East Cobb News Archives

COVID-19 vaccinations for veterans slated for VFW Post 2681

July 22, 2021July 22, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Information submitted by Cobb and Douglas Public Health regarding a free vaccination event Saturday for veterans at the VFW Post 2681 (140 Powers Ferry Road):

We are partnering with the Atlanta Veteran Affairs to offer COVID-19 vaccines to veterans, their families and caregivers on July 24 from 9:00 am until noon. For more information, please call 770-977-2088. http://ow.ly/TYyq50Fujho

VFW Post 2681 COVID-19 vaccinations

According to the Georgia DPH vaccine dashboard, there have been 727,952 vaccine doses administered in Cobb County, with 350,641 of them considered “fully vaccinated.”

That means individuals have had either both of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. That figure represents 47 percent of all eligible Cobb citizens (age 12 or older).

Another 388,170 people in Cobb, or 52 percent, have received the first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Motorist killed, 5 injured in I-75 crash between Delk/South Loop

July 21, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Cobb Police said a motorist was killed and five others were injured early Wednesday morning in a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 75, and that the driver of one of those vehicles is being sought.

Cobb Police Sgt. Wayne Delk said in a release that an unidentified adult male driver of one of the vehicles was pronounced dead at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.

Four occupants of another vehicle also were taken there with what Delk said were non-life-threatening injuries, and the driver of their car escaped on foot and remains at-large.

Cobb Police said the driver of the third vehicle, Juan Trejo, 56, of Cumming, is at Kennestone with non-life threatening injuries.

Police said that a green 2010 Chevrolet Express van was traveling northbound on I-75 between Delk Road and the South Marietta Loop around 5:21 a.m. when a tire went flat.

When the van attempted to change lanes to the right it was rear-ended by a white 2008 Ford F-150 truck, driven by Trejo. Both vehicles came to a stop in a center lane of the interstate as a result, and then a white 2006 Toyota Scion XB crashed into the rear of the truck, police said.

The Toyota came to a stop in the right lane, according to police, and the driver of that car was seriously injured and later died at the hospital.

Police said the driver of the Chevrolet left the scene on foot before the arrival of first responders, who attended to four injured male occupants of that vehicle, who were taken to the hospital.

Cobb Police said the investigation is continuing and that anyone with information is asked to call 770-499-3987.

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Fitz Johnson appointed to Georgia Public Service Commission

July 21, 2021July 21, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Former Cobb Commission candidate Fitz Johnson was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday to serve on the Georgia Public Service Commission. Fitz Johnson, Cobb Commission candidate

Johnson will replace PSC chairman Chuck Eaton, whom Kemp named to serve as a Superior Court judge in the Atlanta circuit.

Johnson, a Republican from Vinings, is a retired Army officer and business executive who was defeated in the November 2020 election by Democrat Jerica Richardson for the Cobb Board of Commissioners District 2, which includes some of East Cobb.

“Fitz Johnson’s remarkable record of service to our nation, experience as a private sector business leader, and dedication to his community uniquely qualify him to serve our state on the Public Service Commission,” Kemp said in a statement. “With his diverse background and real-world leadership credentials, I know Fitz will work hard every day to ensure Georgia remains the top state for business and the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”

In a statement issued on social media page, Johnson said “I am honored that Governor Brian Kemp has appointed me to the Public Service Commission. I look forward to serving our great State.”

Johnson is a trustee of the Wellstar Health System and the Kennesaw State University Foundation, serves on the State Charter Schools Commission and is active with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

The PSC is a five-member elected board that regulates utilities in the state of Georgia. They serve six-year terms, and Johnson’s appointment means that the current composition remains all-Republican.

He will serve the remainder of Eaton’s term, which expires in 2024.

East Cobb PTAs recognized at Georgia PTA convention

July 21, 2021July 21, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Several PTA organizations at East Cobb public schools were recently recognized at the Georgia PTA Convention Leadership Training and Awards banquet.

The PTAs include those at Lassiter High School, Hightower Trail Middle School, Kincaid ES, Sope Creek ES, Davis ES, Mountain View ES and Timber Ridge ES.

Individually, Lassiter principal Chris Richie was honored with the Outstanding Principal Award, and Molly Henson of the Kincaid PTA was presented with the Birney Butler Outstanding Educator Award.

Tammy Andress, the co-president of the East Cobb County Council of PTAs, announced the recognitions at the July 15 Cobb Board of Education meeting.

She encouraged school board members to “embrace and invite PTAs back into your schools” with a new academic year beginning, and as COVID-19 restrictions are easing.

You can learn more about the ECCC PTA by clicking here; the organization represents six clusters of schools at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

East Cobb PTAs recognized

Cobb schools release public health protocols for 2021-22

July 20, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Public health protocols released Tuesday by the Cobb County School District include a masks-optional policy for all activities and self-isolation requirements for anyone testing positive for COVID-19.

The protocols also state that any student or staff member who “is identified as a close contact will be required to quarantine” in accordance with Cobb and Douglas Public Health and Georgia Department of Public Health guidelines.

The last update for that by CDPH was in December, and that can be found here.

Georgia DPH guidelines about quarantine (read them here) were last revised in May.

(You can read through all the Cobb public health protocols by clicking here.)

Cobb superintendent Chris Ragsdale last week reiterated a masks-optional policy he announced in May, but it was unclear what the extent of that measure would be.

In the guidelines issued Tuesday, the Cobb school district said face coverings that were required for in-person learning for most of the last school year will be “optional for students and staff in school buildings, on school buses, and at extracurricular activities.”

At a Cobb Board of Education meeting last week, parents and students spoke on both sides of the mask issue.

Some other metro Atlanta school districts are continuing mask mandates from last year, but Cobb and Marietta schools are allowing for a choice.

The Cobb policy allows students and staff who wish to wear masks to continue to do so.

The new protocols come out less than two weeks before the start of a new school year.

The Cobb school district said that contract/tracing team members at schools will contact the parents/guardians of students who are identified as a close contact. Parents and guardians also will be contacted via e-mail “if a positive COVID-19 case is identified in their student’s classroom, school bus, or athletic team.”

The district said it will continue to provide weekly updates on COVID-19 cases in the district as it did during the 2020-21 school year.

The Cobb policies call for social distancing indoors “when appropriate and feasible” and will provide hand sanitizer in all classrooms, common areas and school buses.

High-touch surfaces will be cleaned daily and buses will be cleaned and disinfected after both morning and afternoon runs.

In a release, the Cobb school district acknowledged that “students, staff members, or parents may have additional health questions which are unique to you. As a student, please direct those questions to your school nurse. As a staff member, please direct those questions to your supervisor. As a parent, please direct those questions to your local school.”

More details: CCSD COVID-19 information page.

Checking Cobb COVID-19 vaccination data by census tracts

July 20, 2021July 20, 2021 by Wendy Parker

A new feature of the Georgia Department of Public Health COVID-19 vaccine dashboard includes figures according to census tract.

Other breakdowns include vaccination rates according to race and in age and racial groups.

Here’s the link to the census tract map, which is color-coded accordingly:

Dark purple: 3,931-10,351 people vaccinated;
Light purple: 3,072-3,930 people vaccinated;
Dark blue: 2,598-3,072 people vaccinated;
Light blue: 2,041-2,598 people vaccinated;
White: fewer than 2,041 people vaccinated.

You’ll have to then check the box of Cobb County (or any other county in the state, for that matter) to view specific census tract data.

There are eight census tracts in the East Cobb area that have some of the highest vaccination numbers in the county.

According to the Georgia DPH vaccine dashboard, there have been 727,952 vaccine doses administered in Cobb County, with 350,641 of them considered “fully vaccinated.”

Another 388,170 people in Cobb, or 52 percent, have received the first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Georgia DPH continues to update its COVID-19 Daily Status Report as the number of cases is spiking up slightly with the growth of the Delta variant.

In Cobb, the transmission rate of the virus (PCR test only) averaged 64 cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks. That’s still considered below the “high” spread threshold of 100 cases per 100,000, but that figure was in the 30s earlier in July.

Still, the 7-day moving average of COVID-19 cases in Cobb is under 100 according to date of onset figures, similar to levels before a surge of cases in the county and state last summer.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, said the combined (PCR-Antigen) transmission rate in Cobb is 111 cases per 100,000, and the test positivity rate has gone up to 3.5 percent.

She said the Delta variant appears to be 12 percent of specimens in Georgia.

“We are expecting a pretty big expansion of Delta in the new data to come, considering it has been doubling at least every 2 weeks and is the most dominant strain in the United States,” Memark said in a statement.”

“The vaccines continue to show protection against this variant. Almost all hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 continue to be unvaccinated people.”

Memark encouraged everyone ages 12 and older to get vaccinated who has not already done so.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, visit the Cobb and Douglas Public Health website.

Self-storage facility approved at former Park 12 Cobb site

July 20, 2021July 20, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Park 12 Cobb Cinema, closed East Cobb movie theater

The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved plans to convert the former Park 12 Cobb movie theater in Northeast Cobb into a self-storage facility.

Applications by Stein Investment Group to amend the uses for the general commercial zoning category and for a special land-use plan (required in unincorporated Cobb for self-storage facilities) were included in the commission’s consent agenda.

There was no one in opposition to the request at Tuesday’s meeting.

Several changes were made before passage by Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, including a stipulation that the operating hours would be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-6 p.m. on Sunday.

Stein has proposed to build 101,190 square feet of self-storage space on 5.81 acres 2925 Gordy Parkway and Shallowford Road. The former cinema building will be renovated, and a second one-story building with 33,785 square feet and a basement will be constructed next to it, according to the application.

The application also calls for a maximum of 10 parking spaces, one more than required.

Additional stipulations were filed last week by Garvis Sams, an attorney for Stein, that include regulations on what can be done during construction, including traffic access, as well as landscaping and architectural details.

The Park 12 Cobb theater closed last fall, more than three years after a community fight to keep it open as a movie theater.

Nearby residents opposed a rezoning case to turn the property into a Lidl grocery store. Some wanted to have movies nearby, and others were concerned about traffic, and the Cobb Board of Commissioners turned down the rezoning request in September 2017.

The cinema owner, Georgia Theatre Company, had expressed a desire at the time to sell the property.

Park 12 Cobb briefly reopened last fall after COVID-19 closures, but GTC made the decision to permanently shutter that cinema as well as others in its Georgia and the southeast region.

East Cobb Tokyo Valentino store ordered closed by judge

July 20, 2021July 19, 2021 by Wendy Parker

East Cobb Tokyo Valentino ordered closed

A Cobb Superior Court judge has issued an order enjoining the Tokyo Valentino adult retail store in East Cobb from doing business after ruling it was operating without proper licenses.

In an order issued late Friday, Judge LaTain Kell ordered Tokyo Valentino closed after determining that the store, located at 1290 Johnson Ferry Road, did not have a business license for 2021, nor did it have a special license required for sexually oriented businesses.

(You can read the full ruling by clicking here.)

The ruling also declared that Tokyo Valentino was improperly operating within 750 feet of a residential area and within 1,500 feet of a medical facility as well as operating in a zoning category not allowed for an adult business.

The ruling also said that Tokyo Valentino was staying open past its closing time of midnight. Sexually oriented businesses in Cobb must be closed between midnight and 6 a.m.

Kell’s ruling took effect at 11:59 p.m. Friday, and Tokyo Valentino was ordered to address all of those issues before the store would be allowed to reopen. East Cobb Tokyo Valentino ordered closed

The ruling, which came after a hearing in Kell’s chambers last Tuesday, does not permanently close the store.

The county’s efforts to formally revoke its business license remains pending in Cobb Superior Court.

When we went by the store around 2 p.m. Monday, the doors were locked. An Amazon Prime truck was attempting to make a delivery and eventually drove away.

Signs located on the doors said the closure was “temporary” and referred customers to nearby Tokyo Valentino locations in Marietta and Sandy Springs.

“The Cobb County Superior Court heard evidence and argument on the County’s request for an order prohibiting Tokyo Valentino from operating without a County business license, and from violating the County’s sexually oriented business licensing and location rules, while the County’s case against the business proceeds,” Cobb County Attorney William Rowling said in a statement Monday afternoon.

“The County will continue to defend and enforce its ordinances enacted for the health, safety, and welfare of Cobb County residents.”

East Cobb News has left a message with Cary Wiggins, an attorney for Tokyo Valentino, seeking comment.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners voted last fall to revoke the store’s business license, saying it misrepresented what kind of business would be going there when it received a business license in March 2020.

The county charged that Tokyo Valentino falsely applied for a clothing store, then featured an inventory mostly of sex toys after opening in June.

After the store opened, Cobb commissioners overhauled the county code governing adult businesses.

Those provisions include some of the violations cited by the county in its motion for an injunction, including the distance and zoning requirements.

Tokyo Valentino owner Michael Morrison, who has been in lengthy litigation over his adult businesses with several other metro Atlanta jurisdictions, also filed a federal lawsuit against Cobb earlier this year, but that was dismissed in May.

Ga. Secretary of State to speak to Rotary Club of East Cobb

July 19, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is the guest speaker at the Wednesday breakfast meeting of the Rotary Club of East Cobb. Georgia recount presidential race, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger

The meeting is from 7-8 a.m. at the Indian Hills Country Club (4001 Clubland Drive).

There’s limited in-person attendance but the event also can be seen online. Registration is required and you can sign up by clicking here.

Raffensperger is a Republican from Johns Creek who is in his first term, and he has announced he will be seeking re-election in 2022.

He has been in the national spotlight since the presidential election last year, when former President Donald Trump’s campaign made accusations of voter fraud in Georgia, which current President Joe Biden won by fewer than 12,000 votes.

Raffensperger ordered a manual recount before the Trump campaign requested an automated recounts, both of which confirmed Biden as the winner of Georgia’s 16 electoral votes.

In a piece for The Wall Street Journal on in December, Raffensperger wrote that Trump was using the “same playbook” as Stacey Abrams, a Democratic former legislator who lost to Brian Kemp in the 2018 Georgia governor’s race but never conceded.

Trump has vowed to work against Raffensperger’s re-election, and supports U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, who is seeking the GOP nomination for Secretary of State.

This past weekend, Abrams held a voting rights roundtable in Atlanta that included Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

On Monday morning, Raffensperger tweeted that Klobuchar, who ran for president in 2020, “has pushed the lie that Stacey Abrams’ election was stolen to support the elections takeover. She must be held accountable.”

Cobb Public Safety to hold fall Citizens Public Safety Academy

July 19, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Submitted information:

The Cobb County Department of Public Safety (DPS) will host its fall session of the Citizens Public Safety Academy (CPSA) starting Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at 6 p.m. The 13-week program provides an opportunity for Cobb County citizens to get an inside look into the many facets of public safety. Participants will learn how Police, Fire, Animal Services, and 911 departments are organized and the important role each one plays to ensure the safety of all the citizens of Cobb County.

In order to participate, interested citizens need to be at least 21 years of age and either live in Cobb County, work for Cobb County Government, or work for Cobb County Schools.

The start date is Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at 6 p.m. at the Cobb County Public Safety Police Academy located at 2435 East West Connector, Austell Ga, 30106.

All applicants must fill out an application and undergo a background check. The application can be emailed or picked up in person at the Police Academy (2435 East West Connector). Applicants can email Sergeant Verola at [email protected] to receive an emailed copy of the application. However, the completed application will need to be taken to the Cobb County Internal Affairs Department located at 545 South Fairground Street, Marietta, Ga, 30060. Applicants will need to bring their driver’s license. The deadline to register is September 1, 2021 at 3 p.m.

The first night of the CPSA will meet at the Cobb County Public Safety Police Academy at 6 p.m. Participants will meet the training staff, receive a brief presentation, and tour the Academy grounds. All subsequent classes will be conducted every Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. at other various Cobb County Public Safety locations. Graduation will be on the 13^th week of the course.

A few of the planned activities include:

Meeting with distinguished member of the Public Safety Department.

Touring the 911 Communications Center and the Animal Services facility.

Receiving demonstrations from DPS Police Training on firearms safety and defensive tactics.

Participating in classes from the Fire Department Special Operations (Hazardous Materials, Heavy Rescue Squad, etc).

The complete schedule will be provided on the first night along with additional information.

If you have any questions about the Cobb County Citizens Public Safety Academy, please contact the Police Academy at 770-499-4100.

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In the Layne Sports holding Back 2 School Bags ‘N Swag event

July 19, 2021July 19, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Former Wheeler High School basketball star D.A. Layne and his In The Layne Sports is holding the 3rd annual Back 2 School Bags ‘N Swag Giveaway right before the start of the school year.

The date is Saturday, July 31, from 2-6 p.m. at Terrell Mill Park (480 Terrell Mill Road), and there will be free food, prizes, games, music and other events.

Admission is also free, and all children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

More information is included in the flyer below, and the link to register can be found by clicking here.

Back 2 School Bags 'N Swag

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Proposed Cobb FY 2022 budget includes no millage rate increase

July 17, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Cobb FY 22 budget

The Cobb Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Tuesday for the proposed fiscal year 2022 budget that was presented this week.

The Cobb Finance Office is proposing a general-fund spending package of $496.6 million, an increase of nearly 5 percent from the adopted fiscal year 2021 budget of $473.8 million.

The overall FY ’22 budget that includes fire and 911 services, debt service, and other tax categories comes to $767.4 million.

In his budget presentation Tuesday (you can watch it here), Cobb finance director Bill Volckmann said no general-fund millage rate increase is anticipated (here’s the presentation for that).

The current millage rate for the general fund is 8.46 mills, but because of 5.5 percent growth in the Cobb tax digest, the county has had to advertise and hold hearings for a tax increase.

That’s required by state law when there isn’t a corresponding millage rate rollback.

Volckmann told commissioners on Tuesday that the estimated taxable tax digest for 2021 is $1.8 billion, an increase from $34 million in 2020.

The budget includes the continuation of STEP increases for Cobb public safety personnel (police, fire, 911, Sheriff’s Office) and a 3 percent merit raise for other employees.

Four new full-time positions are being recommended, including a diversity, equity and inclusion officer who will report to the County Manager and three others in elections.

More budget documents and information can be found here.

Tuesday’s hearings for the budget and millage rate will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the second floor board room of the Cobb government building, 100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta.

That’s also the venue for budget and millage adoption on July 27 at 7 p.m.

The meetings are live-streamed on the county’s website, cable TV channel (Channel 24 on Comcast) and Youtube page. Visit cobbcounty.org/CobbTV to find your favorite streaming outlet.

The FY 22 budget takes effect Oct. 1.

KSU student launches campaign for Cobb school board Post 4

July 17, 2021July 17, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Austin Heller, Cobb school board candidate

Austin Heller, a rising senior at Kennesaw State University, announced this week he’s running for a seat on the Cobb Board of Education in 2022.

Heller, a political science major who is 20 years old, is running as a Democrat for the Post 4 seat held by Republican incumbent David Chastain.

That post includes the Kell and Sprayberry clusters and also covers the KSU campus area. Heller is a graduate of the Hardaway School in Columbus, and initially majored in elementary education at KSU. He also is a senior resident assistant for housing and as a member of the school’s Civic Engagement team he encourages students “on their right to vote and community engagement opportunities.”

Heller, who made his announcement after the Cobb school board meeting Thursday, said he’s running because “I see a desperate need for our county and our Board to lead with empathy and pass equitable policies that uplift all our students.”

He referenced his youth as a “military brat” for being exposed to different cultures and said “I believe our community deserves to be fully represented as we are all important to creating a Cobb that we are proud of.”

He said he is running on a platform of “empathy, equity, and advocacy,” and mentioned the three Democrats on the board—Jaha Howard, Charisse Davis and Tre’ Hutchins—for doing “amazing” work for Cobb school students.

” I would be honored and humbled to join them on the Board fighting for Cobb families,” Heller said.

Heller said he opposes the Cobb school board’s recent vote to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory in the Cobb County School District. That was a 4-3 vote on party lines, with Chastain voting in favor and the three Democrats against.

“Honest and comprehensive history is crucial to understanding where we are today,” Heller said in his campaign announcement. “I believe in our trained educators to have hard conversations with our students in safe spaces inside the classroom. I also know and understand how important it is to see yourself represented in and out of the classroom. Every student in our county matters and I am ready to help them be the most successful and healthy individuals they can be.”

Heller doesn’t have a campaign website for now but his e-mail address is: [email protected]. He also is on Instagram and Twitter.

Chastain, a systems engineer at Lockheed-Martin, has indicated he will be seeking a third term. In his most recent filings with Cobb Elections in May, he filed a personal financial disclosure report.

He won re-election in 2018 over Democrat Cynthia Parr with 53 percent of the vote.

Another East Cobb seat on the school board, held by Davis in Post 6, also will be up in 2022. That includes the Walton and Wheeler clusters.

Post 2 in the Smyrna area also will be on the ballot next year. Howard, like Davis, will be completing his first term.

Before those elections, however, all seven posts on the Cobb school board will be redrawn by the county legislative delegation in reapporionment.

Lassiter High School Class of 1996 to hold 25th reunion

July 17, 2021July 17, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Lassiter 25th reunion

Stephanie Smith, of the publicity committee for the Lassiter High School Class of 1996, sends along word of a 25th reunion that’s being planned for Aug. 28 at Scofflaw Brewing (1738 MacArthur Blvd NW, Atlanta):

Join us to celebrate, reconnect, and catch up with your classmates from the LHS class of 1996.

The event will be held at Scofflaw Brewery and will be catered by DAS BBQ (www.dasbbq.com). Please note that vegetarian options will be included.

Food and two drink vouchers will be included per ticket. Please note that Scofflaw will be offering several drink options that are both nonalcoholic and not beer.

More information (including menu items) and ticket purchases—the cost is $35 per person—can be found by clicking here.

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East Cobb Food Scores: China Doll; McCray’s Tavern; more

July 16, 2021 by Wendy Parker

East Cobb food scores China Doll

The following East Cobb food scores for the week of July 12 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

China Doll Restaurant
1230 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 4-5
July 13, 2021 Score: 99, Grade: A

Dogwood Catering of Marietta
4961 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 125
July 16, 2021 Score: 92, Grade: A

McCray’s Tavern
4880 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 850
July 12, 2021 Score: 99, Grade: A

Starbucks Coffee
1453 Terrell Mill Road, Suite 200
July 14, 2021 Score: 100, Grade: A

Tandoor Restaurant
279 Powers Ferry Road, Suite F
July 14, 2021 Score: 95, Grade: A

Cobb school board calls for SPLOST referendum; OK’s Walton Robotics Lab

July 16, 2021July 16, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Charisse Davis, Cobb Board of Edcucation — *Cobb school board member Charisse Davis*

The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday voted to call for a November special election to extend the Cobb Ed-SPLOST sales tax and approved spending $307,000 to bring the Walton Robotics Lab back to campus.

On a 6-1 vote, the school board adopted a resolution calling for the SPLOST referendum, which if approved by voters would collect a one-percent sales tax from 2024-29, an estimated $894 million.

The funds would be used for facility construction and maintenance, similar to the Cobb government SPLOST.

Among the major projects of SPLOST VI would be a rebuild of the main Sprayberry High School classroom building and new annexes at Kincaid, Mt. Bethel, Murdock, Sope Creek and Tritt elementary schools in East Cobb.

The board did vote to remove another major project on that list, a special events center for the school district designed for graduations and proms.

For the last two years the Cobb school district has held graduations at McEachern High School due to COVID-19 restrictions. Most graduations in recent years have taken place at the Kennesaw State University Convocation Center, but that facility was not available for the last two years.

During a work session Thursday afternoon, board members Charisse Davis of Post 6 (Walton, Wheeler clusters) and Jaha Howard of Post 2 (Campbell, Osborne), pointed out that district officials have said there are at least $2 billion in facilities and maintenance needs, and a new SPLOST would fund less than half of that amount.

Marc Smith, the district’s chief technology and operations officer, said in response to a question from Howard that the estimated cost for a special events center would be $40 million.

Howard said of the special events center that “I love it, but not now” and urged his colleagues “to do the fiscally conservative thing.”

He said the district has numerous schools that are in disrepair, and that there are more important facilities priorities.

Board chairman Randy Scamihorn countered by asking “if not now, when?” regarding the issue of whether the Cobb school district would “ever control our own destiny.”

He voted for the resolution (David Banks of East Cobb’s Post 4 was the only vote against). The board voted 7-0 for a contract to have the referendum included in the November elections, which in Cobb this year are in municipalities.

The cost for the SPLOST special election is to be determined and will be acted upon later.

The board was unanimous in a 7-0 vote to spend $307,000 to create space at Walton High School for a robotics lab. That lab has been located in recent years at East Cobb Middle School after the Walton campus underwent a rebuild.

Several robotics parents spoke to the board at the start of Thursday night’s board meeting to request approval of the project, which will take place during the renovation of practice gymnasium space at Walton.

Georgia Symphony Orchestra to return for 2021-22 season

July 16, 2021July 16, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Submitted information and photo:

The Georgia Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to announce its 71st concert season with a return to the stage beginning late September 2021.

The GSO’s Classics series, led by Music Director and Conductor Timothy Verville, features three artistically captivating and musically challenging classical performances at either the Marietta Performing Arts Center or the Bailey Center for the Performing Arts at Kennesaw State University. In an effort to continue its focus on diversity and inclusivity in classical music, the series features the works of two American women composers and two women soloists.

On Sept. 25, 2021, the orchestra will kick off the season with Mahler, smahler, a reduced orchestration of Gustav Mahler’s Fourth Symphony. This work often is referred to as Mahler’s most “chamber-like,” due to the intricacies and interplay between instrumental sections. Soprano and Marietta native Maria Valdes, who has received acclaim on the stage from San Francisco to Chicago and New York, is the featured soloist.

The GSO’s performance of Beethoven at the Beach, scheduled for Feb 26, 2022, features Amy Beach’s Symphony No. 2, the first symphony written and published by an American woman composer, and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major. The award-winning violinist, Minami Yoshida, joins the GSO for her American debut. Yoshida was a major prize winner at the Montreal and Sibelius competitions and has performed with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and others.

The Classics series concludes on May 21, 2022, with a concert entitled The Firebird and Music of Remembrance. The performance includes American composer Jennifer Higdon’s Blue Cathedral, one of her most performed works, and Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite (1919), which is a collection of music from the ballet of the same name. This concert also will feature the GSO’s phenomenal 90-voice GSO Chorus.

In addition to the Classics series, the GSO’s season also includes its Holiday Pops, Sensory Friendly and GSO Jazz! concerts.

Two shows of the GSO’s beloved Holiday Pops concert will be held at the Marietta Performing Arts Center on Dec. 4, 2021. In addition to a traditional sing-along and great holiday favorites, the concert also will feature the winner of its Virtual to Center Stage competition, opera vocalist Lainie Ewers. And a special guest each year is a man in a distinctive red suit— a favorite for all ages whom you are sure to recognize.

GSO Jazz!, led by Music Director Sam Skelton, once again welcomes fans of this uniquely American music genre to the historic Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre on Feb. 12 and April 2, 2022, to enjoy jazz small ensemble and classic Big Band repertoire.

And once again, the GSO will hold its annual Sensory Friendly performance on March 12, 2022, at the Marietta Performing Arts Center. Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and designed specifically for individuals with sensory sensitivities and their families, the concert features a range of enjoyable musical selections. Audience members are free to be themselves; change seats, move about the auditorium, sing, vocalize, even yell out “BRAVO!” after their newly discovered classical favorites.

To ensure the health and safety of its patrons, musicians and staff, the GSO will follow all recommended CDC COVID-19 protocols at its partner venues.

GSO season subscription renewals will begin on July 21, 2021, followed by general admission season subscriptions Aug. 1 and individual concert ticket sales on Aug. 16.

For more information on season subscription packages or individual concert tickets, visit georgiasymphony.org/all-events.

Mt. Bethel UMC blasts ‘false declaration’ to seize assets

July 15, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Support Mt. Bethel button — *Mt. Bethel leaders are asking members to update their social media accounts to show their support for the church.*

The leadership of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church has provided a lengthy update to members about the decision by the Bishop of the North Georgia Conference to seize the East Cobb church’s property and assets.

In an FAQ format posted on the church website, Mt. Bethel claimed that Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson made a “false declaration” in declaring that “exigent circumstances” were present in order for her to seek an asset seizure, and for the conference’s board of trustees to take over church operations.

The decision was announced late Monday, and Mt. Bethel issued a heated response via a press release.

In the FAQ posted Wednesday, Mt. Bethel said that declaration “has been refuted in complaints that are presently under review by a higher authority,” a reference to the Southeast Jurisdiction College of Bishops of the United Methodist Church.

“As such, her actions are in disobedience to the order and discipline of the UMC,” read the Mt. Bethel update.

It continued that there are three complaints before the College of Bishops, and that Mt. Bethel has been seeking a “civil mediation process” that Haupert-Johnson has ignored.

In her announcement Monday, Haupert-Johnson said while the asset seizure and management takeover are immediate, Mt. Bethel has 10 days to make the transition.

In its update Wednesday, Mt. Bethel said that if the bishop “chooses to take legal action, we are prepared to defend our rights through the Georgia courts.”

The statement concluded:

“Mt. Bethel’s leadership remains undeterred in their trust of the Lord’s providence and protection, and faith in the protocols and processes of due process afforded the Church by the UMC Book of Discipline, and are grateful for the prayerful support of members, local ministry partners and community faith leaders,” read the statement.

East Cobb News has left messages with North Georgia Conference and Mt. Bethel leaders to get more information about some of these issues and others.

But neither side has responded to requests for interviews or information. Both continue to issue competing, strongly-worded statements, through the media and, in the case of Mt. Bethel’s Wednesday statement, directly to its membership.

Cobb schools to update quarantine, COVID-19 protocols

July 15, 2021July 15, 2021 by Wendy Parker

Cobb schools mask guidance

Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale said Thursday the Cobb County School District will unveil updated protocols related to COVID-19, including revised quarantine guidelines, next week.

He wasn’t specific about those measures except to reiterate that the district will have a masks-optional policy for students, teachers and staff.

“Our intent is going to be to back normal as much as possible,” he said during a Cobb Board of Education work session.

“But it’s not going to be back to normal.”

He cited continuing virtual learning options for students whose parents do not wish for them to attend in person “as we look forward to a more traditional school year.”

Ragsdale said the updated protocols will go out via e-mail, social media and other regular district communications channels by the middle of next week at the latest.

The Cobb 2021-22 school year begins Aug. 2, one of the earliest returns for a school district in metro Atlanta.

Ragsdale said Cobb wants to work in tandem with other school districts about the measures.

Some nearby districts are continuing mask mandates that they used all of the last school year, including Atlanta, Clayton Decatur and DeKalb, regardless of vaccination status. Fulton and Gwinnett have announced masks-optional policies.

Cobb had a mask mandate for most of the 2020-21 school year, dropping the requirement for “fully vaccinated” individuals in the final weeks.

That was also as Ragsdale announced that masks would be optional starting with the summer session.

Students and staff who wish to wear masks on campuses will be allowed to do so.

The Cobb school district was briefly sued by parents opposed to the mask mandate but they dropped that suit when the masks-optional policy was announced.

The Avenue East Cobb to be managed by Avalon developer

July 15, 2021July 15, 2021 by Wendy Parker

The Avenue East Cobb summer events

The owners of the retail center The Avenue East Cobb have entered into a joint venture partnership with North American Properties, a commercial real estate company that owns the Avalon development in Alpharetta.

The partnership with present owners PGIM will “reposition the open-air retail community,” according to a statement issued Thursday.

According to a release, NAP plans to add upscale dining, create a central lawn, provide a concierge service for guests and conduct more events at the 230,000-square foot shopping center on Roswell Road.

NAP officials said in their announcement Wednesday that plans for The Avenue East Cobb center around creating a “downtown” atmosphere that the area has lacked.

A statement from Adam Schwegman, an NAP partner and senior vice president in Atlanta, said that “our plan is to create a socially magnetic place that pulls people together to hang out and connect with community. Utilizing best practices from our other projects, we’re excited to elevate this already great shopping and dining destination into a modern gathering place.”

The Avenue has held regular events for a number of years, including Santa rides during the Christmas holiday shopping season, outdoor movie screenings and car shows.

The restaurant additions at The Avenue will be “chef-driven” featuring patio space; the NAP announcement did not specify its plans for events and entertainment.

NAP will oversee leasing and management of the property, but a sale did not take place. A timeline for the renovations was not announced.

In the release, NAP managing partner Tim Perry said that “lifestyle centers like The Avenue East Cobb were designed to fill gaps in the market—the retail deserts between regional malls—by providing outdoor shopping for the community.

“As these communities have matured around them, they became the center of the community and while The Avenue East Cobb has remained a high-performing asset over the years, NAP sees an opportunity to elevate the destination into a true third place with a modern mix of retailers and restaurants.”

NAP is a Cincinnati-based retail developer with offices in Atlanta, and is currently overseeing a lengthy renovation to Colony Square in Midtown Atlanta. NAP also overhauled Atlantic Station, also in Midtown Atlanta, before selling it off.

Last year Chain Store Age named The Avenue East Cobb one of its “Top 10 Comeback Centers” after weathering closures due to COVID-19.

Created by Atlanta real estate developer Tom Cousins, The Avenue opened in 1999 on nearly 30 acres of land that once housed a golf driving range.

It was among the early models of an outdoor, pedestrian-friendly mall created as an alternative to enclosed suburban shopping centers, and attracted a mix of national retailers and locally-owned shops.

Currently The Avenue features Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Eddue Bauer; Gap, High Country Outfitters, Lululemon, Michael’s, Pottery Barn, Talbot’s and Williams-Sonoma.

Established local businesses include Olea Oliva, Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar, Stockyard Burgers, Ansley Atlanta Real Estate and K Squared Artisan Boutique.

NAP puts on more than 200 events annually at Avalon, according to Chain Store Age.

Avalon is a much bigger development than The Avenue East Cobb, with more than 2.3 million square feet of space on more than 80 acres. That includes office and luxury apartment space in addition to nearly 600,000 square feet of retail space.

PGIM purchased The Avenue in 2006 for more than $94 million, according to Cobb Tax Assessor’s records. A PGIM subsidiary, Poag Shopping Centers, still manages The Avenue West Cobb.

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