Since there’s been a bit of a bump in COVID-19 cases in Georgia, we’re taking a second look this week at how that breaks down in Cobb County and East Cobb in particular.
On Monday, we posted with an update showing 608 positive tests (cumulative) in the five ZIP codes in East Cobb.
As of Friday afternoon, that number had grown to 650, according to figures posted by Cobb and Douglas Public Health.
Here’s a link to a hover map (screenshot above) that tracks the number of cases by each ZIP Code and contains related data.
The biggest jump in East Cobb took place in 30067, which had 174 cases at the start of the week, and now has a reported 192 cases. The biggest number in the county remains 30060, which has 430 positive cases, followed by 30127 (337) and 30008 (309).
The figures below show the number of cases in East Cobb, with Friday’s figures next to the ZIP Code, and Monday’s totals in parenthesis:
30067: 192 (174)
30062: 180 (172)
30066: 150 (140)
30068: 113 (109)
30075: 15 (13)
The totals are compiled by the Georgia Department of Public Health, State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SENDSS) but do not include the number of deaths by ZIP Code.
Across Cobb County there have been 3,522 confirmed cases of COVID-19 overall, 215 total deaths and 752 hospitalizations.
Those are among the highest figures in the state for any county, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health, which updates figures daily at 3 p.m.
The rate of testing also has gone up significantly in Georgia, with 586,426 viral tests (to determine whether someone’s infected) and 110,825 antibody tests.
Georgia DPH had been combining them but now lists them separately.
The number of positive viral tests now stands at 50,251 for an infection rate of 8.6 percent. A total of 2,418 Georgians have died due to COVID-19. In Cobb County, the test positivity rate is 5.26 percent.
The state data also breaks down cases and deaths by race, sex and ethnicity.
For more data from Cobb and Douglas Public Health, click here.
Cobb government has a COVID-19 dashboard using data from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
While all results from Tuesday’s primary elections remain unofficial—and a few, like the District 2 Cobb Board of Commissioners Republican race—are still too close to call—we’re serving up here a breakdown how voters in the county, and in particular East Cobb, voted the way they did in a variety of local, state and federal elections.
Absentee ballot-counting is going on this weekend, and a controversy that’s sure to linger into the November general election centers on who’s to blame for the problems many voters had on Tuesday.
If you want to look through Cobb-specific results on one link, click here. Otherwise, what follows are the latest vote tallies, as of late Saturday morning, listing the top finishers in selected contested primaries.
Keep in mind that results won’t be certified until next Friday, and that runoffs will take place on Aug. 11 in races in which the leading vote-getter did not receive 50 percent plus one vote in the primary.
You can track updates in real-time by clicking the link for each race that includes precinct-by-precinct totals:
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Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce had some harsh words this week for the Georgia Secretary of State and strongly defended the county’s elections chief as absentee ballot counting from Tuesday’s primary elections continues into the weekend.
In his weekly newsletter issued Friday, Boyce modified comments he made earlier this week that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger should resign over his handling of the elections, a subject that’s drawn national attention.
Voting issues included new machines that didn’t work properly in some precincts, including several in Cobb County, and that caused long voter lines that lasted for hours in certain areas, especially in Fulton and DeKalb counties.
He’s a Republican, as is Boyce, who won 67 percent of the in-person vote during Tuesday’s GOP primary. In November, Boyce will face Democratic commissioner Lisa Cupid.
“I have since sent the Secretary of State an email stating if he would own up to his office’s responsibility for the problems, and work toward a solution to prevent them from happening again, I would reassess my position,” Boyce said in his newsletter.
He especially defended the Cobb Board of Elections and Registration and director Janine Eveler. Shifting blame to her and her staff, Boyce, said, “is not warranted. They have all been true public servants and are continuing to do so. This endorsement comes from watching all that they have been doing over many months to prepare for this election. We should be optimistic that a record number of people voted in this primary and did so by absentee balloting. Every one of these absentee ballots has to be validated and scanned. It takes time.”
Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt said by midday Friday 73,000 absentee ballots had been counted, and another 33,000 to 36,000 are still left to be counted. On Thursday, the uncounted number was more than 61,000.
The record absentee ballots were the result of COVID-19, and Cavitt estimates that 109,000 absentee ballots will be counted—which represents around a fifth of the 518,000 registered voters in Cobb County. He also said 1,250 provisional ballots also are being counted.
Among the local races hanging in the balance of absentee voting is the Republican primary for District 2 on the Cobb Board of Commissioners, which includes some of East Cobb. Fitz Johnson leads with 35.7 percent of the vote, followed by Andy Smith with 32.5 percent and Kevin Nicholas with with 31 percent.
All three candidates are separated by less than 500 votes. An Aug. 11 runoff awaits for the top two finishers, but primary results won’t be certified until next Friday.
Boyce said it wasn’t a surprise that given all the circumstances there would be election-day problems. “But I have learned that once you have to defend a position to the public you generally have lost the argument. So we are going to own up to the problems and fix them.”
Boyce added that November’s elections—which include two U.S. Senate races in Georgia as well as a presidential contest—will attract even more voters “and we can expect similar circumstances.
“As much as I believe the current system is broken, I don’t see it being replaced or repaired in a significant way before November,” he said in his newsletter, which is distributed to Cobb citizens. “What I can assure you is that the elections team is taking the necessary measures to ensure that your vote is protected and counted.”
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Two of the three black members of the Cobb Board of Education have sent a letter to Superintendent Chris Ragsdale asking for several “action items” to address racial and diversity issues within the Cobb County School District.
Charisse Davis of Post 6, who represents the Walton and Wheeler clusters, and Jaha Howard of Post 2 (Osborne and Campbell) dated the letter on Friday.
On her Facebook page, Davis said Friday afternoon that the other five board members were asked to sign the letter before it was sent to Ragsdale, but “there was no response.”
That includes the other black board member, David Morgan, who is one of three Democrats on the board with Davis and Howard.
The letter (you can read it here) states that “we acknowledge that racial discrimination permeates our courts, housing, employment, healthcare and yes—our schools” and requests the district “commit to the practice of anti-racism” by adopting the following measures, and this is verbatim from the letter:
Provide consistent cultural relevancy and bias training for all employees
Seek nontraditional solutions for increasing teacher diversity in all schools
Examine the discrepancies in disciplinary outcomes by race
Reevaluate the requirements of standardized test scores as criteria for program admittance
Formally speak out against state level policies (such as voucher bills) that redirect public school funding and contribute to inequities.
Davis noted on her Facebook page that “we are weeks into a national conversation on systemic racism in this country and neither the board as a whole nor district leadership has made a statement.”
In response to a message from East Cobb News seeking comment, a district spokeswoman said late Friday afternoon that board member Randy Scamihorn—one of the board’s four Republicans—has requested a resolution condemning racism be included on the board’s agenda for its June 25 meeting.
Davis and Howard have been pressing the district and other board members on diversity issues for several months, including asking for the designation of a chief equity officer.
Some of those comments centered around racial issues that Howard was addressing at the local, state and federal level, and not just related to Cobb schools.
In late May, Davis and Howard held an anti-racism rally in Smyrna in the wake of the recent killings of black citizens George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery by police in Minneapolis, Louisville, and Brunswick, Ga., respectively.
Their names were included in the letter to Ragsdale, their deaths, Davis and Howard wrote, being “symptoms of this much larger issue.”
Earlier this week the Cobb Board of Commissioners passed an anti-racism resolution, but not after clashing during a work session and behind the scenes over revisions. The cities of Smyrna, Marietta and Acworth also have passed anti-racism resolutions in the last two weeks.
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Another gradual lifting of restrictions due to COVID-19 was announced by Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday, including removal of a general shelter-in-place order for Georgia citizens aged 65 and older that had been in place since March.
The order, which begins on Tuesday, June 16, and continues through June 30, also relaxes restrictions on a wide variety of public gatherings, including sports competitions, summer camps, live performances, conventions and restaurants and bars.
Gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed with social distancing requirements.
Starting on Tuesday, there won’t be a party maximum for the number of people who can sit together, nor will there be a limit on the number of patrons allowed per square foot.
Workers at restaurants, bars, banquet facilities and other private event facilities won’t have to wear face masks unless they’re interacting with patrons.
Bars will be allowed to have 50 people, or 35 percent of the total listed fire capacity, whichever number is greater.
Cafeteria-style service at salad bars and buffets is allowed if the restaurant provides hand sanitizer and sneeze guard, practices social distancing and replaces self-service utensils.
Also starting Tuesday, indoor movie theaters and cinemas won’t have to limit the number of people seated together in a party.
Walk-in customers will be allowed at body art studios, barber shops, hair salons, massage therapy establishments and tanning facilities.
The order also requires professional sports teams and organizations to follow the rules and guidelines set by their respective leagues. High school and collegiate teams and organizations must follow rules and guidelines set by their conferences or associations. Amateur sports teams and organizations must follow criteria for non-critical infrastructure entities in the order.
Those attending or working overnight summer camps must prove they have received a negative COVID-19 test within 12 days—an increase from seven days—prior to the starting date of a camp.
Two other major areas of restrictions to be eased will be effective July 1.
Conventions, trade shows, exhibitions and business retreats (100 people or more) will be allowed if they meet 21 specific requirements and get a special permit.
That does not pertain to regular religious services, business meetings or sporting events.
Also on July 1, live performance venues may reopen if they meet specific criteria based on three tiers of activities.
A shelter-in-place order still applies to the following:
Those persons who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility, including inpatient hospice, assisted living communities, personal care homes, intermediate care homes, community living arrangements, and community integration homes
Those persons who have chronic lung disease
Those persons who have moderate to severe asthma
Those persons who have severe heart disease
Those persons who are immunocompromised
Those persons, of any age, with class III or severe obesity
Those persons diagnosed with the following underlying medical conditions: diabetes, liver disease, and persons with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis.
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Eli Lubell at a previous Black Lives Matter rally in East Cobb.
Eli Lubell has been attending a number of demonstrations, rallies and protests for the Black Lives Matter movement over the last couple of weeks.
On Friday, he’s hopeful a teen-organized protest he’s leading will be the biggest yet seen in East Cobb.
It starts at 1 p.m. at the corners of Roswell Road and Johnson Ferry Road, the site of ongoing rallies for the same purpose.
“I just wanted to create a sense of urgency and community,” said Eli, who’s 16 and attends Pope High School.
While similar rallies have drawn a few dozen people, his goal is to have a hundred or more people of all ages attend.
“It’s about visibility, about getting people in a conservative area to be more active and vocal,” Eli says.
Like many whites, Eli was prompted to action after seeing a video of a while Minneapolis police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, who was handcuffed on the ground and who later died.
That set off protests by Black Lives Matter and other groups around the country, as well as violence attributed largely to other elements.
“People in East Cobb aren’t always outspoken about their beliefs,” he says. “When something doesn’t affect them, they don’t think it’s their problem.”
But Eli said he learned that attending other rallies, especially in Decatur and Woodruff Park in Atlanta, how sheltered he had been from the realities faced by those in other racial and ethnic groups.
“Being a bystander is part of the problem,” he said, “but that’s starting to change.
“I don’t think I was aware. I hadn’t taken the time to educate myself.”
Eli drew some parallels to the Me Too movement, which struck a chord across the larger American society in the wake of sexual assaults and harassment by high-profile men.
He said he’s been hearing from other teens and promoting the rally via Instagram and other social media channels, but anyone of any age group is invited to attend.
Friday’s protest is expected to last two or three hours, he said, and a rally for Black Lives Matter is slated for 5-7 p.m. at the same Roswell-Johnson Ferry intersection that’s had daily protests.
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Cobb County government sent out word at 3 p.m. Thursday that the number of absentee ballots has exceeded 105,000, with more than 61,000 still to be counted, and the process may not be complete until the weekend:
The number of absentee ballots that were mailed or turned in for the June 9th primary in Cobb is now up to more than 105,000. There are a few more still being checked in that were dropped off by the 7 pm Tuesday deadline. We expect elections teams will be working into the weekend to get these ballots processed and scanned in so they can be added to the results. As of mid-afternoon, there were in excess of 61,500 absentee ballots that had yet to be included in the results.
Cobb Elections has expanded the locations where they are counting absentee ballots. A record (by far) number of voters used absentee voting in the June 9th primary, with well in excess of 90,000 ballots to count. The majority of those remain to be counted, and the results (found at https://bit.ly/2AkK9YY) will continue to be updated throughout the day. Stay tuned for updates on the counting. Workers are currently counting ballots at:
1) Main Elections Office, 736 Whitlock Ave., Marietta
Absentee Voting Room – Viewing from outside through the windows
Elections Reception Lobby – Enter Main entrance, viewing from the hallway through suite door/window
Upstairs Training Room – Enter Main entrance, follow signs, viewing area inside room
2) Jim Miller Park Event Center, 2245 Callaway Rd SW, Marietta, GA 30008
Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt issued an alert at 6 p.m. Thursday that the Cobb Board of Elections and Elections is delaying the certification process. The board was to have met next Wednesday to certify results, but that meeting will now take place on Friday, June 17, start time TBA.
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Cobb Elections said Wednesday afternoon that an estimated 90,000 absentee ballots are still being counted, leaving a number of close races in East Cobb and around the county still in question.
County spokesman Ross Cavitt said all results for the moment (available by clicking here) reflect in-person early voting and Tuesday’s primary voting figures at precincts.
Here’s what else he said:
“But the majority of the absentee ballots either mailed in or dropped off remain to be tallied. Work on sending in results from 70,000+ of those absentee ballots is ongoing and could continue through Friday.”
So it may not be until later in the week that we know who will be in the Republican runoff for District 2 of the Cobb Board of Commissioners. For the moment, Fitz Johnson leads a three-man field with 36 percent of the vote, while Andy Smith has 32 percent and Kevin Nicholas 31 percent.
A total of 583 votes separates them, and all that is certain is that the top two finishers will meet in a runoff in August.
An early check of the 39 precincts shows that Johnson, a retired Army officer and business owner, won seven precincts in East Cobb, while winning all but one in his home base of Cumberland-Vinings (marked in blue).
Smith and Nicholas, both from East Cobb, won precincts marked in light green and dark green, respectively. Click here to hover over precinct totals.
Another close race in East Cobb awaiting absentee ballot totals is the Democratic primary in State House 46.
Caroline Holko was leading Shirley Ritchie by 278 votes in a district that includes 12 precincts in Northeast Cobb and four in Cherokee County. As of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, only 50 percent of those precincts have reported, with absentee ballots also to be counted.
That is the only contested legislative race in East Cobb.
As we noted late last night, Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce and incumbent Cobb school board member David Banks were leading their GOP primaries without the need for a runoff.
So was Julia Hurtado, a Democrat in a two-way race for Post 5 and who had 58 percent of the vote.
Earlier today it looked as though Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jon Ossoff may not win that primary without a runoff, as he hovered around 48 percent of the vote.
With 81 percent of the in-person vote counted, Ossoff had 49 percent of the vote late Wednesday afternoon, but absentee ballots statewide have not all been counted.
The Democratic primary for Cobb Sheriff also appears headed for a runoff, with Craig Owens collecting 47 percent over Greg Gilstrap (30 percent) and East Cobb resident Jimmy Herndon (25 percent).
In other Cobb elections of note, Reuben Green, Chief Judge of the Cobb Superior Court, appears to have lost his re-election bid to attorney Angela Brown, who led 55-44 percent.
A runoff for an open seat on the Superior Court bench is shaping up between Jason Marbutt and Greg Shenton, while Cobb Magistrate Judge Kellie Hill was leading in a race for another open seat with 61 percent of the vote against Daniele Johnson.
A State Court judge runoff will take place in August between Trina Griffiths and Diana Simmons, also for an open seat.
All Cobb elections results will be updated at this link.
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There will be a rematch in the 6th Congressional District election in November.
Former Congresswoman Karen Handel easily won the Republican primary Tuesday night against four other candidates, getting 73 percent of the vote.
Former U.S. Rep. Karen Handel
That’s with 135 of the 140 precincts reporting in the district, which stretches from East Cobb to North Fulton and north and central DeKalb.
Handel received 21,287 votes to 4,525 votes for her nearest competitor, former Atlanta Falcons running back Joe Profit (full results here).
She won all 51 precincts in East Cobb, tallying 8,576 votes, or 68 percent.
Handel will be facing U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, a Democrat who was unopposed Tuesday. Two years ago, McBath unseated Handel to become the first Democrat to represent the 6th in 40 years.
After thanking her supporters, Handel said Wednesday that “Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Michael Bloomberg will be back to pour in millions to protect the investment they’ve made in Lucy McBath. GA-6 deserves serious, proven leadership in these difficult times, and I look forward to taking on Lucy McBath and her do-nothing record.”
McBath’s campaign sent out several messages Wednesday morning, including a response to a Handel comment that during her time as Georgia Secretary of State, Georgia was “a model for voter integrity.”
Said McBath: “I have heard from numerous constituents who have applied for a ballot and never received it, who were stuck in lines for over two hours today in the rain, and many more who never were able to vote. For Karen Handel to cite this as a model for voter integrity is despicable.”
In 2018, McBath prevailed by fewer than 3,000 votes in one of the key races that swung control of the U.S. House to Democrats. It’s considered another bellwether campaign in the fall.
In the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, former 6th Congressional District candidate Jon Ossoff appeared headed for a runoff.
With 77 percent of precincts reporting statewide, he had 48.8 percent of the vote to 14 percent for former Columbus mayor Teresa Tomlinson and 12 percent for former lieutenant governor candidate Sarah Riggs Amico.
They’re vying to compete in November against incumbent Republican David Perdue, who was unopposed.
In a special election in 2017, Ossoff held a commanding lead in a jungle primary for 6th District Congress. But he was forced into a runoff, where Handel defeated him.
Georgia’s other senator, Kelly Loeffler, will be involved in a jungle primary in November. A Republican, she was appointed in January to succeed Johnny Isakson.
The winner in the fall will fill out the last two years of Isakson’s term.
In the Georgia Democratic presidential primary, former vice president Joe Biden got 83 percent, although he wrapped up the nomination several weeks ago.
President Donald Trump was the only Republican on the statewide ballot.
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From left, Cobb Commission chairman Mike Boyce, Cobb school board member David Banks and Cobb commission candidate Fitz Johnson.
UPDATED, 12:30 AM:
Cobb commission chairman Mike Boyce has a big lead in the Republican nomination Tuesday, earning 67 percent of the vote with 79 percent of the precincts reporting.
Three-term incumbent David Banks also appeared headed for the GOP nomination for Post 5 on the Cobb Board of Education with 55 percent of the vote against two challengers and 85 percent of precincts reporting.
In the Democratic primary for Post 5, physical therapist Julia Hurtado led Lassiter PTSA co-president Tammy Andress 58-42 percent with 85 percent of precincts reporting.
The GOP primary for District 2 on the Cobb Board of Commissioners appears headed to a runoff.
Fitz Johnson has 44 percent of the vote with 75 percent of precincts reporting, while Andy Smith and Kevin Nicholas had 28 and 27 percent respectively.
In the 6th Congressional District Republican primary, former Congresswoman Karen Handel got 68 percent of the vote against four other candidates in polling that stretched from East Cobb to North Fulton to Central DeKalb.
We’re still waiting for election-day precinct totals to come in, and not much has changed in the races noted earlier.
There are some local judicial races that are being contested, including one involving Chief Judge Reuben Green of the Cobb Superior Court. He’s trailing early in his non-partisan race against veteran attorney Angela Brown, 61-39 percent.
UPDATED, 10:30 P.M.:
Some initial results from the 6th DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL GOP primary show former Congresswoman Karen Handel with a big, but early lead, over four other candidates. She has 64 percent of the vote (no precincts yet), and former Atlanta Falcons running back Joe Profit has 24 percent.
In the U.S. SENATE DEMOCRATIC primary, former 6th District Congressional candidate Jon Ossoff has 46 percent, former lieutenant governor candidate Sarah Riggs Amico has 14 percent, and former Columbus mayor Teresa Tomlinson has 12 percent. Again, no precints reporting.
In the STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 46 DEMOCRATIC primary, former Cobb Commission candidate Caroline Holko leads Shirley Ritchie 54-46 percent in early result.
The precinct at Eastside Baptist Church was one of 19 in Cobb County ordered to stay open until 8 p.m. Tuesday due to problems with voting machines (ECN photo).
UPDATED, 9:40 P.M.:
Incumbent COBB COMMISSION CHAIRMAN Mike Boyce has 63 percent of the vote in initial returns in the GOP primary, Larry Savage 29 percent, Ricci Mason 8 percent. No precincts reporting yet; those are likely early voting figures.
COBB COMMISSION DISTRICT 2, GOP: Kevin Nicholas 39 percent, Andy Smith 31 percent and Fitz Johnson 30 percent.
COBB SCHOOL BOARD POST 5, GOP: Incumbent David Banks 60 percent, Shelley O’Malley 22 percent, Matt Harper 17 percent.
COBB SCHOOL BOARD POST 5, DEMOCRAT: Julia Hurtado 56 percent, Tammy Andress 44 percent.
The polls closed at 7 p.m. in all but 19 precincts in Cobb County, and what’s expected to be a long wait for results in today’s Georgia primaries is underway.
According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, results won’t be available until after 10:10 p.m., when the last polling precinct in the state that was still open was scheduled to close.
In East Cobb, voters were choosing primary candidates in several closely watched races, including the Republican primary for District 2 on the Cobb Board of Commissioners and Republican and Democratic candidates for Post 5 on the Cobb Board of Education.
They joined other Cobb voters in casting ballots in a contested Republican primary for chairman of the Cobb Board of Commissioners, a contested Democratic Party primary for Cobb Sheriff and several county judgeships and court clerk positions.
East Cobb voters also were choosing a Republican Party nominee for the 6th Congressional District seat.
There is one contested Georgia House primary in East Cobb, between two Democrats in District 46.
Other contested races on the ballot include the Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat, and several Cobb Superior Court judgeships.
Although its a fait accompli, Democratic voters in Georgia finally will get to have their party presidential preference primary, delayed from March due to COVID-19.
Since then, former vice president Joe Biden easily wrapped up the nomination, and he is one of a dozen names on a Georgia ballot finalized months ago.
The above link from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office will contain all the results from those and other races that may take some time to determine. You can customize it by race, and by federal, state and local results.
Due to a very high number of absentee ballots that must be counted, as well as delays at some precincts Tuesday due to social distancing and technical problems with new voting machines, some races may not be settled for days.
Typically early voting numbers are tallied first, followed by same-day voting results and then absentee figures.
We’ll also be sending out a special election newsletter some time on Wednesday with the latest election results. If you’re not a subscriber, please click this link to have it delivered to your inbox.
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!
Some technical issues affected voting at Murdock ES Tuesday morning, but lines were scant by the afternoon. (ECN photo)
Due to technical issues that resulted in a late start to primary voting, 19 precincts in Cobb County will be staying open an hour later Tuesday.
County government spokesman Ross Cavitt said Cobb is abiding by a local court order to keep precincts open where technical and other issues have occurred.
The polls will remain open until 8 p.m. at the following precincts in East Cobb:
Sope Creek 02 (Sope Creek Elementary School, 3320 Paper Mill Road).
If you’re in line at any of those precincts by 8 p.m., you will be allowed to vote. Here’s the rest of the list.
All other precincts close at 7 p.m.
The Cobb order, requested by Cobb Elections officials, was signed by Cobb Superior Court Judge Robert D. Leonard, and was done so due to “significant voting machine complications” at the affected precincts.
Tuesday’s primary is delayed from May 19 due to COVID-19, and this is the first election with new electronic voting machines.
Long lines also were projected because of a lack of poll workers stemming from the virus and social distancing and sanitizing measures, as well as a lengthy ballot for most voters.
More than 80,000 Cobb voters have cast absentee ballots, and more than 11,000 people took place in in-person early voting.
All precincts in Fulton are open until 9 p.m., and Secretary of State Brad Raffensparger is investigating problems there and in DeKalb County. Elected officials in those counties have blamed the state for problems with the new voting machines, but Raffensparger said local elections officials have had time to test them and to prepare for the unusual circumstances surrounding this election.
A total of 15 Gwinnett precincts with technical problems were open until 7:30 p.m..
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“This resolution gives us an opportunity to get it right,” commissioner Lisa Cupid said before the board approved an anti-racism resolution Tuesday.
After some testy public clashes and behind-the-scenes wrangling, the Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a revised resolution decrying racism in the county.
The vote was a unanimous 5-0, as was a companion resolution to support a proposed state hate crimes bill.
After a draft resolution of the anti-racism measure was proposed late last week, a revised resolution was the subject of heated discussion at a board work session Monday morning.
Commissioner Lisa Cupid of South Cobb, the only Democrat and lone black member of the board, said then that she could not support the revision, proposed by commissioner Keli Gambrill of North Cobb, who shared it with her colleagues minutes before the work session.
But later Monday night, a third proposal was circulated and Cupid sent out an e-mail saying she would back that version, which while it “has some deviation from the original, this is a version I can support.”
The resolution that was approved (you can read it here) differed from the original near the end, declaring that commissioners “stand with all citizens of Cobb County against racism and reaffirm our commitment to provide an environment that supports civil rights for all.”
That final portion replaced initial language that called for “fighting for racial and economic justice, gender equality and human and civil rights for all.”
When she posted the initial draft to her Facebook page on Thursday, Cupid said she had heard that some thought the language was too strong, and urged citizens to contact their commissioners to express their views.
That’s why Gambrill said she didn’t send out her revision until right before the work session. Her version included specific language about Cobb Police Department community outreach activities, including the Police Athletic League, faith forums and a community affairs unit that “works daily with all our diverse communities to make their neighborhoods a safer, happier and more productive place to live.”
Cupid didn’t like any of that being included, but she was upset by the whole process, saying she was bearing a heavy burden as the only black commissioner. “I wanted the community to see the stress level I had to deal with and see the boldness of these modifications,” she said.
East Cobb citizens have shown support for Black Lives Matter at roadside rallies over the last week (ECN file).
On Monday night, Cupid—a candidate for Cobb Commission Chairman—sent out word via her campaign e-mail that “although this process has been an uphill battle, I am confident that citizen communication to commissioners have resulted in us now having a resolution that has better likelihood of passing unanimously.”
She reiterated that sentiment during the commission’s virtual meeting Tuesday.
“This resolution gives us an opportunity to get it right,” Cupid said before the vote. Near the end of the meeting, Cupid said the resolution “presents an opportunity for a new day” in Cobb County. “A lot of people are watching us.”
Before the vote, several citizens spoke in favor not only of the resolutions but also urged the county to improve procedures for complaints about law enforcement excesses, and some called for the creation of a citizens’ review board.
Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of Northeast Cobb, the board’s public safety liaison, made some emotional remarks about the issue while a video played of Cobb police officers last week retaking their oath of office in a stand against brutality and racism.
She pledged to “take the lead” in continuing county-led efforts to forge stronger ties with Cobb’s minority and ethnic communities.
“We are a diverse county,” Birrell said, “but more importantly, we are all children of God, created equal in the likeness and image of God. We all deserve to be treated equally, with mutual respect and love for one another.”
But commissioner Bob Ott of East Cobb said he was “both disheartened and disappointed in the members of this board” for how the process over the anti-racism resolution unfolded.
“It is unbelievable to me the week we’ve spent haggling over the language in the resolution over racism,” said Ott, who supported Gambrill’s revisions. “Every member of this board supports removing racism from community.”
Ott said that Cobb County, while “not perfect,” has been working to address racial issues, and referenced a community-based outreach program by former public safety director Michael Register.
“I am concerned that this past week’s wasted opportunity will cause more harm than good,” Ott said. “If this board can’t immediately agree on the language in this resolution, I fear it will take far too long to take the steps forward.”
Ott then read a letter written last week by Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, the black superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, as an ideal of what he thinks the board should follow.
“Consider how your words, actions and attitudes impact other people,” Williams wrote in remarks to cadets. “Muster the moral courage necessary to confront and solve problems with effective, honest and empathetic dialogue that seeks solutions rather than sowing seeds of division and disunity.”
Ott said that “until all members of this board are extending forgiveness and actively listening to other points of view, and are color-blind, we cannot move forward.”
The hate-crimes resolution (you can read it here) supports a bill introduced in the Georgia legislature following the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a black Brunwick man, who was shot to death while jogging in a residential area in February. Three white men have been charged with murder.
Georgia is one of the few states without a hate-crimes law. The bill has been endorsed by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.
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East Cobb restaurateur Doug Turbush is reopening two of his three restaurants, Seed Kitchen & Bar and Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar, for dining room service starting Wednesday.
Serving hours at both restaurants will be from 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday and 5-10 Friday and Saturday.
Diners are encouraged to make reservations and when they arrive, they should not congregate at the entrances or bars. Dining parties will be limited to 10 people or less.
Delivery and curbside service remain available.
Safety measures for employees include wearing masks, temperature checks and health screening questions before each shift and frequent handwashing.
The dining rooms also will have hand sanitizer stations and increased space between tables.
“We are confident guests will appreciate our newly implemented safety standards and will feel safe while dining at our restaurants,” Turbush said in a statement. “While our guests will notice modifications to the dining room and procedures, they will quickly recognize our signature style of service and award-winning food. We are thrilled to be back!”
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The Fitch Ratings has given Cobb County government its highest possible financial rating, AAA. That’s the 24th consecutive designation for Cobb, per a county release issued late Monday afternoon:
The Fitch Ratings analysts cited Cobb County’s history of conservative budgeting and proactive measures in the face of an uncertain economic future caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The county is well-positioned to withstand the current period of economic weakness due to its sound reserves and superior inherent budget flexibility,” the agency said in a news release.
“The fact that we had our AAA rating reaffirmed during the most challenging economic time in a dozen years shows the fiscal soundness of the county,” said Cobb County Commission Chairman Mike Boyce. “It is a tribute to our staff, the board, and our work with the community to make sure we continue to show diversity in our county’s economic base.”
Fitch pointed to the county’s reaction to the last recession as one of the reasons it has confidence Cobb County can weather whatever lies ahead.
What the AAA rating means above all is that when the county saves money on interest rates when needs to borrow—particularly the short-term loans it takes out to bridge from one fiscal year to another.
On Tuesday, the Cobb Board of Commissioners will be asked to approve in $65 million TANS—tax anticipation notes—to fund county government operations until it can collect property sales tax revenues in the fall.
Here’s more from Fitch’s analysis. Other rating agencies are expected to follow suit and maintain Cobb’s AAA status.
Boyce has said the fiscal year 2021 budget he will propose this summer will keep the current millage rate.
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The YMCA of Metro Atlanta today announced registration for all sessions of summer day camp is open to the public on the organization’s website.
In adherence with the governors’ executive order, camps will have a reduced camper to staff ratio, enhanced drop-off procedures, including in-car temperature wellness checks for campers, temperature checks and face masks for staff, social distancing for campers and increased cleaning protocols.
Capacity numbers for camps have also been significantly reduced to maintain social distancing and to monitor campers’ wellness. Due to these new requirements, the Y will not offer specialty sports camps this year; instead, each branch will operate traditional day camps, which include arts and crafts, outdoor exploration, group games, indoor learning experiences and more.
“The safety of our campers, staff and community is our highest priority,” said Lauren Koontz, president and CEO of YMCA of Metro Atlanta. “Despite new protocols in place, one thing won’t change. Our camps will offer a fun environment for children to learn, explore and grow over the summer.”
To better accommodate families’ unique needs, individuals may register for a full week of summer camp or on a daily basis. Registration must be completed online at spirtionline.ymcaatlanta.org.
Those locations include:
McCleskey–East Cobb Family YMCA, 1055 East Piedmont Road, (770) 977-5991
Those interested in more information, can visit ymcaatlanta.org or contact their local Y branch.
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Director Kimberly McCoy (front) and Victim Advocate Adriene Grey assembling the kid kits.
Submitted information and photos:
Cobb District Attorney Joyette M. Holmes announces that her office is distributing 250 “kid kits” in a further effort to raise awareness of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The event is usually marked each April but has been extended this year due to health concerns.
Earlier this year, the Cobb DA’s Office received $5,000 in funding from the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators (NAVAA) through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), within the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, to promote community awareness of crime victims’ rights and services during the 2020 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
Some of those funds were used to purchase items for the kid kits, which include a pencil pouch, coloring book, crayons, and hand sanitizer. The kits include contact information for the Victim Witness Unit of the Cobb DA’s Office.
The kid kits are being distributed through Cobb and Marietta City School districts, and at Cobb Fire Stations.
First designated by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week increases general public awareness of and knowledge about the wide range of rights and services available to people who have been victimized by crime. The 2020 theme is “Seek Justice, Ensure Victims’ Rights, and Inspire Hope.”
Since 2004, the NCVRW Community Awareness Project has provided financial and technical assistance to more than 977 community projects that promote victim and public awareness activities, and innovative approaches to victim outreach and public education about victims’ rights and services during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Cobb’s was one of the 109 recommended by NAVAA and selected for funding by OVC for 2020 from the 262 applications that were submitted nationwide.
For additional information about 2020 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities or about victims’ rights and services in Cobb County, please contact the Victim Witness Unit in the DA’s Office at 770-528-3047 or visit our website at www.cobbda.com.
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Volunteers load up cars for food distribution at the Reflections of Trinity pantry in Powder Springs.
Submitted information and photos:
Cobb Community Foundation (CCF) is pleased to announce the Cobb Community Food Fleet, an initiative where they have brought together Noonday Association, Athena Farms, the Atlanta Braves, Ryder Trucks, S.A. White Oil Company, Mobilized Fuels, and numerous Cobb County non-profits to ensure that lack of storage space does not hinder Cobb non-profits’ food distribution efforts to those in need.
This initiative began, unnamed, in mid-March when CCF reached out to United Way of Metro Atlanta – NW Region and Cobb Collaborative to assist in pulling together a group of non-profit, school district and county government leaders to share the challenges each group and their constituencies were facing, make known the resources each group had available, and determine the best path forward to meet needs in Cobb County. The original group, labeled the Cobb Crisis Response Team, began with daily 7:55 a.m. calls on March 23rd which have been slowly whittled down to one call a week. One of the many outcomes resulting from this group’s efforts is that in an environment where over 100,000 Cobb Countians have lost their jobs, more than half of them being in the lowest paying industries, Cobb’s non-profits are providing boxes of food to over 5,000 families each week.
Howard Koepka of Noonday coordinates the communications among twenty-plus separate organizations distributing food in Cobb County, ranging from MUST Ministries to the two school systems to Cobb Senior Services to smaller organizations such as H.O.P.E. Family Resource Center in Mableton. “Many of these organizations did not know that each other existed,” Koepka says. “Now, they not only are aware of each other, they are eliminating duplications of services, identifying and serving areas unserved, and literally sharing food, box trucks and other resources to make sure that everyone in Cobb County has access to food, regardless of whether or not they can pay for it.”
One of the greatest challenges facing these organizations is limited access to large quantities of food as a result of the disruption to the supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the USDA’s new Farmers to Families Food Box Program has created an abundance of certain foods, primarily produce, which Cobb’s food providers want to take full advantage of. The issue, according to Koepka, is storage. “Produce needs to be refrigerated, and no single organization has enough space to accommodate the two and soon three thousand boxes that are now coming in each week from Athena Farms.”
Athena Farms, located in Forest Park, is one of over 40 contractors in the South East Region that was awarded funds from the USDA to distribute food boxes. Jessica Brantley, Director of Purchasing for Athena Farms, explains why they reached out to Cobb Community Foundation. “We really liked that they are working to help resource non-profit food providers serving Cobb, so working through them is helping to feed much more than just the clients of a single organization.” Last week, Athena delivered 2,000 boxes of produce, and even larger shipments will be coming at least through the end of June. As is the case for many farms, Athena’s primary customer base is restaurants. “The Farmers to Families Food Box Program has put all of our employees back to work,” says Brantley.
“While at least some of the immediate food shortage challenges have been resolved, we had to resolve the storage issue if food was going to make its way to those who need it,” says Shari Martin, President and CEO of Cobb Community Foundation. “Our mission statement includes the phrase, connecting donors who care with causes that matter.” She continues, “The Atlanta Braves stepped up to provide the refrigeration space that avails all of Cobb’s non-profit food providers of the produce coming in, at a time when members of our community need it most.”
The one remaining need, however, was to be able to accommodate the scarcest item of all right now: meat. Poultry, pork, beef and fish all require a freezer, and the Atlanta Braves’ storage space was already full. What was not full, however, was their loading dock. Enter Kim Gresh, owner of S.A. White Oil Company and Cobb Community Foundation board member. “So many of our customers want to help right now, so we reached out to one that we knew would want to be involved.” Enter Huddle House and one of their vendors, Ryder Trucks. Ryder has made available a 53’ freezer container and trailer which Huddle House transported to the stadium. Alongside was Mobilized Fuels, S.A. White’s sister company, that will provide the diesel fuel needed to keep the freezer running between now and the end of August.
Over these next two months, Noonday will be coordinating the logistics of food delivery by Athena Farms and other providers and the subsequent pick-up by five of the larger food non-profits:
MUST Ministries, Storehouse Ministries, Reflections of Trinity, Sweetwater Mission, and Family Life Restoration Center. These organizations will be picking up food not for their clients, but also for other smaller non-profit food providers. The involvement of the for-profit community, the non-profit community, and even the local and Federal governments to provide, store and deliver food throughout Cobb made Cobb Community Food Fleet the ideal name for the initiative.
In the meantime, Cobb Community Foundation continues to identify resources, financial and otherwise, to help feed Cobb. “Thanks to the Cobb Board of Commissioners grant of $1 million for food last month,” notes Martin, “these organizations will be able to purchase additional food needed in bulk.” Martin says this will allow the non-profits greater access and preferred pricing. “And thanks to these great partners, we’ll have a place to store it.”
Frozen meat and canned and dry goods remain in demand, and Martin and her team are on the hunt. “This is just another opportunity to connect donors who care with causes that matter.”
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Thanks to Matthew Poer for sending along photos from Saturday’s Black Lives Matter rally near Lassiter High School in East Cobb.
He estimated around 400 people lined up along Shallowford Road to bring attention to racism and police brutality in the wake of the death last week of George Floyd, a black man, in police custody in Minneapolis.
“I’ve been a law abiding and taxpaying resident of Cobb County and Marietta for eight years,” Matthew told us. “I’m a white man and I am sick of my friends, neighbors, coworkers and fellow Americans living in fear of systemic and individual discrimination.”
Saturday’s event at Lassiter was one of several rallies and protests to take place in East Cobb and around the county this week, as local elected officials and law enforcement agencies also responded to the issue.
All of the demonstrations thus far in Cobb County have been peaceful.
On Friday Cobb police officers retook their oaths promising to fight brutality and racism.
On Tuesday, Cobb commissioners will consider an anti-racism revolution similar to what passed in Smyrna and Acworth.
Many of the protests around the country also have been held in honor of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man shot to death while jogging near Brunswick, Ga., in February. Three white men have been charged with murder, and Cobb District Attorney Joyette Holmes has been appointed to prosecute the case.
Poer told us he also showed up Saturday in honor of Breonna Taylor, a black woman in Louisville, Ky., who was killed in March after police crashed into her apartment with a no-knock warrant related to a narcotics investigation.
Her boyfriend opened fire on officers, and Taylor was shot eight times during the exchange. Police did not find any drugs and no charges have been filed, but her family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
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On Tuesday Georgia’s delayed primary elections take place, after weeks of absentee balloting and early voting.
Voters who turn out at the polls at their designated precinct will be asked to choose one of three ballots: Democratic, Republican and non-partisan.
In East Cobb, voters will be choosing party nominees in a variety of federal, state and local offices, and judges in non-partisan races for state and local court positions.
Precincts will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at all locations.
Because of social distancing guidelines and shortages of precinct workers due to COVID-19, lines are expected to be longer than usual.
Voters are encouraged to factor in longer times when they arrive at their precincts.
What’s on the ballot?
East Cobb voters have several contested primaries in partisan races, including Republican primaries for Cobb Commission Chairman and Cobb Commission District 2, as well as Democratic and Republican primaries for Cobb school board Post 5.
There’s also a Republican primary for the 6th Congressional District race and a Democratic primary for State House District 46.
In countywide races, contested primaries include Democrats in the Cobb Sheriff’s race and Democrats and Republicans for Superior Court Clerk. Non-partisan races are taking place for three seats on Cobb Superior Court and one on Cobb State Court.
There’s a large field of Democrats pursuing their party’s nomination to face Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. David Perdue in November.
U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp to succeed the retired Johnny Isakson, won’t be on the primary ballot. The election to determine who fills the final two years of Isakson’s term will be decided in a jungle primary in November, with candidates of both parties. She’s one of them, along with Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Collins.
The Democratic presidential primary also is scheduled Tuesday, and like the local and state primaries has been delayed by COVID-19 closures. Former vice president Joe Biden wrapped up the party nomination earlier this week in terms of needed delegates.
He’ll be listed as one of a dozen candidates on the Democratic ballot, most of whom dropped out not long after the primaries began in February.
Candidate profiles and related information for local races can be found at the East Cobb News2020 Elections Guide resource page.
These ballots are countywide composites and contain candidates who may not appear on your actual ballot. You can download a precise sample ballot at the My Voter Page from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.
If you choose a ballot from one of the major parties, you’ll also be asked questions that respective party leaders, either local or state, have formulated to gauge where their constituency stands on certain issues.
The respective party sample ballots include the questions that will appear on the ballot you’ll get at the polls.
Early voting concluded on Friday, including all this past week at the East Cobb Government Center. According to Cobb Elections, 1,699 people voted at the East Cobb venue, with 1,045 asking for Democratic ballots, 640 Republican and 14 non-partisan.
Across the county, 11,527 voters cast early in-person ballots: 8,122 Democratic, 3,317 Republican and 88 non-partisan.
Cobb Elections also issued 143,061 absentee ballots, and 80,164 have been returned: 41,702 Democratic, 36,139 Republican and 2,323 non-partisan.
Runoff elections would take place Aug. 11. That date also was delayed from its originally scheduled date of July 21.
Where and how to vote
Your voter registration card has the location of your voting precinct. If you are unsure of your precinct, Cobb Elections has them listed by precinct name and by venue name.
Earlier this year several precinct venues were changed, three of them in East Cobb: Dickerson, Dodgen and Marietta 6A.
Right before the primary, Cobb Elections announced that the venue for the Roswell 02 precinct was being switched from Mt. Zion United Methodist Church to the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, across the street at 1795 Johnson Ferry Road.
When you arrive at your polling station, you will be asked to fill out a form and show a government-approved photo ID.
Absentee ballots
If you received an absentee ballot and haven’t filled it out, you can do so on election day, as long as you deposit it at one of several designated drop boxes in the county, including the East Cobb Government Service Center (4400 Lower Roswell Road), by 7 p.m. Tuesday.
For more local voting-related information, please visit the Cobb Elections page.
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Following up an announcement earlier this week from Cobb schools about what had been student-only graduation ceremonies comes this update, with a substantial change reflecting the district’s desire for parents to attend:
As of today, Friday, June 5th, strict guidance from state and local public health officials, which is specific to Cobb County, allows for a ceremony with graduates only in attendance.
Current examples of public health recommendations for Cobb County graduation ceremonies include:
Only allowing graduates to be in attendance
Observing strict social distancing guidelines as defined in the Governor’s most recent Executive Order
Performing temperature checks and symptom screenings of all attendees
Recommending all attendees wear face masks
Providing multiple hand hygiene stations
The District continues to work with state and local public health officials to pursue every option to allow parents and graduates to celebrate together. We are targeting late July for the graduation ceremonies. This will hopefully allow more flexible guidance to be provided by state and local public health officials.
Graduates and parents should monitor communications from their respective high schools and check this page often for updates.
Once confirmed, graduation information for both graduates and parents will be provided which includes:
Schedules
Directions to venues
Graduate arrival, parking, and entry instructions
Video players for the live stream
For the most up-to-date information from the District related to COVID-19, please visit www.cobbk12.org/covid
When the student-only announcement was made earlier this week, that decision was roundly panned on a Facebook page devoted to Cobb schools topics.
If a late July window is enacted for graduation ceremonies, that would run close to the start of a new school year, scheduled to start on Aug. 3.
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