East Cobb News

Cobb schools to begin Aug. 3, offer remote instructional option

June 25, 2020 11:42 AMJune 25, 2020 11:03 AM by Wendy Parker

Cobb school superintendent honored

Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale said Thursday that the 2020-21 school year will start on time, on Aug. 3, on an in-person basis.

But those parents who don’t feel comfortable sending their children to school will be allowed to choose a remote instructional option.

At a Cobb Board of Education work session Thursday, Ragsdale said while plans to return to school are still in the works and are always subject to change, “currently there is no calendar modification.”

He said there would be no “hybrid schedule,” where students would come to class for a week, do remote learning at home for a week, and then return to school after that.

“It’s not going to be the same as the last six to eight weeks” of the recently completed school year, referring to when the district began distance learning in March.

The remote option, which Ragsdale said would be detailed and released soon, will require a registration. That option also will have grades, tests and schedules.

Also, Ragsdale said, parents choosing a remote option will be required to commit to that plan for at least one semester.

Ragsdale said that “there are a lot of changes that could potentially be coming” to alter plans in progress to begin the school year, including extracurricular activities.

He said that for now, students will not be eating lunch in their classrooms. Wearing face masks will be “encouraged,” but not required.

Public health guidance “can change in the blink of an eye,” Ragsdale said.

“At the same time, we’ve got to have school.”

Here’s the Cobb schools calendar for 20-21.

What follows below is a message the district sent out Thursday to the “Cobb Schools Family:”

After months of planning and understanding how student and staff needs have changed as a result of COVID-19 closures, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale announced that Cobb Schools will open for face-to-face instruction with parents being able to choose a traditional classroom or a remote learning classroom.

This format represents the best solution which balances our two most important priorities: the health and safety of our students and staff and flexibility for each student and family.

In preparation for our “face-to-face plus choice” model, we will be asking you to choose the classroom environment which is best for you and your family. If your student is new to the District for the upcoming school year, they must first be registered as a CCSD student, which can be completed here. Once the school approves your registration, your ParentVUE account will automatically be activated. If you already have a student enrolled in the District but do not have an active ParentVUE account, you will need to contact your student’s school for activation.

You will be able to submit your choice beginning on July 2nd but no later than July 10 through ParentVue. Both face-to-face and remote learning options will be available for all students, in all grades K-12. If you choose remote learning, you will be asked to certify that you have access to a device, the internet, and are committed to the remote learning environment for the semester. If you choose face-to-face learning, you will also be asked if you intend for your student(s) to ride the bus.

We also will continue to work tirelessly to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our staff and our students.

Social Distancing will be enforced whenever possible.

Hand sanitizer will be provided in multiple locations throughout schools.

Masks are encouraged on buses and in school buildings.

Daily and rigorous cleaning protocols will be followed.

Nutritious meals will continue to be served daily.

We will continue to be in regular discussion with state and public health officials as their guidance is updated. We look forward to your input and appreciate your support as we support learning for every student in Cobb County during these unpredictable times.

Cobb schools to hold graduation ceremonies starting July 13

June 25, 2020 12:01 PMJune 25, 2020 10:43 AM by Wendy Parker

Lassiter graduation, Cobb schools 2020 graduation schedule

Cobb County School District superintendent Chris Ragsdale said Thursday that individual graduation ceremonies for each of the district’s 16 high schools will take place starting the week of July 13.

All of the graduations will take place at the McEachern High School football stadium, and there will be two commencement exercises each day, at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. The schedule for East Cobb high schools is as follows:

Sprayberry: Wednesday, July 15, 7:30 p.m.
Kell: Friday, July 17, 7:30 p.m.
Walton: Monday, July 20, 7:30 p.m.
Pope: Tuesday, July 21, 7:30 p.m.
Lassiter: Thursday, July 23, 7:30 p.m.
Wheeler: Friday, July 24, 9 a.m.

Speaking at a Cobb Board of Education work session, Ragsdale said that each student will be allotted four tickets for family members to attend. The district also will be livestreaming each graduation.

Initial graduation plans announced earlier this month called for student-only graduations at Wheeler and Harrison high schools.

But in response to criticisms about excluding family members, the district said it would be working on a new plan to include families. The district also cited changing public health guidance in reworking its graduation planning.

Ragsdale said Thursday the decision to relocate all graduations to McEachern was because its stadium has the largest capacity in the school district.

More info can be found at the CCSD’s graduation page.

Lassiter soccer star is Georgia Gatorade player of the year

June 25, 2020 10:11 AM by Wendy Parker

Submitted information:

In its 35th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, the Gatorade Company has announced Vedad Kovac of Lassiter High School as its 2019-20 Gatorade Georgia Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Kovac is the fourth Gatorade Georgia Boys Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Lassiter High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Kovac as Georgia’s best high school boys soccer player.

The 5-foot-8, 145-pound senior forward led the Trojans to a 7-1 record this spring before the season was cancelled. Kovac totaled 17 goals and 14 assists with three hat tricks in eight games. The 2019 4-AAAAAAA Region Player of the Year, Kovac is a member of the Under-19 Bosnian National Team. He concluded his prep soccer career with 47 goals and 25 assists.

An avid artist, Kovac has volunteered locally as part of community beautification projects and as a youth soccer coach. “Vedad is a natural finisher and a hard worker on the field,” said Samer Kaddah, head coach of Pope High. “He has some great vision on the field and provides many assists when he is not scoring himself.”

Kovac has maintained a weighted 3.65 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on scholarship at Michigan State University.

WellStar East Cobb Health Park workers get parachute salute

June 24, 2020 3:25 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb Health Park workers parachute salute — *U.S. Army Black Daggers parachuters get a salute from the crowd after their salute to WellStar East Cobb Health Park workers Wednesday. (ECN photos and videos).*

A few hundred people filled the parking lot at WellStar East Cobb Health Park Wednesday afternoon and looked up to some forbidding clouds.

The rain held off long enough for parachuters from the U.S. Army’s Black Daggers special operations unit to jump from a plane, twist around in the skies and land on a narrow strip of grass between the health park building and a busy Roswell Road.

It was part of a salute to health care workers at the East Cobb facility and earlier Wednesday at WellStar Kennestone Hospital, which announced its new 166-bed emergency and trauma center would open on July 23.

Based in Fort Bragg, N.C., the Black Daggers stayed around for a while to have their pictures taken with medical workers and members of the public. You can read more about the Black Daggers here.

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Sandy Plains Village owners propose townhomes, new retail

June 24, 2020 12:10 PM by Wendy Parker

Sandy Plains Village townhomes — *41 townhomes and 98 parking spaces—at left—would take up part of Sandy Plains Village.*

An early look at Cobb zoning files for July shows some major changes afoot at the Sandy Plains Village Shopping Center in Northeast Cobb.

Last March the retail center’s owner got rezoning for an indoor entertainment center in a 67,000-square-foot space where a Wal-Mart grocery once stood.

But the Ignite Adventure Park will not be constructed there after all, according to a preliminary filing with the Cobb Zoning office (it’s the first application).

The Cobb Planning Commission will hear those cases on July 7.

Site Centers Corp. is applying to rezone a 15.95-acre portion of the shopping center on Woodstock Road from neighborhood retail center (NRC) to planned community village (PVC) to allow for the residential units.

The plans call for 41 two-story “upscale, traditionally designed” townhomes, between 1,800 and 2,200 square feet, with access on Mabry Road, according to a site plan filed with the original application.

The only other details filed for now are included in a “statement of intent” from Site Centers indicating that “the retail marketplace has seen a decrease in in-store sales over the last few years and the amount of physical retail space continues to decline.”

Given business closures in the wake of COVID-19, some retailers “will certainly see a lessened chance of survival,” according to the Site Centers statement, which was signed by prominent Cobb zoning attorney Garvis Sams.

Sandy Plains Village is anchored by a Movie Tavern, and also includes a Dollar Tree discount store, several restaurants and a Firestone store.

Those won’t be affected by the residential plans, which Site Centers said will provide a “pedestrian friendly atmosphere” to be designed to connect to adjacent retail.

There aren’t any townhomes in the vicinity. Right behind the vacant retail space is the Chatsworth subdivision, which is zoned R-15, a single-family residential category.

The additional retail plans weren’t detailed.

Since the filings are preliminary, there isn’t yet a staff analysis or recommendation on whether the application should be approved, modified or denied.

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Cobb schools student meal program extends through July

June 24, 2020 11:26 AMJune 24, 2020 8:25 AM by Wendy Parker

The Cobb County School District announced Tuesday that it would continue providing student meals for those who need them through the month of July. Cobb schools student meal program

The CCSD has partnered with MUST Ministries since COVID-19 closed schools in March, and the program has been extended into the summer months.

Starting Monday, June 29, the schedule for picking up a five-days’ worth supply of food will change, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

East Cobb Middle School remains one of those pickup spots.

The district estimates it has provided 400,000 meals, funded by the federal school lunch program, with MUST volunteers manning the pickup sites. Cobb schools nutritional staff have been preparing the breakfasts and lunches.

Anyone 18 and under is eligible for the food, and the student must be present to receive it. Those students include pre-K students, rising kindergartners, recent graduates under 18, and those students new to Cobb County.

Cobb school board to consider anti-racism resolution Thursday

June 23, 2020 1:36 PM by Wendy Parker

The Cobb Board of Education could approve an anti-racism resolution Thursday that some board members think doesn’t go far enough to address racial issues and inequalities in the Cobb County School District.

Jaha Howard, Cobb school board member — *Jaha Howard*

Board member Randy Scamihorn will propose a resolution (see below) to state that the district, board, superintendent and employees “are saddened by the tragic events that have recently occurred across the country.”

His resolution also states that “racism, prejudice and hate have no place in our county” and pledges that the district will “continue our commitment to stand up for racial justice and support civil rights for all.”

Scamihorn anti-racism resolution

But Jaha Howard, one of three black members of the seven-member school board, said Tuesday that wording “has some good portions but is critically insufficient.”

Instead, Howard posted on his board member’s Facebook page his own draft resolution that he says “is more precise in conveying our acknowledgement and commitment to action against systemic racism.”

Howard specifically mentions the recent deaths of black citizens George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Rayshard Brooks—three of them by police—and said that “systemic racism and racial prejudice, especially against Black and Brown people, has a complicated history and devastating legacy in Georgia and Cobb County.”

Howard calls for the district to undertake “district-wide listening, district-wide learning, and targeted anti-racist programs and policy” and to “stand steadfast against systemic racism in all its forms and commit to racial justice, civil rights, inclusivity and equity for all.”

Scamihorn’s resolution will be discussed at the board’s work session that begins at 10 a.m. Thursday. Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale, under fire from Howard (of the Osborne and Campbell clusters) and board member Charisse Davis (who represents Walton and Wheeler) has said he will make his own statement on Thursday.

On June 12 Howard and Davis sent Ragsdale a letter requesting the Cobb school district undergo several actions to address racial concerns, including anti-bias training for employees and non-traditional methods to increase teacher diversity.

Davis and Howard have been pressing the district and other board members on diversity issues for several months, including asking for the designation of a chief equity officer.

They have openly clashed with board members on related matters, and last year claimed the Republican majority was censoring them by banishing board member comments during meetings.

The anti-racism resolution comes as online petitions have been started to rename Walton and Wheeler high schools in East Cobb, due to the racial backgrounds of their namesakes.

Davis has signed the petition regarding Wheeler, which is named after Joseph A. Wheeler, a general in the Confederate army during the Civil War.

After the work session on Thursday, the school board will go into executive session, and when it returns, will hold its regular voting meeting.

The meeting is virtual and no public comments will be accepted. You can view the work session and regular meeting online by clicking here.

The agendas for both meetings can be seen by clicking here.

Pope football workouts continue after positive COVID-19 case

June 23, 2020 12:20 PMJune 23, 2020 9:19 AM by Wendy Parker

Pope High School officials notified the school community on Monday that a person involved with the varsity football program has tested positive for COVID-19.

The message did not specify whether the individual was a player, coach or a staff member, and said that Cobb and Douglas Public Health “has classified this case as a low-risk exposure.”

The Pope message said that “the families that may have been potentially impacted have been notified” and that “this low-risk exposure does not require isolation or quarantine of asymptomatic individuals.”

Football workouts have resumed, the message said, and “we will continue to follow the recommended social distancing and sanitary protocols recommended by DPH, GHSA, and the CCSD.”

The MDJ reported that people involved with the Hillgrove and McEachern football teams also have tested positive for COVID-19, and workouts are continuing at those schools.

High school football teams in the Cobb County School District began workouts last week, along with other athletes in fall sports (softball and cross country), but they are limited to weight-training and conditioning activities.

Those workouts also are 100 percent voluntary, according to Cobb schools athletic director Don Baker.

The CCSD guidance for the workouts includes closed locker rooms and water fountains, and coaches and players are subject to regular temperature checks and must answer COVID-19 exposure questions.

A school district spokeswoman said Tuesday that “all protocols recommended by public health officials are being followed including deep cleaning and fogging of all weight rooms in Cobb County high schools.”

The Georgia High School Association regulations limit those workouts to a total of 20, and no more than 20 people at a time can be involved in an activity at one time in the same facility.

The high school football season is scheduled to begin in late August.

Cobb fiscal year 2021 budget proposal to be presented July 13

June 22, 2020 5:37 PM by Wendy Parker

The Cobb Board of Commissioners will hold three required public hearings in July on the proposed fiscal year 2021 budget and millage rate.

Mike Boyce

The board will be presented the proposed budget at a work session on July 13, to be followed by the first public hearing the following day at a regular meeting.

Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce has said he will not be seeking a property tax rate increase from the current fiscal year 2020 general fund levy of 8.46 mills.

He’s advocating additional funding to continue implementing a step-and-grade salary structure for police officers, firefighters and other public safety personnel that got underway earlier this year.

That was before COVID-19 and expected drop in tax revenues due to a battered economy from business closures and job losses.

Boyce has said in the wake of those developments he would not be seeking merit increases for county employees, who got an across-the-board four-percent raise in the adopted FY 2020 budget of $475 million.

Here’s the full budget and millage rate public hearing schedule, and keep in mind there are three separate hearings each for the budget and millage rate:

Monday, July 13, 1:30 p.m.—Recommended FY 2021 budget presented to commissioners at work session
Tuesday, July 14, 9 a.m.—First public hearing
Tuesday, July 21, 6:30 p.m.—Second public hearing
Tuesday, July 28, 7 p.m.—Third public hearing and board adoption.

More Cobb budget information can be found here.

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Cobb small business relief grant application deadline is June 26

June 22, 2020 6:08 PMJune 22, 2020 1:51 PM by Wendy Parker

Time’s running out for small businesses impacted by COVID-19 to apply for federal relief grants administered by SelectCobb, the economic development arm of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

The deadline is this Friday, June 26, at 5 p.m., and you’re eligible if you are a Cobb-based business with 100 employees or less. Home-based businesses also are eligible.

A total of $50 million in grant funding comes through the federal CARES Act and was approved by the Cobb Board of Commissioners. Money can be used for payroll and other business expenses. A short video on the program can be seen here.

Here’s more from the county on how the grant program breaks down:

One to ten employees: up to $20,000
11 to 50 employees: up to $30,000
51 to 100 employees: up to $40,000

For information on this grant, qualifications, how to apply, documents needed and more, visit selectcobb.com/grants.

An independent panel appointed by Select Cobb will review all applications, and priority will not be given to Cobb Chamber members.

Lassiter PTSA, Sprayberry Community Group holding food drives

June 20, 2020 12:06 PM by Wendy Parker

A couple of organizations in Northeast Cobb communities are continuing efforts to help feed families in need during the summer.

The Lassiter PTSA food pantry is holding its next food distribution day next Friday, June 26, and organizers are saying you can provide a monetary donation as well as food items.

Organizers say around 60 families in the Lassiter community (including its feeder schools, Davis ES, Garrison Mill ES, Rocky Mount ES, Mabry MS, and our neighbors Tritt ES, Shallowford Falls ES and Pope HS) rely on the pantry to meet family food needs every week.

More information is available by e-mailing lassiterptsa@gmail.com. You can also use this link while out shopping if you want to contribute items.

The Sprayberry Community Group is collecting and distributing food every week to anyone who needs it, and details are at the flyer below.

If you want to drop off food, come by the Piedmont Church (570 Piedmont Road) Tuesdays between 3-7 p.m. If you need food, come to the same location Wednesdays from 4-6 p.m.

The group provides regular updates on its needs and activities on its Facebook page.

Sprayberry Community Group Summer Food Drive

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Tommy Nobis Center accepting bids for July silent auction

June 20, 2020 11:37 AMJune 20, 2020 8:36 AM by Wendy Parker

From Angela Christian, Project Manager and Board Coordinator of the Tommy Nobis Center, comes the information below about the non-profit’s annual silent auction, which is coming up July 10-17.

The event will raise money for the Northeast Cobb-based center’s work providing job training and other services for people with disabilities.

You can place your bids for the auction now and get related information at TommyNobisCenter.org.

Tommy Nobis Center silent auction

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Cobb Commission District 2 Republican primary goes to runoff

June 20, 2020 11:10 AMJune 19, 2020 6:59 PM by Wendy Parker

Fitz Johnson, Cobb Commission candidate — *Fitz Johnson*

More than a week after the primary elections, the two candidates who’ll be moving on in the Aug. 11 Republican runoff for District 2 on the Cobb Board of Commissioners have been certified.

The Cobb Board of Registration and Elections on Friday certified that Fitz Johnson of Vinings and Andy Smith of East Cobb emerged as the top two finishers in a three-candidate race that was separated by fewer than 1,000 votes.

The board certified all of Cobb’s primary results on Friday, after a delayed process that included counting a record 107,000 absentee ballots.

According to the certified tabulations, Johnson received 6,656 votes, or 36.2 percent of the ballots cast.

Smith got 5,946 votes, or 32.2 percent. Kevin Nicholas, also of East Cobb, received 5,770 votes, or 31.4 percent. They were running to succeed retiring commissioner Bob Ott, with the GOP winner facing Jerica Richardson, the only Democratic candidate, in November.

Voting figures reported on the June 9 primary election day were very close, and remained that way as the absentee voting updates were added.

Andy Smith, Cobb commission candidate — *Andy Smith*

“Yes, it was very close, and maybe that’s the way it should be,” said Smith, a former member of the Cobb Planning Commission. “There were three very good candidates and I think District 2 would be well represented by any of them.”

Johnson, a first-time candidate for county office who previously ran for state school superintendent, won 24 of the 39 precincts in District 2, which includes most of East Cobb and some of the Smyrna-Vinings-Cumberland area.

He won 11 precincts in East Cobb, mostly by very slender margins (click here for a hover map with precinct totals).

“I’m not from East Cobb, and so we had to make sure we really got out in East Cobb a lot,” Johnson said.

Cobb BOC District 2 GOP primary precinct map — *To view individual precinct results **click here**. Johnson won precincts in blue, Smith in light green and Nicholas in turquoise. There was a tie in the Dickerson 1 precinct, shaded in beige.*

Nicholas, a member of the Development Authority of Cobb County and a candidate for the Cobb County Board of Education in 2014, also was running for the commission for the first time.

After East Cobb News requested comment from Nicholas, he e-mailed a statement saying that “I am proud of the grass roots campaign we ran, representing our neighbors—not special interests, and a huge thank you to the thousands of voters who supported me.”

Johnson and Smith said they will keep stressing issues they heard a lot from voters, especially public safety, during the runoff campaign.

They both said they’re eager to do more in-person campaigning, as more restrictions on public gatherings in Georgia have been lifted.

The Art Place, most Cobb government offices reopen

June 19, 2020 1:58 PMJune 19, 2020 8:40 AM by Wendy Parker

The Art Place

The Art Place-Mountain View is among the Cobb government facilities have have reopened to the public.

Opening hours are 9 a.m. 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, and has an FAQ at Artplacemarietta.org with more details about classes and other activities:

“All the art centers in Cobb County are working to quickly produce a hybrid of virtual and in person classes. Additionally, we are working hard to create new digital content to keep the public informed and educated about the arts.

“Please note—facilities will operate with limited public access which is dependent upon occupancy, based on recommendations from the CDC. Screening processes are in place to enter the facilities.”

Cobb government has been working under “Limited Operational Services” since March and last weekend that status changed, as county employees who had been teleworking returned to their offices.

Among the exceptions are libraries (seven branches will be reopening on a limited basis July 6) and senior centers.

County courthouses are open with some court business being conducted, but restrictions are in place due to a statewide judicial state of emergency and open and some court business is underway. However, the statewide Judicial State of Emergency order in effect through July 12 keeps many restrictions in place.

Also, starting Monday, you can reserve pavilions at selected park facilities that will be available starting July 1. All parties must follow social distancing practices and may have no more than 50 people.

The online form to apply can be found here; large event venues, including the Jim Miller Event Center, the Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre and Cobb Civic Center are still closed until further notice.

More details at the Cobb COVID-19 page.

Cobb libraries reopening July 6 include 3 East Cobb branches

June 18, 2020 7:54 PM by Wendy Parker

Sewell Mill Library opens — *Cobb library patrons won’t be able to sit down or stay for long when seven branches reopen July 6. (ECN file)*

The seven library branches that began curbside service earlier this month will be reopening their doors in early July, but you won’t be able to spend much time inside.

The East Cobb, Mountain View and Sewell Mill branches are among those reopening to patrons on July 6, the Cobb County Public Library System announced Thursday.

The other branches are North Cobb, West Cobb, South Cobb and Vinings. The main Switzer branch in Marietta has been closed for renovations.

The hours will be limited and so will the things you’ll be able to do.

The branches that are reopening will be open only during weekdays for now: Mondays 10-8 p.m., and Tuesdays-Fridays 10-6 p.m.:

“Under this reopening phase, library patrons are asked to limit visits to browsing, completing library account transactions like checking out items, picking up available reserved materials, and renewing or signing up for a Cobb library card. A limited number of public computers will be available for reservation.

“Casual visits of more than a few minutes to the libraries and sitting down will not be possible under the health and safety guidelines for maintaining social distancing for reducing the community spread of COVID-19. Study and community meeting rooms will remain closed to the public.”

Library staff will be wearing masks and patrons will be “encouraged” to do the same at the libraries, as well as practice social distancing and hygiene.

No tentative plans have been announced for reopening other branches or expanding hours or services.

For information on the library system visit www.cobbcat.org or call 770-528-2320.

Updated 6.18.20: Mapping Cobb COVID-19 cases by ZIP Code

June 18, 2020 4:30 PM by Wendy Parker

Cobb COVID ZIP Code Map

Last Saturday, we posted with an update showing 650 positive tests (cumulative) in the five ZIP codes in East Cobb.

As of Wednesday afternoon, that number had grown to 696, according to figures posted by Cobb and Douglas Public Health.

Here’s a link to a hover map (screenshot above) that tracks the number of cases by each ZIP Code and contains related data.

Two ZIP Codes in East Cobb have more than 200 positive cases each. The biggest number of cases continue to be in ZIP Codes in Marietta and South Cobb. The figures do not break down the number of hospitalizations or deaths by ZIP Code.

The figures below show the number of cases in East Cobb, with Wednesday’s figures next to the ZIP Code, and last Friday’s totals in parenthesis:

30067: 205 (192)
30062: 203 (180)
30066: 156 (150)
30068: 116 (113)
30075: 16 (15)

The totals are compiled by the Georgia Department of Public Health, State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SENDSS) but do not include the number of deaths by ZIP Code.

As of Thursday afternoon, Cobb County has 3,751 confirmed cases of COVID-19 overall, 224 total deaths and 790 hospitalizations.

Only Fulton County (301) has more deaths than Cobb. Gwinnett has the most cases in the state, with 5,753, followed by Fulton (5,325) and DeKalb (4,541), then Cobb.

Those figures are according to the Georgia Department of Public Health, which updates figures daily at 3 p.m.

The number of positive viral tests in Georgia now stands at 60,912 for an infection rate of 8.4 percent for viral tests. A total of 2,605 Georgians have died due to COVID-19. The Cobb infection rate is 5.3 percent.

Cobb Confirmed cases over time 6.18.20

The state data also breaks down cases and deaths by race, sex and ethnicity, and indicates whether those who’ve died also had comorbidities (other health issues).

The vast majority of COVID-19 deaths in Georgia have been people who are 60 and older: 1,050 are 80 and older, 696 are from ages 70-79 and 490 deaths have been between ages 60-69.

A total of 178 of Cobb’s 224 deaths have been people ages 70 and older: 31 for ages 90 and older, 72 for ages 80-89 and 74 for ages 70-79. Another 22 people in Cobb have died between the ages of 60-69.

The highest number of cases is taking place among younger populations, especially as the rate of testing has increased. A total of 10,702 cases in Georgia are between the ages of 18-29, 10,359 between 50-59, 10,170 between 40-49 and 9,746 between 40-49.

The respective number of deaths in those groups are 11, 217, 96 and 44.

In Cobb County, the age group with the most cases is ages 50-59, with 608 cases. There have been 593 cases for ages 40-49, 581 cases for ages 30-39 and 512 cases for ages 20-29.

Cobb Cases by Age 6.18.20

For more data from Cobb and Douglas Public Health, click here.

Cobb government has a COVID-19 dashboard using data from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

There’s also a new independent tracker of Georgia DPH virus data that’s collected at covid-georgia.com and contains analysis, including the trends noted above with newer cases occurring among younger populations, and noting more asymptomatic cases.

Pope hires volleyball coach with 3 state championships

June 17, 2020 5:04 PM by Wendy Parker

Pope High School has has hired Dr. Jeff White, who won three state championships at Northview High School in North Fulton, as its new head volleyball coach. Dr. Jeff White, Pope volleyball coach

White had been head coach at Jackson County High School in Jefferson, Ga., for the last two seasons, after leaving the high school ranks for college coaching jobs.

His Northview teams won Georgia High School Association state championships in 2005, 2007 and 2008. He also coached Chattahoochee to a Final Four and state runner-up appearance before that.

White’s wife Stephanie is a Pope High School graduate and he will also be teaching mathematics.

He succeeds Shawn Darling, who resigned after three seasons that included the 2018 state championship, the fourth in Pope history.

In 2019 the Greyhounds reached the Class 6A state semifinals.

More on White can be found by clicking here.

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Lassiter graduate honored for thesis at Naval Postgraduate School

June 17, 2020 4:05 PMJune 17, 2020 1:54 PM by Wendy Parker

Lauren O'Malley, Lassiter graduate

Submitted information and photo:

The Naval Postgraduate School’s (NPS) Operations Research (OR) Department offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Located in Monterey, California, it is one of the oldest, largest, and highest ranking OR departments in the world. It is without peer in terms of the extent to which graduate education is integrated with a commitment to solving real military problems. The NPS Military Operations Research Society selected four graduate students as finalists for the top thesis award. The students presented theses examining a variety of research topics, including machine learning, surface ship maintenance and active shooter scenarios, to a panel of judges for the Military Operations Research Society (MORS) Stephen A. Tisdale Thesis Award, held May 21, 2020.

Following the detailed presentations and deliberations, the judges awarded Ensign Lauren O’Malley (parents Brian and Shelley O’Malley and graduate of Lassiter High School (2015), Marietta, GA and United States Naval Academy (2019), Annapolis, MD) with the MORS/Tisdale Award and asserted that her research represented the most immediate or near-term value to the defense of the United States and its allies. In her thesis entitled, “Level Loading Surface Ship Maintenance Availabilities,” Ensign O’Malley developed a mixed integer linear programming model to produce an optimal surface ship maintenance schedule to provide private shipyards with a more sustainable and predictable workload, which in turn reduces the risk of maintenance backlogs for the Navy. Ensign O’Malley’s timely research promises to be applied immediately to real-world applications in order to improve current maintenance planning. Her research strives to advance the state-of-the-art surface ship maintenance, extending previous research conducted by NPS graduates Lieutenant Commander Adam Hilliard (2019) and Vice Admiral Richard Brown (1992).

“We’re all very proud of Lauren and the work she has done while at NPS; winning the MORS/Tisdale Award is always a great accomplishment, and she was in very strong company,” stated Dr. Matt Carlyle, Operations Research Department Chair. O’Malley joins a lengthy roster of students earning the esteemed award dating back to the 1970s. “The MORS Tisdale competition is a time where we, as a department, get to celebrate the excellent work that our students do,” said Carlyle. “Anytime anyone asks me about examples of the work we do here, I have a long list of examples that I can show to anyone who’s interested about the fantastic, relevant work that we do in this department.”

O’Malley presented her Award Winning Thesis to Vice Admiral Richard A. Brown, Commander, Naval Surface Forces/Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. O’Malley next reports to her ship home ported in San Diego, the Destroyer USS John Finn, where she will receive her designation as a Naval Surface Warfare Officer. From there, Lauren will attend the Navy’s Nuclear Power School in Charleston, SC, studying Nuclear Engineering which will ultimately lead her to being responsible for the operations of the nuclear propulsion system on an U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier.

The MORS/Tisdale Award is named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Stephen A. Tisdale, who graduated from the Naval Post Graduate school in 1989 with two master’s degrees: an M.S. in Operations Research and an M.S. in Space Systems Operations. His outstanding and influential thesis, “Assessing Optimal Utilization of Potential Anti-Satellite Architectures,” won the MORS prize. The MORS prize was renamed in honor of this outstanding officer-scholar after his tragic death in the collision of two P-3 Orions conducting a submarine tracking exercise at low altitude off the California coast on 21 March 1991.

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East Cobb Rotary partners with YMCA in hunger relief effort

June 17, 2020 3:47 PMJune 17, 2020 9:40 AM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb Rotary YMCA hunger relief

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The East Cobb Rotary and The YMCAs of East Cobb both stand out as leaders in the hunger relief efforts of our community. The Cobb YMCA facilities have always been about growing a stronger community through feeding programs year round, but with the help of the prompt, proactive East Cobb Rotary’s partnership, The Y began distributing much-needed meals to food-insecure households from school age children to seniors. Since the beginning of the health crisis, the East Cobb Ys have been responding in new and unique ways because of the unwavering support of the East Cobb Rotary.

This impactful donation of $15,000 has been vital to sustaining The Ys operations to deliver hunger relief programs serving over 1150 families each week. Before the official start of the school’s out summer break, The East Cobb Ys had already served more meals than we served all of last year. Unprecedented needs in our community, were met with unprecedented generosity from the East Cobb Rotary members. The ability to expand our already robust summer feeding program throughout Cobb County at this urgent time allows us to provide emergency relief, and the ability to provide ongoing help through one of the busiest time – the summer months.

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Petitions demand name changes for Walton, Wheeler high schools

June 18, 2020 6:50 PMJune 16, 2020 10:01 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb school lockdowns

Online petitions have been circulating in recent days demanding that the Cobb County School District change the names of Walton High School and Wheeler High School in East Cobb because of their namesakes.

The petitions, created at change.org, say that the names should be changed because of the racism of George Walton and Joseph Wheeler.

Walton was one of Georgia’s signatories to the Declaration of Independence and Wheeler was a Confederate general in the Civil War.

The Walton petition was created Monday by Joseph Fisher, who identified himself as a Walton student, and is titled “Rename Walton High School, Break the Cycle of White Supremacy.”

Despite George Walton’s historical significance, the petition states that:

“No one ever talks about how George Walton was a white supremacist, belonged to a slave owning family, and spent his political career championing white supremacy in Georgia by stripping Native Americans time and time again of their land. For a school well known on the national stage, it is sickening that they choose to carry themselves using a man who represents one thing: continuing white supremacy in the American South.”

Fisher said as a Walton student:

“Every day that I am on campus I feel hate and oppression from the student body and the administration. I am constantly gaslighted and singled out for my experiences as a person of color, made fun of or the subject of jokes based on the color of my skin. This year, Walton made the news when a white student followed a black student around the school making whipping noises on their cell phone. I couldn’t even say I was surprised, just because that behavior is so normalized at Walton. I wouldn’t wish that mistreatment on anyone, and I certainly won’t stand for it in my community.”

His petition had 500 signatures as of Tuesday evening.

Georgia Department of Education data last updated on March 5 indicated that Walton, which opened in 1974, had 155 black students out of an enrollment of 2,616.

Wheeler graduation rate, East Cobb graduation rates

The Wheeler petition was created over the weekend by “Wildcats for Change,” and those individuals also have started a private Facebook group.

They identify themselves as “lifelong members of Wildcat Nation” but contend it’s “past time” to remove Wheeler’s name from the school:

“Students do not deserve to attend a school whose namesake celebrates a Confederate history and one that was named for a hateful purpose: to hurt and shame Black youth that were, by court order, integrated into our county’s white school system. It does not go unnoticed that the school was named after the passing of Brown v Board of Education, in which the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously ruled that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. It does not go unnoticed that the school was named after the state of Georgia finally began to adhere to the ruling, seven years after it passed. It does not go unnoticed that the Cobb County School Board finally voted to desegregate in 1965—the same year they named Joseph Wheeler High School.”

The Wheeler petition—which referenced the deaths of black citizens George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery in recent weeks, sparking nationwide protests—has more than 2,100 signatures.

Wheeler, which opened in 1965, has a black student body of 811 out of a total enrollment of 2,159 as of March 5.

Cobb Board of Education member Charisse Davis, who represents the Walton and Wheeler clusters, said in an interview with The Marietta Daily Journal that she’s heard from some people who wanted to change Wheeler’s name.

“I think that this is just a start in Cobb as these conversations happen all around the country, including among military leaders, who are calling for bases to be renamed,” she was quoted as saying in the MDJ‘s “Around Town” political fodder column to be published Wednesday.

Davis said in response to a request for comment from East Cobb News that “I support community members feeling empowered enough to organize around an issue.”

When asked if she supported the name changes and if so would she propose resolutions, Davis said: “With everything I know about our board majority and district leadership, I do not see this formally being debated anytime soon.”

UPDATED: After this story was published Davis signed the Wheeler petition.

George Walton, who lived from 1749-1804 and served in the Revolutionary War as a colonel in the Georgia Militia, also was twice a Georgia governor and served as a U.S. Senator.

George Walton Academy, a private school in Monroe, Ga., also is named after him.

Joseph Wheeler lived from 1836-1906, grew up in Georgia and Connecticut and was a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy. He was a cavalry officer for the Confederacy, commanding at campaigns in Shiloh, Chickamauga, Chattanooga and Atlanta and against the Union army’s March to the Sea under Gen. William Sherman.

After the war, Wheeler was readmitted to the U.S. Army, represented Alabama in Congress, and served with Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War.

He is one of the few Confederate veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery. A bronze statue of Wheeler is one of 11 honoring Confederate military leaders at the U.S. Capitol.

It’s recently become a subject of efforts to be removed by Congressional Democrats.

Neither of the petitions offer suggestions for new names for Walton and Wheeler.

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