Walton (along with Wheeler) will continue to compete in the largest classification for high school sports in Georgia.
Every two years the Georgia High School Association “reclassifies” the divisions of competition for high school athletic teams based on enrollment.
The six public high schools in East Cobb have been spread out into three different classifications, and they will remain that way for the next two school years.
But the GHSA did some rearranging and consolidation.
The largest classification is currently Class 7A. But that has been eliminated in favor of a seven-class division that goes from Class 6A down to two divisions of Class A.
Walton and Wheeler are now in Class 7A, and next year will be competing in Class 6A. That comprises 65 schools, and will also include Campbell, North Cobb, Osborne, Pebblebrook, Marietta, Hillgrove, McEachern, Harrison, South Cobb and Kennesaw Mountain.
The current 7A only has 45 schools, and most of the new additions come from the metro Atlanta area, including Douglas and Paulding schools.
Pope, Lassiter and Sprayberry, currently in 6A, will be in 5A for the next two years, and will be the only Cobb schools among the 57 in that classification.
Kell is now in Class 5A and will be in 4A starting next fall.
The Walker School will be competing in Class A-Division I, which includes a number of private and rural schools.
That also includes Mt. Bethel Christian Academy of East Cobb and Mt. Paran Christian in North Cobb.
Schools can appeal their classification assignments by Nov. 8. Regions will be drawn up later.
For a full list of the new GHSA classifications, click here.
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PFCA members at a recent Adopt-A-Mile cleanup event.
Submitted information:
Looking to give back to the community? Consider a role on the Powers Ferry Corridor Alliance’s Board of Directors. There are currently two board seats open for people interested in helping guide the work of the PFCA. Individual residents, HOA leaders and business owners in the area radiating out approximately two miles from the intersection of Terrell Mill and Powers Ferry Roads are encouraged to explore this interesting and fun work that does not require an excess of time. There are nine meetings a year and additional committee work depending on interest and availability.
East Cobb News loves to tell the community about what local organizations are doing, including neighborhood groups.
If you have meetings or public events to publicize, or just want to share news about what your group is doing, we’ll be glad to publish it.
If you have items that fit those descriptions, please sent them to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.
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The Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service at the Temple Kol Emeth synagogue has regularly included a Muslim call to prayer. ECN file.
The organizers of the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service at an East Cobb synagogue have added what they’re calling some additional “safeguard” measures in light of heightened tensions regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East.
The service, which is free and open to the public, is on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. at Temple Kol Emeth (1415 Old Canton Road).
Rachel Barich, the senior administrator at Temple Kol Emeth, told East Cobb News that those wishing to attend are being asked to register online, and that a clear-bag policy will be followed, similar to what happens at sports stadiums and at larger public events.
“This is to make sure it’s a safe event for everyone,” Barich said, adding that “the purpose of the service remains the same.”
She said the extra measures were decided upon “in light of concerns in a number of religious communities,” and that “it seems prudent,” based on discussions with the synagogue’s security detail and the service’s organizing committee.
The service includes representatives from 21 faith communities in East Cobb and metro Atlanta, representing Christian, Jewish, Islamic and other faiths, and the program features music, reflections and an offering to benefit various charities and non-profits for Thanksgiving.
“It’s an expression of Thanksgiving,” Barich said. “It’s about what we are connecting between our many faiths.”
The service also has regularly included a Muslim call to prayer, and this year’s service, themed “Creating Courageous Connections,” includes four Islamic faith communities: The East Cobb Islamic Center, the West Cobb Islamic Center, the Roswell Community Masjid and the Islamic Speakers’ Bureau of Atlanta.
“We continue to have the representation of all the major religions,” Barich said.
She said there will be walk-up registration at the door for those who cannot do so online (click here). The clear-bag policy applies to all items, including women’s purses.
The service was started by Kol Emeth Rabbi Emeritus Stephen Lebow in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks to foster a better understanding among people of different faiths.
Other East Cobb faith communities participating in this year’s service include the Catholic Church of St. Ann; Congregation Etz Chaim; East Cobb United Methodist Church; Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation; Pilgrimage United Church of Christ; St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; Transfiguration Catholic Church; Unity North Atlanta Church; and Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church.
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The Tunnel Rats return to pay tribute to veterans at a Saturday celebration at East Cobb Park.
A wintry blast of weather has ushered in November, as holiday-ish events are already cropping up on our calendar listings. You can get an early start on seasonal shopping, pay tribute to those who served in the military and help out one of East Cobb’s venerable animal organizations.
The Lassiter Craft Fair is back, and it’s a major fundraiser for the Lassiter Bands Program. More than 100 vendors with holiday gift ideas and more will be spread throughout the school (2601 Shallowford Road) from 10-5 Saturday and 11-4 Sunday.
Admission is free, and there will be raffle prizes, concessions and a bake sale for purchase.
Women who need some pampering are invited to do so for a good cause Saturday: The Sheltering Grace Ministry’s Ladies’ Day Out event from 10-3 at Piedmont Church (570 Piedmont Road).
Admission is free, and the proceeds from skincare and makeup purses to personalized items, holiday crafts, clothing, and other services on hand will benefit the non-profit that assists homeless pregnant women. You can register here to help organizers get a head count; the event takes place in the church’s conference room.
With Veterans Day close by, East Cobb-based United Military Care and the Aviation History Technology Center in Marietta are staging the Give Thanks: A Veterans Day Appreciation event Saturday from 11-3 at East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road).
A patriotic youth parade kicks things off at 11 a.m. sharp, and there will be free cookout food, military displays, family activities and live music. The weather’s expected to be much warmer by Saturday, with highs near 70 and sunny skies.
The Hindu festival of lights is officially observed on Nov. 12, and East Cobb Library will be holding a special Diwali Celebration Saturday from 2-4 (4880 Lower Roswell Road). The public is invited the free event that includes crafts, henna art, Indian food to sample, and other activities. All ages and cultures are welcome.
On Saturday night, the East Cobb-based Good Mews Animal Foundation is having its biggest fundraising event at its annual gala, this year themed as CATsino Royale. It’s from 7-10 at Olde Towne Athletic Club (4950 Olde Towne Parkway) and tickets are $75 a person, with cocktail attire.
There will be entertainment, casino table games, silent auction, dinner, drinks, and more, and all the proceed benefit the non-profit shelter’s work caring for and adopting out homeless cats.
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Let East Cobb News know what your organization is doing, or share news about what people are doing in the community—accomplishments, recognitions, milestones, etc., as well as community events.
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In collaboration with the Cobb & Douglas County Public Health Department is providing free COVID and flu vaccinations 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6 at the East Cobb Library, 4880 Lower Roswell Road, suite 510-B, Marietta.
No appointment needed. Walk-ins are welcome.
Those getting vaccinated should bring their ID, insurance card and if applicable, vaccine card.
Click here for more information about upcoming Cobb & Douglas Health free COVID vaccine clinics in the Cobb County area.
Click here for more information about COVID vaccines and COVID testing in the Cobb County area, or call 770-514-2300.
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A few dozen book fans braved freezing temperatures Wednesday morning, patiently sipping coffee.
Right at 9 a.m., Georgia-based mystery author Mary Kay Andrews cut the ribbon for the new Barnes and Noble store at Avenue East Cobb.
She just published her 30th novel, “Bright Lights, Big Christmas,” and has attended many bookstore events.
But this is the first time she’s been asked to perform a ribbon-cutting, along with Barnes and Noble managers and Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat.
“It’s a beautiful new store,” said Andrews—the pen name of former Atlanta journalist Kathy Trocheck—at the end of a book-signing session during the store’s first hour of business.
“Any time a bookstore opens, an angel sings.”
Barnes and Noble also has invited a number of authors for signing events during the first few weeks. Among the events is a Cat in the Hat storytime for children Saturday from 9-10 a.m.
For Barnes and Noble, the 15,000-square-foot space—where Bed Bath and Beyond was located—is part of a new concept.
It’s a smaller footprint, but features a more open and airy floor plan, with sunshine beaming through large windows at the front. The café area—which was used for the book-signing—has a full-length window.
On Wednesday, customers were treated to coffee, bagels and cookies. The seating area will include a variety of tables, and there will be seating at the bar as well.
There also are browsing seats scattered around.
But the essential new feature is a more locally curated book selection, what management calls “the best of books.”
“We look at the demographics of an area—synagogues, schools, etc., and also look at what our closest stores are selling,” said Moné Fair, Barnes and Noble’s Georgia area manager.
The “best of” is also determined by sales figures, according to inventory control specialist David Mason.
He’s in charge of ordering books directly—another departure for Barnes and Noble—and will be looking at real-time data to further refine the selections for local customers.
Previously, books were ordered via company headquarters in New York. Mason, who moved about the new store Wednesday with a tablet device bearing data, said Barnes and Noble has been using this approach for three years.
He said it won’t be long “before we’ll know what sells here. We’ll have a really good sense about what an East Cobb store will look like.”
Managers said they didn’t know how many books were on display, but they have spent the last week or so unloading 75,000 pounds of books.
There are also toys, games, and puzzles with an educational focus for children, and even a display with a variety vinyl albums.
“For every CD we sell, we sell 10 vinyl records,” Mason said.
The reason? It’s an immersive feeling, he said, just like picking up a book, and turning the pages.
Barnes and Noble is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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A member of Cobb commissioner Jerica Richardson’s “community cabinet” is considering making a run to succeed her in 2024.
Kevin Redmon, an East Cobb resident, filed a declaration of intent form with the Cobb Elections Office on Oct. 23.
According to the filings, Redmon, an IT sales and account manager, would be running as a Democrat in District 2.
A declaration is not a formal filing for a campaign, but Redmon formed a campaign committee in August.
On Richardson’s cabinet, he serves as an East Cobb community liaison, and is a regular presence at Cobb Board of Commission meetings during public comment periods.
“I love being engaged and I was wanting to do more,” Redmon told East Cobb News.
A resident of East Cobb since 2005, Redmon said he initially got involved in community issues with the anti-cityhood group East Cobb Alliance, whose leader, Mindy Seger, introduced him to Richardson.
Thus far Redmon, who is married with a daughter, is the only individual who has expressed at least semi-formal interest in running in District 2.
Richardson, a first-term Democrat, has filed to run for the 6th Congressional District after legislative reapportionment in 2022 drew her out of her commission district.
Redmon said his priorities include “just really communicating with residents in a clear way about what’s happening.
“Complex issues are being presented to the public,” and he said it’s not always clearly understood what the potential impact of a pr0posed service or spending issue may be.
Some of those issues include stormwater management, which has become a growing concern in East Cobb since severe flooding in Sept. 2021.
The county is preparing a possible funding solution that would impose an impact fee, based on amount of impervious surface on a property, that Redmon said would likely affect larger commercial customers more than average homeowners.
“It’s a simple message, but there’s been a lot of pushback,” Redmon said.
Redmon said that it’s important to place “a focus on the future.”
Cobb’s population is growing older, and he said “the future is coming at us pretty quickly.
“We need to make decisions that respect people who have been here many years but we also have to attract people who are moving in and raising families.
The District 2 boundaries would include most of Smyrna and Marietta and areas north along the Interstate 75 corridor.
The map drawn by the legislature in 2022 placed most of East Cobb in District 3, represented by Republican JoAnn Birrell.
That electoral map is currently being contested in Cobb Superior Court after the commission’s Democratic majority voted to invoke home rule. Another hearing is scheduled for Nov. 20.
Richardson and her party colleagues are seeking to employ maps that would place the East Cobb area in Districts 2 and 3, similar to what they had been before reapportionment.
As that dispute began, Richardson launched a civic and political education non-profit, For Which It Stance, at which Redmon also serves as a community captain.
He also participated in a recent cybersecurity awareness event held by Richardson and other Cobb County officials.
The District 2 seat is one of three that will be on the 2024 ballot, and all of them are currently held by Democrats. Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid has announced she’s seeking re-election. District 4 incumbent Monique Sheffield of South Cobb will be completing her first term.
Redmon said until there’s a court ruling on what the District 2 boudaries may be, he’s going to continue “getting out to events and talking to people.
“There is a real desire for a hyperlocal focus on the job. That’s what I’m finding people are caring about.”
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Cobb County will break new ground with a revolutionary new accountability court targeting the eviction crisis. The Board of Commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding between the county’s Magistrate Court and a nonprofit to form the Housing Stability Court.
“We’re incredibly excited about the program. We’ve been charged with bridging the gap to the future,” said Cobb’s Chief Magistrate Brendan Murphy. “This will bring resources to bear so folks can lift their families to a better situation.”
The program will be funded from a $1.3 million federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) allocation, which can only be used for rental and mortgage assistance. The court wanted to wait until the ERA funds designated for direct assistance were exhausted before starting the program. The county received more than $23 million from the federal government for housing assistance during the pandemic.
The Magistrate Court will work with the Marietta-based Center for Family Resources to administer the program. Participants will be referred to the Housing Stability Court, and there is no mechanism for people to apply to the program directly. The unique court program will help families avoid losing their homes by providing small monetary assistance combined with wrap-around services to work with landlords and tenants to avoid the eviction process.
The court will crank up in the coming weeks.
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A small commercial building at a corner of Lower Roswell Road and Johnson Ferry Road could be converted into a fast food chicken restaurant.
Guthrie’s Chicken, which specializes in chicken finger menu items, is scheduled to have a first hearing on its rezoning application next Tuesday before the Cobb Planning Commission.
The request seeks a change from a planned shopping center (PSC) to a neighborhood retail commercial (NRC) category for 0.3 acres at 4774 Lower Roswell Road.
The 2,000-square foot building is currently vacant but previously has housed small medical offices, including a COVID-19 testing location. It’s located in front of a CVS pharmacy, and plans call to remodel the building.
The application by DG East Cobb Guthrie’s LLC (you can read it here) calls for drive-through-only service from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. An existing single point of access on Lower Roswell would be retained in the proposed site plan.
The request also seeks a reduction from the existing 15 parking spaces to 12 and a reduction of the front setback from 50 feet to 20 feet, and would increase the impervious surface maximum from 70 to 92.9 percent.
The Cobb Zoning Office is recommending approval of the application.
Based in Alabama, Guthrie’s is a Southern franchise operation with more than 50 locations in eight states, including one in Mableton and two in Canton.
The Guthrie’s in East Cobb would be located across the intersection from Zaxby’s, another Southern chicken chain.
DG Guthrie’s purchased the land and building for $1.2 million last September, according to Cobb property tax records.
The Cobb Planning Commission, an advisory body, meets next Tuesday at 9 a.m. For more information and a meeting overview, click here.
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Cobb Police said Monday they are investigating an anti-Semitic message that was projected on a bridge over Interstate 75 near Chastain Road.
Sgt. Wayne Delk said that officers reported to calls from drivers on Sunday that that a moving message had been displayed along the side of an overpass.
According to social media postings, the message said “This land is our land, Heil Hitler.”
The message comes as tensions are mounting in the Middle East, with Israel airstrikes continuing into Gaza after terrorists massacred nearly 1,500 Israelis in an Oct. 7 attack aimed at civilians.
“We recognize the deep distress and concern incidents of this nature may cause, particularly to our Jewish community members and other targeted groups,” Delk said in a release. “We stand in solidarity with all residents of Cobb County and are dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of every individual. Hate has no place in our community, and we will work to ensure that those responsible for any violations of law are held accountable. ”
That incident prompted an interfaith service at East Cobb United Methodist Church that included the presence of Cobb Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer and various elected officials.
State Rep. John Carson, a Republican who represents part of East Cobb is a co-sponsor of a bill that would include anti-Semitic messages in a hate crimes bill that has failed to pass the Georgia legislature.
In a social media post Monday, he called the I-75 incident a “stunt that is digusting. Behavior like this has no place here in Georgia. Example # (I’ve lost track) of why it’s time to pass HB30.”
Teri Anulewicz, a Smyrna Democrat who heads the Cobb legislative delegation, in referring to the GDL, said that “I don’t care that this depraved group isn’t based in Cobb. I am devastated and outraged that they continue to believe they have an audience here.”
Last week, Cobb commissioners dropped a proposed resolution condemning Hamas for the attacks on Israelis after Muslim citizens and those of Palestinian descent complained they were not included in the process.
Cobb Police didn’t indicate how the “Heil Hitler” message might have been placed on the I-75 overpass.
Delk said in the release that “it is important for our entire community to understand that proactive steps are being taken to address this incident. We want to reassure the community that acts of this nature will be rigorously investigated. Individuals found responsible for illegal conduct could face a range of charges, from traffic violations to more serious offenses. We are coordinating and will continue to coordinate with other law enforcement partners during this investigation.
“The Cobb County Police Department remains vigilant and is committed to ensuring that all residents can live and work in a community where they feel safe, valued, and respected.”
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Temperatures reached 80 degrees again on Monday, but we’ll be having cooler weather until the weekend.
Not long after trick-or-treating winds down on Tuesday, the weather in the East Cobb area will be taking a very chilly turn for a few days.
The National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch for most of metro Atlanta and parts of North Georgia from late Tuesday evening until 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Sub-freezing lows are forecast for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with highs from the mid-50s to low 60s during those days.
Frost and freeze conditions can kill crops and garden vegetation and damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. People with in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-
ground pipes to protect them from freezing.
Pets also should be shielded from freeze conditions and brought inside.
High temperatures over the weekend will range from the high 60s to low 70s, also with sunshine. But the lows will still be colder than they have been‚ in the 40s into next week.
For more on local weather conditions in the coming days, click here.
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Untangled Mind, LLC and Dynamic Growth Counseling and Consulting Services, LLC are thrilled to announce their new joint business venture opening in East Cobb. The need for mental health care has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the owners of these two businesses have created a holistic approach to mental health care called the Dynamic Mind Approach. This model incorporates Adlerian psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for the most effective and holistic care of individuals.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Oct. 19 at 1501 Johnson Ferry, Road, Suite 104, with members of the East Cobb Business Association as Dr. Susan Belangee and Piper Harris, M.A., highlighted the growing need for quality, holistic mental health counseling and consulting services in the greater Atlanta area.
Untangled Mind, LLC and Dynamic Growth Counseling and Consulting Services, LLC aim to become active members of the East Cobb community and look forward to collaborating with local organizations to promote mental health awareness, education, and well-being. Both companies are fully committed to providing compassionate care for anxiety, trauma, and grief and consulting services to effect organizational change, personalized treatment plans, and a nurturing environment for clients to thrive.
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East Cobb News loves to tell the community about new businesses, and those marking milestones or undergoing major changes, as well as profiling local business owners and their employees.
If you have items to share that fit those descriptions, please sent them to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.
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If you’re a local business and are interested in advertising opportunities with East Cobb News, please contact us at advertising@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll be glad to tell you how we can help promote your business to East Cobb’s only daily, all-online audience, one that’s highly engaged in the community and growing.
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The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports. They include the subdivision name and high school attendance zone in parenthesis:
Oct. 9
1429 Old Virginia Court, 30067 (Salem Ridge, Wheeler): $376,000
Oct. 10
3960 Riverlook Parkway Unit 207, 30067 (Willows by the River, Walton): $305,000
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For 20 years, Cobb’s Drug Treatment Court has led people out of the criminal justice system and into long-term recovery. To celebrate this milestone, on Thursday, October 26, 2023, Cobb Superior Court Judge Kimberly A. Childs led a large gathering of judges, court employees, community stakeholders, and many other supporters in celebration of two decades of changing lives through the County’s Drug Treatment Court program.
At the celebration, Judge Childs, who currently presides over the program, presented a special award to Senior Judge George H. Kreeger, the first Drug Court judge, for his many years of service to the program and the county.
“Today, we celebrate 20 years of creating paths to wellness. Drug Courts are saving lives, reuniting families, reducing crime, and saving money,” said Porsha Middlebrook, Program Coordinator. “Drug Courts work!”
Speakers at the event included Chief Assistant District Attorney John Pursley, who served as the prosecutor on the Drug Court team for several years, and Grady Moore, who served as a prosecutor and later as defense counsel for the Drug Court program for nearly 20 years.
Former DTC graduate Daniel Spinney spoke about his experience before and after participating in the program. Since then, he has been an integral part of the recovery community in Cobb County, including serving as the long-time Director of Program Services at The Zone in Marietta. “Drug Court is a major part of the person I am today. It gave me the tools to be a better son, father, and grandfather. I would not be where I am today without the Drug Court program,” Spinney said.
Judge Childs also awarded DTC community partner and certified sober living facility Four Winds Recovery for their continued partnership and services to the program and participants. The availability of quality sober living housing opportunities has been a mainstay of the DTC, enabling otherwise homeless individuals into the program by offering a stable residence in Cobb County.
Sherrod Jones, the Career and Training Coordinator with CobbWorks, was also recognized for his service as a team member in all the Cobb accountability courts for over eight years. Mr. Jones provides comprehensive services to DTC participants for employment and education. These services are pivotal to ensuring participants obtain stable jobs and achieve independence and sustainability during and after the program.
Hope the Comfort Dog also received recognition for her devotion to the participants of the Cobb DTC and for always providing a calming influence on participants each week in the court hearings. Hope comes to court for every accountability court session. Marietta’s Faith Lutheran Church and School sponsor the Lutheran Charities K-9 Comfort Dogs, and Judge Childs thanked the Church for supporting Cobb’s accountability court participants.
For more information about Cobb Drug Treatment Court, please contact Porsha Middlebrook, Program Coordinator, at 770-528-1933 or email CobbDTC@cobbcounty.org.
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Bill Rembert Sr., an art teacher at Wheeler High School. has been honored by the Georgia Art Education Association.
He is the 2023 recipient of the association’s Croy West Special Needs Art Educator of the Year Award, according to the Cobb County School District.
That goes to an educator for how they support special needs students.
A former special education teacher, Rembert collaborates with departments throughout the school, including special education, “to ensure all students can share their voices and feel the impact of art in their world,” the district release said.
Those projects include the creation of a sensory art space for special education students.
“Mr. Rembert works to show his school community the importance of art in their day-to-day lives through the installation of murals, display of work throughout the building, and inclusion of a variety of contemporary artists into his lessons. Mr. Rembert has always worked to create a sense of unity and connectedness in his classroom by showing students how all voices are welcome and needed in art spaces,” said Laura LaQuaglia, the district’s supervisor of learning design and visual arts.
He will be formally honored at the GAEA conference in November.
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The Congressional maps passed in 2021 substantially redrew the 6th District that once included most of East Cobb.
Georgia lawmakers will be called to a special session to redraw the state’s Congressional and legislative maps after a federal judge ruled Thursday that they violate civil rights law.
U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones in Atlanta said the maps drawn by the Georgia legislature in 2021 substantially diluted minority voting strength, especially in parts of metro Atlanta, under the U.S. Voting Rights Act.
Gov. Brian Kemp has signed an order calling for a Nov. 29 special session after Jones ordered new maps be completed by Dec. 8.
Among the particulars in Jones lengthy ruling (you can read it here) is the creation of a majority-black Congressional district in the western part of metro Atlanta, and several majority-black legislative districts in the Atlanta and Macon areas.
The plaintiffs included a number of civil rights organizations, the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Georgia and individuals alleging their voting rights have been diminished due to the 2021 reapportionment.
They cited black population growth in Georgia over the last two decades that has not been reflected in political representation in the U.S. House and legislature.
Nine of Georgias’s 14 Congressional seats are held by Republicans, including three who represent portions of Cobb County.
Georgia’s black population has grown by 484,048 people since 2010, while the white population fell by 51,764.
“In the last decade, all of Georgia’s population growth was attributable to the minority population, however, the number of majority-Black congressional and legislative districts remained the same,” Jones wrote in his ruling.
“Based on the 2020 Census, the combined Black population in Cobb, Fulton, Douglas, and Fayette Counties is 807,076 persons, more than necessary to constitute an entirely AP Black congressional district—or a majority in two congressional districts.”
That could affect how Congressional lines are drawn in the East Cobb area. Until 2021, East Cobb was mostly contained in the 6th Congressional District.
That was represented from 2019-2022 by black Democrat Lucy McBath after many years of GOP representation, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
But the redrawn map included a lesser portion of the 6th District in East Cobb and pulled in some of the 11th District, aimed at ensuring Republican seats.
The 6th now includes some of north Fulton, Forsyth and Dawson counties, which are conservative.
McBath moved to the 7th Congressional District, based in Gwinnett County, after that. Rich McCormick, a conservative Republican, won the 6th and veteran GOP House member Barry Loudermilk was re-elected in the 11th.
Jake Orvis, a McBath spokesman, issued a statement Thursday saying that she “applauds the court for upholding the principles of fair and equal representation. While the outcome of the process remains unclear, one thing is certain: Rep. McBath will not be letting Republicans in the state legislature determine when her work serving Georgians is done.”
Jerica Richardson, a Cobb Commissioner from District 2 in East Cobb, has announced she is running for the 6th District seat, and she has been campaigning in Dawson and Forsyth.
After being drawn out of her commission seat that expires at the end of 2024—and for which a home rule dispute is still pending in Cobb Superior Court—she said in a statement Thursday that while she agrees with the ruling, it doesn’t change her plans to seek federal office.
“This race for me was never about this court decision,” Richardson said. “From day one, I’ve made it clear I was committed to representing the 6th district and bringing back compassionate leadership to our community.”
She said regardless of how the new lines are drawn, “I’m here to represent the people, to fight for their issues, needs, and concerns. I am grateful to today’s decision, and am more committed than ever to winning this race.”
One of the plaintiffs in the voting rights lawsuit is Coakley Pendergrass, an associate pastor at Turner Chapel AME in Marietta and a community and faith leader who lives in the redrawn 11th District.
Jones said in his ruling that Pendergrass and his related plaintiffs “have shown that Georgia’s Black population in west-metro Atlanta is geographically compact to comprise a majority of the voting age population in an additional congressional district.”
The 2021 maps included a portion of South Cobb in the 14th District, represented by Republican firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Jones’ ruling is the second by a federal judge ordering new maps in Southern states under the Voting Rights Act. The Alabama legislature was ordered earlier this year to create a new map with an additional black-majority seat in the southern part of the state.
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With Halloween right around the corner, several events in the East Cobb area will be rounding out the final weekend before Tuesday’s All Hallows Eve.
For the second year in a row, Avenue East Cobb and East Cobb Church are teaming up to present the Boo Bash, a kid-oriented carnival. It runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the shopping center (4475 Roswell Road), and will have some expanded space due to the newly opened plaza.
There will be trick or treating, groovin’ music and two costume parties, along with games, balloons, face-painting and other activities.
If you’re inclined to take part in a dressy Halloween event for adults, our sponsor Elegance Events (2080 Lower Roswell Road) is having its first Masquerade Ball on Saturday from 6:30 to midnight. There will be food, dancing and more, with tickets at $50 a person or $75 for the VIP treatment. Call (813)817-4659 for tickets and information.
The last of the fall concert series Music in the Park takes place from 4-6 Sunday at East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road), this time featuring musicians from the Bach to Rock music school in East Cobb.
You can bring food, blankets and chairs and spread out on the back quad as the sounds come alive in the concert stage.
Halloween isn’t the only festive occasion that is celebrated on Oct. 31. That’s also Reformation Day, and from 4-6 Sunday there will be a special Reformation Day Concert and Oktoberfest Dinner at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection (4678 Paper Mill Road).
Music from J.S. Bach will be performed by the church’s choir and chamber orchestra, and the food is classic German fare—bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels and more from a local bakery. The event is free and open to the public.
Back at Avenue East Cobb on Sunday is a special Relay for Life Fundraiser from 4-8. It’s done by the American Cancer Society, and Panera Bread will be donating a portion of its sales during that time to the Cobb County Justice League.
On Monday, another family-oriented Halloween event is on tap, the 3rd annual East Cobb Library Spooktacular. It’s from 4-5 at the library branch (4880 Lower Roswell Road) and includes crafts, games, and the chance to win the first two illustrated Harry Potter books. Kids 10 and older are welcome to show up in their costumes.
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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!
Cobb resident Ghada Elnajjar holds up a photo of a cousin she says was killed in Gaza by Israeli reprisals against Hamas.
Members of Cobb County’s Muslim and Palestinian communities spoke out against a proposed resolution before the Cobb Board of Commissioners Tuesday to condemn attacks on Israeli citizens by Hamas.
The day after commissioners agreed to drop the resolution—sponsored by East Cobb District 3 member JoAnn Birrell—they formally voted to reject it in order to collect more community input.
During a regular meeting public comment session Tuesday night, several citizens spoke out strongly against Birrell’s motion, which calls for “unwavering support” of Israel following Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 that killed more than 1,400 Israeli citizens and in which others were taken hostage.
Ghada Elnajjar, the daughter of Palestinian refugees whose family has lived in Georgia for 37 years, told commissioners she’s lost members of her extended family, “too many to count,” in Israel’s immediate response.
“You see Israel as a friend and an ally. I get it,” she said, getting emotional. “As a good friend, it is your responsibility to tell them they are wrong.”
Elnajjar said more than 6,000 Palestinians have been killed, nearly half of them children.
“A resolution declaring unwavering support of Israel is essentially saying you support the killing of innocent Palestinian civilians, like my cousin.”
Commissioner JoAnn Birrell said she’s “open and willing” to meet with different groups but wants to take a strong stand “against a terrorist group.”
She held up a photo of a young man she said was killed in Israeli reprisals in Gaza. “He had dreams and he had aspirations. They were cut short.”
Elnajjar said a revised resolution must mention the Palestinian people “by name” and must call for a cease-fire and restoration of water and electricity to Gaza, as well as acknowledging “the pain and suffering of my community,” in Cobb County, Georgia, and the U.S.
After the initial group of speakers, Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said that her office had received many more e-mails after a Monday work session at which the resolution was first discussed.
She and Commissioner Keli Gambrill said that a revised statement be brought back to reflect the views of the broader Cobb community.
“We have a lot to learn by listening to each other,” Cupid said, adding that she’s having a meeting this week with local religious leaders.
Birrell repeated her stance from Monday, saying her resolution was meant only to denounce Hamas and was recommended to her by “several individuals who said that “we should make a stand.
“It makes no derogatory mention of any Palestinians,” Birrell said, “except Hamas, which is a terrorist group.”
She said she has ancestors from Lebanon, and “I’m supporting Israel against the attacks by Hamas.”
Birrell agreed to work to revise the resolution after hearing from her colleagues.
Commissioner Monique Sheffield said that “I want to be mindful of the entire community because that’s who we serve.”
Commissioner Jerica Richardson of District 2 in East Cobb said she wants a 5-0 vote on any resolution.
“There’s no equivocation on my part in denouncing Hamas,” she said. “They’re a U.S.-declared terrorist group and that needs to be made clear.”
While the acts against Israeli citizens “were heinous,” Richardson said “there are complexities” and the resolution needs to reflect the entire community.
She said later that she’s received “hundreds of letters from multiple perspectives” on how to proceed, and that it’s important for the measure to come up at the commission’s next meeting Nov. 14.
After the vote, more speakers during public comment implored the board against what they said was a one-sided resolution.
That would “undermine the Palestinian people,” Zakir Said said, adding that Hamas’ “horrific action deserves condemnation.” But retaliatory measures “have been unprecedented. No two wrongs make it right.”
Richardson and Birrell offered extended remarks at the end of the meeting, which you can view below starting around the 3:48:00 mark.
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!
Cobb Police said Wednesday that an East Cobb man shot his brother at a residence off Sandy Plains Road, then turned the gun on himself after a standoff that summoned SWAT units to the home.
Sgt. Wayne Delk, Cobb Police Public Information Officer, Philip Tokos, 29, died Tuesday night in an apparent suicide.
Delk said that police were called to the scene of a home on Plains Way, behind Mountain View Elementary School, at 5:41 p.m. after receiving reports of a person having been shot.
Delk said that Tokos and his brother, Michael Tokos, 32, “had been involved in a heated argument” and that Philip shot Michael in his lower right leg. Police didn’t say what the argument was about.
But they said Michael Tokos was able to leave the home and get medical assistance, and was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Delk said that “officers had reason to believe that Philip Tokos was still alone inside the residence” and they obtained an arrest warrant and a search warrant.
A SWAT team also arrived on the scene, and when police went inside the home, they found the body of Philip Toskos, whom they said was deceased due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Delk said next of kin has been notified and the Cobb Police Special Victims Unit is taking over the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at 770-801-3470.
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!
