Indian summer-like weather has returned to the Cobb area for the latter part of October, and for the final two weeks of Daylight Saving Time.
We’ve gone from having a freeze advisory during the week to highs in the low 70s on Saturday.
Starting today, plenty of sunshine is expected throughout the coming week and temperatures will be reaching into the 70s and beyond.
The extended forecast of the National Weather Service in Atlanta is projecting highs in the mid-to-high 70s for at least the next week.
And the cooler temperatures we’ve been experiencing at night in recent days also will be going up, with overnight lows ranging from the high 40s to the mid 50s.
Winds also are expected be low during this period, and humidity levels also have been tapering off.
As we head into Standard Time, sunsets will gradually be getting earlier.
In the last week or so official sunsets have been at around 7:30 p.m. or so. They’re projected to be around 7 p.m. from now on, until Standard Time returns on Nov. 3.
Sunrise times are roughly between 7:30-8 a.m.
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“An off-the-shelf solution won’t work” when it comes to school safety, Cobb school board members were told Thursday.
A group of private high-tech professionals with experience in military and national security operations has conducted safety assessments at three schools in the Cobb County School District and will eventually do the same for other schools.
That’s according to Superintendent Chris Ragsdale, who on Thursday announced a new “partnership” with a company that signals “a new era” in an effort to become more proactive about school safety.
He did not identify the schools, nor did he name those doing the assessments.
“Although they were impressed with our schools’ preparedness, they identified safety solutions that could be employed and tailored specifically for each Cobb school,” the district said in a statement issued later Thursday.
Nor did Ragsdale say how much that partnership will cost, but that “local funds are available” that have previously been secured and that there is state funding for school security and safety efforts that he could explain in executive session.
In the wake of a fatal mass-shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Cobb and other school districts have been responding to increased concerns about safety and in particular the presence of guns on school campuses.
Ragsdale said the intelligence operations will supplement, and not replace, existing safety measures headlined by the Cobb Shield program and that feature regular Code Red drills.
The Cobb school district spends around $35 million a year for safety and security measures, mostly with its police department of 85 officers.
“No price is too high to protect students and staff,” he said.
Since the Apalachee shootings, threats have been made at a number of Cobb schools, including Walton High School and Dickerson Middle School, but the district said there have been no active threats on campuses.
The safety presentation Ragsdale promised in September took place at a Cobb Board of Education meeting Thursday night and featured four individuals with intelligence expertise.
A private intelligence company will be conducting security assessments across the Cobb school district.
Citing security concerns, they also used only their first names when explaining an overview of the services that will be provided in an ongoing relationship.
“It’s a process, not a product,” Ragsdale said of the district’s work with the intelligence company.
It’s a multi-level process that involves collecting intelligence information on potentially threatening individuals, including using counterintelligence techniques, making a “socio-cognitive” analysis of behavioral risks as well as employing data science and machine-learning components.
The intelligence company was co-founded by a former Navy SEAL, who led the presentation, along with a former federal counterintelligence officer, a cognitive scientist and a data scientist.
To view following slides that were presented to the school board Thursday, click the middle button.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The intelligence officials focused on proactive strategies that are designed to help students, teachers, staff and parents detect trouble before it arises.
A woman who told school board members she has been a counterintelligence agent supporting the Federal Bureau of Investigation explained 16 safety indicators that will be employed “to help equip school officials to stop these threats themselves.”
Another woman summarized data science and machine-learning elements that provide real-time risk monitoring indicators.
And “Robert,” a cognitive scientist, laid out strategies to identify psychological, cultural and social drivers behind potentially threatening behavior.
Counterintelligence strategies are designed “to help equip school officials to stop these threats themselves.”
When asked by school board member Becky Sayler how these measures would involve community, he responded that they were designed to identify “early on where support is needed and then work with stakeholders to get those kids the support they need.”
When school board member Brad Wheeler asked “What can parents do?” Ragsdale responded that “parents need to know the warning signs . . . . but we’re educators. We don’t know how to spot the warning signs.”
The monitoring would include, but not be limited to, scraping social media data “to customize a solution for the community,” he said.
“One school will be different from the others.”
“Rob,” the intelligence company CEO, explained that the crux of his company’s work is to customize down to the school level, since every campus has different layouts, entry points and logistics, as well as socio-cultural dynamics.
“If you have seen one school, you have seen only one school,” he said. “An off-the-shelf solution will not work.”
He also said that “over the past months, our work has put Cobb County on the forefront of school safety in the state of Georgia and on a national level.”
Ragsdale said the next steps are to identify “the next set of schools” to undergo security assessments, but a timetable wasn’t mentioned.
“Our parents have to know that when they bring their kids to school, they’re safe,” Ragsdale said.
Taking additional steps to enhance safety by working with those whose expertise is beyond what Cobb currently provides is the only option, he said.
“It’s not needed, it’s required, if we want to maintain student and staff safety. This is not a proof of concept. This is our partnership, and we’re looking forward to a long relationship.”
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The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday approved a policy revision for graduation procedures involving special-needs students.
The new policy was spurred following the exclusion of several Sprayberry High School seniors from graduation ceremonies in May.
They received their diplomas in advance and were forced to wait in a hallway and were escorted out of the Kennesaw State University Convocation Center before the event had concluded.
The parent of one of the students, Ashlynn Rich, publicly complained and Superintendent Chris Ragsdale offered a formal apology in June.
The Cobb County School District said the problem was not over policy, but due to an employee decision to separate the special-needs students from the rest of their classmates.
Ragsdale said that the new process will “[ensure] there are no misunderstandings, and no employee is making a decision without the clear input of a parent or guardian of a student with an exceptionality.”
Rich, who has Down’s Syndrome, was an honor student and varsity athlete at Sprayberry and also spoke to the school board in June protesting what happened to her.
“Graduation is a special moment and I wanted to share it with my friends, just like everyone else,” she said. “I don’t want any other student to go through what I did.”
The updated policy provisions call for all students to have a graduation participation plan, and for parental consent/approval before graduation takes place:
“All students who have met requirements for graduation will be provided the 30 opportunity to fully participate in the school commencement, regardless of any 31 temporary or permanent impairment or disability. If an impairment or disability 32 exists, the parent/guardian shall be provided with options for the student to 33 participate in the least restrictive manner possible.”
1. Participation Plan:
a. Each student with a temporary or permanent impairment or disability shall 36 have a participation plan including details about where the student will be 37 seated, and accommodation(s) required.
b. Parents/guardians shall be provided a copy of the participation plan and 39 sign/approve the plan prior to the commencement ceremony.
2. Communication:
a. Parents/guardians shall be provided information regarding venue 42 accommodations prior to the ceremony.
b. Information regarding accessing the venue, including information about 44 accessible parking areas and routes from the parking lot to the seating area 45 shall be provided to parents/guardians.
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Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said Thursday that six more books have been removed from library shelves and curriculum lists because of sexually explicit content.
It’s the second month in a row that many titles have been removed as the district continues and ongoing process of flagging materials that are explicit, lewd, obscene, vulgar, or otherwise inappropriate for minors.
The count is up to 32 books that have been removed, out more than a million titles circulating within the Cobb school district.
The latest books that have been removed altogether are:
“The Summer of Owen Todd,” by Tony Abbott
“More Happy Than Not,” by Adam Silvera
“This Book is Gay,” by Juno Dawson
“We Know It Was You,” by Maggie Thrash
“The Sun and Her Flowers,” by Rupi Kaur
“City of Saints and Thieves,” by Natalie Anderson
“This is not a book ban,” Ragsdale said, referencing critics who have been making that claim since the removals began last year (his full remarks here).
He repeated concerns about parental rights and said that educators “do not want to be on the front lines of the culture wars and do not want to use their classrooms and instructional time to promote a social activists’ agenda that has not nothing to do with instruction.”
Ragsdale said that position is consistent with the Cobb school district’s deference to parents on COVID-19 matters, including masks and vaccines.
“Not only is protecting students from sexually explicit content the best—the only—decision, it also protects decisions which should be made at home by parents.”
Most of his broadsides were leveled at parents he said were claiming book bans for political reasons. Ragsdale urged those opposing the removals to read the books.
“No matter your decision, our board has and continues to hold me accountable to the teaching of your children while you raise your family.
“We will continue to focus on that education. A focus that ensures that the education we provide is the best in metro Atlanta, but is consistently recognized as one of the best in the nation.”
An independent group of parents has compiled a list of the removed books in Cobb and placed in the Books In Schools website.
“Our mission is to provide clear and comprehensive reviews of book content, focusing on areas of concern such as profanity, nudity, and sexual content,” the group claimed on its site, but didn’t identify any individuals.
“We aim to make these reviews accessible to all parents, empowering them to make informed decisions about the books their children read.”
At Thursday’s Cobb school board meetings, none of those critics spoke during public comment, but a local representative of Gays Against Groomers spoke in support of the book removals.
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Starting on Monday and continuing through early December, Davis Road in Northeast Cobb will be closed to through-traffic between Holly Springs Road and Shallowford Road.
Cobb DOT said Thursday that a pipeline rehabilitation project will close Davis Road completely between Stillbrook Pass and Running Cedar Drive, but that local traffic will be able to navigate around the closures (see map above).
“This project is essential to make repairs to the corrugated metal pipes that cross underneath Davis Road and stabilize the existing slope,” a Cobb DOT social media message said.
Cobb DOT said the anticipated completion of the project is Dec. 4, but weather and other factors could affect the timeline.
For more information and updates about road closures in Cobb County, visit cobbcommute.org.
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On Sunday the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection (4814 Paper Mill Road) is holding a fall concert featuring Mozart, as well as other choral and gospel works.
The free concert, which is open to the public, takes place from 4-5 p.m. and organizers are asking for those interested in attending to RSVP online by clicking here.
The theme of the concert is “Credo: We All Believe in One True God,” which is the title of the opening piece from Martin Luther. Here’s the program:
Martin Luther’s “Wir glauben all’ an einen Gott” (We All Believe in One True God)
Mozart’s “Credo” Mass in C major
The southern gospel hymn “I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary”
Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” (A Little Night Music)
Additional choral and instrumental works
“Together, our combined choir of 35 singers will be joined by an orchestra featuring strings, oboes, trumpets, organ, piano, and percussion, bringing you a diverse program of music that will inspire and uplift.
“Ranging from deeply theological to lighthearted and joyous, this concert captures the many ways of expressing our faith.”
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On Friday afternoon portions of Providence Road, Pine Road and Bill Murdock Road will be closed for the Walton High School homecoming parade.
Providence Road East and Bill Murdock Road between Providence and Sewell Mill Road and Pine Road between Providence and and Bill Murdock will be closed off starting at 2 p.m.
The parade starts in the Target parking lot at 2:15 and winds its way to the Walton campus near the football field.
The Raiders football team plays Etowah at 7:30 p.m. in the homecoming game at Raider Valley.
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As he’s campaigned for public office for the first time, John Cristadoro said he’s heard from parents and others who’ve suggested that the Cobb County School District needs to consider making considerable change to improve.
He couldn’t disagree more.
The parent of a Walton varsity volleyball player and a Dickerson Middle School student, Cristadoro said he’s running for a seat on the Cobb Board of Education to preserve what he says is a successful formula for all students to succeed.
“Cobb County schools are amazing,” Cristadoro said in a recent interview with East Cobb News, adding that his primary objective, if elected to the open Post 5 seat, “is to help keep Cobb schools excellent.”
He’s a Republican facing Democrat Laura Judge (our profile of her is here) in the Nov. 5 general election, with the winner succeeding retiring four-term GOP member David Banks.
Post 5 includes most of the Pope, Walton and Wheeler attendance zones and some of the Sprayberry zone (see map below), and was redrawn by the Georgia legislature this year after being under a federal court order due to the Voting Rights Act.
Cristadoro, a digital media entrepreneur who coaches his son’s 8th grade football team, is aware of the partisan dynamic at stake in this election.
Republicans hold a 4-3 majority, and GOP incumbents Randy Scamihorn and Brad Wheeler are also up for re-election.
Wheeler and Banks both narrowly won re-election in 2020, and since then partisan division has increased.
Cristadoro was recruited to run by former Cobb Chamber of Commerce president John Loud, a business client, who also is backing Republican Cobb Commission Chair candidate Kay Morgan.
But Cristadoro said he listens to Democratic voters and believes his priorities shouldn’t have a partisan edge.
The board’s GOP majority and Superintendent Chris Ragsdale have come in for criticism on a number of topics, but Cristadoro defends the records of both.
“I could care less about partisan affiliation,” he said, adding that what he calls a “hyperpartisan” atmosphere “is what happens when some people are upset.”
He said the board has done well in its key roles—approving the superintendent’s contract, backing state academic standards, being a voice for constituents, ensuring academic excellence and continuing accreditation and passing a balanced budget—all of which have the Cobb school district positioned for continued success.
Safety
The recent fatal mass shootings at Apalachee High School have prompted calls in Cobb for stronger security measures.
Cristadoro was coaching the Walton 8th grade football team recently in a game at the South Cobb High School stadium when shots rang out. One person was injured, and a 14-year-old was detained.
“We heard something go pop, and realized it was a shooting,” he said.
Within a minute, “there were like 40 cops and we took cover in an auditorium.
“At that moment, there was no safer place in Cobb County” because of the quick response from law enforcement, which included the presence of officers from a nearby Cobb Police precinct.
“There are always threats to our kids,” Cristadoro said, but he’s confident the Cobb school district is adequately addressing the issue (Ragsdale has said he’s making a safety presentation this month).
Book removals
Cristadoro also supports Ragsdale’s efforts to remove books from school libraries that have sexually explicit content.
He said he opened up one of the removed books, “Flamer,” and wondered, “why would a parent want to expose their kid to this? It’s the job of the schools to evaluate inappropriate content.”
He said he doesn’t understand those parents and others who complain of “book bans.”
“Why do they want to die on that hill? If you talk to a sensible parent, they want to have their parental rights protected.”
Academics
Cristadoro’s daughter is an honor student at Walton, but he said he understands speculation surrounding the school that “achievers get more attention.”
He doesn’t think there needs to be dramatic change to boost students at all levels of the academic performance level. Improved test scores across the board reflect efforts to focus on areas of need, rather than through major changes.
“Can we improve?” he said. “Yes, but in general things are pretty great here. We have a solid reputation for academic excellence, and I want to continue that.”
Cristadoro also supports efforts to introduce high school students to entrepreneurial initiatives.
Finances
Cristadoro thinks the district has been a good steward of taxpayer money, despite complaints from critics about a $50 million proposed special events center that eventually was scuttled.
Cristadoro said he doesn’t know “all that went into that decision,” but said some district critics “pick and choose” their topics.
He said he “couldn’t say yes or no” to whether he would have supported the special events center—with opponents revealing site plans the district never released, showing it to be on a larger scale than initially proposed.
But with a district annual budget of more than $1 billion, Cristadoro said he’s puzzled that the focus is on only a number of items.
“They seem to beat the same issues,” he said. “Sure these things deserve a conversation, but it’s over and over and over again.”
Common ground
Despite some of the sharp differences on key issues, Cristadoro said his discussions with parents and potential constituents have been positive and constructive.
He senses that most of them are more concerned with their children’s progress in school and not focused on a party affiliation next to a candidate’s name, or some of the topics that command attention at school board meetings.
“There are a lot of people who are issue-focused and not candidate-focused, and I think that’s great,” he said.
Some Republicans have said a Democratic board majority would usher in the wrong kind of change, and most likely lead to a new superintendent.
Cristadoro hasn’t gone that far, but said that “people really do appreciate our district” and aren’t pining for a a comprehensive overhaul as a means to making progress.
“We could always be working together to focus on what’s right,” he said, “and not just on what’s wrong.”
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On a record day for early voting in Georgia, Cobb voters turned out in strong numbers Tuesday to cast their ballots.
According to Cobb Elections figures, 21,986 votes have been cast in the 2024 general election. More than 98 percent have been in person, and the two polling places in the East Cobb area have some of the highest totals.
A total of 2,993 voters turned out at the Tim D. Lee Center on Sandy Plains Road on Tuesday, and another 2,029 votes were cast at the East Cobb Government Service Center on Lower Roswell Road.
At the Smyrna Community Center, 2.,344 votes were cast on the first day of early voting.
Cobb Elections said it has received around 1,280 absentee ballots out of 23,640 issued, and has accepted 329. Another 543 provisional ballots have been issued, and six of those have been returned.
The Georgia Secretary of State’s office said Tuesday that more than 310,000 people voted across the state on Monday, a record for a first day of early voting.
By comparison, the first-day 2020 early voting turnout in Georgia was 136,739.
By mid-day Wednesday, the turnout numbers had grown to 459,250, with almost all of them in-person.
The line to wait at the East Cobb Government Service Center continues to be the longest of the 12 polling stations in Cobb (wait-time map here).
The East Cobb Government Center also is the site of an absentee ballot drop box that is open during early voting hours.
For more early voting information in Cobb, click here. Voters must bring a valid photo ID with them to the polls (click here for details).
The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Oct. 25. You can get an application online from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office by clicking here.
To check your voter registration status, and to get a customized sample ballot, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.
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Two high schools in East Cobb led the Cobb County School District in overall ACT scores in 2024.
Wheeler and Walton, in fact, were tied at the top, with average composite scores of 26 (out of a possible 36), according to the Cobb school district.
The ACT (American College Testing) tests students in four subject areas—English, math, reading and science, and combines those to determine a composite score as well.
Pope’s composite score of 25.2 and Lassiter’s 24.0 were third, and fourth, respectively, among the 16 traditional high schools in Cobb, whose district-wide composite score was 22.8.
“Cobb students are well-prepared for college, careers, and beyond – ACT scores are another way their parents can be confident in the education they are receiving,” said Cobb school board chairman Randy Scamihorn in a district release.
The district-wide scores and most individual school scores were up from 2023, and are still rebounding from the start of the COVID period (see 2021 scores, for example).
The Wheeler and Walton scores for 2024 are in the Top 10 among public high schools in Georgia.
The table below details the ACT scores at East Cobb high schools; the number in parenthesis next to the school name indicates the number of students at that school who took the test.
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!
Laura Judge has said that her son inspired her run for the Cobb Board of Education more than a year ago.
As early voting gets underway in the 2024 general election, Judge reiterated that kids—her own and well as others—remain the focal point of her campaign.
“The [school board] representative didn’t match what was in our home,” Judge said, a reference to retiring school board member David Banks.
Running to succeed him, she added, is “being that role model for them.”
A Democrat and first-time candidate for public office, Judge is seeking the Post 5 post, which comprises most of the Walton and Wheeler and some of the Pope attendance zones.
Her daughter is in 5th grade at Mt. Bethel Elementary School and her son is a freshman at the School for International Studies at North Cobb High School, a magnet program.
Judge, who runs a content marketing company with her husband, will be facing Republican John Cristadoro, also a political newcomer and Walton-zone parent. Neither candidate had a primary opponent.
The Post 5 seat is one of three on the seven-member Cobb school board currently occupied by Republicans, who hold a 4-3 majority.
While the East Cobb-based seat is in one of the remaining Republican strongholds in Cobb County, Democrat Charisse Davis represented the area when Post 6 still included the Walton and Wheeler zones.
In recent years, partisan differences have become more pronounced on the board. In announcing her candidacy last year, Judge said she doesn’t want “radical change,” and reiterated that point in a recent East Cobb News interview.
“This should be about our kids,” she said. “My platform—I don’t think these are partisan things.”
You can visit Judge’s campaign website by clicking here; East Cobb News has interviewed Cristadoro and will be posting his profile shortly.
“I want our district to stay the beacon it is but make improvements along the way so everyone can feel included,” Judge said.
Her three priorities would address fiscal, literacy and communications issues she said can be better in the Cobb County School District.
The Post 5 lines redrawn in 2023 include most of the Walton and Wheeler and some of the Pope attendance zones.
Finances
A former member of Watching the Funds-Cobb—a citizens group that scrutinizes Cobb school district finances—Judge said a decision by the board in July to cancel plans for a $50 million events center exemplifies spending and communications concerns.
Superintendent Chris Ragsdale strongly pushed the center as a venue for graduation ceremonies, but the district didn’t release a detailed site plan.
Watching the Funds was opposed from the beginning, and released those plans shortly before Ragsdale recommended the project be scuttled. The plans included an arena-style facility and expanded meeting space.
“It should have come to someone leaking the plans to see what they were doing,” Judge said.
She said she heard from parents who wondered what the value was and how it boosted students’ education.
“We don’t do things sight unseen,” she said. The special events center “was sight unseen.”
Literacy
Judge got involved with literacy issues after her daughter’s struggles with reading.
She said the Cobb school district has made strides with post-COVID literacy initiatives, but she still has “not seen measurable goals.”
Judge supports new programs along those lines that include more dyslexia screening, among other things.
Right now, she said those issues are largely undertaken at the school level, but “I would like to see this addressed as a district.”
She said 75 percent of Cobb students are reading on grade level, and that number hovers around 85 percent at schools in the East Cobb area, but she would like to see those numbers go up.
Communications
Cobb school district and school board critics have complained for several years that there’s not enough transparency on key issues, including meeting agendas and the budget.
Cobb posts meeting agendas roughly 48 hours in advance of meetings, the minimum for doing so for in Georgia school districts.
Judge would like to see those agendas posted even earlier, to give the public more time to digest what’s coming up.
The same goes for public budget hearings that are required by law. But she said the schedules for those hearings need to be made “more responsive,” and not right before the budget is adopted in the spring.
Judge also would like to see the Cobb school district revive the parent advisory councils that were at schools.
She said that the Cobb school district’s success may have prompted some defensiveness in response to some of those critics.
“My impression is they don’t like criticism,” she said. “When you’ve done well for so long, I can understand that.
“People come here for the schools, and when [the distict is] questioned, it’s a defense mechanism.”
She added that “we can work with constructive criticism. It gives us an idea of how we can improve.”
Safety
Keeping students in a safe environment is “not just about shootings,” Judge said.
The recent deadly shooting at Apalachee High School prompted a number of threats in Cobb, including Dickerson Middle School, and Walton High School, that the Cobb school district has said are not actual threats to those campuses.
“I know our district takes every threat as a serious threat, and I believe we have really good security,” she said, referring to the district’s police department.
“But what I miss is a conversation with the parents. The community just needs the reassurance.”
At the September board meeting, Ragsdale said he would be making a security presentation when the board meets again later this week.
Judge said other safety issues concern those students who don’t feel secure due to such matters as anti-Semitic threats. The Cobb school district has done away with a “No Place for Hate” program prepared by the Atlanta office of the Anti-Defamation League.
Book removals
Judge has been among those parents questioning Ragsdale’s removals of books in school libraries he said contain sexually explicit content.
“I believe that our superintendent thinks he is keeping our kids safe,” Judge said. “What I can’t entirely agree with is the superintendent’s unilateral decision to remove books he has deemed
inappropriate. True parental involvement and choice means having a transparent process allowing parents or caregivers to review and challenge book removals.”
Judge said the Cobb school district should use the expertise of media specialists “to make sure that our students are reflected and educated properly. Their voices in this process are also important. This ensures a balanced approach respecting all viewpoints.”
“What happens if a book removed reflects our community’s values? Some of these books that have been removed have been on our shelves for years, why did the district just find out about them? How do we need to address our operational or procurement policies as a team focused on our students? Both our board and district policies must reflect a wide range of perspectives, ensuring educational content meets the needs of our community and follows state standards, while fostering a respectful dialogue among all stakeholders.”
Leadership challenge
In summing up her campaign pitch, Judge said that “I want our leadership to match the stellar schools that we have.”
She said that she’s “not going to be someone that’s going to pick fights. Our kids should be able to see us working together. We agree on a lot more than we disagree, because it’s not just about my kids, but all of our kids.”
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!
Early voting is underway in Cobb and Georgia for the next three weeks, and some long lines have already been reported at some of the polling stations in the county.
One of them is at the East Cobb Government Service Center (4400 Lower Roswell Road), which in recent election cycles has been one of the most-visited sites for early voting.
It’s one of 12 early voting precincts that will be used between now and Nov. 1. Another is the Tim D. Lee Senior Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road). Voters can go to any of these 12 regardless of where they live in the county.
Since the 2020 elections, the Cobb GIS office, in conjunction with Cobb Elections is providing a wait-time map in real time (link here).
The map is updated throughout the day by the site managers and is only an estimate.
As we noted earlier, here is the early voting schedule:
The East Cobb Government Center also is the site of an absentee ballot drop box that is open during early voting hours.
For more early voting information in Cobb, click here. Voters must bring a valid photo ID with them to the polls (click here for details).
The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Oct. 25. You can get an application online from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office by clicking here.
To check your voter registration status, and to get a customized sample ballot, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.
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!
The head of a citizens group opposing the proposed Cobb transit tax has filed an ethics complaint against Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid.
Lancee Lamberton of the Cobb Taxpayer Association on Monday alleged that Cupid, the primary supporter of the 30-year one-percent sales tax, is “running an advocacy campaign” to promote what’s being called the Cobb Mobility SPLOST with what should be a neutral education campaign.
He cited a state law saying that those publicly-funded campaigns should not take a position.
Lance Lamberton
Voters in Cobb began going to the polls Tuesday with the transit tax referendum on their ballots. If approved, the tax would collect an estimated $11.4 billion over 30 years to fund an expansion of the existing CobbLinc bus system, including 108 new miles of routes and several transfer stations.
A transfer station and two bus routes are being planned for East Cobb, which hasn’t had bus service since the recession.
The county is paying an Atlanta consulting firm $287,000 to produce information about the referendum, including a page on the county government website, but opponents have said that information is not neutral.
In his complaint, filed with Cobb County Clerk Pam Mabry, Lamberton said a video and flyer as part of the education campaign states that “‘this initiative seeks to improve the county’s transit infrastructure with a focus on safety, flexibility, and reliability tailored to meet the specific needs of our growing community and local economy.’ Moreover, county staff, including the county manager and the director of the DOT, among others, are enlisted to make these advocacy statements in the videos.”
Those statements include the following, according to Lamberton’s complaint:
“M-SPLOST can make transit faster, more frequent and more reliable with 73 miles of BRT. It helps you by-pass traffic like when you are on a train.”
“The Cobb transit plan could transform bus stops and transfer points, creating a safer and welcoming accessible experience.”
And finally:
“Check this out! Discover how transit is connecting our community with opportunities and find out how Cobb’s MSPLOST referendum could expand transit services in our county.”
Lamberton wrote that “clearly the language of these statements express opinions in favor the SPLOST proposal, and as the highest elected official in County government, it is incumbent upon the Chairwoman to refrain from temptation to do so, and to prohibit county staff from doing so, as is proscribed under state law, cited above. In short, those who make the laws should not break the laws.”
East Cobb News has left a message with Cobb spokesman Ross Cavitt seeking comment from Cupid.
It’s unlikely that the Cobb Ethics Board would hear Lamberton’s complaint “in an expeditious manner,” i.e., before the Nov. 5 election.
Lamberton’s group is one of two that has been vocal against the referendum.
Last week former Cobb Chamber of Commerce president John Loud, other business leaders and Republican elected officials held a rally opposing the tax.
While the three Democratic commissioners, including Cupid, voted to put the proposed tax out to referendum last year, Republican commissioners JoAnn Birrell and Keli Gambrill were opposed.
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A small vacant space at the Merchant’s Exchange Shopping Center looks non-descript for the moment, with its windows blocked out to indicate renovations.
Behind the scenes, a new franchise of a small chain, the Fluffy Fluffy Dessert Cafe, is being prepared for a likely November opening.
The franchisee is truly local.
After a long career in the technology sector, Tri Phan recently began considering entrepreneurial opportunities. His daughters attend Walton High School, and he wants his new business to be community focused.
“I’ve been looking for a place in East Cobb,” he said, initially pursuing a coffee/tea establishment. “Even if this wasn’t a franchise, I’d want to operate it the same way.”
He settled on Fluffy Fluffy Cafe, a dessert cafe with a wide array of coffees and teas, plus a few savory items (menu here.)
The headliner, Phan says, is Japanese souffle pancakes.
Fluffy Fluffy grew out of an original concept in Toronto, and has expanded to nearly a dozen franchises in the United States, including two in metro Atlanta, Duluth and Tucker, which is having a Nov. 9 grand opening.
The East Cobb location will occupy nearly 2,000 square feet next to Jersey Mike’s when it opens. It will be among several new eateries at Merchant’s Exchange, including Katana Sushi and Hibachi and J’MZ and artisanal coffee and tea spot with juices, light breakfast items, bowls and bakery items.
“It was just time for a change, said Phan, who left his technology job as a product manager earlier this year when it was purchased by another company.
For now, as the location is being built out, Phan—who earned an MBA from the University of Michigan—is laying some marketing and promotional groundwork.
He hoping for a soft opening by the end of October with a grand opening in November, but hasn’t set any hard dates.
Phan said the opening hours for Fluffy Fluffy Cafe will be 10-8 Sunday-Thursday and 10-9 on Friday-Saturday.
Pause Studio sets grand opening
Pause Studio will have a flotation therapy chamber.
Pause Studio, which provides holistic wellness services, will hold its grand opening at Avenue East Cobb on Nov. 2 from 12-6 p.m. (475 Roswell Rd, Suite B-420).
Based in Los Angeles,, Pause will be opening its first franchise location outside of California, featuring wellness treatments, including floatation therapy, infrared saunas, LED light therapy, IV therapy, contrast therapy, cryotherapy, and naturopathic medicine.
“It’s been our passion to open a state-of-the-art wellness studio in our own backyard, helping us realize our vision of providing the community with modern, holistic lifestyle solutions that nurture both mind and body,” says franchise owner Lisa Benson, who is local. “Our mission is to lead Atlanta’s wellness space through unparalleled service, education, and by offering approachable and affordable solutions that empower everyone to live healthier, happier lives.”
A company release said the new Pause Studio is the first in Cobb County to receive health department approval for cold plunges and float tanks.
The grand opening includes food, drink mini-services from partners, a raffle, giveaways, studio tours and more. Initial Founding Discovery Packages at are being sold for 50 percent off, along with 20 percent off other packages and founding memberships.
Helping those in need
A number of businesses, religious institutions and other organizations have been collecting donations for Hurricane Helene victims in North Carolina.
Suburban Tap has been loading up several vehicles to transport to those needing assistance, as the restaurant notes on its Facebook page:
They’ve been asking for the donations on their social media channels for the last few days, and last week offered specials for refugees from Hurricane Milton in Florida.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
From Oct. 15-Nov. 1, Georgia and Cobb voters can cast their ballots in person in advance of the Nov. 5 general election.
The 2024 elections feature new some boundaries due to court-ordered redistricting, particularly in races for the Cobb Board of Education.
The Cobb Board of Elections and Cobb GIS are providing an estimated wait-time map that will be updated several times a day during the early voting period.
When, where, how to vote
Early voting will take place at select locations around the county, including the East Cobb Government Service Center (4400 Lower Roswell Road) and the Tim D. Lee Senior Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road) as follows:
There is no early voting from Nov. 2-4. On election day, Nov. 5, voters will go their assigned precincts.
For more locations for early voting, click here. Cobb voters can cast early ballots at any location in the county regardless of where they live.
Voters must bring a valid photo ID with them to the polls (click here for details).
The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Oct. 25. You can get an application online from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office by clicking here.
There is an absentee ballot drop box at the East Cobb Government Service Center that is open during early voting hours.
Absentee ballots must be received in person or by mail at the Cobb Elections office or delivered to a designated drop box by 7 p.m. on Nov. 5, when the polls close for good on election day.
To check your voter registration status, and to get a customized sample ballot, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.
Who/What’s on the ballot?
The U.S. Presidential race headlines a lengthy ballot for Georgia voters, but there are many local elections to be decided.
Cobb voters will decide whether to approve a 30-year sales tax to fund expanded bus transit operations, including a transfer station in East Cobb and the restoration of previous routes along Roswell and Johnson Ferry roads.
In East Cobb, voters will choose a new Post 5 member to the Cobb Board of Education, following the retirement of four-term member David Banks.
The candidates are both first-timers, Democrat Laura Judge, and Republican John Cristadoro. They are parents of students in the Walton High School attendance zone.
The Post 5 boundaries were changed during a court-ordered redistricting that placed some of the Wheeler attendance zone in Post 6. Post 5 includes most of the Walton and Wheeler zones, along with some of the Pope zones (map here).
Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, a Democrat, is seeking a second term and is being opposed by Republican Kay Morgan.
Other countywide races include District Attorney, Sheriff, Tax Commissioner, Superior Court Clerk and State Court Clerk. Non-partisan judicial races were decided during the May primaries.
The Georgia 11th Congressional District that includes East Cobb is on the ballot, as are all legislative seats.
Those legislative seats with East Cobb constituencies include districts 32, 33 and 56 in the Georgia Senate, and districts 37, 43, 44, 45 and 46 in the Georgia House.
There will be special elections in 2025 to determine District 2 and District 4 on the Cobb Board of Commissioners, after a court ruling struck down the county’s home rule claims for redistricting,
Those elections are do-overs from the May primaries using now-invalidated electoral maps.
District 2 had included some of East Cobb put has been pushed west of the Powers Ferry Road corridor.
Most of East Cobb is now represented by District 3 Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, a Republican, whose current term expires at the end of 2026.
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A series of proposed code amendments to be heard by the Cobb Board of Commissioners in November includes a measure that would permit small homes to be built in residential backyards.
What are called “accessory dwelling units,” or ADUs, would be allowed in most residential zoning categories. They could be as large as 850 square feet and house up to three unrelated adults and up to six children, as well as maximum parking for five cars in a driveway or garage and another vehicle off-street.
Unlike “tiny houses,” which are mobile, the ADUs under the proposed Cobb ordinance would be required to be permanently structured and hooked up to utilities serving the primary home.
The property owner also must live on the premises and the smaller unit could not be used as a short-term rental.
Only a few counties in Georgia allow ADUs, which have been touted as a way to address housing affordability issues.
Cobb’s average home sales price surpassed $500,000 for the first time in 2024.
Developers also promote ADUs as a way for homeowners to earn rental income (example recently in the city of Atlanta) or to provide housing for a family member, such as a senior, and for college students.
The proposed ADU code amendment (you can read it here) will first be heard by the Cobb Planning Commission on Nov. 5, followed by public hearings to be held by Cobb commissioners on Nov. 12 and Nov. 21.
The county distributed the proposed code amendments (summarized here, with links) but hasn’t publicized the upcoming hearings nor has it explained explained why the ordinance is being subject to revisions now.
Typically Cobb updates its ordinance twice a year, in January and September, but that pattern hasn’t happened recently.
East Cobb News has left a message with the county seeking comment and further information, and has contacted District 3 commissioner JoAnn Birrell as well.
Richard Grome, president of the East Cobb Civic Association, said his group is analyzing all the proposed code amendments, but “we are not at a point in our analysis, at this time, to make a definitive announcement or take a position on any of” them.
Cobb’s current ordinance permits no more than two unrelated adults living together, and one vehicle for every 390 square feet of living space.
There aren’t provisions for allowing ADUs, but the proposed code amendment stipulates the following:
a. ADU shall not exceed 50% of the gross square footage of the primary single-family dwelling unit or 850 square feet.
b. ADU shall be no more than one-story in height, not to exceed the height of the primary single-family dwelling unit.
c. A minimum of one off-street parking spot shall be provided for the ADU.
d. ADU shall be connected to the utilities meters of the primary structure.
e. ADU shall be located only in the rear yard, and shall adhere to the side and rear yard setback of the primary structure.
f. Maximum impervious surface coverage for the lot shall not exceed the zoning district limitation.
g. ADU must adhere to all other standards for accessory structures in the zoning district.
h. There shall be no more than one ADU per single-family lot.
i. ADU shall not be utilized as a short-term rental property.
j. The owner(s) of the property shall reside in either the primary single family-dwelling unit or the ADU.
k. Property owner(s) shall sign an affidavit stating that the ADU is not in conflict with any applicable covenants, conditions, deed restrictions, or bylaws.
ADUs have been mentioned as part of a Cobb Unified Development Code that was first proposed in 2021 but has been put on hold.
There were public meetings last December, and tentative plans for more feedback and adoption in 2024, but nothing further has been issued since an outside consultant released this code assessment in November 2023.
It didn’t specifically mention adding ADUs to the code, but it does call for reviewing and updating accessory uses and structures.
“The list of accessory uses will include some of the current accessory uses, with definitions and standards as appropriate. It will also include additional accessory uses or structures that may be appropriate, such as automated teller machines,” wrote the consultant, Clarion Associates LLC, a nationwide land-use and planning firm.
County officials said the UDC was a long overdue measure to streamline development standards and zoning categories.
But some Cobb residents declared the UDC to be a “war on the suburbs” that would increase density in traditional single-family neighborhoods.
County officials have contended that in response that “what you see in your neighborhood is going to pretty much be the same.”
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Judges, elected officials, community members, court staff, attorneys, family members, and friends packed the Cobb Superior Court Ceremonial Courtroom to congratulate the five newest Cobb County Drug Treatment Court graduates. The graduates, staff, family, and friends shared moments of tears and laughter as they detailed their journey. The overriding theme was a sense of accomplishment, hope, and excitement for the next chapter of their lives.
The Drug Treatment Court is an alternative to incarceration for individuals involved in the justice system with a substance use disorder. The 18–24-month program uses a combination of close supervision, individualized evidence-based treatment, and recovery support to hold offenders accountable for their actions and teach them to be productive members of the community.
One of the graduates shared, “My experience in Drug Court has been a roller coaster ride of ups and downs in the beginning but leveled out towards the end. Drug Court changed my life by teaching me how to deal with the highs and lows of life without escaping through using drugs.”
Superior Court Judge Kimberly A. Childs presides over the Drug Treatment Court and the multi-disciplinary team administering the program. After the graduation ceremony, she reflected that “these graduates exemplify the need for and importance of an evidence-based recovery and treatment program in our criminal justice system. Our community should be proud of the commitment Cobb County has to helping those with substance use disorder transform their lives. Through the efforts of our dedicated team and with the continued support of our stakeholders, these 5 graduates are now sober, independent, and productive members of our society.”
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Music is in the air—both indoors and out—and will headline weekend events in and near East Cobb.
Sunday afternoon music-lovers can choose from dueling concerts if you will, starting with the sounds of the Atlanta-based Amadeus String Ensemble (pictured above) at 3 p.m. at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church (571 Holt Road). It’s the season opener of the church’s 2024-25 Friends of Music concert schedule.
Admission is free for the public to attend, but freewill donations are accepted.
The Friends for the East Cobb Park will hold another Music in the Park event Sunday at 4 p.m. featuring the familiar sounds of the Loose Shoes Duo.
Come to the concert shell at the park (3322 Roswell Road) and bring picnic fare, blankets/chairs and enjoy. The presenting sponsor is Wellstar Health System, and another concert is scheduled for Oct. 27.
The weather all weekend will be gorgeous, and the second Saturday of the month means it’s another Hyde Farm Walking Tour. Come to Hyde Farm (721 Hyde Road) with your walking shoes for a stroll through the Cobb PARKS-operated 1840s working farm for a 45-minute tour starting at 10 a.m.
It’s free, but you’re asked to register in advance for head-count purposes.
Later Saturday afternoon, it’s the Faith Lutheran School Fall Festival (2111 Lower Roswell Road) that’s open to the public. Enjoy family-oriented fun with petting zoo, bounce houses, carnival games, food and drink and a craft market of local vendors and artists running from 3-6 p.m.
On both Saturday and Sunday, it’s Chalkobterfest, a chalk art and beer festival presented by the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art.
More than 80 artists, more than 100 different beer and 40 different wines will be served up on the Marietta Square to celebrate the onset of fall.
There also will be live music, food trucks and art vendors.
The main festival is 10-5 Saturday and 11-5 Sunday; the beer festival runs from 12-5 Saturday and you can buy tickets for the latter by clicking here.
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Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Tommy Nobis Center (TNC), a Marietta-based nonprofit that empowers people through employment, has moved to their newly renovated Cobb County location. Formerly located at 1480 Bells Ferry Road in Marietta, Tommy Nobis Center has provided education, training, and employment to people with disabilities for the last 47 years.
Formerly the Cobb Chamber of Commerce building, the fully renovated state-of-the-art facility is located on 1.7 acres at 240 Interstate North Parkway across I-75 from Truist Park in the hub of surrounding businesses. The new education and training center was designed to reflect the mission of TNC and to provide more classroom and training space to meet the needs of flourishing educational programs.
“This is a major milestone for our organization,” says President and CEO, Dave Ward. “The new facility will allow us to double our impact in half the space and is centrally located making it more accessible to our program participants.”
A $5.86M three-year capital campaign launched in August of 2023 has already secured 90% of funds needed to fully subsidize the project. With leadership from Devon Jackoniski, the daughter of Tommy Nobis and significant support from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and the Atlanta Falcons, The Imlay Foundation, and other major donors in Atlanta, this innovative endeavor will benefit our entire community, as employing people with disabilities helps the local economy and provides an untapped pool of talent for local businesses.
Tommy Nobis Center will host open house events on November 13th and 14th between 8:00am and 3:00pm.
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!
