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 DOT is seeking condemnation authority for right-of-way needs in front of a retail center at 4811 Lower Roswell Road.
After years of delays, revised changes, negotiations with property owners and other issues, the Cobb Department of Transportation on Tuesday is coming back to Cobb commissioners to approve a contract to make sweeping improvements to the Lower Roswell Road corridor in the Johnson Ferry Road area.
Several agenda items for Tuesday’s Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting include the recommendation of a low bidder, condemnation proceedings with two parcels at that intersection and preliminary utility relocation work.
Cobb DOT is recommending that a low bid of $7 million from Baldwin Paving Co. Inc. be approved. Five other bidders were involved, with the highest coming in at $10.1 million.
It’s not the first time Cobb DOT has sought to get started with a project that’s been more than a decade in the making.
Transportation officials say the Lower Roswell-Johnson Ferry intersection has a high number of crashes.
The project, with funding from the Cobb 2011 SPLOST, would add turn lanes, install a multi-use trail and make other changes along Lower Roswell between Woodlawn Drive and Davidson Road.
Cobb commissioners approved a conceptual plan in 2022. Further public feedback prompted DOT later in 2022 to redesign the project, including removal of a planned bike path and expanding a multi-use trail.
According to a project update issued in March, the median remains one of the key components, along with intersection changes at Lower Roswell Road and Woodlawn Drive.
There is a proposed shared-use path extension of between 8 and 10 feet added on Lower Roswell between Davidson Road and Woodlawn Drive, for pedestrians and cyclists.
A proposed median along Lower Roswell from Johnson Ferry to Davidson Road has been the big stumbling block.
The project would add turn lanes from Lower Roswell into Parkaire Landing Shopping Center and the McDonald’s across the street.
In February, some business owners told commissioners the median remains “a bad idea.”
Joel Gilmer of the Barista’s Coffee Shop said traffic already threatens his employees in the Parkaire Triangle retail center at Lower Roswell and Davidson because it’s what he calls “the bypass.”
He predicted that motorists aren’t going to use the traffic light at that intersection as they are coming out of Parkaire Landing.
At that time, Cobb DOT officials said they were still negotiating with several business owners for right-of-way acquisition.
According to an agenda item for Tuesday, Cobb DOT is asking for condemnation authority for right-of-way at 4811 Lower Roswell Road.
That’s at the Johnson Ferry intersection and has three businesses—a dentist, a pizza place and a bagel shop. Another condemnation seeks right-of-way and temporary easements at the adjacent McDonald’s at 4819 Lower Roswell Road.
Cobb DOT said discussions are continuing with the property owners, but “additional rights-of-way and easements are needed to construct this project” and funding is also available in the 2011 SPLOST.
The commission meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the second floor board room of the Cobb government building (100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta), and the full agenda can be found by clicking here.
You also can watch on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.
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!
Jackson Frangos, a rising senior at Wheeler High School, is among 100 students across the country chosen for a virtual internship this summer with the NASA Student Enhancement in Earth and Space Science (SEES) program.
The internships are sponsored by NASA and the Center for Space Research at the University of Texas at Austin. According to a Cobb County School District release, the interns “will work with scientists and engineers to conduct authentic research using data received from NASA’s earth-observing satellites to study air quality, landforms, mosquito-borne diseases, and astronomy.”
More than 2,000 students applied for the internships, which focus on aerospace or space science themes.
“Students work remotely with their project scientist to conduct hands-on activities, field investigations, collaborate with NASA scientists and engineers through science presentations, and work on various NASA missions,” the release said,
The interns will meet virtually in late July for a NASA SEES symposium to present their research findings to NASA engineers, researchers, scientists and others.
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!
East Cobb’s Seed Kitchen & Barrecently completed a remodeling of its outdoor patio that has been weatherproofed for the summer season.
The 74-seat space includes a louvered roof and vinyl panels, fans, and built-in heaters for year-round outdoor dining. It also can acccommodate special celebrations.
Seed owner Doug Turbush said in a release this week that the re-opening will kick off on Saturday, June 8. Every Saturday during the summer, the menu will feature a “Lobster Camp” menu with Connecticut- and Maine-style lobster rolls, served on a brioche roll with chips and a pickle spear, along with white sangria.
Seed opened in 2011 at Merchants Walk and two years later, opened the Stem Wine Bar next door. His seafood restaurant, Drift Fish House and Oyster Bar, closed at Avenue East Cobb at the end of 2023.
ICYMI:East Cobb News interview in 2020 with Seed owner Doug Turbush: Click here.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
A van that was unloading supplies for the Georgia Celebrates Quilt Show at the Cobb Civic Center accidentally crashed into glass windows near the main entrance on Wednesday.
That’s prompted county and show organizers to set up an alternate entry for those attending when the event begins Thursday morning.
Cobb government said an exhibitor lost control of her van as she was trying to drop off the supplies. The woman was unhurt, and the building’s structural engineer said the crash didn’t impact the safety of the building.
The vehicle was removed from the scene and doors were boarded up by the main lobby as repairs got underway.
The show is presented by the East Cobb Quilters’ Club and continues through Saturday, featuring more than 300 quilts, bed coverings and other homemade quilted works.
Handmade ribbons and over $4,000 in cash prizes will be awarded by nationally certified judges.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days, and admission is $10 daily.
The Cobb Civic Center is located at 548 South Marietta Parkway.
Cobb government screen grab
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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!
Eight recent high school graduates from the East Cobb area were named recipients of National Merit Scholarships this week.
Jay Natu, Pope High School
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced a nationwide list of scholarships provided by the colleges and universities where the recipients will be attending in the fall.
The scholarship amounts range from $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study.
The recent recipients include Jay Natu, the salutatorian at Pope High School, who intends to study biochemistry at the University of Georgia.
Two of his Pope classmates also will be receiving National Merit Scholarships, and also are bound for UGA. They are Simon O’Connor (mathematics) and Michael Soule (business).
Two Wheeler recipients also will be headed to UGA in the fall: Diya A. Garrepally (pharmaceutical science) and Katherine Carter (health care).
Receiving a National Merit Auburn University Scholarship is Sarah Clark of Walton, who is interested in studying environmental engineering.
Zara Khan of East Cobb, who recently graduated from Campbell High School, has received a National Merit Scholarship to attend the University of Southern California, with a probable career field of linguistics.
Claire Petersen of East Cobb, who graduated from Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell, will be attending Vanderbilt University, where she plans to study applied mathematics.
Applicants had to reach the National Merit Scholarship finalist stage, were required to submit essays and detail extracurricular activities, awards and leadership positions.
Their academic records included threshold scores on the SAT or SAT and students had to be recommended by a high school official.
The NMSC awarded scholarships to more than 6,870 high school seniors in 2024 totaling nearly $26 million.
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From a Cobb County government release Tuesday afternoon:
A contractor replacing a sewer line along East Piedmont Road will close some travel lanes during this week The project will take place between Mainsail Drive and Piedmont Forest Court, which is just east of Sandy Plains Road.
The project has started and is expected to run through Tuesday, June 12. Weather could impact the length of the project as well as the times when lanes are closed off.
No detours are necessary, but some delays are expected.
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Taniesha Whorton said she’s focusing her campaign efforts on the East Cobb area of District 2 in the June 18 runoff.
There were only a few upsets in Cobb results in the May 21 primary elections, and Taniesha Whorton’s finish in a five-way race for an open seat on the Cobb Board of Commissioners was among them.
A former administrative assistant in the Cobb County Police Department, the Smyrna-area resident finished second in the Democratic race for District 2 in her first-ever political campaign.
She outpolled former State Rep. Erick Allen and will face former Cobb school board member Jaha Howard in the runoff, which culminates on June 18.
The District 2 boundaries that are being observed by the Cobb Board of Elections include some of East Cobb, and are those adopted by Cobb’s Democratic commissioners in a home-rule dispute that continues in the courts.
Here’s Whorton’s campaign website; East Cobb News also has arranged an interview with Howard through his campaign and will be publishing that next week.
Advance runoff voting begins next week, and Whorton was out campaigning on Sunday at East Cobb Park, handing out fliers and meeting with potential voters during a concert.
In the primary, she won several East Cobb precincts, including Roswell 1, Hightower 1, Sewell Mill 1, Sewell Mill 3, Sope Creek 1, Sope Creek 2, Fullers Park 1, Mt. Bethel 4, Powers Ferry 1, Terrell Mill 1 and Chattahoochee 1.
A precinct map shows polling stations won by Howard in Green, Whorton in brown, Allen in blue and Kevin Redmon in turquoise. Click here to see precinct details.
Whorton said she worked on political campaigns in her native Michigan. An ordained minister, she moved to Georgia in 2016 to work with the Faith Christian Center Church in Austell, and also got involved in the Cobb Police Athletic League.
Now a senior executive with Bader Scott Injury Lawyers, Whorton—who holds an economics degree as well as an MBA and a master’s in government affairs—said she decided to get out from a behind-the-scenes role in a campaign and offer up herself as a candidate.
“People have told me that I have a lot to offer the county,” Whorton said. “I wanted to step out of the shadows.”
Whorton ran a bare-bones campaign in the primary, raising less than $3,000 (with nearly half of that sum a loan from herself).
Fewer than 12,00 votes were cast in District 2. Howard got 33 percent of the vote, and Whorton edged Allen with 25 percent, to his 23 percent.
She didn’t have the name recognition of Howard and Allen (who drew the disputed District 2 maps that are being used).
But low turnout may have helped some of the other candidates who upset incumbents, including Cobb legislative delegation chairwoman Teri Anulewicz, who was defeated in a Smyrna State House race.
Whorton said that based on some interactions with voters, “I think people related to me. I get up and got to work every day, and I know how to stretch my resources.”
What she said she’s hearing from voters are frustrations over stormwater issues (a proposed fee was delayed by commissioners until August after citizen opposition) and transit issues.
As for the former, Whorton said she favors “a sustainable plan where residents are not bearing all the burden.”
Whorton has lived in Detroit, Dallas and Chicago, and said she appreciates that mobility concerns are important in some parts of Cobb.
She didn’t offer an opinion on the proposed Cobb Mobility Transit Tax referendum that could be on the November ballot.
Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid favors a 30-year, one-percent sales tax that would generate an estimated $11 billion.
Whorton said she “hasn’t dug into the issue to see if it could be shorter” and admitted that a 30-year tax might be regarded as being too long.
She said she’s focusing on reaching out to voters in East Cobb, mindful that the boundaries could still be in limbo.
Current District 2 commissioner Jerica Richardson was drawn out during reapportionment and decided to run for Congress (losing to U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath in the 6th District Democratic primary).
The only Republican candidate to qualify is Pam Reardon, but she resides in the District 3 that was redistricted by the legislature. Another GOP hopeful, Alicia Adams, is challenging her disqualification by the Cobb Elections Board, also based on the disputed maps.
Whorton—who like Howard resides in District 2 either way—said she hopes the matter will be resolved by November.
“It will be good for the voters” to have some clarity when they go to the polls, she said.
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!
U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk and local legislators are the hosts of a fundraiser next week for three Republicans running for the Cobb Board of Education.
According to a “Cobb County School Board Town Hall Newsletter” sent out Monday by GOP school board member David Chastain, the event, dubbed “Keeping Cobb Schools Strong,” will take place Monday, June 10, at the 1885 Grill (4975 North Main Street, Acworth) from 6:30-8 p.m.
The host committee includes State Sens. Kay Kirkpatrick and John Albers (who have East Cobb constituencies) and Ed Setzler, as well as State Reps. Ginny Ehrhart and Devan Seabaugh.
Chastain is not up for re-election, but the other three school board seats held by Republicans are. The GOP has held a 4-3 majority since 2019 as partisan antagonisms have grown on a number of issues.
That includes Post 5 in East Cobb, where four-term incumbent David Banks is retiring from office. The lone Republican to qualify for the Nov. 8 election is Walton cluster parent John Cristadoro.
Cristadoro will face Democrat Laura Judge, also a Walton parent. Both are first-time candidates and declared their intent to run last spring.
In the May 21 primary, in which they were both unopposed, Cristadoro received 6,369 votes to 5,262 for Judge.
Until the 2018 elections, Republicans held a firm grip on local control in Cobb County government and the school board (6-1 majority) as well as the Cobb legislative delegation.
But the school board is all the GOP controls today.
Monday’s e-mail message from Chastain (from a Google e-mail address outside of the Cobb school district and referencing his Post 4 in Northeast Cobb) alluded to what’s at stake.
Cristadoro appeared in a short video thanking supporters for campaign contributions and noting the legislators who will be in attendance, especially Loudermilk, whose 11th District includes East Cobb.
“We’re bringing out the big guns,” Cristadoro said. “Why? They truly believe, as do I, of the importance of our schools, and what the future holds for our youngsters. That needs to be protected.
“There are lots of outside influences, national groups, that are going to come in and push their political agenda. It’s already being seen.”
He didn’t specify the groups or what those issues might be (East Cobb News has left a message seeking comment), but similar charges were made in 2022 when Chastain defeated Democrat Catherine Pozniak in a bitter campaign.
Two GOP incumbents are seeking re-election. Chairman Randy Scamihorn of Post 1 in North Cobb is being opposed by Vickie Benson in a rematch from the 2020 election, and he received only 96 more votes in their unopposed primary.
Brad Wheeler of Post 7 in West Cobb had a close re-election in 2020. His foe is Democrat Andrew Cole, and in their unopposed primary, Cole 6,637 votes to 5,602 for Wheeler.
Cole is a member of the Cobb Community Care Coalition that is highly critical of the Republican majority and Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale.
Scamihorn, a former Cobb educator who is completing his third term, is pledging his commitment to “keeping our students safe” as well as “keeping inappropriate books out of schools.”
That’s a reference to several books that were removed from Cobb school libraries during the 2023-24 school year due to sexually explicit content.
Wheeler, also a former Cobb teacher, is touting the same priorities.
The only Democrat on the November ballot is Post 3 incumbent Tre’ Hutchins, who is unopposed and had no primary opposition.
In his e-mail Monday, Chastain said that “I urge you to support leaders who embody common sense and a steadfast commitment to our community’s well-being.”
For information and to RSVP contact KeepStrongSchools4Cobb@gmail.com.
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 residents upset about speeding traffic through their neighborhoods will have more options to get help, thanks to a recent revision of the county’s traffic calming plan.
The Board of Commissioners approved the revisions at its May 28, 2024 meeting. The plan consolidates the Department of Transportation’s prior policies on speed humps and traffic dynamic speed display devices. It lowers the speed thresholds on residential streets and allows residents to ask the county for help if 65% of residents sign a petition.
The policy dramatically increases the options available to the county to slow speed on roadways where most traffic significantly exceeds the posted speed limit.
Cobb DOT Director Drew Raessler told the board that his staff would receive the request, study the data, formulate a proposed solution, and then return it to the residents. “We would coordinate with the community and say this is what the department recommends,” Raessler said. “We would ask if this would match what they think would work in their community, understanding they know their neighborhood better than we do.”
Once the department and the community formulate a solution, the proposal would be brought back to the Board of Commissioners for ultimate approval.
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June is Pride Month! These books celebrate diversity, community, inclusivity, and understanding!
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is celebrated each June. President Bill Clinton declared June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 2000. In 2011, President Barack Obama expanded the observance to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. According to the Library of Congress, “The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.” The month-long celebration has its origins in the Stonewall Uprising in NYC’s Greenwich Village in Manhattan, which turned into a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement. Stonewall involved several days of conflict between police and patrons of a gay bar and onlookers in violent clashes beginning June 28, 1969. Visit loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/about to learn more.
Click on a title to find it in our catalog; and find many more titles at cobbcat.org.
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The location at 1420 Terrell Mill Road, Suite 100, is located near the Los Abuelos Grill.
Monday was the first day of business for the location operated by Raj and Meghl Patel, brothers in their 20s from a family of entrepreneurs, who have operated gas stations and businesses in the hospitality industry.
They’ve signed on to open several more locations in metro Atlanta for Tampa-based franchise chain, which has Atlanta-area locations at Perimeter Center, Milton and Hapeville for the time being.
Brass Tap is one of the finishing touches on the mixed-use development that includes a Kroger superstore that opened last summer and market-rate apartments at the intersection of Powers Ferry and Terrell Mill roads.
More than 150 craft beer choices on draught and in bottles are featured at Brass Tap, ranging from the (512) Bock deep amber from Austin, Texas to five varieties of Pennslyvania’s famed Yuengling Brewer, including a Hershey’s Chocolate Porter.
Georgia beers include Terrapin, Sweetwater, and Marietta’s own Red Hare.
The main food menu includes a wide selection of starters, nachos, chicken wings, burgers, pizzas, salads, subs and desserts.
The restaurant includes a loyalty program called the Brew Crew, and online delivery and pickup ordering is also available.
Hours are from 11 a.m. to midnight daily. Phone: 813-226-2333.
June Biz Association events
The East Cobb Business Association will hold its monthly women’s luncheon, Professional Women of East Cobb, on June 14 at J. Christopher’s at Woodlawn Square (1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 114).
The event is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the cost is $20-$25.
The organization’s main luncheon is June 18 and the featured speaker is leadership coach and branding consultant Stacey Ruth, whose topic is: “Brand You: Breakthrough thinking to fast-track growth.”
The event includes networking and lasts from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rich Hart Global Studios )2030 Powers Ferry Road, Suites 270-280). The cost is $20-$30.
ECBA also has weekly open networking meetings Friday at IHOP (3130 Johnson Ferry Road) and monthly Toastmasters sessions, also at Rich Hart.
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The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports and county property records. They include the street address, subdivision name, high school attendance zone and sales price:
May 13
3415 North Hembree Road, 30062 (Pope): $930,000
4101 Riverlook Parkway Unit 102, 30067 (Willows by the River, Walton): $285,000
3140 Indian Hills Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills, Wheeler): $750,000
545 Barnes Mill Drive, 30062 (Marietta): $267,500
1430 Helena Drive, 30066 (Trojan Hills, Sprayberry): $250,000
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 Police are asking for the public’s help in investigating the death of a young metro Atlanta woman who was last seen in the East Cobb area.
Police said on Friday that they’re tracking leads in the case of Maury-Ange Faith Martinez, 20, of Alpharetta. She was reported missing in Gwinnett County last fall and her skeletal remains were identified in January in an area near Chattanooga, Tenn.
Cobb Police said in a release Friday that Martinez was last seen in unincorporated Cobb, “near Powers Ferry Road,” but didn’t elaborate further.
They’re asking for anyone who may have seen her or had any contact with her around the time of the disappearance to contact them at their Crimes Against Persons unit at 770-499-3945 or Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 770-577-TIPS (8477).
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!
Submitted information from Stretch Zone East Cobb (4371 Roswell Road), which is accepting food items as noted below through June 8:
Stretch Zone East Cobb is proud to announce the launch of a food drive to support the Wheeler High School Food Pantry. This initiative aims to ensure that no child goes hungry this summer by providing meals for families in need.
With approximately 50 percent of Wheeler High School students receiving free or reduced-cost lunches, the food pantry plays a crucial role in supporting these families. Stretch Zone East Cobb is stepping up to help fill the gap and provide much-needed resources for the community.
From now until the end of the drive, community members are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items at Stretch Zone East Cobb. As a token of appreciation, anyone who donates 10 items will receive a free stretch session.
Kelly Boatright, owner of Stretch Zone East Cobb, expressed her commitment to the cause, stating, “We believe in supporting our community, and the Wheeler High School Food Pantry is an essential resource for many families. By coming together, we can make a significant impact and ensure that our students have the nutrition they need to thrive.”
Items needed for the food pantry include:
1-2 lb bags of rice and beans
Canned vegetables, soups, or chili
Peanut butter and jelly
Canned meals
Fruit snacks
Peanut butter crackers, chips, or crackers
Cereal
Noodles
Donations can be dropped off at Stretch Zone East Cobb during regular business hours. The food drive is an excellent opportunity for the community to unite and support local students and their families.
For more information about the food drive and how you can contribute, please visit Stretch Zone East Cobb or contact us at (678) 971-2905.
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At the end of the school year high school leaders in the Cobb County School District round up stories of what they call “inspiring seniors” to highlight around graduation.
Vanessa Washington, Kell High School
These students “stand out for their remarkable stories of perseverance, resilience, and achievement,” according to the district, and a number of them have overcome health obstacles and other hardships, or are recognized for their accomplishments in school and service to others in the community.
The Cobb school district provided information on “inspiring seniors” from every high school, and summaries of those students from schools in East Cobb, Class of 2024, are included below.
Kell High School Vanessa Washington played volleyball and was the yearbook editor, and in the classroom took multiple literature and writing classes. She has committed to play volleyball at the University of North Dakota and will be majoring in journalism.
Washington’s classmate, Ricky Solorzano, was a starting pitcher for the Kell varsity baseball team and assisted the school’s football and baseball athletic trainers. He has overcome learning challenges in his academic career, and according to school leaders, “puts in the extra hours, those optional hours not required by any individual, towards his learning and future.”
Solarzano’s mother is a Cobb elementary school teacher and “is an excellent representation of the CCSD mission statement of what it looks like to work as a team towards a goal for student success.” He plans to attend Andrew College in Cuthbert, Ga. next year on a baseball scholarship and to study health and exercise science.
Lassiter High School Kiara Evans will attend the University of Pittsburgh and was selected as a Chancellor’s Scholar for that research university. At Lassiter, she was involved in varsity basketball, being named an honorable mention selection for the All-Cobb County team, and track and field.
Samantha Marcus battled and overcame leukemia during high school while maintaining academic success with a rigorous AP schedule and earning a 4.45 GPA. She is involved in the Lassiter community and “a source of great pride for Trojan Nation,” according to school leaders.
Jennifer He, Walton High School
Pope High School Sebastian Torres Urzua came to Pope in 10th grade from his native Mexico, and not only learned English fluently, but also taught himself several programming languages – Python, Java, HTML, CSS, and Arduino. “Sebastian has the chops for a highly rigorous higher education and I’m excited to see how he succeeds in the future,” school leaders said.
At Pope, he played varsity tennis and “takes seriously all the activities he takes part in and puts full effort into those things.” His plans include majoring in industrial engineering and working in operations in the corporate world.
Sprayberry High School Jordan Tolliver, the school’s Class of 2024 salutatorian, started the school year undergoing an emergency appendectomy and had complications with the surgery. “We were unsure if Jordan would be able to keep up with his course load of all AP classes or if he would be able to return to school at all with the recovery from the surgeries,” school leaders said.
Tolliver earned all A’s when he returned to school, and is headed to the University of Pennsylvania.
Walton High School Jennifer He was a finalist for the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars as a senior, and will be attending Princeton University in the fall. Her last year at Walton included a variety of volunteer activities, including a role providing school supplies to homeless youth. For those efforts, she was awarded a scholarship by the East Cobb County Council of Parent Teacher Association. Her other scholarships include the 2024 InspirASIAN National and Doris L. Kays NJCL scholarships.
Wheeler High School
Jordan Tolliver, Sprayberry High School
Jay Imperatori was awarded one of Georgia Tech’s elite Stamps President’s Scholarships, awarded to the most promising students from across the nation to foster their development as scholars, leaders, and citizens of the greater community through purposeful programming, mentoring, and enhanced educational opportunities.
Marlon Louie endured the loss of his father and the school’s band director within a few weeks, and “has exemplified unwavering strength and optimism, inspiring all who know him,” school leaders said. In addition to music, Louie is involved in drama activities and a math teacher said he “continued to radiate positivity towards his peers and teachers.” According to his drama director, Nicholas Morrett, Louie demonstrated “boundless energy and unwavering positivity.”
Alex Morrisette was told that he would not be able to graduate. He has attended four different schools during his high school career. He took six classes this year and was able to graduate on time, with plans to enlist in the Air Force.
Addison Kowall “excels in everything that she does, a Wheeler teacher said. “She is an incredible dancer, student and friends. She lost her father at a young age, but she remains positive. She loves teaching dance to young students at Rhythm Dance Center.”
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Cobb government officials said Tuesday that more than 12 million gallons of wastewater were released from the Cobb County Water System’s Northwest Water Reclamation facility last week that “did not fully” meet its standards.
A release said that 6.46 million gallons were released on May 21 and another 5.7 million gallons on May 22, but that the wastewater had been treated and “will not impact drinking water supplies.”
Cobb Water officials on Tuesday declared the wastewater to be below standards, per Georgia Environmental Protection Division criteria, after receiving routine compliance sampling results, but they didn’t elaborate.
“CCWS operations staff are investigating the cause but report that the plant is operating normally,” according to the release, which added that upstream and downstream water quality testing has begun in the discharge location around the lake.
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Family Promise of Cobb County was recently awarded an $18,000 grant from Clayton Homes and Family Promise National that will ensure families in Cobb County receive the support they need to remain safely housed.
The grant is a portion of the $1.3 million dollars that Clayton and Family Promise National are dispersing to the Family Promise network nationwide. The funds are a result of the recently announced partnership extension between Family Promise and Clayton. A Future Begins at Home, the program that arose from the collaboration, focuses on helping families who face homelessness remain in their homes and quickly regain stability. Since its inception in 2019, A Future Begins at Home has catalyzed millions in additional funding resulting in more than 25,000 families served.
“Thanks to the grant from Clayton and Family Promise National, we can provide children and families with safe, stable housing without funding concerns. Thank you, Clayton and Family Promise National, for your commitment to ending family homelessness and supporting our mission.” – Autumn Sines, Executive Director, Family Promise of Cobb County.
In addition to the grant program, Clayton has donated 16 homes to the Family Promise network since 2019. These homes are used primarily as transitional housing for families working with Family Promise. The homes allow families to stay together and regain stability as they work to find a new home.
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In honor of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day next month, the Cobb County Victim Witness Unit and the Family Advocacy Center will host Elder Abuse Training on June 12. This comprehensive session will provide essential insights and strategies for addressing elder abuse effectively. This training an opportunity for professional development and also offers POST Credits for attendees. Registration is now open.
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!
