East Cobb Citizen of the Year is Cobb Collaborative director

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2023 East Cobb Citizen of the Year named
From L-R: Sharon Mason, President & CEO of the Cobb Chamber; Irene Barton, 2023 East Cobb Citizen of the Year; Greg Teague, 2023 Cobb Chamber Chairman. Photo courtesy Cobb Chamber.

Irene Barton, long active in East Cobb civic and community activities, has been named the East Cobb Citizen of the Year for 2023.

Barton, the executive director of the Cobb Collaborative, a non-profit agency, was honored Thursday morning by the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce at a breakfast at Indian Hills Country Club.

She’s been in that post since 2018, and her work has included launching the Connecting Cobb Veterans program (previous ECN post here), brought mental health, suicide prevention and trauma-credentialed training to more than 4,000 individuals through the Mind Your Mind mental health awareness campaign, distributed more than 8,300 books to children, installed more than 50 Little Free Libraries across the county and grown the membership from 78 to 125.

Barton is a member of the East Cobb Civitan Club and is currently its president.

She has been a board member of the McCleskey Family-East Cobb YMCA Board of Directors and the creation care team at the Catholic Church of St. Ann.

Barton also has been involved with the Georgia PTA, Cobb Community Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse, Get Georgia Reading Cabinet, Cobb Executive Women,and Honorary Commanders Alumni Association.

Barton, a member of the Leadership Cobb Class of 2024, “has consistently put service above self in all she does, dedicating herself to helping improve the quality of life in East Cobb” in 25 years in the community, the Chamber said in a release.

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Teen gets life for gang killing at East Cobb apartment complex

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Teen gets life for gang killing at East Cobb apartment complex
Brayan Rivas

A teenager who was 15 years old when he was charged with the murder of another juvenile has been given a life sentence for the crime, the Cobb District Attorney’s Office said Thursday.

Brayan Rivas, now 18, was given a life sentence without parole plus 20 years by Cobb Superior Court Judge Kimberly Childs after he pleaded guilty in court to charges of malice murder and street gang terrorism, the DA’s office said in a release.

Rivas was indicted in January 2021 on 12 felony counts and was on trial for the April 8, 2020 murder 14-year-old of Janina Valenzuela.

She was riding her bicycle at the Arbors of East Cobb apartments, accompanied by her boyfriend, who was walking with her, according to testimony presented at the trial.

The DA’s office said Marietta Police concluded that they were confronted by a male juvenile, later identified as Rivas (and who is identified as Brayan Segura in court filings).

Janina Valenzuela

Prosecutors said Rivas threatened them both with a knife and tried to start a fight with the other boy. Valenzuela ran away on foot and her boyfriend used a bicycle to escape, according to the DA’s office, with Rivas in pursuit.

The DA’s office said investigators determined that the girl was chased into the woods behind the apartments and was stabbed to death by Rivas. Valenzuela’s body was found in a creek at the back of the complex, according to police.

After Rivas was arrested, he initially denied responsibility, but in a letter he mailed from jail that was obtained by law enforcement, he confessed to killing the girl as part of an initiation rite with the MS-13 criminal street gang, the DA’s office said.

Prosecutors also said that the knife that was used in the killing and that was found at Rivas’ residence was confirmed by the GBI as having the victim’s DNA.

“This was one of the most heinous and senseless murders that I have ever worked,” Cobb Assistant District Attorney Jay Winkler said. “I only hope that the family has some peace knowing that the man responsible will spend the rest of his days behind bars.”

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Mixed-use project at ex-Harry’s Farmers Market site vetoed

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Mixed-use project OK'd at former Harry's Farmers Market site
An aerial rendering of the proposed Accent Marietta Crossing.

UPDATED, Nov. 9:

Marietta mayor Steve Tumlin vetoed the rezoning approval on ‘Thursday, the day after the City Council voted 6-1 to approve it.

The council can override the veto with at least five votes at its monthly meeting in December.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

It’s been more than six years since Harry’s Farmers Market closed on Powers Ferry Road in the East Cobb area, in a former retail center that has sat virtually empty since then.

On Wednesday, the Marietta City Council approved a rezoning request to use that property for a mixed-use developement featuring luxury apartments and townhomes.

The long-delayed request for what’s being called Accent Marietta Crossing got a vote of 6-1.

But Mayor Steve Tumlin, who has been adamantly opposed to new apartment construction in the city in recent years, said right after the vote that he may veto the measure.

During a discussion after the rezoning presentation, he said that “I just can’t support these numbers. This just isn’t right. I can’t support this as presented.”

Westplan Investors of Atlanta had been seeking some changes to the conditional mixed-use zoning designation to build more than 200 apartments, 28 townhomes, and 14,389 square feet of retail space in an $80 million investment.

The property was zoned for a specific site plan when Studio Movie Grill came in in 2017, as Harry’s was set to close, so the Council was being asked to approve a new site plan.

(You can read the filing by clicking here.)

Parks Huff, Westplan’s attorney, said in a presentation to the Council that the project would transform an area that for “the last 30 years has looked the same.

“This is something that will invigorate this area,” he said, noting that the Marietta Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval and that there’s no community opposition.

“That’s because it fits.”

“Please don’t stand in the way of progress,” Studio Movie Grill owner Brian Schultz said.

The Studio Movie Grill and an outparcel on Powers Ferry with existing businesses will remain, but the rest of the nearly 20-acre center—including the former Harry’s and adjacent empty space—would be demolished.

Westplan is envisioning the new development as a critical part of an effort by Marietta officials to redevelop Roswell Road eastward from Cobb Parkway. A CobbLinc transit station is being planned for the former Sear’s property across from the Big Chicken.

Westplan’s plans call for “rehabbing” a vacant retail building of nearly 15,000 square feet that fronts Powers Ferry Road, and will keep the existing parking lot that serves the Studio Movie Grill.

Brian Schultz, the Studio Movie Grill owner, said “this property needs a spark.” He addressed also Tumlin’s reluctance.

“I’m literally imploring you to let us bring this community together,” he said. “Please don’t stand in the way of progress.”

In April, Tumlin vetoed a mixed-use project at the former Kroger store on Powers Ferry Road and Delk Road that called for more than 300 apartments, after the council voted 5-2 to approve it.

The council tried to override the veto, which needed five votes, but the vote to override passed only by a 4-3 count.

Several other citizens spoke in favor of the Westplan project, citing the need for quality rental residential space.

The 236 apartments (down from an initial 300), spread out over five buildings, and the townhomes would form a density of 16.93 units per acre. Amenities call for a leasing office, swimming pool, two gazebo/grill areas and patio space.

The two apartment buildings to face Powers Ferry would have commercial/office space on the ground floor.

The total parking would come to 844 spaces, both in surface spaces and two-level parking deck. A total of 13 percent of the site is deemed for recreational purposes, including walking trail areas and a dog run.

Westplan also has agreed to construct new sidewalks along Powers Ferry and Roswell Road to increase pedestrian connectivity.

“If this doesn’t get approved, we have to question what mixed-use is, because this is it,” City Council member Cheryl Richardson said before the vote.

Council member Andre Sims noted that his own children, in their late 20s and early 30s, “can’t afford to buy a $300,000 house” and that younger generations are struggling to afford to become homeowners.

Harry’s was once the anchor of a shopping center that opened in the 1990s, featuring Builders Square and Sports Authority stores and a Revco/CVS drug store. But after those businesses closed, Harry’s became the lone occupant of what was later named Harry’s Crossing.

Harry’s downsized its original space following the opening of the East Cobb Whole Foods store at Merchants Walk in 2012.

Whole Foods, which acquired Harry’s in 2001 but allowed the farmers market concept to retain its name, decided to close the Marietta store and open a Whole Foods in Kennesaw.

Harry's Marietta store

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McCormick closes district office ‘due to serious threats’

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McCormick closes district office 'due to serious threats'
McCormick speaking from the House floor Tuesday on a resolution to censure Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib over the Israel-Hamas conflict.

U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, a Republican whose 6th District includes East Cobb, is temporarily closing his district office in Cumming due to what he said are “serious threats of violence against my staff.”

He didn’t specify what they were in a social media posting Tuesday on X (formerly Twitter), but he added that the “threats have been reported to Capitol Police and will be investigated fully.”

McCormick said his district staff will be working remotely and constituents can contact them via phone and e-mail.

McCormick is in his first term representing the 6th, which was redrawn to include East Cobb, some of North Fulton, as well as Forsyth and Dawson counties and a portion of Gwinnett, where he lives.

He is in Washington this week as the House voted to censure Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib for comments critical of Israel.

He opposed a resolution by fellow Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene accusing Tlaib of “leading an insurrection at the United States Capitol.”

McCormick filed his own resolution Monday and on Tuesday, he posted on X saying that “that this is not a First Amendment issue. Rashida Tlaib has the right to spew antisemitic vitriol and even call for the destruction of the Jewish State. But the House of Representatives also has a right to make it clear that her hate speech does not reflect the opinion of the chamber, and that is what my resolution is about.”

In remarks from the House floor Tuesday, McCormick—a former emergency room physician—also said that while his “heart goes out to the Palestinian people,” especially those injured and killed in a hospital bombing—Tlaib’s public statements that it was from an Israel attack were incorrect.

The House voted 234-188 to censure Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, the 26th time that has happened to a member of Congress.

“I was proud to lead a bipartisan coalition of our members to hold Rashida Tlaib accountable for her dishonest and antisemitic behavior,” McCormick posted on X late Tuesday night. “Thank you to all the other members who helped me refine the language of the bill, who cosponsored and spoke on the floor in support, and the 22 Democrats that had the courage to join us in voting for final passage. This is the right way to get things done.”

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Literacy rates to be discussed at Cobb school board meeting

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The issue of literacy rates—especially in the wake of educational disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 response—is the subject of an agenda item at a Cobb Board of Education work session Thursday.Campbell High School lockdown

The agenda item, entitled “Literacy Updates,” doesn’t detail what will be presented; East Cobb News has left a message with the Cobb County School District seeking more information.

The board also will hear a presentation about the district’s 2024 legislative priorities, which also weren’t specified on the published meeting agenda.

The board is meeting in public at a 1 p.m. work session Thursday and a 7 p.m. business session at the Cobb County School District Central Office (514 Glover St., Marietta).

The agendas for both meetings can be found here; an executive session will take place in between.

The meetings also will be live-streamed on the district’s BoxCast channel and on CobbEdTV, Comcast Channel 24.

While schools in East Cobb had some of the best Milestones test scores in Cobb for the 2022-23 school year, educators across the state and in Cobb County have been emphasizing ways to address learning loss due to COVID-19 disruptions, especially in third-grade reading, a key benchmark of early literacy.

But others struggled, with several elementary schools having percentages of third-graders at proficiency levels at 65 percent or lower.

Georgia has adopted new standards for teaching English after only a third of third-graders were regarded as proficient or better in Milestones English Language Arts results in 2022.

Across the state, ELA Milestones scores among third-graders in 2023 rose three percentage points and the percentage of third-graders reading at or above grade-level was up slightly, from 64 to 66 percent.

In ELA, 78.9 percent of Cobb students were rated as developing learners or above, and 78.7 percent met the same threshold in all subjects.

Marietta City Schools has embarked on a program called the “Science of Reading” that school district officials there said has yielded higher scores for third-grade readers. It’s a concept that’s been adopted by the Georgia Department of Education and will be implemented statewide into Milestones by 2025.

At the school board’s evening meeting, recognitions will include STEM certifications at Bells Ferry Elementary School and Mountain View Elementary School and for Lassiter High School teacher Jean Linner, who was recently awarded the Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2023 Gladys M. Thomason Award.

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Kennesaw State reports record enrollment of 45K for fall semester

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Kennesaw State University announced this week that its combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment for the fall semester is 45,152 students, and all-time high, an the fifth year in a row that enrollment has gone up.KSU logo

That makes KSU the third-largest university in the state, behind the University of Georgia and Georgia State University, and reflects 4.4 percent overall enrollment growth since the fall of 2022, according to a release.

The rise in the number of students represents an increase of 4.4% over Fall 2022, which includes a 4.1% increase in undergraduate and a 7% growth in the number of graduate students attending KSU.

More than 8,600 freshmen and freshmen transfer students are part of that new enrollment, a 15.7 percent increase from last year.

The number of first-generation students—those whose parents do not have a college degree—also has gone up by 5 percent and represents 38.3 percent of the KSU student body.

Female students are 50.6 percent of the student body, and 49.4 percent are males. African-American students make up 26 percent, and Hispanic and Latino students comprise 15 percent, according to the KSU release.

In 2018, KSU’s enrollment was 36,000 students, shortly after the institution’s merger with Southern Polytechnic State University. KSU grew to 43,000 by 2021, and kmore than 45,000 in 2023.

 

 

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Tin Lizzy’s adding game and arcade bar at Avenue East Cobb

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Tin Lizzy's The Avenue East Cobb temporarily closing

The restaurant group behind the Tin Lizzy’s Cantina concept is adding a game and arcade bar next to its existing location at Avenue East Cobb.

The Tin Pin Game Bar will open early next year in the former Beni’s Cubano space and will feature menu items from Tin Lizzy’s in a family-friendly entertainment space.

Southern Proper Hospitality said in a release that popular pinball and arcade games will be featured, including The Mandalorian, Godzilla, Foo Fighters, James Bond 007, Deadpool and Guardians of the Galaxy. Stern’s new Venom game, released in September, also will be available for gamers.

“We’re excited to introduce Tin Pin to the East Cobb community. Our guests are going to love playing these classic games while enjoying some of their favorite Tin Lizzy’s dishes,” Southern Proper partner Chris Hadermann said in a statement. “There will be fun for all ages, plus it’s a great spot to celebrate birthdays and host events.

“We’ve curated these games to appeal to multiple age groups with super-popular themes.”

Featured arcade games include Namco 20-Year Reunion (with Ms. Pac Man and Galaga); The Sega Out Run standup racing game; Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting; and Donkey Kong.

The menu items at the Tin Pin Game Bar will include gourmet soft tacos, bowls and quesadillas and the restaurant’s full beverage menu of beers, wines, margaritas and specialty cocktails.

Tin Lizzy’s, which opened at Avenue East Cobb in 2016, is one of eight locations for the concept, and will debut the company’s game bar component.

Eater Atlanta reported that Tin Pin Game Bar is the latest in an emerging trend of local restaurants carving out gaming and entertainment space, most of them in Atlanta. They include a pickleball center near the Armour Yards venue in Midtown that’s set to open in December.

Southern Proper Hospitality, located on Powers Ferry Road in East Cobb, operates eight restaurant concepts in metro Atlanta, including the Gypsy Kitchen, the Blind Pig, The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill and Chido & Padre’s in Buckhead.

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East Cobb Guthrie’s Chicken rezoning request continued

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Guthrie's Chicken files for rezoning for East Cobb restaurant

The Cobb Planning Commission Tuesday voted to continue a rezoning request by Guthrie’s Chicken for a drive-through location in East Cobb.

The board voted 5-0 to push back an initial hearing on the application to December.

The item had been on the meeting’s consent agenda, but opposition arose from the East Cobb Civic Association.

The fast-food chain purchased 0.3 acres on Lower Roswell at Johnson Ferry Road last year with plans to convert a vacated medical building into a drive-through-only restaurant.

DG East Cobb Guthrie’s LLC (you can read the application here) is requesting a change from a planned shopping center (PSC) to a neighborhood retail commercial (NRC) category.

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.

But the ECCA last week submitted a letter recommending that the request be delayed, due to concerns over some of those proposed variances and other details.

The civic group said the initial application “contained a barely readable site plan,” did not provide a rendering or landscaping, floor, lighting and signage plans.

Guthrie’s filed the application before hiring noted zoning attorney Kevin Moore.

The ECCA said that it hasn’t had much time to respond to some of Moore’s clarifications about what is being proposed, including building height, specific modifications to the structure and traffic concerns.

Moore said that between 22-25 vehicles could be accommodated on the site at any given time.

“However, without further study or analysis of this issue, ECCA is not convinced this number of vehicles can be safely moved through the drive-thru at one time and that traffic will not block access to CVS and in addition, cause a backup into the right turn lane on Lower Roswell Road,” the ECCA noted in its letter.

The ECCA also said it’s concerned about a lack of detail about how customers would pick up food at a walk-up window.

“There is no indication whether there will be a striped walkway for customers to safely cross the traffic of the drive-thru to pick up their food,” the ECCA said. “This concern must also be addressed.”

You can read the full ECCA letter by clicking here.

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Cobb government offices closed Friday for Veterans Day

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Cobb tag offices reopening

Submitted information:

In honor of Veterans Day, Cobb County Government offices will be closed Friday, Nov. 10. This will give our employees, veterans and non-veterans alike, a chance to spend time with their families for the extended holiday weekend. Veterans Day, Nov. 11, celebrates all those who have served in the United States armed forces.

Starting today, Nov. 6, Cobb County is illuminating its buildings green as part of Operation Green Light. We encourage individuals and businesses to join us by changing one light bulb in the entryway of your house or business to a green bulb. By shining a green light, we intend to let veterans know that they are seen and supported.

Click here to see Veterans Day events happening this week.

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Cobb to distribute $4.5M in ARPA funding to child care centers

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Cobb to distribute $4.5M in ARPA funding to child care centers
The Primrose School at Paper Mill Village is one of several ‘learning child care centers’ in East Cobb to receive an ARPA grant of $28,875.

Cobb County government and the Cobb Chamber of Commerce announced Monday that $4.5 million of the county’s funding from the American Rescue Plan Act will be distributed to a number of child care centers.

The county and the Chamber sent out releases Monday saying that 197 child care centers—chosen by Select Cobb, the Chamber’s economic development unit—will be receiving the funding.

The collaboration includes the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning Childhood and CobbWorks.

The recipients were chosen based on a number of criteria, including having dedicated “learning” components as designated by the Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning program.

The selection process took place this spring and summer, and the grants ranged from $10,000 to $28,275.

Several of those child care centers are in East Cobb, and a number of them received a maximum grant of $28,275 (each) to be used to help working families:

  • Bells Ferry Learning Center; Crème de la Crème; Etz Chaim Preschool; East Cobb Prep; East Cobb UMC Preschool; The Goddard School of East Cobb; Parker Chase Preschool Sprayberry; Primrose School of East Cobb at Paper Mill; Primrose School at Eastlake; Primrose School at Lassiter.

There will be an official ceremony Wednesday at Chamber offices on Circle 75 Parkway in the Cumberland area to formally present the grants.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners is in the process of allocating $147 million in ARPA grants in a number of areas to address the effects of closures and restrictions stemming from COVID-19.

Those five areas include community health, support services, economic development, public safety, and county infrastructure. Cobb County government said in a release Monday that the child care center funding is earmarked under economic development.

Here’s how the money will be used, according to the Chamber/SelectCobb release:

“The grants will be directly provided to the early childhood education and day care industry, with an additional 10% of this amount to fund program management. The purpose of the grant program is to help offset the cost of retaining and recruiting workers in this difficult labor market for a specific segment of the economy that has a profound impact on families. The Child Care Grant Program is intended to help offset some of the impacts of higher wages, retention bonuses, and training to allow childcare centers to access or upskill the talent needed to care for the youngest children in Cobb County.”

The county release quoted Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid as saying that “This investment helps ensure Cobb’s working families have a place that will educate and nurture their children, who are our future. This support would not have been possible without the American Rescue Plan Act, which provides help for Cobb citizens, businesses, and infrastructure.”

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East Cobb Weather Update: Some rain to tamp down a drought

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East Cobb Weather Update: Some rain to tamp down a drought
Drought conditions in North Georgia range from extreme (in red) to moderate in Cobb County (beige). Source: U. S. Drought Monitor.

The buzz of air-conditioning units could be heard around East Cobb on Monday, as summer-like temperatures returned, and they’ll be here most of the week.

Highs in the high 70s and even into 80 are being forecast by the National Weather Service in Atlanta, with lows still dipping into the 40s.

That follows freeze warnings a few nights last week, as the early fall continues to bring in a mix of weather seasons.

Sunny skies will continue through Wednesday, with cloudy skies in the forecast on Thursday.

Some needed rain is expected from late Thursday night through Sunday, with highs dropping into the 60s and high 50s through the start of next week.

There’s been a drought in North Georgia in recent weeks. October had only 1.71 inches of rain recorded in metro Atlanta, which is in a moderate drought.

Mountainous areas are undergoing what the U.S. Drought Monitor considers an “extreme drought.”

There’s a 30 percent chance of rain Thursday night, a 50-60 percent chance of rain on Friday, followed by a 20 percent chance on Saturday and a 30 percent chance on Sunday.

For more local weather information, click here.

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Beyond Skin holistic studio opens on Powers Ferry Road

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Beyond Skin holistic studio opens on Powers Ferry Road

Beyond Skin, an holistic skin care studio, has opened on Powers Ferry Road in the East Cobb area.

The studio specializes in customized facials, acne solutions, Nano-needling and plant-based skin care.

The owner is Frankie Coker, a licensed holistic esthetician, who said the objective is to “provide a tranquil and pampering experience, making each visit a journey towards relaxation and self-care.

“We are excited to bring the art of healing, touch, in connection to the skin to Marietta,” Coker said in a release. “I am dedicated to helping our clients achieve beautiful and healthy skin, and I can’t wait to share my passion with the community.”

Beyond Skin held a grand opening on Monday, and is continuing to offer promotions for first-time clients.

For more information, please visit the booking site https://beyondskinesthetics.as.me/schedule.php  or contact hello@beyondskinesthetics.com.

Beyond Skin is located at 119 Powers Ferry Road Suite 105.

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, Oct. 16-20, 2023

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Providence Corners, East Cobb real estate sales
Providence Corners

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. 16

106 Creekway Lane, 30066 (Park Barrett Creek, Sprayberry): $504,000

572 Jo Ann Drive, 30067 (Red Oak Park, Wheeler): $330,000

3615 High Green Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills, Walton): $1.965 million

2248 Glenridge Drive, 30062 (Cambridge Park, Sprayberry0: $707,000

3031 Shaw Road, 30066 (Sprayberry): $452,500

2011 Shadowwood Drive, 30066 (Shadowwood, Sprayberry): $270,000

3160 Randall Drive, 30066 (Russell Plantation Estates, Sprayberry): $382,000

Oct. 17

3304 Greencastle Chase, 30062 (Wellington, Pope): $860,000

2702 Vintage Reserve Lane Unit 3, 30066 (Vintage Club Condos, Sprayberry): $410,000

1235 Partridge Way, 30062 (Providence Corners, Walton): $650,000

Oct. 18

887 Tisdale Trail, 30068 (The Reserve at Olde Towne, Walton): $685,000

2896 Treeside Terrace, 30066 (Edgewood East, Lassiter): $1.575 million

2220 Bryant Pointe Drive, 30066 (Bryant Pointe, Sprayberry): $770,000

2400 Broward Drive, 30066 (Morgan Station, Sprayberry): $392,500

Oct. 19

951 Hickory Leaf Court, 30067 (The Oaks at Powers Ferry, Wheeler): $503,000

2988 Goldfinch Circle, 30066 (Woodrush Court, Sprayberry): $500,000

1380 Dewberry Trail, 30062 (Briarwood Hills, Wheeler)) $350,000

1579 Greyson Ridge, 30062 (Greyson Knoll, Sprayberry): $715,000

2013 Addison Road, 30066 (Sprayberry): $445,000

3098 Wendy Lane, 30062 (Pine Springs, Pope): $520,000

1772 Huntingford Drive, 30068 (Willow Point, Walton): $729,900

Oct. 20

2562 Tritt Springs Trace, 30062 (Post Oak Springs, Pope): $440,000

3264 Turtle Lake Drive, 30067 (Somerset, Wheeler): $765,000

87 Wagon Wheel Court, 30067 (Cherokee Crossing, Wheeler): $480,000

2412 Spring Field Court, 30068 (Weatherstone, Wheeler): $501,000

4160 Summit Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills, Walton): $684,480

2264 Pine Warbler Way, 30062 (Chestnut Springs, Walton): $599,000

2165 Whitehall Drive, 30066 (Strathmore, Sprayberry): $465,000

2375 Castle Lane, 30062 (Newcastle, Pope): $500,000

778 Weybourne Court, 30066 (Chastain Commons, Sprayberry): $425,000

3414 Bryant Lane, 30066 (North Forty, Sprayberry): $309,076

1718 Christie Drive, 30066 (Shallowford Oaks, Kell): $270,000

4413 Inlet Road, 30066 (Lamplighter Cove, Kell): $390,000

4962 North Ellipse Road, 30068 (Wimbledon Place, Walton): $303,000

4604 Villa Chase Drive, 30068 (Villa Chase, Walton): $562,200

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PHOTOS, VIDEOS: A veterans’ appreciation at East Cobb Park

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A veterans' appreciation at East Cobb Park

Warm sunshine bathed down on several dozen veterans, their families and supporters at East Cobb Park Saturday afternoon for an appreciation picnic.

Hot dogs, chips and cookies were available for all comers, and when a local band, the Tunnel Rats, wasn’t playing, patriotic and wartime music played on the sound system at the concert pavilion.

The tunes included Vera Lynn’s World War II classic, “The White Cliffs of Dover,” and when the “Star Spangled Banner” was played, many of the veterans in attendance stood at attention. Some placed their hands over their hearts, and others saluted.

The veterans ranged from more recent conflicts in the Middle East, Vietnam and even Korea.

Organized by East Cobb-based United Military Care and the Aviation History and Technology Center of Marietta, the event is meant to do more than show thanks and appreciation for those who served in the military.

It’s also part of a larger outreach project that involve other organizations to help connect veterans not just socially, but for services and support.

United Military Care has been doing that for more than a decade.

A newer group, Connecting Cobb Veterans, got going last year in association with the Cobb Collaborative non-profit, after spending time during the COVID-19 pandemic getting organized.

West Cobb resident Dan Valentine, one of the CCV leaders, said the group was founded because “we have so many great veterans’ service providers but we have so many veterans.”

With more than 40,000 veterans living in Cobb County, the need to connect them with all kinds of services—from housing and food assistance, to employment and education, and to navigate the Veterans Administration for benefits—is acute.

A handout at the picnic Saturday called a “family activity guide” provided information about how young people can become a “junior veteran ally” and encourages them to offer gratitude to veterans when they meet and encounter them.

A veterans' appreciation at East Cobb Park
“We’re doing a lot of outreach, getting veterans to reach out to other veterans,” said Dan Valentine of Connecting Cobb Veterans.

Another new initiative is the VECTR Center (Veterans Education Career Transition Resource Center), on the campus of Chattahoochee Tech in Marietta. It’s designed a one-stop destination for veterans to visit, call, e-mail or contact otherwise to access a wide variety of service providers.

“The idea is that anyone who has some sort of challenge or problem, they can go there,” said Valentine, who was an active-duty infantry soldier and supply pilot in the Army for seven years and served 18 more in the Army Reserve.

He said United Military Care director Kim Scofi was involved in efforts to better streamline access.

“Our focus isn’t about to provide these services, but to help them get the services they need,” he said.

Part of the outreach is aimed at family members, friends and even veterans who know other veterans, when they’re unaware of what may be available to them or who may reluctant to ask for help,

“Some of them are still in their shell a little bit, they want to tough it out,” Valentine said. “All we’re trying to do is tell them, and those who know them, that ‘if you want to move forward, we’ll help you.’ ”

Veterans wishing to get in touch can contact Connecting Cobb Veterans by visiting its website, dialing 404-479-1551 (phone or text) and via e-mail at veteranhelpccv@cobbcollaborative.org.

The next CCV meeting at the VECTR Center (980 South Cobb Drive) is Nov. 14.

The Marietta Veterans Day parade takes place next Saturday, Veterans Day, starting at 11 a.m. A ceremony follows at noon on the Marietta Square.

That event is organized by American Legion Post 29, the City of Marietta and the Aviation History and Technology Center.

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Hightower Trail MS student earns $10K college scholarship

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Hightower Trail MS student earns $10K college scholarship
Karson Stevenson (at left, in green sweater), with other Cobb REACH scholarship recipients and their families. Photo: Cobb County School District.

Karson Stevenson, an eighth-grader at Hightower Trail Middle School in East Cobb, is one of five middle school students in the Cobb County School District who was awarded a $10,000 college scholarship this week.

It’s called a REACH Scholarship, after REACH Georgia, a needs-based mentorship and scholarship program, and the Cobb Schools Foundation, a philanthropic arm of the Cobb school district that supports the needs of students.

Under the REACH program, qualified students receive $4,000 in scholarship aid from the Cobb Schools Foundation, and REACH Georgia will match it by 2.5 times for a total scholarship worth $10,000.

Since its inception in 2012, Georgia REACH has provided scholarship assistance to many students who are first-generation college/post-secondary-bound students.

The students will get their scholarships after high school graduation, with criteria including maintaining a 2.5-HOPE -grade-point-average. They also must “continue to have good behavior and school attendance, and to meet with a volunteer mentor and academic coach throughout high school,” according to a Cobb school district release.

Members of the Cobb school district front office, including Superintendent Chris Ragsdale, were in attendance at a scholarship signing ceremony this week.

Karson Stevenson will be attending Pope High School next year.

Kimberly Martin, Karson’s mother, said in the release that “I just know that he always just been a special child. For somebody to come step up here and actually tell him that and just express that he was actually chosen, it just means so much to me. It just makes my mommy heart so full.”

His father, Kevin Stevenson, said his advice for his son is to “keep going. Don’t give up. Life gives you curveballs, ups, downs. You [will] get happy, you [will] get sad, but through it all, you just keep going and give it your best.”

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MUST Ministries officially opens East Cobb Marketplace store

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MUST MarketPlace opens

As we noted in late September, MUST Ministries has relocated its ‘Marketplace’ thrift store to the East Cobb area.

On Wednesday, officials from the non-profit, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and community leaders were on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The location at 4651 Woodstock Road is in the Sandy Plains Village Shopping Center, and takes up 7,000 square feet, much larger than its previous space in Marietta.

The new facility also can have large furniture items delivered, as well as donations of selling clothing, home goods, and more that are then sold at a discount.

Here’s what MUST said after the opening event:

“A heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Our new location brings a fresh and inviting space for you to explore. We’re stocked with a wide array of items, from clothing and accessories to home goods and treasures waiting to be discovered. Your visit to the MUST Marketplace not only offers you fantastic shopping finds but also contributes to our vital mission of serving our neighbors in need.”

To donate large items such as furniture to the East Cobb store, 770-790-3900 in advance.

The MUST Marketplace is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, visit the store’s website.

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Time to fall back: Daylight saving time ends Saturday night

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Daylight savings time ends

The last full day of Daylight Saving Time is Saturday, and some warmer weather will return with the weekend.

Eastern Standard Time returns at 2 a.m. Sunday, so you’re advised to set your clocks back by an hour before turning in Saturday evening.

For the next four months, through March 5, daybreak will occur around 7 a.m., with sunsets taking place in the late afternoon.

Saturday’s weather will be sunny, with highs near 70, marking some Indian summer temperatures for most of the next week.

Highs are expected to reach into the high 70s as the week goes on, with lows from the mid 40s to the high 50s.

With the time change comes renewed discussion on the whole idea of whether there should be time changes or not.

U.S. Congress currently doesn’t allow for states to switch to permanent saving time, only permanent standard time (observed only in Arizona and Hawaii).

That’s under provisions of the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which would need to be repealed before states could enact permanent saving time laws.

Georgia is among the states that has approved a measure to go to permanent saving time if that happens.

The legislature in 2021 passed a law that was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp, contingent on Congressional action. Most of East Cobb’s representatives voted in favor of that law.

The Sunshine Protection Act, sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, passed the U.S. Senate in 2022 but hasn’t been voted on in the U.S. House.

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East Cobb Food Scores: J. Christopher’s; East Cobb Fit; more

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J. Christopher's East Lake Pavilions, East Cobb food scores

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

East Cobb Fit Nutrition Club
2145 Roswell Road, Suite 130
November 2, 2023 Score: 100, Grade: A

J. Christopher’s
2100 Roswell Road, Suite 500
November 2, 2023 Score: 98, Grade: A

Jet’s Pizza
2900 Delk Road, Suite 300
November 1, 2023 Score: 100, Grade: A

Wing City
1750 Bells Ferry Road, Suite E
November 1, 2023 Score: 90, Grade: A

Zaxby’s
2981 Delk Road
November 2, 2023 Score: 100, Grade: A

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East Cobb high school sports teams get reclassified for 2024-26

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East Cobb high school sports teams reclassified
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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Powers Ferry Corridor Alliance seeks volunteer board members

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Powers Ferry Corridor Alliance conducts Adopt-A-Mile cleanup
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.

Click here for more information or reach out by email to contact@powersferryca.com.

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