Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign up, and youāre good to go!
Andrew Young, the former civil rights activist, Atlanta mayor, diplomat and leader of Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic bid, will make an appearance in East Cobb this weekend.
He’ll be signing copies of “The Many Lives of Andrew Young,” a 2022 biography, at the Barnes and Noble at Avenue East Cobb (4475 Roswell Road, Suite 102) on Saturday from 2-4 p.m.
Young cooperated with the book, written by AJC journalist Ernie Suggs and published by the University of Georgia Press, that tells the story of Young’s long and distinguished career.
The foreword was written by the late former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, whom Young served as United Nations Ambassador from 1977-79.
Last month Young turned 93, and a gala event was held in in his honor to benefit Atlanta Jewish Health. In an interview with Georgia Public Broadcasting, Young said that he’s not interested in slowing down.
āIt’s the funny thing about birthdays ā everyone has them, but nobody knows what to do with them,ā he said.
Young said that he’s gratified at how the Atlanta area has changed and grown in his time since he arrived in the early 1960s to work with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference founded by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King III.
After that, he served as a member of Congress and in his UN post before becoming Atlanta Mayor and spearheading the Olympic effort. The school of policy studies at Georgia State University is named in his honor.
āJust go out anytime, look up and look around. And see what you see. If you’re in Atlanta, any direction in which you look is amazing,” Young told GPB.
āIt’s been a wonderful life. And I can’t think of any place Iād rather live.”
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign up, and youāre good to go!
The Town Center Community Improvement District (CID) today announced the election of Britt Fleck as chairwoman and Michael Davis as vice chair of its Board of Directors.
Fleck, general manager of land at Georgia Power, oversees the companyās land engineering and acquisition operations strategy. With more than 35 years of experience guiding communities toward a higher quality of life, she brings extensive expertise to her new leadership role. Fleck previously held the position of vice chair on the CID Board. In addition, she serves as vice chair on the Board of Trustees for Kennesaw State University Foundation and as secretary on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Department of Driver Services.
āSince joining the Board, my passion for the Town Center area has grown tremendously,ā said Fleck. āI am honored to work alongside such an impressive group of community leaders to bring the CIDās vision to life.ā
Michael Davis is the co-founder of D&G Development Group, a real estate development company. In this role, he pursues new development opportunities, advances existing projects and maintains external relationships for the company. Prior to founding D&G Development Group, Davis led the development of the $1 billion Avalon project in Alpharetta, Georgia. Appointed to the Board in 2024, he brings a wealth of entrepreneurial and real estate experience to his role as vice chair.
āI am honored to serve in an organization dedicated to the betterment of the area I call home,ā said Davis. āDespite my short tenure on the Board, Iāve seen such impactful work done by an incredible group of people and Iām excited to help continue the CIDās legacy.ā
Darin Mitchell serves as treasurer and Tracy Styf as secretary, while Dan Buyers, Steven Cadranel, Jo Ann Chitty and Nicolas Porter hold the remaining seats on the Board.
āBritt and Michael have proven themselves to be strong leaders,ā said Styf. āIām confident the transition to their new roles will be seamless and their guidance will continue to make Town Center Community an accessible, prosperous place to live, work and visit.ā
For more information about the Town Center CID, visitĀ towncentercid.com.
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign up, and youāre good to go!
Left to rightāChief of Staff David Jones, Kalani Thomas (guest speaker), Robert Haley (Cobb Sheriffās Foundation founder and executive director) and Dr. J. Sebastian Anderson (Parenting 101 program director) gather following the āLive Noblyā Fatherās Day Celebration at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on June 12, 2025. Thomas received a $1,000 scholarship to support his academic journey.
Submitted information and photos:
The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO)Ā hosted its second annual āLive Noblyā Fatherās Day Celebration on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at theĀ Cobb County Adult Detention Center.
The event welcomed speakers fromĀ Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc.Ā Each speaker offered reflections on fatherhood, manhood, responsibility, and service. Their messages, grounded in community leadership and lived experience, were delivered to a room of approximately 30 attendees, many of whom will soon return to their families and communities.
Several detainees also shared powerful personal stories about growth, accountability, and their hopes for the future. Their reflections added a moving, firsthand perspective to the eventās themes of redemption and renewal.
Remarks were also shared byĀ Sheriff Craig Owens, Chief of Staff David Jones, and Detention Center Commander Col. Michael Williams,Ā who joined the CCSO leaders in celebrating the importance of second chances and personal growth.
A detainee bows his head in prayer.
Cobb Sheriff Craig Owens meets with a detainee.
Guest speaker Kalani Thomas and Dr. J. Sebastian Anderson embrace after Thomas’ remarks to the detainees.
Dr. J. Sebastian and Robert Haley of the Cobb Sheriff’s Foundation.
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The Sope Creek 3 voting precinct in East Cobb will be open a little bit longer Tuesday due to a late opening in primary elections for the Georgia Public Service Commission.
Cobb Superior Court Judge Kim Childs issued an order to keep the precinct open until 7:14 p.m. The Sope Creek 3 location is atĀ the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection (4814 Paper Mill Road).
After a number of legal challenges that delayed 2022 elections, a special election was called for Tuesday to determine two seats on the PSC, which regulates electric and utility rates for Georgia consumers.
The seats are District 2, which covers eastern Georgia, and District 3, which covers DeKalb, Fulton and Clayton counties.
But all eligible voters across the state can cast ballots at their voting precincts until 7 p.m.
In District 2, Republican incumbent Tim Echols is facing primary challengers, and there is a Democratic primary in District 3.
Later this year, the Democratic winner in District 3 will face GOP incumbent Fitz Johnson of Vinings, a former Cobb Board of Commissioners candidate.
Turnout was light in early voting, with only 18,000 votes cast, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign up, and youāre good to go!
Marxist glad-handing from The Cocoanuts (1929). Will you lend a hand to East Cobb News today? Please donate at this link.
We got a few accusations over the weekend about our coverage of the No Kings rally in East Cobb, but also a lot of compliments and a generous amount of contributions from our readers as we continue to ask for your financial support.
I am overwhelmed by both, for different reasons, and I do thank all of you for what you’ve said (even the criticisms) and for what you’ve contributed.
To all those who have donatedāthank you so much! Your gift is truly appreciated!
(Please click any of the enlarged links below to offer your support, if you haven’t already.)
We picked up some newsletter subscribers, and lost a few others, including one just now from a person who told us exactly why:
“I did not know East Cobb was Marxist and it is my belief that to support criminals over the American U.S. Soldier is evil and a community magazine should not be Leftist.”
Well, I don’t think East Cobb is Marxist at allāwe still elect Republicans over here!āand if the former reader is referring to us, we’re not either. We’re a for-profit news site. We love capitalism!
(And it appears some conservatives don’t understand what Marxism is any better than how some liberals define Fascism. Both are hurled mindlessly as epithets with little regard to accuracy, but that’s another topic).
No, we’re not Marxists in the political sense, but having a sense of humor amid all this has helped immensely, and we’re glad to consider ourselves Marxists in the Groucho-Harpo-Gummo-Zeppo fashion.
Yes, this column already is probably falling flat in trying to get you to laugh. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk. But what we’d really like to do is ask you to consider becoming a monthly recurring donor. We’re suggesting $6 a month, but it can be for any amount that you like.
Your gift of $6, $12, or even $25 a month helps us to tell countless storiesākeeping you informed about whatās happening in East Cobb. And your gift delivers the news to readersāvia email, social media, and of course, atĀ eastcobbnews.com.
When you supportĀ East Cobb News, you ensure stories donāt slip through the cracks. Every story we tell matters āwhether itās about local events, school board and county commission decisions, interesting people, or how people are helping out one another in East Cobb.
Here’s what a reader told us over the weekend:
“As one of your loyal readers, I appreciate your journalistic talent as always presenting the news in an unbiased fashion. I didnāt interpret your first story as one sided, only informative.”
I wish I could adequately convey how much this means to read this. It’s not that any human is unbiasedānone of us areābut that we as journalists set our views aside about stories, issues, candidates, when we cover them.
Weāve set a special goal of getting to 250 monthly recurring donors by the end of June, and weād like you to consider becoming one of them if you havenāt donated already.
Even old-school political Marxists are welcome to support East Cobb News, but a word of warning: We’re a for-profit site! Please donate at this link.
The Press Patron platform we use is safe and secure, and you can manage your account how you like.
Thereās no place else to find news and information that highlights our community and keeps it strong.
East Cobb NewsĀ is proud to fill that role. As your local news provider, we pledge to provide free, relevant, local reporting about issues and events that affect you.
Please donāt take that for granted. We want to keep giving this to you for free, but we are considering some paywall options.
When you give today, youāll ensure quality coverage with a local focus that is free and accessible to all.
Nobody elseĀ is doing this in our community, and our plans are to keep giving you the local news that you love for a long time to come.
Let us know what you think about all of this: e-mail me:Ā [email protected]. Iām interested in hearing from you.
So readers of East Cobb News unite! You have nothing to lose but a homegrown news site that works for you every day to give you the local news that you love!
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign upĀ and youāre good to go!
As we noted in November, a location of Marietta Donuts is coming to the Sprayberry High School area (2520 East Piedmont Road, Suite 3) in the Sprayberry Collection shopping center.
Original plans were for the opening to be before Christmas, but that has been delayed for a few months, and it’s coming up this Friday.
To celebrate, owner Sokcheat Heng is giving away free hot or iced coffee with the purchase of a dozen donuts at the new location and the original (1282 Johnson Ferry Road), from Friday-Sunday.
The new place (Facebook page) is bigger than the original, with 1,200 square feet of space, and some tables.
In addition to a wide variety of doughnuts, Marietta Donuts sells fritters and kolaches, a Polish-style pastry with sausage, as well as croissants, cinnamon rolls, eclairs, breakfast biscuits, bagels, coffees and teas.
Avenue traffic changes
Starting Tuesday, Avenue East Cobb will be implementing some traffic access changes the retail center said is being done to “create a smoother, more beautiful arrival experience.”
The entry lane of the main driveway will be closed starting at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, hours before the stores open. The two exit lanes “will be temporarily converted into a dual-purpose entry and exit to maintain access to the property.”
Then, at 5 p.m., according to an Avenue social media post, “the entire main entrance will be closed for safety purposes.”
Shoppers should use the side entrances closest to Lenscrafters and Barnes and Noble during this time.
Lauren Ness, a spokeswoman for Jamestown L.P., the Avenue East Cobb property manager, told East Cobb News that “weather permitting, the team is working diligently with the goal of completing the project by Thursday, July 4. Construction will generally occur Monday through Saturday. The enhancements will create a visual and functional upgrade that better reflect our redevelopment efforts and makes navigation more clear.”
The organizers of the Gifts, Galore and More Show in East Cobb announced the dates for their 13th annual holiday show.
They’ll be Tuesday, Oct. 7 from 10-2 and 5-8, and Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 10-3 atĀ 3275 Somerset Trace, in the Somerset subdivision.
That’s the home/studio/garden of Lynn Weinberg, a textile designer, and one of the dozen or so artisans and vendors whose work will be available for sale.
Here’s more about how Weinberg got this show going:
“The idea for the event which started in 2009 came from Weinbergās interest in connecting with other artists and local vendors in East Cobb.Ā It started as a yearly event, but now only takes place every other year. ‘Itās also a reflection of my own lifestyle ā the people, products, services and businesses showcased are ones I personally admire and use.’
“She started her career as part of an artist cooperative in Alexandria, VA., called The Torpedo Factory and this event gives her the opportunity to recapture that environment. Weinberg also loves working in the garden and the show features the work of a local garden sculptor in the front, along with many works that she has created, a greenhouse built by her husband and several other unique garden features.
“Weinberg’s husband, an avid birder, has turned the yard into a bird haven and now that he is retired he will be showing his woodworking as well.”
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign up, and youāre good to go!
A rendition of Beowulf at a previous MiniCon at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center.
Submitted information:
Please note that all Cobb County Public Libraries will be closed and will not offer curbside hold pickup Thursday, June 19 in honor of Juneteenth. Normal hours will resume on Friday, June 20.
Our digital resources are available every day of the year! Visit ourĀ Research and Digital pageĀ to find eBooks, eAudiobooks, digital magazines, comics, and newspapers, streaming video, and hundreds of other databases and resources in dozens of topics.
MiniCon 2025 set for Saturday
Join usĀ Saturday, June 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Ā atĀ Sewell Mill Library and Cultural CenterĀ for a family friendly fandom event for all ages! Enjoy a day of panels, art vendors, activities, musical performances, and more!
Come dressed in your best cosplay and take part in our annual cosplay contest!
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Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign up, and youāre good to go!
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign up, and youāre good to go!
Several hundred people lined the intersection of Roswell and Johnson Ferry roads Saturday at a ‘No Kings’ rally against President Trump. ECN photos and video.
The “No Kings” events across the country coincided with a military parade in Washington Saturday night to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, Trump’s birthday and Flag Day.
Those plans were in the works before violent protests broke out in Los Angeles over immigration raids conducted by the Trump administration.
And before California U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla interrupted a press conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to protest the raids, and was pushed to the floor and handcuffed by Secret Service for refusing to leave.
Along the way, East Cobb News readers were complaining that our report simply informing the community about the event was “promoting” it, and somehow proved our bias.
Given the location, I was simply trying to give a traffic heads-up to motorists in an always-congested area. It’s also a news story, which should have been fairly obvious even to low-information readers.
All week this ignorant nonsense persisted. I got this cordial, erudite e-mail from a reader on Friday:
“U have proven to be a left leaning news source. Tomorrow I will be at 120 and Johnson ferry to counter the BS rally you left, want Ā to protest ICE arresting rapists, pedofiles and illegals that are in our country illegally overwhelming our schools, hospitals and killing* our citizens, and I will have an American flag, a TRUMP FLAG and will be armed.”
When I woke up this morning,Ā I heard the news about a Minnesota state legislator and her husband being shot to death at their home in what’s suspected as a political assassination.
Another lawmaker and his wife were also shot, and are recovering. The suspect is believed to have compiled a long list of elected officials and might have been making plans to go to “No Kings” events in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
As I write this, there is a manhunt underway for him.
The gunman’s motives aren’t clear, but the murdered legislator, a former Speaker of Minnesota House, recently voted for a bill to end free health care for illegal immigrants.
As I prepared to go to the rally here, I saw a social media post by U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk, who’s now our Congressman, noting that Saturday also was the eighth anniversary of the shooting of the House Majority Leader at a Congressional softball practice.
U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise was seriously injured and had a long recovery, but his Secret Service detail shot and killed the assailant, or more casualties would have been likely. Loudermilk, who was on the scene, was not hurt.
Reading this, however, I was more than unnerved, and weary of complaints about our coverage about an event that hadn’t happened.
A couple readers yakked at me that they had gone to the Roswell-Johnson Ferry intersection Saturday morning and didn’t see any protesters.
The same cordial, erudite reader sent this to me around 1:20 p.m.:
“There is nothing, why would you do that unless you are a left leaning, democrat run site”
If he had bothered to read the story, it said the rally was on Saturday afternoonĀ from 2-3:30 p.m. Click the links, folks, that’s why we provide them.
This is not something I do, but we’re living in overheated times fraught with ridiculous political grandstanding and performative theater designed to curry attention (and campaign donations) but not much more.
But there was a good crowd of several hundred or so people, perhaps more than I anticipated, staving off some raindrops.
Thankfully, they were doing nothing more than holding signs and asking motorists to honk their horns. Many vehicles blasted away, with some waving at the protestors.
It was all rather uneventful, and that was a blessed relief.
Whatever you think about their political positions, and however contrived you think the “No Kings” rallies may be, they symbolized what peaceful protest should be about.
(At some point those who dislike the president are going to have to do more than protest; they don’t seem to have an alternative vision to Make America Great Again. And quite a few not only don’t know the meaning of fascism, they don’t care.)
With nearly 2,000 protests planned around the country, it’s possible some of Saturday’s “No Kings” rallies may have gotten out of hand. But in East Cobb, that wasn’t the case.
I talked to Cobb Police Maj. Brian Batterton, the Precinct 4 commander, who was standing near the Five Guys with several of his officers and patrol cars, and he said there hadn’t been any reported incidents.
He said a couple people stepped out into the roads, and there was a medical emergency that prompted an ambulance, but there wasn’t any sign of counterprotests (if you know otherwise, please let me know).
At one point, an organizer kindly asked me to step out of a shopping center exit, in keeping with orderly protocols set up for the event.
Free speech is the bedrock principle of what it means to be an American, and the right to dissent should be sacrosanct. In recent years, it has been coming under fire from all sides of the political divide.
That’s nothing new, as the late, great civil libertarian Nat Hentoff noted in his 1992 book “Free Speech For MeāBut Not For Thee.”
Now he truly was cordial and erudite during a long and distinguished career, and is one of my journalistic heroes. He died shortly before Trump’s first inauguration, and I wonder what he would make of the times we’re in now.
He’s who I thought of when I wrote my Facebook post, and as I’m finishing this now.
But he’s almost forgotten today, in a troubling era of unhinged social media rants, cringeworthy behavior by elected officials and escalating political violence that is proving to be deadly.
Hentoff’s gentle voice and deep passion for the best values of America are in such short supply. I’m grateful we had a protest that embodied some of those qualities, and I hope they’ll be making a comeback very soon everywhere in this country.
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Just a couple weeks into its summer lunch program for needy kids, MUST Ministries this week issued a call for the public to help provide food.
In a social media posting Thursday, the Marietta-based social services charity said it’s run out of lunch entree items, and it’s asking for food or monetary donations:
“This can be a single-serve noodle bowl, rice bowls, Hamburger Helper or Chef Boyardee. For example items, please see our Amazon wish list below.
“Week 2 MUST Summer Lunch wrap-up. The last two weeks, we have served nearly double what we were during weeks one and two last year. We have had generous volunteers and donations, but the need is still great. We appreciate everyone who is helping us serve our littlest neighbors in need.
“This is a great opportunity for community groups and churches to get together to build Kidsā Kits to help our littlest neighbors in need this summer. We are serving for 7 more weeks, and will need all the help we can get. Instructions are on our website at mustministries.org/summer-lunch.”
MUST said that if you want to drop off food, you can do so at its donation center at 1280 Field Parkway, from Tuesday-Saturday 9-5. It’s closed Sunday and Monday.
MUST has been providing summer breakfasts and lunches to children since 1995, and its goal this year is to feed 7,500 children in Cobb and seven other metro Atlanta counties during the summer school break (June and July).
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign upĀ and youāre good to go!
The Cobb County Branch of the NAACP will once again host its annualĀ JuneteenthĀ celebration in the heart of Marietta Square. The holiday, recognized as the most popular annual commemoration of emancipation from slavery in the United States, is a powerful day of reflection and community.
The festivities start 6 – 11 p.m. Friday,Ā June 13, with an “all-white” block party. The cultural festival happens 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.Ā Saturday,Ā June 14. Enjoy a day filled with delicious food, unique merchandise, informative vendors, a valuable health fair, and captivating entertainment for all ages! Then dads will get their due 2 – 6 p.m. Sunday,Ā June 15, with a “Salute to our Heroes: Happy Father’s Day” celebration. All events are open to the public
All Cobb County Government offices will be closed Thursday,Ā June 19, in honor of the holiday.
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“The bottom line is we’re going to be focused on having school,” Cobb superintendent Chris Ragsdale said.
When a student cell-phone ban takes effect in Georgia public schools in the fall of 2026, the Cobb County School District won’t be providing pouches or any other items for students to store their personal electronic devices during the school day.
They’ll have to bring their own.
What’s called the Distraction-Free Education Act becomes effective in July of 2026, and school districts must implement policies to adhere to the new state law, which covers students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
They don’t cover educational devices provided by the district or pertain to staff and teacher cell-phones, and devices for special-needs students with an Individualized Education Program.
Georgia is one of several states to enact the cell-phone bans that advocates say reduce distractions and improve the well-being of young people.
During a Cobb Board of Education meeting Thursday night, Ragsdale said that the policy must stipulate what “storage solutions” school districts will be offering to students.
“The storage place is going to be a student’s backpack, or purse, or what have you,” he said.
“The bottom line is we’re going to be focused on having school.”
Cobb has more than 100,000 students and is the second-largest school district in Georgia.
Ragsdale said the policies must be in place by January 2026, and must include punishments for violations of the ban. He said that there will be updates to the student code of conduct that will be announced when the policy has been completed.
Marietta City Schools, which has fewer than 10,000 students, enacted a comprehensive student ban on electronic devices last June, including Marietta High School.
The policy also required students at the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy and Marietta Middle School to place their devices in a Yondr pouches provided by the school district during class periods.
According to a late 2024 report, more than 4,000 school districts in the country provide the Yondr pouches, which generally retail for about $25.
“These pouches lock with a proprietary magnet, ensuring devices remain secure throughout the day,” according to the MCS policy. Teachers at those schools “understand that no assignment should require using a cellphone or access to social media.”
The policy also states that “students will keep the locked pouches with them until the end of the school day, ensuring minimal disruptions during class. Exceptions will be made for students with documented medical conditions.”
Marietta students can use their devices during lunch periods and in after-school programs.
Ragsdale didn’t indicate during his remarks at Thursday’s Cobb school board meeting whether the new Cobb policy might incorporate some of the measures in place in Marietta.
That policy will have to be approved by the Cobb school board.
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign upĀ and youāre good to go!
Nassir Boukari of Wheeler High School with Gail Devers and Champ Bailey. Photos courtesy of Cobb County School District.
Three students and a coach at high schools in East Cobb were among the honorees this month at the 2024ā25 Positive Athlete Georgia Awards at Piedmont Church.
According to its website, “Positive Athlete is a recognition program that celebrates high character, high school student-athletes and coaches who have overcome difficult circumstances, given back to their schools and communities in a significant way, or just have an infectious positive attitude that makes everyone around them a better person.”
The banquet featured three-time Olympic track and field gold medalist Gail Devers and former UGA and NFL football star Champ Bailey.
The honorees include:
Wheeler High School’s Nassir Boukari, who was named the state’s most positive wrestler;
Ty Brown, a senior and four-year varsity soccer manager at Lassiter High School, the state’s Most Positive Special Olympian;
Elizabeth Michalek of Walton High School, who received the Northside Hospital Leadership award;
Chris Marcusky, Kell High School boys golf coach, who received the Most Positive Boys Coach award.
“These accolades highlight the dedication of Cobb’s student-athletes, coaches, and schools to not only athletic excellence but also to character, leadership, and community involvement,” Cobb County School District Athletic Director Don Baker said in a release.
“Positive Athlete is an outstanding program, and it is an honor to have so many of our own recognized at this banquet.”
Ty Brown of Lassiter High School with Champ Bailey.Elizabeth Michalek of Walton High School with Positive Athlete CEO Scott Pederson. Chris Marcusky of Kell High School being interviewed as the Most Positive Boys Coach award recipient.
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign up, and youāre good to go!
Publix presented the Cobb Schools Foundation with a donation nearing $175K in 2022 for school supply gift cards for students. CCSD photo.
The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday heard a proposed change to its bylaws that would open the door for major corporate donors to sit on the board of the Cobb Schools Foundation.
The latter is a non-profit the Cobb County School District operates to support school families in need with learning interventions, food distribution and scholarship assistance.
The district, which operates the foundation, currently requires that board members live in Cobb County. The proposed bylaw change, which was discussed at a school board work session Thursday, would require board members to meet one of three criteria.
They would include having a student in the district, being a graduate of the district or working for a business in Cobb County.
Board chairman David Chastain of Post 4 in Northeast Cobb said that the all-volunteer foundation board of trustees asked for the change. Trustees are volunteers who are appointed by the school board, superintendent and the trustees themselves (here’s a list of the current foundation board).
“Think of the large corporations for the most part, part of Cobb County, and imagine having an officer or a manager who wanted to serveāand I would like to think would want to write a big checkāand if they don’t live in Cobb County they’re eliminated from being considered,” Chastain said.
But board member Nichelle Davis of Post 6 in Smyrna said that under the proposal, she wouldn’t qualify, and wanted to amend it to keep residency as a qualifier.
Superintendent Chris Ragsdale responded that “that would defeat the whole purpose of the amendment, because you’re saying you’d keep it as is.”
Davis said she meant to keep residency as an “additional”qualifier if someone didn’t meet the other three.
Board member Tre’ Hutchins of Post 3 in South Cobb welcomed the proposal, using Six Flags of Georgia and Wellstar as examples of Cobb businesses that might have potential board members, but also asked to keep the residency option.
Chastain and Ragsdale mentioned Publix, the Florida-based supermarket chain that has donated nearly $350,000 over the last two years to the Cobb Schools Foundation.
“That’s who we’re looking for,” Chastain said.
He said the foundation board members do “actual work” interviewing potential scholarship recipients and performing other tasks.
“It’s not a thing where you show up once a month and take a vote and go home. . . . You’ve got to find the person who really wants to do it.”
Board member Becky Sayler of Post 2 in Smyrna asked for the proposal to be tabled to sort through the residency issue, saying it could be unintentionally exclusive. “Maybe it was a typo in the way that it was prepared, it seemed kind of unusual.”
School board attorney Suzann Wilcox said the proposal, which was not written by her, wouldn’t exclude a parent of a student in the Cobb school district.
“What you could do, if you wanted to, is go back and ask questions of the foundation, and postpone it,” she said.
Chastain withdrew the bylaw proposal, with the intent of having it come back to the school board in July.
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign upĀ and youāre good to go!
The Cobb County Public Library and the Cobb County School District (CCSD) are celebrating the third successful year of theirĀ Books2KeepĀ summer literacy collaboration.
Through this initiative, more than 35 boxes of donated books have already been collected by Cobb County School District and then donated toĀ The Helen Poyer Cobb Library BookmobileĀ to distribute to families across Cobb this summerāfree of charge.
In Cobb County, reading doesnāt stop when school lets outāthanks to this powerful partnership between the Cobb County Public Library and the Cobb County School District (CCSD), an initiative led byĀ Allyson Eads, Community Engagement Librarian, andĀ John McLaughlin, Media Specialist at Kell High School.
āOur goal is to help kids stay engaged with reading all summer long,ā said Allyson Eads. āThe free books create a sense of ownership and pride in readingāand thatās incredibly powerful. Every book we give away is labeled with a specialĀ Books2KeepĀ sticker. Itās a small touch that reminds families that literacy is a giftāone thatās meant to be shared and passed on.ā
TheĀ Helen Poyer Cobb Library Bookmobile, launched in 2018, was designed and developed from scratch by the libraryās Community and User Engagement Division, led byĀ Slone Williams, CUE/Communications Division Manager. Funded by theĀ Cobb Library Foundation, the Bookmobile was fitted with an ADA lift, shelves, wrap graphics, carts, and moreāturning a standard van into a full-fledged library on wheels.
In addition to free books, the Bookmobile offersĀ free Wi-Fi access, aĀ monthly newsletter, an engagingĀ InstagramĀ presence, and providesĀ system tours for libraries across the U.S.Ā Itās a nationally recognized model for mobile literacy services, with demand for stops doubling this year alone. Donations to support the Bookmobile can be made using theĀ Books2Keep Donation Request Form, and community organizations can request Bookmobile stops using theĀ Bookmobile Stop or Event Appearance Request Form.
In 2022, the Bookmobile was honored with theĀ Preschool Outreach and School Services Inspirations Award, sponsored by theĀ Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS). The award recognized the teamās innovative launch of theĀ Books2KeepĀ campaign, which successfully collected and redistributed gently used books from affluent areas of Cobb County to underserved communitiesāensuring equitable access to reading materials and promoting literacy across the county.
Books are collected throughout the school year by the Cobb County School District through book drives at school media centers. The Bookmobile team then picks up donations in time for summer distribution. Other community organizations have also contributed, including theĀ JROTC program at Campbell High School, along with generous personal donations from patrons.
A notable recent contributor is theĀ Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, which has begun collecting books to donate specifically for the Bookmobile. This museumās involvement strengthens the growing network of community support surrounding the initiative.Ā McLaughlinĀ is anĀ avid supporter of the libraryĀ and has alsoĀ hosted several educational programs at library branches, reinforcing the shared mission to promote learning, history, and literacy across Cobb.
At stops across the county, patrons can check out library materials and receive free books to build their personal home libraries. The partnership with CCSDādriven by Eads and McLaughlinācontinues to grow in scale and impact.
āThis program works because of our strong collaboration with CCSD,ā said Eads. āJohn has been an amazing partner, and together, weāre putting booksāand joyāinto the hands of families all summer long.ā
The summer stops kicked off the first week of June at theĀ Cobb Safety Village, where the Bookmobile team met overĀ 800 peopleĀ and gave out the first collection of free books.
As theĀ Books2KeepĀ program continues to expand, so does its impactāempowering children and families to build home libraries, stay connected to literacy, and discover the joy of reading. With dedicated leadership, strong community partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to access, theĀ Helen Poyer Cobb Library BookmobileĀ is more than just a vehicleāitās aĀ movement on wheels.
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David Hobson and Melissa Hobson (wearing caps) with their children Avery and Ian Hobson. Photo courtesy Brylliant Acting Studio.
Submitted information and photo:
This summer, the cast of Footloose is cutting looseāand bringing their siblings, parents, husbands, wives, and coworkers along for the ride.
Opening on June 26 at the auditorium at 121 Winn Street in Marietta, Brylliant Acting Studioās high-energy musical production of Footloose doesnāt just feature catchy songs, ā80s dance moves, and rebellious teenagersāit also stars a cast thatās basically one big family reunion in costume which brings incredible chemistry to Brylliantās first ever community theater production.
āItās been such a joy directing the parents of my usual student actors. Watching them step into the world their kids love so much has brought a whole new energy to the rehearsal spaceāand plenty of laughs! Itās a full-circle moment for our theater family,ā according to director Brynn Chamblee.
Based on the iconic 1984 film, Footloose tells the story of Ren McCormack, a teen who moves to a town where dancing is banned and sets out to bring the groove back. This production promises all the foot-stomping hits you know and loveāfrom āHolding Out for a Heroā to āLetās Hear It for the Boyāāplus some bonus off-stage family dynamics you wonāt find in your typical community theater show.
Behind-the-Scenes Scoop:
Lindsey Coleman, co-founder of Brylliant Acting Studios, will escape the sound booth for a change, sharing the stage with her oldest son Bradley and her husband Matt in his inaugural stage appearance. Lindsey will be playing the wife of the townās pastorāportrayed by David Hobson, a first-time actor himself. Hobson also happens to be the real-life dad of Brylliant stars Liam, 17, and Avery, 18, making this production a āgenerational.ā
Marietta mom Melissa makes Footloose a full-house affair about which daughter Avery, says āIām excited to share the stage with my parents this summer because theyāve always been so supportive of my theater productions, and now I get to support them and watch them learn and grow through the rehearsal process.ā
Jackie Fogas, making her musical theater debut in the ensemble alongside her accomplished daughter Gabriella, 16, is experiencing the flip side: āIām blown away by how complex musical theatre really isāitās so much more than singing and dancing. This experience has given me a whole new respect for what it takes to bring a show to life.ā
Even those not technically related by blood are part of a deeply connected local arts family. Josh Waters, who plays Wes, is not only performing alongside his son Nolan, 13, but also teaches drama at Marietta Sixth Grade Academyānurturing the next generation on stage during the school year and ādoing the right thingā on the stage in the summer..
Joining Waters are fellow Marietta theater educators: Haley Walter, cast as Lulu, teaches theatre at Marietta Middle School, and Elena Prestwood, playing Ethel, leads music and drama at Park Street Elementary. Together, theyāre turning this production into an all-out performing arts department summer bash.
āThese educators are the backbone of Mariettaās thriving theater scene,ā says Lindsey Coleman. āItās no exaggeration to say that between them, theyāve taught or directed half the townāand now theyāre singing and dancing with them too.ā
So bring your dancing shoes, and maybe your own relatives and co-workers, and get ready for a musical experience where the harmonies are tightāand so are the family ties.
Performance Details:
š Footloose: The Musical
š June 26ā June 28
š Auditiorium at MMS, 121 Winn Street, Marietta, Georgia 30064
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The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday will be presented with an amendment to bylaws involving the Cobb County School District’s partnership with the Cobb Schools Foundation.
But there’s no information on the board’s meeting agenda on what the amendment is about, and board chairman David Chastain of Post 4 in Northeast Cobb said that details will be presented at a work session starting at 3 p.m.
“The Board will be briefed at the meeting. It’s a normal procedure,” he told East Cobb News on Wednesday. “I am not going to brief the media before I brief my colleagues. That’s why we have a working session.”
The agenda item to be presented by Chastain states that the amendment to the bylaws is “for potential action.”
The monthly school board meetings also include a voting session at 7 p.m. and an executive session in between.
All meetings take place in the board room of the CCSD Central Office, at 514 Glover St. in Marietta. An executive session will follow the work session.
The Cobb Schools Foundation (formally known as the Cobb County Public Schools Educational Foundation, Inc., is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit the district operates that provides support for school families in need with learning interventions, food distribution and scholarship assistance.
Most recently, CSF created a “Fan of the Game” program to invite “community partners” to promote their businesses and organizations by becoming sponsors of athletic programs within the district.
The funding would be used for equipment, coaching development, scholarships, wellness and safety initiatives and uniforms and warmups.
Extracurricular activities are not funded directly by the district, as we noted in April about a new video scoreboard at Walton High School that was paid with private funds, but that board had to formally approve.
The board also will be asked to vote on a measure to approve a permanent utility easement at Sprayberry High School for an existing cell tower.
Georgia Power is requesting the easement due to a new location for a power transformer and power pole providing power to the cell tower.
At the Thursday night meeting, recognitions include the district’s financial services division and its strategy and accountability division.
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign upĀ and youāre good to go!
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign up, and youāre good to go!
The sidewalk facing Johnson Ferry Road in front of Trader Joe’s has become something of a rallying point in East Cobb for political activists in recent years.
And on Saturday, the Johnson Ferry-Roswell Road intersection is one of the designated locations for a nationwide protest against the policies of the Trump Administration.
What’s being called a “No Kings” rally takes place from 2-3:30 p.m., and is organized by Indivisible, a liberal political advocacy organization.
The rallies across the nation (map here) are timed against a large military parade in Washington at the behest of Trump, whose birthday is Saturday, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.
“NO KINGS is a national day of action and mass mobilization in response to increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his billionaire tech bros. Weāve watched as theyāve cracked down on free speech, detained people for their political views, threatened to deport American citizens, disappeared people, and defied the courts. Theyāve done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies.”
In the protests, according to the message, “weāre not gathering to feed his ego. Weāre building a movement that leaves him behind.
“The flag doesnāt belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to us. Weāre not watching history happen. Weāre making it.
“On June 14th, weāre showing up everywhere he isnātāto say no thrones, no crowns, no kings. Bring your signs and your flags and stand with us in nonviolent resistance to show the country what true patriotism really looks like.”
On Saturday morning, Indivisible also is holding a rally from 10-12 at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta.
Every Sunday we round up the weekās top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest.Ā Click hereĀ to sign up, and youāre good to go!
