East Cobb News

Stacey Abrams announces 2022 campaign for Georgia governor

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Stacey Abrams

Stacey Abrams, who narrowly lost to Brian Kemp in the 2018 campaign for Georgia governor, said Wednesday she’s seeking the same office in 2022.

Abrams, a Democratic former state representative from Atlanta, announced on her Twitter account that “I’m running for Governor because opportunity in our state shouldn’t be determined by zip code, background or access to power.”

The Tweet included a link for donations to her campaign and a video that referenced Medicaid expansion, access to COVID-19 vaccines, cleaning up from storm damage and reviving small businesses.

“In the end, we are one Georgia,” Abrams narrates in the video, “regardless of the pandemic or the storms, the obstacles in our way or the forces determined to divide us.

“My job has been to keep my head down and keep working toward one Georgia. . . If our Georgia is going to move to its next chapter, we’re going to need leadership.”

Abrams is the first Democrat to announce for governor, and she’ll be headlining her party’s efforts to win more statewide offices after Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff unseated GOP U.S. Senate incumbents earlier this year.

Warnock is seeking a full six-year term in 2022, but the emergence of Abrams—who’s become a Democratic fundraising, voting-rights and candidate recruiting powerhouse—will also generate national attention.

Republicans hold all other statewide offices in Georgia, including governor.

Kemp has not formally declared he’s seeking a second term.  Vernon Jones, a former Democratic state legislator from DeKalb County, has announced his campaign in the Republican primary.

Former U.S. Sen. David Perdue also is considering a GOP run for governor.

Abrams lost to Kemp in 2018 by less than 1.5 percent of the vote and never formally conceded, claiming that voting access was curtailed for many Georgians.

She launched a voting-rights and access organization, called Fair Fight, that also advocates for such issues as Medicaid expansion and medical debt relief.

Fair Fight also has filed a federal lawsuit against the Georgia Attorney General’s office and the Georgia Board of Elections over voting rights that is expected to go to trial in February.

Abrams won Cobb County in an election in which local Democrats made incursions in the Republican stronghold of East Cobb.

In 2020, Democrats gained control of the Cobb Board of Commissioners, while Republicans held on to a slight majority on the Cobb Board of Education.

Among the Democrats who won local office in 2018 is Charisse Davis, who defeated GOP incumbent Scott Sweeney for Post 6 on the Cobb school board, which includes the Walton and Wheeler clusters.

Davis has not announced whether she’s seeking re-election; the Cobb legislative delegation will be conducting reapportionment for school board posts and county commission districts in January.

Amy Henry, the mother of four students in the Walton cluster, is running for Post 6 as a Republican.

Formal qualifying for 2022 elections takes place in March, with party primaries scheduled for May.

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East Cobb food scores: Fresh to Order; Zama; Roll On In; more

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Fresh to Order. East Cobb Food Scores

The following East Cobb food scores for the week of Nov. 29 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

Domino’s Pizza
2555 Prado Lane, Suite 1420
November 29, 2021 Score: 86, Grade: B

Dunkin’ Donuts
2378 Shallowford Road
December 2, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Fresh to Order
1333 Johnson Ferry Road
November 29, 2021 Score: 81, Grade: B

G’Angelo’s Pizza
3205 Canton Road, Suite 133
December 2, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Goianao Restaurant & Catering
1475 Terrell Mill Road, Suite 103
December 1, 2021 Score: 89, Grade: B

House of Ming
3101 Roswell Road, Suite 116
November 30, 2021 Score: 84, Grade: B

Jacobs Java Cafe
1350 Terrell Mill Road
December 1, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Los Bravos Mexican Restaurant
1255 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 42
November 29, 2021 Score: 84, Grade: B

McCleskey Middle School
4080 Maybreeze Road
November 30, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Nicholson Elementary School
1599 Shallowford Road
November 30, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Roll On In Sushi Burritos & Bowls 
1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 365
December 1, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

The Rusty Barrel
138 Powers Ferry Road
December 2, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Vatica Indian Cuisine
1475 Terrell Mill Road, Suite 105
December 1, 2021 Score: 84, Grade: B

Zama Mexican Cuisine & Margarita Bar
2550 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 300
December 1, 2021 Score: 96, Grade: A

Zaxby’s 
2981 Delk Road
December 1, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Xengo Restaurant
3162 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 420
December 2, 2021 Score: 93, Grade: A

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Cobb schools to conduct support staff job fair December 7

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Cobb school bus safety

The Cobb County School District is having a job fair for support staff positions next Tuesday, Dec. 7.

The job fair will take place at the Cobb Energy Centre for Performing Arts (2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The available positions include bus drivers, custodians, Food & Nutrition Services, substitutes, and special education paraprofessionals. The district said that candidates for other jobs, including teachers, are welcome to attend.

Participants can register in advance by clicking here or onsite at the job fair.

In August, substitute teachers and other support staff members received bonuses through the end of the current 2021-22 school year.

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East Cobb Cityhood group to resume public sessions in January

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Revised East Cobb city map
A slightly revised proposed East Cobb city map includes apartment communities along Columns Drive. For a larger view, click here.

The East Cobb Cityhood group held a virtual information session in mid-November about the results of a financial feasibility study, which is required by state law for cityhood legislation to be considered.

That session, which included questions about the decision to add police and fire services that were not originally proposed, is the last of calendar year 2021.

Cindy Cooperman, a spokeswoman for the group, told East Cobb News that more sessions for people living in the proposed city boundaries will be taking place starting in January.

She said those events will cater to neighborhoods and community groups interested in learning more.

“We are available upon request if your neighborhood is interested in having us speak to the group. We can be contacted at info@eastcobbcityhood.com or connect directly with any of the committee members listed on our website.”

January marks the start of the 2022 Georgia General Assembly, when the East Cobb Cityhood legislation, House Bill 841, will be taken up (you can read it here).

Sponsored by East Cobb Republican House members Matt Dollar and Sharon Cooper, the bill is one of four cityhood initiatives in Cobb County, along with Lost Mountain, Vinings and Mableton.

Unlike the 2019 East Cobb cityhood campaign, none of the current effort’s events have been in-person, due to COVID-19 concerns.

Those 2019 town halls turned out large, sometimes hostile crowds at churches and schools, and in a November 2019 forum before the East Cobb Business Association between the cityhood group and opponents from the East Cobb Alliance, a citizens group formed to fight the initiative.

There also was a lack of support from Cobb elected officials about cityhood, including State Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick of East Cobb, who said she received negative feedback.

The East Cobb Alliance has posted updates about the 2021 effort (including links to some of our posts), but has been otherwise quiet.

Mindy Seger, an Alliance member who participated in the ECBA forum in 2019, told East Cobb News Monday that “a new cityhood is not any better poised to provide the same level of service for police and fire than the last effort.”

She noted that proposed fire services include two fire stations. “It’s a very small department of only two stations with the reduced footprint,” she said. “I’m not convinced my out of pocket costs at the end of the day won’t be higher.”

The financial feasibility study released earlier this month and conducted by Georgia State University researchers concludes a City of East Cobb, even with police and fire services, would run a $3 million annual surplus.

The other proposed services are planning and zoning and code enforcement.

East Cobb Cityhood straw poll

The revived Committee for East Cobb Cityhood has been conducting a straw poll since the new effort was lanched in March, indicating incrementally growing support for the idea of cityhood.

“The results show growing support for cityhood and a large group of undecided residents,” Cooperman said in response to our questions, some coming from readers, about who was polled.

“Many questions submitted by residents indicate an interest to learn more about how the new city would operate, the map boundaries and financial impact. The committee is committed to answering questions and providing the detail residents need to make an informed decision.”

We also asked how the survey was conducted, and she said that participants in virtual town halls submitted questions in advance.

The number of respondents during the surveys (conducted during those virtual town halls on April 14, May 20 and Nov. 17), ranged from 96, to 169, according to Cooperman.

When asked whether they were in favor of “East Cobb becoming a city with local representation and local control?” the respondents were asked to indicate whether they “Strongly Support, Somewhat Support, Neither Support nor Oppose, Somewhat Oppose, Strongly Oppose” incorporation.

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Wellstar opens pediatric COVID-19 vaccination clinics

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Wellstar opens pediatric COVID vaccination clinics
Wellstar chief pediatric officer Dr. Avril Beckford, executive director of Health Parks and Pediatric Center Hunter Carlson, and Hunter’s family celebrate after two of his children are vaccinated. Source: Wellstar Health System

Wellstar Health System has begun administering COVID-19 vaccinations to children between the ages of 5-11 in a special clinic period continuing through January 2022.

In a news release issued Tuesday, Wellstar said that the clinics, which began in early November for existing system patients, have booked more than 2,000 appointments through January.

The clinics are taking place at two Wellstar facilities, including the East Cobb Health Park (3747 Roswell Road).

“We are incredibly excited by the high demand and interest in pediatric vaccinations and proud of the families who have taken the important step to vaccinate their children to offer some of our youngest patients protection against COVID,” Dr. Avril Beckford, chief pediatric officer for Wellstar Health System, said in the release.

The clinics include waiting rooms for families and parents can schedule follow-up visits, including second vaccine doses, as well as other immunizations.

For more information, click here.

 

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East Cobb holidays: Apple Annie, Johnson Ferry Christmas return

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Apple Annie Arts & Crafts Show
The Apple Annie Arts & Crafts Show is marking its 40th year at the Catholic Church of St. Ann.

As we’ve been noting in recent weeks, many of the holiday events that were cancelled or limited to virtual participation in 2020 are reverting to in-person formats this year, including one of East Cobb’s longest-standing Christmas festivities.

The Apple Annie Arts & Crafts Show is marking its 40th anniversary this weekend at the Catholic Church of St. Ann (4905 Roswell Road).

The show takes place Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a $5 admission charge per person that’s good for both days.

The proceeds benefit local charities at the direction of the St. Ann Council of Catholic Women, and since the show began in 1981, more than $500,000 has been donated.

As usual, there will be more than 100 exhibitors selling handmade items, along with a cafe serving drinks and snacks, a bake sale and raffles, including and heirloom quilt at the end of the show.

Because of an ongoing construction project, there’s limited parking at the church, but there will be free shuttle service available at Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1795 Johnson Ferry Road).

Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road) is resuming much of its Christmas scheduling, starting on Saturday with its annual Johnson Ferry Christmas Party for families and children. That’s taking place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes more than 20 venues featuring horse carriage rides, a food truck, live music, crafts, a snow slide and more.

Next weekend is the Johnson Ferry Christmas Festival, featuring the church’s choir and orchestra in three worship services with Christmas music favorites and the story of Jesus’ birth.

The services are Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 4 and 7 p.m.

All of the Johnson Ferry events are free and open to the public. For more, click here.

As noted earlier, Sunday is the return of Holiday Lights at East Cobb Park; and The Avenue East Cobb is having several holiday events, starting Tuesday with a Menorah lighting as the Jewish faith begins weeklong Hanukkah festivities.

We’re continuing to post news about holiday events as we get them, and as their dates draw near, so please let us know what you’ve got going on that’s open to the public. See the paragraphs below for submitting your information.

Send Us Your Holiday News!

Let East Cobb News know what events and activities your organization is having for the public in the community for the holidays.

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.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

 

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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!

Gritters Library, police precinct groundbreakings rescheduled

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Gritters Library rendering
A rendering of the new Gritters Library, to be built next to the current facility.

Cobb County government has pushed back two groundbreakings of new facilities in the Northeast Cobb area that were to have taken place this week, “due to unforeseen circumstances.”

Groundbreaking for a new Gritters Library building will now take place on Tuesday, Dec. 7, starting at 2 p.m. (880 Shaw Park Road). You can RSVP by emailing  Dinah.Bonesteel@cobbcounty.org.

And the groundbreaking for a newly created Precinct 6 of the Cobb Police Department has been rescheduled for Monday, Dec. 13, also at 2 p.m. (2640 Gordy Parkway), adjacent to the Mountain View Aquatic Center.

Cobb commissioners approved both projects recently with funding from the 2016 SPLOST.

The new Gritters branch will be located next to the current building that opened in 1973 at the entrance to Shaw Park. The cost is $6.8 million, with commissioners finalizing the project in August with a $1.9 million grant from the Georgia Public Library Service.

In November, commissioners approved the $5 million Precinct 6 facility, which initially will house several specialized units of Cobb Police and will not have a patrol zone.

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Cobb DA releases statement on Arbery murder convictions

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Cobb District Attorney Flynn Broady Jr. has spoken out on the murder convictions of three men charged with killing Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick.Cobb District Attorney Flynn Broady

Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael and William R. Bryan, all white defendants, were found guilty of the murder of Arbery, a black man, by a Glynn County jury the day before Thanksgiving.

The case, which drew national headlines, was prosecuted by Cobb DA’s office. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr reassigned the cases in May 2020 after the Glynn District Attorney recused herself because Gregory McMichael worked as an investigator in that office.

Broady, who defeated appointed Cobb DA Joyette Holmes last November, said in a statement issued by his office Friday that “were determined that each of the defendants were given a fair trial and I believe we did that.”

He also commended his staff, including “lead prosecutor Senior ADA Linda Dunikoski, Senior ADA Paul Camarillo, ADA Larissa Ollivierre and a host of others from our office [who] worked tirelessly to ensure justice for this [Arbery] family.

“We held firm to the belief that our criminal justice system works. When you remove the hate, the intolerance and divisiveness and focus on truth, integrity, and unity that justice will prevail.”

Arbery, who was 25, was jogging in a Brunswick neighborhood on Feb. 23, 2020 when he was shot down.

A viral video showing him being shot as he ran was released several weeks later, and made national headlines in the wake of the George Floyd death in Minneapolis, sparking national protests at the behest of Black Lives Matter.

Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, publicly fought for her son’s death to be prosecuted after the Glynn District Attorney declined to bring charges, citing Georgia’s citizen arrest law.

After an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Carr assigned the Cobb DA’s office to investigate and prosecute the cases.

In its 2021 session, the Georgia legislature revised the citizen arrest law and enacted a hate crimes statute for the first time.

The Glynn County jury had 11 white people and one black juror, and during the trial saw video footage showing Travis McMichael in a pickup truck, shooting Arbery at close range as he ran.

Travis McMichael was convicted of malice murder and eight other felony charges. His father, Greg McMcMichael, was found guilty of four charges of felony murder but was found not guilty of malice murder.

Bryan, who recorded the incident from his phone while riding in the McMichaels’ truck, was convicted of three felony murder charges.

They all face life in prison.

Broady said that the Glynn jury “made a clear statement ” in finding all three men guilty of murder, one that “reflects a new direction for our communities, this State, and the nation, to denounce hate, division and intolerance and promote unity.

“This case has garnered national attention, recalling attention to a past, this nation yearns to forget. It is important that we never forget. That we look at our past and map a new way forward. That we understand our prior shortcomings and work to the goal enumerated in our founding documents, ‘all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness’ and may we add Justice. In order to do that it takes strength and courage, to demand the rights entitled to us by our Constitution and laws.”

The Cobb DA’s office is in charge of prosecuting Jackie Johnson, the former Glynn prosecutor, who was indicted in September for her handling of the cases.

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Lassiter Bands Christmas tree sale continues through Dec. 11

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Lassiter Band Christmas tree sale

One of East Cobb’s continuing holiday traditions is the Christmas tree sale conducted by the Lassiter High School Bands program.

The sale got underway on Black Friday and continues through Dec. 11 at its usual location, Highland Plaza Shopping Center.

More information below, followed by details on how you can share your holiday news and events with the community.

Lassiter Bands Christmas tree sale

Send Us Your Holiday News!

Let East Cobb News know what events and activities your organization is having for the public in the community for the holidays.

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.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

 

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Walton High School students receive $5K grant from United Way

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East Cobb student tutors blood drive

Submitted information:

Through the SPARK Prize competition, United Way funds small grants to innovative projects to address homelessness in Cobb, Cherokee, Douglas & Paulding. We are excited to announce that American Assimilation Helpline  leaderrs Abhishek Kona, Abhinav Kona and Elly Kang were awarded $5,000! This grant will be going towards our Learning Labs for low-income students, making access to technology much more widespread!

AAH! is an educational global nonprofit organization led by three high school students – Abhishek Kona and Abhinav Kona, seniors at Walton High School, and Elly Kang, a junior at Marist School. It is dedicated to provide free, virtual, and personalized one-on-one tutoring for core academic subjects and computer science for low-income, immigrant, refugee, and homeless students weekly. Its mission is focused on creating equal opportunities for those marginalized in STEM and reducing the wealth and gender gap. AAH! has also been hosting events to address other key issues such as distributing laptops, blood drives with the American Red Cross, health workshops such as CPR training, initiatives fighting against breast cancer, donating school supply drives, helping homeless children, and the Keep Cobb Beautiful Adopt-A-Mile program.

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The Avenue East Cobb announces holiday events schedule

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Avenue East Cobb holiday events

A full state of holiday related events at The Avenue of East Cobb begins on Monday.

A Menorah Lighting takes place Tuesday, Nov. 30, from 5:30–6:30 p.m. near the Kale Me Crazy store. The event is being conducted in partnership with Chabad of Cobb, and will Chanukah treats. The first 50 children to arrive will receive a special gift from Chabad of Cobb. The Cobb County Fire Department will also participate in the event, hosting a Gelt Drop from the fire truck’s lift.

On Fridays from Dec. 3-18 Santa’s Avenue Express will take place from 2-6 p.m., featuring sleigh rides and the Avenue Express Train. Tickets for the latter are $15 for family of four and include a 10-minute train ride, a one-on-one visit with Santa, and hot chocolate provided by Smallcakes. Guests can bring cameras for personal photos, and five reservations for the rides will be taken for each hour.

On Dec. 2 and 16, it’s Storytime with Santa, a special book reading from 5-6 p.m. at Pottery Barn and High Country Outfitters. Tickets are $12 per child that includes one adult chaperone, and attendees will get wish lists and holiday coloring sheets.

On two Fridays, Dec. 3 and 10, Caroling at Avenue East Cobb will feature members of the Dickerson Middle School choral teams. The singing, which includes classic winter, holiday, Christmas and Chanukah favorites, takes place from 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.

On Thursday, Dec. 9, Santa’s Kitchen will take place at the Olea Oliva store from 5-7 p.m., and includes a build-your-own-cookie-jar class. Attendees will get wish lists and holiday coloring sheets, and Santa will conduct a book reading. Tickets are $25 per child, with one adult chaperone).

On Thursday, Dec. 23, it’s Pet Photos with Santa at the Gussied Up Pet Boutique from 5-7 p.m. There’s no ticketing, but availability is first-come, first-served.

For more about holiday events at The Avenue, click here.

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Send Us Your Holiday News!

Let East Cobb News know what events and activities your organization is having for the public in the community for the holidays.

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.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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 food scores: Los Bravos; Peace Love and Pizza; more

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Los Bravos East Lake, East Cobb Food Scores

The following Cobb food scores for the week of Nov. 22 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

Bowlero 
2749 Delk Road
November 22, 2021 Score: 90, Grade: A

Doc’s Food and Spirits
2621 Cumberland Boulevard
November 23, 2021 Score: 80, Grade: B

El Ranchero
562 Cobb Parkway South
November 22, 2021 Score: 76, Grade: C

Great American Coookies/Marble Slab Creamery
4101 Roswell Road, Suite 308
November 24, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Little Caesars 
2856 Delk Road, Suite 304A
November 23, 2021 Score: 85, Grade: B

Los Bravos 
2125 Roswell Road, Suite B-40
November 22, 2021 Score: 72, Grade: C

Oy! Restaurant
2355 Cumberland Parkway, Suite 80
November 23, 2021 Score: 95, Grade: A

Peace Love & Pizza
1050 E. Piedmont Road, Suite 154
November 24, 2021 Score: 96, Grade: A

Starbucks Coffee 
1207 Johnson Ferry Road
November 24, 2021 Score: 96, Grade: A

Tasty China 
585 Frankin Gateway, Suite B-3
November 22, 2021 Score: 87, Grade: B

Windy City Grill
4017 Canton Road
November 24, 2021 Score: 99, Grade: A

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Cobb libraries drop mask mandate, temperature screenings

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Sewell Mill Library opens

When the Cobb declaration of emergency ended on Nov. 16, that included the dropping of mask mandates at most indoor county facilities.

At county library branches, patrons also were subject to temperature screenings before they were allowed to enter indoor areas.

The library system sent out a notice Tuesday that while screenings are no longer required, you’re still encouraged to wear a mask indoors “for extended stays or when attending programs.”

The mandates were reimposed in August by Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, who renewed the 30-day order twice after that.

The only county buildings where masks are still required are at courthouses, which are operating under a separate order issued by the Supreme Court of Georgia.

Library patrons can continue to order items to be picked up curbside. The hours at the East Cobb, Gritters, Mountain View Regional Sewell Mill branches are Monday-Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5-7 p.m.; Thursday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

You can schedule a pickup time by clicking here.

All Cobb library branches will be closed from Wednesday-Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday and will reopen for regular hours on Saturday.

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Cobb commissioner to hold listening session for September floods

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Cobb storm damage town hall
A homeowner in Terrell Mill Estates showed Cobb commissioners a photo of damage to her property from the Sept. 7 floods.

The office of Cobb Commissioner Jerica Richardson announced she is holding what she’s calling a “listening session” on Dec. 2 for residents affected by severe flooding in September.

The event starts next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Cobb Civic Center (548 S. Marietta Parkway). In October Richardson held a virtual session for residents to provide information about the impact of the Sept. 7 floods.

Some East Cobb residents affected by the storms have been highly critical of the county’s response to the situation, and formed a group pressing for storm relief.

In particular, some have said county stormwater management efforts are lacking, and wanted an in-person opportunity with elected officials.

Citizens calling themselves the Cobb September 7 Storm Damage Advocacy Group spoke out at a Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting in October, but that was during a public comment session that didn’t include a dialogue with elected officials.

The group has complained said some homeowners were told they were responsible for making repairs ranging from $25,000-$250,000 for what they said was flooding caused by poor stormwater infrastructure.

In one case, they said the county accepted responsibility for a failing 48-inch stormwater pipe that caused a sinkhole in a resident’s yard, but since the pipe is only partially on that property, the homeowner is on the hook for $25,000.

The county did establish a reporting tool for residents stemming from those storms—the citizens group says that happened at the behest of a citizen, “but there was no further coordinated communication to keep residents informed.”

For residents who cannot attend the listening session but wish to provide feedback, they’re invited to email Richardson’s assistant, Aliye Korucu: aliye.korucu@cobbcounty.org.

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McBath to leave 6th Congressional District after redrawn map

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U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, a Democrat who ended a 40-year hold on Republican representation in the 6th Congressional District in Georgia, is running for a new seat next year.U.S. Rep Lucy McBath, gun violence research funding, McBath border-funding vote

The second-term Congresswoman from Marietta—who has made gun-control one of her major priorities in office—said Monday she will be running in the 7th district, as Georgia’s Republican-led legislature was finalizing reapportionment.

The 6th District that includes East Cobb will soon contain more conservative territory, extending into Cherokee, Forsyth and Dawson counties.

The 6th has included North Fulton and North DeKalb, the latter being the strongest Democratic base for McBath, who defeated former U.S. Rep. Karen Handel in 2018 and 2020.

“It is no mystery why Republicans and the NRA [National Rifle Association] have decided I’m their top target,” McBath said in a statement issued by her campaign office. “As a Black woman, activist, and mother on a mission—they would like nothing more than to stop me from speaking truth to power about the gun lobby and Republican Party in Congress.

“So let me make something very clear: I refuse to stand down. We must fight Republicans every step of the way, and now is not the time to lose a mother on a mission in Congress.”

A former Delta Air Lines flight attendant, McBath had announced her campaign for a state legislative seat in East Cobb in 2018, then switched to the 6th Congressional District after a mass school shooting in Parkland, Fla.

After her teenage son Jordan was shot to death in Florida, she became active in gun-control efforts.

McBath noted the the new 6th District went 26 points for Trump in the 2020 elections, and the new 7th District—which includes South Gwinnett, Johns Creek and Alpharetta— has a voting population that’s 67 percent minorities.

McBath’s decision sets up a potential Democratic primary battle with U.S. Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, although there’s not presently an incumbent inside the newly drawn boundaries.

It also leaves the 6th without an announced Democratic candidate. Starting with Newt Gingrich, the GOP controlled the district handily, continuing with Johnny Isakson and Tom Price through the 2016 elections.

But when Price resigned to join the cabinet of former President Donald Trump, a 2017 special election revealed how the 6th had changed politically.

Political newcomer Jon Ossoff, a former aide to Democratic U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson of DeKalb, jumped into the race, fueled by out-of-state funding in what became the most expensive U.S. House race in history.

Handel won the special election and got strong support in East Cobb, but served only for a little more than a year after McBath unseated her.

Ossoff is now Georgia’s senior senator, after defeating former U.S. Sen. David Perdue in a runoff in January.

Several Republicans announced their intention to run in the 6th before the reapportionment session, including Jake Evans, who said in a statement that McBath’s record “won’t fly in the Sixth District, and it’s no wonder she has fled to another district. Our voters are ready for the Great American Comeback with the leadership of a bold and unafraid America First conservative.”

Georgia’s current Congressional delegation has eight Republicans and six Democrats, and once the final maps are approved, it’s likely the GOP will have nine seats.

As noted over the weekend, the proposed map would divide Cobb into four Congressional Districts, with East Cobb being split into the 6th and 11th. Three of those four seats will likely be in GOP hands, including freshman firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene.

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Marietta Golden K Kiwanis Club donates $12K to local charities

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Marietta Golden K Kiwanis

Submitted information and photo:
On November 18th, 2021 The Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K presented $12,000.00 to sixteen local charity group leader representatives. Recipients of the awarded checks and the groups they represent are as follows:

• ACE Open Hearts Program, Lainey Gaines
• Bert’s Big Adventure, Sheridan Smith
• Camp Twin Lakes, Anna Hutchins
• Empower Cherokee, Amy Vogler, Devon Shay 

• Family Promise of Cobb County, Katherine Cullom 
• Goshen Valley Boys Ranch, Kevin Scott 
• Kate’s Club, Inc., Courtney Parsons 
• Mountain Top Boys Home, Donnis Steele 
• Murphy-Harpst Children’s Centers, Channel Strange 
• MUST Ministries, Don Crampton 
• Next Step Ministries, Leigh Johnson 
• North Georgia Angel House, Susan Worsley 
• Path to Shine, Lisa Jordan 
• Rally Foundation, Sydney Sanchez 
• Restore Place, Brian Caims
• Scout Troop 444, Wayne Marcinko 

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Holiday Lights at East Cobb Park returns in-person for 2021

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Holiday Lights East Cobb Park

After going virtual in 2020 due to COVID-19, the Friends for the East Cobb Park has announced that its annual Holiday Lights event will be open to the public this year.

The free festivities take place on Sunday, Dec. 5, starting at 5 p.m.

In addition to seasonal music, outdoor activities and the tree lighting, there will be a visit from Santa Claus, aka “Santa Steve.”

There also will a tribute to the late Johnny Johnson, a longtime East Cobb business owner and civic and community leader who served as the official Santa Claus of Holiday Lights.

More details will be updated on the Friends for the East Cobb Park Facebook page.

Many of the events that were also cancelled in 2020 are returning this year, sometimes in a modified format.

The Mountain View Arts Alliance is having its Empty Bowl Brunch on Dec. 12 after having an Empty Bowl Gift Bag sale last year. That’s a Sunday, and it’s taking place at The Art Place (3330 Sandy Plains Road) from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with proceeds benefitting MUST Ministries.

We’ll be posting more holiday event information as we get it, and as the event dates approach.

If you have news to share with the public about your holiday event, please follow the instructions below and East Cobb News will be glad to post it.

Send Us Your Holiday News!

Let East Cobb News know what events and activities your organization is having for the public in the community for the holidays.

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.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

 

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Cobb Police create E-Commerce ‘safe zones’ for holiday shopping

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East Cobb Government Center, Cobb Police Precinct 4
Cobb Police Precinct 4 at the East Cobb Government Service Center is an e-commerce “safe zone.”

Submitted information:

This holiday season, everyone will be searching for the perfect gift at the perfect price and many will turn to e-commerce sites like Craigslist, Offer-Up and Facebook Market Place to purchase those gifts. Cobb County wants to ensure these purchases are done in a safe manner at a safe location.

Cobb Police Department staff has implemented “E-Commerce Zones” at all five precincts and headquarters to provide residents with safe places to conduct trades and sales. The zones are marked with blue signs in well-lit places that are monitored by video surveillance.

Locations of E-Commerce Safe Zones at Police Precincts and Headquartes:

  • Precinct 1: 2380 N. Cobb Parkway Kennesaw, GA 30152
  • Precinct 2: 4700 Austell Rd Austell, GA 30106
  • Precinct 3: 1901 Cumberland Parkway Atlanta, GA 30339
  • Precinct 4: 4400 Lower Roswell Rd Marietta, GA 30067
  • Precinct 5: 4640 Dallas Highway Powder Springs, GA 30127
  • Headquarters: 140 North Marietta Parkway Marietta, GA 30060

 

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Proposed Congressional map would split Cobb into 4 districts

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Cobb Congressional district map
A Republican-backed proposal would split East Cobb into two Congressional Districts. For details, including precinct breakdowns, click here. Source: Dave’s Redistricting.

UPDATED, MONDAY, NOV. 22, 2021:

U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath announced Monday she’s leaving the 6th Congressional District and will be running in the newly drawn 7th District, accusing the GOP of trying “to stop me from speaking truth to power about the gun lobby and Republican Party in Congress.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

Georgia lawmakers are considering proposed maps for the state’s Congressional districts that would add a member of the U.S. House to the Cobb County delegation.

Cobb currently has three representatives, two of them Democrats, including Lucy McBath of the 6th District, which includes most of East Cobb.

But as the legislature continues a special reapportionment session, the latest proposed lines  in the Republican-dominated General Assembly aim to dilute Democratic political gains in Cobb County.

Georgia’s 14-member Congressional delegation currently has eight Republicans and six Democrats, and in recent elections Cobb has become a major metro Atlanta political battleground.

The latest map proposal would split East Cobb into the 6th and the 11th District, which currently is represented by Republican Barry Loudermilk.

On Thursday the Senate reapportionment committee approved the boundaries in a party-line vote, with the full Senate and House still to act on the measure.

Until McBath was first elected in 2018, the 6th had been in Republican hands for 40 years, and whose conservative representatives included former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, now-retired U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson and Tom Price.

Earlier drafts by GOP lawmakers took the strongly Democratic north and central DeKalb out of the 6th.

The version introduced this week would include Northeast Cobb, North Fulton, eastern Cherokee, much of Forsyth County, a slice of Gwinnett County and all of Dawson County.

Those are strong Republican areas, as is much of the 11th. Loudermilk, who hails from Cartersville, would retain all of his home Bartow County, most of Cherokee and Cobb County, including North Cobb, Marietta, some of Smyrna-Vinings and southeast Cobb.

Those areas currently in the 6th that would shift to the 11th are parts of East Cobb closest to the city of Marietta and that have been trending or leaning Democratic in recent elections.

You can find more details by clicking here; it’s an independent site called Dave’s Redistricting and shows precinct breakdowns and other data.

The only proposed district in Cobb that appears to be reliably Democratic is the 13th, currently represented by David Scott, and that would include Smyrna and South Cobb.

But the new map would take out parts of south and west Cobb that also have been strongly Democratic and have large numbers of minority voters.

Instead, the Republican map would place that area—in and around Powder Springs and Austell—into the 14th district.

It’s considered the most conservative district in Georgia, and includes most of the northwest parts of the state and Paulding County.

That district is represented by first-term Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, who’s become a national figure for her strong support for former President Donald Trump and making fiery speeches and public statements on a variety of issues.

Greene initially filed to run in 2020 in the 6th District, but switched when the 14th became an open seat. McBath unseated former U.S. Rep. Karen Handel in 2018 and defeated her in a rematch last year.

Several Republicans have announced their candidacies for the 6th District, but qualifying isn’t until March 2022.

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Cobb commissioners express support for national opioid settlement

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The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Thursday night passed a resolution expressing support for a national opioid settlement with several pharmaceutical companies that could result in $630 million coming to the state of Georgia.Cobb Sheriff's Office Drugs Board

Commissioners adopted the resolution (you can read it here) by a 4-1 vote that would authorize the county to settle litigation against McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc., AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc.

Voting against the resolution was Commissioner Keli Gambrill, who said that while lawsuits are ongoing, they’re doing nothing to stop opioids from “getting on the streets.”

She also expressed concerns that the county would be accepting settlement funds for programs that, when they run out, would need to be provided by the county.

“This is a very serious issue in our community today,” Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said, “and we are in a position to help our own citizens.

“We can sit and do nothing and think that helps, or we can do something and see how that helps. I would ask us to lean on the latter.”

That settlement includes a memorandum of understanding that would create a dedicated bank account for settlement proceeds. Cobb’s litigation is part of a $26 billion global opioid settlement deal.

A release issued by Cobb County government Friday said the amount of money the county could get is yet to be determined. Local governments in Georgia would get 25 percent of the funding, and the state government would get 75 percent, according to the county release.

Cobb County Attorney William Rowling said most of the funds the county would receive would be used for programs dealing with future impacts of the opioid crisis.

The county release cited Georgia Department of Public Health figures showing a 207 percent increase in opioid-related overdoses between 2010 and 2020.

Cobb has had some of the highest opioids-related deaths in Georgia in recent years, and in January 2023 the county will be the venue for one of several opioids trials. The litigation was filed in 2018 against pharmacy chain defendants that include CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid, Kroger and Publix.

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