East Cobb News

Cobb Schools Foundation amendment on school board agenda

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Cobb Schools Foundation amendment on school board agenda
Cobb school board chairman David Chastain.

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.

You can read through the agenda details for the meetings at this link; and you can watch the public meetings on a livestream on the district’s Boxcast Channel.

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.

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Food scores: J. Christopher’s; Brass Tap; Chick-fil-A; more

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J. Christopher's East Lake Pavilions, East Cobb food scores

The following food scores have been compiled by the Georgia Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

Arby’s
2626 Sandy Plains Road
June 6, 2025, Score: 100, Grade: A

The Brass Tap
1420 Terrell Mill Road, Suite 100
June 10, 2025, Score: 83, Grade: B

Chick-fil-A
1440 Terrell Mill Road
June 6, 2205, Score: 99, Grade: A

J. Christopher’s
2100 Roswell Road, Suite 500
June 10, 2025, Score: 100, Grade: A

Kim’s Burgers and Wings
2555 Delk Road, Suite A8
June 10, 2025, Score: 100, Grade: A

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‘No Kings’ anti-Trump rally set for East Cobb on Saturday

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East Cobb Black Lives Matter rally
A pro-Black Lives Matter rally in front of Trader Joe’s on Johnson Ferry Road in June, 2020. ECN file photo.

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.

It’s been five years ago this month that several dozen people stood there as part of protests following the death of George Floyd.

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.

From the Indivisible event invitation for the East Cobb rally:

“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. We’ve watched as they’ve cracked down on free speech, detained people for their political views, threatened to deport American citizens, disappeared people, and defied the courts. They’ve done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies.”

In the protests, according to the message, “we’re not gathering to feed his ego. We’re building a movement that leaves him behind.

“The flag doesn’t belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to us. We’re not watching history happen. We’re making it.

“On June 14th, we’re showing up everywhere he isn’t—to 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.

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More East Cobb school administrative changes for 2025-26

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While school teachers and administrators are on summer vacation, the Cobb County School District continues to make staffing changes for the 2025-26 school year, which begins in early August. Campbell High School lockdown

We noted last month the schools in East Cobb that will be getting new principals, and the district also has announced a number of changes with assistant principals.

Seven of those changes involve schools in East Cobb, and these new assignments will become effective on July 10:

  • Melissa Paige Guthrie, reassignment to Assistant Principal, Bells Ferry Elementary School from Assistant Principal, Bullard Elementary School;
  • Lashonda Smith, reassignment to Assistant Principal, Sedalia Park Elementary School from Assistant Principal, Pitner Elementary School;
  • Kris Teller, reassignment to Assistant Principal, East Side Elementary School from Assistant Principal, Hayes Elementary School;
  • Lynzee Courtney, reassignment to Assistant Principal, Mabry Middle School from Assistant Principal, Griffin Middle School;
  • Christopher Marshall, reassignment to Assistant Principal, McCleskey Middle School from Assistant Principal, Daniell Middle School;
  • Kendrick Kirkland, reassignment to Assistant Principal, Kennesaw Mountain High School from Assistant Principal, Wheeler High School.

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Cobb OKs emergency HVAC repairs at adult detention center

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Cobb OKs emergency HVAC repairs at adult detention center
Commissioner Keli Gambrill

The Cobb Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to spend $1.7 million in an emergency request to replace an air conditioning unit at the Cobb Adult Detention Center, but not before some—ahem—heated discussion.

Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the request by the Cobb Sheriff’s Office to purchase a new 500-ton chiller that is nearly 40 years old.

An agenda items states that “the unit is now at high risk of imminent failure, which poses a severe threat to the facility’s ability to maintain critical climate control.”

The agenda item states that the work will take six weeks to install, and that the vendor is MaxAir Mechanical of Marietta. The aging unit was first installed in 1987, according to the agenda item.

The funding will come out of the county’s general fund, which prompted questions by Commissioner Keli Gambrill, and as the county’s fiscal year 2026 budget hearings take place in July.

She noted that several representatives of the Sheriff’s Office were in attendance, “and that’s where the citizens tend to get upset . . . that the Sheriff’s Office isn’t a good steward of tax dollars when we have emergency issues like this.”

She asked why the funding wasn’t coming from the Sheriff’s Office capital budget, and whether it should be a county responsibility (meaning coming from the general fund).

While Cobb jail operations are funded by the county, the Sheriff is an elected Constitutional officer. Gambrill wondered if current Sheriff Craig Owens budgeted for a new chiller.

“We’re not budgeting for a simple thing that is needed to ensure that the facility remains habitable,” she said, “for people who choose not to be there.”

Commissioner Monique Sheffield said that “over the years, with the last administration in particular”—a reference to former Sheriff Neil Warren, whom Owens ousted in 2020—”the items were not addressed in a timely fashion. And we all know the longer you defer maintenance, the more costly it becomes.”

Gambrill had said that she was aware that Warren had been earmarking some operational funds for an eventual replacement, and asked why that money weren’t being used now.

Flynn Broady, a former Cobb District Attorney who is a legal advisor to the Sheriff’s Office, said the funding request was deferred from the current budget, and told Gambrill that “you knew that. We have pushed this back as far as we can. But the time has come” for new equipment, “and if you don’t do it now, we’re going to be in a world of hurt, and the county will be spending a whole lot more money.”

Broady said that “these chillers are a different breed than what we’ve had before” and they are easier to maintain.

He said that Sheriff’s Office staffers turned out Tuesday to stress the importance of getting new chillers.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of East Cobb said she understands the urgency of the situation, but “I do have a problem with the way this was done.”

She said she didn’t like the funding coming from the general fund “when there’s no way to reimburse it.”

In response to Sheffield’s comments, she said that “this is [Owens’] fifth year in office. In five years, he would know that this was an issue.”

In a later interaction, Gambrill put another question to Broady, whom she called “Mr. Flynn,” and in his response he addressed her as “Ms. Gambrill.”

“That’s Commissioner Gambrill,” she shot back.

“My name is Mr. Broady,” he replied.

Gambrill, who ended up voting for the emergency funding, suggested that the board adopt a policy to appropriate funding for constitutional officers on a monthly basis, saying that “we have a spending problem in many areas of the county.”

Chairwoman Lisa Cupid was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

Commissioners also approved spending $278,900 to replace grass baseball fields with synthetic turf at Fullers Park. Most of the funding is coming from East Side Baseball, which is donating $207,000.

Another $145,151 will be spent to create a network security administrator position in the Cobb Information Technology Services Department, after a data breach was discovered in March that county officials acknowledged was a ransomware attack.

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Delta Credit Union names new East Cobb branch manager

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Delta Credit Union names new East Cobb branch manager

Submitted information and photo:

Cobb County based Delta Community Credit Union is pleased to announce new branch managers at two of its locations in Cobb County. Corey Higman has been named manager of the Vinings branch at 3250 Riverwood Parkway, and Kara Buckner has been named manager of the Marietta branch at 1205 Johnson Ferry Road.

A graduate of Hillgrove High School with deep roots in Cobb County, Higman has been with Delta Community since 2018 and previously served as manager of the branch in Marietta. He is also involved in several of the credit union’s community outreach programs, particularly those focused on financial education and career development.

“As someone who grew up in Cobb County, I’m passionate about giving back to the community that shaped me,” Higman said. “At the Vinings branch, we’re committed to helping local families and businesses thrive by offering trusted guidance and exceptional member service. I am excited to lead this team and continue making a difference close to home.”

Buckner, who previously served as assistant manager of the credit union’s branch in Alpharetta, will now lead branch services for members in East Cobb County. She has more than eight years of experience in the financial services industry, having previously worked at United Community Bank before joining Delta Community in 2022.

“I love that credit unions have a people-first approach,” Buckner said. “Being part of a thriving, vibrant and welcoming community makes my role incredibly rewarding. I’m honored to serve our members in East Cobb and help them reach their financial goals.”

Higman and Buckner look forward to deepening relationships in Cobb County and forming new partnerships with local schools and organizations through Delta Community’s financial literacy and education initiatives.

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1st ‘Born to Be a Senior’ charity ride sets off in East Cobb

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Born to Be a Senior Charity Ride

The first annual “Born to Be Cobb Senior” charity ride will start off in the East Cobb area on June 28.

The fundraiser to benefit Cobb Seniors Services and the MUST Ministries Senior Food Programs will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Williamson Bros. BBQ (1425 Roswell Road), and is open to Georgia drivers with motor vehicles.

The journey will conclude in Cartersville at Southern Devil Harley-Davidson (2281 U.S. 411 Highway) and will include live music and food.

The Senior Citizens Council of Cobb is partnering with the Metro Atlanta Motorcycle Riding Community, Williamson Bros. and Southern Devil Harley-Davidson to provide food to seniors who are in need.

Donation tickets are $20; for information and to donate visit seniorsofcobb.org and click on the meetings and events tab or go to at the Senior Citizens Council Facebook event at https://tinyurl.com/y7rzdmts.

For more information and for sponsorship opportunities visit info@seniorsofcobb.org.

 

 

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Police investigating likely murder-suicide at NE Cobb home

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UPDATED, 2:38 P.M.:

Police have identified the woman as Daphne Saddler, 38, and the man as Samuel Mills, 44. Police said that her next of kin have been identified, but they have been unable to locate next of kin for Mills.

Police did not say how they were related but that they lived in the home together, and that Mills killed Saddler before committing suicide, and that both of them died from apparent gunshot wounds.

Cobb property tax records show that Saddler was the owner of the home, and purchased it in 2021.

She was an attorney and the founder of Brick Law Firm in the Cumberland area.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

Cobb Police said they suspect that a man killed a woman at a residence in Northeast Cobb before taking his own life there Saturday morning.Cobb Police, Holly Springs Road suspicious person, East Cobb crime forum

They said that officers were called to a home on Research Drive, located off Morgan Road, shortly after 10:30 a.m., on a report of “a person down,” and found two people, a man and a woman, dead at the scene.

The address was located in the Ramblewood neighborhood near Sprayberry High School.

Their names of the dead individuals have not been released, and Cobb Police have not provided further information or indicated a possible motive.

In a brief statement to East Cobb News, Cobb Police Sgt. Eric Smith said only that the “preliminary investigation indicates that this was a homicide, and the offender then committed suicide. The male was the offender, and the female was the victim. Both subjects resided at the residence.”

Police said their investigation is continuing, and that anyone with information is asked to call the Major Crimes Unit at 770) 499-3945.

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Editor’s Note: Please help us tell the stories of East Cobb!

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After we posted this photo of a juggler at the 2019 EAST COBBER parade, his mom wrote to thank us!

Since we launched East Cobb News in the summer of 2017, we’ve been committed to covering the news that matters the most to people in East Cobb.

That includes telling the stories of people, places and events, and reflecting a sense of home, as much as tracking the recurring news about local government, schools, traffic, crime, etc.

You see, there’s no other place to turn to get news from people who know East Cobb. That’s why East Cobb News looks for important stories with unique perspectives from voices that might otherwise go unheard.

A good example was a couple of weeks ago, when we talked to leaders at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church about their plans for the future.

And over the weekend, we followed up on a story we originally reported about an East Cobb couple caught up in immigration roundups that are occurring around the country.

No other news outlet is doing these stories like we do at East Cobb News.

Why? Because we’re the only daily news source covering the community with a primary commitment to solid local journalism. It’s the foundation of our editorial approach, one that includes useful community information like calendar listings, reader contributions, lifestyle stories and more.

We’ve got feet on the ground daily, doing original reporting, getting tips from readers and keeping tabs on important developments in this area. It’s old-school journalism with a timely, relevant focus, delivered to you in real-time online.

But in a time in which doing the news—especially local news—is becoming more challenging and costly, we need your help to continue to give you the local news that you love.

Please contribute today!

Harry Kone dies at 102We loved speaking in 2020 with East Cobb resident Harry Kone as he turned 100. He passed away in early 2023.

Help us tell the stories of East Cobb!

Your gift of $6, $12, or even $25 a month helps us to tell countless stories—keeping you informed about what’s happening in East Cobb. And your gift delivers the news to readers—via email, social media, and of course, at eastcobbnews.com.

When you support East Cobb News, you ensure stories don’t slip through the cracks. Every story we tell matters —whether it’s about local events, school board and county commission decisions, interesting people, or how people are helping out one another in East Cobb.

Without you, stories like these don’t just go untold—they go unread.

East Cobb News informs you and encourages participation in local decision-making, shining a spotlight on the individuals and events that bring us together. And reminds us—always—of the importance of community.

Donating is safe, secure and easy!

East Cobb News has documented plenty of momentous events, including demands to address the blighted Sprayberry Crossing Shopping Center that’s now the site of a new mixed-use development.

Will you become one of the 250?

We’ve set a special goal of getting to 250 monthly recurring donors by the end of June, and we’d like you to consider if you haven’t donated already.

Right now, we have only around 50 donors, and we want to add to that number substantially. Last week, I explained how we spend your money—mostly to help offset our office and basic business costs—and we would eventually like to expand that to pay for freelancers to do even more news than we do now.

After nearly eight years, we’re very proud of the work that we’ve done at East Cobb News to have an impact on how this community stays informed.

We love hearing from our readers, even those who have moved away. Last week, a reader got in touch to explain why they cancelled their donation, saying they’re no longer living in the area.

But she also told us this:

“Thank you so much for your work to bring local news and report in a fair and balanced way.”

While we hate to lose readers, especially those who have financially supported our work, it’s very heartening to read those words.

Discover the power of local!

The Avenue East Cobb mural

Support the local news you love!

There’s no place else to find news and information that highlights our community and keeps it strong.

East Cobb News 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 don’t 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, you’ll ensure quality coverage with a local focus that is free and accessible to all.

Nobody else 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: wendy@eastcobbnews.com. I’m interested in hearing from you.

Thank you for your support of East Cobb News!

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, May 27-30, 2025

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Holcomb Lake, East Cobb real estate sales
Holcomb Lake

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports and Cobb County property records.

They include the street address, subdivision name and sales price listed under their respective high school attendance zones:

Kell

1116 Heatherland Drive, 30066 (Logan Park): $610,000

Lassiter

3794 Bonny Rigg Trail, 30075 (Loch Highland): $465,000

4103 Devon Wood Drive, 30066 (Devon Oaks): $750,000

2841 Landing Drive, 30066 (Creekside Oaks): $870,000

4973 Concert Lane, 30066 (Tanglewood Enclave): $1.632 million

5041 Canopy Drive, 30066 (Tanglewood North): $1.15 million

4295 Parish Trace, 30066 (Windsor Oaks): $860,000

2871 Liberty Court, 30066 (Windsor Oaks): $820,000

4349 Highborne Drive, 30066 (Highland Pointe): $1.12 million

Marietta

1488 Cottage Way, 30066 (Cottages of Marietta): $350,000

2103 Drogheda Lane, 30066 (Briarwood): $453,230

1902 Glen Ivy, 30062 (Glen Ivy): $395,000

861 Soaring Drive, 30062 (Eagle Ridge): $471,000

Pope

2144 Lamplight Drive, 30062 (Chadds Walk) $885,000

3860 Bays Ferry Trail, 30062 (Baywater): $830,000

4646 Mountain Creek Drive, 30075 (Mountain Creek): $6217,000

3935 Manor House Drive, 30062 (Mar-Lanta): $600,000

Sprayberry

2241 Nottley Drive, Unit 4, 30066 (Barrett Creek Condos): $340,000

1901 Trophy Drive, 30062 (Sandy Plains Estates): $390,000

3371 Vandiver Drive, 30066 (North Forty): $383,000

2540 Silver Star Drive, 30066 (East Cobb Walk): $648,900

1692 Holcomb Lake Road, 30062 (Holcomb Lake): $747,500

1862 Lake Ebenezer Trail, 30066 (Ebenezer Farm): $825,000

2101 Kinridge Road, 30062 (Piedmont Bend): $428,000

2012 Grove Park Court, 30062 (Grove Park)L: $453,500

2929 Alberta Drive, 30062 (Holly Springs): $400,000

179 Bluffington Way, 30066 (Old Bells Ferry): $419,095

26 Hardpan Alley, 30066 (Gardens at Laura Creek): $499,900

1206 Kincaid Road, 30066: $1.3 million

1768 San Andra Drive, 30062 (San Andra Forest): $486,000

1961 Addison Road, 30066: $365,000

2186 Mainsail Drive, 30062 (Autumn Lake): $475,000

2597 Oak Village Place, 30062 (Post Oak Village): $535,000

3139 Mary Drive, 30066 (Russell Plantation): $410,000

975 Malibu Drive, 30062 (Lakewood Estates): $$385,000

Walton

1562 Asheforde Drive, 30068 (Asheforde): $1.19 million

5510 Conway Drive, 30068 (Hyde Park): $975,000

5118 Greythorne Lane, 30068 (Brookshyre Manor): $1.62 million

1824 Mallard Lake Drive, 30068 (Mallard Lake): $695,000

404 Carryback Drive, 30068 (Mulberry Farms): $415,000

4620 Chattahoochee Crossing, 30067 (Chattahoochee Plantation): $1.48 million

4769 Ellington Court, 30068 (Wyndham Manor): $843,142

570 Glen Eagles Circle, 30067 (The Columns): $1.255 million

3770 Clubland Trail, 30068 (Indian Hills): $825,000

3977 Chantilly Place, 30068 (Pinecrest): $466,000

Wheeler

2499 Little John Trail, 30067 (Red Oak Park) $350,000

767 Smithstone Road, 30067 (Dogwood Park): $538,000

812 Bonnie Glen Drive, 30067 (Bonnie Glen): $249,500

3573 Turtle Cove Court, 30067 (Somerset): $745,000

3025 Greenfield Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills): $655,000

237 Webney Drive, 30068 (Sentinel Lake): $1.5 million

3358 Stovehill Court, 30068 (Old Paper Mill): $820,000

3085 Balearic Drive, 30067 (Valencia Hills): $335,000

43 Lott Avenue, 30067 (Cloverdale Heights): $365,000

640 Sibley Forest, 30067 (Sibley Forest): $1.02 million

3265 Belmont Glen Drive, 30067 (Belmont): $1.42 million

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East Cobb woman released by ICE; husband still detained

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East Cobb woman released by ICE; husband still detained
Osnei and Sandra Lima were taken into custody at their home in East Cobb on April 30.

The son of an East Cobb couple we wrote about last month after their detention on immigration grounds said Friday that his mother has been released, but that his father is still in custody.

Juan Lima wrote on a GoFundMe page he started to pay for his parents’ legal expenses that Sandra Lima was released on bond three weeks ago, “and is now home, healing, and working alongside me to continue our efforts in fighting for my dad’s release, which is priority number 1.”

Lima also wrote that his father, Osnei Lima, was transferred “without warning” from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Georgia to another in Natchez, Miss., more than seven hours away.

“With that being said, please continue praying for our family, and that although what may look like a setback, may actually turn into a divine set-up for God to show off and perform a miracle before our very own eyes,” Juan Lima said in the GoFundMe message.

“We are believing for speedy connections and a divine release for my dad—we will not settle for anything less.”

The Limas emigrated from Brazil in 1999, according to their son, who was an infant at the time, and settled in the East Cobb area, where they have been running a house-cleaning business. Juan Lima said that plainclothes ICE officials visited the Limas’ home on April 30, then took them into custody at the ICE Atlanta office before sending them to a detention facility in Georgia.

But other specifics about the Limas’ situation are lacking.

Juan Lima, who attended Pope High School, has not explained why his parents were being detained. In an interview with former CNN anchor Jim Acosta in early May he indicated that the matter may have involved them overstaying their visas but he didn’t elaborate.

Juan Lima has declined to be interviewed by East Cobb News, saying that “we are trying to proceed with as much caution and wisdom as possible.”

East Cobb News also has left messages with ICE in Atlanta, but has not received any response, and has left a message with ICE seeking information on Osnei Lima’s relocation to Mississippi.

The Limas were detained during a massive nationwide immigration sweep by the Trump administration that has generated widespread controversy, and is being fought in the courts by immigration advocates.

When announcing his parents’ detention in early May, Lima said that they have been model immigrants, with no criminal background and have been very involved in their church.

“I’m just a son trying to advocate for my parents,” Juan Lima told Acosta. “These are the real Americans we need to embrace. . . . Amid the questions, we still have hope.”

The fundraiser for the legal challenge has raised more than $53,000.

 

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The Art Place presents ‘Scene on the Green’ summer series

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Submitted information:The Art Place presents 'Scene on the Green' summer series

Cobb County PARKS invites the community to experience Scene on the Green at The Art Place, a dynamic new summer entertainment series featuring free outdoor theatre, movies and live music performances. This innovative program transforms summer evenings into unforgettable experiences for families, friends, and arts enthusiasts under the stars.

The summer lineup begins with a bang as The Art Place’s Cabaret Camp presents the spirited musical Beetlejuice Jr. June 13 – 14, followed by the Irish stylings of The Jared Bogle Band on June 28. Grab your aviators and watch the action unfold with the blockbuster hit Top Gun: Maverick on July 10. Mad Artists Entertainment then takes the stage with Shakespeare beneath the summer sky in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, July 18 – 19.  

Inside Out 2 is set to light up the lawn with laughter, heart, and a little emotional chaos on July 24. Get swept away with the high-octane excitement of Twisters on August 14 before award-winning End of the Line rounds out the series with a foot-stomping set of bluegrass and genre-spanning favorites on August 16.

Pack your picnic baskets and bring blankets for an evening of entertainment on the lawn. Gates open at 6:00 p.m., giving families time to settle in and socialize before performances begin at 7:00 p.m. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, with lawn and grass seating available, along with a limited number of bistro tables and chairs.

“Scene on the Green blends the best of what Cobb PARKS offers — community, creativity, and the outdoors,” says Cobb Cultural Affairs Manager Marie Jernigan. “By bringing high-quality arts programming into our parks, we’re making culture more accessible, more casual, and more connected to everyday life.”

2025 Scene on the Green Schedule:

  • June 13 – 14: Beetlejuice Jr. – Youth Theatre Production
  • June 28: The Jared Bogle Band – Concert
  • July 10: Top Gun: Maverick – Movie
  • July 18 – 19: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Adult Theatre Production
  • July 24: Inside Out 2 – Movie
  • August 14: Twisters – Movie
  • August 16: End of the Line – Concert
All events and parking are FREE and open to the public. The Art Place is located at 3330 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta.

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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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East Side Baseball to donate $207K for Fullers Park project

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Fullers Park, East Cobb parks and recreational facilities
Fields at Fullers Park, where the East Side Baseball Association plays. (East Cobb News photo)

The East Side Baseball Association is asking the Cobb Board of Commissioners to donate more than $207,000 for an improvement project at Fullers Park, where the youth baseball organization plays.

According to an agenda item for Tuesday’s meeting, East Side is requesting to donate $207,482.52 for a 2011 SPLOST (Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax) project that includes replacing natural grass fields to synthetic turf.

The agenda item states that “this donation will allow this project to move forward as there are not enough funds to complete this project without the Eastside Baseball donation.”

The agenda item indicated that only $71,461.48 remains in the line item for Fullers Park, which has eight baseball fields.

The 2011 SPLOST collected $82 million for parks and recreation improvements, including $2.9 million for Fullers Park.

Previous renovations at Fullers Park included new concession buildings and scoreboards, irrigation improvements and electrical upgrades and updated interiors at the recreation center.

The Board of Commissioners meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the second floor board room of the county office building at 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta. You can view the full agenda by clicking here.

You also can watch the hearing on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.

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Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy updates fed changes

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The Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy, a non-profit organization that supports Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area activities, has begun a resource page to inform the public about federal policy and funding changes in Washington.Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy updates fed changes

On the resource page, the philanthropy said that “CRNRA is facing some challenges that are affecting how the park operates and serves our community, and we want to make sure you’re informed about what’s happening and how it could impact your experience.”

Tbe CRNRA includes several units in East Cobb, including the Gold Branch unit on Lower Roswell Road and the Cochran Shoals unit at the end of Columns Drive.

The most recent update concerned the present budget bill in Congress (aka the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”) and noted that the legislation that passed the U.S. House this week cuts “$267 million in remaining funds from the Inflation Reduction Act designated for the National Park Service. These funds were intended to support critical staffing needs, including positions for rangers, emergency responders, curators, and scientists.

“While the full impact on CRNRA is not yet clear, we are deeply concerned about what this could mean for our park — which already operates with limited resources and staffing. Further cuts, combined with an ongoing federal hiring freeze, could severely hinder the park’s ability to function effectively.

“We worry that CRNRA may be stretched so thin that it will be forced to shift from proactive stewardship to reactive triage, focusing primarily on essential operations to keep the park open and support visitor needs. This could jeopardize critical efforts like protecting natural resources, conducting scientific research, and offering the programs and experiences that connect our community to the park.”

On its Facebook page, the conservancy stated that “these obstacles are real, but so is the spirit of the community that loves and supports CRNRA. Together, we can overcome these challenges and continue to enhance and preserve this treasured space for generations to come.”

The updates also are being provided on the Facebook page,

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East Cobb Food Scores: Wing Cafe; Derek’s; Shake Shack; more

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The Wing Cafe, East Cobb Food Scores

The following food scores have been compiled by the Georgia Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

American Deli
2100 Roswell Road, Suite 2194
June 2, 2025, Score: 96, Grade: A

Avinya Indian Cuisine
4290 Bells Ferry Road, Suite 122
June 5, 2025, Score: 88, Grade: B

Atlantic Buffet
270 Cobb Parkway South, Suite 40
May 30, 2025, Score: 95; Grade: A

Derek’s Cafe
1779 Canton Road
June 4, 2025, Score: 91, Grade: A

Golden Krust
180 Cobb Parkway South, Suite 240
May 30, 2025, Score: 90, Grade: B

Original Chop Shop
2980 Cobb Parkway South, Suite 208
May 30, 2025, Score: 83, Grade: B

Shake Shack at The Battery
455 Legends Place, Suite 847
June 2, 2025, Score: 100, Grade: B

Waffle House
2720 Sandy Plains Road
June 5, 2025, Score: 100, Grade: A

Wing Cafe and Tap House
2145 Roswell Road, Suite 170
June 2, 2025, Score: 81, Grade: B

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14 more East Cobb students earn National Merit Scholarships

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Fourteen recent high school graduates from East Cobb have been named recipients of National Merit Scholarships that are given out by the university or college of the student’s choice.East Cobb National Merit Scholarship Program

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced more than 2,000 recipients nationwide this week, and they are awards that provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study.

The scholarships are awarded based on a number of factors, including test scores and grade-point averages, essay and information about extracurricular activities, awards, and leadership positions.

The students from East Cobb attended six different public and private high schools and will be enrolled at nine different universities in the fall.

Most have declared intended fields of study in engineering fields, but they also include business, education, the arts and marine biology.

  • Ella Arnett, Lassiter: University of Georgia (project management)
  • Maksymilian Bardwell, North Cobb: University of Georgia (education)
  • Adam W. Bethea, Walton: University of Alabama (computer engineering)
  • Samuel J. Garrow, Lassiter: American University (software engineering)
  • John Hovsepian, Wheeler:  Texas A & M (chemical engineering)
  • Sean Shangrui Jiao, Walton: Indiana University (musical performance)
  • Owen Murphy, Walton: Florida State (law)
  • Connor Park, Walton: University of Georgia (biochemical engineering)
  • Carter Ray, Walton: University of Georgia (political science)
  • Dylan S. Song, The Westminster Schools: Tufts University (medicine)
  • Ella Tse, Walton: University of Georgia (mechanical engineering)
  • Anna Claire Wright, Pope: Auburn University (marine biology)
  • Jack Hansen, Lassiter: Brigham Young University (business administration)
  • Caroline Young, Lassiter: University of Georgia, biochemical engineering

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Editor’s Note: Here’s what ECN does with your donations!

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https://eastcobbnews.presspatron.com/
Please become a donor today by clicking the graphic above! And thank you!

Last week we announced we want to get to 250 monthly donors in our reader revenue drive for the month of June.

We appreciate all your support, and thank those of you who have contributed.

In this message, I want to tell you how we spend that money.

East Cobb News is a very lean, thrifty news operation that is funded mostly with advertising revenue, but we have been asking for more reader support in recent months.

Why? Small businesses of all types need additional streams of revenue, and we’re no exception.

Advertising revenue pays for the labor and benefits of yours truly, to bring you the local news that you love with a more than full-time effort.

It has been a pleasure to be able to provide this community news and resource information to the place where I grew up, and that I am proud to call home.

Please contribute today!

East Cobb News also has some modest recurring businesses expenses that we want to fund with the generous support of our readers.

That includes office rent and business insurance, telephone, technology expenses (ad manager software, newsletter platform and e-mail and business management software) and related expenses.

We have a small space in a commercial business park that is convenient for news and business activities, and it’s been beneficial in delivering improved editorial and advertising services.

Those costs are all very economical given the affluent market we live in, but they do add up.

We want to get to 250 recurring donors—contributing as little as $6 a month—to cover most of those expenses. That’s $1,500.

So if you haven’t contributed yet, please consider doing so on a monthly basis. You can donate any amount you like, but that $6 figure is doable for just about anyone.

We have a safe and secure online payment platform, Press Patron, that you can manage easily.

Help keep East Cobb News free with your donation!

We want to keep East Cobb News free because local news is important to everyone. But right now we have fewer than 50 recurring monthly donors and we’re considering some paywall options.

Please help us get to 250 by setting up your contribution plan today!

Nobody else 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: wendy@eastcobbnews.com. I’m interested in hearing from you.

Thank you for your support of East Cobb News!

Support local independent journalism—and discover the power of local!

East Cobb residential real estate sales, May 19-23, 2025

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Chimney Springs, East Cobb real estate sales
Chimney Springs

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports and Cobb County property records.

They include the street address, subdivision name and sales price listed under their respective high school attendance zones:

Kell

1478 Surf Court, 30066 (Lamplighter): $390,000

4646 Breakwater Trail, 30066 (Country Meadows): $482,000

4916 Locklear Way, 30066 (Jamerson Estates): $850,000

4849 Chapelle C0urt, 30066 (Emerald Garden): $435,000

Lassiter

2424 Turtle Crossing, 30066 (Turtle Rock): $355,000

4365 Dover Crossing Drive, 30066 (Dover Crossing): $800,000

2517 Canopy Court, 30066 (Tanglewood North): $1.299 million

3510 Holliglen Drive, 30062 (Woodbine): $525,000

4508 Bankside Court, 30066 (Hampton Ridge): $530,000

3521 Jefferson Township Parkway, 30066 (Jefferson Township): $850,000

Marietta

1210 Beech Street, 30062: $320,000

176 Nancy Drive, 30067 (Powers Ferry Hills): $299,000

1612 Ruskin Way, 30062 (The Gates at Hamilton Grove): $399,000

89 Bridge View Drive, 30062 (Barrington Hills): $245,000

Pope

3801 Vinyard Trace, 30062 (Arthurs Vinyard): $739,000

2685 Hearthstone Circle, 30062 (Chimney Springs): $911,000

2916 Kings Walk Avenue, 30062 (Kings Walk): $1.14 million

3311 Keenland Road, 30062 (New Kent): $1.165 million

1655 Murdock Road, 30062 (Windsor Forest): $526,500

4085 Chadds Walk, 30062 (Chadds Walk): $665,000

2411 Mitchell Road, 30062 (Post Oak Square): $665,000

3298 Rangers Gate, 30062 (Pine Springs): $825,000

4224 Gateland Avenue, 30062 (Garden Gate on Lassiter): $790,000

2728 Long Grove Drive, 30062 (Madison Hall): $1.57 million

Sprayberry

156 Kendrick Farm Lane, 30066 (Village at Kendrick Farm): $497,000

162 Bridgestone Drive, 30066 (Bridgestone Acres): $360,000

201 Vistawood Lane, 30066 (Piedmont Hills): $420,000

3463 Chastain Glen Lane, 30066 (Chastain Glen): $461,000

1061 Pathfinder Road, 30066 (Philmont Estates) $440,000

1814 Butterfly Way, 30066 (The Village at Sandy Plains): $737,290

3123 Oak Drive, 30066 (Oak Knoll): $390,000

3389 Shaw Road, 30066 (Shaw Woods): $399,000

258 Lancaster Circle 30066 (Huntington Woods): $361,000

2401 Pinkney Drive, 30062: $645,000

1627 Rex Drive, 30066 (Village North): $525,000

1384 Windburn Drive, 30066 (Shaw Woods): $411,000

3782 Westchase Drive, 30066 (Canterbury Ridge): $340,000

246 Cavendar Way, Unit 16, 30066 (Barrett Creek Condos): $332,000

1522 Wood Valley Drive, 30066 (Oak Creek Estates): $459,000

Walton

1418 Waterford Green Drive, 30068 (Waterford Green): $1.365 million

1582 East Bank Drive, 30068 (Jacksons Creek): $705,000

1830 Greystone Court, 30068 (Willow Point): $725,000

458 Indian Hills Trail, 30068 (Indian Hills): $975,000

1510 Wood Thrush Way, 30062 (Chestnut Springs): $700,000

2060 Old Forge Way, 30068 (Old Forge): $750,000

4983 Odins Way, 30068 (Lake Fjord): $631,000

606 Riverview Drive, Unit 606, 30067 (Overlook at Riverview): $305,500

1991 River Forest Drive, 30068 (River Forest): $1.033 million

3680 Sewell Mill Road, 30062: $1.635 million

Wheeler

723 Monticello Way, 30067 (Stratford): $305,000

181 Pinehurst Lane, 30068: $797,000

3200 Turtle Lake Court, 30067 (Somerset): $610,000

2479 Cedar Canyon Road, 30067 (Cedar Canyon): $310,000

730 Denmead Mill, 30067 (Sibley Forest): $1.125 million

291 Lamplighter Lane, 30067 (Fox Hills): $695,000

663 Foxcroft Circle, 30067 (Stratford): $395,000

2671 Willow Field Crossing, Unit 14, 30067 (The Oaks at Powers Ferry): $480,000

1444 Twin Branches Circle, 30067 (Twin Branches): $308,000

1647 Raleigh Circle, 30067 (Bentley Ridge): $240,000

2419 Little John Trail, 30067 (Red Oak Park): $390,000

2350 Powers Ferry Drive, 30067 (Tuxedo Estates): $515,000

3261 Turtle Lake Court, 30067 (Somerset) $825,000

716 Counsel Drive, 30068 (Wood Wynn): $825,000

855 Cedar Bluff Court, 30062 (Cedar Bluff): $290,000

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Johnson Ferry Baptist Church exploring new worship facility

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Johnson Ferry Baptist Church exploring new worship facility
The main sanctuary at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church holds a single traditional service, comprising a quarter of the Sunday worship attendance. ECN photos.

As Easter was celebrated at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in April, a 40-day period of fasting and prayer came to an end for other reasons.

Members of the 4,700-member congregation were being asked do so as church leaders ponder the future of the church, which is one of the most influential institutions in East Cobb as well as the Southern Baptist Convention.

A special exploratory committee has been collecting feedback for several months about a proposal to build a singular worship facility to address capacity issues.

The main sanctuary that fronts Johnson Ferry Road and that opened in 1983 holds around 1,200 people, and has one traditional worship service on Sunday mornings.

At the same time, the church’s sprawling gymnasium in a special activities center along Woodlawn Drive is conducting three services on Sunday, in a modern worship format, with many families with young children in attendance.

That space can hold 1,600 folding chairs that are laid out every Saturday, then removed on Sunday afternoons. But there aren’t many chairs that are empty.

It’s a good problem to have, Johnson Ferry Baptist executive pastor Shane Bruce acknowledged in an interview this week with East Cobb News.

The church is not just running out of room to hold services. It’s also trying to adapt to the way younger generations not only choose to worship, but how they practice their faith in general.

“How are we going forward?” Bruce said while speaking at Johnson Ferry’s Provision Cafe, located in the activities center adjacent to the gym.

“Who do we want to be in 10, 15, 20 years?”

Church elders are taking the feedback under advisement and are deciding this summer about whether to build a new worship center.

Johnson Ferry Baptist’s main sanctuary opened in 1983 and holds a traditional service on Sunday.

The roots of ‘Vision 2025’

What Johnson Ferry Baptist leaders are calling “Vision 2025” sprung out of a mission statement in 2022 by Rev. Clay Smith, the church’s senior pastor since 2019, that called for church-planting in two other locations in metro Atlanta.

But Bruce, who is the church’s official in charge of operations, said as discussions continued, the topic swung around to how Johnson Ferry can appeal to a younger generation of people to “find truth, belonging and purpose in Jesus” while honoring long-time members, many of them who helped start the church in the early 1980s.

“Vision 2025” also states a goal of becoming a “multi-general, multi-ethnic congregation.” With that, the focus became about how to cultivate that church community on the sprawling 37-acre campus in East Cobb.

Bruce said many older members tend to go to the traditional service in the sanctuary “but it isn’t connected to anything.”

The activities center has become the real hub of Johnson Ferry, with the cafe, Johnson Ferry Christian Academy and the gymnasium all under a single roof, with people milling about most every day of the week.

The issues, Bruce said, aren’t just about the physical limitations of the worship space, but bringing together a large congregation that at times can feel fragmented.

“They don’t always have community together,” Bruce said. “You can’t pass your faith down if you’re not sitting in the same room.”

The question for the church elders is this, according to Bruce: “Are we ready to build a new worship center?”

Modern worship services in the gymnasium draw three-quarters of Johnson Ferry’s weekly attendance.

‘It’s been a blessing’

He said such a building would have a capacity of 2,500, with multiple services on Sundays. The site options include the north parking lot, closer to Little Willeo Road, or the south lot, closer to the athletic fields.

Johnson Ferry has hired an architect to work up renderings for both possibilities, should the decision go ahead, but Bruce admitted that “I think we’re going to max this campus out” in the next year or so.

Those trends were apparent even before the COVID-19 pandemic. “In the last 8-10 years, we’ve seen a big shift” in where and how church members worship, Bruce said.

In 2009, 33 percent of Johnson Ferry’s Sunday attendance was in the gym for modern services, according to figures presented to church members as part of “Vision 2025.”

Now, it’s up to 74 percent, with an average weekly figure of around 2,000 there, compared to 800 in the sanctuary.

“The experience in there isn’t ideal,” Bruce said of the gym. “But it’s been a blessing.”

In addition, most of the baptisms take place in the gym, and this past December all of the Christmas Eve services took place there as well.

It reflects a younger generation of Johnson Ferry families that’s the sign of a healthy faith community.

The 2024 figures indicate that 900 or so students are part of the weekly worship average, up from 500 in 2022.

Johnson Ferry, Bruce said, has one of the largest student gatherings in the Southern Baptist Convention—the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.

And soon a group of 125 of them will go on a summer trip to Poland.

The Johnson Ferry gym is at 80 percent capacity for three Sunday services.

Maintaining traditional ties

But church leaders say they are mindful of the connections to Johnson Ferry’s past as they plot what’s to come.

Some of the feedback includes questions about how the mix of services might look in a single worship space. TJ King, Johnson Ferry’s director of communications, noted that the services in the gym includes traditional worship elements.

“Two weeks ago, we sang ‘How Great Thou Art,’ and it was phenomenal,” he said.

He said that “while we’ve done strategic things to bring everyone together, we can’t do that on Sunday mornings.”

During the exploratory process, there has been plenty of behind-the-scenes work to gauge the feasibility and affordability of a new worship center. King didn’t cite a specific figure when asked how much such a building would cost, but said that “we’ve been doing our due diligence.”

He also acknowledged that “not everyone has loved the idea” of the possible changes being explored, “but they’ve seen the need.”

The elders—who include Bruce and Smith—are taking all of those factors into consideration, and the congregation is expected to be notified by the fall.

“We’ve seen God in more people’s hearts, and we’ve asked if God would give us clarity,” King said.

Provisions Cafe is the centerpiece of Johnson Ferry’s activities center, which is open on a daily basis.

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2025 Marietta Campmeeting schedule, special events announced

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Marietta Campmeeting returns

The 187th Marietta Campmeeting will take place July 11-20 at the Marietta Campground (2301 Roswell Road, across from East Cobb United Methodist Church), starting with the traditional opening night picnic from 6-7 p.m.

That’s one of several special events and guest speakers who will feature at the revival that dates back to 1837 (full schedule here).

Other long-standing events include a watermelon-cutting (Saturday, July 12), an ice cream social (Tuesday, July 15) and tentholder meetings for members.

Daily services will take place at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., and the public also is invited. There’s also a special children’s church Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to noon with Bible lessons, games and crafts.

The guest preachers this year include Rev. Kim McGarr of Mt. Bethel Church, Rev. Kristen Lee of East Cobb UMC, Kevin Scott of Eastwood Baptist Church, and Rev. Ike Reighard of Piedmont Church and the CEO of MUST Ministries.

The list of musical entertainment is still being completed, but the Campmeeting announced Friday that on the final day, July 20, the special musical guests will be the Mylon Hayes Family at 7:30 p.m.

 

 

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