For the third year in a row, East Cobb resident James Whitcomb will be swimming to benefit a group that assists first responders and veterans stemming from 9/11.
Whitcomb is collecting pledges that for Tunnel2Towers Foundation, a non-profit which helps first responders, veterans and their families who need assistance with housing.
He’ll jump into the pool at the Mountain View Aquatic Center on Monday, Sept. 11 at 6:30 a.m., just as he has the last two years.
But this year, he’s raised his goals.
He swam 13 miles, but wants to make it 15, with some short nutrition breaks. And Whitcomb wants to raise $30,000 again after aiming for $20,000 in his first year.
Thus far, he’s raised more than $11,000 in pledges, and is accepting them through his swim.
The public is invited to cheer him on, and hamburgers and hot dogs will be grilled for all to enjoy.
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Dr. Elizabeth Goff with some of her students at Bells Ferry ES. Photo: Cobb County School District
Dr. Elizabeth Goff, who teaches English as a Second Language at Bells Ferry Elementary School, was surprised on Wednesday when she was named the Cobb County School District’s 2023 Teacher of the Year.
She was given the news by Superintendent Chris Ragsdale at an assembly at the school and will be honored at a later celebration that will include her handprints being cemented at the Marietta Square.
Goff has been an educator in the Cobb school district for more than two decades, starting out as an elementary school teacher at Hayes Elementary School.
She gravitated toward teaching students whose native language is not English. At Bells Ferry, she works with students who have 29 language backgrounds, and teaches them throughout their elementary school years.
“We have really long-term relationships with students and families and multiple siblings,” Goff said in a release issued by the Cobb school district.
“It’s the best job! Getting a chance to really focus on my instruction with children, developing those relationships over time, and getting a chance to watch them progress is incredible.”
She was inspired to take up teaching while riding a bus at Walt Disney World in Florida. Seated next to her was Mary Anderson, a retired Cobb principal, and her grandson, who also attended Hayes.
Goff is creative in helping students with their language problems.
She had a third grader in a new English Learner class who was struggling with the alphabet. The student was interested in art, so she designed a learning program around art to help the student recognize letters and begin reading in English.
“Build relationships, number one, with your students,” Goff said. “Take time to build relationship relationships with your colleagues, work to get to know one another, share your strengths, and collaborate. All those things are really important for success in your first year and going forward.
“When I think about what I’m trying to do for my students, I hope that the lessons that I teach, they take them and keep them forever.”
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Katie Rinderle said Cobb County School District policies on teaching about gender identity issues are “vague.”
A special tribunal appointed by the Cobb County School District to hear a fifth-grade teacher’s appeal of her termination under Georgia’s “divisive concepts” in education law has voted to reject Superintendent Chris Ragsdale’s recommendation to fire her.
The tribunal issued a decision Monday saying that Due West Elementary School teacher Katherine Rinderle should not lose her job for reading a book to her students about gender identity called “My Shadow Is Purple.”
The firing, which took place in June, formally accused Rinderle of insubordination, willful neglect of duties and “other good and sufficient cause.”
The tribunal’s recommendation is being forwarded to the Cobb Board of Education, which has the final say and is having its August meetings on Thursday.
While stating that Rinderle “disobeyed the instructions of her supervisor to avoid sensitive and controversial topics in the selection of supplemental resources,” the tribunal concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to find her guilty of insubordination.
The tribunal—consisting of retired Cobb principals John Kelly, Cheryl Davis and Linda Kenney—found that there was sufficient evidence to find Rinderle guilty of the other two accusations.
Rinderle was fired for violating a 2022 state law that prohibits public school teachers from discussing a number of topics, including claims that racism is “systematically” racist, that a group of people is inherently “oppressive” and some issues about sex and gender identity.
and a two-day public hearing took place last week at Cobb school district headquarters, with news media and several dozen members of the public in attendance.
She’s believed to be the first teacher fired in Georgia under the divisive concepts law, and argued in her appeal that she wasn’t provided proper guidance on how to teach about issues relating to gender identity.
The tribunal determined that among the lessons stemming from her reading of the book was the introduction of they/them preferred pronouns.
The panel also said that Rinderle “was knowingly untruthful when she denied understanding that the topic of gender identity or gender fluidity was a sensitive or controversial topic in this community” and that she “exhibited poor judgment when she failed to recognize the book and her lesson on ‘My Shadow is Purple’ addressed the topic of gender identity.”
Another issue the tribunal was asked to decide was scratched out completely without a determination, that the content of the book “involves a purpose that should be left for parents to address with their children at home,” per Cobb school district policy.
The tribunal report amended another questions and hand-wrote that Rinderle should have known that reading the book “is not appropriate and [she] should have communicated with local school admin. for approval.”
Rinderle, who was represented by attorneys furnished by the Southern Poverty Law Center, said in a statement that while she appreciated the tribunal’s vote she denies violating any policies.
“That finding remains unjust and punitive,” she said. “The district has never provided adequate guidance on how I am supposed to know what is and what is not allowed in the classroom based on these vague policies. Prioritizing behaviors and attitudes rooted in bigotry and discrimination does not benefit students and undermines the quality of education and the duty of educators.”
The Cobb school board meets for a public work session at 3 p.m. Thursday, followed by an executive session at which personnel matters are to be discussed.
The board can approve, reject or modify the tribunal’s decision.
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Conservatory students performing a recital in April. Photo: Johnson Ferry Conservatory for the Arts
A music school at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church that provided private one-to-one instruction to children closed earlier this month after 27 years.
The Johnson Ferry Conservatory for the Arts announced on a social media posting Monday that it was with “heavy hearts” that it was closing its doors.
The church website noted in a separata message that Johnson Ferry recently hired a consultant to conduct a child safety review across the organization.
“It has been determined that we can no longer allow one adult to be in a room alone with one child. Of course, this directly impacts our model for private music lessons. So, after much prayer and discussion, we have decided that we will be closing the doors of the Conservatory.”
The final day of operation was Aug. 5.
East Cobb News left a message with the church seeking further information. Communications director T.J. King sent a statement nearly identical to the conservatory message, adding that since its inception, the school’s objective has been to “give each student a first-class music lesson in a safe Christian environment.”
The conservatory had more than 20 teachers at the time of its closure, offering instruction in guitar, piano, bassoon, oboe, saxophone, clarinet, viola, violin and voice. The school also conducted recitals (see video below, from April) and other special events featuring the students.
The conservatory message ended by saying that “it has been a privilege to teach thousands of children in East Cobb, and watch them develop their God-given gifts. We pray God’s very best for all of them!”
King added that Johnson Ferry is continuing a children’s music program on Wednesday evening and has student choirs during the week.
“Our church and its many ministries are healthy and growing and we are excited about what the future holds,” King said.
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Tax Commissioner Carla Jackson announced today that 2023 property tax bills have been issued. Payments are due by October 15. Payments must be received or USPS postmarked by the due date to be considered on time.
A total of 269,795 tax bills representing $1,182,943,945 was calculated. This consists of 253,682 Real Property for $1,100,940,066 and 16,113 Personal Property for $82,003,879.
The six cities of Cobb bill and collect their own property taxes. The chart below details this year’s property taxes for Cobb County’s billing and collection authorities:
New for 2023, we added the City of Mableton to our tax digest and included the Homeowners Relief Tax Grant (HRTG, also known as the Governor’s Credit) into our tax calc process. The HRTG, funded by the Georgia General Assembly, is a one-time tax credit totaling $60,088,225 in tax savings for Cobb. Eligible homeowners with homesteaded properties will see a reduction on their 2023 tax bill.
Payments may be made online, by phone, mail, or in-person. Processing fees may apply:
Online at cobbtax.org via e-Check, debit or credit card.
Phone automated system at 1-866-PAY-COBB (1-866-729-2622).
Mail to Cobb County Tax Commissioner, P.O. Box 100127, Marietta, GA 30061.
In person at any of the following locations:
Property Tax Division at 736Whitlock Avenue, Marietta;
East Cobb Office at 4400 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta; and
South Cobb Government Service Center at 4700 Austell Road, Austell.
24/7 drop boxes for checks/money orders made payable to Cobb County Tax Commissioner at:
Property Tax Division at 736 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta;
North Cobb Office at 2932 Canton Road, Marietta;
East Cobb Office at 4400 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta; and
South Cobb Government Service Center at 4700 Austell Road, Austell.
For questions or assistance, email tax@cobbtax.org or call 770-528-8600.
Please visit Understanding Your Tax Bill at cobbtax.org for a detailed explanation of our 2023 tax bills.
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The Atlanta-based skincare studio Faced The Facial Studio will open its fourth location at The Avenue East Cobb on Sept. 8.
It’s moving into the former Ansley Real Estate space (4475 Roswell Road, Suite 200), next to the forthcoming Barnes & Noble store.
The grand opening takes place from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, and include introductory offers, product demonstrations and meeting the staff, along with refreshments and skincare expertise.
Faced The Facial offers skincare services that include routine facials (starting at $90), steam and extractions, microdermabrasion and LED light therapy and more.
The studio also offers monthly memberships that include savings, discounts on skincare products priority booking and other perks.
Faced The Facial is an Atlanta-based company founded by Ansley Bowman, and that has three other locations, all in the city—Buckhead Village, Morningside Village and the Westside Provisions District.
She formerly worked in the fashion industry in New York. Faced The Facial also has produced a number of branded skincare products that are available at its locations.
The new location at The Avenue East Cobb will be open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
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The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports. They include the subdivision name and high school attendance zone in parenthesis:
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!
Dance Stop Studios owner Lynette Strickland (center) and some of her teaching staff.
Last Saturday I had the privilege of profiling one of East Cobb’s longest-running businesses.
As we published earlier this week, Dance Stop Studios has begun its 50th year of offering dance instruction for youth and adults alike—from jazz and tap and classical ballet to yoga and Zumba.
Keeping people on the move, and in a healthy way, has been at the core of owner Lynette Strickland’s work.
As she told us, she started out in a small converted home in 1974 on the outskirts of East Marietta—the original East Cobb, if you will—and moved around as she needed more space.
Along the way, she taught a generation of young people about a love for dance that is obvious as soon as you step inside the studio space at the Merchants Exchange Shopping Center on Roswell Road.
Some of those former students are now among her teaching staff, including a woman whose own daughter is taking classes there.
The family atmosphere of many small businesses in our community is authentic, as I have learned in speaking with many of these entrepreneurs.
I admire their tenacity, resilience and vision, and their ability to adapt to trying conditions.
Most of all, I admire the sheer passion that continues to underline the work that they do.
They’ll tell you doing what they love doesn’t seem like work at all, despite the grind, tribulations and challenges that come with it.
That’s my outlook on what I have done with East Cobb News, as we enter our seventh year of giving you the local news that you love.
Many of you tell me this, and it’s so energizing to get this feedback on a regular basis.
I just got a note from someone sending in a calendar listing: “Thanks for your commitment to local news. There aren’t enough people like you—we need this info!”
The truth is, I love telling stories of people like these in our community as much as they do in sharing them with me.
That’s because this comes from the heart, and it’s about much more than just reporting the news.
It’s about building a sense of community that becomes more special with each new story I am honored to tell.
Last month East Cobb News began asking readers for financial support to continue the work that we’re doing. It’s called the “6 for 6” campaign, in honor of our 6th anniversary.
We’re asking readers to donate $6 a month, but any amount will be greatly appreciated. We have a few dozen individuals who have done that thus far, and we’re asking more of you to consider making a financial contribution.
We have set up a special page with more information and a link to donate to our crowdfunding platform, Press Patron, or. you can contribute directly below.
Press Patron is specially set up for local publishers like me who solicit support from readers. It’s encrypted and secure, and it’s flexible for any amount you’d like to give.
Contribute what you like, whether it’s monthly, yearly or a one-time basis. Here are some suggested levels of support:
Your support will help us continue to grow and expand and serve a community of nearly 200,000 people—that’s a lot of folks!
While this kind of community journalism does come from the heart, it also takes some resources to do as well as we would like.
Most of all, we want to continue telling the stories of the people that make East Cobb a special place to call home.
I explained all this and more recently in an interview (video below) with Atlanta public relations professional Mitch Leff, who also champions the work of local journalists and lets us tell our stories.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with questions about using Press Patron and contributing to our “6 for 6” campaign, as well as general inquiries about East Cobb News: wendy@eastcobbnews.com.
From the bottom of my heart, thanks for your readership!
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Two well-known musicians will headline the third annual “Harmonies for Homes” concert to be held on Sunday, October 8 benefiting Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta. The concert will be held for the first time at the beautiful outdoor City Green amphitheater in Sandy Springs. Tickets and sponsorships are available at: citysprings.com/events/harmonies-homes.
The singer-songwriter event will feature renowned artist, Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls, and guitarist and singer, David Ryan Harris of John Mayer Band. This year Habitat will also welcome Chesley McNeil, Morning Meteorologist from 11Alive, as emcee for the event.
Emily Saliers is one half of the Grammy Award-winning folk rock music duo, Indigo Girls, along with Amy Ray. Over the years, they have sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, as well as earned six Grammy nominations. In 1989, they were nominated for Best New Artist and took home the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Indigo Girls’ latest critically acclaimed album Look Long was released in the spring of 2020.
Saliers plays acoustic and electric guitars, as well as banjo, piano, mandolin, and ukulele. Saliers has written many of the Indigo Girls’ fan-favorite songs and concert standouts such as “Closer to Fine,” “Get Out the Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Power of Two,” and “Galileo” to name a few. A documentary about the 40-year journey of the Indigo Girls, “It’s Only Life After All,” intimately covering their lives as artists and activists, debuted to rave reviews at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
David Ryan Harris is an American guitarist and singer based in Los Angeles, California. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Harris moved to Atlanta at a young age to launch his career. Harris has had a varied career as a musician.
He has been performing on stage since the 1980s when he served as the front man for the Atlanta rock group, Follow for Now. The band was given a record deal and released their self-titled in 1991. The band toured with such acts as Fishbone, HR of Bad Brains, Pearl Jam, Faith No More, and 24–7 Spyz. While Harris continues to promote his solo act, he can frequently be seen on stage performing with artists such as John Mayer, Dave Matthews, Santana, Sister Hazel, Better Than Ezra, and Collective Soul.
Tickets for the concert are $200 each and tax-deductible sponsorships begin at $1,000. Every guest receives two drink tickets with admission. Guests should bring a chair or blanket, and food truck selections and beverages will be available for purchase. This year’s concert is being presented by sponsor Bercher Homes. This event raises proceeds to support Habitat’s mission to continue building, refurbishing, and repairing homes for families in need in Cobb, Douglas, and Paulding counties.
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The group For Which It Stance, a non-profit started by Cobb District 2 commissioner Jerica Richardson, is holding a panel discussion event next week to discuss political redistricting.
Jerica Richardson
What’s billed as part of the “Sip n’ Save Democracy Series” takes place next Friday, Aug. 18, from 6-9 p.m., at the Grits & Eggs Breakfast Kitchen (3205 Cumberland Boulevard, Suite 105).
“Our knowledgeable speakers will provide top-shelf insight into recent redistricting cases and what they see coming ahead of the next election cycle,” the For Which It Stance event item states.
Richardson, a first-term Democrat, and the two other Democrats on the Cobb Board of Commissioners are contesting redistricting maps passed last year by the Georgia legislature that drew Richardson out of her East Cobb home.
In challenging the maps, Richardson said she was responding to an unprecedented legislative action, as the Republican-dominated General Assembly did not vote on maps approved by Cobb’s Democratic-majority delegation.
East Cobb resident Debbie Fisher filed an ethics complaint against Richardson earlier this year, saying she was engaging in a conflict of interest via For Which It Stance, which seeks to “educate, engage and empower” citizens about issues relating to local control.
Another page on that site, entitled “Drawn Out GA,” includes suggestions for fundraising amounts, which Fisher claimed constituted an ethics violation.
But the Cobb Board of Ethics dismissed the complaint in March. Fisher was later appointed to the Cobb Board of Elections by the Cobb Republican Party.
A hearing on the county’s attempt to invoke home rule was held last month in Cobb Superior Court. Republican commissioner Keli Gambrill has filed a suit against that provision, saying only the legislature can conduct reapportionment.
Another court hearing for her motion to be granted standing is scheduled for Aug. 30.
Richardson’s term expires at the end of 2024.
For more information on next week’s redistricting event, including registration, click here.
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The Longhorns were 10-2 in 2022, finished at No. 11 in the Georgia High School Association Class 5A final rankings, reaching the second round of the playoffs.
Other games will take place in Rome, West Forsyth and Roswell before culminating on Saturday, Aug. 19, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta. Four games are on tap, starting with Marietta vs. Norcross at 10 a.m. and Brookwood vs. McEachern at 1 p.m.
The final game starts at 7 p.m. and features the Walton Raiders against another Gwinnett school, Grayson.
Walton is coming off a 2022 season in which the Raiders went 10-3 and reached the quarterfinals of the Class 7A playoffs.
The Maxwell Ratings have projected Walton to finish second behind North Cobb in Region 5, with Wheeler fifth out of six teams.
In Class 6A, the other three East Cobb teams are in Region 7, which has seven schools. Sprayberry, which as 4-7 a year ago, is projected fourth, Pope sixth and Lassiter seventh.
Lassiter (3-7 in 2022) kicks off its season on Thursday at Etowah at 7:30 p.m. Wheeler (5-6 in 2022) is at Centennial on Friday, also at 7:30 p.m., and Sprayberry visits Campbell on Friday in another 7:30 p.m. start.
Pope will start at home on Friday, Aug. 26, against River Ridge at 7:30 p.m. The Greyhounds, who were 1-9 last year, have a new head coach in Sean O’Sullivan, a former Pope player who has been the team’s defensive coordinator since 2017.
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Calling all pet lovers! Get ready for an exciting event that will warm your hearts and wag some tails. The highly anticipated Yappy Hours Pet Adoption Event is just around the corner, offering a chance to bring a new four-legged friend into your family.
Scheduled for August 21, 2023, from 3pm to 7pm, the Yappy Hours Pet Adoption Event will take place at Cobb County Animal Services at 1060 Al Bishop Drive, Marietta, GA 30008. This family-friendly event is designed to bring together current and future pet parents and pets needing a forever home.
During this event, attendees will have the opportunity to adopt loving pets from the featured trailer at no cost. We are committed to finding forever homes for these wonderful animals, making it an ideal occasion for anyone considering bringing a furry companion into their lives.
The event’s timing from 3pm to 7pm ensures that even those battling post-work traffic can attend. The convenient location at 1060 Al Bishop Drive further adds to the accessibility of the event.
Our Yappy Hours event promises a delightful atmosphere filled with loving pets, education, and fun. Attendees are encouraged to spread the word, bring their friends and family, and contribute to the success of the adoption event.
Join us at Yappy Hours Pet Adoption Event and make a difference in the lives of animals in need. Let’s find forever homes for these deserving pets and create heartwarming stories of companionship.
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The remnants of the Gritters Library building in Northeast Cobb stood in a heaping pile Monday as demolition crews completed their work.
The nearly 50-year-old building in Shaw Park, which closed in June, was torn down as the Cobb County Public Library System begins a rebuilding project that’s expected to take a year.
The new branch on the same site will be much more than a library. The 15,000-square-foot replacement, at a cost of $9.8 million, will include county workforce development programs and the Northeast Cobb Community Center, which is being relocated from another part of Shaw Park.
Gritters patrons are being directed to the Mountain View Regional Library and library staff will be reassigned to other branches until the new library opens next year.
More photos and info about the demolition can be found by clicking here.
An architectural rendering of the new Gritters Library-Northeast Cobb Community Center.
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Lisa Cupid addressed the East Cobb Civic Association at Fullers Park in May.
Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid has scheduled a series of town hall meetings across Cobb County that begin later this month and continue into October, as part of her “All In” theme.
Tour stops include Sept. 7 from 6:30-8 p.m. at East Cobb’s Fullers Park (3499 Robinson Road).
Cupid’s office said the meetings offer residents an opportunity to “learn more about top priorities, which will be followed by networking with staff from county agencies.”
The meeting is free to the public to attend and no RSVP is needed.
Her town halls come after Cobb’s Democratic commissioners voted for a fiscal year 2024 budget of $1.2 billion that didn’t raise the general fund millage rate but that will result in higher tax bills for many residents, due to rising assessments.
Cupid spoke at an East Cobb Civic Association meeting at Fullers Park in late May and was asked at the time if she was considering a rollback to present year 2023 revenue levels. But she stressed the need to meet continuing county funding obligations for public safety personnel, among other things.
Cobb’s two Republican commissioners, including JoAnn Birrell of District 3 in East Cobb, voted againstthe budget and millage rate.
Cupid, a Democrat, is in her first term and is seeking re-election next year, after serving two terms as District 4 commissioner in South Cobb.
Her office didn’t specify her priorities, but she has been calling for a referendum in 2024 that, if passed, would impose a 30-year “Cobb Mobility SPLOST.”
Commissioners have yet to vote on whether to call a referendum as a consultant is preparing a final project list.
She came under fire this spring during one of her State of the County addresses for lashing out at public commenters who have been critical of her, saying that she didn’t have time to “get my panties in a bunch when people come and criticize us . . . We have lives to help, we have a county to move forward, we have agencies to run.”
Cupid’s other town halls also are scheduled from 6:30-8 p.m. on the following dates and at the following locations:
Monday, Aug. 21 – Ron Anderson Community Center, 3820 Macedonia Road, Powder Springs
Monday, Sept. 25 – South Cobb Community Center, 620 Lions Club Drive, Mableton
Thursday, Oct. 5 – South Cobb Recreation Center, 875 Riverside Pkwy, Austell
Monday, Oct. 9– Cobb Civic Center, 548 South Marietta Parkway, SE Marietta
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In celebration of its 16th anniversary and to thank the community for its continued support, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre will host a Sweet 16 Community Day & Open House Celebration on Sunday, Aug. 27 from 12 to 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Pre-register at cobbenergycentre.com.
Those who pre-register can enter to win select prizes throughout the day (check-in required). Patrons new and old will be introduced and reintroduced to the magic that happens within the state-of-the-art Centre year-round, including free performances by resident companies Atlanta Ballet and The Atlanta Opera and the Centre’s arts education arm, ArtsBridge Foundation. The event also will include appearances by Blooper, the Heavy Hitters and Harry the Hawk; Anchor Lana Harris and Meteorologist Rodney Harris from Atlanta News First; Star 94 DJ Skye Smith, music, food trucks, children’s activities (face painting, balloon artist, magician and crafts), building tours, free classes and much more.
Prize drawings throughout the afternoon will include a Golden Ticket package with tickets to The Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Ballet and select other concerts and comedians at the Centre; Braves tickets, a 50-inch TV, an Igloo IMX24 cooler, stays at multiple area hotels and more!
Don’t forget to visit the Kessel D. Stelling Ballroom for cooking demonstrations by the Centre’s culinary team and a showcase of the versatile meeting and event space featuring several event industry partners.
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!
A solo dancer performs at a Dance Stop Studios open house Saturday. ECN photos and video.
The family feel among the Dance Stop Studios staff isn’t just a slogan or a talking point.
Many of the top instructors at the East Cobb dance instruction studio took classes there when they were kids, and returned as adults.
“They started with us when they were young and came back because they love the children,” said owner Lynette Strickland, who opened her business in a small former house in East Marietta near the Big Chicken in 1974.
One of the oldest locally-run businesses in East Cobb opened for its 50th season on Monday.
Operating for the last dozen or so years at the Merchants Exchange Shopping Center on Roswell Road, Dance Stop threw a bit of a bash for itself and the public on Saturday.
In addition to tours and refreshments, some current students performed demonstrations of their routines. Others showed up in their dancing clothes anyway.
Dance Stop offers dance classes to youths and adults in jazz, tap dance, ballet and other genres, as well as specialty classes for yoga, Zumba and Barre enthusiasts.
Strickland said the business has anywhere from 600-800 participants taking part in Dance Stop activities.
While many of the students come for exercise and enjoyment, those with other ambitions take part in the Dance Stop Company, a non-profit that started in 1980. It conducts auditions and holds performances for the public at larger venues, as well as at assisted living centers and for special events.
Strickland moved Dance Stop from its original location to a nearby building seeking more space, then to Merchants Walk as the East Cobb area began growing along the Johnson Ferry corridor.
“We’ve outgrown every place we had,” she said. “As East Cobb came out this way, we did too.”
She previously had two other Dance Stop locations in the East Cobb area that have been consolidated into the current location, which has four separate dance floors and a refreshment area near the front lobby.
Ray Hall, a former student who’s an associate director and instructor, trained with the School of American Ballet and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in New York.
Julia May is another former Dance Stop student whose daughter is following her in her footsteps.
Kathy Pickle, who’s taught at Dance Stop for 30 years, came from California, where she worked in the film industry as a dancing double for actress Berrnadette Peters and was with the famed June Taylor Dancers.
“They’re just fabulous teachers,” Strickland said. “They know our style.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic closed Dance Stop, Strickland and her staff taught classes via Zoom for some time.
“It was difficult,” she said, noting dance recitals and other company performances were also called off in 2020.
The following year, “we saw a decline in the number of our young students, but it’s picking up.”
When asked about her own longevity in a demanding business, Strickland doesn’t hesitate to answer—with a beaming smile.
“One thing about this job—it’s just so much fun,” she said. “We have great students and I work with people I love. They love it as much as I love it.
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Renderings of The Avenue East Cobb’s dining space in the forthcoming “jewel boxes.”
As we posted last month, The Avenue East Cobb will be unveiling its new plaza on Sept. 7 with a cocktail celebration.
Today, tickets went on sale for the event, which lasts from 6-9 p.m., which costs $75 a person, with all proceeds being donated to MUST Ministries.
There will be food samplings from new restaurants, an open bar with bourbon tastings, music and other entertainment. Attire is cocktail-appropriate, what North American Properties, The Avenue’s management company, describes as “garden party chic.”
The Plaza is the centerpiece of the retail center’s redevelopment, which has been underway since last December.
The public square will include a music stage and dining areas near the new “jewel box” restaurant space, which includes Press Waffle Co., as well as Peach State Pizza, which is moving into the former Stockyard Burgers & Bones space.
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The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports. They include the subdivision name and high school attendance zone in parenthesis:
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!
Scouts from Troop 1011, sponsored by the Rotary Club of East Cobb.
A woman crossed the finish line carrying a baby.
A short time before, a woman expecting a baby completed her run.
So did families, couples, flag-bearing Boy Scouts and quite a few people with dogs.
It’s the Dog Days Run, of course, and canines were warmly welcomed as participants enjoyed a pleasant Saturday morning event at at the McCleskey Family-East Cobb YMCA.
It was the 18th running of the Rotary Club of East Cobb, and it was a record-setting one.
The 5K/Fun Run attracted around 600 runners, which has been typical in recent years.
But the combination of race registrations and sponsorships netted more than $100,000 for the first time in what’s the Rotary Club’s biggest fundraiser of the year, president Butch Carter said.
The Rotary Club hands out the proceeds to more than 20 local non-profits and charities (list here), ranging from MUST Ministries to the Friends for the East Cobb Park to the Cobb Library Foundation and more.
Those recipients will be honored at a “Give Back” dinner next March.
The Dog Days Run is a Peachtree Road Race qualifier, and awards were given out across a number of categories—including one for actual dogs—and human age groups.
This year’s sponsors included Dentistry at East Piedmont, Wellstar Health System, Malon D. Mimms Company, The Hanna Family, The Romanoff Family, Honest-1 Auto Care, Indian Hills Country Club and more.
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!
