhaul project.
But we know that conflict, crime and grim headlines don’t define any community, and that’s not all there is to the news. We love getting out and cover events, especially arts and entertainment, or just illustrating how people relax.
Readers tell us constantly how important quality-of-life issues matter to them in our coverage of the community.
As a general interest publication, that’s a core to our mission.
But it doesn’t stop there.
2023: A neighborhood cafe opens at the Pavilions at East Lake.
The people who drive this community—parents and professionals, business owners and volunteers, faith leaders and civic activists, among many others—figure in a major way in what you see at East Cobb News.
We enjoy getting to know why people do what they do, and in showcasing them, underscores what’s vital to maintaining the essence of this community.
Readers help us out in so many ways, and not just sending news about a recognition, but in the real-time reporting of stories that nobody else covers like we do.
And even when the news isn’t good. But that’s all in a day’s, week’s, month’s and many years of work here at East Cobb News that we plan to continue doing for a long time to come.
2024: Readers send East Cobb News real-time news and photos that other outlets can’t match.
We’re buoyed by your support, including those of you who have contributed financially.
This message isn’t to solicit your support, but if you’d like to contribute, you can do so by clicking the green box below.
Providing you with the local news that you love is our first objective, and our true passion.
As East Cobb News begins Year Nine, we want to do even more, and not just with the news we provide. We’ve been honored to be a sponsor for the Taste of East Cobb, and we have plans to expand our community outreach.
2025: The Taste of East Cobb continues to be a top community event.
While your donations certainly help us do what we do best, we want you to tell us how we can do better.
I’ll be getting out a reader survey after the summer break, but please send along your feedback any time. Contact me at wendy@eastcobbnews.com and give me your thoughts, compliments, complaints, suggestions, etc.
It’s been an honor to serve you these last eight years, and I eagerly look forward to the future!
In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer, and thanks so much for your readership!
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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!
Not long after the historic McAfee House was relocated by preservationists to Cherokee County, the two-acre site at Bells Ferry Road and Barrett Parkway is being proposed for a commercial use.
And not for the first time.
Preliminary filings with the Cobb Zoning Division indicate that RaceTrac, Inc. is seeking rezoning for a fuel station and convenience store where a home with Civil War connections once stood.
RaceTrac has hired prominent Cobb zoning attorney Kevin Moore to handle the application, which is scheduled for a first hearing on Aug. 5 before the Cobb Planning Commission.
The 2.009 acres at 2595 Bells Ferry Road and across from Bells Ferry Elementary School is owned by The Medford Family Limited Partnership and is currently zoned Planned Shopping Center (PSC).
According to the filings (you can read them here), RaceTrac will be asking for the land to be rezoned to Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC). The fuel station and convenience store would be open 24/7, according to the filings.
RaceTrac also is seeking variances to waive the rear setback from 30 feet to eight feet and to increase the maximum amount of impervious surface from 70 to 74 feet (see site plan below), according to the filings.
The zoning staff hasn’t yet conducted a full analysis or made a recommendation, but said in its summary that the NRC zoning “will permit a use that is more suitable to the Subject Property” which is surrounded by other commercially-zoned development.
“The proposed zoning will allow for a higher and better use of the Subject Property,” according to the preliminary zoning staff summary.
In 2023, a car wash was proposed for the Medford Family LP land, and the Cobb Planning Commission recommended approval. But the request was withdrawn by the applicant due to what it said were other business obligations.
That was as Cobb Landmarks, a preservation non-profit, was renewing efforts to have the McAfee House removed.
The McAfee House, which dates to the 1840s, was the headquarters for Union Gen. Kenner Garrard, whose cavalry troops guarded the Noonday Creek valley after Northern troops seized Big Shanty in June 1864, in the run-up to the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.
(Garrard’s Confederate cavalry opponent during that time, according to the Georgia Historical Society, was Gen. Joseph Wheeler, namesake of Wheeler High School in East Cobb.)
“Reportedly, blood stains remain visible on the upstairs bedroom floorboards, hidden beneath modern carpeting,” Cobb Landmarks wrote in a fundraising appeal earlier this year.
“As one of the oldest surviving structures in the Atlanta area and the last pre-Civil War building in Cobb’s Town Center area, the McAfee House is an important piece of Georgia history.”
The pine house was facing demolition when Cobb Landmarks offered to sell the home to anyone who wanted it for $1. A Cherokee County couple, Lee and Brittani Lusk, were the buyers in February, and they had it transported in three pieces in May to their private property in Ball Ground.
According to a local Civil War blog, the Lusks are in the real estate industry and own a wedding and special events venue, also in Ball Ground, and have invested in other historic structures.
While some locals were hoping the McAfee House could have been kept and restored inside Cobb (like the Powers-Jackson Cabin), the cost of the Medford LP land figures to be very desirable.
According to Cobb property tax records, the Medford property has an appraised value of $749,750.
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!
